What Is It Like To Go On A Date With Luke Ford?

Posted on February 7, 2009 by Luke Ford

Khunrum emails: "Buddy….I’m wondering just what a Luke Ford "date" consists of. It appears to me that these sweet creatures would settle for nothing less than an pricey ($$$$$) evening out on the town. Why don’t you describe in 50 words or less just what you do when you’re with them."

Here are my last few dates:

* Go to shul. Eat kiddish afterwards followed by a nice walk and some prayerful consideration of the sacred text.
* Yoga.
* Dinner at Milk n Honey.
* A movie (Waltz With Bashir) at the Hollywood Arclight
* A home-cooked meal of lentils and rice at the hovel while viewing a movie on my magnificent entertainment suite
* Mutual sessions of Alexander Technique
* White tantric yoga followed by red tantric yoga, chanting and prayer
* A drive up PCH followed by a walk on the beach and a nice sit on the rocks jutting into the ocean breathing in the pure air and discussing Yogic philosophy
* Taking in a Guru Singh class followed by a special private performance of "Romper Room" at the hovel

Posted in Dating, Personal | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on What Is It Like To Go On A Date With Luke Ford?

Special Yoga Class For The Current Astrological Pattern

Posted on February 7, 2009 by Luke Ford

I’ve always thought astrology a bunch of nonsense. I don’t deny its validity, I just don’t believe. It all seems very strange to me.

Guru Singh was teaching a special Friday night class. I was of mixed mind. On the one hand, going to the class did not seem like the Jewish thing to do. On the other hand, I had no invites for Shabbat dinner.

I found out just before Shabbat that the eruv was down, so I couldn’t take my yoga mat.

At 6:30 pm, I put on shorts and a t-shirt and then a suit and yarmulke on top of that, and then I strode down the road looking like a good Jew.

When I got to the yoga center, I looked around to see if any Jews could see me, and then popped in.

I was a soggy mess.

I loved it at the yoga center. Everyone loved me here! Like a plant climbs towards the sun, so too I stretched for affection.

I changed into my shorts and t-shirt, grabbed a blanket, and found my normal spot at the back of the room.

It was my second yoga class of the day and I was exhausted. The room was packed. I tried to make conversation with the people around me — how long have you been doing yoga? — but they all gave me clipped answers.

I tried to clear an extra space near me for the latecomers but the buffed blonde bloke who wouldn’t say more than two words to me replied, "’Fraid not.’"

Here’s the Guru’s blog about his class:

Sometimes we find the need to post a special class to provide our online community and visitors a digital window into what is happening in the world and how we can prepare and respond to it.

This weeks class focuses on aligning the Heavenly forces for our Earthly life. We have just emerged from Mercury retrograde and are in the midst of an "extreme" period between two eclipses. This is a time for only conscious action.

Here is the subtler score: the New Moon Solar Eclipse of January 25-26, 2009 and the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse of February 9, 2009 connects with a Mars/ Saturn /Uranus link within the Moon and Jupiter locked on the  8th and 11th of February . . . on these two days be involved with extra meditation and prayer and relaxation.

As this is a binary universe—for every action there is an equal reaction—the two weeks we are reviewing here are not only a time to watch out for, but also a moment of unique opportunity. It can greatly empower anything you truly focus your attention on.

This particular special lesson — PDF of the Yoga Pose Diagrams CLICK HERE to download — the MP3 of the actual Kundalini Yoga Class recorded live (warm-up exercises, kriya and meditation) CLICK HERE to download —and for the lecture that matches this class CLICK HERE.

After class, I put on my Jewish uniform and walk a mile to do a little schmoozing with the female Juden.

I’m having the best conversation with a girl about the efficacy of prayer, when dear ol’ Jezebel* walks up and says to my new friend, "Levi is the best man I know, but he hits on every girl in sight."

That ended that conversation.

Thanks Jezebel! At least I don’t sleep with every guy in sight!

I complained to Jezebel later about the inappropriateness of her remark.

"Levi, I love you," she replied, "but I just want you to find something more sustaining than sex."

Is there anything more sustaining?

Wonder what the Guru says?

He prescribed a bunch of exercises but frankly I’m too tired to do them and I don’t believe in astrology anyway.

Being the Gentlemen of Pico-Robertson, I walked two girls home. One was drunk and one was sick. We put our arms around each other and stumbled along singing a song side by side.

I saw an acquantaince and realized I must make obeisance to the proprieties! "I’m just seeing home two sicks friends!" I yell.

"You’re a white knight," she said.

"I’m not sick!" said the drunk girl, "unless you mean mentally sick."

"It was just the right thing to say at that moment," I explained.

After getting about four hours sleep, I stumbled back to shul Shabbos morning.

I didn’t know what Guru Singh is on about with his astrology talk. Everything seemed normal to me.

And then two Jews in front of me and a stack of prayer books and chumashes (Torah plus commentary) got into a shoving match which escalated into verbal violence. One Jew threatened to gather a group together to throw the other guy out. The other Jew buried himself in a chumash and Jewish chanting.

Hmm, something weird was going on. I’ve only once before seen a shoving match in a shul — that was during Kol Nidre at Bnai David-Judea a few years back. An old guy threw his tallis at a young guy in a fight over a seat in the bleachers.

Come Kiddish time, I saw another two Jews squaring off. I know them both. The young guy pulls the old guy’s baseball hat down over his face and then shoves him with one hand. The old guy crashes down, breaking a chair and spilling food everywhere.

The leaders of the shul converged and calmed everyone down and the shover got a stiff talking to from his wife.

He looked a bit sheepish and returned to his food.

This was too weird. There was something in the air. Maybe the planets were pulling me off course.

I left and went home to bed.

The Guru says to spend Sunday and Wednesday in meditation and water.

From my live cam chat:

guest2:  Have you figure out which Hindu Caste suits you best?
YourMoralLeader:  brahmin
guest2:  If you sought to formally convert, would they let you choose your caste?
guest2:  Or would you become an Untouchable?
User guest2 changed their name to HillelHashem.
YourMoralLeader:  untouchable
HillelHashem:  Then you would be stuck with the dark women
HillelHashem:  Do you want to darken your bloodline?
HillelHashem:  You, a man who once aspired to marry a Jewess?
YourMoralLeader:  women can’t get too dark as far as I am concerned
guest1:  WHAT MAKES YOU A MORAL LEADER?
YourMoralLeader:  divine right
YourMoralLeader:  a woman of the lake gave me a sword and anointed me Moral Leader
guest1:  VERY STRANGE…
guest1:  DO YOU HAVE MANY FOLLOWERS?
YourMoralLeader:  The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Luke, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king.
YourMoralLeader:  v. many
HillelHashem:  Do you have sex with women?
HillelHashem:  Ever?
HillelHashem:  When?
YourMoralLeader:  only on Shabbat as the Torah commands
YourMoralLeader:  and only with the Lady of the Lake
YourMoralLeader:  her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite
guest1:  DO YOU HAVE TO GO UNDERWATER TO MEET HER?
YourMoralLeader:  yes
guest1:  IS HE GOING TO SEE THE LADY OF THE LAKE NOW?
YourMoralLeader:  bloody peasant!
guest1:  DO YOU MAKE YOUR LIVING DOING THIS?
YourMoralLeader:  yes, from gifts and offerings of the heart
HillelHashem:  No ladies in your life, eh?
HillelHashem:  It gets harder as one ages, even as everything else gets softer
guest1:  I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE FALL FOR THE THINGS YOU SAY!
HillelHashem:  Who says they fall for it?
guest1:  YOU ARE RIGHT – PROBABLY NOBODY DOES.
YourMoralLeader:  bloody peasant!
guest3:  calling the lady of the lake?
HillelHashem:  He is calling his Yogi
HillelHashem:  Yogi Bear
guest3:  right! that is the only one who would care about his stories.
guest3:  it is very entertaining to discover the outrageous things people believe in.
HillelHashem:  Luke, do world economic events trouble you?
guest3:  he has to consult with the lady of the lake for his answers first.
guest3:  what’s next? calling me a "bloody peasant?"
HillelHashem:  I wonder if Luke knows anyone who Bernie Madoff scammed
guest3:  yes – his buddy  the lady of the lake.
guest3:  rabbi – is that a pout we see?

Khunrum emails: “We can forgive Luke’s miserable batting average with the Yiddisha chippies these past years, zero zero zero zero ..Certainly they are too smart to get involved with an under funded Kooky Pauper living in a closet and driving a 50 year old van. But Luke should be scoring better with the New Age Crowd. Many of these New Age-Yogi-Hindi woman are every bit as loony as Luke. So why isn’t he Kama Sutraizing with one or more of them?. Seems like “easy pickin’s” to me. What’s going on buddy?”

Posted in Jews, Pico/Robertson, Yoga | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Special Yoga Class For The Current Astrological Pattern

Pastor Melissa Scott

Posted on February 6, 2009 by Luke Ford

Mary emails:

Hello Luke,

I read your critique of about Melissa Scott.

Melissa was so brazen as to give a teaching where she refers to him openly during her lesson, believing it to be so esoteric that only the chosen circle of aberrants she associates with in the evangelical community would know. She then sings her flesh out in the end with the song "he touched me, oh, he touched me, and made me whole."

Mocking and blasphemying a sacred song to brag about her conquest. When she was exposed as well as to her inner circle she appeared pale and ashamed. Following the lesson to sing her song she was sitting on a chair with her side facing the camera, unwilling to bare her soul and the truth to the world of her shame.

Because she was found out and called on it, she then responded making a confession of sorts with her teaching on the promises of God. If you pull her up on google images and click into the illustration of her with the title of the same you will read her confession. Now that all is out and the people do not know she continues to laugh about it by teaching on being clothed, Isaish walking around nude, etc. in light of the whole thing.

Paul Crouch Jr. is in on this thing. He has been the go-between for many years in this intrigues, never calling anyone to accountability and further perpetuating the drama with complete disregard for the things of God. The whole thing is an abomination in the eyes of God, and a stench in his nostril. Some people think that even as they fool others, they can fool God. Woe be to those who pretend to be of me, and lead my people astray. It would be better to have a millstone tied around your neck and thrown to the bottom of the sea than to hurt God’s little children/chosen ones, saith God. I shudder to think what will happen when they face their creator at judgment time.

 Go to the Cathedral and watch what she says and does. She’s probably going to be a bit on edge due to the recent information being found out. She cut back on her broadcast time. Keep your ears and eyes peeled.

Here’s the Wikipedia entry on Pastor Melissa Scott. Here’s PastorMelissaScott.com. Here’s a pro-Melissa site.

From FlyNinja.net:

There once was a man named Dr. Eugene (Gene) Scott, who had a preaching television show where he would… you guessed it.. scribble on a white board during his sermons. His sermons are described as being surreal, with random stock footage of things like horseback-riding slipped in. He frequently smoked cigars, used profanity, and was completely open with telling his viewers that they can simply buy their way into heaven. In 2000, he married a 32 year old woman named “Melissa Pastore” when he was 70 years old. He died five years later, leaving her millions in assets.

The Internet describes his widow as being far more complex than himself.

According to a post on a thread on debatebothsides.com that was re-posted on tboforums.com:

Melissa Pastore (AKA Barbi/Barbie Bridges was involved in a ton of legal battles with her ex-husband Paul Pastore, the most notable concerning their porn business – “Barbie Bridges Entertainment” and a certain hardcore video was named in a suit called “Picture Perfect Seduction” in which she starred. If that’s not enough, there is some speculation that Melissa Pastore (who’s maiden name is Melissa Peroff), is noted gangster Frank Peroff’s daughter, citing his name on her legal documents, her supposed birthdate, and location of residence.

If all this is true, it’s no surprise that the legal action Melissa took early in the nineties is what is making finding the porno pictures of her so hard to find.

A strange constant theme is talk of her getting things that she finds objectionable pulled from the Internet, regardless if they’re pornographic or not.

In case the video gets the axe, it describes Pastor Melissa Scott “purging” the Internet of websites and other YouTube videos projecting her in a negative light… which I think would be damn near impossible.

BUT this coincides with a lot of websites (referring to both Barbi Bridges and Melissa Scott) that no longer exist even though they’re listed in a yahoo search.

Barbie Bridges is listed in one of my references as being “Miss Nude Can-Am Exotic, out of Tornoto, Canada, in 1994″, I cannot find a pageant by that name. Upon reading into those pageants, I found that there is a 1996 Miss Nude Can-Am Exotic Pageant, but to me, it looks as if it were some sort of one-time exhibition thing (also note that I cannot find a “Barbie/Barbi Bridges” in attendance in any Canadian pageant by the organization in 1994 or 1996).

I did find a link to a German looking site that has pictures of a “Barbi Bridges” that looks similar to her, (circuitbomb helped) but of course, no video. The similarities to her are striking, but it could be argued that the girl in the photos is not Melissa Scott.

This website (Jesus-Is-Savior.com) accuses Melissa Scott of being a "feminist false prophet."

I saw a recent episode of Mrs. Scott on TV, speaking at The Cathedral. She dazzled the audience with a bunch of Greek and Hebrew words, but never made any sense of what she was trying to say. I watched 30-minutes of confusion. She kept talking about "power" and "Christ," but never mentioned the blood of Jesus. Apart from the sin-cleansing blood of Jesus, we would all be hopelessly condemned to Hellfire forever. Mrs. Scott also failed to mention "sin," or "Hell." To no surprise, she also criticized the King James Bible, God’s preserved and inspired Word. Truthfully, I don’t see how anyone could learn anything from watching Mrs. Scott speak. She talks quickly, moves from chalkboard to chalkboard, speaks a bunch of jibber-jabber, but makes no sense at all. It’s almost as if she’s mocking the stupidity of the audience. As with many intellects, she leaves the common man far behind. The average person would have NO IDEA what she was talking about. Truthfully, I don’t think she even understands what she’s trying to say, but she knows just enough to deceive her listeners. This is only my opinion of course. One thing is certain to me… she is very confusing and a poor teacher.

Here’s speculation from the Stern Fan Network:

Here’s an interesting bio I found on her…

Pastor Melissa Scott, widow of Dr. Gene Scott, has taken over the Los Angeles University Cathedral after Dr. Scott died in February 2005 from terminal prostate cancer.

Melissa Scott was born April 12, 1968, as Melissa Pauline Peroff in Italy. The family moved to Canada then to Massachusettes where Melissa met and later married Paul J. Pastore, an aspiring adult movie producer. The couple moved to North Hollywood and wed in Las Vegas in 1992 then began their work as pornographic producers and directors. Melissa performed as Barbie Bridges in adult photos and videos produced by Vivid Productions. The two formed Barbie Bridged Entertainment which has grown to an international producer and web producer of pornographic video movies featuring teen agers and every conceivable combination of erotic thrill.

Melissa became coupled with Dr. Gene Scott in 1995 during his pony girl phase of paying models to attend his church in the front row, while requiring the rest of the audience to stand and give the ladies an ovation when they entered. Melissa was one of the group who vied for Dr. Scott’s attentions and assets.

In 1996, Melissa divorced Paul Pastore and Gene Scott divorced his second wife Christine.

Some doubt the credibility of Dr. Scott’s claims that Melissa spoke 15 languages and has an IQ of 186, particularly when Dr. Scott’s doctors had to tell her to stop feeding Dr. Scott herbs which were interfering with his prostate cancer test results and treatment. Dr. Scott died of terminal prostate cancer in 2005.

Melissa Pastore
Current pastor of Dr. Gene Scott’s University network.

Widow of Dr. Gene Scott in February 2005. They were married in Reno, Nevada 8/2000, when he was 70 and she was 32..

Has a past, including associations and described nude photos available online, under the professional name "Barbie Bridges" and "Barbi Bridges."

Barbie Bridges was Miss Nude Can-Am Exotic, out of Tornoto, Canada, in 1994. Barbie Bridges Enterprises, operated out of (personally identifying information removed), California, was financed by her to $40,000. and operated in partnership with her 1992-1996 husband Paul J. Pastore (22 years her senior). Several adult films, with explicit titles, are described on the Internet as having been produced in the 1990’s by her firm. Paul Pastore has more recently operated "Beverly Hills Records" (1998-2003) and "Universal Images."

Her Maiden Name, per the 2000 and 1992 Nevada marraige licenses: Melissa Peroff.

She was the daughter of a "Frank Peroff" of Canada, born on (personally identifying information removed). There was a mobster operating out of Canada in that approximate timeframe, as Frank Peroff, who was later the subject of a book by L.H. Whittemore.

She was sued in 1998 for "Fraud and Deceit" in Los County Superior Court, for non-payment on a $30,000. promissory note linked to "Barbie Bridges"

She has not repented publicly, or explained her past in full, to her congregation.

There are also links, to the attorney handling the Scott Church/Estate, and the Church of Scientology.

Other sources and information on Melissa Scott.

The 1996 LA County divorce file has been imaged.

Some of the highlights:

Confirms that it is the same Paul Pastore, as was married in Vegas on 11/24/1992, and includes the (personally identifying information removed) address.

Reports that Melissa financed "B B E Ltd" to about $40,000.

Includes a restraining order on Paul, including damages of $100,000. (!!) for each instance of distribution of an image of "Barbie" via photo, print, video, etc.

She got a 1990 Corvette, and he kept the lease on the apartment and a 1992 Ford van.

IMPORTANT: If anyone can locate a copy of a video named "Picture Perect," it might explain the reasons for this court action — I suggest a search of available film databases for this. Might be something really interesting there.

I didn’t locate this, but checkout Los Angeles Superior Court Case

BC186128 (filed 2/17/1998).
Filed by Plaintiff Ronald Atkinson against Defendants:

(quote) "Barbie Bridges Entertainment; Paul Pastore individually and dba Barbie Bridges Entertainment, Melissa Paulina Pastore**, individually and dba Barbie Bridges Entertainment."

This complaint alleges "Fraud and Deceit" with regards to a Promissory Note that the Plaintiff alleged was not repaid. In the intial suit, Plaintiff asks for $30,000.00.

Plaintiff’s Attorney was Robert B. Silverman, who according to California State Bar records now practives from Westminster (phone listed on CA Bar website at (personally identifying information removed)).

Defendant’s Attorney was Robert M. Ross, who according to California State Bar records now practices from Encino (phone listed on CA Bar website at (personally identifying information removed)).

Posted in Christianity, Melissa Scott | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Pastor Melissa Scott

‘Ex-Masturbator’

Posted on February 6, 2009 by Luke Ford

If you see me wearing one of these t-shirts and you start snickering, I’ll know you’re still engaged in the loathsome practice of self-abuse:

Posted in Sex | Tagged , | Comments Off on ‘Ex-Masturbator’

The News of the Week

Posted on February 6, 2009 by Luke Ford

Steven I. Weiss reports:

Posted in Steven I. Weiss | Tagged | Comments Off on The News of the Week

What Do You Call A Jew Who Is Not On…

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Luke Ford

this list?

A goy.

Joe emails: “The Markopolos testimony was completely devastating. You are too young, but he had the tenor and the ability to answer a question before it was answered that John Dean had in the Watergate matter. He came right out and said that this was a fund that was based on Madoff taking advantage of his fellow Jews and rich European goys who seem to make it a pasttime of getting ripped off by jews. Madoff was so good at what he did, that he even subcontracted the work to “feeder funds” – people who knew rich folks and got them to put money with Madoff. Those feeder funds were paid nicely for their referrals and stuck by the motto of less questions, less answers, kind of a don’t ask don’t tell modus operandi by those giving money to Madoff. These feeder funds founders invested their own money with Madoff so it is clear they did not intentionally defraud their investors since all their compensation from Madoff went right back into Madoff to get 12% a year. Of course, the early investors got to live off the “gains” at the later investors’ expense, and lack of asking questions is usually not a defense. It was clear from Markopolos’ testimony that Madoff’s scam was an exception to the rule in terms of its grandeur, but a pretty routine scam by nature. The SEC is not really there to go after fraud, it is really there to set general rules and hope everyone abides by them on fear of going to jail. But SEC agents do not have the same kind of kick ass tood that FBI agents have. Without a self policing mechanism in the securities industry or paying bounties to whistle blowers, and with this Obama in the White House, my advice is to go to www.tulving.com and buy precious metals. Lots of em.”

Posted in Bernard Madoff | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on What Do You Call A Jew Who Is Not On…

Would You Like To Know More About Me?

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Luke Ford

"I really enjoy the joy of being me and i am dedicated to sharing that joy with you."

That was an assignment from yoga class tonight… Well, we were supposed to phone friends, I thought I’d just post it.

It seems that everyone I know on Facebook has been tagged with "25 Random Things About Me" except me.

I’m hurt that nobody wants to know more about me.

I think I’m fascinating but apparently there’s no demand.

(I confess I did not read any of my Facebook friends’ 25 Random Things.)

And now I see in the New York Times that filling out such a survey is a symptom of narcissism:

Here’s how it works: friends send you an e-mail message (or, on Facebook, “tag” you in a note posted to their profile) with 25 heartfelt observations about themselves — like “I named my son after a man I’ve never met” or “I once paid good money to see Whitesnake in concert” — along with instructions for you to follow suit. You are then expected to gin up your own clever list and foist it upon 25 people, including the friend who asked for it in the first place.

Unlike the chain letters of yesteryear, no money changes hands and no one is threatened with apocalyptic bad luck for refusing to comply. Yet the practice has spread so far and so fast that a Google search for “25 Random Things About Me” yields 35,700 pages of results, almost all of which seem to have been created in the last two weeks.

“It’s really interesting to sit there and try to think of 25 things that you’re willing to tell other people but that they don’t already know about you,” said Ms. Morgan, a health care industry publicist who has kissed 6 1/2 boys (No. 16), is legally blind (No. 19) and didn’t go to school until the fourth grade (No. 7).

“It was harder than I thought it would be, honestly,” she added. “I guess I’m kind of an open book.”

On Facebook, the apparent epicenter of the craze, nearly five million notes on people’s profiles have been created in the last week, and many of them are lists of “25 Random Things.” The note-creation figure is double the previous week and larger than any other single week in Facebook history, and Facebook executives say that the “Random Things” craze is driving it.

Posted in Internet, Personal | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Would You Like To Know More About Me?

How Do You Deal With Friends Who Want To Demean You?

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Luke Ford

Like Dennis Prager, I’ve dedicated my life to uplifting the human condition.

I pattern my behavior on tne highest ideals of Western Civilization in general and the Torah in particular.

Despite this, I have people in my life who try to take me down from my cross (I climb up there every day to try to expiate the world’s sins).

For instance, at 4 pm, my friend and employer called.

"Hello," I said.

"Hello cocksucker," he said.

Yesterday when I picked up the phone, he called me "scumbag."

On other days, he calls me "nigger." He says I have an African-American work ethic.

I’m not sure how to respond. I make about $500 a month from assisting this gentleman in a few of his more legitimate endeavors.

All I know is — I don’t want to go back to dancing.

Posted in Personal | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on How Do You Deal With Friends Who Want To Demean You?

Founder Of Aish HaTorah Dies

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Luke Ford

Aish HaTorah is the most significant outreach organization for Orthodox Judaism (along with Chabad). They are a machine. They bring people in, they love them, and they help them rebuild their lives in the light of the Torah.

And this organization was driven by the following man (as profiled by The Jerusalem Report):

Maverick Rabbi Noah Weinberg, head of the Aish Hatorah Yeshiva and one of the trailblazers of Orthodox Jewish outreach (kiruv), passed away in Jerusalem on Thursday after a yearlong battle with lung cancer. He was 78.

Thousands flooded the capital to attend the funeral of the innovative rabbi, known for his strategy of drawing young, unaffiliated Jewish travelers from the Western Wall to the nearby Aish Hatorah Yeshiva for a dose of yiddishkeit.

Weinberg, who grew up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, received his Torah education at Brooklyn’s Yeshivat Chaim Berlin and Baltimore’s Ner Yisrael Yeshiva, which was headed by his older brother Rabbi Ya’acov Weinberg.

Noah Weinberg arrived in Israel about four decades ago and studied at the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem and at Yeshivat Hanegev in Netivot.

In the 1960s, Weinberg established yeshivot and educational programs aimed at young Jewish men with secular backgrounds who were interested in embracing traditional Judaism.

He was co-founder of the capital’s Ohr Somayach, still one of the leading educational institutions focusing on outreach.

In the mid-1970s, Weinberg broke with Ohr Somayach due to a dispute over educational philosophy, according to Janet Aviad’s 1983 book Return to Judaism.

While Ohr Somayach encouraged its students to dedicate their lives to studying Torah, Weinberg believed that after several years of study students who were the object of outreach should themselves get involved in reaching out to secular Jews, or they should find work in a secular workplace and influence fellow workers to embrace an Orthodox way of life.

Aish Hatorah’s Rabbinical Ordination/Leadership Program focuses on producing graduates imbued with the "Aish culture" of kiruv. These graduates are seen as the future leaders of the institution.

Many are sent out to one of Aish Hatorah’s 30 centers around the world to work in outreach or to help establish new centers.

Unlike most haredi rabbis, Weinberg was very pro-Zionist. He established several institutions that focus on strengthening the Jewish state.

Posted in Aish HaTorah | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Founder Of Aish HaTorah Dies

Another Jewish Journalist Covers Us In Shame

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Luke Ford

Politico reports:

At the end of an East Room signing ceremony for legislation funding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, a member of the media jumped the rope penning off reporters from invited guests in an apparent attempt to get Obama’s autograph, according to a White House aide.

An official familiar with the incident identified the journalist involved as Robert Feuereisen of Jewish World Review, a New York-based Web site which features primarily conservative Jewish writers. A message left at a phone listed in that name in Pikesville, Md. was not immediately returned.

The editor of the Web site, Binyamin Jolkovsky, confirmed to Politico that Feuereisen gathers information for the site and that he was the journalist who asked for Obama’s autograph Wednesday.

Feuereisen’s 12-year-old son had bought an inaugural magazine of some sort for $8, and "his kid just drove him crazy," said Jolkovsky. The editor said Feuereisen has been working in the White House for more than 10 years, and did not lose his credential in the incident, but received a warning not to do it again. "He’s harmless, to put it mildly," the editor said.

At the junkets for the Jewish parochial press (the Jewish Journal, The Jewish Week, etc), it’s not uncommon for its writers to pose for pictures with famous people they are interviewing, such as Ehud Ohlmert, etc. It’s also not uncommon for writers at such publications to imagine they are friends with the people they are covering and pursue them with endless personal phone calls.

Posted in Jewish Journalism | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Another Jewish Journalist Covers Us In Shame