Israel and America are one nation. Who knew?

The Office of Rabbi Sacks together with LSJS, US Living and Learning & Koren Publishers invite you to this special shiur to launch the Weinstein Family Edition of the Koren Sacks Shavuot Machzor. 

https://billetto.co.uk/en/events/shavuotmachzor

Koren Sacks Mahzor Series – A growing body of Hebrew-English holiday prayer books that fuses the translation and commentary of Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks with the unique design and layout of Koren Publishers Jerusalem. The liturgy includes a modern English translation and features prayers for the State of Israel, Israel’s Defense Forces, Welfare of the Government and the Safety of the American Military Forces. The Koren Sacks Rosh HaShana Mahzor was released in 2011 and was named a 2011 National Jewish Book Award finalist by The Jewish Book Council. The Koren Sacks Yom Kippur Mahzor was released in 2012 and the Koren Sacks Pesah Mahzor was released in March 2013. The Jewish Press calls the introduction to the Koren Sacks Pesah Mahzor "a thematic and theological entree to the very essence of Passover."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machzor#Popular_versions

In the Middle East and Persian Gulf, we seek to foster regional stability, deter aggression against our friends and interests in the region, protect U.S. nationals and property, and safeguard our access to international air and seaways and to the region's oil. The United States is committed to the security of Israel and to maintaining the qualitative edge that is critical to Israel's security. Israel's confidence in its security and U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation contribute to the stability of the entire region', as demonstrated once again during the Persian Gulf War. At the same time, our assistance to our Arab friends to defend themselves against aggression also strengthens security throughout the region, including for Israel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfowitz_Doctrine

Its critics have stated it acts as an agent of the Israeli government with a "stranglehold" on the United States Congress with its power and influence. The group has been accused of being strongly allied with the Likud party of Israel, and the Republican Party in the US, but an AIPAC spokesman has called this a "malicious mischaracterization." The Washington Post described the perceived differences between AIPAC and J Street: "While both groups call themselves bipartisan, AIPAC has won support from an overwhelming majority of Republican Jews, while J Street is presenting itself as an alternative for Democrats who have grown uncomfortable with both Netanyahu’s policies and the conservatives’ flocking to AIPAC."

AIPAC, on the other hand, describes itself as a bipartisan organization, and bills it lobbies for in Congress are always jointly sponsored by both a Democrat and Republican. AIPAC's supporters claim its bipartisan nature can be seen at its yearly policy conference, which in 2016 included both parties' front-runners (Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump), as well as high ranking Democrats, including Vice President Joe Biden, and high-ranking Republicans, including Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Israel_Public_Affairs_Committee

How my parents found South America

My parents have just returned from their trip to South America, declaring that they are very lucky to live where they do under the government they live under.  In Guatemala children run around  naked and 5 year olds have to get jobs shining shoes.  In Guatemala shops do not open their doors to you for fear of robbery and only open a window asking what you want.  Cuba was the most civilised, cleanest place with the most honest people.  This was probably due to its rejection of America, my father said.

The sooner they are published, the sooner the war will end.

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=7811759

We need to hear what a bunch of pathetic tossers the Americans think we and our leaders are.

We need the British in Muslim lands to fear for their lives so they come back and stop interfering in matters that they do not understand and which it is beyond their competence to influence.

Publish everything, Julian Assange!

Religious Intolerance in England after the Break from Rome

Thanks be to the Pope who made me take an interest in these things while he was here!

The Toleration and Test Acts is an affront to all civilised values.  No wonder the Pilgrim Fathers fucked off to America.  

After Henry VIII's break from Rome and there was established the Church of England AKA a Creature of the State, there occurred schism within schism.  Within the Anglican Church, those who dissented from it were in turn discriminated against and persecuted.

Those who did not agree to the 39 Articles were treated as odd and inferior, and deprived of their entitlement to take certain learned and important positions in education and government.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty-Nine_Articles

If Henry had not broken from Rome, there would not have been such religious intolerance and mutual suspicion, and not quite so many people would have died over whether the Bible was translated into English, which prayer book was used, how much of it was used, and whether people had to be forced into using a particular prayer book and which bits of it etc etc.

If Henry had been Muslim, he would not have needed to ask the Pope's permission to take another wife.  There would have been no problem at all and two of his six wives would have died with their heads on their shoulders. 

The ordinary English folk would have been less prone to being burnt as a heretic or as a Catholic or discriminated against as a Dissenter.

BNP men fretting about the declining numbers and deteriorating quality of the white race would, if Muslim, rest easy in the comforting thought that their Islamic ability to take four wives and sire children with them will quickly replace the birth rate of legitimate white babies with two married parents whose numbers have been so hideously ravaged by extremist feminism.

Indeed, there would have been no extremist feminism at all to contend with.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_Toleration_1689
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_Act
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/39_Articles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctrine_of_the_Trinity_Act_1813
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy_Act_1698

I've just finished downloading the Koran. Do you want me to burn you one?

Roman Polanski and the civilisational dementia of the West

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/lifestyle/people/roman-polanski-arrest-sparks-shock-outrage-20090928-g7x0.html

Whose idea was it to persecute him?

What has happened to Switzerland?

Even the Swiss have gone cuckoo.