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Articles by Douglas Aronin
Israel and American Jewry: a Yom Haatzmaut Reflection
I was ten years old in 1967 — too young to experience the angst that overwhelmed American Jews as they watched the threat to Israel’s continued existence at the hands of three surrounding Arab armies, but old enough to share in the euphoria that followed Israel’s overwhelming victory in what we now call the Six Day War. Even at my young age, I found the combination of relief and pride to be palpable.
Israel and American Jewry: a Yom Haatzmaut Reflection - Douglas Aronin
I was ten years old in 1967 — too young to experience the angst that overwhelmed American Jews as they watched the threat to Israel’s continued existence at the hands of three surrounding Arab armies, but old enough to share in the euphoria that followed Israel’s overwhelming victory in what we now call the Six Day War. Even at my young age, I found the combination of relief and pride to be palpable.
Strength and Peace: Thoughts on Ukraine
Mar 23, 2022, 7:11 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. “May the Lord grant strength to His people.
Religious freedom and the Supreme Court: A step closer
Jun 25, 2021, 2:50 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. There was good news from the Supreme Court recently for supporters of religious freedom. In Fulton v.
Memories of Herbert Yudenfriend z"l
May 26, 2021, 9:54 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. According to Halakha, when a death coincides with a major Jewish holiday, the traditional shivah period of mourning is abbreviated or superseded by the holiday.
The ethicist and the tattoo question
Apr 2, 2021, 7:53 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post.
Minya Yudenfriend z"l: In memoriam
Feb 19, 2021, 7:53 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Of all the changes in routine brought on by the current pandemic, one of the most jarring is the way we do funerals.
Judah vs. Joseph: Paradigms of Leadership
Dec 30, 2020, 7:43 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post.
Religious Freedom vs. Pandemic: Thoughts on Mixed Feelings
Dec 24, 2020, 9:55 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. I view with some ambivalence the US Supreme Court’s recent decision in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v.
Extremists Right and Left: A Post-election Reflection
Dec 9, 2020, 10:53 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Like many people, I watch a lot of YouTube clips. I find it a convenient way to familiarize myself with a variety of different perspectives.
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l: A Memorial Tribute
Nov 11, 2020, 11:30 PM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post.
'Be strong and of good courage': An Elul Thought
Sep 2, 2020, 9:20 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. The beginning of the Hebrew month of Elul tells us that the High Holiday season is fast approaching.
American Jews and an Israeli Milestone
Aug 23, 2020, 10:10 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. OK, I’ll admit it.
Eulogy for a Newspaper: Thoughts of a Jewish Week Reader
Jul 25, 2020, 12:25 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. I read the announcement with more sadness than shock.
Removing Monuments vs. Remembering History: Jewish Thoughts
Human beings are inherently imperfect. This simple truism is being ignored by a lot of Americans as they view our country’s history. There’s been much fuss of late about monuments to famous Americans viewed as less than admirable by contemporary standards. Some such monuments have been removed by methods both legal (legislative or administrative action) and illegal (vandalism). There have been calls for more such removals. Those of us who are Jews should be concerned about this trend.
A Tale of Two Grandfathers: A Memoir
My story does not begin with me; no one’s does. Each of us is the product of the genetics and the experiences built up and passed down through generations, which combine to make us who we are. As the generations stretch back through the mists of time, pinpointing the start of our own individual stories can be a challenge. In my case, determining a starting point for my ancestral story is relatively easy.
Oaths and Transactions: Post Impeachment Thoughts
Feb 16, 2020, 7:40 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post.
Populism and the Jewish Question
Jan 1, 2020, 10:22 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. We seem to be going through a populist moment, not only here in the United States, but in much of the world.
A Father's Pride and a School's Mission: Thoughts on a Chag HaSemikha
Jun 20, 2019, 7:41 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Most of us have opportunities to celebrate personal milestones of ourselves and our families – birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and the like.
Refuge and Inspiration: A Thought for Yom Ha'atzmaut
May 8, 2019, 2:38 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post.
Of Arameans and First Fruits: A Pre-Pesach Reflection
Apr 15, 2019, 7:53 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post.
The pro-Israel Democrat's dilemma
Apr 9, 2019, 8:44 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post.
Thoughts on the Passing of Albert Vorspan
Mar 12, 2019, 8:17 AM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. I never met Albert Vorspan. I have never had a personal or institutional connection to the Reform movement, which he served with distinction for many years.
When Worlds Collide: Public Issues, Private Lives
Jan 25, 2019, 11:48 PM Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse. In case of abuse, Report this post. Hindsight is infallible. Foresight is a rarer commodity. It’s hardly a novel observation, but it’s worth a periodic reminder.
| Douglas Aronin | The Blogs
To our non-Jewish fellow citizens, the mass shooting that took 11 lives at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh will be remembered as yet another instance of murderous violence at an increasingly tumultuous time in our nation’s history. The body count is too high for the massacre to be entirely overshadowed by other events, ,even by the arrest of the man accused of sending unexploded pipe bombs to ten prominent public figures who had been critical of the present administration.
The Power of Words: A Pre-Yom Kippur Reflection
Words are powerful. Our sages taught (Avot 5:1) that God created the world with ten sayings, each one a combination of words. We begin His praises each morning by proclaiming that with words He brought the world into being. Judaism’s most sacred object is the Torah scroll, consists of words written on parchment. Our words lack the sanctity of God’s, but they are more powerful than we realize. They can help or hurt others, causing pleasure or pain.
"Be strong and of good courage": An Elul Thought
The central feature of the Hebrew month of Elul is the twice-daily recitation of Psalm27, better known by its first three Hebrew words, LeDavid Hashem ori (of David, the Lord is my light). Many of us are so accustomed to associating this Psalm with this season that we rarely stop to think about what the connection is. Why does Psalm 27 dominate the holiday season, from the beginning of Elul until Hoshana Rabah (Shemini Atzeret, in the Diaspora)?
Distinction with a difference: Analyzing Prager and Shapiro
I spend a great deal of time reading or listening to people with whom I strongly disagree. In part the reason is tactical; you can’t convincingly oppose an argument without first seeking to understand it. But there is a deeper reason as well. Only God is infallible. Human beings are inherently and unavoidably flawed.
Persia's couriers: Purim's silent heroes?
Whose name appears most often in the Megillah (Book of Esther)? Your initial instinct (unless you’ve heard this before or figured that if it was that easy I wouldn’t ask), was probably to answer Haman. After all, his name is the one we notice most, since it gives us the opportunity to make noise. The correct answer, however, is King Ahasuerus. When you give it some thought, it makes sense.
Yisrael Beytenu newbie panned for anti-Arab Facebook posts
A fresh-faced candidate for the Yisrael Beytenu party list was panned on Monday evening for several questionable posts on her Facebook profile, hours after the party slate was unveiled. Shira Mistriel, 24, quickly came under fire after being announced as the 10th candidate on the party list, after journalists and activists turned up a number of juvenile and anti-Arab comments. Mistriel, the head of the student union at Ariel University, is a new addition to the Yisrael Beytenu lineup.
Israel to allow sex changes on ID card without surgery
Israel’s Interior Ministry will allow citizens to change the gender designation on their national identity cards without having a sex-change operation. The decision comes after Israel’s Supreme Court ordered the ministry to change the gender designation from male to female on the identity cards of two citizens, Haaretz reported. They had been allowed to change their names prior to the court’s intervention.
Four arrested in Rahat anti-police protests
Four young men were arrested Monday night for allegedly taking part in anti-police riots in the southern Bedouin town of Rahat, a day after a funeral turned violent, leaving one man dead. Several dozen local youth threw stones at police vehicles and at the city’s police station following the funeral of Samy al-Ziadne, one of two Rahat residents who died in recent days in clashes with police.
Anti-Muslim incidents soar in France in wake of Paris attacks
PARIS — The number of anti-Muslim incidents in France has soared since the Islamist attacks in Paris two weeks ago, an organization that tracks Islamophobia said Monday. The National Observatory Against Islamophobia said 116 anti-Muslim incidents had been reported to authorities since the January 7-9 shooting spree by three French jihadists that killed 17.
Canadian FM says Palestinians made 'huge mistake' in ICC bid
Canada’s Foreign Minister John Baird said Monday the Palestinians “made a huge mistake” by pursuing war crimes charges against Israel at the International Criminal Court. Meanwhile, also on Monday, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held talks with top Israeli officials in Jerusalem in a bid to deepen economic cooperation, while also bringing a tough message on peace. Baird met Monday with Israeli officials as part of his five-day visit to the region.
Iran protesters chant 'Death to France' over cartoon
More than 2,000 Iranians protested Monday outside the French embassy in Tehran, chanting “Death to France” and urging the ambassador be expelled because of a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad. The demonstration was in response to French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo’s use of the cartoon in an edition published a week after 12 people were killed by Islamist gunmen at its Paris offices.
French police identify suspect in shooting of policewoman
PARIS — French police have identified a suspect in the shooting Thursday of a policewoman in Montrouge, south of Paris, and have taken two people in his immediate circle into custody, a source close to the investigation said. “The suspect has been identified. Two people very close to him have been taken into custody,” the source said. The shooting, which left another person injured, has not been linked to Wednesday’s Islamist attack in the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo that left 12 dead.
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