One of our professors made a blog for our journalism class @ Centennial college. As "Centennial Journalism's Weblog," it's got a ton of articles written by myself and my fellow classmates. It also has pictures :)
http://centennialjournalism.wordpress.com/
Check out a feature I wrote on kosher food @ the Royal Winter Fair back in October:
http://centennialjournalism.wordpress.com/2008/12/13/kosher-on-display-at-the-royal-winter-fair/
Also, check out a profile that was done on yours truly by a fellow journalism student at Centennial College. It's a work of art! I had tears... tears of joy
http://centennialjournalism.wordpress.com/2008/12/16/tevy-pilc-profile/
Enjoy reading! And while I'm at it (it being publicizing myself, something I don't like doing), I'll shift the focus off myself to others with a few shout outs.
One.... (he gets first dibs cause he just told me he's reading the blog) to Ed Abramovitz on his recent engagement to Michelle Rosen, and for simply being an awesome person
Two.... To Aaron Samole and Sarah Shainhouse on their marriage that took place a few hours ago! What a great night! Mazel Tov! (And let me make a quick note on something, when you say on faceboook you're attending an event, ATTEND IT!! No one likes a no show) Regardless, t'was a great night for all who attended
Three... To Celeste De Muelenaere. Not only because she's a fellow Centennial Journalism student, but it was her birthday yesterday too (and I probably missed a party:(
Four... To Heshy Freid and his FrumSatire.net website. When I found this, I was so happy to see that someone made a blog or some sort of collection of thoughts and writings of this calibre and particular topic of interest. I've always wanted to do something like that since leaving yeshiva but didn't feel like the right person to do so. Glad to see that someone took advantage of a great opportunity and did it well so successfully (I even plugged it to a guy I met at the wedding I went to last night, thinking he'd get a kick out of it). And a belated happy birthday as well! And... If I may suggest for a new topic (if you end up reading this), I know you've done several wedding posts but how bout a list of all the dances you see @ frum weddings. we're talking line dances, putting the chasan and kalla on top of a table and pray to G-d the group of guys don't let go and drop the table. Oh, and to answer your survey: Mamma Leah's (I've got old Ner connections)
Five... To Talia Shmuel who recentely wrote this fantastic piece: http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1005647196410&f=1&e=0#/note.php?note_id=53184044055 OR here http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=28125113&ref=profile (it's my profile, but there's a link there too)
Monday, December 29, 2008
Holiday Happenings- Radio Hanukkah and so much more...
Happy holidays ye old townspeople... I took a small sabbatical from writing (and pretty much everything else) over the holidays just to recuperate a little more from school (like I really need that much support ;) but more importantly to kick back and enjoy the holidays. And that includes everyone no matter what you celebrate- even if you celebrate simply having time off from whatever you do on a normal basis.
So as the Festival of Lights begins to flicker away - no pun intended, it just sounded nice when I thought it out, here's a few things that were apparent over this year's edition of the holiday season:
For me personally, Hanukkah shares a special significance: My Hebrew birth date -aka the date I was born on in the Hebrew calender - is the 25th of the month of Kislev - the first day Hanukkah. I was actually born on the day (not the preceding night) and literally just made it before sunset, thus making it the 26th. I like to remind my parents that I was their 'miracle baby' and 'the light of their lives' or any other useful Hanukkah metaphor that could be fit with birth :)
So when the first candle was lit - that was the moment I finally felt 21. To honour the times, everyday @ morning services, there's an additional reading from the Torah, which I usually try to read for the congregation every year. It's a challenge, but I love it. So I spend a little time practicing, even though a lot of it is the same words over and over again. Look it up and you'll know what I mean.
Anyways about the holidays...
I'm sitting in my Dad's car Sunday morning (on the 21st) waiting for my dad to return after picking up a Toronto Star at the local Shopper's Drug Mart after morning services. Unfortunately, there's no National Post on Sunday, which is really too bad, if you ask me...
So as I'm waiting I begin playing with one of the car's coolest features: XM Satellite Radio
We've only had the car since July but we can't get enough of it. It actually provides us with what we want without any tassels or what not. Everyone gets to listen to what they like and variety is at a premium (Note- this is not a plug for satellite radio, rather a kudos for its services).
One of my favourite stations is the all Led Zeppelin station on channel 39. It happens to be the first of the rock stations on the dial. As I'm listening I go to turn up the volume and accidentally hit the channel changing nob instead, to channel 38. What I hear next is quite astounding.
"For the next 8 days and nights, tune into Radio Hanukkah, channel 38 on XM Satellite Radio for all your holiday favourites and classics, as well as live footage of the lighting of the White House National Menorah in Washington..."
Interesting. After all the years of having to listen to the same Christmas songs, I can now go into the car and hear all my favourite Hanukkah songs!
Okay that wasn't my real initial reaction, but I was surprised to hear something remotely Jewish on the radio, let alone a national station (satellite nonetheless) completely devoted to something of a Jewish nature, the holiday of Hanukkah! I ended up getting my family hooked to the station. Of course you had your usual songs like Hanerot Halalu, Maoz Tzur, and Oy Hanukkah ("Oy Hanukkah, Oy Hanukkah, come light the menorah, lets have a party, we'll all dance the hora..") but there was so much more. You could even hear those songs in several different languages, (Yiddish!) and in different musical forms (Klezmer!). Yeah I'm being sarcastic but just like your typical Christmas music that's played over and over again, unfortunately it's not too different from the Hanukkah music, so what gives? you ask...
Like bands like Zeppelin, AC/DC, Elvis, Springsteen and the Grateful Dead, who all have their own stations on satellite radio, you have to have a pretty large catalogue of material to demand that kind of air play. Not to mention the demand (yay!!) The station, which is in its 3rd year, is only available for the 8 days if the holiday (so ends tonight :(
The station features all sorts of music such as the usual classics, Klezmer bands, Israeli folk and traditional music, kids music, contemporary Jewish music, music from Jewish themed and inspired movies and Broadway plays, as well as hourly live features from Jewish bands such as Soulfarm, Blue Fringe, Rebbie Soul and others. Not only is there music, but there's also a variety of classes given by some of the most reknown speakers such as Rabbi Shmuley (who had an hourly slot at noon), Janis Ian. There's Jewish comedy too! And you can't forget Carlebach... a Jewish music essential!
Not bad for a group of people who only make up about 1% of the world's population.
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday, whatever you were celebrating!
Click here if you want to know more about the station:
http://www.xmradio.com/pdf/radio_hanukkah_schedule08.pdf
http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/channelpage.xmc?ch=38
I'm not purely responsible for this work of art. My friend put it together in yeshiva and I took a picture of it. But yes, it's a menorah made of beer bottles, entirely kosher. (no need for Manishevitz)
So as the Festival of Lights begins to flicker away - no pun intended, it just sounded nice when I thought it out, here's a few things that were apparent over this year's edition of the holiday season:
For me personally, Hanukkah shares a special significance: My Hebrew birth date -aka the date I was born on in the Hebrew calender - is the 25th of the month of Kislev - the first day Hanukkah. I was actually born on the day (not the preceding night) and literally just made it before sunset, thus making it the 26th. I like to remind my parents that I was their 'miracle baby' and 'the light of their lives' or any other useful Hanukkah metaphor that could be fit with birth :)
So when the first candle was lit - that was the moment I finally felt 21. To honour the times, everyday @ morning services, there's an additional reading from the Torah, which I usually try to read for the congregation every year. It's a challenge, but I love it. So I spend a little time practicing, even though a lot of it is the same words over and over again. Look it up and you'll know what I mean.
Anyways about the holidays...
I'm sitting in my Dad's car Sunday morning (on the 21st) waiting for my dad to return after picking up a Toronto Star at the local Shopper's Drug Mart after morning services. Unfortunately, there's no National Post on Sunday, which is really too bad, if you ask me...
So as I'm waiting I begin playing with one of the car's coolest features: XM Satellite Radio
We've only had the car since July but we can't get enough of it. It actually provides us with what we want without any tassels or what not. Everyone gets to listen to what they like and variety is at a premium (Note- this is not a plug for satellite radio, rather a kudos for its services).
One of my favourite stations is the all Led Zeppelin station on channel 39. It happens to be the first of the rock stations on the dial. As I'm listening I go to turn up the volume and accidentally hit the channel changing nob instead, to channel 38. What I hear next is quite astounding.
"For the next 8 days and nights, tune into Radio Hanukkah, channel 38 on XM Satellite Radio for all your holiday favourites and classics, as well as live footage of the lighting of the White House National Menorah in Washington..."
Interesting. After all the years of having to listen to the same Christmas songs, I can now go into the car and hear all my favourite Hanukkah songs!
Okay that wasn't my real initial reaction, but I was surprised to hear something remotely Jewish on the radio, let alone a national station (satellite nonetheless) completely devoted to something of a Jewish nature, the holiday of Hanukkah! I ended up getting my family hooked to the station. Of course you had your usual songs like Hanerot Halalu, Maoz Tzur, and Oy Hanukkah ("Oy Hanukkah, Oy Hanukkah, come light the menorah, lets have a party, we'll all dance the hora..") but there was so much more. You could even hear those songs in several different languages, (Yiddish!) and in different musical forms (Klezmer!). Yeah I'm being sarcastic but just like your typical Christmas music that's played over and over again, unfortunately it's not too different from the Hanukkah music, so what gives? you ask...
Like bands like Zeppelin, AC/DC, Elvis, Springsteen and the Grateful Dead, who all have their own stations on satellite radio, you have to have a pretty large catalogue of material to demand that kind of air play. Not to mention the demand (yay!!) The station, which is in its 3rd year, is only available for the 8 days if the holiday (so ends tonight :(
The station features all sorts of music such as the usual classics, Klezmer bands, Israeli folk and traditional music, kids music, contemporary Jewish music, music from Jewish themed and inspired movies and Broadway plays, as well as hourly live features from Jewish bands such as Soulfarm, Blue Fringe, Rebbie Soul and others. Not only is there music, but there's also a variety of classes given by some of the most reknown speakers such as Rabbi Shmuley (who had an hourly slot at noon), Janis Ian. There's Jewish comedy too! And you can't forget Carlebach... a Jewish music essential!
Not bad for a group of people who only make up about 1% of the world's population.
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday, whatever you were celebrating!
Click here if you want to know more about the station:
http://www.xmradio.com/pdf/radio_hanukkah_schedule08.pdf
http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/channelpage.xmc?ch=38
I'm not purely responsible for this work of art. My friend put it together in yeshiva and I took a picture of it. But yes, it's a menorah made of beer bottles, entirely kosher. (no need for Manishevitz)Tuesday, December 16, 2008
December 16- This Day in History
Besides from the most important thing that happened on this day, a lot of other cool things happened on this day as well. People born, people died... famous events etc.I already knew of a lot of these things but there were a few cool ones I hadn't seen before. So after doing some research, here's a brief list of cool things that happened on the day I share my birthday with:
Let's start with notable events:
1997- Clinton names his Labrador retriever, "Buddy"
1994- Céline Dion gets married to manager René Angélil
Wait a second, I said notable events... Let's try this again:
1998- Operation Desert Fox begins- The US and UK bomb Iraq because of an alleged failure to comply with UN Security Council resolutions. You can look as this day as a monumental day in how things began developing towards present day Iraq. 
1991- Independence Day for The Republic of Kazahkstan. Very nice! I knew I was connected in more than one way to Kazahkstan asides from my infamous Borat costume.
1991- Independence Day for The Republic of Kazahkstan. Very nice! I knew I was connected in more than one way to Kazahkstan asides from my infamous Borat costume.
One of my favourites:
1991- UN General Assembly Resolution 4686 is passed, which revokes UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 after Israel makes revocation of resolution 3379 a condition of its participation in the Madrid Peace Conference of 1991
Why is this a big deal? Pretty much the UN reversed a ruling that Zionism is considered racism. Like there was ever any question of that concept in the first place boggles me. The final vote was 111-25 (13 abstained). President Bush told the General Assembly:
"...to equate Zionism with the intolerable sin of racism is to twist history and forget the terrible plight of Jews in World War II and indeed throughout history."
Let this be a lesson for everyone...
I encourage everyone to look up information about this historic event.
1973-O.J. Simpson becomes the first NFLer to rush for 2,00o yards in a season. And now rots in prison.
1971- Independence Day of State of Bahrain AND Victory Day in Bangladesh- this day marks the surrender of the Pakistani army in the Bangladesh War of Independence and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, paving the way for independence in Bangladesh.
ALSO
Miami Dolphins become first undefeated NFL team at 14-0-0. They actually lost the Super Bowl that year (a la New England Patriots in 2007/8) but repeated the undefeated season and won the big game - the only time that's been done.
1969- MP's in English Commons vote to abolish hanging. 2 days later the House of Lords voted in favour of abolishing the death penalty completely.
1966- Jimi Hendrix Experience releases its first single "Hey Joe," in the UK. And a legend is born.
1960- 1960 New York air disaster- While approaching New York's Idlewild Airport, a United Airlines Douglas DC-8 collides with a TWA Lockheed Super Constellation in a blinding snowstorm over Staten Island, killing 134.
1944- The Battle of the Bulge begins. This was the last major offensive by the Germans in WWII before eventually losing the war. Thank G-d for that.
1773- The Boston Tea Party. That's right, today was the day that members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Natives and dumped several crates of tea into Boston harbour as a protest against the Tea Act.1497- Vasco da Gama goes where no man has gone before- around the Cape of Good Hope, the point where Bartolomeu Dias had made it to, but turned back.
Birthdays:
1770- Ludwig von Beethoven, the musician: duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh duh!!
1775- Jane Austen, novelist, Pride and Prejudice
1883- Max Linder, French pioneer of silent film, it's said he created what was probably the first identifiable motion-picture character who appeared in successive situation comedies. Jewish too.
1913- George Ignatieff, He was a Russian-born Canadian diplomat, but today he's relevant because he's the father of Michael Ignatieff, the soon-to-be next leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.
1934- Elgin Baylor, NBA Hall-of-Famer
1938- Frank Deford, American Sportswriter
1941- Lesley Stahl, American journalist, 60 minutes
1946- Benny Andersson, singer and songwriter for ABBA - OR, the reason I almost my mind this summer while working because of having to listen to ABBA over and over again...
1949- Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top guitarist. A real musician, and what facial hair! >1962- William "The Refrigerator" Perry, American football player, awesome nickname- at his peak weight he was 382 lbs! (See Below)
1963- Benjamin Bratt, American actor, Law & Order, Traffic
1966- Clifford Robinson, American basketball player
One of my favourites: 1967- Donovan Bailey, Canadian sprinter, 2-time Olympic gold medalist, held the world record for the 100 metre dash at 9.84 seconds. He's also from Oakville, Ontario, my previous hometown.
1975- Ben Kowalewicz, Canadian musician, Billy Talent. Solid band.
1977- Eric Belanger, Canadian hockey player, Minnesota Wild
Deaths:
1859- Wilhelm Grimm, One of the Brothers Grimm, fairy tale writer
1916 (old style calender, so for us its actually on December 29)- Rasputin, powerful Russian monk. legend has it that on this day he was poisoned by Romanov family members who believed his influence on the Tsaritsa became too dangerous. He didn't die right away but this event is known as the catalyst for his downfall.
1922- Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the man who revived the Hebrew language. Read his bio. What a fascinating story he has. He lived a tough life - after his wife died of tuberculosis and three of his five children died within a span of 10 days - but managed to revive a seemingly dead language. Many orthodox authorities rejected his teachings because of the sanctity of the Hebrew language, which is regarded as "Lashon HaKodesh" or holy language/tongue, and should only be used for the discussion of holy/torah matters, not everyday conversational use (they consider it a misuse of the language, thus explaining the prevalence of Yiddish as a conversational language.) Personally, I agree with the orthodox point of view, but what Ben-Yehuda did was extremely vital to the well-being of Jewish identity. One of the first things any Jew learns is the Aleph-Beis (the alphabet), and without it, it's extremely difficult to grasp much. Also, when defining a nation, better yet an organized group of similar people - language is usually one of those dominating characteristics. Thank G-d for bringing a man like Elizer Ben Yehuda into this world.
1922- Gabriel Narutowic, 1st President of Poland, assassinated a week after his election.
1976- George, a goose that lived to 49 years, 8 months. I read this and thought wow.
1980- Colonel Sanders, Mr. Kentucky Fried ChickenHope you enjoyed that!
It's my 21st Birthday!! A time to celebrate, but also to look back... and reflect
It's 1:15 AM, I'm sitting on the couch of my basement room floor in my house. I've got an open beer to my left, my bongo to my right, and metallica blasting from my laptop speakers (someone just closed the door from the main floor leading to the basement - too loud I presume :)
I don't really feel like sleeping tonight, because why would I want to waste such a day like this?
(I actually have to finish up an overdue essay.. guess I can't have it all my way..)
Today is December 16 and 21 years ago today I was born. No matter what country, I'm considered an adult. It's a little something worth contemplating amidst my happy state of mind.
To be honest, up until the clock actually struck 12, I wasn't all that excited. I had just finished up a very long week and clearly I was still feeling its effects. But it felt more than just that...
I was waiting in line today with my mother at the local WalMart. She had just finished placing a bunch of random things on the checkout table. One of those things was a birthday card, which she specifically told me to go away and keep busy while she looked for one. After carefully placing it on the checkout table away from my what my eyes could see, she turned to me and said:
"You're gonna be 21 by this time tomorrow, that's amazing. You know, some people are married and having kids by now."
I knew it. I was tired but I knew it. As much as I don't like to compare myself to others and how they were raised to be brought up a certain way and be ready for certain responsibilities and stages of life at certain ages, I felt a little urge of discomfort after hearing this remark. She quickly made a small joke to ease the tension but thoughts had already begun to resonate inside me.
Fine, marriage and kids are one thing, but at an age like 21, it's safe enough to say that this is the beginning of adulthoood. Responsibilities. Privileges. Capabilities. Sometimes I've thought to myself that time and time again, I've been unable to live up to the potential I'm truly capable of. Call it a lack of deisre, laziness, the feeling of comfort based on my surroundings, a lack of urgency or maybe just an unwilling mentality to conform to how everyone else presents themselves, simply for the sake of standing out. In the end, there are several things I can improve upon in my life with trying to become the best human being I can be.
But when I start feeling depressed about how much I could've been, I try to recall where I was not too long ago. I being to ask myself, "have I made progress since X date?" and most of the time, and on an overall level.... yes, I have grown since then. I can also take confort in the fact that thank G-d I 've been given all that I have today, and even more so, thank G-d I have a state of mind that relaizes that I can't be content with the status quo or with whatever level I may be holding at.
Sometimes life can seem like a reverse escalator (or one of those conveyor belts at the airport that you can use when walking through the bording area's long hallways - except backwards). No matter how hard you try to walk up those flight of stairs, the current's going in the opposite direction.
As happy and thankful as I am for reaching this milestone in my life, I need to also take into consideration where am I going and how am I getting there. Though its emphasized now, with G-d's help I can have this concept in my mind everyday or more often than not.
Thanks for all the warm wishes and may we all take the time to properly examine where we are in our lives and guide ourselves on the right path meant for us.
I declare this day a national holiday in Tevytown. Now lets party!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
New Feautures in Town
The Mayor of TevyTown has decided to introduce a few new features to town. They could come around here or there, one a week, when I feel like it; they're just a few things I wanna get out in the open. Fun stuff, check em' out.
Life and What Life Shoud be
An on going entry about Judaism vs. the world around me. How I'm dealing with things around me, current things going on etc. "A little bit of Torah amongst the craziness."
Flashback Freeze
Let's go back in time and talk about something that happened to myself that's worth talking about around, include why it's relevant (duh).
This Day in Yeshiva History
Citing journal entries, we go back to the greatest year of my life and find out what I was doing @ that time. A space for nostalgia, inspiration... something to feel good about.
Week/Month in Review
What the title says. I'll do my best to post these on either Fridays, Sundays or Mondays. If I miss those dates then I'll make it up on Tuesday or Thursday. If it isn't something substantial to give it its own own post, it'll wind up here.
Now enjoy the next two entries...
And a very happy birthday to my dad, Zev who turned 50 last week!!
Life and What Life Shoud be
An on going entry about Judaism vs. the world around me. How I'm dealing with things around me, current things going on etc. "A little bit of Torah amongst the craziness."
Flashback Freeze
Let's go back in time and talk about something that happened to myself that's worth talking about around, include why it's relevant (duh).
This Day in Yeshiva History
Citing journal entries, we go back to the greatest year of my life and find out what I was doing @ that time. A space for nostalgia, inspiration... something to feel good about.
Week/Month in Review
What the title says. I'll do my best to post these on either Fridays, Sundays or Mondays. If I miss those dates then I'll make it up on Tuesday or Thursday. If it isn't something substantial to give it its own own post, it'll wind up here.
Now enjoy the next two entries...
And a very happy birthday to my dad, Zev who turned 50 last week!!
Sympathy for York Students (a 1st for me)
Thursday night for some people means the weekend is soon to begin and it's time for a small break before getting back to work again (not for me this year). However, for students at York University, that break began a little more than two weeks ago and may not end for a long time... The union representing the faculty, teacher's assistants, and a bunch of other groups decided to go on strike.Yep, Canada's 4th biggest University is on strike. YU North is out for business.
Two reactions came to mind when I heard about this. At first I was actually happy. No, its not because I'm a U of T student, which by default requires me to dislike York, I simply don't like York. It's not a vendetta either. Something bothers me about that school. Now, I've never spent a great amount of time there, so I may be biased but hear me out. I've got quite a few friends who go to York - according to Facebook it's actually 89 - but who's counting? For the most part, York is usually the primary option for those who've gone to yeshiva or seminary for a year or two in Israel once they come back to Toronto (that's a relative "once" because you never know what a year in Israel can do to you). I find that most people take a very passive approach towards deciding what they'll be doing @ York (not university) but rather it's expected that they'll be at York. It's viewed as the quickest option to get a university education, for the pure sake of making a living, so that you can get out of there quickly and start doing something else like making a living, or get married or anything else someone finds intriguing (like going back to Israel).
I have no problem how people choose to make use of their time and money when it comes to university. There's nothing wrong with what I mentioned above
But doing that wasn't my primary option, it was actually my last. I chose going to U of T (Scarborough nonetheless) because I was enticed by the program as well as the challenge. That being the case, it kind of upsets me when I hear about all the things that make York so accessible. These are things like:
*Closeness to home
*Cheaper tuition and transit rates and travel times/ways to get to and from school (not having to take more than one transit system)
*An active Jewish student community + atmosphere Better class times (especially when it comes to setting up a learning schedule elsewhere)
*No school because of Holidays (not anymore though)
*Credits from Israel (you just had the easiest year of your university life, and didn't miss a beat!)
Hey York people, correct me if I've made a mistake!?
Back in the day, I would've settled for less because it was more convenient (See Westmount>CHAT for high school, though I don't regret it.) But being in Israel taught me the values of learning things the hard way and where to benefit from it. I appreciate what I get out of traveling 45 minutes in the morning and an 1hour or so at night to and from Scarberia. So even though York students are off school now and have a lot of free time to what they please and here I am swimming in a sea of work, for the long run it'll work out for me. I wouldn't want to lose my winter break or summer. Or worse, lose out on the value of a good education. (especially when it's tearing a hole in your wallet.) There's my sympathy.... have fun making up the time you've lost So I wish the best to York students. And even though your not in school now, appreciate what you have - what I've mentioned above. It could be worse. You could be going to school in Scarborough ;)
I googled "york university strike" and this is what came up. Ha! And it was from the YRT!! (York Region Transit- the worst transit system in the world - a post for another time)
** I'll save the university/yeshiva story for another time
The Obama Email
I'll admit that all I was only going to do was give my take on the candidates and what I though about the whole election hullabaloo. On Thursday however, an old friend of mine sent me a very eye catching email that appealed to me on many levels. It was written by Rabbi Lazer Brody, (profile).
Take a look:
"Those who don't come to Israel while they still can may be lucky to escape from the USA with a plastic bag and a pair of pajamas." Rabbi Shalom Arush made this devastating statement in his public lecture in Hebrew several hours ago. Rabbi Shalom is neither partisan nor does he care about politics, whether in Israel or overseas. Yet, he said, "The near eighty percent of America's Jews who voted for Obama will soon be called upon to suffer the consequence of their choice." What consequence? The American economy is so bad, and so much new money with no backing is being printed, that the gross national product soon won't be enough to pay for the mere interest that America owes its creditors. Suddenly, the young people of the USA will wake up from their slumber of fun and games to realize that the country has not only mortgaged their future, but the future of their great grand children and the unborn generations for years to come. With mounting unemployment and rioting in the streets, who'll take the blame? The Jews, of course! Don't be fooled by a few Uncle-Tom Jews in the Obama crew. The Judenrat - entrusted of filling the daily cattle-car quotas destined for the death camps - was also staffed by Jews.
I don't like messianic speculation, but more and more of this generation's spiritual leaders are saying that Moshiach is fast on the way. Don't miss the train. If you're smart, you'll start phasing out your assets in the USA and buying property in Israel. And if you're even smarter, you'll start thinking really seriously about coming home. Soon, the choice won't be yours. It's not too nice to escape as a refugee in the middle of the night with nothing more than your pajamas and a plastic bag.
First of all, I want to make it clear that I'm not in support of what's said in this passage. It's really hard for me to say that because even though I respect the opinion of the quoted Rabbis and the material has substance (I'll explain later in the post), a lot of it is speculation, so its really hard to attach any tangible evidence to believe what's being said. Than there's me trying to hone the mindset of a journalist: trying to say as neutral, objective, realistic as possible in the face all the point of views (no matter how attractive and appealing it is...).
Nonetheless, I wouldn't be posting this passage here unless I found it had value and opportunities existed to grow from it. I respect the people who took the time get this message out in the open.
My grandmother told me something very interesting a few weeks ago. She told me that back in Europe before the war, the first major sign that things were going wrong was the economy. I don't know exact circumstances, but I've done my research and its true.
She was however, actually talking about the Jews.
When the economy went bad in Europe, it was the first of many things the Jews began to get blamed for and you know the rest. She then told me to keep this mind with what's going on in the world right now. I don't know what to think of this kind of message that I posted above. It may just be speculation, who knows? I usually don't pay attention to something that appears like something speculation. But I thought twice after remembering what grandmother told me. Let's hope G-d willing, that the times ahead are prosperous and filled with opportunity. And if not, than its for the best.
Just something to think about.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Obama: Soon to be the most powerful man in the world
Its been a little week or so since Barack Obama won the election and although dust from the election coverage has settled, there's still much to to talk about.
Like most people, the US election was on my mind for the past "I can't even recall how long the coverage of the election has been going on for times" (that was supposed to be a substitute for an amount of time I couldn't put together). To be an honest even I have an interest in politics, because I'm an avid fan of Saturday Night Live, it was their spoofs that really turned me (and my family) on to the election.
But besides that, I began to notice a few things from my peers. One was that many of my religious friends (both American and Canadian) were heavily in favourite of McCain. No surprise there since George W. Bush has been one of those most supportive Presidents of Israel in history. To many people who are devoted to the Holy Land, foreign policy with Israel is without question the most important issue of any election campaign. You want proof? Take a look @ this past Canadian election: Prior to Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party taking office in 2006, most ridings with a significant Jewish population voted Liberal, such as my riding of Thornhill, which is home to one of the largest observant Jewish populations in Canada. Yet after Paul Martin's government broke down and Harper came into power, his party began to display a staunch supporting of Israel and the Jewish community certainly took notice. During this past election, Peter Kent of the Conservative Party convincingly defeated Liberal incumbent Susan Kadis - who is Jewish herself.
However... with the exception of support for Israel, Bush didn't do so well in anywhere else (that's an understatement).
Enter Obama: Personally I can't really find much not to like about him. He's definitely got great appeal (dancing on the Ellen DeGeneres show, playing 3-on-3 with Indiana high school students). Things like that are good for brownie points but running against the person succeeding George W. Bush, he'd be hard-pressed to lose.
So my question is, would it be hypocritical to say I'm Conservative in Canada, yet Liberal in America?
I'm not sure really. Guess I should brush up on my American politics.
And my appreciation of Obama, well let's just say I've had to ask myself a few questions after reading a very interesting email my friend sent me. (I was going to include it here, but Shabbat is coming so there's no time for that...). On Sunday, maybe Saturday night I'll post my thoughts on this email in relation to the election...
But for now, Have a good shabbos y'all (or as I like to say: Sabbatical Salutations and Benedictions!!)
Also!! Stay tuned for some announcement on some new features I'll be adding to the blog in the near future.
Like most people, the US election was on my mind for the past "I can't even recall how long the coverage of the election has been going on for times" (that was supposed to be a substitute for an amount of time I couldn't put together). To be an honest even I have an interest in politics, because I'm an avid fan of Saturday Night Live, it was their spoofs that really turned me (and my family) on to the election.
But besides that, I began to notice a few things from my peers. One was that many of my religious friends (both American and Canadian) were heavily in favourite of McCain. No surprise there since George W. Bush has been one of those most supportive Presidents of Israel in history. To many people who are devoted to the Holy Land, foreign policy with Israel is without question the most important issue of any election campaign. You want proof? Take a look @ this past Canadian election: Prior to Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party taking office in 2006, most ridings with a significant Jewish population voted Liberal, such as my riding of Thornhill, which is home to one of the largest observant Jewish populations in Canada. Yet after Paul Martin's government broke down and Harper came into power, his party began to display a staunch supporting of Israel and the Jewish community certainly took notice. During this past election, Peter Kent of the Conservative Party convincingly defeated Liberal incumbent Susan Kadis - who is Jewish herself.
However... with the exception of support for Israel, Bush didn't do so well in anywhere else (that's an understatement).
Enter Obama: Personally I can't really find much not to like about him. He's definitely got great appeal (dancing on the Ellen DeGeneres show, playing 3-on-3 with Indiana high school students). Things like that are good for brownie points but running against the person succeeding George W. Bush, he'd be hard-pressed to lose.
So my question is, would it be hypocritical to say I'm Conservative in Canada, yet Liberal in America?
I'm not sure really. Guess I should brush up on my American politics.
And my appreciation of Obama, well let's just say I've had to ask myself a few questions after reading a very interesting email my friend sent me. (I was going to include it here, but Shabbat is coming so there's no time for that...). On Sunday, maybe Saturday night I'll post my thoughts on this email in relation to the election...
But for now, Have a good shabbos y'all (or as I like to say: Sabbatical Salutations and Benedictions!!)
Also!! Stay tuned for some announcement on some new features I'll be adding to the blog in the near future.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The values of hard work - journalism style!
Life can get pretty hectic. Nowadays I'm trying to find time that isn't. But I like hectic. It means you're actually getting off your tuchus and doing something (or should I say many things). It's certainly a lot better than sitting around and doing nothing.
So far I've gotten a nice taste of life = hectic with the journalism program. I don't really realize until after I've done the work that I've just exhausted myself and that the robot in me needs to recharge. The work is tough but I enjoy it. The Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot) teach us that one should build an appreciation for work - a strong work ethic - no matter what the toil may be. So I do my best to weather the storm...
A lot has happened recently:
Last Thursday (October 30th), our class got to visit Toronto headquarters of the Canadian Press, or as my prof calls them : "Canadian media royalty." Two words come to mind from this trip:
Fascinating & Overwhelming.
Why fascinating? Whatever your occupation/niche/favourite hobby may be, imagine getting the chance to go visit the top producer/performer/institution of that field. Or just picture how excited the class nerd might feel when told his class was going on a field trip to the science centre/observatory (he'll need two big puffs of his inhaler just to regain normal breathing). That's kind of how it was for me. I was pretty psyched to go. Well maybe I'm over-exaggerating but as a wannabe journlalist, it was very cool to go see an all-out, top of the line newsroom. Next time I'll make sure I go to the washroom before the tour begins so I can actually give 100%, 100% of the time ;)
Overwhelming? Try this: While walking around the newsroom, my imaging professor pointed out the shower to us. That's right, the shower. These people work so hard that sometimes so much time flies by that you gotta freshen up @ some point. I wonder where they keep the cots? Beds would take up too much space and money.
I guess my point is that it seems like work is life to the people who work there. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was afraid of that notion. Then again, asides from putting money on the table (which I will soon make very clear in a later post IS NOT the ends to the work I do, its just another means to a greater goal), here's a setting where people have honed their skills to the point where they are capable of handling the over-bearing levels of work. And certainly they wouldn't be working there unless they didn't enjoy it (another important life lesson). Seeing those kind of qualities is something I can look at, admire and aspire to be able to maintain that kind of work ethic one day, G-d willing.
Speaking of working because they like it, that's exactly what award-winning reporter Dave Seglins said when he visited our class this past tuesday (November 4). Seglins is currently the anchor of the CBC Radio 1 national news program entitled, The World this Weekend, which airs every saturday and sunday night between 6-7pm. In the midst of our unit on covering crime and police, Seglins took the time to talk to us about some of the characteristics of that field and shared some of his own endeavours as well. I really got a lot of when he talked about some of the methods he used to get stories, such as word of mouth and following trends, which could eventually lead to massive stories. Take this one for example, he notices a recent trend that a certain type of car has been stolen frequentley over a certain type of time. Upon further investigation, the trend leads them to a huge scoop about a massive auto theft ring (front page material!!). It was of great benefit to hear from a pro and get an idea of how he gathers info and puts stories together.
That's Dave Seglins speaking to our class. See that head in the bottom right corner? C'est moi!
In the upcoming posts, I'll be talking about:
- a university I don't like, yet can't help but feel bad for (we'll see about that after tonight...)
- my first crime report - the actual report, and the cool story of how it landed in my lap
- everyone's new favourite person (or at least america's): Barack Obama (and some election editorial)
Class dismissed, time for recess!
So far I've gotten a nice taste of life = hectic with the journalism program. I don't really realize until after I've done the work that I've just exhausted myself and that the robot in me needs to recharge. The work is tough but I enjoy it. The Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot) teach us that one should build an appreciation for work - a strong work ethic - no matter what the toil may be. So I do my best to weather the storm...
A lot has happened recently:
Last Thursday (October 30th), our class got to visit Toronto headquarters of the Canadian Press, or as my prof calls them : "Canadian media royalty." Two words come to mind from this trip:
Fascinating & Overwhelming.
Why fascinating? Whatever your occupation/niche/favourite hobby may be, imagine getting the chance to go visit the top producer/performer/institution of that field. Or just picture how excited the class nerd might feel when told his class was going on a field trip to the science centre/observatory (he'll need two big puffs of his inhaler just to regain normal breathing). That's kind of how it was for me. I was pretty psyched to go. Well maybe I'm over-exaggerating but as a wannabe journlalist, it was very cool to go see an all-out, top of the line newsroom. Next time I'll make sure I go to the washroom before the tour begins so I can actually give 100%, 100% of the time ;)
Overwhelming? Try this: While walking around the newsroom, my imaging professor pointed out the shower to us. That's right, the shower. These people work so hard that sometimes so much time flies by that you gotta freshen up @ some point. I wonder where they keep the cots? Beds would take up too much space and money.
I guess my point is that it seems like work is life to the people who work there. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was afraid of that notion. Then again, asides from putting money on the table (which I will soon make very clear in a later post IS NOT the ends to the work I do, its just another means to a greater goal), here's a setting where people have honed their skills to the point where they are capable of handling the over-bearing levels of work. And certainly they wouldn't be working there unless they didn't enjoy it (another important life lesson). Seeing those kind of qualities is something I can look at, admire and aspire to be able to maintain that kind of work ethic one day, G-d willing.
Speaking of working because they like it, that's exactly what award-winning reporter Dave Seglins said when he visited our class this past tuesday (November 4). Seglins is currently the anchor of the CBC Radio 1 national news program entitled, The World this Weekend, which airs every saturday and sunday night between 6-7pm. In the midst of our unit on covering crime and police, Seglins took the time to talk to us about some of the characteristics of that field and shared some of his own endeavours as well. I really got a lot of when he talked about some of the methods he used to get stories, such as word of mouth and following trends, which could eventually lead to massive stories. Take this one for example, he notices a recent trend that a certain type of car has been stolen frequentley over a certain type of time. Upon further investigation, the trend leads them to a huge scoop about a massive auto theft ring (front page material!!). It was of great benefit to hear from a pro and get an idea of how he gathers info and puts stories together.
That's Dave Seglins speaking to our class. See that head in the bottom right corner? C'est moi!In the upcoming posts, I'll be talking about:
- a university I don't like, yet can't help but feel bad for (we'll see about that after tonight...)
- my first crime report - the actual report, and the cool story of how it landed in my lap
- everyone's new favourite person (or at least america's): Barack Obama (and some election editorial)
Class dismissed, time for recess!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Holidays + Work + Tevy = The Wrong Perspective
It's been a full week since the holidays finished (with the exception of Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan- the beginning of the month of Cheshvan from Tuesday night to Thursday afternoon) and things seem to be back to normal, whatever normal may be. Whether its school, work or whatever one spends their time usually doing, the routine is back in full swing.
From my perspective, I've finally caught up from missing 7 days of holidays over the past month. During that span of time I've had to make up 3 big assignments, cram for a test, and deal with the craziness of that Canadian election. I'll admit it's been tough trying to manage my time accordingly and give proper focus to the work amidst the holiday rush but I try my best not to complain. I shouldn't have to make excuses (or even call the holidays as excuses) for getting my work done efficiently and submitted on time.
But something occurred to me as the final holiday, Simchat Torah, was coming to an end. It was a realization that the holidays were finally over. Even though I had a mountain of work to do once I got home, I took some time to reflect over this year's holiday experience. Of course it was meaningful and full of joy, but I felt like I could've done more.
More as in:
- time spent preparing for the holidays, such as learning customs and helping out the family
- time spent getting work out of the way so it wouldn't impede on properly preparing and observing the holidays.
I could say more, but I think you get the picture. As much as I didn't want it to be this way, I couldn't help but have the idea that it was the holidays getting in the way of work and everything else I needed to take care of. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE OPPOSITE!
My work got in the way of the holidays -that's the right perspective to have. Though I know he takes care of me, I should have amped up my trust in G-d, especially during these times. And he did take care of me. More than I than I know it and more than I expected (though I shouldn't expect it).
I think everyone can learn from this concept regardless of the situation. We need to get our priorities straight when rationalizing our time and resources, and by doing so, we can get more done and appreciate more of what's around us.
In the meantime, stay tuned for some of things that I actually had to deal with during that span of time, such as my interview and experience with recently elected Member of Parliament for Thornhill, Peter Kent - who as yesterday was also named Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Cabinet as Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas). Let's hop he can still keep to his commitments in Thornhill in addition to his new responsibilities in Thornhill.
(and of course whatever is going on now)
From my perspective, I've finally caught up from missing 7 days of holidays over the past month. During that span of time I've had to make up 3 big assignments, cram for a test, and deal with the craziness of that Canadian election. I'll admit it's been tough trying to manage my time accordingly and give proper focus to the work amidst the holiday rush but I try my best not to complain. I shouldn't have to make excuses (or even call the holidays as excuses) for getting my work done efficiently and submitted on time.
But something occurred to me as the final holiday, Simchat Torah, was coming to an end. It was a realization that the holidays were finally over. Even though I had a mountain of work to do once I got home, I took some time to reflect over this year's holiday experience. Of course it was meaningful and full of joy, but I felt like I could've done more.
More as in:
- time spent preparing for the holidays, such as learning customs and helping out the family
- time spent getting work out of the way so it wouldn't impede on properly preparing and observing the holidays.
I could say more, but I think you get the picture. As much as I didn't want it to be this way, I couldn't help but have the idea that it was the holidays getting in the way of work and everything else I needed to take care of. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE OPPOSITE!
My work got in the way of the holidays -that's the right perspective to have. Though I know he takes care of me, I should have amped up my trust in G-d, especially during these times. And he did take care of me. More than I than I know it and more than I expected (though I shouldn't expect it).
I think everyone can learn from this concept regardless of the situation. We need to get our priorities straight when rationalizing our time and resources, and by doing so, we can get more done and appreciate more of what's around us.
In the meantime, stay tuned for some of things that I actually had to deal with during that span of time, such as my interview and experience with recently elected Member of Parliament for Thornhill, Peter Kent - who as yesterday was also named Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Cabinet as Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas). Let's hop he can still keep to his commitments in Thornhill in addition to his new responsibilities in Thornhill.
(and of course whatever is going on now)
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Welcome to Tevytown, Population 1 and counting...
So in an attempt to build some consistency with my writing, I've decide to create this blog. I hope whomever reads it, enjoys it. It'll consist of a variety of things such as:
Various News/ Happenings (with some personal commentary attached)
Things going on my life and around me - (the stuff worth sharing with the world, or simply to express externally because I have to get it out of me
Torah (can't go wrong with that!)
and pretty much anything else that comes to mind. Like weird occurrences or things said or done by people, random flashbacks/bouts of nostalgia, or stories and experiences that happened to me in the past worth sharing...
Once again, thank you for visiting Tevytown. Take seat belt above you and place it in the buckle on the seat between your legs. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Tevytown is open for business...
Various News/ Happenings (with some personal commentary attached)
Things going on my life and around me - (the stuff worth sharing with the world, or simply to express externally because I have to get it out of me
Torah (can't go wrong with that!)
and pretty much anything else that comes to mind. Like weird occurrences or things said or done by people, random flashbacks/bouts of nostalgia, or stories and experiences that happened to me in the past worth sharing...
Once again, thank you for visiting Tevytown. Take seat belt above you and place it in the buckle on the seat between your legs. We hope you enjoy your stay.
Tevytown is open for business...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
