Israel Update

First a note -- many thanks for those who expressed concern about the suicide bombing in Eilat. I'm fine and very very far away from Eilat.

*****
On a much much much lighter note ... Thanks for the recent surge in posts. I do appreciate it -- keep it up.

Also -- I've linked a couple of other links on the side of the page, check them out if you get the chance.
****

I haven't really discussed how the teams are doing lately so I'd thought I'd provide a little update. As you may remember I play on two football teams and in both the season is winding down. Let's start with the HUC team:

What may be most remarkable about our season is that we are considered the best HUC team ever. Seriously, a handful of people in the league have told us that an HUC team has never been this good and it's fun to have us in the league ---- by the way our record is 4 - 6. We would be 5-5 which if it weren't for a last second touchdown by METV (Middle East TV) to win by 1 point. It's also considered a good season because we have defeated our rival Pardes twice. Pardes is a liberal yeshiva in Jerusalem that we have a rather good natured rivalry with. As luck may have it ... we actually play our first playoff game (everyone makes the playoffs) against Pardes tomorrow.

I've enjoyed the season. It's fun to play with members of my class and I get to run around and play a lot. However, to say that it's not frustrating at times would be an outright lie. At least once a game a pass will bounce off of somebody's chest, hands or shoulders and be caught for an interception. Twice it's happened on the first play of the game. Most people have no idea how to run a route and there are only two players on the team that can catch a ball thrown over 10 yards. On the whole, most of my classmates have gotten a lot lot better.

Men's league:

Come to a men's league game and you are in for a scene. Have you ever thought you'd hear the following during a football game? "Chaim get back in the Huddle." "Moshe you're in for Akiva at cornerback next series." It's the one night a week that a lot of the Yeshiva boys get to let out all of their aggression -- my team is without a doubt one of the most reserved in the league

However, at this point the league is actually pretty good and there are a lot of talented teams. We made the playoffs, (16 out of 58 teams make the playoffs) and won our first game in the playoffs 33 - 7. I play in a rotation at Tight End, usually substituting as a receiving Tight End with another guy as blocking Tight End -- I also come in at D-Line occasionally and depending on the score will line up in other positions on the field.

One of the unique things about our team is that we are actually sponsored by some guy named Karelitz who also happens to be the chief lawyer of the New England Patriots. (Robert Kraft - is one of the league sponsors and built the field that we play on). He (Karelitz) visited not too long ago and has three superbowl rings -- last year he brought Tom Brady to one of the games. He told our coach (and I'm not making this up) that'd since the Patriots have been eliminated that if we make the "Holyland Bowl" he'd fly out for the game. Our quarterfinal game is this Saturday.

Also, in theory, upon my return to the United States, anyone on my team gets a ticket to a Patriots game at Gillette stadium, so that's nice.

Will keep you posted, if you so desire on the status of our games.

The Gender Battle Continues

This little gem floated into my inbox and I couldn't resist sharing it with you. I think you remember my rant on Man's Shabbat, well this is too good to be true. As you notice I'll have to bring a non starchy side dish, any suggestions? Anyhow, No comments are necessary (except for yours of course), I promise I have not fabricated a word of this email. Names, addresses, etc ... have been changed to protect my ass.

......

Hi ladies of the class and female SOs,

On behalf of Team Vagina Monologues, Jennifer and I would like to let all the women of the class and female SOs about an exciting event to kick off V-month! Friday evening, February 2nd will be MENStruation Shabbat - Shabbat dinner, girl bonding, and hearing from Kara Steinfeld about environmentally friendly products for women.

MENStruation Shabbat will be at 123 Main Street at 7:00 p.m. (or whenever services end). Please RSVP to isthisshitreal@yahoo.com by Wednesday morning, January 31. It will be vegetarian potluck. Here is a tentative list of what to bring, although it might change as the RSVPs come in so we can keep a good balance of food. If you have any questions, please let me or Jennifer or anyone on Team Vagina Monologues know.

Last Names:

A-E: Fruit or Dessert

F-J: Starchy side dish (potatoes, couscous, burekas, etc)

K-N: Green Salad

O-S: Non-starchy side dish

T-Z: Dips, spreads, appetizers, etc.

A few of us will be making veggie lasagnas for the main course - if there is one other person who is interested in doing this, please let me know. Also, if everyone could team up and bring a wine or beverage for every few people (basically BYOB/W). Challah will be provided.

Thanks!!

Susan, Jennifer and Team Vagina Monologues

Age ...

Age is a tricky tricky thing around the HUC community ... I never thought I'd be the one to sound like an aging grandpa (soon i'll be removing my teeth to eat jello, going to bed at 9:30, driving with my blinker on, and ordering the early bird special at restaurants) but HUC is really bloody young.

It turns out that most of the people in my class are younger than me. When I entered school I thought I'd be about the average age of the class. And while there are a number of people older than me there must be 8 - 10 people that are not even a year out of college. (have i told you about this before, if i have forgive me ... ) While I guess this isn't that big of a problem -- I think most of them are rather qualified candidates and will be rather good at whatever they choose to do --- I question the desire to go right from one school to another. There is with out a doubt a different attitude about living here and being in school from the people that have been in the "real world" for a couple of years. And believe you me this year is not the real world ...

These people are much more serious about grades (see previous post) and potentially are less about learning for the sake of learning. Often times, when they ask questions and they allude to what they studied in college, which is really just a means of self-promoting ... this drives me nuts. (for example)

*** As a history major, I analyzed .... blah blah blah blah blah

*** Or my Senior thesis discussed the relationship between ... I can't believe that you are wasting my time with this question, if you have a question ask it, i really don't care about your resume.

*** My Sociology professor at Bradeis Doctor (Insert Jewish Name here) insisted that a clinical observation of ... i wonder if there is a trail of drool running down my chin because your ego and your question drives me deeper and deeper into a fantastic sleep.

*** At my hillel we ran a program that delved into ... ahh is someone talking about Hillel again, at Christian seminaries do they talk about the wonderful palm sunday program someone ran during his/her sophmore year?

My brother just stayed with me for about a week and I think he was a little shocked that he was actually older than many of people in my class. The only good thing about having a younger class is that since my maturity level is still hovering around 14 it does bring me closer to many of my classmates.

Note --- big football game tonight, a sports update to follow.
Note 2 -- if you read this blog (both of you) you can comment after every post, i'd love to hear any comments, thoughts, or suggestions
Note 3 -- I shaved my beard and pierced my nose

What's new in town

Condoleezza is in town. She's staying at the hotel right near my school -- there is a lot of security. She's attempting to revive some semblance of a peace plan. She also is around to promote Abbas, meet with King Abdullah of Jordan and the various Israeli diplomats. She has a variety of concerns for the future of the Middle East -- even though last I looked, the US of A was caught in a rather dirty mideast predicament.

In theory, the biggest threat in the region has nothing to do with Gaza, Baghdad or Beirut, but rather stems from Iran. There is little doubt that Iran provides major funding to Hamas or Hezbollah and other terrorist groups that pledge destruction of Israel. They also recently had an anti-Semitic media grab conference that fell under the guise of Holocaust denial.

In Israel it's hard to really gauge the Iranian threat to the country. Some believe that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is actually not as radical as he may seem and is a rather prudent politician who knows exactly how to be a really irritating thorn in the side of Israel and America and knows how to push the right buttons to grab media attention and create a frenzy, but in truth isn't all that dangerous and probably would not start a war, especially one against Israel.

Many believe that Ahmadinejad benefits more from instability in Gaza, Lebanon, the West Bank and certainly Iraq than from declaring a full-scale war against Israel. Even with an advanced nuclear program, Iran probably doesn't pose a direct threat on Israel. The thought is that Iranian programs is so far behind Israel that an attack would mean almost certain destruction of Iran, has no guarantee at success, and could never be accurate enough as to not risk attacking a major Muslim area or even The Dome of the Rock (Islam's holiest location outside of Saudi Arabia).

Others believe that he is a crazy man who if truly has the capability to attack, wouldn't hesitate to attack Tel Aviv (or Paris, London, Rome or Madrid for that matter) and that he must be stopped. Israel attacked a reactor in Baghdad about 25 years ago in a remarkable strike and some feel that a similar strike, if the intelligence is strong enough, should be strongly considered. Many believe that the strike on Iraq saved thousands of lives in Israel and was essential to the preservation of the state. Israel has always denied having nuclear weapons but has also pledged that if need be it would be the first to use them.

Probably didn't shed all that much new light for anyone, but it is a fascinating development and it's hard to gauge what shape the Iranian situation will develop.

On a side note, when I lived in Chile, Colin Powell came to Santiago when I was living there. Colin took me out for a beer ... Condi told me she had more important things to do and told me to shove it.

A return ...

Long time no blog -- is that a saying. So a quick update. The vacation was fantastic. Some time in Paris, which is a wonderful city and about a week off here in J-town. I'd be fibbing if I said I couldn't use a few more days, but getting back is good for the brain and my Hebrew has become rather deliquent of late so I need to get my hide back in gear. Also -- it's not as if I'm Richard Kimble coming back to Chicago -- but I do have a bunch of things to take care of and a ton of errands to run.

I did get my grades and much like Slater did at Lee High School in 1976 I got straight A's. You all should be very very proud of me. Which brings us to a good topic: Grades.

I assumed that when I started Grad School that the competitive nature of grades wasn't going to exist. I thought people were going to learn what they needed to learn and were in school for the sake of professional and personal advancement -- boy was I wrong!! There are some cutthroat sobs in my class. These people ask so many annoying and petty questions about tests, quizes, grades, scoring, etc, that I feel as if I'm back in High School. Some of the questions and comments that are asked make me feel dumber and dumber, I cringe in the room when they are asked.

Pop Quiz -- Which is worse an 88 or Cancer? -- HUC answer an 88.