and who are you?

I know for a fact that this happens to every unmarried girl at a Frummie wedding.
An older woman comes up to you and asks, "What's your name?.
And of course, they don't mean your first name. They want to know who you belong to. So they can know everything about you in two minutes when they realize that you're so and so's daughter. So they can later bring you up as a suggestion to a single guy's mother. Or maybe so that they can feel like they know everyone in the Jewish world. Knowledge is power when you're a yenta!
I get this a lot - maybe it's because my parents are pretty well known where I'm from, and apparently I look EXACTLY like my mother (or my father when I'm with him, so either they're trying to make conversation - badly, or maybe I just look like ME!). I get stopped not only at weddings, but also at the bakery, at the supermarket, and one time at the library which was THE weirdest experience, because this woman literally went all the way over to where I was sitting in the study area and asked me if I was Mr. M's daughter.
I don't mind someone finding out who I am (except of course my readers!). It's the 20 questions that gets to me.
I remember flying to Israel once and for the first few hours, this frum woman (who also knows my parents, but apparently not as well as she wanted to) practically interviewed me about every detail of my life.
"What does your mother do, how old are you, what are you studying, how many siblings do you have, how old are they, what are they doing, why are you going to Israel, does your mother wear a sheitel, how's your uncle doing, what high school did you go to, where did your family go for pesach, where does your father daven".... and on and on...
I think that was the interview that broke me.
When I got off the plane, I was upset with myself that this complete stranger had been able to get all of this information from me, and I barely knew a thing about her.
So the next time I went to a frummie wedding, a woman came up to me and started asking me my name.
"My name is Mara Manischewitz", I told her.
"Oh, you're Mr. Manischewitz's daughter?", she asked.
"Yes, that's my dad!", I said.
"And how old are you?", she asked.
"21", I answered.
And then I said, "And what's your name?".
I think I was probably the first single girl to ever dare ask an older frum woman such a question.
I would've asked how old she was, but I had better manners than that.

mm hearts brooklyn

you probably think I'm a NY hater from some of my previous posts...
But I really do love NYC.
I really love Brooklyn.
I should specify Jewish Brooklyn - most notably Flatbush and Boro Park - because where else would I go?
I love that Brooklyn is like Israel West (calling it mini Israel doesn't feel right considering the country is the size of New Jersey).
Seriously.
Ever shopped in Geulah in J-town? Or spent a Shabbos in Bnai Brak?
If you want to get that feeling again, look no further than 13th Ave! Same people, same language, same shops. And best of all - no passport required! (not to mention reduced airfare)
Brooklyn is the only place outside of the Holy Land where you don't have to worry about finding a kosher restaurant or look for hechshers. Or find a minyan at 6 am if you're a guy. Or remember to buy flowers for Shabbos. (thank you Mexico!)
I know how some people hate the Brooklyn mentality - where everyone copies one another, tries to outdo one another, knows your business - but as long as you recognize that these people will not and cannot change - it actually becomes quite humorous! (cmon, you can't help but laugh how EVERY single girl there looks exactly the same)

Nota Bene: 'Out-of-Town' doesn't exist

This is a message to all of you NY-ers out there who either failed your Geography Regents or have never left the Tri-State area (and for the sake of this post, I'm including the American side of Israel known as Eretz Yisroel and South Florida during winter in this definition - because let's face it - where else does a Jew travel?).
I know that I've talked about being from 'Out-of-Town'. That's only because I figured that if I named an actual city, you wouldn't know where I was talking about. (sorry for the diss peeps - you know i still luv ya. and NO, I am still not going to name that city...)
I actually wrote about this whole subject in one of my first posts, back in 1982.... ok, it was May 2008, just wanted to make sure you were still following. If you need a refresher, click here.
But truth is - there is no such place as Out-of-Town. You people made it up.
And I HATE it.
Not that you made it up, but that such a label continues to exist.
Because it just doesn't make any sense.
The only thing that Torontonians and Bostonians have in common is that they probably both have mutual hate (and envy) of you people.
So, please, next time you speak to someone who doesn't sound like Fran Drescher, try and refrain from brushing all non NY natives with the Out-of-Town brush. Because (geography lesson coming up).....there is no such place.

worth a listen - Sagol 59

I wish these guys had a music video for their other song "Till the Fat Lady Dances ft. Noa Faran" - which you can find (along with other great songs, such as Leeches) on their MySpace page .
But this song, Move Forward (Lech Kadima) posted here is pretty good too!
You prob think I'm Israeli for a lot of my 'Worth a listen' selections - but I love promoting my fellow tribespeople when we come up with genius like this.
Sagol 59 is Hebrew Hip Hop the way I love it - just the right mix of rap + pop...

To book or buy, click here for JDub Records.

important to watch - blessed is the match movie

I remember being taught about Chana Senesh z"l in high school, and I was surprised that some of my friends had never heard of her.

Chana was a Hungarian Jew living in Palestine, now Israel. At the age of 22 she and 36 other Palestinian Jews were trained by the British army to parachute into Yugoslavia during the Second World War in order to help save the Jews of Hungary, who were about to be deported to the German death camp at Auschwitz.

Senesh was arrested at the Hungarian border, imprisoned and tortured, but she refused to reveal details of her mission and was eventually tried and executed by firing squad.

She is regarded as a national heroine in Israel, where several streets and a kibbutz are named after her, and her poetry is widely known.

One of her most famous songs is Halikha LeKesariya (A Walk to Caesarea), commonly known as Eli, Eli (My God, My God). Many singers have sung it, including Regina Spektor and Sophie Milman. It was used to close some versions of the film Schindler's List:

My God, My God, I pray that these things never end,
The sand and the sea,
The rustle of the waters,
Lightning of the Heavens,
The prayer of Man.

אלי, אלי, שלא יגמר לעולם
החול והים
רישרוש של המים
ברק השמים
תפילת האדם

The voice called, and I went.
I went, because the voice called.

MM hearts Haveil Havalim #198

How on earth do I do HH justice if I have to follow Jewlicious' awesome commentary from last week? Luckily, I only have to be on time! (Just kiddding Jewlicious - I promise never to babysit your offspring - ever)

So where do I start?

How about with something female-related? (This is MM after all)
Shorty and her Adventure bring up the whole Kol Isha issue in a post aptly titled "Kol Isha - are you kidding me?". I have to say, she brings up some very good arguments. Why shouldn't a woman be able to be seen and heard if she so chooses? Although, you can't deny that someone like Leona Lewis doesn't make you believe in love. But then, same is true about Robin Thicke (despite the name, he is a guy).

Want to pee in your pants?
You might after reading Schvach's the Top 10 Reasons Why Israeli Men Piss in Public Unfortunately I've seen this with my very own MM eyes - so it was kinda nice to know the reasons behind it!
Schvach also has a post about Ladino singer Sarah Aroeste which is worth a read. Didn't know people still spoke Ladino!

Muse talks about embarassing her children with her fannypack. I think I'm on her kids' side with this one!

Yechezkel talks about the Madoff scandal (well, who isn't) in The Largest Ponzi Scheme in History. He also has a great article entitled The Richest Man in the Cemetery about those who don't give charity.

Chanukah Chanukah Chanukah

Can You Feel It, Baby? IT'S CHANUKKAH! is a pretty funny video of comedian Benji Lovitt talking to people on the streets of Jersualem over at What War Zone???.

I know that by the time you read this, Chanukah will probably already be over!
But to get you in the mood for next year, Rickismom at Beneath the Wings has an inspiring slideshow presentation on Chanukah -Lights of Freedom and Hope.

If you missed out on seeing Matisyahu in concert this Chanukah, check out Mottel's Festival of Light: A Photo Essay posted at Letters of Thought.

See what a McD's Chanukah Happy Meal would look like, brought to you by Soccer Dad.

Elisson espouses the virtues of real Chanukah music, such as Ma-oz Tzur in CHANUKAH ROCK. He may think the Dreidel song doesn't deserve respect - but has he heard the Baron Cohen version?

The Velveteen Rabbi gives a great academic-style dvar torah on Mai Chanukah? - What is Chanukah?.

Dan at Torat HaRav Aviner has a great article about how It is Lucky that Yehudah the Maccabee Did Not Ask... politicians or military advisors or rabbis, etc for help. In those days, if you believed in something, you stood up for it. No questions asked. No need for wasting time - which is the way politics seems to be handled today. He also has a really interesting article on Halachot of the Army for Chanukah in case any of you are planning on making aliyah! (or maybe you're already there? then reading this should come in handy)

And if you want to get really deep, read Chanukah, Plato, and a Bus-ride posted at Tzipiyah.com. The article talks about how seemingly, Chanukah "is most out of place in today’s liberalist, post-modern western society" (according to Rabbi Kahane, z"l). Interesting theory. Definitely worth a read.

Another deep read is at Freedom's Cost, where Chaim writes about The Ongoing Fight Against the Hellenists. When will it be over?

Want more?

At Tikkun Olam, Lady Light wishes they had latkes in Israel. Are you sure there are no latkes in Israel? Maybe she should read Cooking with Ricky, or the Inexact Recipe posted at Beneath the Wings and make her own!

Over at Manely Montana you can get a recipe for sweet potato latkes and read a pretty good list of 'light humor' - funny life laws of Jewish Theology. You know you're in for a treat when the list starts off with "Never take a front-row seat at a bris." Get it all at Lightening up Channukah .

We all probably know about the version that mentions a partridge in a pear tree, but The Real Shliach changes it up with his version of the Twelve nights of Chanuka.

X-mas
(I know, THIS gets its own category on a Jewish blog carnival?? But I didn't want to group these with the Chanukah posts, so here goes!)

JackB at Random Thoughts- Do They Have Meaning? makes the following anti-goy remark: I Hate Christmas.

Heshy at Frum Satire presents his thoughts on Christmas in a post titled "Christmas Thoughts". Like always, Heshy delivers.

Israel Israel Israel

Batya of Shiloh Musings sent me a few good posts worth mentioning. She had some Guests From The BBC and talks about giving them so good ol' Israeli hospitality - and is even interviewed where she gets to be Blunt on the BBC.

Her husband, Yisrael Medad, describes the same experience at My Right Word. He also writes about A Verbally Violent Churchman, Tsk-tsk and how the WashPost Really Dumb.

In Batya's post Polish Jewry at The Begin Center, she gets less personal, talking about a photo exhibition on Krakow at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center.

In Mission: Attitude Adjustment, posted at Ki Yachol Nuchal!, Ruti writes about how Israelis, and really all of us, have a sort of "worry" room in our brains where we put all of our concerns and everything we don't want to deal with. I think that one of Hashem's greatest gifts to us is our ability to forget. Don't believe me? See my Bubbie, a holocaust survivor, for proof.

Over at The Israel Situation read about how an Israeli feels about Sending our Children to War. And at A Soldier's Mother, a woman whose child is currently in the army, discusses the significance of Where You Light a Candle, as she hopes that her son has been able to light in the army.
Thank goodness I never put my parents through that kind of situation. But who knows if it will happen to me?

Want all the latest Religion & State news from Israel? Well then here is Religion and State in Israel - December 22, 2008 Section 1 and Section 2. It's a pretty interesting mix of articles by a variety of writers on diverse topics. (i just used three synonyms for 'different')

Ben-Yehudah at Esser Agaroth writes about the Jewish Reality of Israeli politics today. I would probably understand his point more if I actually knew anything about or cared about the subject.

The Rebbetzin's Husband presents A Modest Proposal for an EcoRabbinate and Is "Wish me luck, I'll need it" a winning Israeli political slogan?. Like I said, I wish I cared about Israeli politics. But it seems so corrupt, I'd rather not get my hands dirty trying to wrap my mind around it all.

Daled Amos has a few interesting news editorial-style articles: More "Youth Riots"--This time in Sweden, Shai Agassi And Electric Cars--Maybe Not A Pipedream and It's Hopeless.

Over at Seraphic Secret, Iranian President Imadinnerjacket's Christmas Message is discussed. Why he gave a Christmas message, I'm not so sure. Seraphic sounds pretty angry in this post. But maybe, he has a point!

A cause you should care about

Also at Torat HaRav Aviner read about the need to Free Pollard Now. For some of us, it might seem like too passé to talk about again. But when a Jewish guy has to sit in jail for over 23 years, maybe we should take notice.


Alright - that's all folks. Hope you enjoyed the MM edition of HH!

Submit your blog article to the next edition of Haveil Havalim using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

where ya from?

I just got into this Google Analytics thing which tells you all the details about my visitors on here.

So apparently in the past month, I received 1,323 visits from 23 countries!

Pretty crazy!

I don't think I even know of 23 countries where they speak English!

I'll bet this list of countries will surprise you (unless you're from one of these places! -they're in order of number of visitors):

United States, Canada, Israel, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Norway, Australia, India, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Switzerland, Thailand, Slovakia, Macedonia, Indonesia, Sweden, South Africa, Cayman Islands, Ireland, Switzerland and Italy

jingle bells in my head

I went shopping today and it seems like xmas has taken over the universe! Or at least the mall.

You know what I'm talking about, right? At least those of you who have ever stepped foot inside of an American mall during the month of December.

All the stores seem to be using those pumpkin pie glade plug-ins, and everything is red, green and gold. (colors that would otherwise be considered tacky)

All the display windows have fake snow and some kind of holiday theme. Every mall has one of those huge fake castles where you can tell santa to buy you stuff. I remember some of my not-so-frum friends used to sit on santa's lap just for the free candy cane. Which in a way, was very Jewish of them.

And let's not forget the holiday jingles! How sad is it that I can probably sing more x-mas carols than Chanukah tunes. They're just so catchy! And they make you think of snowflakes and snowmen and cozy fireplaces and mugs of hot cocoa.

And don't you secretly love xmas lights? Not the ones in tacky colors (see above), but the pretty white lights against pine or palm trees (depending on where you live). There are a few neighborhoods in my town where they light up the whole street, with strings of lights hanging from lampposts over cars - it looks pretty magical. But I'm not supposed to say that out loud, right?

We use some of those lights in our Sukkah (we insist to my Dad that they were NOT bought in the xmas aisle) And apparently in Israel, Charedis use xmas decorations in their sukkahs too (old man with big white beard and nice big smile - he must be a Rebbe!). So maybe that makes it ok that I enjoy the holiday season!

And let's face it people - we need to work on our PR! Sure every store nowadays also has a Chanukah section, or at least the token Menorah as decor. But all the Chanukah trinkets on sale look so goyish! What real yid calls it 'Hanuka'? Or wants anything that says 'Hanuka' in their home? And does Jewish = blue & white and/or star of david and/or menorah design?

Borat's brother, Erran Baron Cohen, recently came out with some new takes on Chanukah classics. Here's one: (maybe it'll get the jingle bells out of my head!)

Hashem works in mysterious ways

I was at a charity event tonight for Migdal Ohr. This was my third time going to one of their events, where they raise at least One Million Dollars in one evening each year.

Migdal Ohr is the largest youth village in Israel, housing and educated over 6,500 orphaned, impverished and underprivileged children.

It was founded in 1972 by Rabbi Yitzchok Dov Grossman. Maybe you've heard of him? He was once known as the "Disco Rabbi" because he used to go to clubs in Israel and try to talk to drugged-out youth. He is an amazing person. Ask him how many children he has, and he will say 6,500. Every person who speaks to him is amazed by his warmth, caring, sincerity. He devotes his life to helping children who can't live at home.

And most importantly, he cares about each person, no matter how religious they are. His goal is not necessarily to make these children as frum as he is. His goal is to give these children a better life. To let them know that they are loved.

Unfortunately, Rabbi Grossman couldn't be there this evening.

Why? Because his wife is the aunt of Rivky Holtzberg, the Chabad Rebbetzin murdered in the Mumbai attacks. His family is currently in mourning.

To learn more about Migdal Ohr go to www.migdalohrusa.org

You can also learn more about Rabbi Grossman on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbi_Grossman

hebrew love

Looks like my post on KNOB got some attention on the Israeli web!

http://sf.tapuz.co.il/shirshur-2032-123342576.htm

תראו מה מצאתי - Rincewind

פוסט על Coincidence מתוך בלוג חרדי (!!):
http://materialmaidel.blogspot.com/

I wish the quality on this video was a little bit better - but it's an awesome song by this Israeli duo, KNOB- individually known as Meital Patash and Niv Cohen.

They're getting famous - and this song and others make you want to get up and dance - Tel Aviv style!

For more KNOB (and better songs, although not all are Kol Isha-free) go to: http://www.myspace.com/knobteta

קבלו את המשפט האחרון!

- כותב ההודעה הנוכחית אליעד חזן

ענק!
מגניב לו והמשפט האחרון הכי הכי קורע P-:

ענק חחחחח - כותב ההודעה הנוכחית GuyHemed

Kol Isha-free

do christians do it better?

My new coworker, the one with the sad story, has recently found herself at her church. She goes at least once a week, helps out with the youth services (i guess churches also have separate minyans!) and is endeavoring to read the entire bible in 90 days.

I think it's awesome that she's been able to find something that makes her happy and that allows her to get in touch with her spirituality. I'm not saying I think christianity is the way to go, but we can't all be Jews, can we?

She's always asking me questions about Judaism and Israel. One day she told me that she wishes she knew more about the bible, and so to educate herself she is taking on the 90-day bible read.

I don't think I've ever read the entire Torah. I barely remember reading past Shmuel Bet, and I know there were whole prakim that I slept through in Chumash class. (the sacrifice stuff just isn't that entertaining).

As for all the torah she'baal peh stuff - I'm the first to admit I need a refresher course, ok maybe a 101 course, on Halachos. (we do not cut our toilet paper for shabbos in my house!)

But I'm supposed to be frum, right? That should mean that I'm supposed to know more than the average person about all things Torah, right?

So why is it that my j.c.-loving coworker can quote Genesis 32:9 and I don't even know what that means?

Authentic Israeli Salad

how lucky we are

Ever have those moments when you're just so fed up with the people around you? you curse them, swear under your breath, promise yourself you'll leave as soon as you can. And then you calm down, and beg Hashem to forgive you and disregard every harsh word you've ever spoken or thought about those you love.

I was at a charity event last week. My mother was being honored for her involvement with the organization. One of the good deeds the organization does is send money to the Neve Michael Children's village in Pardess Chana, Israel. Neve Michael is home to hundreds of children who cannot go home---children from broken homes and from homes where they were physically and emotionally abused.

A girl, around my age, spoke at the event in mixed Hebrew/English. She was raised in Neve Michael. Her first memory of her father was of visiting him in jail. He's a "drugsaholic" - her word to describe him. Her mother goes from boyfriend to boyfriend - each more abusive than the next - always crying for lack of money. She loved being in Neve Michael because there she was normal. Her story was one of the better ones.

All this girl ever wanted in life was to be able to come home from school, with dinner ready and a loving family waiting for her. As she said those words, I was sitting around a table with my family at the event, I couldn't help but feel blessed for this small thing that I have.

At work the next day, a new coworker, also around my age, was telling me about her difficult childhood. Her mother got pregnant in high school. She never knew her father - and when she finally met him this summer, he had a new family of his own and he wanted nothing to do with her. She lives with her mother and half-sister (from another father, this one abusive and thankfully no longer in the picture either) in subsidized housing on in one of the worst areas of the city.

When she was in high school, her mother decided to go to college to become a nurse instead of a housekeeper, and so better provide for the family. But money was tight. Often, she would get headaches at school from having not eaten all day. Oatmeal in the morning, plain pasta in the evening. That's it. No money for fancy food. To this day she never buys cereal if it's not on sale.

She told me about a teacher at school chastizing the class that they weren't doing their part to fundraise for a trip. Here this teacher was talking about why they needed to give money for a trip, when all she had to eat that day was some lousy oatmeal. I'm not talking about the 1940s. This is something that happened maybe 10 years ago. Not in India or Africa. But right here, under our noses.

How many times have you complained about what your mother made for dinner? Or that your little brother is hogging the TV? Or that your father won't buy you a new car?

How many people wish they simply had those people to complain about?

much needed dvar torah

I'm gonna try and "elevate" the mood on MM for this Shabbos.

We're reading my favorite Parsha this week - Chayei Sarah.

Why is this one my fave?
a) Because it's a story, and I love stories. Don't get me wrong - the dinim sections of the Chumash have good stuff too, but they're not as romantic;
b) it's the one parsha we seemed to learn a lot about in school; and
c) it deals with real people and real life situations. (life, death, dating, marriage, remarriage).

It's also a fave because this is the Parsha where Avraham buys Me'arat HaMachpela - in my opinion, one of the most interesting and strange places in Israel today.

Another reason why I love this parsha? Because it demonstrates the importance of women in Judaism. (i'm def not a bra-burning feminist, but it's nice to know that yiddishkeit is relatable to me as well).

Rabbi Yissocher Frand wrote an interesting Dvar Torah that I want to share with you.
(I've tried to shorten it a bit! For the full speil, click here: http://www.torah.org/learning/ravfrand/5760/chayeisarah.html)

***

The Midrash says that Sarah's name was changed from Sarai to Sarah (meaning officer/ruler/princess) to show her being given dominion over the entire world. But if you look at Sarah's life it doesn't exactly seem like she had that much power over.

She was taken captive by Pharoah and then Avimelech. For 90 years, she was barren.

Rav Nissan Alpert suggests that in spite of everything, Sarah did rule over the entire world. A person who can maintain her equilibrium, her serenity and faith, in spite of the events that surround and effect her is indeed a person who "rules over the entire world".

We cannot change the course of events. There are things that happen to people every day that we cannot control - death, war, natural disasters. That's what life is about.

So if there is so much that we cannot change - how do we 'rule'? Only by maintaining one's serenity and equilibrium throughout it all.

That is what the life of Sarah was. For a woman to remain barren for 90 years and experience so many the trials and tribulations was not a simple matter. And yet we see the same Eishes Chayil [woman of valor], the same Ba'alas Chessed [personality of kindness], the same Matriarch Sarah throughout. This is indeed a person who ruled over the entire world.

The Midrash also says the following: "Let Esther the granddaughter of Sarah who lived for 127 years come and rule over 127 provinces." What's the connection?

Esther also had a life of trials and tribulations. Esther had a life that could have been influenced by events that happened to her. She was an orphan. She was taken against her will to the palace of the King...

Esther could have forsaken her people in exchange for the success and the fame that she was receiving. However, Esther remained rock solid in her faith. She did not let events shape her life. She maintained herself. Therefore, Esther could rule over 127 provinces -- virtually the entire known world at that time.

If a person has learned the secret of not letting external events shape his or her life and rather maintains an internal serenity in spite of those events, that person has in fact achieved a great degree of control.

Something to think about.

Have a GREAT Shabbos!

hot chani

why is everyone talking about 'hot Chani's' lately?

FrumSatire wrote a post about girls who are considered 'hot Chani's' with a picture showing girls, who in my opinion do NOT actually fit the description. (http://www.frumsatire.net/2008/11/13/what-is-a-hot-chani)

The first time I heard this term was in Israel, when those Mir boys (who weren't for mir: http://materialmaidel.blogspot.com/2008/07/mir-boys-are-not-for-mir.html) called my friends that. We were like 'huh?'. I just thought it was only a term used by guys around other guys. Until recently.

Then I did a little more research.

Little Frumhouse wrote about what it takes to be a 'hot Chani' back in 2007: http://frumhouse.blogspot.com/2007/03/do-jewish-women-have-chiyuv-to-be-hot.html
She refers to a post written in 2006 by Ask Shifra(http://askshifra.blogspot.com/2006/10/chol-hamoad-at-six-flags-part-two.html).

So what do I think?

First off - I should start by telling you that all my friends are hot chanis! Seriously. My friends are all babes - gorgeous girls, with amazing personalities, with good jobs and/or college degrees who also happen to be frum. Some are even named Chani.

I'm talking about the single girls here. The married ones often stay hot, but don't often stay in touch and tend to move away :(

So is there anything wrong with being frum and looking good at the same time? I don't think so. As long as you're within the limits of tznius, why not try to dress well?

I have a good friend who majorly flipped out in seminary. Like major. She went from dating non-Jews one month to measuring skirt lengths the next (in case you're wondering, they must be kaka length, anything too long or too short was considered immodest for where she went for sem). She was always one of the most fashionable girls in my class. She loved reading Vogue, drawing sexy clothes, keeping up on the latest trends.

Then when she come home from seminary one summer - I barely recognized her. She would only wear button-down shirts (buttoned way, way up) and ugly skirts, with thick pantyhose and ugly shoes. Very Israeli Charedi. Definitely not Hot Chani. She didn't even pluck her eyebrows or comb her hair anymore - she said those things were not important and got in the way of her spirituality.

But does Hashem really want you to look ugly?

I don't think so.

I think it's true that some people go a little overboard with their looks. Like getting too much Botox - in the end, too much of it will only make you look worse! Whenever I'm in Flatbush (home of many Hot Chanis) I actually get grossed out by some of those women. It seems to be a fad over there for women to wear too much makeup, too much jewellery, just too much of everything. I'm not dissing Brooklyn. It just seems to be so much more of a trend over there.

There is a fine line between looking good and looking gaudy. And gaudy women are not Hot Chanis. At least not in my books. But there is nothing wrong with looking good!

Worth a listen - KNOB

I wish the quality on this video was a little bit better - but it's an awesome song by this Israeli duo, KNOB- individually known as Meital Patash and Niv Cohen.

They're getting famous - and this song and others make you want to get up and dance - Tel Aviv style!

For more KNOB (and better songs, although not all are Kol Isha-free) go to: http://www.myspace.com/knobteta

amazing

I haven't really been watching Dancing with the Stars this season, but I came upon this clip on YouTube and it's amazing. It's a special performance featuring Carmit Bachar (the Israeli PussyCat doll) and that girl from the movie Step Up.

It's insane.

How good is the music too?

The song is called Black and Gold by Sam Sparro. His Myspace link is : http://www.myspace.com/samsparro

And here is his music video:

funny israeli wedding

If you understand ktsat ivrit, you'll appreciate this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdr9SMju51w

if women don't exist where do babies come from

If you haven't already heard, read this: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1222017348452

Have you heard of Tzipi Livni? She is the female Knesset member poised to become the next Israeli Prime Minister.

Well apparently, the Charedi newspaper, Hamodia, has said that they will not publish photographs of Ms. Livni - or even mention her first name, Tzipi, in any of its articles! Apparently, the mere sight of this "babe" breaks some serious tznius laws. (some online articles have been calling her a "Mossad beauty - I just think she looks like an Ellen Desgeneres wannabe)

I'm just wondering - what's so wrong about acknowledging the place of women in society (beyond the kitchen!)? If a Jewish woman is an accomplished scientist, or an experienced doctor or a high-profile politician, then she should be celebrated and embraced. Where does it say that a Jewish woman's place is strictly in the home? (I'm pretty sure that men are the ones obligated to reproduce..... if only they could do it without our help! lol actuallly you know what - I don't know if I would be confident in our world's future if that were the case!)

And seriously - what's wrong with printing this woman's face in your paper! Why does everything have to be about tznius? (if this woman turns you on, then you've got problems.) Are charedi guys really that hyper-sexualized?

i dont want to be the old lady who lives in a shoe

My friend Chaya just sent me this link to a recent Lion of Zion post: http://agmk.blogspot.com/2008/09/19th-child-born-to-tzefat-mother-with.html

It's about an Israeli Charedi woman, aged 47, who has just given birth to her 19th child.

I don't know about you, but doesn't that sound kinda GROSS! (I'm trying not to think what that's done to her body!)

But then... I got this pamphlet in the mail about this Israeli organization called Efrat, which tries to prevent women from having abortions (these women abort because they do not think they have the financial means to raise a child, so Efrat supplies these mothers with everything they could possibly need: http://www.friendsofefrat.org/ )

According to Efrat, there are 50,000 abortions performed in Israel EACH YEAR. The Israeli army actually supplies soldiers with free abortions (which probably explains for at least 25,000! what do you think female soldiers actually DO in the army? Oh, and birthcontrol is NOT free, because that's religiously controversial....)

So with all the Jewish babies NOT being born, maybe I shouldn't be so quick to judge one crazy Charedi (she lives in Tsfat after all).