Panorama photos: Atlanta Jews Bless the Sun

Rabbi Emmanuel Feldman, Rabbi Emeritus of synagogue Beth Jacob, enveloped in tefillin (phylacteries) and talit (prayer shawl), in preparation for the ceremonial proclamation of the blessing, along with the congregants. (All photos: Dave Bender)

Close to 1,000 members of several Atlanta synagogues celebrate the "Blessing on the Sun," Birkat Hahama, at Torah Day School Atlanta's sports field, Wednesday, April 8, 2009/Passover eve, 14th of Nisan, 5769.

Click on the photos to pan around a larger image.


(All photos: Dave Bender)


R' Feldman and worshipers who took part in the previous Birkat Hahama ceremony, 28 years ago. (All photos: Dave Bender)


Rabbi Emmanuel Feldman, Beth Jacob. (All photos: Dave Bender)


Rabbi Ilan Feldman, Beth Jacob. (All photos: Dave Bender)


(L-R) R' Adam Starr, R' Shmuel Koshkerman, R' Ilan Feldman, R' Emmanuel Feldman. (All photos: Dave Bender)

From Aish.com:

The fact that you're reading this article is a minor miracle. Think of all the things that needed to fall into place: the computer, the hard drive, the labyrinth of the Internet, the web browser -- even the electrical power driving it all.

There is incredible complexity built into the simple act of reading this article. And yet, we sit before these machines every day without giving them a moment's thought.

Until they stop working.

When that blue screen appears and the computer freezes, we hold our breath hoping that nothing has failed, that we haven't lost weeks of hard work. Only when we reset the computer and it functions properly again, do we let out a sigh of relief, return to work... and take it all for granted again.

The Talmud (Brachot 59b) teaches:

He who sees the sun at its season, the moon at its strength, the stars in their paths, and the constellations in their order, recites "Blessed is the One Who performs the act of creation." And when does this happen? Abaye says: Every 28 years, when the cycle returns and the season of Nissan falls in Saturn, on the fourth day of the week.

On April 8, 2009, the eve of Passover, Jews around the world will rise early, gaze at the sun and recite the least-frequently-recited blessing in Judaism: Birkat HaChama, the blessing on the sun. We recite this blessing once every 28 years, and it's coming to your neighborhood very soon. Assuming, of course, that the sun rises that fateful Wednesday the same way it has every day until now...

Read the rest.

Happy Passover!

Absurdly Great Passover Jewish, Israeli Food Porn

No really. I MEAN IT: http://baronesstapuzina.wordpress.com/

Passover Preparations 2009 18 03 2009

Spring is in the air and that means it is time to start preparing for Passover, which begins on 8 April. I am not going to be doing a lot of preparation this year, but I have gathered a few interesting recipes for you to consider for your own meal. First, here is a link to all of my Passover recipes from the last couple of years. And, here are some interesting ones for you to try:

You go there. Now.

Elders of Zion Call it Quits, Cite Madoff, Shuffleboard

"The Elders of Zion, the venerable and shadowy Jewish organization that controls the international banking industry, news media and Hollywood, has announced that it is disbanding so that members can retire to Florida and live out their golden years on the golf course.

“We had a good run,” said one senior Elder, reminiscing over old photographs of world leaders in his musty, wood-paneled office at an undisclosed location. “Maybe we ran the world for just a little too long. Anyway, now it’s Obama’s problem.”

After a humiliating year left most of its financial holdings, as well as the entire civilized world, on the verge of collapse, the organization has re-defined its mission in terms of bridge games and making it to restaurants for the Early Bird Special.

The Wild Bunch: The Elders of Zion, pictured here in younger, more rambunctious days, are hanging up their fezzes and heading south. Noted Morris (third from left), ‘The only thing I’m looking to dominate now is a Piña Colada.’

Read the rest.

'Challah Hu Akbar!'

Now, before you go all jihadi on me, see THIS first.

"ck's Moroccan grandfather Nissim, loved Challah. A resounding "Challah hu Akbar" (Challah is great) was heard from him every Shabbat when it came time to dig into the doughy goodness of our special sweet Jewish braided egg bread. Now, his carbohydrate devotion can be yours. An especially great statement around campus! Enjoy, I know Sabba Nissim z"l did."

Oh, and Happy Purim!

Israel: 'Wheels of Love' Bike Rally (video)

Saul Singer of the JPost provides this great video (check out the hi-def version) of the '08 Wheels of Love Bike Ride for the Children of ALYN Hospital in Jerusalem.


Go to ALYN's donation page.

Shabbat Shalom, Purim Sameach and have a great weekend.

Live Video Footage of Jerusalem Terror Attack

This is video footage from Thursday's terror attack in southern Jerusalem, shot from what appears to be a traffic cam across the intersection.

The rest of the story is here.

More on those attacks here, and here.

(H-T: Avi Abelow)

Cool App: 'Flash-y' English-Hebrew Weekly Psalms - ALL of Them

Wow. This is a cool Flash-based doohickey. Whaaat?! That's not the word the pros use?

All the weekly Psalms in English, and the original Hebrew, with spoken audio, to get the intonation exactly right...



(H-T: Reuven Koret)

Breaking: 3rd Tractor Terror Attack in Jerusalem

Israel National News has a good slide show of the scene.

Hamas has lauded the attack, according to Haaretz, quoting Reuters:

"Gaza's Hamas rulers praised Thursday's bulldozer attack in Jerusalem as a "natural response" to Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes in Arab East Jerusalem and to Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip.

"'The operation in Jerusalem was a natural response to aggression against our people. The Zionist enemy should realize that they alone bear the responsibility for displacing our people in Jerusalem and for the killings in Gaza and the West Bank,' said Mushir al-Masri, a senior Hamas official."

From the JPost:

"A Palestinian man driving a bulldozer was shot dead after intentionally attacking a police car on Thursday afternoon. Before he was shot, the man tried to tip over additional vehicles including a public bus at the Golomb intersection, near Jerusalem's Malha Mall.

Police next to the bulldozer used in Thursday's terror attack near Malha, Jerusalem. Photo: Channel 2

"Two police officers were reportedly lightly injured in the attack.

"Less than an hour after the attack, Nissim Shahar, deputy commander of the Jerusalem Police, told Channel 2 that the terrorist had died of his wounds."

Malcha mall, just past the intersection where the attack took place, is one of the largest malls in Israel, and would normally be packed with shoppers at this hour of the afternoon.

From Haaretz:

"This is the fourth time that a vehicle has been used to carry out an attack in the capital. In July 2008, a Palestinian deliberately went on the rampage in a bulldozer on Jaffa Street, killing three people and wounding dozens more. Two weeks later, a resident of East Jerusalem carried out a similar attack, wounding at least 24 people.

"In September, an Arab resident of East Jerusalem plowed his car into a crowd of Israel Defense Forces soldiers on their way to the Western Wall. All three were shot dead at the scene."

More on those attacks here, and here.

'Lindsay, Please Stay A Shiksa' Fund: Won't You Help?

Lindsay Lohan is converting to Judaism in a bid to prove her devotion to Jewish girlfriend Samantha Ronson.

Although raised a Catholic, the 22-year-old star announced she was planning to change her faith on her Facebook page.

After jetting into London last week, Lindsay joined girlfriend Samantha at the Bar Mitzvah of the DJ's half-brother Joshua Ronson at the Westminster Synagogue on Saturday.

"No. G-d Almighty, no. On behalf of all right-thinking Jews everywhere, we must do everything necessary to stop this spoiled, bubbleheaded, moronic bimbo from becoming anything like what a Martian could accidentally and fleetingly think was close to something vaguely similar to a religion barely resembling Judaism.

"In the name of all that is holy, this must be stopped."

Finally, something that made me laugh early in the morning. Heh.

H-T: Elder.

Israel: Spiderman, 'Eesh Akrav,' Drop the Shtick and Go Get a Job...

(Can I do rhyme, or what?...)

From Ynetnews:

Man dressed as comic superhero jumps on cars, lassos them with 'web' of rope in Rosh Ha'ayin

Israeli drivers in Rosh Ha'ayin were met with an unusual sight Sunday evening, when a man dressed as Spiderman decided to use his superpowers to engage commuters sitting in evening traffic.

Several drivers on the scene called the traffic police hotline to report the superhero's unique participation in the traffic jam. The man leapt from vehicle to vehicle, occasionally attempting to lasso cars with an apparent 'web' made of ropes.

Policewoman Ayala Cohen and police volunteer Uriel Dozriv arrived at the Rosh Ha'ayin junction, only to have their police car assaulted by a 'spider web'. The two were able to subdue the man easily, upon getting out of the vehicle.

Read the rest.

Now kids, it's your turn:

"Is he strong? Listen bub,..._____________."