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Watch Oriana Fallaci videos about European anti-Semitism

As we approach the 18th anniversary of the assassination of Rabbi Meir Kahane - the first act of Islamic terrorism on U.S. soil - we present the voice of Italian journalist and author, the late Oriana Falacci that anti-Zionism is a manifestation of anti-Semitism.


(Courtesy Anoleable Readers of Italian will find a special treat on that channel).

Delicatessen Nosh-talgia

(Pictured: The Hungry Cabbie, Famous Fat Dave, attempts to sneak-up-from-behind a pastrami sandwich at Harold's Famous NY Deli in Edison, New Jersey)


The Jewish Journal of Los Angeles this week published a cover-story about Toronto-raised author, David Sax, having singled-out L.A. as America's premiere deli city, and Langer's Deli as serving the best pastrami sandwich in the world. But Sax's book, Save the Deli, is neither the first nor definitive exploration of the Jewish delicatessen. Pre-dating it was, among others, San Francisco foodie L. John Harris', "The Deli Book" - excerpted below from his article "Noshtalgia for Pastrami" published in SF's "The Monthly":

I’m a pastrami man. When I go to a Jewish deli, that 100-year-old emporium of Eastern European comfort food, I order a pastrami on rye. Not only do I eat this classic and very fatty sandwich (without guilt), I study it.  This qualifies me as a “maven,” the Yiddish word for expert, or in my case, “obsessive-compulsive deli guy.”  I’m not the only deli maven around, to be sure. Just about every Jew ever born in an American city of any size considers himself or herself a deli maven with childhood memories of particular foods and favorite delis that were part of the fabric of their early lives...

While a Jewish deli must serve the requisite pastrami and corned beef sandwiches and all the other deli classics, it’s still not sufficient to bring in the crowds that delis need to succeed.  So what’s the other essential ingredient? According to Professor Ted Merwin, professor of Jewish Studies at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania (who has just completed a book on New York’s Jewish delicatessens) it’s the emotional draw of nostalgia and the historical function of the deli as a central meeting place: “A place for Jews to rest and refuel after shopping, meet potential mates, relax in a Jewish milieu, reconnect to childhood memories,” says Merwin.

Harris' Deli Book inspired a collaboration with S.F. documentary filmmaker Bill Chayes to produce Divine Food: 100 Years in the Deli Trade
When standing at the Deli counter, do you wonder what makes a good pastrami sandwich kosher? Our film offers a tell-all, behind the scenes look at the Biblically based kosher meat manufacturing process. The film focuses on the immigrant Oscherwitz family, manufacturers of Kosher deli products since the 1880's.

Through interviews, archival photos and film, the Oscherwitz story is told, along with a step-by-step examination of the koshering process. On location at the company plant with a side trip to a classic deli, the film captures the mouth-watering flavors and heart warming memories of the Jewish delicatessen. Divine Food is available on DVD.
The Jewish Channel produced their own news feature on N.Y.C. delis in 2007:


I do credit Save the Deli's publicist with raising awareness about the future of the Jewish Deli.  Special note must be reserved for the neighborhood Jewish deli's that serve as cultural (especially kosher) centers, and preserve our nosh-talgia!

Barry Rubin speech video from Boston: "How Western policies are heading for disaster in the Mid-East"

Solomonia filmed and posted this live presentation from Boston on 14 October:
This is video of the event I attended last Wednesday evening with Prof. Barry Rubin, Director of the Global Research for International Affairs (GLORIA) Center; editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal.
If you've been reading what Rubin has been writing, you know how indispensable he is, and his oral presentation is just as good as his written. I love a guy who can get up on stage and speak without notes, and that's what he does here. Audio quality should be passable. Here is the Question and Answer period following his speech.

Rubin has a realist's view of events and antidotes where the word "realist" actually means something. This is well worth it.

Jews complete 3-weeks of penance on Shemini Atzeret / Hoshana Rabah - exclusive video

Jews around the world observed Hoshana Rabbah on Friday, 9 Oct. The day is known as the day of the final sealing of judgment for the coming year, which began on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, 3-weeks ago.

Prayer services at Los Angeles' Orthodox "Happy Minyan" were filled with pleas for forgiveness and blessing, as begun on Yom Kippur. Hoshana Rabbah marks the final day of the holiday of Sukkot, the Feast of the Tabernacles.

The modern day observance of the rituals of Hoshana Rabbah are reminiscent of the practices that existed in the times of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. During Sukkot, the four species (citron and woven lulav) are taken in a circuit around the synagogue once daily. On Hoshana Rabbah, there are seven circuits.

The priests carried the palm branches or willows in their hands. The entire ceremony is to demonstrate rejoicing and gratitude for a blessed and fruitful year.

Five willow branches are beaten on the ground or other surface to symbolize the elimination of sin. This is also symbolic as a prayer for rain and success in agriculture. According to the Kabbalah, beating the ground with the five willow branches is done to "Sweeten the Five Severities". There is no blessing said for this ritual, but the Aramaic expression "chabit, chabit velah barich" is chanted. This happens to be the oldest known Jewish custom (or Minhag) in Orthodox Judaism. (Source Wikipedia)

Today marks the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret - and tonight and Sunday, the celebration marking the completion of the annual cycle of temple-readings of the Torah - Simkhat Torah begins. Synagogues' Torahs are carried, kissed, and danced around the congregation (and sometimes overflowing into the streets).

The Torah's are scrolled back to the beginning - and the cycle of reading, worship, and study begins anew.

10,000 global Christians demonstrate solidarity with Israel - marching in Jerusalem's Sukkot parade

Thousands of Christians, along with Jews, marched in the annual Sukkot parade in Jerusalem Tuesday, despite the threat of Arab riots, protected by thousands of policemen. No incidents were reported along the parade route, although Arabs rioted in eastern Jerusalem. (Video courtesy Yerushalmit)


Christians interviewed by Israel National News TV all re-iterated their love Israel. “Praise the L-rd and thank the Israeli people for all they do; we love them," said one man with a distinct Southern drawl.

“We want you to know we are standing with you; we bless you and love you,” said another. One marcher from Europe commented, “I come from Austria and we want to show our solidarity for Israel.”

Several Englishwomen draped an American flag over their entire bodies during the march from the area of the Knesset to the Old City, which the Palestinian Authority is demanding as the capital of a new Arab country within Israel’s current borders.


One delegation beat drums for Israel while Asians sang the Hebrew song Shalom Aleichem. Other Christians wore T-shirts stating, “Prepare the Way for the King of Glory,” a proclamation that is typical of those that worry rabbis.

Christian fundamentalists’ support of a Jewish presence in all of Judea and Samaria often is met with skepticism by Jewish activists and rabbis, who fear that their real aim is to convert Jews.

The annual Sukkot march is organized by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem and marks the Biblical passages read in synagogues on Sukkot, which state that all nations will gather in Jerusalem.

The ICEJ promotional material sent to prospective participants in the 2009 event says, "We believe that celebrating the Feast each year honors the Lord in anticipation of the fulfillment of the words spoken by Zechariah (14:16) when 'the nations... shall come up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles."

Despite the Chief Rabbinate's opposition, Chief Rabbi of Efrat Shlomo Riskin, a former American, participated in events sponsored by the Christians. (Source: Israel National News, story by Tzvi ben Gedalyahu, video by Yoni Kempinski).