Bircat Hachamah - the blessing of the sun

Once every 28 years....

Hundreds of people gathered on Wednesday morning at Bondi's Waverley Park to celebrate Bircat Hachamah.


Photo: Chabad of Sydney


.... Just another day ....

L'Shana Tovah!

I had my Rosh Hashanah post all ready to post when my browser colapsed and I lost my post, so this time I will keep it short!

L'Shana Tovah, may you be inscribed and sealed for a good year!




.... Just another day ....

The 50,000 Edition Of Haveil Havalim Is Up At Yid With Lid!!

Yid With Lid has done a wonderful job of putting together a giant sized 50,000th edition of Haveil Havalim. Make sure you pop on over to YWL and check it out...

If you are wondering why this edition of HH - formerly known as the '125th edition', is now known as the 50,000th edition , well, that is because it was recently Sammy's 50th Birthday and this HH post is the 1000th post on his blog! So 50 x 1000 = 50,000 and hence the 50,000th edition... anyway if you go over and take a look you will know what I am talking about!

Happy Birthday Sammy! ....And Mazel Tov on 1000 posts!



.... Just another day ....

Free Gilad Shalit - A New Blog

Almost a year has past now and still there is no word of the release of Gilad Shalit, who as we all know to well was kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists on the 26th June 2006.

Mr Bagel has started a new group blog - Free Gilad Shalit. So far, there are a few authors including Evan, Elaine, Muse, Rafi G, Jerusalem Joe, Meryl Yourish, Mr Bagel and myself.

The site will be dedicated to news, stories and pictures about freeing Gilad. If you've written a poem, or short story and would like to publish on the site please send your copy to GiladShalitFree or send an email to join the blogroll of people who actively support Freeing Gilad Shalit.

Gilad Shalit's kidnapping and captivity is simply not a priority to mainstream world media anymore, some people have forgotten, some people are more focused on other terrorist kidnappings such as that of the BBC reporter, hopefully this site will help bring back awareness to some and remind people that Gilad is still, 12 months later, being held against his will.

Please do have a look at the site, feel free to join the blogroll, add the small banner to your blog sidebar or leave a comment.


.... Just another day ....

JBlog Bunch - Week 2 up Over At BagelBlogger

Week 2 of the JBlog Bunch series is up over at BagelBlogger.

This week is a little harder than last week, seems Mr Bagel has 9 JBlogger photos but has 12 JBlogger links - guess you will just have to try to work out who is there... and who isn't there!

Here is a little sneak peek at the latest JBlog Bunch....

Who do you recognise in the photos? Is there anyone there that stands out?... Just remember, just because their name/blog is listed doesn't necessarily mean their photo is there!

So anyway, pop over to BagelBlogger and have your say! And while you are there don't forget to check out last weeks answers to these photos...

.... Just another day ....

The JBlog Bunch - Week One... Who Do you Know??

Do you know who the JBloggers are in the pictures above??

9 JBloggers Reveal a Photo of themselves!
The Mystery Blogger Series No #1

Bagel Blogger has created a really fun game for JBloggers to see just how well they think they know each other. Week one is already up, so make sure you pop over and have a go... All you have to do is match the 9 JBlogger photos to 9 of the 10 JBlogger blog links. Now that doesn't sound too hard, does it? A few people have already stepped up to the task.

Who can you see there? Can you see Rafi G? Muse? What about Yid With Lid? Or A Simple Jew? Hmmm...

Are you up to the task? Think you know all nine?

Go and leave your answers in the comments section of Mr Bagels post!

I would also like to point out the nice job Mr Bagel did of creating the JBlog Bunch Cartoon picture above... very cute, nice job!

.... Just another day ....

JIB Final Round Of Voting

**This is a sticky post and will remain at the top - normal daily posting below**

It is now JIB voting time again. I have made it to the final round of "Best Jewish Photo/Graphics Blog". I am actually quite amazed that so many people voted for me in the last round and before I ask you all to consider voting for me again, I just wanted to say thankyou to you all, I was quite shocked.

I said in the last round I was not expecting to get through to the finals and I have, well, I will say it again, I am not expecting to win either.

I wish everyone that is in the finals in all categories the very best of luck and I really do hope people vote honestly and fairly - and not just for the people you like, but for the people who are deserving.

If you would like to vote for me in "Best Jewish Photo/Graphics Blog", you can do so here.

While you are there please consider also voting for my husband Mr Bagel in his two categories. He puts a hell of a lot of work into his blog and really is deserving of an award for his time and effort.

Vote 'Bagel Blogger' for "Best Designed Jewish Blog" here

Vote 'Bagel Blogger' for "Best Of The Rest Jewish Blog" here

Please also remember anyone can vote and it is quick and easy - no registration is required.

.... Just another day ....

'JIB Chatter' - New Discussion Site

This is a bit of a mixed up post tonight, there are a few things going on, so here goes....

Firstly, I would like to let everyone know that there is a new blog open 'JIB Chatter'. If you have something you would like to say about the JIBs feel free to pop over and take a look - it will also be a good place to check out the opinions of others on the JIBs.

Some people may feel uncomfortable talking about what they really think of the JIB's on their own blog, so this is a great place to go and say what you think. Another great benefit of this site is that you can catch up on the latest voting results in real time and also the latest JIB articles in the Jblogosphere. Click here to go and have a say. JIB Chatter is also accessible via BagelBlogger (JIB Chatter button in top menu of Bagels home page).

Certainly worth checking out...


-----------------------

The other thing is JPix. Jpix is up over at Temunot, David has done a wonderful job, it is a enormous and it is certainly a must see. So if you haven't already had a look, go over and check it out! Well done David!




Now for some more normal everyday news... Later this month Jade's class is travelling almost 3 hours away to one of the major regional centres for a poetry competition. Her year 2 class has made it to the state final with a poem they wrote. She is very excited about the whole thing so hopefully they will do really well. The poem they wrote is about a moth being caught by a Willy Wagtail - hence today's moth photos.

The photos of the moth were taken from my kitchen window, the moth was stuck on the window glass - the first photo was taken from inside the house and the second was from outside.


.... Just another day ....

A Piece Of My Mind - JIB Finalists

As many will know, I have been feeling a bit annoyed over the past few days. There have been somethings I have wanted to say. The time has come to say something because it has really been eating away at me.

Batya has posted an article today, which for me is just the tip of the ice burg, you can read it here.

In the article Batya speaks of the difference between blogs with a large base of readers due to lots of friends and family and those who are 'media-based'.

She goes on to say:

"Dry Bones is great, but he has been featured in the Jerusalem Post for decades. He shouldn't be running in JIB Awards against ordinary bloggers, even the megas. The same goes for Tamar Yona of Arutz 7. She's a major radio personality there."


This is the comment I have left on Batya's blog:

"Hi Batya,
I understand where you are coming from and I agree somewhat.

Dry Bones does have a great blog and it is very popular.

Tamar Yonah however, may be a 'major radio personality', but she certainly is not a 'major' blogger.

Check her technorati ranking here
Rank: 536,218 (22 links from 9 blogs). It seems she gets hardly any traffic to her blog, yet she managed to get almost 200 votes all up in the 2 categories she was nominated in, even beating Aussie Dave in one of them!


Now, I ask, these are 'blogging' awards aren't they?


I don't remember the JIB's being radio awards?!

It was never supposed to be a popularity contest, it is supposed to be about awarding quality blogs, but now it seems its a contest who can rort the voting the most, it seems you don't really even need to have a blog."

I am sick of it. I am sick of the amount of people who have rorted these awards, and who expect other bloggers - 'real bloggers' not to say anything. It is not just this one, it has happened in other categories also. There were a few other blogs that either have basically very few readers and/or post very rarely and yet have somehow managed to get heaps more votes than some of the very well known bloggers who have large readerships.

This is certainly not a case of sour grapes - and I don't care what anyone says about that, but, I was against a similar blog in the 'Best Personal Blog' group I was in. The 90th Minute, this blogger also happens to be a journalist with articles appearing in publications including Haaretz, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Jerusalem Post and European Jewish Press. Her technorati ranking can be found here, she is ranked Rank: 1,083,235 (8 links from 4 blogs)

Considering her readership and traffic to her blog, I find it hard to believe just over 100 votes have been from legitimate readers and not from the fact she is in the media and able to pull votes that way.

Another 'blog' that is in the service industry is JobMob. JobMob is a web site which helps people find jobs in Israel. They qualified in the JIB's for Best New blog with 79 votes (placed 2nd behind Tamar Yonah) and just missed out qualifying for Best Overall Blog with 68 votes. Both nominations of which I find a joke.

It seems that some journalists/ media organisations and service industries are using these awards purely as a promotional campaign to expose themselves to traffic and further their media profiles.

It is the real bloggers who are suffering because of this. The awards have been well run by the committee, but in hind sight, there really needs to be some form of criteria for each category for blog nominations to prevent this sort of abuse - it is not what the awards are supposed to be about.



.... Just another day ....

JIB's Vote 'Baleboosteh'! - Sticky Post

Please note: This is a sticky post and will stay at the top for the next few days, normal daily postings are below this one.

VOTING CLOSES THIS SUNDAY 29th APRIL!!

As we are all aware it is JIB time. Nominations have now finished and it is now voting time from the 22nd April to the 29th.
I am happy to say, my blog is nominated for Best Photo/Graphics Blog and also Best Personal Blog.

I know I have only been blogging for 10 months but, If you would like to vote for me in either (or both! :P) categorys please click on the titles below. Even though I have no expectations of winning any award, votes would be greatly apprecited and each one counts! Thankyou to all who have voted for me so far!!

Vote for me for Best Photo/Graphics Blog here
Vote for me for Best Personal Blog here

Voting is very quick and easy - no registration is required.

And while you are there... Please consider voting for my cute and lovable husband Mr Bagel (BagelBlogger). He puts a HUGE amount of effort, time and work into his blog and deserves an award for his efforts far more than I do. He is nominated for:

Best New Blog
Best Designed Blog
Best Of The Rest Blog
Best Overall Blog

The JIB Awards Have Been REALLY HACKED This Time!

I got up at 7.30am this morning to get the girls off to school. While I was getting breakfast ready, I booted up my computer and went to check on the JIB's. Much to my horror, I discovered that the entire website is gone - it has been Hacked.

I quickly went to a few of the committee members blogs to see what they have to say about it, but it seems noone yet knows/or is talking about it.

Bagelblogger has more info on it and will be updating as more news comes to hand, so go over to his site and read his latest post "The JIB awards have been hacked"

It is very sad considering the amount of work Akiva in particular had put into it, but, unfortunately it seemed bound to happen.

********* UPDATE *********
- It now appears that Bagelblogger may have found some rather 'personal' details belonging to the hacker of the JIB's...

- Good news, JIBs site now seems to be back up...hmmm


.... Just another day ....

My Reasons...

After posting yesterdays post that gave just a peek into my late teens, I am sure a few people are wondering how I came to where I am today - wanting to convert to Orthodox Judaism. Rafi G from Life In Israel was a little concerned about asking, but he did ask what made me decide to convert to Judaism. When I thought about it, I guess, after now knowing a little bit of my background you would kind of wonder.

There are so many different aspects of our reasoning, I am sure my husband has his own personal feelings and reasons on this topic and I have mine. There are some reasons that I don't need to explain, such as monotheism - my belief that G-d is one, the ability to daven directly to G-d, G-d created the universe in 6 days, there is no original sin - we choose our own path of good or bad on earth, and I have never really understood the point of Jesus and Mary statues and paintings etc, but then there are the more ingrained reasons, things that have happened over the years to make me come to the realisation that Judaism is for me and my family that need a bit more explanation.

It has almost been 12 months since my husband and I started to learn about Orthodox Judaism and decided we want to convert. I guess we have my husbands Grandmother to thank, she was Jewish. My husband had mentioned to me that she was Jewish and we started to do a bit of research about Judaism, it was then we discovered that we both held similar beliefs as Jews do, infact it was quite strange to make this discovery. After more research, my husband phoned a Rabbi in Sydney and told him that we, as a family of 5 wanted to convert. I think he was pretty shocked, I get the feeling that most people that want to convert do it for love - so they can marry someone who is already Jewish, but here we were, a whole family. I must say, he has been very supportive and very patient, he has already been waiting 12 months for us to move to Sydney to begin our conversion. Since then we have continued to learn more about Judaism and have lived as 'Jewish' as we can considering we live in the 'outback'. We have also made the commitment of making the 400km journey of moving our family back to Sydney to officially begin our conversion in June this year. Why June, why not now? Because we are in a lease that ends in June and we need that time to be able to save enough money to be able to move back to the city.

For me personally, my reasons for converting stem back further than 12 months ago. In fact some of the reasons are closely related to my previous post about my past.

I come from a family that wasn't religious at all - although I was Christened as a baby and I came from a Christian family, you would never know it. If someone in our family said they were going to church other family members would probably have looked at the person like they were some kind of alien, not because it was wrong to go to church, but because we just didn't do it.

When I was growing up my Mum was best friends with the lady next door, Sue. Sue was a Christian lady who always went to church. I don't have a problem with Christians at all, and I didn't have a problem with Sue being a Christian or with the fact that she went to church all the time - that was fine, whatever, I didn't really care, each to their own. What I did have a problem with was the fact that she was constantly trying to push my Mum into going to Church with her. My Mum felt that because she was Sue's friend that she should go, she didn't want to be rude and say no. Even though I was about 11 or 12 years old I disagreed and made sure Mum knew it. I felt like she was being bullied into going to Church and that since Sue was being so insistent she was almost trying to recruit my Mum to Christianity. It really bugged me.

So as a teenager, I wasn't to excited when Sue came over to our house, not because I didn't like her, she was a lovely lady, but I hated that she continuously tried to force her beliefs of Jesus down my Mums throat and now that I was older, my throat too, 'Why don't you come to church, it would be really good for you', 'Oh, we just had a prayer meeting, it's a pity you didn't come', 'It would be good for you to have Jesus in your life', blah, blah, blah. It wasn't mentioned just once or twice per visit to our house, it was constant talk - it was all she ever said.
It drove me insane, and I think it is the years of growing up, having the only religion I was ever really exposed to forced down my throat all the time that has really pushed me even further away from it. I was raised to be a leader, not a follower, and I didn't believe in Jesus, so I wasn't going to church! And I certainly don't believe in proselytism!

I have never believed in Jesus, I have never believed Jesus was the son of G-d or the messiah, if other people want to believe that, well that's fine, but for me personally, I can't be part of a religion that I don't believe in or feel any spiritual connection with.
I think my parents also expected me to get married in a church - well that was never going to happen. I always said I would never marry in a church because I would feel like such a hypocrite, it just wouldn't be right, being in a church makes me feel uncomfortable, I can't even begin to imagine getting married in a church.

Even though I was a bit of a rebel growing up, I come from a close-knit family, so family values have always been very important to me. In a sense, I feel that by converting, we are in a way continuing family heritage since my husbands Grandmother was Jewish. I really admire the strong sense of 'family' Jewish families have and I also admire their close community and the fact that everyone is willing to help each other. Besides wanting my girls to have strong Jewish beliefs and structure to their lives, this is the environment I want my girls to grow up in, I want them to have strong family and community values, I want them to be active in the Jewish community - if someone needs help in some sort of way, I want them to be able to stand up and help if they can (that goes for myself and my husband too). We have been amazed at the support we have received from the Jblog community over the past few weeks while Amber has had her surgery, it has made such a huge difference in our lives.

Although I am really excited and looking forward to our conversion, I do hope that when the time comes to go before the Sydney Beth Din that I won't be to nervous to be able to explain my reasons and desire to convert. How do you explain something that just feels so natural and so right in your heart?



Technorati Tags -
Israel ~ Judaism ~ Orthodox Jew ~ Life ~ Photos ~ Weblog ~ Blog

.... Just another day ....

Jewish Blog Awareness Month

As many of you may or may not know, January is 'Jewish Blog Awareness Month' as decided by Chaim from Life-of-Rubin - what a wonderful idea! So joining in the awareness campaign, I thought I would share a few of my all time favorite JBlogs and a few new JBlogs who have recently started blogging.

Starting with one of my all time favorites - Evan from Planet Israel who made Aliyah only a few months back has been taking his readers on a virtual tour of Israel with him and his trusty camera - I love his photos, have a look, you will be glad you did!

I have recently discovered A Bisele Babka who only started blogging this month and who this week blogged about the missing daughter of one of her fellow congregrants, I hope the girls return safely.

Canadian Salmon is always up to date with Jewish current events - as he puts it Jewish thoughts around the world. Dealing with topics of Religion, Spirituality, War, Israel, Anti Semitism, America, Canada.

Now, I know A Mother In Israel started blogging earlier last year, but I have only recently discovered her blog and for anyone wanting to know more about homemaking and parenting in Israel, you really should check this one out!

Might as well give a fellow Aussie a plug while I am at it, of course I am talking about Aussie Echo . Aussie Echo shares with us his thoughts, ideas and opinions on things Jewish, Australian, Lubavitch and everything else... Another goodie.

Don't forget also that BagelBlogger has started a new carnival 'JPix'... so if you are Jewish, and you've got Photos then JPix is for you! Submit your JPix here! I can't wait to see your photos!

Anyone who knows me knows I like a blogging Mum, I love to read about other Mums, their lives and their families which is why I am so glag I have recently found Crusty Beef!
Speaking of Blogging Mums, if you haven't already you must read EmahS's most recent post '10 questions I ask of the universe'....oh, I can soooo relate!!

Through one of my dearest blogging buddies RaggedyMom, I was introduced to Table Nine another interesting new blog.


Of course if you are looking for a large list of JBloggers to pick and choose from, you can always have a look at JRants or JBlog Central.


Technorati Tags -
Israel ~ Judaism ~ Orthodox Jew ~ Life ~ Photos ~ Weblog ~ Blog

.... Just another day ....

Australia's Increase In Violent Anti-Semetic Attacks

Sadly, over the past 12 months Australia has had a real increase in anti-semitism. Manny Waks, executive officer of the B'nai B'rith Anti Defamation Commission, a national organization that aims to combat anti-semitism and racism has come forward and said the Australian Jewish community is feeling 'vulnerable and threatened' because of the upsurge.

"Schools, institutions and Synagogues have been targeted relentlessly over the past few months. People (in Australia) are used to seeing swastikas here and there, but when it becomes systematic and often, people are concerned. Over the last few months, the Jewish community has felt vulnerable and threatened," he said.

During the 12 month period leading up to September 30 2006, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry received more than 440 reports of anti-Jewish violence, vandalism, harassment and intimidation, which included a sharp increase in the number of violent attacks against Aussie Jews. Not all cases reported have been included in the 440 incidents due to lack of 'convincing evidence' that they are 'anti-semitic' attacks.

Incidents of assault, arson attacks, face to face harassment and vandalism which are broadly defined as 'attacks' were recorded at the highest rate on record, at fifty six percent above average. Threats, conveyed through the telephone, mail, leaflets, posters or email, were recorded at a rate forty two percent above the average. Most of these attacks were carried out anonymously.

In Western Australia, a man was charged with making anti-semetic phone calls. Back in September I posted about a case in Queensland against a 59 year old man who had used telephone text messages as a mode for harassment towards a Jewish family.

In October I posted a story about Melbourne man Menachem Vorchheimer, who was attacked and punched in the face, in front of his two young children by a group of neanderthal footballers from Ocean Grove as he walked to shul on Simchat Torah. The footballers also screamed, "F... off Jews" and "Go Nazis." Still... 3 months later no charges have been laid over the incident even though there were around 50 witnesses and an off-duty police officer was driving the bus the footballers were travelling in!

Just last week in Melbourne, two 16 year old ultra-orthodox boys, one who was on crutches with a broken leg in a plaster, were waiting for a tram in Chapel Street when a car pulled up and one of its passengers shouted, "You killed our cousins in Lebanon". The boy on crutches was attacked with one of his crutches and the other boy received facial injuries. Both boys were taken to the hospital where they received treatment for their injuries and were later release. What tough guys, they will be able to brag about that to their mates - 'Hey, did you hear how I beat up a Jewish kid on crutches?'... what a hero - talk about picking an easy target. Police are investigating the incident.

Even with the rise in anti-semitism in Australia, Manny Waks said that cases of anti-semitism in the United States and Europe "are much more severe" than that in Australia.

"The Jewish community in Australia has it good and there is no question about it," he said. "But we need to be proactive about these issues."


Technorati Tags -
Israel ~ Judaism ~ Orthodox Jew ~ AntiSemitism ~ Lebanon ~ Palestine ~ West Bank ~ Hamas ~ Terrorism ~ Terrorists~ Islam ~ Muslims ~ Australia ~ Middle East Conflict~ Middle East ~ Life ~ Photos ~ Weblog ~ Blog

.... Just another day ....

Evidence Casts Doubt Over Yeshiva Student's Reported Drunken Accident

I can't believe this... I have just read the article below from the Australian jewish News. I feel that it leaves a lot of unanswered questions and I can't help but think there is something strange going on here...



New evidence has cast serious doubt over police allegations that an Israeli yeshiva student's brain haemorrhage was due to a "drunken accident".

Nitzan Zerach, a student at Sydney's Yeshiva Centre, was hospitalised last Thursday with a brain haemorrhage and facial injuries.

A police spokesperson told the AJN late on Monday: "New facts have come to light and we are keeping an open mind."

Police had twice previously confirmed to the AJN they had no evidence to suggest Zerach was assaulted, despite claims to that effect by his friends and colleagues at the Yeshiva Centre, who said he did not drink alcohol and that his facial injuries were a result of an assault.

Police viewed video footage on Monday at the Yeshiva Centre - also sighted by the AJN - which shows Zerach returning to the Flood Street campus just before 2am last Thursday morning.

He is clearly struggling with his footing and stops to vomit on entry to the building. As he makes his way down the stairs, it is possible to see the scarring around Zerach's eye - apparent proof that he was in fact assaulted before he returned home.

This is part of the new evidence that has led police to cast doubt on their initial belief that Zerach was involved in a "drunken accident" inside the building.

"The alcohol question is in fact in question," a police spokesman told the AJN, adding that the case was still under investigation.

"It is an open question and reports that he was drunk may or may not be true. We're keeping an open mind."

Zerach's bag was also found near the Anzac Bridge, further suggesting that he was both assaulted and robbed.

Zerach closed the Chabad house for Israelis, where he volunteered for Rabbi Alon Hazi, late last Wednesday night in Hall Street, Bondi Beach, about a 20-minute walk from Flood Street.

It now appears that he was assaulted on his way home and could have been left lying in the street for almost an hour and a half before a passerby who saw him called police around 1.30am.

An ambulance arrived at around 1.50am and escorted Zerach into the building. However, paramedics did not detect any serious injuries at the time and did not hand Zerach over to any Yeshiva staff.

He made it to his dorm, passed out and woke up around 11am, when he was found by a fellow Yeshiva student staggering around the building with massive wounds to his head.

It was then that Hatzolah and an ambulance was called, and he was taken into intensive care at St Vincent's Hospital.

A hospital blood test reportedly showed that he had no alcohol in his system, further dispelling allegations he was involved in a "drunken accident".

Police are urging the passerby who found Zerach to contact them on (02) 9365 9649.



His friends have said he does not drink alcohol - the blood test has proven he had no alcohol in his system, so I guess that pretty much rules out the first claim by police that he was 'intensely intoxicated'. Yet, even after a blood test has proven he had not been drinking they are still saying he may or may not have been drunk and that they are keeping an open mind!?!

I think the care that the ambulance paramedics have given really has to be questioned too. If he was so sick or injured and had been lying in the street and needed to be helped into the dorm building, then they should have let someone else in the building such as Yeshiva staff know what was wrong - obviously there was something wrong, people don't just lie in the street for long periods and also, not forgetting that he stopped to vomit on entering the building which the paramedics would have known about because they said the helped him into the building.

The fact that his bag was found on Anzac Bridge strongly suggests to me that he has been robbed, which is also another reason why I think he has been bashed. Anzac Bridge is probably about a 15 minute drive from Bondi at that hour of the morning.

I think it is quite obvious that he has been pretty badly bashed and for some reason the police don't want to come out and admit it. They won't let go of the 'drunken accident' even though this has now been proven wrong. What is the problem? Do they not want to let the public know that another Jew has been assulted?? This is Sydney we are talking about, someone saw what happened, someone knows what happened. What are the police trying to cover?

I think this poor fellow is very lucky to be alive, especially since he eventually manged to get into bed and fall asleep - he is lucky to have woken the next morning considering he had a brain hemorrage.



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.... Just another day ....

Murdered Holocaust Survivor Farewelled In Sydney

81 year old Katherine Schweitzer, survivor of the Holocaust who was murdered in her security apartment in Sydney last week was farewelled today. What sort of animal could do this to a harmless elderly lady....What a tragic end to a life that has seen, experienced and given so much.



From the Sydney Morning Herald:

The last moments of Katherine Schweitzer's life - strangled then dumped in a wheelie bin last Wednesday - were cruel and abrupt, but a small measure of respect was returned to her today when Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger, attended her funeral service.

Speaking in slight rain outside the funeral service, Rabbi Metzger expressed the sorrow of the Jewish community over the 81-year-old Holocaust survivor's death.

"I heard about this tragic case and I changed my plans to come and give her the honour of a survivor of the Holocaust," he said.

Rabbi Metzger, holidaying in Australia, said that, despite not having any living relatives Ms Schweitzer now had an entire family behind her.

"All the Jewish nation are her kids from today," he said.

About 80 people gathered at 10am at the Sydney Chevra Kadisha, in Woollahra, to farewell Mrs Schweitzer.

"We are gathered in solemn assembly to take leave of and say shalom and farewell to a very special and beautiful human being, Katherine Schweitzer," said the officiating rabbi, David Rogut.

"At this moment her book of life has closed; a chapter has ended for our darling Kathy ... this senseless murder of a gentle, saintly and elderly person should never have happened.

"Katherine leaves no immediate family. The truth is she leaves behind an entire city and country mourning for her tragic death and honouring her for her outstanding life," he said.

Mrs Schweitzer's body was found inside a wheelie bin outside her fifth-floor apartment in a unit block on Buller Street, Bellevue Hill.

Police have speculated that her murder might have been a thrill killing, as they have yet to find any other motive.

She was born in 1925 in Budapest, and spent her teen years working in the Hungarian resistance, helping to save Jewish lives from the Nazi concentration camps by forging birth certificates.

Her entire family died during the Nazi regime. Her father and brother were poisoned with arsenic after being dragged from their home by German soldiers.

In 1948 Mrs Schweitzer married Paul Schweitzer and they moved to Australia in 1956, where she worked as an accountant.

After the service her coffin was taken from the building and placed in a waiting car to be taken to Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney's west, where she was interred in front of about 25 people, including former business associate Nick Pappas.

Speaking after the service Anna Carmon, 85, who described herself as Mrs Schweitzer's "best friend", said she had spoken to the victim the day she died.

"I was going to pick her up that day and she didn't feel well," she said.

"She was expecting the doctor to come and he came [and then] everything was over."

Mrs Schweitzer's doctor paid her a house call about 6.45pm and, along with some neighbours, discovered her body in the bin about 7.30pm.

Mrs Carmon said she had done some shopping for Mrs Schweitzer and was planning to take it around to her.

"I was going [over] and I asked her, 'What do you want me to bring you?' She said a pint of milk.

"I've still got the milk at home in my fridge."

Technorati Tags -
Israel ~ Judaism ~ Orthodox Jew ~ Life ~ Photos ~ Weblog ~ Blog

.... Just another day ....

Minor Fast Day's Funky Jewish Tee's

Like many bloggers, there are blogs that I read on a daily basis. Everyday I learn something new about the people who write these blogs.

One of the blogs I read daily is Minor Fast Days which is written by Akira. Now, I knew a few things about Akira already from reading his blog - I know he's a Japanese convert, he lives in NY, he is married and he and his wife Ellie are expecting a baby very, very soon.... BUT, what I have just learnt is that not only do they feature in this months JVibe under 'Real Life', but they are actually the creative minds behind a VERY cool t-shirt company Ohiso.com!

For all your hip Jewish t-shirt needs you must check out ohiso.com. They have a large range of jewish t-shirts, hats, bags, mugs, badges, stickers and magnets!


There is something for everyone!


Check on the picture below to go to Ohiso.com

Technorati Tags -Ohiso.com ~ Jewish T-Shirts ~ Jewish Hats ~ Jewish Bags ~ Jewish Mugs ~ Jewish Stickers ~ Jewish Magnets ~ Jewish Gossip ~ Minor Fast Days ~ JVibe ~ Jewish ~ Jewish Convert ~ Bloggers



.... Just another day ....

Corn & Capsicum Fritters - Another Tasty Recipe!

As you may realise, I like to cook... suprise, suprise. Last night I made these corn and capsicum fritters and they were delicious! So, here is the recipe for those who would like to try them. This is a milchig recipe.

~ Corn & Capsicum Fritters ~

Ingredients:

310g corn kernels
1 red capsicum (bell peper) seeded & finely chopped
1/2 cup self raising flour (or plain flour plus half a teaspoon of baking powder)
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
4 Roma tomatoes, halved
1 tbl spoon oil
8 slices salmon
50g baby spinach to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to moderate, 180C (approx 370F)
2. In a medium bowl, combine corn, capsicum, flour, cheese, milk, egg and basil. Season to taste.
3. Place tomatoes and salmon in an oven proof dish, drizzle with oil and season to taste. Bake for 15 - 20 mins until tomatoes begin to collapse.
4. Meanwhile, heat a large greased frying pan on medium. Cook 1/4 cup measures of corn mixture for 2 - 3 mins each side until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel.
5. Serve fritters topped with tomatoes, salmon and spinach.
6. Last but not least... Enjoy!!

Technorati Tags -
Kosher Cooking ~ Recipes ~ Cooking ~ Fritters ~ Milchig ~ Judaism ~ Orthodox Jew ~ Life ~ Photos ~ Weblog ~ Blog

.... Just another day ....

Orthodox Block Bar Mitzvah Over 'Non-Kosher' Circumcision

A tramatic row over a bar mitzvah boy's circumcision forced a Sydney mother to move her son's simcha from an Orthodox shul to a Progressive temple at the 11th hour last week.


The bar mitzvah boy had been scheduled to read from the Torah at Chabad Double Bay last Shabbat, but rabbis from the Sydney Beth Din (SBD) ruled on the previous Monday that his circumcision was not kosher.


Rabbi Moshe Gutnick and Rabbi Yoram Ulman, two judges at the Jewish court, were at the mikvah in Bondi preparing to draw a drop of blood from the boy to symbolise his Orthodox conversion when they noticed that his brit milah, conducted by a Jewish doctor in 1993, was incomplete.


"We immediately called one of the mohelim to check, and he confirmed a further circumcision needed to be done," Rabbi Gutnick said.


He said he told the boy's mother, journalist and author Ros Reines, that her son could either be operated on under local or general anaesthetic, and that "hundreds of boys" - many from the former Soviet Union - have undergone this procedure in Australia prior to their bar mitzvah.


"In order to become Jewish he has to be (properly) circumcised there's nothing we can do about it. We feel terrible it's devastating," Rabbi Gutnick said.


"I didn't want my son to have that trauma (of another circumcision)," she told the AJN this week. "It's not true he wasn't circumcised; it's a question of degree."


"I spent the week in tears," she said.


"To me it didn't sound very compassionate. I just feel a sense of sorrow because perhaps we don't really fit in - that feeling of being an outcast again."


The single mother, who had an adult bat mitzvah following her Progressive conversion, said she had to inform the 100 or so guests of the change of venue 'due to a technical problem' just days before the simcha.


But she said her son sang his portion magnificently. "He's a kid that bounces back. It was one of the happiest weekends of our lives."


However, she added: "To know we’ll never be counted there (at Chabad) really hurts me."


She said the pain had been magnified because her son had a brit milah, conducted in the presence of Rabbi Kamins, eight days after he was born.


"You don't take your 13-year-old son four days before his bar mitzvah and give him a general (anaesthetic). He didn't want to do it. Just imagine if there had been an infection," she said.


Temple Emanuel Woollahra - which had a double aufruf and a bat mitzvah already scheduled for last Shabbat - accommodated the bar mitzvah.


Rabbi Kamins said it is the first time he has ever heard of such a case.


"We were able to help the family in a way which they (the Orthodox rabbinate) couldn't," he said. "I don't think they would have made that decision with any lightheartedness or lack of consideration."


But Rabbi Gutnick told the AJN the temple was "fooling the child" into believing he is Jewish.


"Unless the child goes to the mikvah and is circumcised according to Jewish law, pretending the child is Jewish is ultimately doing a disservice to the child," he said.


In response, Reines said: "I don't know how they can live with themselves."


Chabad Double Bay's Rabbi Yanky Berger said he was "very distressed" by the saga.


"I'd be surprised if any rabbis anywhere in Australia have been in this situation before," said Rabbi Berger, who attended the bar mitzvah party last Sunday night.


He said he had spoken to rabbis around the Jewish world "to see if there's any type of halachic leniency, to see if there's a precedent".


"He is an amazing kid. In difficult times people shine. He was shining. He showed such strong spirit."


Rabbi Ulman failed to return several calls from the AJN.


(Article from the AJN)


Technorati Tags -

Bar Mitzvah ~ Judaism ~ Orthodox Jew ~ Sydney ~ Chabad Double Bay ~ Sydney Beth Din ~ Orthodox conversion ~ Temple Emanuel Woollahra ~ Australia


.... Just another day ....

Kosher Cooking Carnival - Me-Ander Does It Again!

Oh yes! The 11th Kosher Cooking Carnival is up at Me-Ander, a fantastic job has been done by Muse as usual. Pop over and check out all the delicious recipes... and then cook up a storm!!

Thanks Muse for all your hard work!




.... Just another day ....