According to the Talmud, Rabban Gamliel banned from the study hall any student whose deeds were not in keeping with their values (Brachot 28a). This left Rabban Gamliel with an exceptionally small crop of students. One Rabbi says that when his decree was lifted seven hundred benches had to be added to accommodate the many …
Condemn Israel, Starve Miners: South Africa Makes a Mockery of Human Rights Read More »
How did you react when you heard the news about Sinwar? There’s been a lot of discussion about whether joy was appropriate. Some say yes, often quoting sources such as Proverbs 11:10 which says the death of the wicked is gladness. Others say no, and they also have texts in the Jewish tradition to cite. …
When reciting the ten plagues at the seder, many of us have the custom of spilling drops of wine. My father used to spill a drop from his winecup into a bowl along with water from a pitcher, a splash for each plague and then all the wine and all the water for the last …
On August 2nd a federal Jury recommended the death sentence for Robert Bowers, perpetrator of the 2018 massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburg. Many survivors and victims’ families supported him receiving the death penalty, while others were in favor of life in prison. You can read CBS news coverage here. …
Today Sweden once again granted permission for a Torah burning protest outside the Israeli Embassy, this time by a woman concerned about children’s rights (the connection with Torah burning is unclear, and only four people are scheduled to attend.) Nevertheless, due to the provocative nature of the Torah burning this became a global story …
Last week the New York City Department of Education sent a warning letter notifying 18 yeshivas that they are failing to teach secular subjects at an acceptable level (Read news coverage from The City here). This resulted from a multi-year government investigation following up on numerous journalist and independent activist reports. For example, in September …
On March 12th Saudi Arabia executed a staggering 81 prisoners all at once. The Saudis claim each of them had been duly sentenced to death according to its judicial process for crimes ranging from murder to joining terrorist organizations. Even for those who agree with judicious use of the death penalty, the sheer number of …
Saudis responsible for mass executions, not the quran Read More »
Last Friday, Oct. 8th, the United Nations Human Rights Council voted overwhelmingly to declare that access to a ‘safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment’ should be considered a human right. Environmental activists hailed this as a major achievement, a breakthrough for their work. You can read more on CNN or Reuters. Breakthrough or …
Recently, the organization nonhumanrights.org scored a legal win. Yes, nonhumanrights.org! What is this about, you may wonder? Do they work against human rights? Is it a campaign that UFO’s should be entitled to land on Earth if they desire? None of the above. Nonhumanrights.org is devoted to protecting the welfare of animals. Their …
The tragic Atlanta spa shootings may have been motivated by religious guilt, for which the perpetrator’s Church bears some responsibility.
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