HH #272 — Tammuz Tidings

Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs — a weekly collection of Jewish & Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It’s hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by Jack. The term ‘Haveil Havalim,’ which means “Vanity of Vanities,” is from Qoheleth, (Ecclesiastes) which was written by King Solomon. King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other ‘excesses’ and realized that it was nothing but ‘hevel,’ or in English, ‘vanity.’”

The first week of Tammuz is here and gone. Over at Beit Frummie, we had the last week of elementary school, the first week of mini-mini-camp for the preschooler, and the aftermath of not one, but TWO birthday parties. Thank goodness for some good reading to help keep me sane.

Take a look…

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Torah

This insight over at Chutz Mizeh was from April…but the message is as current today as it was then.

The Rebbetzin’s Husband wonders about calendrical issues in It Happened this Monday…Or Not.

Was the BP Oil Spill predicted in the Torah? See what Rav Shmuel Brazil has to say, via Parshablog.

Israel

Looking for something off the beaten path? Check out a new musical production of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” being staged in Talpiot. Or a tiyul in Carmel.

Israel is not in the FIFA World Cup (again), but the entire country is going crazy for all things soccer. Well, almost the entire country.

It is true that there are two sides (at least!) to every story. What happens when the media only shares one side of the story? Marilyn Stowe explores this question in Truth Comes in Black and White — and All the Shades of Grey In Between.

Remember what our friend Tevye says…on the one hand, on the other hand. RutiMizrachi has written a powerful post about Unity and how she expressed it…on one hand.

Ingathered takes a look at the reported humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Yisrael Medad shares his perspective on Palestinian culture in Green-Lined, some media criticism, a Canadian version of the Helen Thomas story as well as a “Great Idea”.

College students: clueless as to how their own world is benefited by Israel. So how can they develop an informed opinion? Take a look.

Speaking of college, take a look at how a speech on a college campus became the undoing of Steve Bronfman’s blog and Facebook account.

The Flotilla and Israel’s Indomitable Spirit is a reminder that despite all the ugliness, we are still here. Mazal tov and b’hatzlacha to Artzeinu who ascends to Israel this summer! In preparation for aliyah, Artzeinu has been doing some reading and has discovered someone about whom I’ve written — Danny Gordis.

This week’s interview by Ilana-Davita is with QuietusLeo. He sounds like a lovely person, don’t you agree?

In Secrets and Lies I, Morey Altman takes a look at recent allegations that Israel and South Africa share a nuclear relationship.

Lady-Light shows how the U.N., and consequently the world, is sliding down the sinkhole-slope. She also comments on the failure of the Disengagement.

As if we don’t have enough tzuris, Esser Agaroth reports on the protests against the Supreme Court decision affecting the Emmanuel School . Batya has a different take on the situation.

Israel has an awfully bad reputation when it comes to bureaucracy. Batya shares her positive experience in Not the Nightmare People Expect.

Get the entire week’s wrap-up about Religion and Israel here and here (thanks to Joel Katz!).

ShilohMusings shares her perspective on Helen Thomas, Mel Gibson, and Obama.

Judaism

Izgad offers some thoughts on the implications of the very fact that one is living in a world where plausible intellectual challenges to faith can be raised in My Ironic Jewish Journey.

Right is right and wrong is wrong…right? Not so fast, reminds Chassidishe Farbrengen, in Chassidishe Discernment.

FriarYid takes a look at kiruv in Barking Kiruv Up the Wrong Tree.

Over at On the Fringe, Shira takes a look at Observing the Letter, Violating the Spirit of Halachah.

Have you made your summer plans yet? You might want to rethink them if Parshablog is right about this.

I share a special way to honour the Good Guys in our lives this Father’s Day.

Shul is a great place to rear children. Most of the time. Homeshuling looks at the behaviour of others and what she fears it is teaching her own children.

Melissa reminds us that outwardly appearances can be misleading over at Redefining Rebbetzin.

Culture

Worshipers of the Wooden Stick God, Repent! highlights what appears to be idolatry, according to Esser Agaroth.

Humour

Though not funny in the strictest sense, Lady-Light shares the latest parody from LatmaTV. Batya posted it over at Shiloh Musings too.

A graduation speech by Marjorie Ingall that is as insightful as it is funny.

Personal

Seraphic Secret shares reflections of the memorial lecture held in memory of his son, Ariel, z”l.

In the midst of her mourning, JaneTheWriter shares her mother’s ethical will. May her memory always be for a blessing.

On Behalf of Stepmothers Everywhere is Ima2Seven’s response to people who make assumptions about the relationship between a stepmother and stepchildren.

On a related note, Mirjam muses about different types of grandmothers in Step to the Third. And happy first birthday to The Crown Prince.

Our sacred journeys are meant to challenge us. Minnesota Mamaleh shares part of her journey in Spiritual But Not Religious.

Over at In the Pink, Hadassah wonders if she is really that gullible. What do you think??

Tammuz is here! Over at Meander, Batya shares her personal observance of the new month. She also shares a recent experience of being caught in the sandwich generation.

It’s important to know the wishes of loved one before they die. That being said, FriarYid had an awfully weird conversation with his folks on this very topic.

A couple, who desperately yearn to be parents, take a look at some hard questions in Adoption Advice Needed.

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And that concludes this week’s edition of Haveil Havalim. I hope that you enjoy reading these posts as much as I did!

Next week will be hosted by A Time of the Signs. 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.