My friend asked for a few posts on time management. “I don’t understand how you find time to cook, raise children, manage the house and write so much.”
Despite having only seven players, the Northwest Yeshiva High School girls’ basketball team is in the Washington state tournament for the first time. But one of the games is scheduled for the fast of Esther tomorrow. If the yeshiva team ends up playing, they’ve decided to forfeit.
In synagogue yesterday morning, our rabbi spoke on lessons to learn from events revolving around Rabbi Moti Elon, the yeshiva head accused of molesting young men who approached him for advice.
1. According to sociologist Max Weber there are three types of authority: traditional, legal-rational, and charismatic. Charismatic authority is the most powerful, yet the most unreliable and dangerous. Both children and adults need to think critically and even a bit cynically, to prevent being misled by a charismatic leader. No one, no matter how talented and sincere, is perfect.
AddeRabbi has an excellent post on charismatic rabbis and teachers.
2. The input of women is critical for discussions about complex issues within our community. Women are members of the Takana forum to prevent harassment and abuse by leaders in the religious-Zionist community.
3. Young people with questions about sexual identity are at risk for emotional problems and suicide, particularly in a religious community. The young men who accused R. Elon had asked for counseling on this issue. But homosexual tendencies should be handled within the family, with professional advice and support. One of the congregants mentioned that R. Elon had often spoken out strongly against homosexuality. Ironically, his actions may now give Orthodox homosexuals “permission” to come out.
4. All institutions should publish written rules meant to prevent harassment and abuse, including keeping a door open when a teacher meets with a student, and prohibiting physical contact. He said that in order to correct a serious problem, it’s often necessary to go to the opposite extreme.
In recent days prominent rabbi Mordechai (Moti) Elon, founder of the outreach organization Mibereshit, has been accused of sexual harassment of young men in counseling situations. The religious Zionist forum Takanah (mentioned in the case of the founder of Megeirot) learned of the allegations several years ago. In its statement, the first anyone heard of the story, Takanah described striking a deal with the rabbi who agreed to leave Jerusalem for the smaller, more isolated northern town of Migdal. He also agreed to stop counseling.
Lurker explains why covering up harassment and molestation is a bad thing. Takanah was formed to protect the past and future victims of sexual abuse and harassment. Instead they protected the powerful rabbi. As Lurker writes:
Pesach is just around the corner and a reader asks for suggestions on how much matzah to order. We get around 1 kg (2 lbs) per person. Organized readers, please share your experience.
West Bank Mama asks for pro-Israel posts:
Gil Troy has written a blog post which appears on the Jerusalem Post, on how we should push back against anti-Israel propaganda. It seems that March 1st-7th will be a time for a wave of anti-Israel activities on campuses in North America. He argues, rightly, that we should be planning ahead instead of reacting after the fact.
Israel Peace Week is one effort in the right direction.
When three small children from her block end up in the hospital with respiratory problems, Penniless Parenting wonders about the effects of pollution from a nearby factory.
We all know how hard it can be to keep up in shul when you are unfamiliar with the prayers. But have you ever done anything about it?
Purim will be here before you know it. My 6-year-old wants to be a magician. Fortunately I have a cape I made in an ambitious moment a few years ago. My 8-year-old decided he wants to win the contest for most original costume, and is excited about dressing up as a photographer even though I won’t let him take my camera. I haven’t decided whether to say anything or not about his chances of winning. I’m open to ideas for making it more creative.
Last year I asked readers for easy Purim costumes you can make at home. Here’s a summary:
The other night I went to a talk at my daughter’s high school by Dr. Meyran Boniel-Nissim. Boniel-Nissim is a Haifa University researcher on teen internet usage and its psycho-social connotations.
In the old days, teens had to get out of the house to get into trouble. Now they can do it from the comfort of their bedrooms. Parents think that as long as they know where their children are, everything is fine. But the reality is different.
At the blogging event last night at Baila’s in Modiin. I promised to help bloggers become more creative. I don’t know whether I kept my promise, but I woke up full of new ideas. I hope the rest of you feel the same.
Some of you mentioned that blogging has gotten harder. Perhaps your interests have changed, or you’re done saying what you wanted to say. Even if you have fresh ideas, your style or approach might be stale. You feel it and your readers do too. It can be hard to break out of a pattern that used to work. Even if you succeed, you worry your readers might resist change.
This post is NOT part of my series on weddings in the religious Zionist community.
I took this picture at a local children’s store:
Regular Anonymous mentioned wedding dresses with see-through midriffs, so I found two samples.
In 1913 former US president Theodore Roosevelt,54, accepted a speaking engagement in South America. While there he planned to visit with his son Kermit and travel throughout the continent. Known for his love of adventure, physical prowess, and knowledge of plants and animals, Roosevelt began delegating the arrangements for a trip to people supposedly familiar with the terrain.
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