One thing I don't understand is why so many Jews think that in order to be Jewish, you have to be Jewish from a religious perspective. Here in Canada, there are a lot of Jews, including many members of my family, who think it is necessary to at least be members of a synagogue. I think the reason for this is that many Jews living in Canada or elsewhere in the Diaspora believe that if they don't join a synagogue and attend services at least on the so-called High Holidays, they'll forget they're Jewish. Personally, I think this is silly. Moreover, I believe that it is possible to be Jewish and have little or nothing to do with Judaism. I understand that although the Jewish people and Judaism are heavily intertwined, they are not synonymous.
In fact, Jews from ancient times right up until today have remained Jews with precarious ties to Judaism, or none at all. In ancient Israel, for example, it was not uncommon for Israelites to worship pagan gods in addition to the God of Israel. One interesting tidbit from Biblical times is that King Solomon, one of the most significant figures in Jewish history, both from a political and religious perspective, was not as strict about intermarriage as many Jews are today, which is why he had no problem marrying the daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh, even though the Egyptians at that time worshiped pagan gods. Fast forward to the 19th century CE and you'll find one Jew who wanted nothing to do with Judaism or any religion for that matter: Karl Marx, the founding father of communism. And he would not be the first Jewish person to swear off his religion while remaining aware of their Jewish identity. Indeed, Jews have historically been very well-represented in communist movements, from the days of Karl Marx to the days of Leon Trotsky.
I would also contend that Israel exists today because someone, namely Theodor Herzl, believed that the Jews were a people, not simply a religious denomination. Had Herzl interpreted Jewishness as being something solely attached to Jewish religiosity, he probably would not have founded the nationalist movement that we call Zionism, and we wouldn't have a State of Israel today. I also think that if Herzl could see the State of Israel today, he would be quite upset at the kind of power and influence that the narrow-minded religious establishment has therein. After all, he wanted Jews to have a country that kept its rabbis in their synagogues just as much as he wanted one that kept its army in their barracks. I believe, therefore, that if he were alive in Israel today, he would probably be one of those Israeli citizens who, like me, would like to see the Chief Rabbinate and other state-religious institutions abolished so that Israelis could do things like take a bus on Shabbat and marry whomever they please regardless of their national or religious identity.
Now I hope that while you're reading this, you don't think that I hate people who consider themselves to be observant or religious Jews. On the contrary, I respect the right of all Jews to live as they please, regardless of how they choose to observe Judaism, or not observe it. In fact, I especially admire the people that call themselves religious Zionists because even though they are strongly committed to their Judaism, they are just as strongly committed to the State of Israel, and they contribute significantly to the state's defense and prosperity. What I resent is the fact that some Jews try to impose their version of Judaism onto me and anyone else who would prefer to maintain a Jewish identity that is more cultural than religious.
Why does being Jewish always have to do with synagogue and prayer? It doesn't. It is just as possible to be culturally Jewish as it is to be religiously Jewish. Take our holidays, for example. Many of them have just as many historical and cultural roots as they do religious roots. Passover, for instance, is as much about celebrating our ancestors' freedom from bondage and freedom in general as it is about God's covenant with Moses and the divine events that led to the liberation of the Israelites. Shavuoth, which falls not too long after Passover, actually has its roots in a harvest festival, hence its significance is not solely related to when God gave the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel. How about Rosh Hashana? Although it is considered one of the so-called High Holidays, there's no reason it can't be celebrated as a secular holiday, the same way as New Year's Day is celebrated in much of the rest of the world. My point is that Jews can choose how they celebrate their Jewish heritage. They can choose to celebrate it culturally, religiously or both. Why should Jewishness only be measured by one's commitment to Judaism? My answer is that it shouldn't and that we as Jews ought to broaden our perspective on what being Jewish means.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Fat and Proud!
I'm being honest when I tell you that I don't live a very healthy lifestyle. I'm overweight, I exercise very little and I don't eat very healthy. But you know what? I don't give a damn! You know why? Because it's my life and my choice. And quite frankly, I'm sick and tired of people telling me how to live and trying to impose a certain lifestyle on me.
I have my reasons, of course, for why I choose to be fat. First of all, I like to eat and I like to eat things that taste good, which means plenty of fatty foods and plenty of calories. Why don't I eat more healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables? Because healthy food tastes like crap! Experts are always debating why people don't eat healthier. They usually point to things like not being taught to make healthy choices when we're young. Did it ever occur to these "experts" that people, especially children, don't eat healthy because healthy food doesn't taste as good as unhealthy food? Seriously. When you give a 10 year old a choice between some salad and a nice, juicy cheeseburger, what do you think he or she is going to choose? The fact of the matter is that we grow up learning to eat unhealthy, not because our parents didn't teach us any better, but because our taste buds tell us that the unhealthier food just tastes better.
Now some people will tell me that if I don't want to eat healthy, I should at least exercise. But of course, I have my reasons for not doing that, too. My biggest reason? Exercise is just plain boring and tedious. A lot of people like to brag about how often they go to the gym. Personally, I won't set foot in a gym. I honestly don't even know how other people can stand it. If I want to be in a place where a bunch of people are sweating and stinking all over the place, I'll just take the subway during rush hour. At least on the subway I usually don't have to listen to the crappy music that they often pump into the gyms these days. I do know that you don't have to necessarily go to a gym to exercise, but I've never been too into sports or any other outdoor activities, and I'm not going to apologize for that. I've gone through stints in the past where I exercised and even went to the gym, but I never felt good about it, so I didn't continue. By the way, for those of you who think you feel good after a workout, you're deluding yourself. You're just making yourself think you feel good after exercising, because that's what the hacks in the health and fitness industry want you to think. And they're raking in tons of money making you think that way.
I'm not against exercise itself. It's just that there are other things I would rather be doing with my time. And clearly, there are a lot of people who feel the same way, otherwise we wouldn't be bombarded with one study after another saying that we're too fat and don't exercise enough. The truth is that many of us would rather play Call of Duty, surf the web, or chat with our Facebook friends simply because we find doing these things a lot more fun than exercising. Plus, aren't our lives stressful enough that we have to add the sweat and pain of exercise to them? Believe me, many people who've just come home after a long day at the office just want to sit on the couch and relax. And I don't blame them one bit.
Now I hear a lot of folks, including the people who criticize my lifestyle on a regular basis, saying that I'm on the fast-track to an early death. Yes, one would think that the people who live a healthier lifestyle will outlive the ones who don't, but this isn't necessarily the case. It is true that a healthy diet and lots of exercise might help, and even I have my limits as to how unhealthy I'm prepared to be. For instance, I'm not about to eat one of those donut burgers that they sell at the Exhibition. But personally, I think that our fates are ultimately decided by our genes, which means that if your DNA is a recipe for dying young, then there may be very little you can do about it other than try your best to live life to its fullest. I've heard of plenty of cases where people who were living a lot healthier than I do now suddenly pass away because they just drew a bad hand when it came to their genetics. I've also heard of and even witnessed cases of people who didn't live very healthy lifestyles, yet they lived well into their 80s.
I understand that nowadays it's very trendy to live a healthy lifestyle, which is why I see a lot of people who do so bragging about it. Let them brag. If they want to be fit and proud, that's fine, because I'm fat and proud!
I have my reasons, of course, for why I choose to be fat. First of all, I like to eat and I like to eat things that taste good, which means plenty of fatty foods and plenty of calories. Why don't I eat more healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables? Because healthy food tastes like crap! Experts are always debating why people don't eat healthier. They usually point to things like not being taught to make healthy choices when we're young. Did it ever occur to these "experts" that people, especially children, don't eat healthy because healthy food doesn't taste as good as unhealthy food? Seriously. When you give a 10 year old a choice between some salad and a nice, juicy cheeseburger, what do you think he or she is going to choose? The fact of the matter is that we grow up learning to eat unhealthy, not because our parents didn't teach us any better, but because our taste buds tell us that the unhealthier food just tastes better.
Now some people will tell me that if I don't want to eat healthy, I should at least exercise. But of course, I have my reasons for not doing that, too. My biggest reason? Exercise is just plain boring and tedious. A lot of people like to brag about how often they go to the gym. Personally, I won't set foot in a gym. I honestly don't even know how other people can stand it. If I want to be in a place where a bunch of people are sweating and stinking all over the place, I'll just take the subway during rush hour. At least on the subway I usually don't have to listen to the crappy music that they often pump into the gyms these days. I do know that you don't have to necessarily go to a gym to exercise, but I've never been too into sports or any other outdoor activities, and I'm not going to apologize for that. I've gone through stints in the past where I exercised and even went to the gym, but I never felt good about it, so I didn't continue. By the way, for those of you who think you feel good after a workout, you're deluding yourself. You're just making yourself think you feel good after exercising, because that's what the hacks in the health and fitness industry want you to think. And they're raking in tons of money making you think that way.
I'm not against exercise itself. It's just that there are other things I would rather be doing with my time. And clearly, there are a lot of people who feel the same way, otherwise we wouldn't be bombarded with one study after another saying that we're too fat and don't exercise enough. The truth is that many of us would rather play Call of Duty, surf the web, or chat with our Facebook friends simply because we find doing these things a lot more fun than exercising. Plus, aren't our lives stressful enough that we have to add the sweat and pain of exercise to them? Believe me, many people who've just come home after a long day at the office just want to sit on the couch and relax. And I don't blame them one bit.
Now I hear a lot of folks, including the people who criticize my lifestyle on a regular basis, saying that I'm on the fast-track to an early death. Yes, one would think that the people who live a healthier lifestyle will outlive the ones who don't, but this isn't necessarily the case. It is true that a healthy diet and lots of exercise might help, and even I have my limits as to how unhealthy I'm prepared to be. For instance, I'm not about to eat one of those donut burgers that they sell at the Exhibition. But personally, I think that our fates are ultimately decided by our genes, which means that if your DNA is a recipe for dying young, then there may be very little you can do about it other than try your best to live life to its fullest. I've heard of plenty of cases where people who were living a lot healthier than I do now suddenly pass away because they just drew a bad hand when it came to their genetics. I've also heard of and even witnessed cases of people who didn't live very healthy lifestyles, yet they lived well into their 80s.
I understand that nowadays it's very trendy to live a healthy lifestyle, which is why I see a lot of people who do so bragging about it. Let them brag. If they want to be fit and proud, that's fine, because I'm fat and proud!
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Israel Must Abolish Its State Religious Institutions
The Israeli government has just struck down reforms put in place by the previous government that were supposed to make conversion to Judaism easier. This isn't a surprise since cancelling the reforms was part of the coalition agreement that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made with the two Haredi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism (see: Government strikes down conversions reform). What I want to know is, why should the state be involved in regulating conversions in the first place?
The State of Israel is the embodiment of the Zionist ideal that the Jews are a people rather than simply a religious group. Yet Israel's government seems to be more preoccupied with safeguarding Jewish religiosity, or at least a certain narrow-minded view of it, rather than Jewish nationhood. Yes, I understand that Jews and Judaism are significantly intertwined, but they are not synonymous. The role of the state in Israel should be to protect the Jews as a people, not a religious denomination. The state should only intervene in Jewish religious affairs in order to ensure that adherents of Judaism continue to have access to their holy sites and can practice their Judaism in any way they please. Therefore, I would argue for the immediate abolition of the Chief Rabbinate, the rabbinical courts and all other religious institutions or regulatory bodies controlled by the state. The Jewish community in Israel should be able to conduct its religious affairs privately, without state interference or sponsorship, just as Jewish communities do in other democratic countries. I would also advocate dismantling the state-sanctioned institutions of Israel's other religious groups.
Abolishing Israel's state religious institutions and regulatory bodies would of course open the door to what many non-religious Israelis have wanted for decades: freedom from religious coercion, especially in regards to matters of personal status, such as marriage and divorce, which are now the exclusive domain of state-backed religious authorities, such as the Chief Rabbinate. I don't know about you, but I don't want some rabbi dictating to me how to be Jewish or telling me who I can and cannot marry, and I'm betting that many Israelis feel the same way.
The State of Israel is the embodiment of the Zionist ideal that the Jews are a people rather than simply a religious group. Yet Israel's government seems to be more preoccupied with safeguarding Jewish religiosity, or at least a certain narrow-minded view of it, rather than Jewish nationhood. Yes, I understand that Jews and Judaism are significantly intertwined, but they are not synonymous. The role of the state in Israel should be to protect the Jews as a people, not a religious denomination. The state should only intervene in Jewish religious affairs in order to ensure that adherents of Judaism continue to have access to their holy sites and can practice their Judaism in any way they please. Therefore, I would argue for the immediate abolition of the Chief Rabbinate, the rabbinical courts and all other religious institutions or regulatory bodies controlled by the state. The Jewish community in Israel should be able to conduct its religious affairs privately, without state interference or sponsorship, just as Jewish communities do in other democratic countries. I would also advocate dismantling the state-sanctioned institutions of Israel's other religious groups.
Abolishing Israel's state religious institutions and regulatory bodies would of course open the door to what many non-religious Israelis have wanted for decades: freedom from religious coercion, especially in regards to matters of personal status, such as marriage and divorce, which are now the exclusive domain of state-backed religious authorities, such as the Chief Rabbinate. I don't know about you, but I don't want some rabbi dictating to me how to be Jewish or telling me who I can and cannot marry, and I'm betting that many Israelis feel the same way.
Friday, July 3, 2015
Want Better Transit? You'll Have to Pay for It
The people of metropolitan Vancouver have voted in a referendum on a proposal to add an extra half a percent to the provincial sales tax in order to fund transit upgrades throughout the Vancouver region. The results are now in. The proposal was rejected by approximately 62% of voters, so now the region's local politicians along with their provincial counterparts will have to find another way to fund mass public transit - a service that everyone wants to see improve, but not willing to pay more for. Here's the grim reality: If people living in big cities like Vancouver or Toronto want more and better transit, they're going to have to pay for it. How they pay for it, whether it's an increase in sales taxes, a hike in property taxes, or that two-word phrase that no one who drives a car in a big city wants to hear - road tolls - is subject to debate, but make no mistake. If you live in a vast metropolis and you want public transit that will move you from point A to point B faster and more conveniently, you're going to have to pay up.
Now I understand that no one wants to pay more taxes, especially when they think their tax dollars won't be spent wisely. Indeed, according to the article that appeared on the front page of The Globe and Mail today (see: Voters reject sales-tax hike to fund transit), voters in the Vancouver region may have been influenced by the bad publicity that the regional transit authority, TransLink, has received in recent years for its alleged mismanagement of taxpayers' funds. The criticism that TransLink has faced is not too dissimilar from that faced by Metrolinx, the regional transit authority created by the Province of Ontario to plan and oversee public transit in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. It's just an unfortunate fact that we don't have very much trust in our elected politicians and the bureaucrats they appoint to manage our mass transit systems the way they should be. But of course, this is ultimately our fault because we're the ones who put the bums in office in the first place. We're just going to have to get better at electing the right people and hope that better would-be leaders step up to help us do that.
There is always the alternative of allowing private interests build and operate mass transit systems in our big cities, which I mentioned in a past blog on transit in Toronto (see: Abolish the TTC Monopoly on Public Mass Transit in Toronto, Because Competition is "The Better Way"). But even if Canada's large cities did choose the path of competition, there would still be the need for more public funding, meaning funding from taxpayers like you and I. After all, when have you ever heard of big private companies participating in massive public works projects without government funding? I haven't.
So if you're tired of overcrowded buses, subways and streetcars, and you want less cars on the road so that traffic can move more smoothly, don't expect not to pay. In fact, even if you're not tired of inefficient public transit and increasing gridlock, you and every other taxpayer are going to pay anyway, since traffic delays cost the economy billions of dollars every year, not to mention the pollution that we're all breathing in from all those cars that are on the roads because transit just doesn't work the way it should. Gas mask, anyone?
Now I understand that no one wants to pay more taxes, especially when they think their tax dollars won't be spent wisely. Indeed, according to the article that appeared on the front page of The Globe and Mail today (see: Voters reject sales-tax hike to fund transit), voters in the Vancouver region may have been influenced by the bad publicity that the regional transit authority, TransLink, has received in recent years for its alleged mismanagement of taxpayers' funds. The criticism that TransLink has faced is not too dissimilar from that faced by Metrolinx, the regional transit authority created by the Province of Ontario to plan and oversee public transit in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. It's just an unfortunate fact that we don't have very much trust in our elected politicians and the bureaucrats they appoint to manage our mass transit systems the way they should be. But of course, this is ultimately our fault because we're the ones who put the bums in office in the first place. We're just going to have to get better at electing the right people and hope that better would-be leaders step up to help us do that.
There is always the alternative of allowing private interests build and operate mass transit systems in our big cities, which I mentioned in a past blog on transit in Toronto (see: Abolish the TTC Monopoly on Public Mass Transit in Toronto, Because Competition is "The Better Way"). But even if Canada's large cities did choose the path of competition, there would still be the need for more public funding, meaning funding from taxpayers like you and I. After all, when have you ever heard of big private companies participating in massive public works projects without government funding? I haven't.
So if you're tired of overcrowded buses, subways and streetcars, and you want less cars on the road so that traffic can move more smoothly, don't expect not to pay. In fact, even if you're not tired of inefficient public transit and increasing gridlock, you and every other taxpayer are going to pay anyway, since traffic delays cost the economy billions of dollars every year, not to mention the pollution that we're all breathing in from all those cars that are on the roads because transit just doesn't work the way it should. Gas mask, anyone?
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
What Makes Canada Great?
Usually I use this blog to complain about something. I don't call my blog a rant for nothing after all. And oftentimes I complain about things that I think need to change in Canada. But since today is Canada Day, I thought I would take the opportunity to talk about what makes Canada great. So what is it about this country that makes people so proud and grateful to be Canadian? Perhaps I should begin with the country itself. Canada is the second biggest country in the world, and within this vast landmass that Canadians call home are many varied and majestic landscapes. In fact, as I write this, I'm sitting right in front of one of Canada's many lakes in Ontario's cottage country. And believe me, sometimes looking at the lake and surrounding landscape while listening to the sounds of wild animals makes me want to sing O Canada. But of course, the land that we call Canada is more than just something to look at. It's also teeming with natural resources. Many if not most countries in the world would give almost anything to have the natural resources that Canada does. This country has everything including oil, lumber, precious metals, fish and game, and lots of fresh water. But of all the resources that Canada has, I think the most important resource is its people.
Canada has around 35 million people living within its borders; people of every race, culture and creed. Indeed, Canada has always been a place of many cultures, even before the first Europeans set foot on this land. As we all should know, the people we call Native Canadians or Aboriginals were the first human beings to settle in this land. Their various cultures and civilizations have had an everlasting imprint on this country. Even the name Canada, which literally means, "village", is derived from one of this country's many Aboriginal languages.
Today's Canada is a nation of immigrants that have come from every corner of the world. One just has to walk a few blocks in the streets of downtown Toronto to hear countless languages and see restaurants offering a multitude of international cuisines. In fact, I would say that one of the greatest things about this country is that anybody can become a Canadian regardless of where they come from, so long as they respect and uphold Canada's values. But what are Canada's values?
When I think of the values that make us Canadian, I usually think of the ideals that are consistent with all mature democracies. Things like freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the right to vote and equality before the law. These are the kinds of ideals that drive many people to immigrate to this country. I would also say, however, that Canada attracts newcomers because of its economic prosperity. After all, it's not just the United States that has spawned rags to riches stories. Many immigrants to Canada, including members of my own family, came to this country with almost nothing, yet they were able to prosper and become upstanding members of Canadian society.
We should also remember that many people have chosen to make Canada home in order to escape the troubles in their countries of origin. Members of my family, for example, came here to get away from the war and persecution that they endured in Europe. After all, Canada is a peaceful society and has been for quite a long time. We've had our wars, of course, but since Confederation in 1867, the vast majority of our armed struggles have not been on Canadian soil. Instead, Canada has been a significant contributor to the fight for freedom in the world, from the First World War up until today. For although Canada is a peace-loving country, Canadians have always been willing to join in the fight for freedom against aggression and oppression wherever it may be taking place.
Canada does of course have problems, just like any other country; problems like crime, poverty, inequality and racism. We are by no means a utopian society. But I think it's fair to say that compared to many other nation-states around the world, Canada is a pretty good place to live, so despite its shortcomings, I am very grateful to call this country home.
Canada has around 35 million people living within its borders; people of every race, culture and creed. Indeed, Canada has always been a place of many cultures, even before the first Europeans set foot on this land. As we all should know, the people we call Native Canadians or Aboriginals were the first human beings to settle in this land. Their various cultures and civilizations have had an everlasting imprint on this country. Even the name Canada, which literally means, "village", is derived from one of this country's many Aboriginal languages.
Today's Canada is a nation of immigrants that have come from every corner of the world. One just has to walk a few blocks in the streets of downtown Toronto to hear countless languages and see restaurants offering a multitude of international cuisines. In fact, I would say that one of the greatest things about this country is that anybody can become a Canadian regardless of where they come from, so long as they respect and uphold Canada's values. But what are Canada's values?
When I think of the values that make us Canadian, I usually think of the ideals that are consistent with all mature democracies. Things like freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the right to vote and equality before the law. These are the kinds of ideals that drive many people to immigrate to this country. I would also say, however, that Canada attracts newcomers because of its economic prosperity. After all, it's not just the United States that has spawned rags to riches stories. Many immigrants to Canada, including members of my own family, came to this country with almost nothing, yet they were able to prosper and become upstanding members of Canadian society.
We should also remember that many people have chosen to make Canada home in order to escape the troubles in their countries of origin. Members of my family, for example, came here to get away from the war and persecution that they endured in Europe. After all, Canada is a peaceful society and has been for quite a long time. We've had our wars, of course, but since Confederation in 1867, the vast majority of our armed struggles have not been on Canadian soil. Instead, Canada has been a significant contributor to the fight for freedom in the world, from the First World War up until today. For although Canada is a peace-loving country, Canadians have always been willing to join in the fight for freedom against aggression and oppression wherever it may be taking place.
Canada does of course have problems, just like any other country; problems like crime, poverty, inequality and racism. We are by no means a utopian society. But I think it's fair to say that compared to many other nation-states around the world, Canada is a pretty good place to live, so despite its shortcomings, I am very grateful to call this country home.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
There's Never Any Justice in the Weather
I just read a news bulletin saying that Environment Canada is predicting cooler than normal temperatures for my home province of Ontario into July, and more rain as well (see: Summer Forecast Calls for More Cool Weather in July for Ontario, Quebec). Terrible news if you're looking for some nice hot, sunny weather up at the cottage. I don't know why, but in the last few years I've become really sensitive to bad weather, even though I know there's nothing I can do about it. Let's face it, Mother Nature has no sense of justice whatsoever. For example, this past winter, eastern Canada had a very cold, hellish winter, whereas much of the rest of the world had one of the warmest winters on record. You'd think we'd get a break from Mother Nature after a long, harsh winter that felt almost as bad as the previous winter in which the so-called polar vortex reared its ugly head. Fat chance! We're getting the shaft again. In contrast, western Canada, much of which experienced warmer than normal temperatures last winter, is getting another gift from Mother Nature in the form of above average highs reaching 40 degrees in some cases.
But before you pack your bags and head out west, let me tell you that the hot, sunny weather they've been getting isn't all good news, especially if you're a farmer or have a home or cottage anywhere near a heavily forested area. The hot, dry weather in western Canada has brought on a major drought and farmers are losing their crops. At the same time, forest fires are flaring up. So if you ask some people in western Canada, I'm sure that they would gladly send some of the hot, dry weather they've been getting eastward to us in Ontario if they could. Let's face it, no matter what the weather's like, there will always be someone that isn't happy about it.
Now of course, weather forecasters can be wrong and often are. Indeed, as time passes, the weather is getting harder and harder to predict. Why is this? Well, I can pretty much sum it up for you in two words: climate change. In fact, most experts will probably tell you that climate change is the main culprit when it comes to "unjust" weather patterns. And who usually gets the worst of the effects of climate change? Usually developing countries. But why? With the exception of China, developing countries are not the biggest causers of climate change. It's mostly the industrialized economies, plus China, that pollute the most and hence are the main contributors to climate change. But again, the weather has no sense of justice which is why although developing countries are not the main polluters, they're usually the ones to bear the worst effects of climate change.
So inasmuch as we like to complain about crappy summers and harsh winters, maybe we should be grateful that at least we're not dealing with killer storms that regularly hammer countries like Bangladesh and the Philippines, or droughts that last for years and kill thousands in Africa. Easier said than done for me and many others who feel that they're entitled to good weather after enduring Mother Nature's wrath for awhile.
But before you pack your bags and head out west, let me tell you that the hot, sunny weather they've been getting isn't all good news, especially if you're a farmer or have a home or cottage anywhere near a heavily forested area. The hot, dry weather in western Canada has brought on a major drought and farmers are losing their crops. At the same time, forest fires are flaring up. So if you ask some people in western Canada, I'm sure that they would gladly send some of the hot, dry weather they've been getting eastward to us in Ontario if they could. Let's face it, no matter what the weather's like, there will always be someone that isn't happy about it.
Now of course, weather forecasters can be wrong and often are. Indeed, as time passes, the weather is getting harder and harder to predict. Why is this? Well, I can pretty much sum it up for you in two words: climate change. In fact, most experts will probably tell you that climate change is the main culprit when it comes to "unjust" weather patterns. And who usually gets the worst of the effects of climate change? Usually developing countries. But why? With the exception of China, developing countries are not the biggest causers of climate change. It's mostly the industrialized economies, plus China, that pollute the most and hence are the main contributors to climate change. But again, the weather has no sense of justice which is why although developing countries are not the main polluters, they're usually the ones to bear the worst effects of climate change.
So inasmuch as we like to complain about crappy summers and harsh winters, maybe we should be grateful that at least we're not dealing with killer storms that regularly hammer countries like Bangladesh and the Philippines, or droughts that last for years and kill thousands in Africa. Easier said than done for me and many others who feel that they're entitled to good weather after enduring Mother Nature's wrath for awhile.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Fire Israel's Religious Affairs Minister
Israel's current Minister of Religious Affairs, David Azoulay, who is a member of the Shas party, recently said that Reform Jews are "a disaster for the people of Israel" (see: ADL slams religious affairs minister's 'derogatory' comments). In doing so, he insulted millions of Jews around the world that belong to or identify with Reform Judaism, including members of both my immediate and extended family. Such remarks are unacceptable, especially from a minister in the government of the State of Israel, which is the ancestral homeland of all Jews, not just the ones that agree with Mr. Azoulay's religious point of view. For this reason and this reason alone, Mr. Azoulay should be dismissed from the cabinet immediately.
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time one of Israel's leaders has insulted his or her fellow Jews and it probably won't be the last. In fact, the article whose link appears above mentions comments by another Knesset member, Israel Eichler, a member of another Haredi party, United Torah Judaism. Apparently, Eichler saw it fit to compare the Women of the Wall to the arsonists who burned a church in northern Israel. Both Azoulay and Eichler have obviously forgotten that without the support of many of the world's Reform, Conservative and other non-Orthodox Jews that they hate so much, they would not have a country to call home. Anyone ever heard the saying, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you?"
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time one of Israel's leaders has insulted his or her fellow Jews and it probably won't be the last. In fact, the article whose link appears above mentions comments by another Knesset member, Israel Eichler, a member of another Haredi party, United Torah Judaism. Apparently, Eichler saw it fit to compare the Women of the Wall to the arsonists who burned a church in northern Israel. Both Azoulay and Eichler have obviously forgotten that without the support of many of the world's Reform, Conservative and other non-Orthodox Jews that they hate so much, they would not have a country to call home. Anyone ever heard the saying, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you?"
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