Rabbi Jason Miller

Friday, October 15, 2004

Max's Blog

From the NEW JERSEY JEWISH NEWS

Too young to vote, Mountain Lakes blogger is already ‘campaigning to the max’

by Elaine Durbach
NJJN Staff Writer

Max Schindler is too young to vote in this presidential election or the next, but that isn’t keeping him out of the action. The 12-year-old from Mountain Lakes has set up his own blog, an Internet debate forum, dedicated to building support for Democratic candidate Sen. John Kerry — http://kerrytothemax.squarespace.com/.

“I’ve always really wanted to make a difference and to help people,” Max explained, speaking from the home he shares with his parents, Janice and Barry Schindler, his older sister Danielle, and his twin, Rachel. “I’m really not happy about Bush’s policies, like on separation of church and state and gay marriage and abortion. I kept asking what I could do, and my dad suggested I set up a blog.”

In the month since he established the blog, he has posted a number of essays and related articles and about 13 responses. Recent posts urged readers to say “no” to the National Rifle Association and excerpted a New York Times op-ed on “Bush’s failed North Korea policy.”

None of his correspondents seem perturbed about his age. There’s good reason for that. This seventh-grader has been reading The Times and The Wall Street Journal every day for the past three years, and he talks about politics with as much informed authority as many people twice his age.

His first venture into the election process was as a volunteer for Gen. Wesley Clark’s short-lived bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Max contacted campaign headquarters, and — not realizing he was 11 — campaign officials invited him to come to New Hampshire. With the age issue clarified, Max persuaded his father to take him there for a round of door-to-door campaigning just before the primary. “The media destroyed Wesley Clark,” Max stated, in retrospect.

Switching his allegiance to John Kerry was no problem. “I like Kerry. I think he’s a good guy,” Max said. “But you do not have to like the guy; you have to like his policies, and I do.”

Everyone in their household talks about politics constantly, Max said. “My sisters don’t go nuts about it, but they know a lot.” Max attributes his political passion to being Jewish. “Being part of a minority makes me feel I have to help other minorities,” he said. He articulates his words as carefully as he frames his views, placing support for Israel high on his list of priorities. The family lived in West Caldwell until moving to Mountain Lakes three years ago, to what he describes as a very conservative “GOP community,” and that seems to have intensified his political will.

And sometimes he finds himself among like-minded people. Summers spent at the Conservative movement’s Camp Ramah in the Berkshires (this was his fourth) have provided him with education and inspiration about Israel, according to his mother. He also found more political allies. Max said he found others attending an Israel advocacy course with his father. “It was nice to feel we’re not the only liberals,” he said.

Asked who his favorite writer is, this avid reader declared it was Al Franken, the political satirist and talk radio host. His recent reading matter has included former President Bill Clinton’s autobiography. “Bill Clinton inspired me,” he said. “He’s an amazing person whom the Republicans really tried to destroy.”

Janice Schindler filled in a few details, resisting her son’s appeals to “stop boasting about me.” He has been reading, she said, since he taught himself at the age of four. “The girls also read a lot, but they prefer fiction. Max loves nonfiction. His room is full of books on history, not the kind written for kids — ones from the adult department at Barnes and Noble. He’s a straight A student,” she added. Like the rest of the family, he’s also a keen runner and a serious cross-country competitor.

Despite his isolation as a Democratic Party supporter in a Republican stronghold, his mother mentioned that he has already shown his ability to win support from his peers. In fifth grade he was president of student government, and in his first year at Briarcliff Middle School he was elected treasurer. “I think his classmates really respect him, even if they don’t agree with his views,” his mother said. “We’ve always taught him to express himself in a very respectful way. I think that’s why the kids realize he’s got something worthwhile to say.” His former fifth-grade teacher, a Republican — remembering the pleasure of their daily debates — has asked Max to come and present the Democratic point of view to his class.

As for the future, his path is pretty clear. “I’ll probably go into politics,” Max said. “But we’re not rich, so I will have to marry into money!”

Meanwhile, he has another Internet project to plan. With his and Rachel’s b’nei mitzva at Congregation Agudath Israel of West Essex in Caldwell next April, he has selected his likely mitzva project — setting up a pro-Israel blog based on the success of his Kerry one.

“Hi, I’m Max and my goal of this blog is to reach to the minds of undecided voters,” he writes in the introduction to his web site. “I’m 12 years old, and politics has always been an inspiration to me. I’m trying to bring truth and honesty into this debate on who to vote for rather than shrill Republican partisan attack machines. I hope that the following articles will help you decide who to vote for. Thanks! If you want to contact me, please e-mail me at FDR315@aol.com.”

Elaine Durbach can be reached at edurbach@njjewishnews.com

Thursday, October 14, 2004

Google goes Local

October 14, 2004
Google Introduces Search Program for Hard Drives
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) -- Google Inc. on Thursday became the first tech heavyweight to tackle the daunting task of uncluttering computers, introducing a program that quickly scours hard drives for documents, e-mails, instant messages and past Web searches.
With the free desktop program, Google hopes to build upon the popularity of its Internet-leading search engine and become even more indispensable to the millions of people who entrust the Mountain View-based company to find virtually anything online.
The new product, available at http://desktop.google.com, ups the ante in Google's intensifying battle with software giant Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc., which owns the world's second most popular search engine.

Google's desktop invasion heralds a momentous step into a crucial realm -- the challenge of managing the infoglut that has accumulated during the past decade as society becomes more tethered to increasingly powerful computers.

``We think of this (program) as the photographic memory of your computer,'' said Marissa Mayer, Google's director of consumer Web products. ``It's pretty comprehensive. If there's anything you once saw on your computer screen, we think you should be able to find it again quickly.''

Although its desktop program can be used exclusively offline to probe hard drives, Google designed it to run in a browser so it will meld with its online search engine. Google.com visitors who have the new program installed on their computer will see a ``desktop'' tab above the search engine toolbar and all their search results will include a section devoted to the hard drive in addition to the Web. [more...]

The NHL Season - well at least virtually

The Teams Play On!
At WhatIfSports.com, we don't believe in lockouts! We've got all the teams, all the players, and exciting NHL action all season long!

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

TAPPER'S JEWELRY COAT DRIVE

Tapper's 13th Annual Coat Drive
October 1- October 31
Warm Hugs for the Winter
Help us keep others warm as the weather turns colder.

Tapper's 13th Annual Coat Drive
October 1st through 31st

Please join with us to make this year our most successful coat drive yet.

Donate a winter coat, new or worn, by October 31st.
Donations of $25 or more will be gratefully accepted and used to purchase warm children's coats, hats and mittens.

Both adult's and children's coats will be accepted.
Please make checks payable to Tapper's Winter Coat Drive.

The coats will be donated to:

Orchards Children's Services
Helps improve the quality of life for abused, neglected and troubled children through foster care, adoption, family preservation and other specialized programs. Click here to visit Orchards Children's Services website.

Baldwin Church Center
Provides a variety of services to those in need, including: Soup Kitchen, Clothing, Laundry Services, Breakfast Program, After School Programs, Tutoring, Focus and Hope

Grace Centers of Hope
The oldest and largest shelter in Oakland County. They provide services such as Soup Kitchen and full recovery and rehabilitation center for homeless men and women with their children. Click here to visit Grace Centers of Hope's website.

Coats may be dropped of at Tapper's Jewelry or at any of the following locations:

Hillel Day School, 32200 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills, 248-851-3220

Akiva Hebrew Day School, 21100 West 12 Mile Road, Southfield, 248-386-1625

Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit, 6600 West Maple Road, West Bloomfield, 248-592-0022

Jewish Federation, 6375 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 248-642-4260

50 First Dates

Quest For Love
by Molly Shaffer

A lonely American rabbi’s son is taking the concept of speed dating up a gear by going on 50 blind dates in 50 US states – all in just 50 days.
Dan Jacobs, from Santa Monica, is setting off on the ultimate romantic road trip next week to find a woman who’ll “give a nice sensitive short guy like me a chance”.

The 22-year-old’s voyage of discovery, which is being part-funded to the tune of $21,000 by friends and investors, will be filmed for a television documentary called A Sensitive Guy on the Road: 50 Dates In 50 States.

The roaming Romeo hopes his 50th and final date will see him reunited with his most successful first date.

Jacobs’ amorous adventure began a few months ago when a radio station in Idaho publicised his project.

His face was soon plastered on newspaper front pages nationwide and more than 400 responses from potential partners flooded in from across the US.

Jacobs has since narrowed down the applicants to a shortlist that includes Miss Teen Maine and a 39 year-old mother who rides a Harley Davidson.

Sensitive Jacobs, who pens poetry in his spare time, hopes to meet his perfect partner on his travels.

He told TJ: “I’m doing this as a social critique as well as for love. I realise that reality isn’t a fairytale but I would like to meet a culturally Jewish girl, as I feel very connected to my faith. Some people have criticised me and called me an egotist for attracting such attention, but I try not to worry about what people say.”

It was a BALAGAN!!!

Michigan Students Celebrate Israeli Culture at First "Balagan!" Carnival
October 11, 2004
By Eve Lieberman

The American Movement for Israel, the University of Michigan's Israel advocacy group, drew thousands of interested students to its first annual "Balagan!" Carnival. The carnival highlighted many aspects of Israeli culture and society that are often overshadowed by regional conflict.

"'Balagan!' was an enormous success," Berman Fellow Samara Kaplan said. "Thousands of UM students passed through and saw tons of information focusing on the culture of Israel, such as its technology triumphs, study-in-Israel programs and food, rather than the conflict."

The colorful booths and wide range of activities held in the center of campus created the exact "balagan," or craziness, on campus the organizers had sought. The booths focused on everything from sports and entertainment to advancements in medicine and technology. Passers-by also had the chance to enjoy free massages and Israeli dancing and music. Hiller's Supermarket, a local store, treated hundreds of attendees to free samples of Israeli cookies, candy, hummous and pita.

Many of the booths featured travel and volunteer opportunities in Israel, including the Arava Institute Environmental Programs and Magen David Adom (Israeli Red Cross). Students also learned how to apply for birthright israel trips that Hillel organizes.

According to Adam Soclof, the coordinator of Balagan 2004 and cultural chair of American Movement for Israel, the festival helped students from diverse backgrounds learn about the richness of Israeli society.

"While the free food, free massages, and the moonwalks made for a great deal of fun, the information presented on programs and developments in Israel did a wonderful job of showing the university community that Israel isn't just some exclusively militaristic entity, as some of its detractors would have them believe," Soclof said. "'Balagan!' was a great way to begin conveying this message to the university community, and we are looking forward to more events that achieve the same goal throughout the year."

Eve Lieberman is a student at the University of Michigan

Sunday, October 10, 2004

Researchers warn against oral suction during circumcision

By PAUL LUNGEN Staff Reporter

An ancient procedure that is part of ritual circumcisions, and which has been found to spread herpes and other dangerous illnesses is still used in Toronto, though infrequently.
Oral metzitzah, the practice in which a mohel sucks blood from an infant’s circumcised penis, has been supplanted by more hygienic and effective ways of cleaning the wound, said Dr. Aaron Jesin, a Toronto-based mohel. While metzitzah remains a required part of the circumcision ritual, most practitioners employ a glass tube to clean the wound, he said.

However, there are groups in Toronto today who continue to employ mohels who use oral metzitzah, said Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Lowy, a spokesman for the Orthodox Va’ad Harabonim in Toronto. “Those in the Torah world, the yeshiva world, use the procedure, unless there’s a problem,” he said.

Last month, a group of researchers in Canada and Israel published a report in the medical journal Pediatrics, which found eight babies who were infected with the herpes virus likely contracted their illnesses through oral metzitzah. Most of the infants were found in Israel but one, who was circumcised in 1994, was from Toronto. [more...]