Ask JTF for Sunday, January 30, 2011.

[Secularbeliever]

Shalom Chaim

1)What are your thoughts on the situation in Egypt?  I know you prefer to see honest enemies like the Muslim Brotherhood in power so we know what we are dealing wtih, but does it give you pause to think of them taking control of Egypt's massive arsenal of weapons?

2) We always take about the loss of Jews to assimilation especially among  Reform Jews, Conservative Jews and other secular Jews.  What is the retention rate among Orthodox Jews.  If an Orthodox Jewish couple has ten children, statistically speaking (on average) how many will be Orthodox as adults, how many will marry Jewish spouses and how many have large Orthodox famliies.  The Chabad Rabbi in my town's wife has sixteen siblings (I have known this for 7 years and still find it amazing) and the last time I asked there were 45 grandchildren descended from that group.  Some are still below the age of typical marriage and the number will undoubtedly grow but it is very unlikely to reach the 289 that it would reach if each had seventeen children.  What is the statistical future for Orthodox Jews?

[Nekama]

Dear Chaim:

Hope all is well.  This Gringo just returned from a 9 day family trip to Mexifornia.  Here are my questions / comments for this week.

(1) I found this quote from Herman Wouk's 1959 book "This is my G-D" describing Zionism as extraordinary and brilliant.  "Zionism is a single long action, of snatching great masses of people out of the path of sure extinction."  The depth and meaning of this statement is mind blowing.  Zionism is not just a jewish concept.  It is an eternal concept for every human being to recognize Hashem's mastery over the universe and the fulfillment of Hashem's promise to the Jewish people in perpetuity.

(2)  I was happy to see that Hashem is making final preparations for Nelson Mandela's voyage down the River Styx.  B"H, Mandela apparently spent most of last week in a hospital suffering from some undisclosed condition - maybe AIDS - we should be so lucky.  My hopeis that his trip down the River Styx takes him to a boiling pot of water where he is cooked by his ancestors and consumed for eternity all while feeling the pain of the hot water and the destruction of his ancestor's gastro-intestinal fluids digesting him, all having to do it over and over again. Perhaps Mandela will share a pot with Yasser Arafat - Y'SV! Your comments please!

(3) I must admit that Mexifornia is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.  My family and I stayed in a hotel in San Marcos and in many ways the rolling hills and valleys reminded me of parts of Yehuda in specific and Eretz Yisroel in general and how much I yearn to be there as a member of its true native species.  

(4) One shocker and pleasant surprise I had in Mexifornia was the absence of Shfartza rif-raf.  Now I admit that I did not visit Oakland or East LA, but for the most part, there absence was surprising.  I personally did not see any bums on Hollywood Blvd. or any of the other major streets.   Of course there were many Latinos and for the most part, those I came into contact with seemed more or less pleasant.  Many of these people are devout catholics and seem to be law abiding.  

(5) I think the release of the so-called "Palestine Papers" by Al-Jazeera and the British newspaper The Guardian was a gift from Hashem.  Eventhough the papers disclose the treachery the Israeli leaders were willing to go to come to an agreement, the so called compromises proposed by the Arabs are inconsistant with Islam.  I do not  see how the so called "Peace Process" can recover - B'H

May Hashem Bless you and grant you quick admittance to Eretz Yisroel!

Nekama

[Estragon1396]

Dear Chaim,

I've been unable to visit the forum for the past several weeks. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to wish you a belated happy birthday.

I have two questions for this week.

1) What are your thoughts on the subject of "animal rights"? Now, I'm sure that you (like all decent people) are opposed to cruel treatment of animals. However, there are some extremist groups who claim that animals should have the same rights as people, and that the killing of an animal is morally equivalent to the murder of a human being. What do you think of such claims?
Also, what does Judaism say on the subject of "animal rights"? What is the moral status of animals in Jewish thought?

2) What are your thoughts on vegetarianism? Do you think a vegetarian diet is healthier than a diet that includes meat? Is it true that vegetarians live longer than other people?

Thank you for your answers.   

[Gimatria]

Shalom Chaim ha pagaz,

well well well, more snow - looks like "global warming" (spoken in your best self hater voice) is worse than ever.

Is there an uglier soul than Amy Goodman? Can you name 3 people associated with WBAI who are guaranteed to go to the lake of fire in the next world?

Can you describe JDL's relationship with "Death Row Records", including those hideous devolved primates, "Easy E" and "Dr Dre"?

Who is the most righteous refusenik you helped to free? Who is the most foul? Sharansky?

Which museum in NYC should be burned down first? Should all the board of directors be locked inside for the immolation? A taste of the world to come?

Kol Tuv,
Gimatria

[Confederate Kahanist]

Dear Chaim

What do you think George Bush and John Boehners stance on Affirmative Action is and was?

What is your opinion on John Ashcroft?

Thanks

P.S

Do you have an affirmative action story that involves going to the bathroom in public?