Jews consume blood of children... | Posted by PiRoSCC

Please pass this on

A prominent Saudi Arabian religious cleric declared that the Holocaust is an “exaggeration” and that Jewish people consume the blood of children during a wide-ranging interview with an Arabic television station.

Saudi cleric Salman Al-Odeh, a well-known scholar revered by millions globally, went on a lengthy tirade against the Jews during an interview Monday in which he stated that “the role of the Jews is to wreak destruction, to wage war, and to practice deception and extortion,” according to a translation of his remarks by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

Al-Odeh ranted about the use of human blood in Jewish religious rituals, a notorious anti-Semitic smear commonly referred to as a “blood libel.”

“It is well known that the Jews celebrate several holidays, one of which is the Passover, or the matzos holiday,” he said.

“I read once about a doctor who was working in a laboratory. This doctor lived with a Jewish family. One day, they said to him: ‘We want blood. Get us some human blood,’” Al-Odeh explained.

“He was confused. He didn’t know what this was all about,” Al-Odeh says as the interviewer nods along. “He found that they were making matzos with human blood. They eat it, believing that this brings them close to their false god, Yahweh.”

Jewish people “would lure a child in order to sacrifice him in the religious rite that they perform during that holiday,” Al-Odeh adds.

The prominent Saudi Cleric also believes that the Holocaust “has been turned into a myth of tremendous proportions.”

Jewish people across the globe now use the Holocaust to extort governments, Al-Odeh claimed.

“The Holocaust has become a source for extortion. Through this Holocaust, the Jews began to extort many governments worldwide—in Europe and in the U.S.,” he says before stating that Israelis are now waging a “Holocaust” against Palestinian people.

“The Jews even began to perpetrate the same thing themselves against the Palestinian people, carrying out a Holocaust in Gaza and the occupied land,” he said. “They attack children, women, and the elderly under the pretext of the Holocaust that they are trying to substantiate.”

Jewish people “believe that have the right to kill anyone who does not adhere to their religion,” Al-Odeh adds.

The Obama administration has gone out of its way to maintain stellar relations with the Saudi government, which is known to oppress its people. The president famously took heat early in his presidency for bowing to Saudi King Abdullah.

Beauty is Vital, For Women | Posted for Discussion

Click here for the  original article by Rabbi Levi Brackman, which appeared on April 3, 2012 on ynetnews.com

Is beauty really in the eye of the beholder or should young Orthodox women enhance their appearance to improve their chances of attracting a husband?

In an article that recently appeared in an Orthodox Jewish newspaper the writer, Yitta Halberstam, herself and Orthodox Jewish woman and mother, suggested that girls of marriageable age do whatever they can to augment their physical appearances. She made it clear that if necessary young Orthodox Jewish women should undergo cosmetic surgery to improve their chances of attracting a husband. This of course has garnered much debate within the community.

My initial response to this point of view was outrage. In fact I felt offended. I have a young daughter. Is this what will be expected of her as she grows up? I asked indignantly. Have Yeshiva boys become so shallow that they can only perceive that which is skin deep?

But then I remembered an incident that took place about thirteen years ago in Gush Katif. We were a group of Yeshiva boys of marriageable age spending a wonderful and meaningful Shabbat together at what used to be a beautiful seaside resort. During that Shabbat we met a large family that had come together to celebrate their family matriarch’s ninety eighth birthday. We approached this charming old lady and asked her to offer us some life wisdom. She said: “It may say in the Proverbs that ‘charm is false and beauty is futile,’ but you should make sure you marry a beautiful girl.”

Here was a women who had lived a long and full life and had brought up a large family that obviously greatly respected and adored her. Yet this was her only piece of advice to us. King Solomon, at the end of his life came to the conclusion that ‘beauty is futile.’ This old lady, however, was saying that from her perspective, having lived a full life, feminine beauty is extremely valuable.

The male and female perspectives could not be more polarized. According to the Proverbs a man should say that beauty is futile. From a female point of view, however, beauty should be important. This is demonstrated in the Torah (Exodus 38:8) when mirrors were brought by the Israelites to create the basin for the Tabernacle. Moses felt that the mirrors were an inappropriate donation because they were used by Israelite women to beautify themselves in order to arouse and entice their exhausted slave-driven husbands in Egypt.

The great medieval commentator, Rashi, explains that God instructed Moses to accept them saying that these mirrors are, “More precious to me than anything else because through them the women established many generations in Egypt.”

In other words from the perspective of the divine, when a women beautifies herself for her husband she is doing something holy. The rational is clear. Physical attraction is the glue that holds a marriage together making it more than just a deep friendship. Solid marriages create functional families. And cohesive families are the building blocks necessary for the creation of decent, civilized societies. Thus, from a female perspective it is important to be attractive in the eyes of her husband for reasons beyond her own desire for carnal pleasure. She is able to see the big picture in this regard.

Nonetheless men need to have a different perspective. King Solomon is warning the man that he needs to look beyond charm and beauty. He says the “a woman who fears God is the one that is to be truly praised.” In other words King Solomon is telling men to look on the inside of the person rather than on the externalities. It is character and spiritual allure that counts. This was also Moses perspective. As a man of God he felt it unnecessary for women to spend so much time making themselves beautiful for their husbands--it was what was on the inside that mattered to him.

The suggestion that young women undergo cosmetic surgery may be extreme. The larger point made by Yitta Halberstam, however, is valid when comes from a woman’s perspective. Jewish women from time immemorial have seen it their holy duty to beautify themselves for their husbands. At the same time Jewish men have always been encouraged to look deeper and recognize that beauty is only skin deep. The wisdom inherent in the balance of these two perspectives on beauty is striking. It occurs to me that this maybe one of the keys to the traditional high rate of successful marriages within the Orthodox communities.

Have You Invited Anger Into Your Life?

7 Simple Strategies for Controlling Your Unwanted Guest 

By Bethie Kohanchi M.A.LMFT

            Anger strikes everyone, without exception. What will differentiate you from others is how you deal with it. If you find yourself become angry more often than you'd like, or letting anger dominate your behavior, there are some easy steps you can start following right now that will begin the process of getting your anger under control.

            Research reveals several common characteristics among the chronically angry. The primary ones being a heightened emotional sensitivity, a greater than normal likelihood of being emotionally hurt, and a tendency to abruptly feel insulted where others would not.

            We are surround by opportunities to invite anger into our lives on a daily basis. A child's temper tantrum, getting cut off by an inconsiderate driver, or a simple disagreement with a loved one or partner. As we travel through our daily lives and notice each of these incidents we become aware that anger is as much a part of those days as any other feeling. It's how we deal with it that counts.

            The key to dealing with those moments is flexibility. Being able to adapt to unfamiliar and unpredictable circumstances allows us to manage our stress levels. Another way to manage stress, and therefore anger, is integrating the necessary skills to cope with stressful situations before they escalate. Again, to cope with them, not to control the situation, or try to manage and guide it to the outcome you desire.

Here are some things to consider the next time you invite anger into your life:

1. When you are angry you need to accept and acknowledge your anger. Recognize that you are the person with the problem.
2. Sincerely promise yourself that you will change, and that you will learn ways to deal with your feelings. This is a long term commitment.
3. Remember to give yourself some time to think when you're angry instead of reacting immediately. Go for a walk, take a bike ride, do some quick grocery shopping or low-stress errands. Anything that will give you some time away from directly interacting with the external trigger of your anger.
4. Stop trying to control others, and the situations that you find yourself in.
5. Accept that there are differences between how you may be perceiving a situation, and how someone else might. It is not about who is right or wrong. It is about finding a way to accept the other person for who they are, while simultaneously accepting that you may simply be different than them.
6. Always use “I” statements when you're angry or when you're trying to communicate your feelings to another person. Instead of saying, “You made me angry when you . . .” use an “I” statement like, “I feel angry . . .” or “I feel sad when I hear you say . . . .” When you use “I” statements you are already taking responsibility for your feelings, and the situation so that the person you are speaking to does not have a reason to become defensive. If they don't have a need to defend their actions or what they said, the likelihood of confrontation is immediately lowered.
7. Last but not least, you need to clearly express what's bothering you. Be specific and direct about what's making you upset (With a touch of tact and politeness, of course!). Remember, it's not what you say, it's how you say it!
   
   
   Ms. Bethie Kohanchi, M.A. L.M.F.T., is a licensed Marriage, Child and Family psychotherapist as well as a qualified Hypnotherapist. She is also the Founder of The Kohan Foundation.
   She specializes in couples and children work, and has special training credentials in sexual addiction.  She also has intense training in working with drug addiction and mental illness.
   In her past Ms. Kohanchi created mental assessments in the LA County jail system  and the Woman’s county jail in Lynnwood California. She worked with psychotic disorders in a community based clinic, and continues this work in her own private practice and with the Department of Mental Health.She has counseled victims of women of domestic violence, facilitated anger management groups for court mandated clients and facilitated parenting groups.She received her Bachelor’s Degree from UCLA where she did research in the Psychology Department and received her Master Degree in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University.
   
   
   http://kohanfoundation.org/
   310-968-6648 

THANK YOU | Posted by Joseph

I came across this prayer a few weeks ago.  I don’t know how to describe it, but it affects me in a positive way when I read it.  I was compelled to share it with you all.  It was put out by the Mill Basin Sepharadic Congregation Under the leadership of Rabbi Yirmi Levy. (anyone know where that is?) 
I didn’t have an easy time translating it from Hebrew; I hope I didn’t make any big mistakes.  If you would like the original Hebrew please contact me. 
In the handout where I found it, it states that whomever says this prayer with sincerity will witness miracles…For me, the way it affects me was enough.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

King of Kings, Blessed Be Your Name, Master Of Universe, THANK YOU!

THANK YOU for the thousands upon thousands of instances when you helped me, supported me, saved me, delivered me, made me happy, healed me, protected me, and inspired me.

THANK YOU for always being with me!

THANK YOU for giving me the power to fulfill your commandments, power to do good deeds, the power to pray to you.

THANK YOU for all the times that you helped me and I didn’t know how to say THANK YOU.

THANK YOU for your grace and kindness that you impart on me each and every second.

THANK YOU for each and every breath that I breathe.

And THANK YOU, King of Kings, for all the things that I don’t have too! THANK YOU for the occasions I find hard and challenging. THANK YOU that sometimes things may end seemingly sad for me, because all that you do is for my good, even though it may not always seem so to me…

Deep in my heart I know that whatever that may reach from you to me, that is indeed what is best for me, that you made it especially for me, with your exact and perfect divine providence, only as the king of kings can do.

THANK YOU for the hard times, because only thus may I learn to appreciate the good times, just as one appreciates the light after having been in darkness.

THANK YOU for the wonderful life you have granted me.

THANK YOU for even for the very smallest of objects you have granted me, because you gave me everything, and no one else.

THANK YOU for always hearing and listening to my prayers.

Creator of the universe, from the very bottom of my heart I beg forgiveness if there have been times when I failed to appreciate what you have given me, and instead of saying THANK YOU I only complained.

I am dust and ashes and you are all that there is.

Please don’t ever distance yourself from me.