Live - News from Israel

"Criminal Minds" and Judaism

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Personally, I am a great fan of the TV series CRIMINAL MINDS and mostly watch it on Youtube. Not all of the topics interest me but some are really good. In a way, it always amazes me how many weird characters live in the US when you look at all the different kinds of real (and not "Criminal Minds") serial killers. Why in the US and not in Europe or Israel ? An American I asked once told me that the US is a free country and sometimes people don't realize the potential madness of their neighbours.

I don't remember the exact chapter but the ARIZAL (Rabbi Yitzchak Luria) talks about the mentally ill in the KITVE'I HaARI part "Sha'ar Ruach HaKodesh". There it actually says that "there are mentally ill people in the world but their task is looking for help". One has to fight his behaviour defect and search for serious help in order to change. 

It actually is an interesting idea asking why G - d allows such disgusting kind of crime to happen or whether our human behaviour or career - oriented society causes others to go astray.

South Korean Film Team at the Ponevezh Yeshiva

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A film team from South Korea was visiting the famous PONEVEZH Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. The South Koreans were investigating an interesting thought: Why are many Jews so intelligent ? Just look at the high amount of Noble Price winners. Thus, the answer must have its roots in the history of Talmud study. 

It is true that Talmud study is anything but easy and it always drives me mad myself when, after a couple of minutes, a former question ends up in another new ten questions.

Ponevezh is located in Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv and is considered a posh Yeshiva. Your father shouldbe a well respected Rabbi and you should have a great reputation. Otherwise you will not get accepted there. Moreover, Ponevezh is a kind of conservative, meaning that the students don't go to watch movies or destroy their reputation in any way.

The result of Talmud study should be that the student is changing his life in a positive way !

TV Documentary on Jewish "Taliban" Women

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An Israeli TV documentary on the Jewish "Taliban" women. Unfortunately, the documentary is only in Hebrew !!!

Toldot Aharon, GEVALT - Israeli TV Documentaries

I assume that Shmuel Pappenheim was born in Jerusalem but his grandparents originally came from Munich / Germany. Once I met one of his female family members and was told that the family comes from Germany. I started asking myself why German Jews got involved with the Toldot Aharon after the Second World War. Hopefully I will meet Shmuel Pappenheim's relative again and will find time to ask her. 

For those of you who would like to watch more on the Toldot Aharon 

Who are the Jewish Taliban Women ?

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An Israeli TV report about the Taliban women in Ge'ulah and Mea Shearim / Jerusalem. 

http://www.kikarhashabat.co.il/%D7%98%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%91%D7%9F.html

Another cult and cults seem to attract people's curiosity. However what I saw in the report is not only the regular Breslov Taliban women but also women from Chassidut Toldot Aharon. 

Mermaids and other half - human beings

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Don't we love those movies where a  kind of monster is shown ? Half human and half animal such as a mermaid or the beast in "The Beauty and the Beast". The X - Files as well as other similar TV series have been extremely successful showing us the unbelievable. The hidden side of our existence. I am not too familiar with psychology but there must be a reason why we humans are attracted to "half - humans" (half animal, half human). The question is whether these creatures do really exist and if it is possible that an animal and a human begot a baby.

Even the Talmud Bechorot 8 is dealing with half humans. In this case with dolphins. The mammals have sex the same way as humans. They are intelligent and called "the men of the sea" but are they really like us ?

Rashi does believe in the existence of mermaids although not due to a relationship between a human and a dolphin. Other Rabbis totally disagree with the Rashi opinion and say that there aren't any half humans around. This would be completely impossible after the Flood of Noach. 

The generation of Noach used to have sex with animals, as the Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin is teaching us. Due to a different human DNA in the days of Noach, men were able to procreate from animals. Thus, the entire G - dly creation got messed up, as there were strange creatures running around. A cow half human, half man, for instance. Even the different animal species had sex with each other and procreated. A chicken with a dog and just imagine what came out of that. If we had a time machine and went back into the days of Noach, we would definitely faint. The pure Rocky Horror Picture Show and Hollywood would be so jealous !

After the Flood, G - d changed the human DNA and therefore, it became impossible procreating with an animal. It simply doesn't exist anymore although some horror movies will tell you the opposite. We don't get that old anymore, as the people before the Flood. We are vulnerable too illnesses (the people in Noach's generation were not sick) and we don't have such a long life - span anymore. In other words, we are completely different from Noach's Generation.

Link: 

Jonah and the Fish

Dutch TV Report about secular Yoni staying with the Ambash Family

http://player.omroep.nl/?aflID=13157616 

Five Jewish young people, without first knowing where they end up, at five different special and exotic Jewish communities sent. Examples are Israel and America. On site, they will rotate in a family with very different cultural and religious customs in the Netherlands than they used to. They must thereby adapt to the local lifestyle. That is not always easy, is to follow. The Amsterdam based Yoni residing in Tiberias. He is staying with a family whose members are followers of Rabbi Nachman's eccentric. Yoni is not religious but does depend on the traditions of the Jewish people. How does he deal with the ultra-orthodox, but in communal living nomadic Nachman family connection? 

Yoni is being send to the Ambash family (then staying in a house in Tiberias near the Kever of Rabbi Me'ir Ba'al HaNes). Usually the family lives in Jerusalem. 

The report was filmed before parts of the family got arrested and the wives and kids taken into social institutions. 

The report is partly in the Dutch language but has many parts in English as well !

You can tell me whatever you want but from the six wives Daniel Ambash has, his first wife Ilana is definitely the boss of all the wives. At least, this is the impression I am getting. 

Link:

Simcha Ambash is giving a Message

Live from YAD VASHEM / Jerusalem

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YOM HASHOAH - Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel:

Those of you who would like to watch the live commemoration service taking place at Jerusalem's Holocaust Museum YAD VASHEM now, can do this HERE !

Eretz Nehederet