The Sad Fact Of American Education

It is a sad fact that American students lag far behind their peers overseas.

This video is a perfect example of what is lacking in the American educational system.

http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/such-ignorance-about-the-holocaust

The students, through no fault of their own, are largely unaware of not just the basic facts of the Holocaust or the American involvement in World War II, but of the fact that genocide is still happening around the world today.

If our children are to compete with their counterparts across the world, something has to change.

 

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I have broken a personal record of having 1000 hits in a month.

Thank you to everyone who have read and liked my posts!

If They Really Want To Stand For 11 Hours….

Imagine that you have purchased a plane ticket for a transatlantic flight. It is a 11 hour flight that will take you halfway across the world.

You get to the airport, pickup your ticket and get through security without a problem. The plane is scheduled to take off on time.

And then a group of ultra Orthodox Jewish men delay the flight because, heaven forbid, they will be sitting next to a woman for the length of the flight.

I’m all for live and let live. I’m also all for freedom of religion. But this is ridiculous.

So they sit next to a woman for the flight. It is possible to sit next to a stranger for the length of a flight and ignore them. Take a few books to read, bring a laptop with a couple of DVD’s or even watch the in flight entertainment. One does not have to make a ruckus and delay the flight.

But if they really want to stand for 11 hours, who I am to stand in their way?

Far From Zion Book Review

Charles London represents many within the Jewish community. Jewish by birth and history, but not by practice, before the summer of 2004, Mr. London had no interest in the faith or the history of his ancestors. In the summer of 2004, while doing relief work in Bosnia, he stumbled upon a multi-ethnic and multi-religious community that was trying to rebuild a city nearly destroyed by war. Inspired by what he saw, Mr. London traveled around the world visiting different Jewish communities and recording his experiences.

The result is his 2010 book, Far From Zion.  The interviewees, instead of making Aaliyah, are choosing to remain in the Diaspora. The interviewees include the caretaker of all but forgotten synagogue in Rangoon, a store owner selling Jewish themed jewelry in Iran, an African tribe who adopted the Jewish faith as their own, East Coast transplants celebrating Hanukkah in small town Arkansas and a professor in Cuba equally as proud of his religious faith as his Communist beliefs.

I found this book to be a very interesting read. What I was shown was that Judaism, in it’s many forms, is alive and thriving. The practice of Judaism varies from community to community, but it is as alive as it has ever been.

I recommend this book.