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Shavuot 2011

Shavuot is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the giving of the Torah to the Jews. This year Shavuot begins at sundown on June 7th and ends at sundown on June 9th.

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Judaism Spotlight10

Video: Why Israel Mustn't Withdraw to Its Pre '67 Borders

Wednesday May 25, 2011

JCPA VideoIn light of President Obama's speech earlier this month, many people are wondering what it would mean for Israel to return to the pre-1967 borders. In an effort to shed light on this complicated question, the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs has published a video on YouTube that explains what Israel needs in order to maintain defensible borders. If you have five minutes, check it out by clicking here.

Thanks to reader and friend Vivien for mentioning this video on Facebook!

Film Director Lars Von Trier Says He's a Nazi

Tuesday May 24, 2011

Lars Von TrierWhile promoting his new movie Meloncholia at Cannes, director Lars Von Trier surprised everyone by saying he is a Nazi during a press conference. Below is the transcript, from Gawker:

"For a long time I was a Jew and I was happy to be a Jew, then I met Susanne Bier [fellow Danish director and this year's Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film] and I wasn't so happy. But then I found out I was actually a Nazi. My family was German. That also gave me pleasure. What can I say? I understand Hitler. I sympathize with him a bit. I don't mean I'm in favor of World War II and I'm not against Jews, not even Susanne Bier. In fact I'm very much in favor of them. All Jews. Well, Israel is a pain in the ass [pause] ... How can I get out of this sentence? OK, I'm a Nazi."

In response to Von Trier's statement the Cannes film festival declared him a persona non grata. According to Reuters, his expulsion was the first in 64 years. Von Trier told Reuters on the phone that he was "beyond the point of being disappointed" and "just very tired of the whole thing." He went on to say that politics shouldn't be mixed with culture and that he thought apologizing was "a little distasteful."

The apology Von Trier is presumably referencing was issued in a letter to Haaretz:

"I lived most of my life as a Jew... My mother wasn't Jewish, but my father, or the man I thought was my father, was. But then I found out that my father wasn't my father and my real father was German..."

"And instead of saying I was actually German at the news conference on Wednesday... I said with a kind of typical Danish humor... that I was a Nazi. But I'm not."

"It was a stupid joke. But that's the kind of humor I use when I talk to my friends...I apologize profoundly for offending people. It was not my intention. I've also offended Germans, when instead of saying 'German' I used the word 'Nazi,' as though every German is a Nazi."

Photo: Getty Images/Guillaume Baptiste

Lag Ba'Omer Bonfire Anyone?

Friday May 20, 2011

BonfireLag Ba'Omer is a minor Jewish holiday that falls on the 33rd day of Counting the Omer. Though there are different opinions about what, exactly, the holiday celebrates, everyone can agree that it's a joyous time perfect for outdoor picnics and especially bonfires. (Some say the bonfires represent the light of the Torah.)

This year Lag Ba'Omer begins at sundown on Saturday, May 21 and ends at sundown on Sunday, May 22. Will you be attending a bonfire to celebrate? If you haven't figured out your weekend plans yet, this might be the perfect opportunity to hit the beach with friends for a bonfire and some marshmallow roasting.

Want to know more about Lag Ba'Omer? Check out: What is Lag Ba'Omer?

Image: Getty Images/Michael Cogliantry

Japanese Video Game Takes on Ancient Jewish Text

Wednesday May 18, 2011

EnochA new Japanese video game called "El Shaddai" has some unexpected inspiration: the Jewish apocryphal Book of Enoch. Also called 1 Enoch, this ancient Jewish text tells the story of a righteous man, named Enoch, and the angels who fell from heaven and fathered the Nephilim with human women (Genesis 6:4). It was probably composed over several hundred years and was not included in the Tanakh.

The game's full title is "El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron," and according to the Arty Semite the storyline stays fairly close to 1 Enoch:

"Both the game and the ancient text tell of the righteousness and elevation of a man named Enoch to the position of a heavenly scribe who is granted visions of the temptation, fall and punishment of a group of 200 angels. Enoch is sent from his position as the heavenly scribe to deliver the divine judgment to these angels. In Sawaki's version, the mission involves fighting through seven worlds of fallen angels in order to avert a complete divine annihilation of the inhabitants of the Earth."

You can visit the video game's official website here, which includes promotional trailers as well as artwork and background information about the characters. That's Enoch you see pictured here - not quite the image one conjures when thinking about a Jewish righteous man, but who really knows what Enoch looked like?

Image via El Shaddai Game / Ignition Games

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