December 30th, 2009 by Rocky Mountain Jew
1 Comment An expression used in arts and literature, the French fin de siècle translates to “end of the century”; it connotes the waning years of an era, while also heralding change. Usually used in reference to late 19th century France, at its core, fin de siècle means tumult, progress, development.
But what about fin de décade? (To any Francophones: did we co-opt the term correctly?) Over the year, we noticed how many anniversaries were being celebrated this year, and it got us thinking: Does change come about when a set period of time is ending?
Review the evidence:
This year marked the twentieth anniversary of 1989 - the year when revolution spread across and transformed the face of Europe, when Communism ceased to be a viable form of government on the European continent. It started in February, when Poland’s Communist government held talks with the banned trade union, Solidarity; it swept across Hungary, where the barbed wire border with Austria was cut down, to the embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Prague, where in August hundreds of East Germans took refuge; the fire of change traveled north, where more than two million people created a human chain crossing the Baltic states; revolution came to East Germany, where the symbol of a divided world - the Berlin Wall - toppled; the flames traveled southeast, to Bulgaria, and finally east to Romania, where on Christmas Day 1989 the infamous dictator Ceasescu was executed. [More...]
October 9th, 2009 by Rocky Mountain Jew
1 Comment Breaking news. Guess who’s won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize?
If you guessed the world’s golden boy, he who can do no wrong, you guessed correctly.
Obama, winning the Nobel Peace Prize? Please! [More...]
September 3rd, 2009 by Shana Goldberg
1 Comment Here are some nuggets from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin’s* public lecture tonight in Zurich. The lecture intended to explore Israel’s problems from both within and without and whether room for optimism exists. Since it’s quite late over here, further analysis will have to wait until next week, but in the meantime, some choice bits:
Barack Obama’s got it wrong. The current problems in Israel “have nothing to do with settlements,” but instead with the fact that [Arabs] “have never been able to compromise.”
On a two-state solution, “Jerusalem can also be divided,” with the conditionality that a synagogue be built on Temple Mount. (Riskin then claims he has someone ready to donate 100 grand for said synagogue.)
“When did Israelis stop believing in themselves?” On Israel’s problems from within, Riskin is deeply disturbed by what he believes is a disconnect between young Israelis and Jewish history and tradition. As such, many Israelis no longer feel a fundamental sense of obligation to their state.
“I am, and remain, extremely optimistic.” Some of the reasons he - some may call it delusional - retains this frame of mind: the growing relationship between Israel and the Christian community, as well as Israel’s situation with a larger “clash of civilizations”. The latter protects Israel from isolation, while the former provides a financial cushion.
Tune in next week for more.
*Riskin is rabbi of the Israeli settlement of Efrat.
