The Demise of Dating

Can't get a date? No worries, because apparently neither can anyone else!

It used to be (or so I am told at least) that if you "liked" someone you would ask them out on a date to get to know them better and see where it went. After a few dates, if things were going well, maybe then you would start to "hook up" and a relationship was born.

No more, according to this New York Times article. Today's model calls for people to hook up with their friends, and if the experience is good enough, maybe a date will come down the road. The benefit to this buy now, shop later mentality are that anyone has a chance at love. All it takes is enough time spent in a group of friends and eventually you have to hook up with soooomeone.

The negatives of this hook-up culture, though, are not what you would think. Young people today are having less sex (according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and are hooking up with friends rather than strangers (according to the Journal of Adolescent Research). Instead, the negatives are focused on gender iniquity as males and females bring different viewpoints and agendas to the "random hook-up."

So yes, when your parents say, "Back in my day we went on DATES to get to know people," they're not just blowing smoke. There is a stark contrast in today's times, as the stereotypical dinner and a movie slowly fades into Leave it to Beaver oblivion.

What do you think? Is this an accurate depiction of the dating world today? And if it is, what does it mean for a post-college Jew living in St. Louis? How is a guy supposed to get a date, or is he even supposed to? And as a girl, do you want to be wined and dined or is that too "old-fashioned?" Read the story here and let the debate begin!
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A Response to Blagojevich

For some perspective on a scandal that hits right across the river here in St. Louis, we look to Ira Forman, Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, who Y? and I met last weekend in New York

Ira Forman is at the forefront of the policy-shaping process in the Jewish community, as the Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council. So who better to provide some context and analysis of the recent scandal embroiling Rod Blagojeivch, the embattled governor of Illinois?

For those who don't know, Governor Blagojevich was taken into federal custody earlier this week for allegedly attempting to sell Barack Obama's now vacant U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder. Clearly one of the most brazen acts of corruption in recent political history to say the least.

As St. Louis Jews, this scandal matters because what happens in Illinois matters. The St. Louis region really does encompass two states, and the governor of one of those states is going down.

Check out Forman's reponse here, where he says that the scandal reminds Democrats how vigilant we have to be in order to keep the power we now have from turning corruptive.

What do you think? Is Forman just seeing the scandal through rose-colored glasses, or is this really an opportunity for Democrats? Do Blagojevich's actions taint the Democratic party as a whole, or does the blame stay with him and not spread farther? It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the days and weeks to come, both here at home and nation-wide.
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Bagels and Bongos; A Tale of Jewish Music

In our ongoing build up to Zeda's Beat Box's CD release party, I wanted to share a little something passed along by none other than my Yiddeshe Momma.

Check out this interesting story about Jewish Music 2.0 Read More......

Zeda's Beat Box to Rock Cicero's

Come on out to Cicero's on Friday, December 19 for Jew music that you might actually like!

Zeda's Beat Box is in the business of making some really really good and creative music that is also Jewish to boot. Don't take my word for it though, come check them out on Friday, December 19th at 6:30pm at Cicero's in the Loop. Here is the press release on the show, hosted by yours truly at the St. Lou Jew:

Listen to 6 songs from the new Zeda's Beat Box CD "Seven" at
www.myspace.com/zedasbeatbox

The stloujew.com presents
Zeda's Beat Box
CD Release Party
"Seven"
Friday December 19
Cicero's
6691 Delmar
$10.00 *includes FREE copy of CD!*
6:30 PM

"The St. Lou Jew" Hosts CD Release Party for Zeda's Beat Box

St. Louis, MO-November 18, 2008- St. Louis' Jewish rock reggae sensation, Zeda's Beat Box celebrates the release of their second CD "Seven" at Cicero's on Friday December 19 at 6:30PM. Bloggers from The St. Lou Jew (www.thestloujew.com) will set the tone for the evening as they light the Sabbath candles. All in attendance will receive a free copy of the bands 8-song CD.

Zeda's Beat Box burst on to the local Jewish and rock scene earlier this year with the release of their 4-song EP "Kabbalat Shabbat." The CD received rave reviews by both Jewish and mainstream press and has been hailed as "Jewish music for the masses."

Zeda's Beat Box sets Jewish liturgy and original English lyrics to a unique blend of rock and reggae. The band's mix of Jewish tradition and modern music has landed them shows in both synagogues and night clubs. Their debut CD can be heard playing at the JCC, Jewish gift shops, and on local rock radio.

The band was formed in January 2007 by Dave Simon, the founder of Dave Simon's Rock School. To build the band, Simon recruited four teenagers who participate in Rock School's band program. Simon began writing songs for the band in December of 2006 under the guidance of Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose, Rabbi Dr. Neal Rose, and Cantor Sharon Nathanson of congregation B'nai Amoona.


Click here to hear "Seven"

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Zeda's Beat Box, Back in Action

Zeda's Beat Box is bringing their unique blend of rock, reggae, and yiddishkeit to the stage at Cicero's next Friday, and we had a chance to sit down with the band's leader, Dave Simon at the same venue last night.

Over a round of beers (Maudite FTW), LC, Zuz and I took the opportunity to connect with Dave and discuss his upcoming CD release party for the album entitled, "Seven".

Dave Simon, a Yid previously written about in our "Living Jews" series, has been putting in a lot of work in preparation for this party.

Although the date is quickly approaching, the conversation centered on the role of Jewish music in creating an attractive Jewish culture.

Jewish music often plays the antithesis to contemporary radio rap (mainstream, gangster, unconscious, commercial, or whatever buzz word you prefer). What I mean by that is that Rap music is rhythmically infectious, it can be hard to get out of your head, and it is made for dancing. The message on the other hand if often pretty violent, profane, and masochistic. Oh, and don't for get the swagger.

Jewish music, on the other hand, has an uplifting message, that focuses on the spiritual as opposed to the material. The music, on the other hand, is often kind of hokey. Sure, I loved swaying back and forth with friends at camp, but most Jewish music, as it is traditionally understood, is not dance music.

This is where Zeda's Beat Box sees its place, by taking dance music, and combining them with traditional Jewish liturgy, ZBB wants a musical experience that people will groove with, even if they are not Jewish.

Stay tuned for the official press release tomorrow. In the meantime, check out Jewishinstlouis.org's article about the event.
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Seriously, please don't

President-elect Obama did Meet The Press on Sunday. In talking to Tom Brokaw about the potential auto industry bailout, he said “We don’t want government to run companies. Generally, government historically hasn’t done that very well.” He’s right, but again he’s underselling the dangers. Government just hasn’t done it very well, they’ve done it miserably.

The President-elect went on to describe a long-term government bailout that would be conditioned on government oversight. It could be that the government would mandate the types of cars companies make, mileage and environmental standards, and the investments they make (or do not make), to ensure that the industry “actually functions.” All of this sounds eerily close to a word that the Obama Administration wants to avoid the usage of at all costs: nationalization.

In 1952 President Henry Truman took over America’s steel industry to avoid an industry strike that would undermine our efforts in the Korean War. It was the last time the government toyed with the idea of nationalizing an industry, functionally or otherwise. It appears that Obama may be thinking what Truman said: “the president has the power to keep the country from going to hell.” The Supreme Court did not agree, however, and forced Truman to relinquish control. That there is so little opposition this time reflects the desperation. But that there is so little opposition this time also reflects a void of intelligent leadership.

There are three significant risks to this tactic. The first is what Obama himself admitted – that the government does not do this sort of thing well. He’s understating the reality, though. The government is absolutely and unconditionally miserable at it. Government’s record as a corporate executive has led to three-decades of privatization, turning national railroads, airlines, and defense industries into private companies.

What this plan sounds an awful lot like is controlled bankruptcy, where the government steps in to restructure an industry, as it could do if the industry declared bankruptcy, except that the industry won’t declare bankruptcy. What’s the point? The coverage is that it saves jobs and keeps Americans buying American cars. Both of these claims are ridiculous. Any serious reconstruction is going to require, fiscally, a net loss in jobs. This is because, addressing the second claim, that bankrupt or otherwise, Americans don’t buy American cars. Even regulating the kinds of cars manufactured and mileage minimums will not address this in the short term, because it will take time to get these vehicles on the road and even longer to instill some confidence in the products, while the investor (taxpayer) requires more immediate returns.

The second risk is that if the government fails (as history teaches us is highly probable), and the American car industry collapses or gets bought out by foreign competitors, taxpayers would lose the billions the government poured in. Part of what made the Wall Street bailout packages more palatable was that private companies were willing to buy some of the failing groups. That private industries were eager to step in and buy their failing counterparts gave taxpayers confidence that there was merit in the government providing additional assistance using their money. As Bill Gates so astutely told Wolf Blitzer, “After all, you have to say, if no one else is willing to invest, why is that? What is it that investors are seeing about this business model or cost structure that makes them unwilling? And why, in that case, is the government alone in stepping forward in these ways?...when you don’t have any private investors, you really have to say, is taxpayers’ money going to have the desired effect?”

The third risk, which deserves far more attention than it is getting, is that by stepping in to save the auto industry the government is going against the spirit of what it has preached around the world for the last 20 plus years. America has demanded that nations treat our companies on their soil the same as they treat their own companies, a concept called “national treatment.”

So far, however there has been no talk of offering aid to Toyota, Honda, BMW, or any other foreign automaker that have factories on our soil and employ our citizens (all the while managing to make a profit, making a great case for government action to dissolve the UAW). “If Japan was doing this, we’d be threatening billions of dollars in retaliation,” said Jeffrey Garten a professor at Yale, who as under secretary of commerce in the 90s tried in vain to get the industry prepared for international competition. “In fact, when they did something a lot more subtle, we threatened exactly that,” referring to calls for import restrictions.

To be fair, it is hard to measure the risks Obama may be willing to take with his plan seeing as so much of it is still a work in progress. In the short term, Democrats are looking at linking $15 billion in immediate loans to a “car czar” who could require or veto transactions or investments, essentially a one-man board of directors. This is huge power, yet the current administration has signaled it would be likely to sign this sort of plan.

That $15 billion is just the tip of the iceberg. “After that, we’re in uncharted water,” said Malcolm Salter, a Harvard Business School professor and former adviser to GM and Ford. “Think about this: Who in the federal government would have the tremendous insight needed to fix this industry?” It certainly is not anyone in the US Congress, even less the case when you see the same photograph of Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi attached to every story on the bailout.

Depending on the role and tactics the government decides to take, the efforts could end up looking a lot like the role of the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry in the 1970s and 80s. To promote the Japanese car industry on the way up, the Ministry pushed companies towards consolidation and even tried to mandate which segments of the market each could participate in. Soichiro Honda, the namesake of the Honda Company, rebelled when told that he should limit himself to motorcycles – a smart decision. Congress denounced this as “industry policy” and argued that it put American makers at a competitive disadvantage and compromised free enterprise.

Now, Congress is doing exactly what the Japanese did, but not as the industry is on its way up, but rather down. The Japanese and others will no double complain, and they would be right, or worse, begin doing the same for their own auto industries. In the end, the most appropriate question to ask as the investor (as we the tax-paying population are in this case) is “would I, or do others, buy the product I’m investing in?” As someone who comes from a family who only buys American cars, the responsible answer is “no” across the board.
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An Alternative Religious Model

Not that I fully align with the message, but read about what Beth Adam are doing with technology as a form of outreach here Read More......

Zuz and Y?'s Excellent Adventure

Y? and I made the pilgrimage to New York City this weekend to participate in the Professional Leaders Project SkillSummit. Along the way, we found time to rekindle some old friendships as well.

Spending just 33 hours in New York is a challenge of epic proportions, but one that I took on this weekend. Where do you go, what do you see, when do you sleep? These were just some of the questions I pondered during the pre-dawn flight out. The weekend was separated into two parts: catch up with old friends on Saturday, and attend the SkillSummit on Sunday. What follows is the quick rundown, as well as some sites to check out to see what engaged Jews are doing around the country.

Saturday:
-Upon arrival, I successfully navigated the spidery NYC transit system, taking bus to subway to walking to make my way to the Upper West Side.

-For lunch, I met up with old Umrath friends (yeah U2!) and experienced Barney Greengrass, only the world's best bagel and lox establishment.

-The afternoon was spent wandering lazily through the city on foot, including Strawberry Fields, the world's coolest Apple store, the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center and an excursion into the Plaza to view high tea being served.

-Saturday night was a reunion with the only Yankee fan I call a friend and a tour of almost two dozen NYC bars. Unfortunately, the play by play of that night has been censored by my editors (aka me).

Sunday was then spent at the SkillSummit, a gathering of next generation Jewish leaders from across the eastern half of the country. The best thing I can do is provide you with links to same amazing organizations and let their work speak for itself. Please check them out:

Jews United for Justice
National Jewish Democratic Council
The New Orleans Young Urban Rebuilding Professionals
Jewish Museum Milwaukee
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New York City Skills Summit, Y?'s side

A whirlwind trip to New York provided Zuz and I the opportunity to meet some of the most influential Jewish minds in the areas of philanthropy and non-profit work, including Rhoda Weisman, who had some interesting things to say.

After nearly 36 hours in New York City, Zuz and I returned to St. Louis, drained from seeing so many friends, and trying to absorb as much of the energy and creativity as we could.

Waking up at 4 am on Saturday, we caught a 6 am flight to Chicago, then a direct to Laguardia. We were already exhausted from Shabbat dinner the night before, but running on adrenaline.

We got into the city and went our separate ways. After a whole day (and night) of seeing friends and family, Zuz and I found our way to Hebrew Union College, late, and nearly comatose with exhaustion.

And then it happened. I walked down stairs into a social hall filled with young Jews, and mentors. Was the immediate rush of energy I felt a result being surrounded by so much potential, or was it the sudden influx of attractive Jewish women now in the periphery of my bleary vision?

Either way, I knew that I had to muster what little attention span I had for those few hours I was able to spend at the Skills Summit.

As a bit of background, PLP, the Professional Leadership Project, hosts the SkillsSummit to develop young Jewish leadership along one of three tracks, fund raising, volunteering/membership, and community organizing.

Zuz and I joined the community organizing track along side Ira Forman, Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, as well as Scott Sherman, founder of the Transformative Action Institute.

Through novel exercises, case studies, and mentorship, we were able to connect with these amazing visionaries, as well with our peers, many of whom are just as incredible.

We had an incredibly quick and intense speed mentorship program, in which I had the opportunity to sit down with Rhoda Weisman and ask questions about the sustainability of much of what we are doing.

"Give away power as quickly as you can," she said. "It is the only way to continuously bring people into the fold and to ensure that you are able to step out of the spotlight."

Zuz and I were both deeply impressed by her intellect and deliberate, point-by-point articulateness.

We were able to connect with Rebecca from Moishe House Philly, which brought several really interesting ideas to the surface, and which we hope to act on soon.

Perhaps even better, as soon as people heard that we were reppin STL, Jewish Geography kicked into overdrive, with people giving us the names of friends who were lonely in the Louie. That means we have our work cut out for us!
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Sophistication in the City

Looking for a way to unwind in style? Sasha's new location in South City is just the thing...

Earlier this week, Y?, LC, Rosh and I (along with an ever-expanding group of others looking for urban excitement) headed literally down the street to the new Sasha's Wine Bar, at Thurman and Shaw, right near South Grand and Tower Grove Park. Now, let me say right off the bat, I am not your typical wine bar patron (I admittedly came close to ordering a beer, but that was more due to the good beer selection in addition to an unbelievable wine list). How do I describe it?

Like an oasis in the middle of an area otherwise starved for places to go out. Exposed brick and pipe, walls covered in their wine inventory, a beautiful outdoor garden with heat lamps that you can bet will be hopping come summer... Sasha's is perfect whether you are looking to impress on a date or just escape the grind for a bit. Check out their website here and be sure to give them a chance.

Also, the opening of Sasha's is another encouraging step in development of the Shaw neighborhood. First Thurman, now Sasha's, corner businesses in Shaw are really taking off. Now the question is... what's next?
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Federation Board of Trustees Panel: SuperJew Status

Last night, LC and I had the opportunity to sit on a panel of 'young Jews' with JJ Flotkin, and flanked by Sandy Cardin, President of the Charles & Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. We spoke our minds, and in the process, 'challenged cherished beliefs'.

When the VP of the STL Jewish Federation asked us to speak, we were honored, and a bit freaked out. Who are we to think that we have any answers, for that matter, aside from the traffic we get on this site, and the people we get to sit down with for Shabbat dinners, who are we to even try to represent a generation of Jews.

Never-the-less, the opportunity was presented, and we took it.

The meeting itself was a perfect illustration of some of the disconnect that takes place between the generations.

The proceedings began with Robert's Rules of Order material, then moved to a check presentation from Anheuser-Busch(InBev). Sandy Cardin then got up and proceeded to, very eloquently, describe (indirectly) how those very proceedings were things keeping young Jews away from 'organized Judaism'.

First, organization/institutionalization, keeps us away by having a specific leadership structure in which one must advance through the ranks in a very prescribed fashion. It may take 10 years to get to a leadership role. Sandy acknowledged that this structure holds little appeal.

Second, the idea of 'get 'em while their young' specifically as it pertains to fundraising, may be totally incorrect. Sandy stated, very much in line with how we feel, that the emphasis should be on building a community, so that people have personal ties to giving later on.

When it came time for us to speak, LC, JJ, and I represented fairly different approaches to young adult involvement in Judaism.

LC, who has written about the subject before represents the 'more ish than Jewish' approach, having recently become involved through Moishe House activities (which is incidentally now primarily Schusterman funded).

JJ, president of the Young Professionals Division of the Federation, represents a more settled young adult, being married with a child, and is very involved with the Federation and many of the programs therein.

I really hope that our perspectives were helpful for those assembled at the Fed last night and more than that, I hope that we can inspire some real movement around the topics we discussed.

One of the most interesting points brought up by Sandy, and expounded upon in the course of the panel discussion is the fact that, whether or not it is acknowledged, we are a part of the community. Whether or not our events and activities revolve around the JCC, Federation, or Hillel (and increasingly not) young Jews around the country are continuing to foster community, build connections, and have meaningful Jewish experiences.
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Living Jews: Tahli Miller

Last night, after a last minute phone call from Adam Weinberg, a few of us StlouJews had the opportunity to sit down with Tahli Miller, most recognizable for her husband, Mattisyahu. After a few hours with Tahli, though, it is clear that she has talents that deserve recognition in their own right.

Tahli Miller was studying film at Tish when she met Mattisyahu, initially it was for a film on Shomer Negiyah (the practice of not touching members of the opposite sex unless they are family) and its impact on relationships.

The film became far more complex as Tahli and Mattis started dating and the film came to revolve around the lack of touch between the them.

While traveling with Mattis, Tahli started using her experiences and learning on the subject to tackle relationships, the idea of Shomer Negiyah, and how religion and spirituality play into the two.

When we had a chance to sit down with her last night, at the Rabbi Yari's house, we were treated to an excellent discussion that careened from relationships to discussions of life on tour, and back.

Tahli raised an interested point about the frustration she feels when she sees people who come to the concerts and behave in ways counter to what the music is about, either by being stoned, or by grinding on each other. Much like those who go on Birthright for the free party.

In both situations, however, there are those who end up being effected and opened up to something new .

We put in a few good words for St. Louis, and learned a little about the irony of living in a place as Jewish as New York, where there is less pressure to identify or join the community.

What was a last minute email turned into a really interesting night. We were very fortunate to have the chance to connect with Tahli and wish her and Mattis continued success
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Professional Leaders Project SkillsSummit

Zuz and Y? Accepted to Cutting Edge Jewish Leadership Program in NYC

That's right, Zuz and I have been accepted to participate in the Professional Leaders Project (PLP) SkillsSummit Program, a cutting-edge, 3-part Sunday Summit series for Generation Y Jewish leaders, taking place in New York City and Los Angeles in 2008-2009.

SkillsSummit focuses on innovative initiatives that strengthen Jewish leadership effectiveness, tackling pressing issues in contemporary Jewish society, and building community.

We are both pretty excited to have the opportunity to connect with some cool people, and to spend a few hours in NYC catching up with friends and family.

The Summit series will strengthen participants' Jewish leadership effectiveness in three, daylong intensive skill-building Summits with renowned experts and practitioners. Participants will apply new skills to real-life Jewish volunteer and professional settings. Both Zuz and I will be attending the sessions focusing on community organizing, where we will have the opportunity to be mentored by some of the foremost thinkers, organizers, and philanthropists.

Did I mention that we also get a trip to NYC, Medina to Israel's Jewish Mecca?

The Professional Leaders Project is an entrepreneurial nonprofit founded three years ago that selects Jewish Talent in their 20s & 30s around the country, connecting them to forward-thinking seasoned leaders for networking, mentoring, coaching, skill-building, and positive organizational change. PLP is dedicated to increasing the recruitment and retention of outstanding leaders who will lead the Jewish community into the future. For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.jewishleaders.net.
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Together We Hope

After a weekend full of food, friends, Bailey's, reunions, and more food, we are back in action!

Read on for an update on Maya Escobar, our favorite StlouJew artist.

It was election day, Maya was waiting in some of the longer lines, surrounded by eager, hopeful voters. She wanted to capture the environment and engage those around her. Maya and Carianne Noga, her colleague and frequent collaborator had the idea to take a bunch of tags and let people write their hopes on them. The tags were put on display for all to see.

Out of this spur-of-the-moment project came togetherwehope.com a simple site that allows people to write their hopes, immediate or long term, material, spiritual, idealistic or realistic.

The project has already started to take off, with an article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Maya and Carianne will be turning the tags into a public art installation in front of the University City Post Office, so hit up togetherwehope.com while there is still time and ensure that your hopes are heard.
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Is Facebook Hurting Relationships?

Is Facebook's ability to connect with old friends and seek out new companions in secret actually affecting relationships out in the real world? This article suggests yes!

As ridiculous as the headline sounds, can Facebook really break your heart? Back in my day, Facebook was a simple diversion that came online during Finals Week, meaning that everyone spent way too much time updating their profile and reconnecting with friends from kindergarten. 4.5 short years later, it has become THE tool to stay increasingly connected in a world that should make staying connected harder than ever.

We're constantly on the move, be it from meeting to meeting, from home on the East Coast to school on the West, or off to Tibet to study the mating habits of the spotted iguana for 9 months while staying in a hut with ancient monks. Everything is stacked against us maintaining relationships, let alone rekindling old flames (I for one have been routinely criticized over the years for letting friendships fall by the wayside).

Yet here is Facebook, no longer just a cult fad, but a legitimate tool that makes the world the size of a computer screen. Just this past week I have connected to old college friends, made plans for trips around the country, and checked up on my little sister's college shenanigans!

But is there a darker side to these connections? Does Facebook allow us too much access, too many opportunities to stray? That is exactly the question this article asks in loooking at the Facebook phenomenon. So what do you think? Is Facebook a positive agent of change that will forever alter the way we consider friendship? Or is it a dark and destructive power that does not relate well to reality? Discuss!
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Inspiration and Hope from the Nation's Capitol

Just got back from a whirlwind 36 hours in DC, and boy does St. Louis have a few things to learn...but so does DC


Y and I spent the weekend (or at least 30 hours) in DC this weekend, doing some undercover research versus St. Louis, venn diagram style. My initial, gut-reaction thoughts on the comparison between the two:

Transportation: Our gripes have been well documented here, but St. Louis doesn't stand a chance. For anyone wondering what a world-class transportation system does for a city, take a weekend riding the Metro in DC and you will find out. As a kid, I could't get over the cool machine that took your ticket, spit it back out and opened the space-age gates. Now? I can't get over a public transit system that goes wherever you want it to go, comes when you want it to come, and has stations that look so cool. Seriously, riding the Metro can be a night all its own, it's that good.

Options: This is another place where DC reigns above supreme. In St. Louis, you choose the kind of place you want to go, and then from there choose between the three places that fit that bill. In DC, choosing the kind of place leaves you with dozens of NEIGHBORHOODS to choose from, each which have multiple places you could go. And if you get tired of the 20 bars in the neighborhood you chose? Hop back on the Metro and you will be somewhere else in 10 minutes.

Cost: Same for transportation (possibly even a little cheaper in DC), DC drinks a little more, DC food a lot more, DC gas a lot more... No surprise here when I say St. Louis is a cheaper city

Convenience: Started drinking at 4pm, stopped drinking at 1am, never had to think about a driver or how I was going to get home. Enough said.

The Clientele: By this, I just mean the people in general that I interacted with throughout the weekend (strangers, not my friends) in the Philly airport and in DC. Maybe I have been in the Midwest too long, but I tried to help a man with his bag down from the overhead bin, and he glared at me like I was going to steal it and disappear, despite the fact we were crammed into an overcrowded airplane. I'm just trying to help dude. Guess I forgot we don't do that out East.

Cool Factor: This is the biggest gut reaction of all, but it's the feeling that, wherever you are, whenver you step outside you are in the middle of the action. I'm talking Sunday morning, walking down Mass Ave from Dupont to Gallery Place, more was going on around me than in the middle of the Loop on any given night. I will admit, this could just be a DC bias showing through, but there is just an energy surrounding everything you do and everywhere you go that St. Louis is sorely lacking. DC is the hot girl who knows how hot she is, while St. Louis is the mousy girl with glasses who is afraid to let her hair down because maybe someone will notice and talk to her.

Ultimately, that is what it comes down to... Yeah, you are going to pay a little more in DC and the people are going to be a little more abrasive. But you get all the perks that come along with big city life while being able to get anywhere you want with relative ease. Now if St. Louis could just get that transporation thing down, couple it with some more choice for entertainment and keep the low prices and Midwest charm, maybe we could get to work on that cool factor. Whaddya say?



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De-Baptizer

In response to recent allegations that Mormons are Baptizing Jews who died in the Holocaust, IntJewCon has released its patented De-Baptizer.

Check it out here Read More......

Who Said Arabs Don't Want Peace?

In an unprecedented move, the Palestinian Authority took out full page ads in all of the major 3 Israeli newspapers outlining, in Hebrew no less, the Arab peace proposal

This is a big deal for several reasons.

First, it shows that the Palestinian Authority recognizes that most Israelis want peace.

Second, it goes above the heads of the politicians. This was always the reason I couldn't join AIPAC. . . because it supports the Israeli government. I love Israel, I'm not always such a big fan of the Israeli government.

Finally, it means that the ball has been put in Israel's court. The idea that there is 'no partner for peace' will be challenged by this latest move and requires a response.

The ad starts out, "Fifty-seven Arab and Muslim countries will establish diplomatic relations with Israel in exchange for a full peace accord and the end of the occupation."

Obviously issues of East Jerusalem and Palestinian refugee status will stand in the way. But screw it, hand over East Jerusalem, it isn't essential. And the city of peace deserves some peace.

As for refugees, allow them a fair option, if they can prove that they have a legitimate claim to land, give them the option of citizenship or fair recompense.

Follow the Ayalon plan for defensive settlements along the greenline, and let the PA be fully responsible for Gaza, hellhole that it is.

You can read an article about this interesting turn of events here.
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Next Dor Proposal

What the young professional Jewish community in St. Louis needs is a place that everyone can call home. So much of our Jewish identity is wrapped up in this idea of belonging, of searching for belonging, and Next Dor plays right into that.

What the young professional Jewish community in St. Louis needs is a place that everyone can call home. So much of our Jewish identity is wrapped up in this idea of belonging, of searching for belonging, and Next Dor plays right into that.

By establishing a “home base” of activities for young Jewish professionals that is centrally located, easily identifiable, open to all, and multi-purpose, people can begin to come together under a veneer of Judaism, but really just as young Jews in St. Louis looking to connect.

Vision: There will be a security code to gain access to the house. The code will change monthly and will be available only to those included in a confidential email list. If an administrator lives in the house, he or she will have a key to the third floor to ensure security and privacy. However, the idea that anyone (with the code of course) can come and go as they please is an important aspect of a welcoming center for Jewish activity.

There will be various spaces within the house, some that groups can schedule time in for meetings and group events. Other spaces will be reserved for a particular purpose, such as studying or catching a quick cat nap in between classes, and will be open to all at any time. Space for an art studio is also intriguing if local artists would be willing to supply their own materials. Essentially, the space should be whatever each individual needs and wants it to be for them. There can even be a garden for those who want to grow their own vegetables.

Where we will run into problems, however, are when the desires of one group conflict with those of another. A good example of this would be when it comes to the rules of Kashrut. While the kitchen would not be a strictly Kosher kitchen, groups would be welcome to schedule a Kosher dinner in the kitchen and use it as such. Someone who is observing the Shabbos would certainly be welcome to use the house as a quiet resting place, but they would have to understand that others in the house may turn on lights, etc.

Essentially, the success of the house will come down to the ability of those who wish to use it to compromise. With the proper forethought and planning, Next Dor can be not just a physical gathering place, but an opportunity to bring the young professional Jewish community in St. Louis “together under one roof.”

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Proposal for a Next Generation Jewish Community Hub

Jewish young adults (post-undergraduate, pre-family) don’t have a place to gather. The existing organizations either do not have a space at which to reliably host events, have spaces that aren’t targeted to this demographic, or aren’t set up to cater to a wide variety of interests and backgrounds.

I know that I've outlined this assessment in previous posts, and I know that I hinted at some things to come as well.

That is why I am publishing my proposal for the Next Dor project's implementation in St. Louis. Let me know if I'm way off base here, or maybe on to something.

Purpose: To outline an ideal usage of the space provided by the house

Goal: To create a post-denominational, non-institutional space in which Jewish young adults can connect with one another.

Requirements: Monetary and programmatic support of CRC at minimum and the wider community at best.

Background: Jewish young adults (post-undergraduate, pre-family) don’t have a place to gather. The existing organizations either do not have a space at which to reliably host events, have spaces that aren’t targeted to this demographic, or aren’t set up to cater to a wide variety of interests and backgrounds

Proposal: I envision a space that acknowledges the various roles that Jewish young adults find themselves in. Whether academic, artistic, or professional in nature, the space should provide a place in which people feel comfortable engaging with other young Jews in an informal environment.

The first floor will be the informal social gathering place and should have couches set up in an entertainment area, as well as a dining room table at which to hold Shabbat dinners.

The second floor will be a quieter place for graduate students to study, or for small groups to have a cup of coffee and connect, or learn Hebrew.

In the basement will be studio/gallery space for artists to create, collaborate, and showcase their art. Also, this would be a great space to hold larger social gatherings.

The third floor will house a live-in care taker/program manager whose role it will be to balance all of the different groups who want to use the space and ensure that the house is maintained and properly cared for in exchange for free rent.

There will be a garden dedicated to growing herbs and vegetables both for use at the house, as well as for donation.

This space will not be ‘owned’ by a particular organization or movement and will be open to all.

The space should be fairly well stocked with basics like coffee and tea, and perhaps more as per a programming budget would allow.

As communal meals, particularly Shabbat dinners, will be an important asset to the success of this endeavor, sufficient seating and place settings will be essential.

The initial investment in the space will be reasonable, given that it is likely that the vast majority of the furniture can be donated.

Weekly blog and Gcalendar entries will keep the events interactive and will open them up to collaboration and participation.

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A fresh round of violence?

Egypt has seen the writing on the wall: today they gave up on reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, the representatives of whom were supposed to meet in Cairo this week with the Egyptian government and the Arab League, having concluded that the rifts were too deep and wide to heal.

Many Arab countries are now convinced that the split between the West Bank and Gaza will be a long-term reality. And after the failures of the Mecca Agreement, the Yemini plan, and now the Egyptian effort, many residents seem to agree. One Egyptian diplomat was quoted as saying, “the war between Fatah and Hamas is likely to continue for a long time.”

A power struggle between the two parties, who are vying for control over the territories and a potential state, has led to a rise in tension over the past week as Fatah supporters living in Gaza have been forced into not marking the death of Yasser Arafat, their movement’s fallen ideological leader. In fact, a major confrontation does not seem too far away considering Abu Mazen’s positioning to keep his presidency after the January elections even though the Palestinian Authority constitution does not permit it, and Hamas’ intention to name one of its own to take Mazen’s seat.

When Israel disengaged from Gaza in the summer of 2005, the Palestinian Authority was given the chance to construct the area into what it wanted, making it the prototype of what an eventual Palestinian state might look like. Instead, the PA under Mazen wasted the chance. Two years later, when Hamas ousted Fatah and took control of Gaza, Olmert and Barak and the West pursued a strategy that aimed to turn Gaza’s population against Hamas through international isolation.

This strategy failed to recognize that Hamas was cheered in the streets upon its coup victory and then elected democratically. The priority of Hamas is to make war with Israel regardless of the damage it causes to Palestinian society, as read between the lines in its own charter. In fact, there is a train of thought among Israeli politicians that is pointless to topple Hamas because the population is Hamas, that there are no ordinary Palestinians in Gaza to win over.

Israel and Hamas accepted the Egyptian inspired six-month truce in June, though it too looks to be unraveling. Hamas has been using the break in the action to prepare for the next round of violence. On 4 November the IDF destroyed a tunnel that it believed was going to be used to kidnap soldiers. Since then Hamas has fired 120 rockets at Israel.

In response to the rocket fire Israel temporarily closed the crossing points used to deliver humanitarian goods and fuel, yet on any given day dozens of trucks carrying food, fuel, and medicine are allowed in. Hamas then ordered Gaza’s only power plant closed and brought thousands of children into the streets for a candlelight protest. The plant, however, provides just a quarter of Gaza’s electricity. Israel provides 70% and Egypt the rest, none of it interrupted. So much diesel fuel has been piped into Gaza that there is now more supply than demand.

Neither side claims to want the ceasefire to end. Yet at the same time Israel is not willing to allow an escalation of Hamas violence and armament, and simply cannot allow an Islamist government in either Gaza or the West Bank. However, ceasefires are never enough because the Palestinians treat them as political and strategic opportunities to continue their war against Israel by other means.

Given an impending violent conflict between Hamas and Fatah, and an impending violent conflict between Hamas and Israel, one has to wonder just how much support Hamas has received from Iran and Syria and Qatar that it feels comfortable fighting on both fronts, and whether Israel might be attacked along other borders. Iran’s latest missile exercise tested missiles that have the range to strike Israel. Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been under increased domestic pressure following his unpopular letter of congratulations to President-elect Obama, and with his re-election coming up quickly and the terrible state of the Iranian economy, he may be looking to implement his favorite strategy of deflecting domestic criticism with a fresh war on Israel.
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Leonard Bernstein, on 2 bottles of Scotch

1986, Harvard University, 2 AM. After completing a trip around the world with both the Israeli and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras, Leonard Bernstein agreed to speak to students given several conditions, including that there be at least 15, and that there be 2 bottles of scotch. The rest is very relevant history.

Bernstein, jet-lagged but unflagging spoke about the differences between touring with the two groups.

With the Israeli Philharmonic, previously the Palestine Philharmonic, Bernstein remarks on the constant security which accompanied him, creating an environment filled with fear.

On the second half of his tour, with the Vienna Philharmonic, the security was absent, and so was the sense of looming disaster.

He brings up interesting points about the relationships between the two, that seem particularly relevant in today's world.

If you have a few minutes, check out the full copy of the speech, complete with Jewy Rosh Hashanah and Hatikvah references.
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Building the capacity of community-based organizations to be agents of community development

I had a chance to drop by UMSL today during lunch for a round table discussion hosted by Dr. John McClusky, Director Emeritus of the Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program. The discussion centered around the redevelopment in Old North St. Louis, and was pretty amazing.

I know remarkably little about this neighborhood, save that it is just North of Downtown St. Louis, and until recently was a dwindling community.

But to see the pictures of the rehabbing work done in ONSL, and to hear about the success they are having in attracting residents and businesses, made me think.

In the game of chicken and egg, represented by population base and business development, how do you attract both?

I mean, business won't show up unless you have an economically viably population base, and that population is unlikely to move into an area that provides little by way of infrastructure or amenities.

It appears, at least in the case of ONSL, if you sell people on the vision for the community, they are willing to make the first move (much like the American people in the recent election, but I digress).

The vision in this instance is of a diverse urban village, in which people know their neighbors and have communal spaces, close to downtown, with amenities galore.

Through Historic Tax Credits, some really solid partnerships, and a core set of guiding principles, ONSL is really coming together.

Information about Old North Saint Louis can be found at www.onsl.org
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New Kid on the Blog - Revival Prose

When I was first asked to write for the St Lou Jew Blog I was unsure of exactly what I would write about and whether or not people would even want to read whatever I decided to write. As far as blogging was concerned, I guess you could say I didn’t really feel like I had The Right Stuff.

Last night, however, that all changed. While it has not been a fifteen year hiatus for me since my last blog post, it has been a while. In fact I don’t think I have written on our blog since the Summertime. In case you have not caught on by now, I attended the NKOTB concert last night. This fall the R&B/Pop quintet from the late 1980s and early 1990s is back on tour, providing us all with the lesson that If You Go Away, you had better come back with some pizzazz. It may have been one of the loudest concerts I have ever been to and the audience participation was at an all-time high. Screaming mid-30-year-old women made up the majority of the audience and I imagine the make-up of the crowd could best be described as what you would get if you paused a Hannah Montana concert, waited 20 years for the audience to age and then pressed play. Pop star crushes might be fanatical at age 12, but the ability to legally purchase and consume alcohol only intensifies the madness.

Donnie, Danny, Joey, Jordan and Jonathan were definitely Hangin’ Tough last night as they reminded us all that the Kids from Beantown were absolutely still on the block. The only real difference is the fact that they are now about 40 years old and have families. You can legitimately say that the group has New Kids of their own who are about the same age the guys were when they started performing. Donnie didn’t wait long into the show to remind the Cardinal fans in the crowd about the 2004 World Series, when the Red Sox spanked the Cards in four straight. He did, however, follow it up in his thug-life gangsta’ accent by giving us the props we deserve for coming back and winning the Series in 2006. Apparently they do have ESPN under the rock KNOTB has inhabited for the past 15 years. And for anyone wondering whether or not Joey, the youngest of the group, is still able to hit the high notes he was brought into the group to hit…he did so with flying colors. There were a couple times when I wasn’t sure if it was his singing or the women around me screaming; it could go either way.

I don’t know if NKOTB will ever again reach the star status they held leading up to the grunge era but if they continue to impress the women the way they did last night, and take it Step By Step. I suppose anything is possible. With that being said, I am really hoping that with the same hard work and dedication I can get Natasha Bedingfield, who opened for NKOTB, to Be My Girl.
Seriously though, and No More Games, I have made my blog comeback Tonight and am excited to once again have the same opportunity to entertain that I once had. It is not a question of whether or not I will write again soon; that is certain. The only question that remains is: Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time? Read More......

Supply-side Jewishness

If you check out jewishinstlouis.org, you'll see (if you can figure out how to navigate it) a plethora of organizations, entirely too many, perhaps.

There are organizations for all ages, levels of observance, interests, and usually, more than one within a particular niche.

While it is theoretically wonderful to have a community that supports such a wide range of organizations, it also leads to a battle over attendance and impact.

The Jewish Federation, to an extent, supports a zero sum game within Jewish organizations. I say this because almost all of the organizations get at least partial funding from the Federation, and for organizations to get continued or increased funding, they must continually prove their worth through attendance.

A few weeks ago, I attended an event for the Saint Louis Israel Connection, an organization which seeks to connect Jews in St. Louis with Israel.

The event was pretty cool, I got to see a good number of people there, everyone enjoyed themselves, the bar owners liked us...by all accounts a successful event.

I mean, I had a chance to actually interact one on one with some people specifically because the place wasn't packed.

Now let me be clear, it would have been great to have more people there.

That being said, St. Louis is not a big enough pool for this 'bigger is necessarily better' type of an attitude to prevail.

But it's not just St. Louis. In an article on Jewcy.com, the problem of collaboration is smacked upside the head.

Often we are so wrapped up in the mission of our individual group that we lose focus of the fact that the over-arching guiding force behind all of our organizations and groups stems from the desire to build a strong and vibrant community, something that is hard to create when we act territorial.

Not only that, you turn off participants. I don't want to be a part of a group that is so isolated that it disconnects itself from the community.

And now for your viewing pleasure, Obama's Roast of Rahm Emmanuel:



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Opportunities to Create a Community

Birthdays and Facebook add up to a lot of reconnecting with friends all over the world and one of the hardest questions to answer is always the same, "How is living in St. Louis?"

Now, we have done our fair share of complaining about St. Louis here.

From commenting on incidences of anti-Semitism, to the lack of public transportation, to the horrors of dating in the STL, we can appear pretty down on St. Louis. And let's face it, it doesn't have the young (or Jewish) populations of New York, Boston, DC, or Chicago (LA is a sprawl, not a city).

But we have tried to be proactive in finding things that interest us and that make this city come alive.

As a combination of this attitude, some luck and timing, we find ourselves in the interesting position to create a space for use by the community.

Wednesday night, a lucky few of us will sit down with Rabbi Susan Talve, of the Central Reform Congregation, to discuss what we would do with a house to turn it into a place that people want to be. The timing is rather serendipitous due to the URJ's new 'Next Dor' initiative, which is aiming to engage us young Yids.

The question really is, how do we best take advantage of this opportunity?

Whether this includes studio space for artists in the basement, study space for grad students, a few treadmills for young professionals to use during lunch or after work, the possibilities may be limitless.

So we ask you, our friends and neighbors, casual readers, and accidental stumblers to tell us, if you could be in the room with us, or if you think that a dedicated space without a dedicated commitment sounds interesting to you. . . how would you want to use the space? What possibilities to see for a project of this nature?

We will take your ideas into the meeting with us, and will do our best to represent them well, but you have to make your voice heard. Post a comment, or email us, and we'll make sure that your input gets inputted.
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Jerusalem isn't Jewish?

Jerusalem isn't Jewish, at least not according to Ahmed Qurei, the chief Palestinian peace negotiator with Israel.

In remarks during a small media briefing, which WND was at and reported here, Qurei said "Israeli occupation authorities are trying to find a so-called Jewish historical connection" between Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, "but all these attempts will fail. The [Temple Mount] is 100 percent Muslim."

This may be a fairly common sentiment among some of the less educated and more radical persons around the world, but for this belief to be held by the chief negotiator for the Palestinian, a man considered to be moderate, well. . . this would seem to pose a problem.

Let us ignore archeological findings for a moment, the Western Wall being the major one.

Imagine that Jews had no connection to Jerusalem. What would Judaism look like?

Its not enough that Jerusalem is mentioned in countless prayers, holds a central position in the imagery, culture, and shared consciousness of the Jewish people, it is simply the single most important city to Jews in the world (unless you are from New York City, in which case you simply don't know that there are Jews anywhere else in the world).

I have nothing against a Muslim claim that the city of Jerusalem is holy to Islam.

It is also holy to Christians and a score of smaller religions.

What I resent is the attempt to negate the importance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people.

This isn't about colonialism, imperialism, Orientalism, occupation, Zionism, Islamophobia or anything of that nature.

It is a simple fact that the Jewish people are connected religiously, spiritually, and historically to Jerusalem.

And while this connection doesn't necessary merit ownership of custodianship of the land, it is ridiculous to think that Qurei can be a serious negotiator.

I usually call bullshit when Israel says, "we have no one to negotiate with," but this seems like a fairly obvious speed bump in the road map to peace.



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Exhuberance: Obama is thy name

Yesterday, I received possibly the best birthday present ever, the election of Barack Obama to the office of President of the United States of America.

I witnessed John McCain, seemingly returning to his previous centrist self, give the best speech of his bid for election, which ironically came in the form of concession.

Immediately, I headed to the Chase Park Plaza for the victory celebration, and the change that was promised was more immediate than I had anticipated. On one of St. Louis' hip hop stations, the DJ was freestyling about Obama.

"WE GOT A BLACK PRESIDENT!" was the first thing we heard, followed by, "McCain didn't even break 200 (electoral college votes)."

Never have heard so much excitement about an election on a rap radio station. In fact, the only mention I've ever heard of rap and politics in the mainstream is the good old 'Buck Fush'.

We arrived at the Chase Park Plaza jumping up and down with excitement. The place was packed with all sorts of people, from students to the elderly, all shades and creeds of people, hugging each other, dancing, crying...it was as if we had just won a war and in some ways, we had.

As Obama gave his acceptance speech, it was clear, just by the feeling that swept the room, that something had fundamentally changed. Suddenly, this mishmash of peoples with very ostensibly very little in common were sharing a deep bond of hope, a sense of belonging, community, and feeling of enfranchisement as citizens, as Americans.

In a very big way, the victory of Barack Obama represents a major victory in the philosophical war between an older generation fueled by fear, and a younger generation, mobilized by hope.

Zuz mentioned that no one believed Obama would actually get college kids and African Americans to vote.

Obama succeeded in this endeavor because behind a bold message of hope, reconciliation, and pragmatism there was a disciplined organization that lived the values it embodied.

Everyone that I spoke with who canvassed or made phone calls remarked on how amazing it was to go out and meet and engage their neighbors in the political process.

There is a name for this type of organizational work, it's called community organizing. Yes, the same community organizing that Palin tried to insult.
This community organizing and community building is what set Obama apart, and has the potential to be truly transformational.

Here lies the difference between socialism and capitalism within a socially minded populace. In socialism, the populace is forced to redistribute wealth and power.
Capitalism within a socially minded populace is where people take care of their neighbors because they know their neighbors and see them as fellow citizens.

Is this not the America we so desire, in which we feel connected to our fellow citizens? Where we happily make coffee, tea, and baked goods for those waiting hours in line to vote, as Maya Escobar did on the Loop in University City. Where we congratulate each other for a truly collaborative effort in electing the first non-Caucasian leader of a majority Caucasian nation EVER.

Perhaps these symbolic victories won't bring the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 6000 points overnight. Neither will they ease up the credit market. But what if this victory inspires students to aspire to greater heights? What if those who hold ambivalence (at best) towards us begin to feel that we will deal justly with them, and hold ourselves to the standards to which we have long held them.

The significance of these symbolic victories is not lost on me.
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A Chain Reaction?

While we witnessed a dramatic shift to the left on Tuesday, we may well expect a, though less dramatic, shift to the right in Israel’s government if for no other reason than the election of Barack Obama. Israel showed a strong preference for John McCain with polls of Israeli citizens mirroring the votes of Americans in Israel, who supported McCain over Obama by a 76% to 24% margin.

Israelis worry that President Obama will engage too quickly or too deeply with Iran, empowering its leadership (how could an Iranian not vote for Ahmadinejad if America comes knocking on their door?). They fear that America will pull out of Iraq too quickly, further destabilizing the region and leaving control of Iraq to those who most hate Israel. They are apprehensive that America may reduce its aid and security partnership with Israel. They are panicked because President Obama may tie future UN support to Israel giving up more concessions to the Palestinians in negotiations. They are concerned by President Obama’s condemnation of the IAF’s attack on the Syrian reactor. And they hold all these fears because no matter how many editorials proclaim Obama a true friend of Israel, Israelis never saw proof of this statement. Conversely, they were shown his connections with Jeremiah Wright, Rash Khalidi, William Ayers, Samantha Power, Robert Malley, and Zbigniew Brzezinski, all of whom have strong anti-Israel records.

It is telling that so many Americans in Israel voted for McCain. Unlike the members of the Carter and Clinton administrations, Oslo graduates, who advise Obama, Israelis live on the front line and do not have the luxury of ignoring reality, like the daily barrage of rockets, or the obvious (obvious, that is, if you actually pay attention) use of the “ceasefire” by Hamas to build up its military. Adding to Israeli concerns was Vice President Joe Biden’s guarantee that an Obama Administration would be tested by an international crisis within its first six months. As a proven friend of Israel and a long time Senate Foreign Relations Committeeman, Israelis take him seriously.

If all this rational is not convincing enough, one only need look at Kadima’s reaction to Obama’s victory. Party leader Tzipi Livni and coalition partner Labor quickly issued a very strong statement that Likud should not be elected because its views were too different from the Obama Administration. The story here is that Kadima is worried Likud might benefit from the Israeli concern of the Obama victory.

The following day, in an effort to look strong and independent, Livni issued a statement in which she urged Obama not to talk to Iran “at this time,” warning that such dialogue would project “weakness.” Ignoring, for the moment, that she is right, she is concerned that Likud could benefit from Israeli concern that the Obama Administration will allow Israel to fester in a Middle East made more dangerous and jeopardizing by Obama’s foreign policy.

Just as Obama’s victory may push the Israeli government towards the right, his actions leading up to the February election in Israel could pull the Israeli electorate back towards Kadima. Were Obama to moderate his stance on the Middle East and the War on Terror and made demonstrable moves to ensure Israel that America will not spend $1 or 1 minute less on Israel, Israelis may see Kadima as the better partner to Obama. However, Israelis better understand than Obama that words have never made, nor kept, them safe.
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Election Day Predictions

Good morning sports fans, today is a big day. Barring another Florida scandal, my bet is that we’ll have a clear presidential election winner by midnight. A friend in Arlington, VA told me he waited in line for 70 minutes to vote this morning, and a friend here in St. Louis told me he showed up at 7 AM to a 30 minute line. I voted by mail a few weeks ago in my native Washington State with the hopes of swaying a tight gubernatorial race there. I’m predicting a relatively close popular vote and an Electoral College blowout, both for Barack Obama, but I wanted to go on record with exact numbers before the ballots were counted to see how well I could do.

Let’s talk popular vote first. Rasmussen Reports, run by Scott Rasmussen, has historically been one of the better indicators of actual Election Day results. Mr. Rasmussen has an extemporary polling machine, and two years ago (if memory serves) added the very smart Rasmussen Markets where people trade stock in candidates. These two indicators, taken in parallel, were very accurate in the 2006 Congressional races. Rasmussen has the general vote pegged at 52% for Mr. Obama and 46% for Mr. McCain. I’m going on record saying those numbers will tighten. I believe race will be a factor, although in the long-run it will help Mr. Obama more than it will hurt him as we will see astronomical black turnout that will overcome the effects of racism. Rasmussen’s poll shows 2% undecided, and I’m going to give those to Mr. McCain. My prediction: 52% Mr. Obama to 48% Mr. McCain.

Now let’s turn to the Electoral College. This is where it gets complicated, because while the popular vote will be close, this one will not. It is looking like there are 8 legitimate toss up states: Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and North Carolina. Giving Florida, NC, and Ohio to Mr. Obama and the rest to McCain, I’m predicting 336 EC votes for Mr. Obama, well past the 270 needed to win, and 202 for Mr. McCain. The only way that Mr. McCain even starts to plays is if he takes Florida, Ohio, and NC, who collectively represent 62 EC votes, and keeps the remainder of the toss ups. This, though, still leaves him 6 shy of the 270 mark with Mr. Obama at 274. In order to cover the spread, he would ideally take Colorado’s 9 electoral votes, where Mr. Obama currently has a 4 point lead. His other most realistic options are New Mexico (5 EC votes) and Iowa (7 EC votes). Winning Florida, North Caroline, Ohio, Virginia, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, and either Colorado, New Mexico, or Iowa would an Election Day miracle for the GOP this year. My prediction: 336 Mr. Obama to 202 Mr. McCain.

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Moishe House gets press in NJ

It's always nice to see success, and the Moishe House in Hoboken, New Jersey just got a bit of recognition.

An article in the Jewish Standard gave props to the Heebs holding down the Hoboken Moishe House, touching on the grassroots nature of the organization.

Probably the most illustrative part of the piece was the quote, "[Moishe House] is a place for young Jews who want to hang out who aren’t necessarily attracted to a shul environment. At the end of the day, we are all members of the tribe."

Despite how totally different Hoboken may be from STL, there are clearly some commonalities. The first is that young Jews want a place to connect with other MOTs, without the institutionalized feeling of a synagogue or JCC.

The second is that free food is a pretty good motivator. We are Jews after all.

Finally, I think that a key take away is that no matter where you are, young Jews want to be engaged but are turned off by the main-streams overtures, which seem totally out of touch.
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EPIC FAIL, the best stories from around the web

Its ok, sometimes people are busy, they don't have time for the frivolous pursuit of FAIL. Luckily, we here at the St. Lou Jew have done some of the leg work for you. Read on for FAILARITY. . .

For those who don't know, FAIL is an internet meme based on things going wrong, irony, or just plain stupidity. The 'Mission Accomplished' sign on the aircraft carrier is a perfect example of this.

Another great example comes in the form of a group of Christians who recently prayed at the Morgan Stanley Golden Bull to ask god for a return to a bull (growing) market.

Perhaps they don't know that a calf and a bull share some pretty interesting commonalities known as species. Perhaps they haven't heard of this little thing called the golden calf... or perhaps (in the case of Catholics) the line between depictions of god and idols have become somewhat obscured. In either case, there is a really interesting article about it that may have you asking for a pair of tablets just so that you can throw them to the ground. Talk about worshiping the almighty dollar!

To stay on the whole prophetic tip, comes a story from the Onion, making fun of the meteoric rise of 'Joe the Plumber' who was turned from a caricature into a living caricature by John McCain. The interesting thing about this article is that it was written 15 years ago and still has incredible relevance today.

Joe the Plumber gets the FAIL award for being unable to articulate a reason for his 15 minutes of fame or defend a single position. If these are the people McCain wants to showcase, he is probably further in the can than any of us imagined.

Finally, after reading both of those, and coming incredibly close to losing all faith in humanity, more people watched Barack Obama's 30 minutes of primetime television than watched the World Series. Granted, the WS was only on one channel, while Obama was on 7, but never-the-less, for that many people to be taking an interest in something as relevant and important as Obama, and pushing America's past-time into second place.. well, I guess that means that Obama is more American than baseball!

The only FAIL here is baseball, whose yearly salary pay outs are probably far higher that the bailout package.

/Please excuse the ADD nature of the above post, supplies of generic D-amphetamine have fallen faster than gas prices and stock portfolios.
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Between a rock and a hard place

There has always been a very close relationship between war and natural resources – from cavemen fighting over a hunt to colonialism to a whole host of conflicts since. As time has passed, many of these conflicts have gone soft – meaning non-violent confrontations via soft power, which are equally as destabilizing. We may be seeing the rumblings of another conflict of just this sort. The next American president is going to face a tough decision between two gas lines through the Caucuses: either Europe gets natural gas from Iran, or Russia gets to horde the continent’s energy supplies for a generation. Neither is a very tantalizing choice.

They may seem like to diverging conflicts: Iranian influence and nuclear weapons and Russia’s threat to European security. Iran will be an existential threat to the Israel and the stability of the world, and if Russia decides to sell its rockets and war heads or air-defense systems, or vetoes sanctions, even more so. By contrast, Russia’s threat to Europe is a slowly evolving reality: Europe ends up more beholden to Russian energy czars in a politically unhealthy way.

Europe’s energy future lies in a much talked about but thus far unrealized independent pipeline, the Nabucco (meaning “freeing the slaves”). The line would take gas from Central Asia and the Caspian via Turkey to the Balkans and Central Europe in the hopes of replicating the success of two lines that cross Georgia, which have significantly dented Russia’s grip on the east-west routes (see: the August War). Russia is trying hard to block this line. It has revived the idea of an international gas cartel with Qatar and Iran, and offered an alternative project, the South Stream pipeline (again, see: the August War). Backed by Gazprom and Italy’s ENI it already has support from Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia. This creates exactly the kind of contest that the Kremlin likes, in which European countries battle each other to get the best deal from Russia.

This only works because the EU is disorganized and flailing. European leaders publically maintain that the two lines are not competitors, which could not be further from the truth. Nabucco means relative energy independence from Russia, who has always used energy supply as a means of political leverage against Europe, while South Stream means increased Russian dominance and control over Europe’s energy supplies and costs. Complicating matters is the lack of gas independently available. Securing the Nabucco would mean huge, orchestrated diplomatic pushes from the EU and America in countries like Turkmenistan, and would require the construction of a Transcaspian gas pipeline.

Nabucco is technically easier to build than South Stream (South Stream would go through the deep, toxic, and rocky depths of the Black Sea). However, it faces legal obstacles and could be vetoed by both Russia and Iran. As Zeyno Baran of the Hudson Institute recently argued, “the fortunes of the two pipelines are inversely related.”

And here is where the next American president will find dilemma. Befriending Iran, as it appears a President Obama may attempt to do, would create problems for Russia. An Iranian bypass around the Caspian allows Turkmen gas, and Iran’s reserves for that matter, to flow to Turkey and then on to Europe via the Nabucco. But the American officials, politicians, and analysts who are concerned about Russia tend to also be skeptical about starting talks with the mullahs or even allowing Iranian gas to flow through an American-supported pipeline, for good reason (this would create another huge funding sources for terror groups – see Funding Evil: How Terrorism Is Financed – an excellent and well researched read, increase Iran’s political stock, empower current leadership by opening an Iranian commodity to a huge market, etc).

Supporting the Russian project would mean subjecting our European allies to the whims of hostile Russia, yet it would also mean a higher likelihood of receiving Russian support at the UN for sanctions and actions against Iran. Supporting the European project would mean increasing the influence of Iran in the world and demonstrating, for the first time, that America is reassessing its support of Israel. Neither a President Obama nor a President McCain is going to want to have to entertain this thought, but one of them is going to have to.
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Anti-Semitism and Harassment in St. Louis

First it was 'Hit a Jew Day', now it seems like you can't even live in a University City ghetto with out being harassed for being ultra-Orthodox

According to this story, being reported in local news, there have been about nine incidents involving slurs and one case of a family being egged.

Now, while it may be incredibly ironic to egg pro-lifers at an abortion rally, throwing eggs at the observant isn't really that ironic, or fun, or permissible.

Sure, in Israel there are occasionally bands of ultra-orthodox who consider themselves the 'modesty police' and use a little violence here and there to force their beliefs on others, but that is the Middle East, where we expect barbaric behavior, strange customs, and the triumph of faith over logic.

But right here in our back yard?

When the 'Hit a Jew Day' story broke, it focused on a school which had an extremely small number of Jews. This newest report focuses on the University City area, which is ground zero for Frum (religious) Jews in St. Louis.

An interesting question is whether these incidents are related to the recent economic distress.

There are myths abound that the whole collapse was caused by Jews lending money to poor African-Americans, or that Lehman transferred several billion dollars to Israel just before declaring bankruptcy.

Maybe people are just getting ansy. Its always to pick on Jews, especially the religious ones that you can pick out of a crowd.

Maybe I'm under-reacting, after-all, the ADL treats every incident incredibly seriously, why shouldn't I?

Or perhaps I'm just skeptical that these issues somehow represent a shift in the social fabric.

Time will tell on this one, but in the meantime, perhaps we should start up local Beitar groups. Shmirah duty anyone?


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Want to know what's going on in Israel beyond the conflict?

Israel 21c provides "Beyond the Conflict News Service"

The mainstream Israel media outlets are almost always focused on Israeli security issues, especially if you just look at the headlines. For many though, a real connection with Israel includes exposure to domestic issues, which we know receive much less coverage. Israel 21c, located at www.israel21c.net, aims to provide diaspora Jews and anyone interested in Israel with substantative coverage on business and innovation, culture, technology, democracy, and health issues affecting Israel. The website seems especially concerned with reaching the 20s and 30s age groups through a Facebook group and Youtube channel as well as providing sources for Israeli music exposure and Israeli television. Check it out.
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Hit a Jew Day Makes Borat Laugh, Y? Cry

I bruise easily, so I wasn't thrilled to hear that, in my own back yard, kids are hitting Yids.

This story first came to my attention on Google News last night during the first intermission at the Blues game (Red Wings FTW!). Today, I check everyone's favorite Israeli newspaper, Haaretz's website, and I that this story has legs.

The short summary is that, after several 'hug a friend day', 'high five a friend day', etc., a few students at Parkway West Middle School in Chesterfield decided that 'hit a Jew day' sounded like a good idea.

To the students who hit a Jew, you win an article on dickipedia.org. . .just as soon as I figure out how to create a topic.

To the students who got hit, I suggest the Jewish Defense League, or maybe one of those army programs in Israel.

To the parents and everyone going into hysterics, stop bitching and do something about it.

I was one of the very few Jewish kids in my (Cincinnati Public) elementary school. My parents made a point to come into class around some of the holidays and explain a bit about why I wouldn't be in class, and what I would be doing instead.

It is much harder to hate something you understand than something you don't.

This seems like the perfect opportunity to bring drop some knowledge.
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My parents lied to me

They told me I was 25. Nope, turns out I'm 28.

This campaign has been fraught with lies and damn lies, and finally someone has taken the time to expose the biggest of them all: age. We’ve all been told that John McCain is 74 years old but his REAL age is actually 64. Barack Obama is also younger than we’ve been told, though the difference is not 10 years. Thank G-D we have Dr. Michael Roizen and his website, www.realage.com, to expose the truth.

But this revelation is much further reaching than the campaign. You’re going along your normal day, thinking you’re 25, and then within an hour come to find out that you are really 28. That’s right, my parents lied to me, and your parents probably lied to you too. I’m 3 years older than they’ve been telling me. All those birthday cakes growing up were 3 candles short. 25 birthdays times 3 candles, on my next birthday cake I want an additional 75 candles to make up for it. I don’t even need the cake, just a piece of earth with 104 candles in it, blazing orange and yellow.

I’m going to have to get a new drivers license, change all my insurance information, and seriously, what happened to my REAL birth certificate? The bureaucratic nightmare this is going to cause. And come to think of it, when I was “16” and dating a 16 year old girl, I was really 19, and could’ve been sent to jail! I hope her parents don’t find out. I’ve almost always dated girls who are older than I, but now it turns out not so much. My friends, my world has turned upside down - it’s as if I’m looking at the Peters Projection Map.

And here I thought I had 3 more years until I was 28. It’s as if I lost 3 years, that I’m 3 years behind, because I had an idea of where I wanted to be at 28, and to find out I’ve come this far short, it’s really depressing. People have been telling me I’ve had a good life for 25, experienced a lot in those years. Now when I tell them I’m 28 they may not speak so kindly.

I’m a big boy though, I can handle it. After all, I’m 28, and knocking on 30’s door. I just became eligible for a whole other age bracket of women too, though I suppose that means leaving a younger bracket behind. Damn, I need to get serious with myself. The expectations that come with 28 are of greater weight than those of 25. You’re expected to have accomplished a fair amount in those 3 years between 25 and 28.

And think about this: according to numerous studies and reports, the populations of most of the West and China are aging significantly. If John McCain is actually 10 years younger and I'm 3 years older, and none of us are the age we think we are, this could totally throw off those studies and reports. Someone needs to get to the bottom of this, because there are serious implications on how the government portions stuff like social security and Medicare.

If you would like to experience a similar mind trip, visit the following links:

Real Age
www.realage.com

Why and how Real Age is legit:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/138621

Peters Projection Map: http://www.thesavvytraveller.com/agraphics/world_views/maps/odt/peters_475h.jpg
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Proposition M

With all of the presidential election hype, it is easy to lose sight of issues that have an immediate effect in our back yard. Prop M is one such issue.

Proposition M will cover the deficits that Metro is projected to have this and next year as a result of a reduction of federal and state funding.

PROPOSITION M - Public Transportation

Shall St. Louis County, Missouri impose, in addition to an existing County-wide sales tax of one-quarter of one percent for the same purpose, a county-wide sales tax of one-half of one percent (0.50%) which shall have a sunset date twenty years from the date on which the tax is first imposed, for the purpose of providing a source of funds for public transportation purposes, with the revenues from one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) to be used for expansion of a light rail system and revenues from the remaining one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) to be used for the maintenance and operation of existing public transit facilities?

Now, I don't live in the county, but if I did, I would probably be thinking to myself, "why should I have to pay any more taxes to pay for a mismanaged failing public transportation system that barely benefits me?"

Thank god, I don't live in the county and can clearly respond that:
A. The half cent sales tax increase means that for every $100 that you spend, fifty cents more go to the government. That's really not that much. Also, you aren't bearing all the burden, St. Louis City passed a quarter cent sales tax increase that is dependent on this tax passing in the county, so the tax burden is shared, even if it isn't an even split.
B. More people are taking the Metro than ever before, partly because of higher gas prices, partly because the buses are more reliable than ever before.
C. Metro has been independently audited and no mismanagement has been found.
D. If Prop M doesn't pass, 28 of the 60 bus routes will be cut, including all service outside of 270.

Now that those issues are settled, I want to discuss the larger implications of public transportation in this city, again.

It is clear that the cities that work do so in large part thanks to government subsidized public transportation systems that require huge initial investments.

Public transportation supports the population density necessary to attract businesses, development, and the cost-effective administration of government funds.

If you live in the county, you have the opportunity to vote for Proposition M. Please do so as an investment in the future of St. Louis as a viable metropolis.
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More on Diplomacy

An article in today’s International Herald Tribute reads, “Top U.S. and Russian Military Officers Meet.”


“The United States and Russia sent their top military officers to this neutral capital [Helsinki] for an unannounced meeting Tuesday to seek and define common ground and to try to move bilateral relations back on track, American officials said.

American officials said they anticipated that the war in Georgia would be high on the list of issues to be discussed. But other topics also have bruised bilateral relations. The recent agreements with Poland and the Czech Republic to host American missile defense sites have angered the Kremlin despite repeated statements from the United States that the modest system of radars and 10 interceptors poses no threat to the vast Russian nuclear arsenal.

"It is important that we have a dialogue with Russia and sustain a meaningful relationship," said a senior U.S. military officer.” ”

This is the right conversation to have with Russia for the moment because it addresses the short term goal of placating Russia for the time being and it helps address some long term concerns that will help smooth the way towards better bilateral relations in the future.

However, this is the nightmare scenario for Georgia and US allies following the August war between it and Russia over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which are internationally recognized territories of George, not “disputed territories” as Barack Obama characterized them in the second debate (meaning that either he agrees with Russia on the issue, doesn’t understand the issue, or doesn’t care).

To quickly recap, in the 12 months leading up to the war, Russia distributed Russian passports to the peoples of these territories and armed native militias favorable to Russia. When Georgia sent its military into the territories to confront these militias, Russia invaded under the dubious auspice of protecting its own citizens who, after all, carried Russian passports. To be clear: everything Russia did was illegal, and not the sort of action the world needs its big countries to take.

Yet here we are, two months removed, and the American military is now meeting with the Russian military to talk closer ties. From its little expedition into Georgia, Russia has succeeded in destabilizing the Georgian government and intimidating regional NATO allies. And from this, they are rewarded with closer US ties.

In the long term though this stands to create some real problems. It sends a terrible message to Russia that the US will not punish it for invading and destabilizing developing independent democracies. It sends an even more terrible message to US allies that the US will not protect them and in fact will become friendly with their aggressors. It sends a yet more terrible message to the world that America will not stick to its moral code or keep its word. And above all, this will accelerate the already-started arms race in former Soviet states that would prefer to align themselves with the West.

Meetings between America and Russia are necessary right now. But this is how difficult diplomacy is, and exemplifies its limited reach. The dearth left by diplomacy in this scenario is that it serves as absolutely no deterrent for future Russian aggression, which is one reason the US has pursued the missile defense shield that protects US and NATO allies as well as increased efforts to lobby Brussels for the inclusion of Georgia and Ukraine, which would mandate NATO response to Russian aggression. Diplomacy is not the magic wand many would have you believe.
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A Dumb Question: Joe the Plumber

From a concerned reader:

"I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes 250..270 uh 280 thousand dollars a year, your new tax plan is going to tax me more, now isn't it?"

When I heard the now famous Joe quoted on my NPR pod cast asking that question, I let forth the same series of expletives I normally reserve for Bushisms. What a stupid question! Yes, if you are making two-hundred and fifty THOUSAND dollars, you should pay more taxes then someone like me who makes on the order of 25 thousand/year. Even at the proposed higher tax percentages, you still have a s**t load of money.

Call me a socialist - and yes, I will admit to having lived on a kibbutz - but I like having community and government programs. I like schools. I like police forces. I even like roads. And I want my central governing body to govern these systems and programs that are utilized by everyone in my community / country. Furthermore, as a logical thinking citizen, I want everyone to contribute to the financing of these programs. Because, let's face it, the small town volunteer-part time fire department that works ok on limited equipment in a small rural town population 400, isn't going to cut it in St. Louis city. Jews especially should recognize the importance of supporting community structure, because the concept of community is central to our religion. Not only do we have an additional obligation as Jews to tithe 1/10 of our income towards tikun olam (Literally fixing the world), but also think about the nature of the synagogue, the structure of our holidays, and the value placed on inherently communal aspects of society such as a school or the mikvah (ritual pool). Interestingly, the money that we set aside for tithing isn't even really ours to give, but we should think about it as if we were merely the one responsible for allocating it . So if you can agree that we need these services, and we as a community benefit from the existence of these services, then you must realize that someone has got to anti-up the cash.

So why should Joe, who probably doesn't have kids in school or need medicaid, have to give more to fund these services? I'd like to invoke the Marxian statement "each according to his ability," but I have a feeling you would jump on my ironically not red behind and stop reading. So let's take a Jewish example of undue burden. A synagogue needs to pay its bills, and high holiday tickets are a key source of funding. While $100 a seat is nothing for my parents, that kind of fee would be a serious burden for me. I'm sure many of you enjoyed your free seat at services a few weeks ago - or if you didn't go, at least cost wasn't the obstacle. The same applies to our larger, more secular community. Why should a family be forced to choose between health care and food? It's not just a percentage, but an impact factor.

Now you might be saying, "I get it - I pay my taxes. I just don't want to pay MORE taxes then I already am." Wake up and smell the poverty. Look around you, not in tower grove or the central west end, but a little further east. I'm not writing to argue about wasteful government spending, but - fact - there are people in need. And as a Jew - and as a person - I am obligated to do what I can to help them.

Sadly, taxes are just one example of our nation shunning civic duty. While sitting at a conference last Friday, I overheard the gentleman sitting behind me bragging about how he made himself enough of a nuisance to be excused from jury duty. I almost punched him. He was proud of his failure to provide his peer with the most fundamental component of our judiciary system. Now this is St. Louis city, so probably the person on trial shared little of this graduate student's socio-economic, racial, or cultural background. But, I'm sorry, since when do civic duties - jury, taxes, or otherwise, stop at those boundaries? I'll get off my soap box now, but I had to say something. Particularly for a young, Jewish blog, the posts were just getting too conservative.

--Editor's note: We strive to incorporate a diverse range of opinions, and our bloggers love to hear from you. If you have a comment please comment on specific posts, as different authors tend to espouse very different viewpoints.
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Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama

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Bullies, Saber-Rattling, and the Weeks Between the Election and the Inauguration

Last night, I had the opportunity to attend a special event hosted by Renaissance Financial, at which Greg Valliere was the main attraction. Aside from describing various election and financial scenarios he raised the situation in which Israel might try to knock out nuclear sites in Iran in the period between the election and inauguration of the new president.

I took the opportunity to ask him, during Q and A, what evidence he has seen that Israel has the ability to pull this off. Given that Israel doesn't have the long range refueling equipment it would need (and the US recently refused to sell it, opting instead to place a powerful, but US controlled radar station in the Negev), the fact that targets in Iran are spread out, buried, and heavily reinforced, that they may acquire new Russian anti-aircraft systems, and that the airspace to get there would require a fly through Iraq (meaning that the US would have to be informed of and at least tacitly approve in advance), what are the real possibilities that this could happen.

His answer referenced a book, called "Rules of Engagement", that I cannot seem to find anywhere. The book was a work of fiction that detailed specifics of what an attack on Iran might look like. Apparently the book was good enough that President Bush contacted the author to get some insight into the issue.

Despite all of the saber rattling which is holding the populations of both nations hostage, I came across an interesting article about an Iranian boy who needed advanced cancer care and was eventually admitted to and is currently being treated in Israel. His father made a point to say how touched he is by the sympathies and support of the Israeli people, and also was very explicit to say that the Iranian people themselves do not hate Israel.

It is nice to see that even in the midst of such a tense situation, there are still those who treat humans as humans and have removed the politics, if only for a moment.
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