Courage to Refuse nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize

Wow. Courage to Refuse and its founder David Zonshein were nominated for a 2004 Nobel Peace Prize!

As their website tells it,
he movement and its founder were recommended to the prize committee by two Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Captain (reserve) Zonesheine, chairman and founder of the movement: "Our nomination is a victory of Jewish Values and a triumph of the Spirit of Democracy."

 "The movement's nomination for such an honorable prize is a decoration for state of Israel. We are all part of a none compromising struggle for Israel's security and the safety of its citizens, yet at the same time we vow to prevent the loss of innocent lives, to guard human rights and dignity of all those affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We will continue to protect the state of Israel, but refuse to fight beyond the 1967 borders, in the occupied territories" says Arik Diamant, the Director of Courage to Refuse. "Today the settlers of the extreme right threaten to violently resist the evacuation of the settlements. Our nomination marks the line that separates refusal to participate in illegal actions that contradict Jewish values and international law, from the refusal of those who seek to continue the occupation of another people".

Courage to Refuse was founded in January 2002 and prides today over 600..." keep reading.

Congratulations!

Torah Commentary for this Week - Sukkot

This shabbat is chol ha-moed (the intermediate days of ) sukkot. Rav Kook, has a brief and beautiful commentary on the fragility of a sukkah and the fragility of peace. (He also links this comment to the daily evening hashkiveinu prayer.)

His comment begins,
The Sabbath evening prayers use an unusual metaphor for peace: "Spread over us the 'sukka' of Your peace".
Why refer to a sukka - a makeshift booth - of peace? Would it not be better to have a secure fortress of peace?

Read the rest here

Moadim L'simchah (may your sukkot celebration be joyful!)!

Shanah Tovah

May 5765 be a year of health, happiness, success, growth and Torah for you and yours.

A hero

Yanis Kanidis, a janitor at the school which was attacked in Russia, gave his life for those of the children. Please go to this translation of the story in the Hebrew press and read about his heroism. He is an example of dedication, care and sacrifice.

UPDATE As Allison herself posted, there is now some dispute as to what actually occurred. I would post the newspaper entry contradicting the orignal story, but it is apparently no longer online.

Whatever this man did exactly, the tragedy of terrorism touches all who are effected and in many ways, all those inside, all those who were forced into trying to live moment by moment during such a crisis are heroes.

Thanks to the comment by Avital alerting me to the controversy.

Condolences to the people of Russia

My heart breaks for all in Russia, especially the residents of Beslau. Reading accounts and seeing picutres of the human devestation and the lives which are forever changed has given me much pause this Shabbat. Let's all please keep them (and all who suffer from terror) in our thoughts, prayers and hearts. Perhpas through remaining connected with the pain in the world, rather than ignoring it, we can learn more about what might lead to such horrors and be able to do our individual and communal tasks to change the world and prevent this in the future.

(In case you need a link to the events in Russia, try this New York Times article.)