At least there is the music, I tell myself. Despite all of Christianity's distortions and extreme misappropriations of Jewish concepts and traditions of mashiach ("messiah) — and we know with what often murderous consequences for Jews and Judaism, there is still (some of) the music inspired by the midrash. For, yes, Virginia, the 'Story of the Birth of Jesus' is a kind of midrash — certainly composed in midrashic style, its narrative components selected from the Torah and Nevi'im.
At the age of 17, boys in Israel receive their first draft notice. A fly on the wall can hear them discussing animatedly, with their friends, the units to which they hope they will be accepted. There are units whose names conjure up extra "prestige" — like the Shayetet (Israel's Navy Seals), Duvdevan or Maglan.
But the most coveted assignment, for young men of sharpest wit and strongest body, is Sayeret Matkal — the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit. It is an elite special forces unit of the Israel Defense Forces, a commando unit that carries out the most dangerous and courageous operations, both in Israel and beyond its borders. The Entebbe rescue, in which commander Yoni Netanyahu was killed, was carried out by Sayeret Matkal. Even to be invited to what is called the "gibush" — the first intense level of screening — for Matkal, as it is called colloquially, is a badge of honor, and only a select few make it past that initial stage.
The last time the "Zoo Rabbi" came to Philly, I had a family emergency and missed Rabbi Natan Slifkin's Bible-guided tour of the Philadelphia Zoo. This time, I caught both of his shiurim on July 22 at Congregation Sons of Israel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The advantage was that he could show photos and PowerPoint graphics for two lectures titled, The Challenge of Dinosaurs and Beasts of Prey in Jewish Thought.
SuperTova.com is a Jewish dating website that began as test pilot and 100% funded by me personally. It's 100% Free, no fees ever, and will remain this way forever. Two policies that are concrete within my project (a) No Membership Fees and (b) No Donations. It was the first to emerge widespread. I've always been driven to complete all objectives/goals; and have done things in my life that were considered "impossible", so why not use my strength to strengthen our people as a whole?
In less than 12 months within an incomplete pilot website, membership has grown to over 14,000 active. Membership has spread throughout USA, Canada, Europe, Israel, South America, and Asia. Traffic rankings will show that the site is being frequently used, which means ALOT of Jews are communicating and actively using the website. It's the #2 most frequently used Jewish dating website in the World.
3 Engagements and 1 official wedding has already occurred. Hundreds of relationships have evolved, that would not have evolved otherwise.
SuperTova is now coming out of the pilot and moving into the new platform, new design, new features, and in my perspective, will be the most advanced dating website in the world. I feel that our people deserve the best. The Grand Opening of coming out of pilot should be on schedule for June 1st 2011 or prior. You can still register and communicate as the current pilot is live and active.
I just wanted to welcome Philadelphia (and the entire state of Pennsylvania) to my website. I'm doing this because connecting our people for dating and marriage means more to me than anything. My fire for the Jewish people will continue to burn, and Im just here to spread
it, at all costs, until our entire Jewish Nation is connected throughout Israel and the 4 corners of the Diaspora.
Help spread the word to friends/family and I will continue funding this project personally in order to continue our growth.
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— by Toby Klein Greenwald
