Monday, September 21, 2009

Weekend News Roundup

1. The Yoreh.

Israelis were treated to the "Yoreh" over Rosh Hashana, our Jewish New Year on Saturday and Sunday. The "Yoreh" are the first heavy rains of the winter season -- (the word and blessings of rain are mentioned in the Jewish "Shma" prayer, recited daily). The accumulated rainfall in just 2 days (30 to 40 millimeters fell in Northern Israel, and up to 60 mm. in the Golan Heights) surpassed the average of the entire average rainfall for the 2 months of September and October! 10 millimeters worth of rainfall fell on the Kinneret as well, though woefully low.

My daughter asked me over Rosh HaShana that if a cloud appeared over the Kineret and started to rain, how long/much would it take to fill up the Kinneret.

Assuming 10 millimeters an hour (which is generous), it would take 500 hours...so if we're really lucky and get 10 hours of rain a day, it would take 50 days.

Seems like we're off to a good start, but need a lot more. (more here at the JPost)

2. The Outstanding Thinker Targets Israel.

President Obama's "one of our most outstanding thinkers" Zbigniew Brzezinski, has urged Obama to make it clear that if the IAF tries to launch an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities via Iraqi airspace, the US Air Force will shoot down the Israeli jets.
"We are not exactly impotent little babies," Brzezinski told The Daily Beast in an interview published Sunday. "They have to fly over our airspace in Iraq. Are we just going to sit there and watch? ... We have to be serious about denying them that right. That means a denial where you aren't just saying it. If they fly over, you go up and confront them. They have the choice of turning back or not. " (JPost)
With such outstanding thinkers like that, I think the SAT's need to be recalibrated.

3. Probably the most newsworthy of all: Simpsons to Visit Israel in 2010.
The Simpsons are taking a trip to Israel in an upcoming episode of the popular animated series that will be screened in 2010, during the show's 21st season - and their tour guide is going to be none other than Sacha Baron Cohen.

The comedian behind Borat and Bruno will play an aggressive Israeli tour guide who leads the family around during their church group tour of the Holy Land, according to Entertainment Weekly magazine.

The show's executive producer Al Jean told the magazine that Cohen's character is "trying to get Marge to give him good grades on the comment card, and she goes, 'You people are pushy,' and he goes, 'What do you mean, you people? You try having Syria for a neighbor! What do you have - Canada?'"

Jean also disclosed that in the episode, titled "The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed," Homer Simpson gets Jerusalem Syndrome and believes that he is the messiah.

The episode is scheduled to coincide with Palm Sunday.

"It'll be a show that all faiths can come together and be offended by," Jean quipped. (Jpost)
WooHoo!!!


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5 comments:

Litvshe said...

I'll admit to being happy about the rain, we got a few good downpours in Beit-El. Unfortunately one happened just as we were preparing for for 2nd day lunch. I had to light the grill 3 times. The burgers and beef dogs were a big hit though.

yonah said...

My mom grew up next to the Brzezinski family in Montreal. The father was a Polish diplomat there during WWII. Aside from Zbigniew they had a daughter, Lydia, in my mom's class, and my mom was never allowed to play in their home because she was a Jew. She remembers very clearly how much that family hated Jews quite openly.

Jack Steiner said...

"Eich omrim "Doh!" b'ivrit?"

Jack Steiner said...

"Eich omrim "Doh!" b'ivrit?"

yaak said...

Marge better cover up better at the Kotel. She's liable to get kicked out - especially since she's on the men's side!

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