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2 SA JEWISH RREPORTEPORT CommunityNews 018 – -15 08 February June 2012 2013 Shabbat Times Feb 8/ 28 Shevat Feb 9/ 29 Shevat Is religion still Parshat Mispatim PARSHAT MISHPATIM 18:15 !9:28 Johannesburg Rabbi Yossy Goldman 18:22 20:21 Cape Town relevant today? Sydenham Highlands North Hebrew Congregation 18:15 19:22 Durban Cyberspace, outer space, inner Hymie Levy was unfazed. He gave 18:20 19:40 Bloemfontein 18:05 19:52 Port Elizabeth space. Genome maps, globalisation, a little shrug of his shoulders and partners, and even murder - are still and technology answer how and 18:15 19:41 East London going to Mars, Smart cards, smart whispered straight into the ear of the stuff of newspaper headlines what. They do not address the ques- bombs, cell phones. There’s no Her Haughtiness: “Un Mein Zayde today. So, what else is new? Yes, tion of why. Why are we here in the KASHRUT ALERT denying we live in a new age. Moishe vos poisonally present by de today we have astronauts and space first place? Why should I be nice to Science fiction has become scien- giving of de Tzen Commendments!” stations, laser beams and laptops, my neighbour? Why should my life LAY’S Salt AND Black Pepper chIps IS MIlchIK, tific fact. The question is asked: In Have the Ten Commandments but the basic issues and choices we be nobler than my pet Doberman’s? NOT pareV this new world order, with science passed their sell-by date? Are face remain identical. Once upon a Science and technology have and technology changing the way faith and doubt, murder, adultery, time the question was: Do I hit him unravelled many mysteries that The kashrut department of the Union we live, is religion still relevant? Do thievery, lying and jealousy out of with my club or slice him with my puzzled us for centuries. But they of Orthodox Synagogues advises that we still need to subscribe to an an- fashion? Notwithstanding all our sword? Today the question is: Do I have not answered a single moral Lay’s Salt and Black Pepper flavoured cient and seemingly long obsolete marvellous medical and scientific call up the nuclear submarines or question. Only Torah addresses the potato chips, has erroneously been code of laws when we are so further developments, has human nature send in the guided missiles? moral minefield. And those issues marked as parev. This product is advanced than our ancestors? itself really changed? Are not the Technology has developed in are perhaps more pressing today milchik. Simba has apologised for the This question reminds me of little very same moral issues that faced leaps and bounds. Fantasies of than ever before in history. error. old Hymie Levy of London who our ancestors still challenging our yesterday are reality today. Commu- Torah is truth and truth is eter- somehow found himself attending own generation? Whether it’s an nication, automation and globalisa- nal. Scenarios come and go. Life- Wellingtons Sweet & Sour Sauce is a cocktail party in the company ox cart or a Mercedes, road rage tion have altered our lives dramati- styles change with the geography. no longer certified kosher. There is no of aristocracy. Poor Hymie was or courteous coexistence is still a cally. But the core issues, the basic The storylines are different but the Beth Din logo on the label. completely out of place mingling choice we must make. moral dilemmas have not changed. gut level issues are all too familiar. with the lords and ladies of British Looking after aged parents is We still struggle with knowing If we ever needed religion - or in royalty and high society. not a new problem. Whether it the difference between right and our language, Torah - we need it As far as establishments are One Duchess was so irritated by was Adam and Eve or Michael and wrong, moral or immoral, ethical equally today, maybe more so. This concerned, Jozi Blue in the Kingswood this ordinary Jew’s presence that Sheryl, the grass somehow always or sneaky and not even the most week’s parsha, Mishpatim, follows Centre in Glenhazel, is not Chalav she confronted him directly. Oozing seems greener on the other side. souped-up computer on earth is directly on last week’s Ten Com- Yisrael, but has some Chalav Yisrael sarcasm, in her finest elocution, For some inexplicable reason, the able to answer those questions. mandments by fine-tuning Jewish items available on request. she let on to Hymie: “Did you know other guy’s wife, house, horse or Science and technology can do legislation with the nitty-gritty that my family traces its lineage Porsche still seem more attractive wonders for humankind. But they details of our moral code. May we Crepe & Latte in Melrose Arch is back to the very people who were and desirable than our own. can also blow us all to kingdom continue to find moral guidance no longer serving Chalav Yisrael or personally present at the signing of The very same issues dealt with come faster than Attila the Hun and clarity in the eternal truths of Mehadrin products. the Magna Carta!” in the Bible - sibling rivalry, jealous could have ever imagined. Science our holy and eternal Torah. Amen. World News in Brief Bulgaria implicates Hezbollah in SENatOrs seek TO halt US arms sales TO EGYpt WASHINGTON - Two Republican US senators are aiming to stop America’s sale terror attack on Israeli tourists of weapons to Egypt. Senators Rand Paul (Republican Kentucky) and James Inhofe (Republican BURGAS - The Bulgar- Dano Monkotovic/Flash90/JTA Oklahoma) each introduced legislation prohibiting the sale of F-16 aircraft, ian government believes tanks and other advanced weapons to Egypt, whose president, Mohamed Morsi, Hezbollah was behind comes from the historically anti-Israel Muslim Brotherhood party. the terror attack against “I think it is a blunder of the first proportion to send sophisticated weapons an Israeli tour bus that to a country that allowed a mob to attack our embassy and burn our flag.” killed five Israelis and Although Inhofe initially voted against Paul’s amendment on the grounds that it one Bulgarian last sum- is too costly for the US defence budget to ban these sales completely, he then mer in the seaside resort introduced his own bill to suspend sales until Egypt shows a commitment to a of Burgas on July 19. peaceful relationship with Israel, for securing US embassies and consulates, and for respecting minority parties, The Hill reported. At a news conference “For decades, the US has had a good relationship with Egypt, training their on Tuesday, Bulgarian troops and working together to maintain peace and stability in the region… Interior Minister Tsvetan Under Muslim Brotherhood President Morsi, this relationship has come to a halt. Tsvetanov, said that “We need to continue to support the Egyptian military, which Morsi and the investigators had found Muslim Brotherhood have currently distanced themselves from.(JNS.org) Canadian and Australian passports that belonged KerrY talks TO NetaNYAHU, MAHMOUD Abbas to two of the attackers. Bulgarian investiga- WASHINGTON - John Kerry, freshly The State Department laid out the tors had “a well-founded installed as secretary of state, spoke agenda for the two State Department assumption that they with Palestinian and Israeli leaders. officials - Rose Gottemoeller, the act- Israeli ZAKA emergency rescue team carrying a body bag with one of the victims of the belonged to the military Also over the weekend, two top ing undersecretary for arms control, terrorist attack in Burgas, Bulgaria, on July 19, 2012. State Department officials dealing and Thomas Countryman, the assis- formation of Hezbollah”, with Iran’s alleged nuclear threat tant secretary for nonproliferation. Tsvetanov said of the label Hezbollah a terror- Bulgarian government and disrupt Hezbollah’s said they would be stopping in Israel Countryman will “meet with Israeli terrorists, the New York ist organisation. for its thorough investi- terrorist activities in during overseas visits and Israel’s counterparts to discuss nonprolifera- Times reported. The US and Israel gation and urged the EU Europe. military chief of staff, Lt Gen Benny tion and international security issues “We have followed have been pressuring the to take action. Prominent Jewish Gantz, was visiting Washington. of mutual concern”, and Gottemoeller their entire activities in EU to blacklist the terror “We hope that the groups also spoke out on State Department spokesman will “consult with senior civilian and Australia and Canada, group and go after its Europeans draw the the issue. Victoria Nuland, spoke about Kerry’s military officials on pressing regional so we have information vast financial network necessary conclusions as “The EU now has the conversation with Israeli Prime Minis- security issues and expanding our about financing and their in Europe. Germany and to the true character of opportunity to show full ter Benjamin Netanyahu. enduring strategic partnership” and membership in Hezbol- France, however, have Hezbollah,” Netanyahu support for Bulgaria, “The secretary underscored his deliver remarks at a conference on lah,” Tsvetanov added. been reluctant to take ac- said. and, in doing so, to make personal commitment and that of nuclear nonproliferation. President (Barack) Obama to support The Obama administration has The evidence of tion over fears of becom- White House coun- clear that there is a high Israel’s security and to pursue a indicated that it is seeking to engage Hezbollah’s involvement ing targets and losing terterrorism adviser price to pay for murder,” lasting peace between Israelis and with Iran in direct talks aimed at end- in a terror attack on leverage in Lebanon. John Brennan, reiter- said American Jewish Palestinians.” ing that country’s suspected nuclear European soil is likely to Commenting on the ated Netanyahu’s senti- Committee Executive Kerry, who plans to visit the region weapons programme.