Teaching Our Children To Be Good Jews

 

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Teaching Our Children To Be Good Jews."

What happened to genuine faith in G-d, belief in the holy Torah, our duty to abide by the 613 commandments, and generally doing right in this world by our fellow man and before G-d Almighty? Maybe I’m being too literal here but being a “good Jew” has got to mean something important. We are keeping alive the tradition of our parents, grandparents and great grandparents, spanning back thousands of years to our Forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to G-d delivering us from Egyptian servitude, and His giving to us the Torah on Mount Sinai, and to His bringing us to Israel, the Land of Milk and Honey, and keeping us from being wiped away by one great empire after another. Being a Jew means being part of an important important and yes, “chosen” for a special mission of being a “light unto the nations” and that means action on our part: thinking, saying, and doing what’s right all the time!

We are tested daily to do what’s right, even when it’s not convenient, easy, enjoyable, or popular. What is a Jew? We need to really ask ourselves that question. It’s not trivial and neither should the answer be. Our lives in this world and the next are depending on how we live up to the high bar that is set for us each and every day of our lives that Hashem mercifully grants to us.

(Photo: My dear parents Fred and Gerda Blumenthal at my Bar Mitzvah)

Teaching Our Children To Be Good Jews

Stairs Without Legs

I don't think you can easily walk up stairs without legs. 

Maybe these ladies should take the escalator!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Stairs Without Legs

Puff The Magic Dragon

Puff the magic dragon.

He looks like he had too many puffs.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Puff The Magic Dragon

Shalom Aleichem

(Credit Video: Andy Blumenthal)

Shalom Aleichem

Wheels of Fortune

These wheels are so beautiful.

Especially together as a series. 

Blue, green, Red. 

Cycle of life. 

To everything: Turn, turn, turn.  ;-)

Wheels of Fortune

Ready for Takeoff

 

Lego Airplane. 

Flying the friendly skies!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Ready for Takeoff

Putin’s Ukrainian Hogwash

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Putin's Ukrainian Hogwash."

“Talk less and do more.” Unfortunately, Putin apparently didn’t learn this lesson as a child and is now, as they say, having to learn it the hard way later in life. He and his henchmen signaled to the world how they would bring Ukraine to its knees, surround and capture the capital, Kyiv, overthrow the leadership and install a pro-Kremlin puppet, and demilitarize the country. However, Putin spoke very big, but after a whole month of fighting now, things haven’t turned out the way Putin had counted on. With Russian casualties, wounded, captured, and missing now estimated at up to 40,000, and with the Russian forces on the retreat, no one in their right minds could’ve imagined such a modern David and Goliath scenario playing out with Ukraine as the David. 

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Putin’s Ukrainian Hogwash

Nice Wheels and Rims

Not an overly impressive car.

But the oversize wheels and good-looking rims are quite fine!

What's more important the car or the tires?  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Nice Wheels and Rims

Tie Dye Rainbow Bags

So this is the inside of the suitcase.

It's filled with rainbow tie dye bags.

The outside of the suitcase is also rainbow tie dye pattern. 

So the inside and the outside matches. 

Someone loves colorful tie dye everything.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Tie Dye Rainbow Bags

Presenting Chicken Schnitzel

Wow, look at that chicken schnitzel. 

Right out of the frying pan. 

That is hot and so oh good to eat!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Presenting Chicken Schnitzel

Boy in Tree

Boy in tree. 

Parents looking on. 

"Come down please before you get hurt!"  

Every parent worries. ;-)

(Credit Photo: Michelle Blumenthal)

Boy in Tree

This Is The Way We Make Our Hummus

(Credit Video: Andy Blumenthal)

This Is The Way We Make Our Hummus

Russia’s Aggression Proves Iran Must Be Stopped

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Russia's Aggression Proves Iran Must Be Stopped."
 
As countries, responsible and rogue, pursue ever increasing and deadlier nuclear weapons (as well as deadly biological and chemical weapons), the chances grow for a unilateral bilateral, or multilateral exchange to take place. Whether from a brutal tyrant wanting to grow their base of corrupt power to a rampaging megalomaniac bent of world domination, a paranoid schizophrenic leader who feels that his “back is up against the wall,” or a radical theocratic crackhead convinced that G-d is on their side and wants them to kill all the infidels, we are inching ever closer to the day when nukes or other weapons of mass destruction will be out of the silo, port container, or suitcase. 

It is time to finally and fully acknowledge the growing threat especially from Iran and take the necessary preemptive action to stop them before they follow Russia’s dangerous playbook to even greater global malice and consequence. 

(Credit Photo: blueforce4116, https://www.flickr.com/photos/blueforce4116/1393622639/in/photolist-389)

Russia’s Aggression Proves Iran Must Be Stopped

Delicious Purim Seudah

Purim Seudah last evening. 

Because I don't eat gluten, my son-in-law made me eggs as the bun for the burgers!

Healthy, good-looking, and delicious eating. 

Also, had some tasty spicy mayo to top it off. 

Thank you for the beautiful, festive holiday meal.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Delicious Purim Seudah

Megillah Time @Aish

 

(Credit Photos: Andy Blumenthal)

Megillah Time @Aish

Beautiful Purim Butterfly

Butterfly.

Spreading its wings. 

Flying gently.

Colorful. 

Healing. 

Happy. 

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Beautiful Purim Butterfly

Fashion 2022

No hair. (I'd like to keep mine if possible, thank you!)

Lots of beads. 

Bright colors. 

An end to Covid blues. ;-)

(Credit Photos: Andy Blumenthal)

Fashion 2022

Read, Read, Read

The joys of learning.

Sitting and reading.

Mental calisthenics.

It takes discipline. 

Got to work those neurons!  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Michelle Blumenthal)

Read, Read, Read

Is This The Coming of Gog and Magog?

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Is This The Coming of Gog and Magog?"

When it comes to Russia's real world military fighting doctrine, no one and nothing is safe until their objectives are met, even if that means World War III, as Russia's foreign minister has stated. Russia is already formidable and the largest country in the world with 11% of the world's landmass, and that is almost double that of the next largest country. Further, with a solidifying partnership of superpower countries Russia-China, coupled with alliances with authoritarian regimes of Iran and North Korea, an extremely dangerous Axis of Evil is developing that may soon threaten global stability and peace. Many are starting to question whether we are now entering the times of Gog and Magog, the devastating "end of times" war as prophesied in Ezekiel (38-39) before the coming of the Messiah and the Third Temple. Indeed, the term "Rosh" as in Gog's Chief Prince has been compared to "Rus" for Russia or I would say to "Rasha" (wicked, evil one). Further, Russia is coming directly from "the far north" of Israel, and Iran is compared to "Persia" in the war of Gog and Magog. Strangely enough, the timing is coming now, the week of Purim, with the U.S. desiring to finalize the end of sanctions on Iran and rejoin the grossly ineffective Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) paving the way for Iran and their radical mullahs to go nuclear in the future.

(Source Photo: MFA of Ukraine, https://twitter.com/MFA_Ukraine/status/1501810212755451905/photo/2)

Is This The Coming of Gog and Magog?

Who Wants to Clean That Pot

This is just one of the reasons I don't like cooking. 

Who wants to clean that pot?  :-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Who Wants to Clean That Pot