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Rabbi Yehuda Lave

Stupidity is not Courage

Courage is only courage when it is connected to wisdom. It is immature to risk one's life or health for fun or thrills. Not only is this immature, it is dumb. The Sages ask: "Who is a wise person? One who foresees the outcome." (Talmud - Tamid 32a)

Driving a car at speeds high above the speed limit because one enjoys the feeling, is stupid. Climbing in dangerous places when one doesn't have a valid need isn't courage, but foolhardy. Walking in dangerous places just to prove to others that one is brave is reckless.

Life is too precious to waste it with illusory courage.

Love Yehuda Lave

Following a successful diet, many people are discouraged to find their weight rebounding and scientists are figuring out why.

Source of 'yo yo' obesity revealed by Weizmann Institute

Microbes in the gut are involved in "yo-yo" obesity in which dieters manage

HEALTH & SCIENCE

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH \

11/27/2016 05:06

Source of 'yo yo' obesity revealed by Weizmann Institute researchers

Following a successful diet, many people are discouraged to find their weight rebounding and scientists are figuring out why.

Microbes in the gut are involved in "yo-yo" obesity in which dieters manage to lose weight that easily returns, according to a lab study by Weizmann Institute of Science researchers.

The research on mice, published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature, may in the future help dieters keep the weight off, according to Dr. Eran Elinav of the immunology department and Prof.

Eran Segal of the computer science and applied mathematics department.

Following a successful diet, many people are discouraged to find their weight rebounding – an all-too-common phenomenon termed "recurrent" or "yo-yo" obesity. Even worse is that the vast majority of recurrently obese individuals not only rebound to their pre-dieting weight but also gain more weight with each dieting cycle.

During each round of dieting and weight-regain, their proportion of body fat increases, and so does the risk of developing the manifestations of metabolic syndrome, including adult-onset diabetes, fatty liver and other obesity-related diseases.

Researchers at the Rehovot institute showed that intestinal microbes – collectively termed the gut microbiome – play an unexpectedly important role in exacerbated post-dieting weight gain and that this common phenomenon may in the future be prevented or treated by altering the composition or function of the microbiome.

The researchers found that after a cycle of gaining and losing weight, all the mice's body systems fully reverted to normal – except the microbiome, which remained abnormal for about six months after losing weight.

"We've shown in obese mice that following successful dieting and weight loss, the microbiome retains a 'memory' of previous obesity," said Elinav. "This persistent microbiome accelerated the regaining of weight when the mice were put back on a high-calorie diet or ate regular food in excessive amounts."

The study was led by doctoral student Christoph Thaiss, working in Elinav's lab, who collaborated with master's degree student Shlomik Itav, doctoral student Daphna Rothschild of Segal's lab, as well as with other scientists from Weizmann and elsewhere.

Recurrent obesity is an epidemic of massive proportions, in every meaning of the word, Elinav said.

"Obesity affects nearly half of the world's adult population, and predisposes people to common life-risking complications such as adult-onset diabetes and heart disease," he said. "If the results of our mouse studies are found to be applicable to humans, they may help diagnose and treat recurrent obesity, and this, in turn, may help alleviate the obesity epidemic."

Introducing Mike Pence: Israel's Best Friend
by

Jerrold L. Sobel

This may come as a shock to some people but politicians often say things just to get elected and forget what was said once they do. This past week, riding in on what portends to be the greatest pro-Israel administration since the inception of the Jewish state, President elect Donald Trump and his Vice President to be Mike Pence will assume the reigns of power on January 20, 2017.

In choosing Pence as his running mate this past July, Trump wasn't looking for a carbon copy of himself but a calm, establishment conservative well versed in the ways of Washington and a voice of reason to offset his own brashness. His faith in these qualities was exhibited this past Friday when he chose the Vice President-elect to head their transition team, abruptly replacing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Joining him in this luminous position is a team of unprecedented pro Israel/Jewish advocates which for starters include:

Jason D. Greenblatt- Trump chief lawyer, close friend and orthodox Jew.

Rudy Giuliani- Long time influential friend of Israel, welcomed guest in Jerusalem's corridors of power.

David Friedman- Speculated as possible Ambassador to Israel under the new Administration, Friedman has an impeccable pro-Israel stance

Steven Mnuchkin- Served as Trump's campaign finance chairman and mentioned as possible Secretary of the Treasury. His father, Robert is a renowned Jewish philanthropist.

Jared Kushner- Orthodox Jewish Son-in-law of the President elect and close confidant has been described as "de facto campaign manager," and was reportedly highly influential in the billionaire's selection of Mike Pence as running mate.

Richard Grenell- On a short List of candidates for U.N. Ambassador. Arthur Schwartz a strategist for pro-Israel groups stated: "Ric Grenell has proven to be stridently pro Israel."

However none of these refreshingly pro-Israel supporters have an actual congressional voting record, as does Mike Pence. Long before dreaming of one day serving as our 48th Vice President, Pence has had an impeccable record of ardent support for the Jewish state.

As far back the 104th Congress (2003-2004) he sponsored House Bill, H.Con.Res371. The bill supports the construction by Israel of a security fence to prevent Palestinian terrorist attacks and condemning the decision by the United Nations General Assembly to request the International Court of Justice render an opinion on the legality of the security fence. The bill was in response to what then was the latest anti-Israel denigration by the World body:

The United Nations General Assembly, ruled ''The construction of the wall being built by Israel, the occupying power in the occupied Palestinian territory, including in and around east Jerusalem and its associated regime, is contrary to international law.'' Having unfettered access to Israel, the carnage inflicted upon Jewish civilians by Palestinian terrorists unfortunately held no sway with the U.N.

In support of his bill Pence spoke before the House and 164 bi-partisan but mainly Republican supporters on July 9, 2004. and stated in part:

"With this extraordinarily biased decision, the International Court of Justice has become an international disgrace. This outrageous ruling confirms what many of us have feared, that opponents of Israel have overtaken the judicial process at the U.N.'s highest judicial court and have begun to use it for political aims on the world stage."

During the 111th Congress (2009-2011), he was among 33 co-sponsors of H.Res 1734: Reaffirming Congressional opposition to the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state; a decision not loved by all. The Arab American Institute had compiled a Scorecard to catalogue the voting record of the 112th Congress (January 3, 2011-January 3, 2013) on issues of importance to the Arab American community. Pence was roundly disparaged for the following:

Supporting the Jerusalem Embassy Act.

Withholding US contributions until the UN retracts accusations of Israeli war crimes.

Opposing any unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state.

prohibiting any US government document from referring to "Palestine."

De-funding the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.

If they didn't love him on those issues it's doubtful they did after he signed the Hoyer-Cantor Letter to then Secretary Clinton in 2010. It was written to counter an Obama onslaught against Israel for what then was another failed peace initiative. It read in part:

"We are writing to reaffirm our commitment to the unbreakable bond that exists between our country and the State of Israel and to express to you our deep concern over recent tension. In every important relationship, there will be occasional misunderstandings and conflicts. But our valuable bilateral relationship with Israel needs and deserves constant reinforcement."

This past October Pence stressed both his and the President elect's support for the Jewish State by echoing Trump's vow to: "make America and Israel safe again" and said his administration would "stand side-by-side with the Jewish people." Speaking of side by side, in a video prepared for the Israeli public, Pence had this to say:

"Israel is not just our strongest ally in the region. As I've said for so many years, Israel is our most cherished ally in the world." He went on: "Donald Trump and I stand with Israel because Israel's fight is our fight. Israel's cause is our cause. And Israel's fate is our fate." (see this short 3 minute video).

Well respected on both sides of the aisle throughout his tenure in the House of Representatives from 2001-13, he was a ranking member of the influential House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he advocated for robust military aid for Israel

In 2012 Pence left the House of Representatives to be Governor of Indiana, but never wavered in his steady support of Israel. He visited the Jewish state in late 2014 and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the trip David Brog, a member of the board of directors at Christians United for Israel, praised the Indiana governor as one of the Jewish state's "most steadfast supporters."

No doubt, for a myriad of reasons the the 100 days following inauguration will see ups and downs as the new Administration fights for its footing. But for proponents of Israel and Jewish concerns 8 years of political Winter has finally ended. The Trump Administration is replete with many friends of Israel, but none greater than Mike Pence.