Get to Heaven Keep the Seven

Everybody wants spirituality. To be a good person means to walk in G-d's ways. How does that translate to reality? The only guidebook to spirituality that has stood the test of time is the Hebrew Bible. The Bible says that the Jews will be a light onto the nations. But if you are not a born Jew, you have to convert, which is not so easy!! If you do convert, it is a lot of work to be a Jew (three times a day prayer, keeping kosher, observing the Sabbath).

This blog will show you how to be Jewish without the work!!

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

How to retire to Israel BY RENEE GHERT-ZAND and Burger Market one of the Burger Joints in Jerusalem and my trip to Tel Aviv for Bodega Hamburgers, the kosher bacon Cheeseburger and our Tel Aviv Ramblings and Is there Truth in Court Cases or only emotion? and Purim is here: Tibi said no attakcks on Gaza and Republican Jewish Coalition Victory Fund: Voting for Sanders would be insane

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Yehuda Lave, Spiritual Advisor and Counselor

Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works  with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money,  and spiritual engagement

Love Yehuda Lave

Now that we are approaching Spring, being the 2nd day of Adar (Purim and Passover are approaching soon), I have done a little review of a couple of Hamburger places I tried in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. You don't have to go to Tel Aviv for a burger. We have several great places here. You have to remember, however, that price is part of the equation when going to a restaurant.

It is an art to make good food, no matter the price. However, if one makes good healthy tasty food and the price is 1/2 of what your neighbor charges, that has to factor largely in your decision of what you should eat. Eating is a very temporary pleasure, but the old saw that says, a moment on the lips, but forever on the hips is certainly true.

There are a lot of great places to eat in Jerusalem, but many are pricey. New Deli, that I have been going to for years, gives a great tasty product at about 1/2 of the price that these fancy hamburger and kosher bacon sandwiches offer. Crave is also a tremendous experience for food, but again pricey for a sandwich. If money is no object, have fun with the experience, but if you like me belive that part of the valuation is the price, take a look before you buy.

 

 

On the Origins of "They Tried to Bury Us, They Didn't Know We Were Seeds"

 

After the Families Belong Together protests this past weekend, we talk to Greek media scholar Alexandra Boutopoulou on the widely used phrase, "They tried to bury us, they didn't know we were seeds," and its poetic origins.

"One out of 516 people in the world are Jews. For some reason you were created a Jew. Nothing just happens by accident. This is what you are." - Gutman Locks

Purim is Here, Tibi admits no attacks on Gaza if he is the Government and Republican Jewish Coalition Victory Fund: Voting for Sanders would be insane

When I opened the Jerusalem Post yesterday, I knew Purim had come. It was no Bibi stating the obvious, but Tibi from the Arab league. If he joins Ganz in the government, he would not allow attacks on Gaza.

It doesn't matter how many rockets they shoot at us, when you let the fox into the chicken coop, he rules.

Please realize the danger we are under with an Arab league who wants to destroy us in the government and vote for BiBi.

Things are also Purim  like in America:

RJC's victory fund will run the ad during tomorrow's Democratic debate in key swing states such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Arizona. "This is part of a $10 million effort being undertaken to target Jewish voters in the upcoming election," the fund said in a statement.The ad opens with the words "How bad would Bernie Sanders be for Israel?" then features past statements by Sanders which are critical of Israel.

Among the statements are: "Israel should be condemned," "our policy cannot just be pro-Israel, pro-Israel, pro-Israel," and "if you want military aid, you're going to have to fundamentally change your relationship with the people of Gaza." The ad also quotes Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who said: "Bernie Sanders makes me feel less insane."The Jewish community faces the very real risk that we could end up trading the most pro-Israel president in history for the first enemy-of-Israel president in history," RJC Victory Fund CEO Matt Brooks said in a statement. "The stakes for the Jewish community and the nation with Bernie Sanders as president could not be higher."

Is there Truth in Court cases or only emotions?

The standard model of legal education treats law as a science, legal reasoning as a purely deductive process and emotion as the enemy of reason.

Emotions are individual, arbitrary, unanalyzable, and ultimately a threat to the proper functioning of the legal system. They are, in the words of one prominent legal scholar, "inconsistent with the very norms that govern and legitimate the judicial power"

This attitude is still pervasive in law. The current Federal Rules of Evidence, for example, declare that evidence should not be admitted at trial if it encourages the jury to decide on an improper basis, "commonly…an emotional one" (Federal Rule of Evidence 403).

This attitude is at odds with the growing consensus in other disciplines that emotions are deeply intertwined with the reasoning process

Until recently, legal scholars and jurists have taken the attitude that knowledge from other disciplines is irrelevant to the law—that the legal system is and should be a self-contained system.

This attitude has helped perpetuate the legal system's antiquated attitude toward emotion despite all evidence contradicting its accuracy; a state of affairs that is deeply problematic. When legal rules or decisions are based on unsupported or mistaken notions of how people behave, justice may be compromised.

The traditional assumption that those trained in the law should not traffic in emotion has led to large gaps in our knowledge about a whole range of legal actors, including prosecutors, defense attorneys, and legislators. Although jurors are often studied, these studies rarely focus on their emotions, and even more rarely on their emotions as a collective body.

The emotions of judges receive even less attention, in large part because judges, unlike jurors, are viewed as emotionless practitioners of pure reason. The belief that emotion plays no good role in reasoning has also had a powerful, and often pernicious, the effect on the education of law students.

Working with the law, in general, raises a host of other emotional issues. For example, client relationships may raise issues of loyalty, empathy, anger, frustration, and sadness.

Capital defense attorneys must address their clients' hopes and fears and establish a trust under difficult circumstances; they must also deal with their own emotions when a client is sentenced to death or executed.

These are just a few of the emotions evoked by lawyering, and yet law school and the legal profession, for the most part, proceed on the assumption that the tools of the trade are purely cognitive.

Law and Emotions show that the law should not rely on untested or inaccurate assumptions about how emotions work, but should make choices, and design institutions, in light of the best available knowledge. There is a threefold problem.

First, to identify and illuminate the assumptions about emotion that pervade the legal system. Second, to evaluate whether these assumptions are accurate in light of the available knowledge about how emotions work. And third, where legal practice is based on erroneous assumptions, to determine what steps the legal system ought to take in light of the disconnect.

 

 

Burger Market one of the Burger Joints in Jerusalem

With all the burger hype in Jerusalem these days, it's hard to believe that most Jerusalemites can remember the days when you had to go to Tel Aviv if you wanted a mouth-watering juicy burger cooked to order with your favorite toppings.

Burger Market has legitimately taken the city by storm since it opened up in the trendy Mahane Yehuda Market and quickly become the joint of choice among the city's kosher burger aficionados.

With thick, juicy patties, a vast choice of toppings from portobello mushrooms to foie gras, your choice of classic fries or thin and crispy sweet potato fries and a lunch deal that will have your head spinning — it's easy to see why this is the hottest burger joint in town.

Head over during lunch hour and get a burger, choice of fries and a beer for just 49 NIS (toppings not included), and you definitely won't have any regrets about your day.

Where: 3 Haarmonim St., Jerusalem

You can also visit the new branch of the Burger Market located even closer to the City Center. For more details >>

  • 072-3290701

Memphis

Another hot spot in Mahane Yehuda Market area – Memphis. It belongs to Uri Melamed who traveled the world, experienced the finest meats, and finally decided to create a place that will serve delicious, juicy, and perfect hamburger that is also kosher. The menu was hand-picked by Melamed in cooperation with the chef Amir Ilan and the butcher George Abdu.
These three enthusiasts put the cutlet in the center of attention. Together they tasted, checked and compared, mixed and grilled until they found the perfect recipe that is a combination of four chunks, 100% prime beef.

The result of this hard work is no less than perfect. You can devour it with some hot fries or crisp onion rings on the side. If that won't satisfy you completely, you can add mushrooms, an egg, or even an entrecote steak. Also, all this sinfulness can be washed down with various soft-drinks or a chilled beer.

Address: Agripas Str. 68.

Tel Aviv Hamburgers One of Two

Tel Aviv Hamburgers Two of Two Jan 29 2020

The lovers go to Tel Aviv on Jan 29, 2019, the day of the Deal of the century. We see the art exhibit at the Czech Embassy and have a double cheese bacon kosher burger at Bodega next to the Cinimatech

All Hamburger joints in Jerusalem

https://www.itraveljerusalem.com/rst/?rst-type=burger

It is not all of them, and it includes the non kosher place on the list. There is no gurantee for Kosher, even in Jerusalem unless you check

Bodega Hamburgers, the kosher bacon Cheeseburger

Watch: Kosher "Bacon Cheeseburger" in the middle of Tel Aviv

Sitting right across from the Cinematheque, Bodega is Tel Aviv's newest, American-style burger joint.

That's where Todd Aarons and James Oppenheim serve kosher Philly Cheese Steaks and B.L.T.s, and everything is certifiably, mouth-wateringly delicious.

Todd Aarons grew up in LA and has been a professional chef for over 20 years. He has worked in kitchens in Italy, NYC, San Francisco, LA, and Israel, and was founding executive chef of Tierra Sur in Oxnard, CA. James Oppenheim has been working in high tech for over 20 years before entering the food business.

We are super excited to host Todd Aarons and James Oppenheim on the podcast today.

In 2019, some 500 of 3,500 immigrants to Israel from North America were retirees. (Jonny Finkel Photography)

How to retire to Israel BY RENEE GHERT-ZAND

JERUSALEM – For a growing number of Jews in the Diaspora, turning retirement dreams into reality also means realizing a lifelong dream of living in Israel.

Over the past decade, more than 6,000 Jews from North America and Britain have retired to Israel. In 2019, some 500 of 3,500 immigrants to Israel from North America were retirees. For some of these new "olim" it was the culmination of a lifelong Zionist dream. For others it was a practical move to be closer to children and grandchildren, or to enjoy their golden years in a warmer climate.

Regardless of motivation, the key to a successful retirement in Israel is careful advance planning, as well as an open attitude toward the challenges of entering a new stage of life in a new country.

"We have an amazing life here and are very happy, generally speaking," said Sydney Faber, who retired to Jerusalem from London with his wife, Rose, 11 years ago. The couple have two children in Israel and two others living in New Jersey.

The Fabers credit their contentment in large part to their having made good decisions about important elements like housing, learning Hebrew and becoming involved in their community. Those choices, they said, made all the difference in building a happy retirement 2,000 miles away from where they had lived most of their lives.

While retiring to Israel may seem like a bigger step than retiring to Florida, many of the same considerations come into play. Here are some of the main issues to consider.

Financial planning

"Retiree olim need to think about how their lifestyle will or will not translate to Israel," said Marc Rosenberg, vice president of Diaspora Partnerships at Nefesh B'Nefesh, the organization that assists with immigration to Israel from North America and the United Kingdom.

Rosenberg advises retirees to be realistic about the kind of life they'll be able to afford in Israel on passive income like pensions, Social Security and investments. (A sample budget on Nefesh B'Nefesh's website can help retirees figure out their likely monthly costs.) For those with children or parents living outside Israel, retirees should remember to plan for the costs of flying back and forth to see them.

These days, many retiree immigrants split their time between Israel and their countries of origin in "snowbird" fashion, allowing for all kinds of creative financial arrangements. Prospective immigrants should seek the advice of an Israeli accountant who specializes in U.S. taxes about the implications of dual citizenship and dual residency. A financial adviser can help with financial planning and offer guidance for living within a budget.

Health care

Israel has universal health care. Retirees must pay into its National Insurance system, but the sum is minor compared to what most Americans are used to paying for insurance premiums and copays.

All Israelis must join one of Israel's four HMOs, known as "kupot holim," in order to receive medical services. While membership is covered by one's National Insurance payments, the kupot offer optional higher levels of coverage for relatively modest additional fees. Many retirees also choose to buy supplemental private health insurance, which covers drugs not included in the medications made available by the Health Ministry as well as private surgeries, transplants performed abroad and other benefits.

Dorraine Gilbert Weiss, who moved to Jerusalem from Los Angeles with her husband, Barry, recently underwent chemotherapy for breast cancer at Hadassah Medical Center.

"I couldn't have asked for better or more personalized care," Weiss said.

In addition to hospitals, Israel also a network of urgent care clinics in most cities, many of which are open 24/7.

Norman and Doris Levitz made aliyah in their 90s, moving from the United States to Jerusalem in 2018. (Tomer Malichi)

Housing

Choosing your new home wisely is a key component of successful aliyah. Experts advise new immigrants to rent for at least a year or two before buying, mainly to make sure they choose the right location.

Many retirees automatically assume they will want to be near their children, but some find that living in suburban communities geared toward young families is not the right fit.

"They realize that living in Israel is different than visiting," Rosenberg said. "When you are here for 10 days over a holiday, the grandchildren will be off from school and have lots of time for the grandparents. It's a different story when they are in their usual routines."

Older olim tend to gravitate toward cities with large "Anglo" communities and a plethora of social and cultural opportunities for English-speaking retirees, such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Raanana and Netanya. Many haredi Orthodox immigrants favor Beit Shemesh.

Housing will comprise the largest chunk of a retiree's monthly budget. As with real estate anywhere, location determines price. Those moving from low-cost U.S. locales to expensive cities like Jerusalem might have to downsize homes or number of cars. It's generally cheaper to rent in Israel than in the United States but more expensive to buy.

Those seeking to move into a senior residence or assisted-living facility will find many options throughout the country offering accommodations, amenities and services comparable to North American standards.

A common question retirees have is whether to sell the U.S. residence they are leaving behind or rent it. That's less an immigration question than a financial one best addressed to a financial planner.

Transportation

The upside of transportation in Israel is that the public transit system is very inexpensive and well developed. Buses inside and between cities run frequently, reliably and inexpensively, and seniors pay half fare. The train network is growing, including new high-speed rail service between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv that has reduced travel time to 32 minutes. Taxis also are relatively inexpensive and can be summoned like an Uber using the Gett mobile phone app.

The downside is that private transportation is expensive: Owning and maintaining a car costs roughly double what it is in the States.

"If you can do without a car, you should try it," said Hezy BenTzur, founder and owner of the iAnglo Auto Association, which assists English speakers in Israel with the leasing, importing and purchasing of new and used cars. "Retirees don't have the burden of having to commute for work, so I would recommend not taking the expense on if you don't have to. It's more cost effective to occasionally rent a car."

Another thing to keep in mind is that cars are generally smaller in Israel, and that the Israeli car market includes makes and models unfamiliar to Americans. Best to do your research and choose appropriately.

Recreation, volunteering and learning Hebrew

There's no end to the opportunities for retirees to get involved in their communities. Local community centers offer cultural events, educational classes and fitness activities for free or at a low cost for seniors. There are also private sports and country clubs, and golfing is available near Caesarea.

Some community theater companies put on English-language productions, and many plays and operas performed at major arts venues like the Charles Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv and The Jerusalem Theater offer English supertitles.

Volunteer opportunities abound; the key is matching your interests to one of Israel's countless nonprofit organizations. Popular choices include working with people with disabilities at Yad Sarah, mentoring children and teens affected by terror with One Family, or preparing care packages and holiday meals at the Lone Soldier Center.

Some volunteer opportunities are geared toward English speakers, like English tutoring or working as museum docents. Most, however, require a working knowledge of Hebrew. Taking advantage of the free Hebrew lessons (called ulpan) provided by the government to new immigrants is a good idea.

Ricki Lieberman, who retired to Jaffa from New York in 2009, raises money for an Arab-Jewish women's choir in Jaffa, volunteers with children of African refugees in South Tel Aviv and does political organizing.

"I grew up believing in democracy and Jewish values, so I am compelled to do what I can," Lieberman said. "For me, my retirement is not a time to turn away."

This article was sponsored by and produced in partnership with Nefesh B'Nefesh, which in cooperation with Israel's Ministry of Aliyah, The Jewish Agency, KKL and JNF-USA is minimizing the professional, logistical and social obstacles of aliyah, and has brought over 50,000 olim from North America and the United Kingdom over the last 15 years. This article was produced by JTA's native content team.

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Rabbi Yehuda Lave

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