Strollerderby : jewish

Hitler Mom Wants Her Kids Back

Brett Singer — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:45:00 GMT

You know, with a story like this one, you want to give it a somewhat serious treatment. But it's difficult to avoid using "Hitler Kid" and "Hitler Mom", especially when that's what every news outlet leads with. So I'm a sheep. Sorry.

Anyway, the mother of Adolf Hitler Campbell, JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell is defying a judge's order and speaking out about having her children removed by Family Services.

We have a few more details now. A neighbor called Family Services, claiming that the kids were being abused physically, mentally, and emotionally. Proud parents Deborah and Heath Campbell deny it all. They say that they are "not racists," and that they have the right to give their children whatever names they like. The Daily News had the best quote of all: "The parents insist they're not racists and want only to honor the heritage of the Third Reich." Right. It's that whole "trains running on time" thing. That's all they want to remember. Must be railroad enthusiasts. What's the problem?

All kidding aside, I do still have some misgivings here. If the only abuse was the names and the fact that the parents are racists, is that enough of a reason to remove the children from the home? If it is, aren't there a lot of other kids that should also be removed?

On a side note, could the article on MyFoxSpringfield have any more misspellings? Sheesh.

Source: Fox (1, 2)

Image: NY Daily News

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Kid Named Hitler Taken From His Parents By Family Services

Brett Singer — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:30:00 GMT

I bet you thought we'd never hear any news about this family again. Or maybe you just hoped you'd never hear from them again. Or maybe that was me. I get us confused sometimes.

Anyway, for reasons that are not being disclosed at this time, 3-year-old Adolf Hitler Campbell was removed from his home by the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services. Adolf's sisters, 1-year-old JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell, and the comparatively normal-named 8-month-old Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell, were also removed by authorities.

As far as I know, it's unusual for Family Services not to give a reason to the public when kids are taken from their parents. According to the Daily News, "Holland Township police chief David Van Gilson told the site they had not received any reports of abuse or negligence." Which makes this even stranger.

In case you've forgotten, the Campbells' received some fame in December when a store refused to make a cake for little Adolf Hitler. At the time, the father, Heath Campbell, said, "They're just names, you know. Yeah, they (the Nazis) were bad people back then. But my kids are little. They're not going to grow up like that."

The swastikas that decorate the Campbell home, and the fact that they are reported Holocaust deniers, tells a different story. (Post-racial America? Um, I don't think so.)

We don't know the details yet, but the parents were scheduled to attend a hearing on Tuesday to discuss their children which "was apparently postponed", according to the News. So something is definitely going on.

That said, I’m not sure if being a Nazi lunatic is illegal. If it were, wouldn't Hutton (Mel's dad) Gibson be in jail?

UPDATE: Here is a video report via Yahoo! News. Listen to the reporter say the kids' names.

Source: NY Daily News

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No Christmas Specials for Some Jewish Kids

Brett Singer — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 17:30:00 GMT

Dahlia Lithwick has a piece over at Slate that discusses which Christmas specials are OK for Jewish kids to watch. Not according to the Torah, which was written pre-TV, but based on her discussions with a few families.

She found that her generation's Jewish kids were allowed to watch "one or all" of the following: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and The Year Without Santa Claus. Two of these are among my personal favorites, but I would include Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer in that list. Apparently that one didn't make the cut for the Jewish now-grown-up kids that Lithwick spoke to.

The reason surprised me – a "no Santa" rule. No Jesus, I get. Jesus is religion. Nothing wrong with religion, but if it isn't YOUR religion and you choose not to watch shows that feature religious elements, that's your choice. But Santa? Was he in the Bible? Frosty was also banned from some Jewish households, according to Lithwick, because of a "no resurrections rule", which I think is pushing it.

Here's the thing – I like Christmas specials. I even like Christmas music. And I'm Jewish. Obviously Christmas is a religious holiday for millions of people. But last time I checked, Rudolph wasn't one of the apostles. So I hereby give permission to all Jewish parents — let the kids watch Rudolph! Why deprive them of the joys of Rankin and Bass? The Island of Misfit Toys? Yukon Cornelius? Hermey the Elf who would rather be a dentist? This a great show! And The Year Without a Santa Claus? Heat and Cold Miser! This is good stuff, people!

Interestingly, A Charlie Brown Christmas does feature religion prominently. Somehow that made the cut in many Jewish households, according to Lithwick. Why? In my opinion, there are a few reasons. First, Linus says it. That makes it automatically more OK than if the same words come out of some claymation dog (Davey and Goliath, anyone?). Second, it's done in the context of "good will towards men", which is hard to argue with. Third, it isn't presented in a way that says, "If you don't believe these words, you will burn in Hell for all eternity." It's actually quite lump-in-the-throat inducing, in a good way. Last, after Linus says his piece, everyone finally starts being nice to Charlie Brown, decorating his tree, and making nice warm and fuzzy holiday feelings. That's my theory, anyway.

Anyway, whatever your faith may be, or even if you happen to faithless, don't ban Christmas specials just because they happen to be about Christmas. Give 'em a chance. Maybe the kids will like it. You might enjoy it as well.

Oh, Merry Christmas. And Happy Chanukah.

Source: Slate

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Mumbai Hero Nanny May Get Top Israeli Honor

JeanneSager — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:32:00 GMT

When we leave our kids with a sitter, we always hope they'll take at least as good a care of them as we would. Risking life and limb to save theirs isn't too much to ask.

In the midst of the terrible tragedy of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, nanny Sandra Samuel has stood out for her bravery - and her devotion to her charge. Now Israel is considering conveying one of its highest honors, an award reserved in the past for Holocaust-era heroes.

Samuel had a "special connection" with toddler Moshe Holtzberg, the son of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka. After hours locked in her room, hiding from the attackers, Samuel says she heard Moshe calling for her. Despite terrorists still on the premises, Samuel unlocked the door and followed his voice, finally finding the boy covered in blood beside his dead parents. She grabbed the child and ran outside. She escorted the boy all the way to Israel, where his grandparents have taken in the toddler and the country is discussing the possible conference of the Righteous Gentile award. It's an award given in the past to non-Jews who helped rescue Jews during the Holocaust, including Schindler's List inspiration Oskar Schindler.

It should help the Indian native stay in Israel if she so desires, and it's one of the brighter stories coming out of the tragedies. In some ways, it's even more amazing than Hannah's story earlier this week about the dad who snuck into the hotel under siege to bring milk to his wife and children. This wasn't Samuel's child. She could have stayed locked up safe in her room. She could have assumed the child's parents would take care of him.

I love my babysitter, but if anything ever happens, I've got to tell you - I wouldn't mind having this woman watch my daughter.

Image: The Age

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Christian Parents Opt for Religious Circumcision . . . Even if It's Jewish

JeanneSager — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:27:00 GMT

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I always thought participating in a religious ceremony was supposed to have something to do with your religion. I know, call me crazy.

Christian parents who have started calling on Jewish mohels to perform their sons' circumcisions apparently don't care that they're not, well, Jewish. They don't even care that it costs a little extra.

Traditionally, Christian parents who have opted to circumcise their little boys have it done in a hospital setting - where it's often covered by a parent's health insurance. Many Jewish parents, however, follow the traditional method of a bris - a ceremonial circumcision performed after the baby has been released from the hospital, in the presence of friends and family. A mohel - a specially trained Jewish circumciser - traditionally does the honors, not only cutting the foreskin but leading the onlookers in a small religious ceremony. The whole thing can cost upwards of $300 to $800 - and that's not including the party the parents' usually throw for their guests.

So why would Christian parents call on a mohel? Philip Sherman, a mohel in the New York City area, told the Houston Chronicle parents would rather have the process done in the comfort of their own homes; they like to make it spiritual. Plus, he claims, the process is much quicker for the baby - he says it's a few seconds for a mohel, half an hour in a hospital (The American Academy of Pediatrics actually calls for anesthetic cream to be applied sixty to ninety minutes before the procedure in a hospital or the use of some other, faster-acting anesthetic. The AAP also suggests a clamp be left on the area for several minutes to stop bleeding).

The mother of a daughter, I never had to make the "to circumcise" or "not to circumcise" decision. I don't have a feeling either way. But where I can accept a Jewish parent's decision to call in a mohel to practice their faith, I find the concept of a Christian parent doing the same slightly bizarre. Even odder? That mohels are adjusting their usual ceremony to make them less Jewish. In the case cited in the Chronicle, he actually handed out a prayer booklet that was appropriate for the largely Presbyterian crowd. Instead of religious, they call it "holistic" circumcision.

Isn't this a bit like calling on a rabbi to perform your Catholic wedding? Maybe I'm just not well-versed enough in the Bible. Is there really any religious meaning to a bris outside of the Jewish faith?

Image: Houston Chronicle

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White House Sends Chanukah Card With Christmas Tree On It

Brett Singer — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:00:00 GMT

The Bush family really can't win these days.

Not only is the sitting President receiving blame for Republican losses on Election Day, but first lady Laura is getting flak for a farkakteh (pronounced "fuh-kahk-tuh") Chanukah card that had a picture of a Christmas tree on it.

While its fun to make fun of this kind of thing, I have to admit that I don't really care. It certainly is a mistake and shows certain cluelessness on the part of the First Lady's staff, or at least a lack of organizing skills (shouldn't someone have looked at the card first?). But this isn't exactly Hunter Gibson (Mel's dad) denying that the Holocaust actually happened. Also, the card didn't have a picture of the Baby Jesus on it. It was just a tree. (For the record, apologies were quickly offered. Faces, already covered with egg, were red. Feet were in mouths.)

So was it a bit dense for the White House to send a Chanukah card that didn't have a Chanukah image on it? Sure. But is it really that offensive? I don't think so. I'm Jewish, and I happen to like Christmas trees. That's a topic for another post, but for now, I'm not ready to add CardGate to the list of Bush Administration screw-ups.

Source: NY Post via HuffPo

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Make Your Own Religious Doll

Brett Singer — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Doll Creation Station allows people of all religious persuasions to make dolls featuring the accoutrements of their faith. To be fair, the site only offers Christian, Jewish and Muslim dolls, but the company suggests that you "Check back with us as we expand into other religious and ethnic markets."

The best seller at the moment is "Set 3J", which is the Jewish doll.

The set comes with "a Jewish themed t-shirt and matching denim skirt, socks and shoes," as well as a "matching Magen David bracelet set for you and your doll as well as a silver plated matching Magen David necklace set for you and your doll!" But wait! There's more! "Dress your doll in a satin white and gold trim Queen Esther costume with gold crown and sceptre, and play Shabbat with a 10 piece wooden toy Shabbat Set that includes challah, wine, and candles."

Maybe it's just me but "Let's play Shabbat" doesn't really have the same appeal as "Let's play house." But again, maybe that's just me.

Also, if I were a more observant Jew, I wonder if I might be slightly offended by the idea of "playing" a religious ritual. Do Catholic children "play communion"? Also, is it fair to lump all of Christianity together? And what exactly does a "butterfly hooded sweatshirt" have to do with being Christian? (The Muslim doll sets include a "2 piece Hijab", which is more specific to the doll I suppose.) Will the atheist doll come with a copy of "The God Delusion"? (I'll go out on a limb here and say that I don't think they will ever make an atheist doll. Although it would be funny if they did.)

The idea of dolls that better reflect the way the world actually looks is not a new one and it is important. But I always thought the point was more physical than spiritual – that is, all dolls shouldn't have blonde hair and white skin. The company does plan to expand to include other ethnicities, and offers a choice of hair color and type, so part of the pitch is definitely "a doll that looks like you." But another part of it is "a doll that shares your faith."

Would anyone out there buy a religious doll for their child?

Source: dollcreationstation.com

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Sixth Graders Disciplined for Hit a Jew Day

JeanneSager — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:07:00 GMT

I'm not a big fan of corporal punishment, but there are days its tempting to hit a kid. Specifically ones who would come up with "Hit a Jew Day" to celebrate their school's spirit week.

The goal of "spirit week" was to encourage celebrations like "hug a friend day" and "high five day" at a Missouri middle school. But the sixth graders who coined "Hit a Jew Day" decided to slap one Jewish student across the face and smack two others on the arm. The incident was turned into a chance for the principal to talk about the Holocaust, multi-culturalism and acceptance of others, and the kids were suspended.

The principal did the right thing, but I wonder what else can be done. I don't honestly think corporal punishment is in order - that was a knee-jerk reaction to the horror of the headline at CNN. What's needed is tolerance and compassion, modeling of behaviors that these children apparently don't see every day. I can't believe intolerance is inate. Kids don't come up with this kind of hatred on their own (even if the means of carrying it out are their own creation). Suspension usually means days spent at home, more time spent in a household where they're being raised to think up "Hit a Jew Day." What's next? Crosses blazing on the middle school lawn? An Australian study showed we're likely to become less tolerant as we age, not more, so this isn't that much of an overreaction.

So how do you reverse it? Counseling? Maybe. Putting thse kids in the other kids' shoes? How? As I said, hitting back isn't the answer.

It's a reminder that we're responsible for modeling the right behavior for our kids. A lot of people assume they can tell an off color joke as long as they don't "really" believe it. Guess what; kids can't tell the difference. Literally and figuratively mean nothing to them. Everything you say, they hear. Everything they hear gets filed away, and when it starts piling up in there, they start forming their opinions on life based on all of that stored up information. We have to give them the "right" information if we expect the "right" decisions.

Image: FamilyCrafts

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Supreme Court to Father: No, You Can't Circumcise a 13-year-old

JeanneSager — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:33:00 GMT

I'm not even a guy, but this story made me want to pull a Michael Jackson and grab ~~a little boy~~, uh, my crotch. Well, that and grab the not-so-little boy whose father wants to have him circumcised and run.

James Boldt has actually been shot down by the United States Supreme Court in his bid to have the highest court in the land hear his plea to circumcise his 13-year-old son. That doesn't mean the case is closed, however. A trial judge in Oregon will now get the case that's been argued since the boy was 9 and agreed to follow his father in a conversion to Judaism. Boldt, who has custody of the boy, had actually scheduled the procedure when his ex-wife, Lia, stepped in.

Lia, a member of the Russian Orthodox Church, has said the procedure is dangerous and told courts that her son is afraid to tell his father he doesn't really want the procedure done. James, meanwhile, claims the court is infringing on his right to religious freedom by not allowing him to circumcise his son. I'm not Jewish, so I'm not clear on the exact rules surrounding conversion and circumcision. And I thanked my lucky stars when I gave birth to a girl - so my husband and I never had the "should we" or "shouldn't we" discussion.

But circumcision at 13 seems preposterous:

It's painful (and, yes, it's painful for a baby too - but the chances of the emotional scars from this sort of pain are far greater).
It's not medically necessary. Not at 13. Not if he's had no problem with that little flap of skin for the past 13 years.
Lia Boldt is right. It could be dangerous. With ANY surgery there is risk, however minute. Which is why elective surgeries are often discouraged by doctors (well, except plastic surgeons).

And the biggest question here is how does Little Boy Boldt keeping his foreskin violate his father's right to practice his religion? Would letting the boy wait until he's 18, and he can make the decision really make him a bad Jew? Again, I'm not Jewish, so I would love the hear the Semitic viewpoint on this one.

Image: August Chronicle

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Happy Rosh Hashanah, here's a Shofar video

Brett Singer — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:00:00 GMT

In March someone commented that we were doing tons of posts on Easter but none on Purim. One reason for this is that Easter has, you know, CANDY; that is, I don't celebrate Easter as a religious holiday but I do enjoy the trappings (meaning THE CANDY).

That said, in the interest of being fair and balanced, here is a post about Rosh Hashanah, complete with video of a Shofar. The post is a day later than it should have been because I was busy going to Temple and eating brisket. (Mmmm...brisket...)

For the uninitiated, Rosh Hashanah is the celebration of the Jewish New Year. (The traditional greeting is not "Happy Jew Year", but "Shana Tova", which is Hebrew for "good year".) It is also the first of the two times each year that not-very-observant Jews, such as myself, go to Temple. The second time is next week, for Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is "The Day of Atonement," kind of the one-day version of Lent. (As Jon Stewart once said, "Even in sin you people pay retail!" Ba-dum-bum.) There is a one-day fast, and then at sundown we eat, usually lox and bagels. (Any excuse to eat salty fish. Mmmmm…salty fish…)

One of the key elements of the Rosh Hashanah service is the blowing of the Shofar, which is a kind of trumpet made out of a Ram's horn. Since YouTube has a video of absolutely everything, here is a clip of the traditional Shofar blasts. It's not easy to do, as you can see; this year at the service I attended, I was slightly concerned that the Shofar blower was going to pass out, although he didn't.

By the way, one reason that not much happened in Congress yesterday was because some folks took the day off for Rosh Hashanah. If anyone was annoyed by that, try to imagine the government working on Christmas. Yeah. Didn't think so.

So Shana Tova everyone! Next week – Yom Kippur.

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Rich guy pretends to be gynecologist to see women naked

Brett Singer — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:00:00 GMT

I always thought that if you were rich, you could get dates. I mean, money can't buy you love, but it can buy you sex, right?

Well, maybe not. Zalman Silber, a "wealthy businessman" from Monsey, NY, has been accused of playing doctor, literally. Two women have charged that Silber rented a Park Avenue office and pretended to be a gynecologist. Then he gave the women, um, a full exam. This article at LoHud.com goes into a little bit more detail; let's just say that Silber did a very thorough examination.

He may have worked a similar scheme with a police officer in Rockland County. According to today's Daily News, Silber would tell women that they needed a gynecological exam in order to obtain a certain insurance policy, and that the exam had to be given by this doctor. At his house. Except that the doctor wasn't really a doctor, he was a cop. Then Silber would watch from another room. The officer has been suspended from the force without pay pending a full investigation.

It gets better (well, creepier). Silber's lawyer is Kenneth Gribetz, a former Rockland County District Attorney who resigned in a scandal that included such juicy details as an extra-marital affair and photos of him in women's clothing. So far his defense of Silber is that, "the statute of limitations [has] run out on two of the incidents cited by investigators," and "only two of four victims were able to pick Silber out of a lineup." Oh! Then he must be innocent.

This should be some trial.

Silber, a Hasidic Jew, is married with five children and another on the way. His wife Gila, "declined to comment." Wouldn't you?

Let be the first to say that Silber is not good for the Jews.

If you want to know how he got rich, you can read this article over at Inc.com. Silber created the Skyride, a simulated helicopter ride at the Empire State Building. He then sold the business for almost $10 million. A sample of his business advice: "Take advantage of other people's toil. That's really what everything is about." What a guy. He is described a "well-known philanthropist" who is "known within the Jewish community for helping people pay for medical care and other services." Or offering them a discount if he treats them himself! (Ba-dum-bum.) His ex-wife's brother, Alexander Halpert of Borough Park, Brooklyn, said, "He's a good man. When someone needed a doctor, he would arrange it." Yeah, maybe that's not the best thing to say right now.

It should be pointed out that all of these charges are unproven and are merely allegations. Even R. Kelly was found innocent. So who knows. But what a creepy story. It's like I've always said: men are pigs. (And I can say that, because I am one.)

image: New York Daily News

Strollerderby : jewish

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Happy Rosh Hashanah, here's a Shofar video

Rich guy pretends to be gynecologist to see women naked

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