Michael's Journal

Some reflections for the grieving

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 19:23:36 GMT

These come from a reform Jewish prayerbook (siddur). They're for my friend Gary, but I figured anyone could benefit from their comforting words:

The Blessing of Memory

It is hard to sing of oneness when our world is not complete, when those who once brought wholeness to our life have gone, and and naught but memory can fill the emptiness their passing leaves behind.

But memory can tell us only what we were, in company with those we loved; it cannot help us find what each of us, alone, must now become. Yet no one is really alone; those who live no more, echo still within our thoughts and words, and what they did is part of what we have become.

We do best homage to our dead when we live our lives most fully, even in the shadow of our loss. For each of our lives is worth the life of the whole world; in each one is the breath of the Ultimate One. In affirming the One, we affirm the worth of each one whose life, now ended, brought us closer to the Source of life, in whose unity no one is alone and every life finds purpose.

In Recent Grief

When cherished ties are broken, and the chain of love is shattered, only trust and the strength of faith can lighten the heaviness of the heart. At times, the pain of separation seems more than we can bear, but if we dwell too long on our own loss we embitter our hearts and harm ourselves and those about us.

The Psalmist said that in his affliction he learned the law of God. And in truth, grief is a great teacher, when it sends us back to serve and bless the living. We learn how to counsel and comfort those who, like ourselves, are bowed with sorrow. We learn when to keep silence in their presence, and when a word will assure them of our love and concern.

Thus, even when they are gone, the departed are with us, moving us to live as, in their higher moments, they themselves wished to live. We remember them now; they live in our hearts; they are an abiding blessing.

FC Dallas - Worst sports in American professional leagues

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:32:35 GMT

Tonight, I sent the following letter to many of the management and coaching staff of Major League's Soccer's FC Dallas. Under the leadership of Carlos Ruiz, this team has become the biggest bunch of whiners, divers and fighters I've ever seen in soccer. What a shame the leadership of the team has tolerated this crap!

****************************************************

Dear FC Dallas Staff and team:

I was one of the first people to buy season tickets when the Dallas Burn came on the scene. In fact, I had season tickets until Carlos Ruiz began to lead your team into the soccer history books as the team with the most unsportsmanlike attitude in MLS. The way your team played in the playoffs against Houston, especially in the second game of the series, was simply shameful. Ruiz and most of your team sent a message to impressionable youngsters was that it is acceptable to dive, fake injuries, hit, and waste time in order to win a game.

When I drove to Frisco to attend an FC Dallas game earlier in the season, I was astonished at how many Dallas fans were booing Ruiz. Instead of shunning his dirty style of play, Ruiz's teammates have followed his lead, and that's unacceptable in professional sports.

I challenge you to share this message with the entire roster and to consider eliminating Carlos Ruiz and Arturo Alvarez from the team.

In the mean time, I'm thankful that the division championships and MLS Cup this year will not be a showcase for your team's antics.

Sincerely,
Michael Moore
Former Fan

Quiz: Who is this?

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 21:12:37 GMT

Response from City of Houston

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:24:06 GMT

Today, I received the following response from Paul Voltz of the City of Houston's Planning and Development Department. To date, this has been the only reply to my letter sent to the Mayor and every member of City Council.

Voltz, Paul - PD (Paul.Voltz@cityofhouston.net)
Sent: Mon 9/17/07 1:39 PM

Mr. Moore:

The Planning and Development Department received a copy of your email to the Mayor on September 8, 2007 regarding the need for stronger historic preservation efforts. We sincerely appreciate the concerns that you expressed. Your input is valuable as we assess the differing points of view which play an important role in any public process.

I would encourage you to learn more about the City’s efforts to preserve not only the landmarks you mentioned but the many historical and cultural treasures throughout the city. It is exciting to see so many Houstonians express an interest in historic preservation. We hope that even though this interest may have been triggered by the River Oaks and Alabama Theaters, it extends to preserving all Houston landmarks and places of historical significance.

To learn more, please check our website at www.houstonplanning.com and click on historic preservation to learn more about pending designations and other topics of concern. There are also helpful links to several organizations that are involved in preservation efforts. Again, thank you for your input.

Paul Voltz

City of Houston Planning & Development Department

An open letter to Houston City Council and Mayor

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:59:18 GMT

8 September 2007

To the Honorable Mayor and City Council of the City of Houston,

This week, this city suffered the latest in a long history of senseless demolitions of our historic landmarks when Weingarten Realty began the destruction of a portion of the River Oaks Shopping Center. This took place with the effective approval of you, the leaders we elected as stewards of our cultural infrastructure. The historic preservation ordinance you passed -- supposedly to protect buildings like the River Oaks Shopping Center and the River Oaks Theater -- had absolutely no protective effect on this building and will likely not save the theater either.

I challenge each of you to publicly announce any and all poilitical campaign donations you have received from Weingarten Realty, its affiliated businesses and foundations, and its employees. Additionally, you should do the same for Barnes and Noble, a company which totally disregarded the concerns of Houstonians who sought to protect the River Oaks Shopping Center from demolition.

I will be posting this letter on my blog, and I promise to post any subsequent responses you send me.

Finally, I implore you to pass legislation that will prohibit the demolition of the River Oaks Theater and other architectural landmarks designated as important parts of our community's cultural history.

Sincerely,
Michael Moore

cc: Friends and family members who vote

-------------------------------------------------
[Readers: If you care to e-mail the Houston City Council yourself, here is copy-and-paste-ready list of their addresses:
mayor@cityofhouston.net; atlarge1@cityofhouston.net; atlarge2@cityofhouston.net; atlarge3@cityofhouston.net; atlarge4@cityofhouston.net; atlarge5@cityofhouston.net; districta@cityofhouston.net; districtb@cityofhouston.net; districtc@cityofhouston.net; districtd@cityofhouston.net; districte@cityofhouston.net; districtf@cityofhouston.net; districtg@cityofhouston.net; districth@cityofhouston.net; districti@cityofhouston.net ]

Boycott Barnes and Noble

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 22:13:10 GMT

The demolition of Houston's historic River Oaks Shopping Center began this week, in order to build a brand new Barnes and Noble Bookstore. They are well aware that Weingarten Realty was going to tear down an important piece of historic art deco architecture in order to make way for the new Barnes and Noble. In February, I wrote a letter to Founder and Chairman Leonard Riggio (see http://astrojet990.livejournal.com/), as did many other concerned Houstonians. No one from B&N bothered to even acknowledge my concerns. They believe their bottom line has no room for concerns of the community in which they do business.

If you shop at B&N or any of their other companies -- including B. Dalton Bookseller, bn.com, Bookstop, Bookstar, and Doubleday -- you are rewarding this greedy company for their complete disregard for our community's history and culture. They have plenty competition near their stores and online.

If you care.... BOYCOTT BARNES AND NOBLE!! Not just this week or this month. Remember!

If you want to take an extra step, call and/or write them to let them know you won't spend your hard earned dollars on their businesses and why.

Most importantly, FORWARD THIS BLOG POSTING to as many people as you can -- in Houston or anywhere else in the world. If they'll do it to Houston, they'll destroy other cities' historic landmarks and won't stop as long as these actions result in profits.

Buy books! Buy music! But don't buy them from the Barnes and Noble.

-----Forwarded Message-----
From: GHPA e-News

Houstons Local Partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

River Oaks Shopping Center demolition underway

Demolition of the northern curved section of the original River Oaks Shopping Center (1937) has begun. Through GHPAs efforts, all of Houstons major media outlets were on hand when a backhoe began taking down the National Register-eligible Art Deco building on the northeast corner of West Gray and South Shepherd. A gallery of photos from the scene has already been posted on the Houston Chronicle Web site. Demolition is proceeding from the back of the building and is not yet evident on the street front.

In the past several days, demolition crews had removed display windows, doors, awnings and metal trim from the building, although original casement windows in the second floor offices were still in place as demolition began. A construction fence (pictured) obscures much of the building, but light fixtures, booths and service areas are still visible in the former Black-Eyed Pea restaurant. Most of the remaining retail space has been gutted. A representative of Cherry Demolition told Channel 13 that no materials were being salvaged.

GHPA, the City of Houston, Texas Historical Commission and the National Trust for Historic Preservation all advocated for preserving the building. Weingarten Realty Investors, the property owner, will build a Barnes & Noble superstore on the site.

Photo by David Bush.

George Bush, Vietnam history scholar

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:39:32 GMT

Bigotry supported by the Houston Dynamo

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:06:05 GMT

This is a copy of a letter I e-mailed to Oliver Luck, the president of the Houston Dynamo, and Steve Mark, their director of public relations, on Thursday, July 12. One week later, I haven't even received an acknowledgment that they received it.   I wonder if they would have reacted if I had pointed out that one of their official fan clubs had "spic", "nigger", "chink" or some other racial epithet posted as an official fan club song.

Feel free to contact them (oluck@houstondynamo.com or smark@houstondynamo.com) to let them know your feelings on the matter.

****

12 July 2007

Dear Mr. Luck,

My partner and I are inaugural season ticket holders, as are the several friends we sit with at every home game. Before moving to Houston, we were loyal Dallas Burn fans, attending every home game there for seven years. If we're treated well and feel welcome at Dynamo games, we will be loyal fans (i.e., paying customers) for life.

This said, I was dismayed to find that the Dynamo is promoting a fan club that has blatantly offensive and bigoted language on its web site. El Batallon, which is linked to from your "Fans" page, has a list of the words to the chants and songs they sing at games. Allow me to give you translations of the Spanish lyrics of some of the chants listed:

"El Que No Salta Es un Maricon" (Whoever doesn't jump is a faggot)
Oy oy oy oy! Oy oy oy oy! Whoever doesn't jump is a (chiva, dallas, etc) faggot.

"Dallas Maricon" (Faggot Dallas)
Houston will be the champion!
Houston will be the champion!
We dedicate it to Dallas, and to their whore mother who gave birth to them!

While I'm not advocating censorship, I do feel that promotion of a fan group that openly and officially uses this kind of language and imagery is unnecessary and counter to your organization's values.

Please let me know what your team's position is regarding this matter.

Sincerely,
Michael Moore

***************

Related web sites:
http://www.houstondynamo.com
http://houston.mlsnet.com/t200/fans/   The fan page
http://www.elbatallon.com/   El Batallon

Enchiladas Potosinas

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 17:36:31 GMT

One of my favorite Mexican dishes is also fun to make. Enchiladas Potosinas are a type of enchilada common in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. They're different in that they have the red chile in the tortillas, as opposed to in a sauce over the enchiladas. Here's my recipe plus 3 links to other recipes on the internet. Bon appetit!

3 chiles anchos (dried, red poblanos)
4 chiles cascabel (dried, red New Mexico peppers)
1 cup hot water
1 tbsp. lard (chicken schmaltz is OK if you want to keep it kosher)
1 tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1 1/4 cups crumbled queso fresco or other grated, white cheese
3 cups masa harina
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 tsp. salt
vegetable oil for frying

1. Toast the chiles on a hot comal or skillet. Soak them in hot water for 20-25 minutes. Remove the stems, and puree the chiles in the blender with 1/4 cup of the soaking water. Melt the lard in a skillet, and saute the puree for about 5 minutes. Set it aside.

2. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a skillet, and saute the onions until transparent. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Add the onions and one tablespoon of the chile puree to the cheese.

3. Combine the masa harina, salt, cold water, and the remaining chile paste in a bowl. Knead the masa until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cover the bowl with a damp towel for about 20 minutes.

4. Form the masa into balls the size of walnuts. One by one, flatten each ball between two sheets of plastic wrap in a tortilla press; place about a tablespoon of the cheese mixture in the middle of the tortilla; and fold the tortilla in half, pressing the edges together.

5. Heat a comal or heavy skillet over mdeium high heat. Toast each enchilada about 3 minutes on each side, until they look cooked. (This can be done a few hours ahead of time.) Heat about 3/4 inches of oil in a frying pan. Fry each enchilada about 2 minutes on each side. Drain the enchiladas on a towel.

6. Serve warm with shredded lettuce and guacamole.

More recipes:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/enchiladaspotosinas_72366.shtml

http://recipecircus.com/recipes/quin/COMIDA_MEXICANA-MEXICAN_FOOD/DELICIOSAS_ENCHILADAS_POTOSINAS.html

http://groups.msn.com/Thewebkitchen/mexicanfood.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=3865&LastModified=4675609475282200135

Major League Soccer officiating

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 05:40:48 GMT

After ten years, Major League Soccer, the United States' first division professional league, has made great strides. We have great players, most of whom were born in the United States. We have nice, soccer-specific stadiums that accomodate sizeable crowds.

So what's missing that keeps us from being on the same level as pro leagues in Europe and South America? Professional referees are sorely lacking in this country. The quality of referees in MLS games leaves much to be desired. It's time to emplot full-time, professional referees and hold them accountable for their judgment and professionalism.

Until the officiating in MLS makes significant improvement, the quality of games that fans see will remain a notch below that of professional leagues overseas. It's time for fans to demand that MLS hire good referees.

Cycle of poverty?

Wed, 23 May 2007 21:19:57 GMT

I have spent the last few years as a criminal prosecutor, which puts me in contact with a lot of marginalized segments of our society. Obviously, I deal on a daily basis with criminals and their victims. In addition, working with truant kids and their parents for the past couple of years, I have come in contact with a lot of people who are not necessarily criminals in the normal sense of the term. However, I do see people at the lowest levels of poverty in the Houston area.

I have come to the following conclusion:

In this country -- certainly in Houston -- there is no "cycle of poverty" to speak of. That is, children who grow up in poverty are not doomed to live a life of poverty because they're stuck in it. What do exist are two other cycles that account for generations of poor people.

1) There is a cycle of ignorance. Ignorance breeds ignorance. Parents who are uneducated and don't instill in their children and grandchildren the importance of getting an education and being active, positive contributors to their society end up passing on that very ignorance that keeps them in the grips of poverty.

2) There is a cycle of laziness. Many poor parents whose poverty is born from laziness will blame their misfortune on forces outside their control -- like the oppressive white man, the government, the schools, a cycle of poverty, etc. Their children and grandchildren hear this and learn to believe that they cannot get ahead, no matter how hard they work. The laziness sets in, and the cycle continues.

Until we, as a country and as a human community, take the ignorance and laziness head-on, these cycles will continue, and societies that value hard work and education more than we do will pass us up.

What do you think?

Jerry Falwell dies

Tue, 15 May 2007 18:48:13 GMT

It was his conscience that killed him!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10188427
http://www.gay.com/news/article.html?2007/05/15/1

My travels

Mon, 07 May 2007 03:13:42 GMT

An open letter to Eurosport

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 22:24:38 GMT

21 March 2007

TO: custserv@sportsendeavors.com, president.office@sportsendeavors.com

Dear Eurosport,

For years, I have put up with the USA National Team and Major League Soccer teams getting minimal coverage in your catalogs, although your promotion of foreign national teams and clubs was annoying to say the least. I've spent a considerable amount of money with your company in the past.

Today, I received your Eurosport en Espanol catalog. I am a fluent Spanish speaker and would have looked through the catalog as much as I would your English versions. However, what I saw turned me totally off to your company. There's one page at the back of the catalog for the USA National Team and not a single MLS team item for sale in this catalog.

Your catalog reflects America's soccer inferiority complex and only serves to work against the interests of this sport in the United States. As of today, I will no longer spend my soccer dollars with your company. Please remove my name and address from your mailing list.

Sincerely,
Michael Moore

cc: http://astrojet990.livejournal.com/

An open letter to Barnes & Noble

Sat, 03 Feb 2007 21:22:56 GMT

Leonard Riggio, Chairman
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Customer Service Department
122 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10011

2 February 2007

Dear Mr. Riggio:

We are writing to you as fellow citizens of the city of Houston, Texas. In choosing to move to Houston five years ago, we took into consideration many things, not the least of which were the city’s rich culture and history. We are certain that Barnes and Noble considered these factors in deciding to open businesses here and become citizens of Houston.

Therefore, you may be as disappointed and shocked as we were to learn that the steward of three very important cultural landmarks in Houston – the Alabama Theatre, the River Oaks Theatre, and the River Oaks Shopping Center – are considering demolishing one or more of these buildings to build apartments and a Barnes and Noble Bookstore. We can’t imagine that your company would be a party to this senseless destruction, especially since the success of your business depends on conducting your business in a vibrant environment – both for your employees and your customers. We find it difficult to understand why a part of our city’s history must be taken away when there is no shortage of prime real estate in the River Oaks and Upper Kirby areas.

Please do not underestimate the impact that your company’s complicity in this action will have on your business and on the lives of your employees and customers. The online petition which you have seen is a testament to the importance that Houstonians place on our historic landmarks.

We have made friends and family around the country aware of this situation and will continue to keep them updated via our blogs, web sites and e-mail. We will encourage them to make buying decisions based on your company’s actions as a corporate citizen. We hope those decisions will be compatible with the preservation of the River Oaks Theatre, the Alabama Theatre, and the River Oaks Shopping Center – all irreplaceable treasures.

Sincerely,

Kevin Taylor Michael Moore

An open letter to Weingarten Realty

Sat, 03 Feb 2007 21:21:42 GMT

2 February 2007

Andrew M. Alexander, President and C.E.O.
Weingarten Realty
P.O. Box 924133
Houston, Texas 77292-4133

Dear Mr. Alexander:

We are writing to you as fellow citizens of the city of Houston, Texas. In choosing to move to Houston five years ago, we took into consideration many things, not the least of which were the city’s rich culture and history. We are certain that Weingarten Realty considers these factors as crucial to doing business here and in any city.

We have been immensely disappointed and shocked to learn that your company, as steward of three very important cultural landmarks in Houston – the Alabama Theatre, the River Oaks Theatre, and the River Oaks Shopping Center – is considering demolishing one or more of these buildings to build apartments and a Barnes And Noble Bookstore. We can’t imagine why your company would be a party to this senseless destruction, especially since the success of your business depends on conducting your business in a vibrant environment – both for your employees and your customers. We find it difficult to understand why a part of our city’s history must be taken away when there is no shortage of prime real estate in the River Oaks and Upper Kirby areas.

Please do not underestimate the impact that your company’s complicity in this action will have on your business and on the lives of your employees and customers. The online petition which you have seen is a testament to the importance your fellow Houstonians place on our historic landmarks.

We have made friends and family aware of this situation and will continue to keep them updated via our blogs, web sites and e-mail. As responsible voters, we will encourage our elected officials, in their many dealings with Weingarten Realty, to make decisions based on your company’s actions as a corporate citizen. We hope those decisions will be compatible with the preservation of the River Oaks Theatre, the Alabama Theatre, and the River Oaks Shopping Center – all irreplaceable treasures.

Kevin Taylor Michael Moore

What I'm reading

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 21:33:17 GMT

What a person reads on his/her spare time says a lot about his/her personality. When we in jury selection, lawyers like to know what books prospective jurors brought to court with them.

So I thought I'd share my current reading list. I have 4 books I'm reading at the moment, depending on the time and my mood:

The Fox in the Chicken Coop, by Ephraim Kishon

Last Chance in Texas: The Redemption of Criminal Youth, by John Hubner

To Pray As a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service, by Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin

Occupation: Nazi-Hunter: The Continuing Search for the Perpetrators of the Holocaust, by Efraim Zuroff

Purim Celebrations in Klausenberg

Sun, 31 Dec 2006 06:22:45 GMT



"Purim Celebrations in Klausenberg" on Google Video
Grand Rabbi Samuel Jacob Halberstam, Sanz-Klausenberg Rebbe of America leading the celebrations of the Jewish feast of Purim in his synagogue in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn, NY.

Borat arts and politics

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 05:31:05 GMT



"Borat arts and politics" on Google Video
Borat finds out about the arts and politics in Britain.

Article: Conservatives face big votes on gay unions and ordination

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 21:14:00 GMT

From the JTA Global New Service
http://www.jta.org/page_view_story.asp?intarticleid=17015&intcategoryid=4

Conservatives face big votes on gay unions and ordination

By Debra Nussbaum Cohen

NEW YORK, Aug. 31 (JTA) — In what will be a watershed moment for the Conservative movement — akin to admitting women into the rabbinate a generation ago — the ordination of openly gay and lesbian rabbis and the sanctioning of same-sex unions are likely to be approved by the denomination’s legal scholars, according to movement leaders.
But in a step unique to the Conservative movement, a contradictory religious opinion that would continue the prohibition against gay ordination and same-sex unions will also come up for a vote. Each view only has to receive a minimum of six votes from the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, which has 25 voting members, to be accepted. That means both opinions, for and against, could pass.

In 1992, the law committee arrived at a consensus statement on homosexuality that maintained the movement’s ban on gay marriage and ordination. In March, four opinions — two in favor of maintaining that position and two opposed — were submitted to the committee for review. The final vote is slated to take place in December.

If ordaining gays gets the Conservative stamp of approval, it will open the door to the seminaries accepting them as students. And the heads of both North American Conservative rabbinical schools, the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York and the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, have stated their intention of doing so.

In the meantime, movement leaders are working fast to lay the groundwork for dealing with the law committee’s final decision as well as any confusion likely to result if both positions are approved.

Rabbi Jerome Epstein, executive vice president of the United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism, is convening five gatherings with rabbis and congregants around North America. The tour kicked off last week with invitation-only meetings here and in Toronto. They will continue through November with meetings in Los Angeles, Washington and Atlanta.

“No matter what happens, our congregations will have a challenge that we will want to help them be prepared for,” said Epstein, whose organization includes some 760 Conservative congregations.

If contradictory religious views are approved by the law committee, “the burden may be put on congregations to decide which way they’re going to go. It’s important for them to have clarity and understand that this is not just a matter of personal interest, but that they have to look at this from the point of view of Jewish law.

“Their challenge may be how they keep a congregation together with perhaps diverse points of view,” he told The Jewish Week.

Though few issues in popular and religious culture today arouse as much passion as gay rights, Epstein said that his task “is to prevent this from being a divisive issue. Just because there’s a divergence of opinion doesn’t mean it has to be divisive.”

He compared these meetings to the ones held as the subject of women’s ordination was considered in the early 1980s.

Authors of two of the papers that will be up for consideration in December — Rabbi Joel Roth, a Talmud professor at JTS considered by many to be the denomination’s pre-eminent expert on Jewish law, and Rabbi Elliot Dorff, vice chair of the law committee and a professor of philosophy at the University of Judaism — appeared at Congregation Shaare Zedek on Manhattan’s Upper West Side last week to discuss their positions.

Roth favors maintaining the current policy, saying that Jewish law prohibits homosexual acts and, by extension, the ordination of someone presumed to engage in them. Dorff, on the other hand, believes that gays and lesbians should be ordained because the Torah passages in Leviticus that relate to sexual relations between men can be re-interpreted as prohibiting a specific act rather than homosexuality in general.

Roth said that if gay ordination were approved, then “the nature of the Conservative movement” would change. “We will still be a big umbrella, but will not be the same movement that we have today.”

While Dorff said that no congregation would be forced to hire a gay or lesbian rabbi, Roth said that he feared that synagogues would not be allowed to exclude them from their search process, as they cannot now exclude women, though movement policy permits non-egalitarian, as well as egalitarian, practices.

The move would initially likely have little immediate practical impact beyond the seminaries. Rabbi Julia Andelman, spiritual leader of Congregation Shaare Zedek, said that congregations in New York tend to be left leaning, so a new policy may be less controversial here than it would be elsewhere. Andelman, who was ordained last May and was a student leader for the gay ordination cause, added that many of her colleagues already conduct same-sex commitment ceremonies.

When JTS approved women being counted in a minyan, or prayer quorum, ushering in the Conservative movement’s egalitarian era, it was a major change, said Rabbi Michael Strassfeld, spiritual leader of the Upper West Side’s Society for the Advancement of Judaism. “Seeing women on the bima,” or prayer podium, “was disconcerting” for many people at first, added Strassfeld, who attended the Aug. 24 meeting.

Having gays in the rabbinate “will move much more slowly because it doesn’t call for any immediate decisions for congregations. Also, people in the world are much more ambivalent about this,” he said. Rabbi David Lincoln, the spiritual leader of Park Avenue Synagogue, who also attended the meeting, said he opposes gay ordination and commitment ceremonies. “Jewish law is flexible in many instances, but there are certain things that are very straightforward, like this,” he said.

If the law committee votes in favor of permitting gay and lesbian ordination, the University of Judaism’s rabbinical school will begin accepting their applications “the next day,” Dorff told The Jewish Week. Arnold Eisen, the chancellor-elect at JTS, said he intends to organize discussions with faculty and students on the subject as soon as school starts the week after next.

“There’s nothing more major this year than this” topic, he said. “We’ll start this process in the fall and if the decision comes down as scheduled in December we’ll be acting on it immediately.”

While he has said he wants JTS to ordain openly gay clergy, he also said: “I’m not going to act unilaterally on this. I really believe in faculty process and we haven’t had one yet. It’s a serious matter and needs to be weighed.”

Gay and lesbian ordination has been a volatile and much-debated issue within Conservative quarters for nearly two decades. While the movement has prohibited gay ordination, it has also tried to promote a welcoming attitude towards gay congregants.

Some institutions, such as JTS, currently maintain a U.S. military-like policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” but it has not always worked. At least one student chose to leave the rabbinical school rather than deny her sexual orientation after she was outed.

The topic has been revisited by Conservative rabbinical students and rabbis outside the law committee in meetings, discussions, articles and petitions. A student organization at JTS, Keshet — Hebrew for “rainbow” — was formed a few years ago to advocate for gay ordination, and an aligned group of clergy, Keshet Rabbis, was also organized.

Debate breaks down mostly along generational lines, with older rabbis hewing to the traditional stance and younger rabbis agitating for change.

The issue also crystallizes the larger — and perhaps even more important — debate about the message and direction of Conservative Judaism, a movement which for decades was the country’s largest but which in recent years has fallen behind the Reform movement in adherents.

The larger denominational conflict is over whether the Conservative movement should hew to Jewish law, albeit with a different perspective than Orthodox Judaism, or break with that principle in favor of the view supported by the Reform and Reconstructionist movements that ethics trump law.

The meta-debate will likely not end with whatever resolution the law committee comes to over gay ordination in December.

“How we discuss this subject is the most important thing we do in the coming months,” Eisen said. “I hope we do this with seriousness and respect for the law and one another, and without vituperation.”

River Oaks Theatre danger confirmed

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 21:11:30 GMT

From the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance:

Weingarten CEO confirms plans for endangered historic sites

Weingarten Realty CEO Drew Alexander publicly confirmed for the first time that the company is considering plans to raze the original sections of the 1937 River Oaks Shopping Center as well as the 1939 River Oaks Theater and 1939 Alabama Theater/Bookstop. The projects would result in the demolition of three of Houstons most significant Art Deco landmarks, although Alexander says the company is open to ideas for saving the historic buildings as long as the proposals make economic sense.

In an article by Lisa Gray in todays Houston Chronicle (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/4155931.html), Alexander confirmed that Weingarten is negotiating with Barnes & Noble to occupy a new store on the site of the shopping centers distinctive curved building that currently houses Jos. A. Bank, Three Brothers Bakery and the Black-Eyed Pea. The company is also considering high-rise residential or office developments for the sites now occupied by the River Oaks Theater and Alabama Theater/Bookstop.

In July, Greater Houston Preservation Alliance placed all three properties on its Endangered Buildings List due to the threat of demolition. GHPA is requesting its members write Barnes & Noble CEO Stephen Riggio to ask the company to reconsider its plans for the River Oaks Shopping Center and Alabama Theater/Bookstop. Please copy your letter to the Mayors Office and your City Council member. Contact information is available on GHPAs Web site (http://www.ghpa.org/riveroaks.html).

Thank you for your continuing support of Greater Houston Preservation Alliance and its efforts to preserve Houston's irreplaceable historic resources.

Save the River Oaks Theatre

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 04:45:35 GMT

I recently learned that the River Oaks Theatre (1939), the Alabama Theatre (1939), and the beautiful, art deco River Oaks Shopping Center (1937) are slated to be demolished soon, in order to build a highrise apartment building and a Barnes and Noble Bookstore. Details are in this Houston Chronicle article: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/metropolitan/4064372

I remember when I was in college and saw this city sit idly by when the historic Shamrock Hilton was torn down to build a parking garage. It looks like we may lose 3 more beautiful pieces of our history. I hope you will join me in fighting to save the River Oaks and Alabama Theatres and the River Oaks Shopping Center.

See the following 2 web sites to see how you can help!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/riveroaks/

http://www.ghpa.org/riveroaks.html

Death penalty for "juveniles"

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:43:03 GMT

Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court created a black-and-white age test, ruling that no one who was under 18 years old at the time they committed a crime may be executed for that crime. 17 and 364 days - no death penalty. 2 days later, the defendant is automatically eligible for the ultimate punishment.

Well, this week in Harris County, we got to see the ridiculous result of that rule:

http://www.ksat.com/news/9044684/detail.html

One of the suspects is 9 months older than the other, but that fact means that the possible punishment ranges for the two co-actors are vastly different. That, to me, is a gross miscarriage of justice! Juries and judges should be able to consider the facts and background in deciding whether a defendant should be held accountable for his actions as an adult.

Beverly Malazzo for judge

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 04:32:36 GMT

If you're in Harris County, please consider voting in the Republican Party primary to help assure that we elect one of the best possible juvenile district court judges. Beverly Malazzo has been an associate judge (appointed by the elected district judges) for the past few years after having dedicated her career to children in the Juvenile Division of the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

During my time in the DA's Office, I've had the opportunity to see Beverly in action at the Detention Center, conducting detention hearings and admonishing juvenile probationers. She consistently shows that she cares about the rehabilitation and the future of juvenile offenders. Beverly has a way with these kids that is rare, and she probably knows the juvenile justice system better than anyone else involved.

Beverly Malazzo's opponent, Mike Schneider, Jr., works for the County Attorney's Office and has no judicial or juvenile criminal experience. He is counting on his political connections in the Republican Party to win the primary.

Take it from an insider: Beverly Malazzo is the ideal choice for judge in the 315th Juvenile District Court.

(Not a Republican? In Texas, you can vote in either primary, regardless of political affiliation. And that doesn't affect who you can vote for in the general election either.)

Either way, get out and vote!

Pat Robertson must go!

Fri, 06 Jan 2006 20:37:25 GMT

Remember when Pat Robertson, the host of the 700 Club, called for the assassination of the democratically elected president of Venezuela? Well, this right-wing, Christian kook is at it again, saying that Ariel Sharon's recent health problems are God's revenge for his withdrawal of settlers from the West Bank.

Read the story: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/05/robertson.sharon/index.html

Did you know that ABC carries this nut case's show?? Yes, he's on ABC FAMILY! If you're as outraged about this as I am, go to http://abcfamily.go.com/home.html and let ABC know that this kind of crap has no place on a mainstream TV network. (You'll notice on the "Feedback" form that they have removed the 700 Club from the list of their programs! Just leave that box blank.)

I'm going to tape the 700 Club and make a list of advertisers and post it here. That will be a good list of companies you can, in very good conscience, avoid patronizing.