Haveil Havalim #369

Lucky me!  It’s my first time hosting the weekly Haveil Havalim - a carnival of Jewish and Israeli blogs.The Haveil Havalim blog carnival was founded by Soccer Dad and every week a different blogger takes a turn to host a weekly collection of blog posts.

The term הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים / “Haveil Havalim,” which means "Vanity of Vanities," is from Kohelet, (Ecclesiastes) which was written by King Solomon. King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got bogged down in materialism and other excesses and realized that it was nothing but “hevel,” or in English, “vanity.”

The carnival is hosted by different bloggers each week, and jointly coordinated through our Facebook Group.  If you blog about Israel or Jewish-related subjects, please feel free to join the Facebook group or have a look at the Haveil Havalim website.

And so, without my usual further ado…

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Israel:

Proud mom and recent olah Ester explores Israel and family connections in A day off… at Northern Lights and Reflections.

What’s Hillary up to in Israel?  Ya’akov Ben-Yehudah finds out in The Wicked Witch Of The West Visits Israel at Esser Agaroth.

Joel Katz keeps tabs on what’s what in Israel in Religion and State in Israel.

Sharon discovers Ten Favourites at Jerusalem’s Bloomfield Science (now 20 years old, but it looks as exciting as ever!) at The Real Jerusalem Streets.

Do Israeli non-Jews deserve refugee status in Canada???  Find out what I think in And now for some “Anti-Olim” at Adventures in AliyahLand, my newest blog!

In Jerusalem?  Discover a new park with Julie – there’s even a restroom! - in Brander Park & Gardens, a playground review at Walkable Jerusalem.

Gevalt! A Havel Havelim Sans Me?  Travelling but not forgotten:  no HH would be complete without Batya of Me-Ander and Shiloh Musings!  Lots going on over there, including a link to the latest Latma skits…

Torah:

Michael Tzadok Elkohen receives a terrible shock – one which may affect the entire Torah world – in What is the Truth? at An Aspiring Mekubal.

Fellow former Montrealer Miriam offers insights into the 9th of Av, saying “so many tragedies happened and are still happening on this date to the Jewish nation,” in A Time of Sorrow...Then and Now! at Miriam’s Words.

Looking for a way to explain the Three Weeks and Tisha b’Av to kids?  Try this printable overview, right here at my blog.  There’s also a Tisha b’Av FAQ for grown-ups.

Well, it’s the Nine Days… but: No meat, no problem, say Abby and Jody at Urban Frum, fellow Toronto bloggers – tell them I sent you!  (if you haven’t seen their “frum girls say” video, you absolutely MUST… it is far out of the ordinary and LOL funny)

Another local blogger:  my husband Akiva Natan gets blood from a stone – in cartoon form – in Parsha of the Week:  Chukas over at Kosher Nice Time Cartoons.  Updated weekly!

Ruchi finds that her young daughter knows where God is and isn’t afraid to say it in God: Up, Up, Down, Down at Out of the Ortho Box.

Susan Esther Barnes invites you to explore unexpected and meaningful surprises with her in Camp Newman Generates Jewish Joy at Religious and Reform.

One more from me:  why we’re losing Richard Feynman and other geniuses in The perils of bad Hebrew school, Sunday school, yeshiva right here on this blog!

Rae Shagalov asks what your divine purpose is in Life Purpose Blessing at her Holy Sparks Art Blog.

And finally, two more from Ya’aqov Ben-Yehudah at Esser Agaroth:

• In last week’s parashat hashavuah, we read of the mitzvah to destroy avodah zarah in the land of Israel.  Is that prohibition still in effect?  Does it apply to the Christian Bible?  Read his answers in To Destroy Avodah Zarah Or Not To Destroy Avodah Zarah: That Is The Question!
• Can a Haredi rabbi condone adultery?  Come tread these potentially stormy waters in More Exile-Minded Confusion at Esser Agaroth.

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That’s it for this week!  Hope you’ve enjoyed this eclectic collection.  Please stop by the Facebook Group to find out about upcoming issues or click here to submit your own blog to next week’s host!