http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Mals_musings/Excerpts from my newspaper column and other musings by a MOT (Member of the Tribe).hourly12000-01-01T12:00+00:00http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Mals_musings/634871Why do we remember? Democratic institutions and values are not automatically sustained, but need to be appreciated, nurtured, and protected; Silence and indifference to the suffering of others, or to the infringement of civil rights in any society can—however unintentionally—perpetuate the problems; and The Holocaust was not an accident in history—it occurred because individuals, organizations, and governments made choices that not only legalized discrimination but also allowed prejudice,...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Mals_musings/634281From Wikipedia: Tefillin, ( Hebrew: תפילין ‎), also called phylacteries, are a pair of cubic leather boxes painted black, containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Bible, with leather straps dyed black on one side, and worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers. The hand-tefillin, or shel yad, is placed on the upper arm, and the strap wrapped around the arm, hand and fingers; while the head-tefillin, or shel rosh, is placed above the forehead, with the strap...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Mals_musings/632272I just read about a fiesty, non-Jewish woman, now living in Rye, NY, who hid Jewish families in her Amsterdam home, just a few doors down from where Ann Frank was stashed and found. Strobos, who was questioned, tortured and beaten by the Gestapo when then began to suspect her, lived to move to the United States and become a psychiatrist here. "A carpenter came from the Underground," Strobos said, "and he built a hiding place for Jews on the top floor of our house." The floor was equipped with...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Mals_musings/632166And here you thought this was a Jewish blog! Well, I'm just reporting a tidbit from my Haddassah Magazine, which covers events and lifestyles in Israel and in Jewish America. "Now, tourists to Israel can walk in the footsteps of Jesus - hiking down from Nazareth through villages and descending steep hills to grassy overlooks of the Sea of Galilee is all part of experiencing the recently launched Jesus Trail. " The 40 mile trail takes about 2 - 4 days to hike. I guess you could call this one...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Mals_musings/631064On a Northwest Airways flight from Atlanta, GA, a well attired middle-aged woman found herself sitting next to a man wearing a kippa ("yarmulke" in Yiddish). She called the attendant over to complain about her seating. "What seems to be the problem, Madam?" asked the attendant. "You've sat me next to a Jew!! I can't possibly sit next to this strange man. Please find me another seat!" "Madam, I will see what I can do to accommodate," the attendant replied, "but the flight is virtually full...