Haveil Havalim #309 - the Purim Edition!

It is the month of Adar, and indeed it is Purim, a time when we are commanded to be happy and rejoice. Yet our joy is dulled by the tragedy in Itamar, war in Libya and the ongoing tragedy in Japan.

On a personal level, I am dismayed by the amount of hate and prejudice the events in Itamar have generated and/or uncovered. The actions of fanatics, who are a minority in any group, should never be used to demonize an entire group of people. May God comfort all those who are suffering.

Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish and Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by Jack.

Opinions expressed in the posts linked below are those of the respective bloggers and not necessarily endorsed by me. I have included in this edition all of the submitted blog posts except for those which promote religions other than Judaism, those which have nothing to do with anything related to Judaism or Israel (either on the blog linked or the post itself) or those that call for mass murder. I did receive all three this week in the trifecta of "Not appropriate for this forum."



It Was a Full Week:
A special thank you to Risa, who ties together the various emotions of Purim, Itamar, and Japan in a wonderful post at Wild flowers, spring and hopes for better times posted at Isramom.



Torah:
Batya asks - and answers - an excellent question in The Purim Megilla, Why is it Named After Esther? posted at Shiloh Musings.

Joshua Waxman presents parshablog: YU Purim To-Go 5771 and Shadal's theory about the Urim veTumim posted at parshablog.



Judaism:
Kochava asks for your thoughts in Discussion: Your Favorite Mitzvah posted at You're Not Crazy.

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver presents On removing sadness and promoting joy posted at A Chassidishe farbrengen.



Israel:
In his continuing series, Joel Katz tells us about conversion, marriage of gay men to lesbian women, and more in Religion and State in Israel - March 14, 2011 (Section 1) and Religion and State in Israel - March 14, 2011 (Section 2) posted at Religion and State in Israel.

For some good news about the water levels in the Kinneret, Harry brings us Finally some good news in a bad week: Kinneret above the red line posted at ISRAELITY.

If you're an Israeli computer geek, be sure to check out Jacob Richman's CJI - Computer Jobs in Israel - Annual Salary Survey Results posted at Good News from Israel.

Yoel Meltzer directs our attention to the situation at Gilad Farm in The lesson of Purim posted at Yoel Meltzer - YNET.

Ben-Yehudah writes about evangelicals in Israel, particularly after the Carmel fire, in Trojan Horses for Jesus Come Bearing Gifts - Jewish Israel posted at Jewish Israel's Posts - Jewish Israel.

Batya presents Another Purim Message: Begin to Sadat, like Achashverosh to Haman posted at Shiloh Musings.

Lady-Light is praying for a one state solution in YES Operation, NO Pali State (=YES to Annexation), and writes about oil in Israel: The Next Major Global Oil Exporter? posted at Tikkun Olam.



Purim:
Mordechai Torczyner reminds us about drinking responsibly, including some well thought-out advice regarding children both before and after bar/bat mitzvah age in And again: Drinking on Purim posted at The Rebbetzin's Husband.

Ben-Yehudah discusses whether it is ok to cross-dress and whether one must get drunk on Purim in Five Rabbis And A Drag Queen posted at Esser Agaroth.

Mrs. S. presents The Heblishization of the Megilah posted at Our Shiputzim: A Work In Progress.

I never thought I'd see the words "Mad Lib" and "Eulogies" in the same sentence, but there is a time for everything, as Mordechai Torczyner presents Purim Post: Mad Lib Eulogies posted at The Rebbetzin's Husband.



The Tragedy in Itamar:
Mystery Woman graces us with a heartfelt piece about the killings in Itamar in Show Me Your Hand posted at Mystery Woman.

Harry points us to a story about someone providing a little relief in a terrible situation in Rami Levy and the Fogels posted at ISRAELITY.

Westbankmama presents The Difference Between Lovers of Life and Lovers of Death posted at West Bank Mama.

Yip Bop believes Israel can't count on the world to protect it, in the following two posts. Warning: At the top of the first post is a photo that some may find distrurbing, especially in light of this particular tragedy: An Irrational World and LEST YOU FORGET THE MURDER OF CHILDREN - News Beyond News! posted at News Beyond News!.

Lady-Light reposts an article at It's OK to Hate the Jews, In Fact, it's In: Caroline Glick Says it All posted at Tikkun Olam.

And then we get to trying to assign blame:

Ben-Yehudah critizes the Israeli government in They Slaughter Our Children! posted at Esser Agaroth.

Batya criticizes the US and the Israeli government in America Shares the Blame for the Fogel Family Murders posted at Shiloh Musings.

Tomer Devorah links missionary activity with a breakdown of security in Understanding the Tragedy in Itamar posted at TOMER DEVORAH.



Personal
Kochava writes about a close friend who died recently in Lessons from the Gentle Giant posted at You're Not Crazy.

Elle writes about another kind of loss in leaving and letting go posted at On Becoming Devoted.

Sleeplessness is the topic as Neil Fleischmann presents 10 Ways of Looking At Sleeplessness posted at NY's Funniest Rabbi.

I write about what I have learned so far from my iPhone in Lessons from an iPhone posted at To Kiss a Mezuzah.

Rabbi Rachel Barenblat treats us to some poetry in Family (a poem about being stuck, for Big Tent Poetry) posted at Velveteen Rabbi.

Batya presents Friends for Life posted at me-ander.

Batya writes a sweet article about hitching rides, then ruins the mood she's created by bashing the Arabs at the end in An Extra-Credit Mitzvah, In Memory of The Fogel Family, HaYa"D posted at Shiloh Musings.

Along those same lines, westbankmama presents It?s Not the Nature, It?s the Nurture posted at West Bank Mama.



Food:
What can you do if you live in an area without kosher restaurants? Kochava gives us some advice in Survival Kit: Living Without Kosher Restaurants posted at You're Not Crazy.

Batya provides some advice in Breaking The Fast on The Run posted at me-ander.

Daniela reviews yogurts in Tnuva's Shtuzim-Whipped Cheese-Yogurt and chicken strips in Mama-Of's Crunchy RitzuOf posted at Isreview.



How you can participate:
You may submit your blog post for the next edition of Haveil Havalim by using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.