Korach JCC Video shortened from David Cohen on Vimeo.
This is a video I created for a series at the JCC in Milwaukee called Moment of Torah. As you'll see, I took an unorthodox approach.Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Monday, September 12, 2011
Invocation Delivered at Cathedral Square 9/11 Tenth Anniversary Commemoration, Milwaukee
Eternal God, Source of Life and Blessing for all Creation:
Ten years ago we called to you from out of the depths;
Today we turn to you for courage, strength and wisdom.
• Shelter in peace those souls lost on September eleventh and give comfort to those whose hearts still ache; the parents, spouses, siblings, children and friends who keep their loved ones’ memories alive as a precious legacy.
• Honor and protect the public servants who responded on September 11th and the days and weeks and months that followed, and who continue to risk their safety for the common good. And bring healing to those first, second, and third responders whose service at ground zero continues to take a physical, emotional and spiritual toll.
• Grant us a heart of wisdom, that we may recognize the divine image in every human being. May that wisdom lead us to act toward one another not with anger or prejudice, but with compassion and care.
• Strengthen the hands of those who defend our country and inspire our governmental leaders to be pursuers of peace. In turn, we offer our prayers for our country and its government, our soldiers and citizens, for all who faithfully serve our nation.
• May the melodies and words we offer today come to be a prayer for peace, that we might live to see the day when swords will be made into ploughshares and nations will not learn war anymore. And together we say: Amen.
Rabbi David B. Cohen
Congregation Sinai
Fox Point, Wisconsin
September 11, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-ISRAEL-from-Rabbi-Cohen---6-.html?soid=1102207047565&aid=VQKfNYvsqjI
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-ISRAEL-from-Rabbi-Cohen---6-.html?soid=1102207047565&aid=VQKfNYvsqjI
for those who missed, this was the sixth and final blogpost from Israel in July
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-ISRAEL-from-Rabbi-Cohen---5-.html?soid=1102207047565&aid=VHq3LfADuTg
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-ISRAEL-from-Rabbi-Cohen---5-.html?soid=1102207047565&aid=VHq3LfADuTg
for those who missed them, this was my fifth blog post from Israel this summer.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Arab Spring Gives Way to Middle Eastern Summer: An Analysis of the Past Week's Developments in Israel
For many, the developments in Egypt and Syria this past year were eventually going to lead to the situation Israel faces at this moment: a destabilizing southern border, an Egyptian government unwilling and/or unable to police it, and the Syrians encouraging Hamas to attack Israel from the Gaza strip.
This week, Israel suffered what may in fact be it's first Al Qaeda styled multi-phased attack, on its border with Egypt just north of Eilat. This border with Egypt has been quiet since the signing of the peace agreement in 1979 and the return to Egypt of the Sinai peninsula. Egypt made sure that criminal activity as well as terrorist activity was kept out of Sinai, with very few exceptions. While the peace with Egypt was deficient in many other respects, e.g. Egyptian professional societies would expel their members if they developed any ties with their Israeli counterparts, at least the border was quiet.
That came to an end this week as multiple teams of terrorists (do we really need to continue to call them 'militants' as the world press does?), investigators believe as many as 20, opened fire with AK-47's, anti-tank missiles, rocket propelled grenades and mortars, as well as improvised explosive devices on civilian cars and and buses traveling on an Israeli highway that parallels the border. One of the buses held a number of soldiers returning to their base and they returned fire until army units arrived. Throughout the day, new attacks occurred as new teams of infiltrators were discovered. One such outbreak of shots rang out as Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the Army Chief of Staff Gantz were giving a press conference, just meters away. In that exchange, one of the police's tactical (SWAT) unit's most decorated officer's was killed. For more details about the initial attacks in which eight Israelis were killed, go here.
Undoubtedly, there will be investigation into how these terrorist attacks occurred. Evidently, The Intelligence services told the army that there were rumors that such an attack was in the offing, and the road was closed at night, but reopened in the day. The area where the attack occurred is slated to receive a more substantial security fence - there's barely anything there right now - and the money has been allocated but work hasn't yet commenced. Given the events of the past days, one can be sure that work will start immediately.
Further complicating matters is that, in addition to the terrorists who were sent from Gaza and entered through Egypt, there have been a series of Graad missiles shot into Israel. These are Russian missiles that are more accurate and with greater range than have been used before. One today hit a home in Beersheva, a considerable distance away. For more information about that missile strike, go here. For information about the other missile salvos that have targeted southern Israel, go here.
In particularly disappointing, but not at all surprising, news, Lebanon, which currently sits on the UN security council, prevented the UN from condemning the terrorist attack that left 8 Israelis dead. In somewhat better news, after 24 hours of intense efforts on both sides, Egypt has reversed plans to withdraw its ambassador from Israel. An announcement earlier today said that their ambassador would be leaving Tel Aviv to protest the death of several Egyptian policemen who died in the exchange of fire between Israeli soldiers and the terrorists who had attacked the two buses and cars, a group of whom had taken refuge in an Egyptian army outpost. Egypt and Israeli will conduct a joint investigation into what happened.
There's no doubt that the approaching date in September of Palestine's self-declaration will increase the pressure on the militants to increase their terrorist activities, even as it leads more moderate elements to engage in non-violent demonstrations. Ironically, the extremists only want to win if it comes through battle - winning through compromise or diplomacy is unsatisfying. I fear they will try anything to derail peaceful efforts to resolve the outstanding issues. Unfortunately, there is very little to indicate that anyone else in their society has the ability to control the agenda.
Stay tuned, and continue, as always, to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David B. Cohen
This week, Israel suffered what may in fact be it's first Al Qaeda styled multi-phased attack, on its border with Egypt just north of Eilat. This border with Egypt has been quiet since the signing of the peace agreement in 1979 and the return to Egypt of the Sinai peninsula. Egypt made sure that criminal activity as well as terrorist activity was kept out of Sinai, with very few exceptions. While the peace with Egypt was deficient in many other respects, e.g. Egyptian professional societies would expel their members if they developed any ties with their Israeli counterparts, at least the border was quiet.
That came to an end this week as multiple teams of terrorists (do we really need to continue to call them 'militants' as the world press does?), investigators believe as many as 20, opened fire with AK-47's, anti-tank missiles, rocket propelled grenades and mortars, as well as improvised explosive devices on civilian cars and and buses traveling on an Israeli highway that parallels the border. One of the buses held a number of soldiers returning to their base and they returned fire until army units arrived. Throughout the day, new attacks occurred as new teams of infiltrators were discovered. One such outbreak of shots rang out as Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the Army Chief of Staff Gantz were giving a press conference, just meters away. In that exchange, one of the police's tactical (SWAT) unit's most decorated officer's was killed. For more details about the initial attacks in which eight Israelis were killed, go here.Undoubtedly, there will be investigation into how these terrorist attacks occurred. Evidently, The Intelligence services told the army that there were rumors that such an attack was in the offing, and the road was closed at night, but reopened in the day. The area where the attack occurred is slated to receive a more substantial security fence - there's barely anything there right now - and the money has been allocated but work hasn't yet commenced. Given the events of the past days, one can be sure that work will start immediately.
In particularly disappointing, but not at all surprising, news, Lebanon, which currently sits on the UN security council, prevented the UN from condemning the terrorist attack that left 8 Israelis dead. In somewhat better news, after 24 hours of intense efforts on both sides, Egypt has reversed plans to withdraw its ambassador from Israel. An announcement earlier today said that their ambassador would be leaving Tel Aviv to protest the death of several Egyptian policemen who died in the exchange of fire between Israeli soldiers and the terrorists who had attacked the two buses and cars, a group of whom had taken refuge in an Egyptian army outpost. Egypt and Israeli will conduct a joint investigation into what happened.
There's no doubt that the approaching date in September of Palestine's self-declaration will increase the pressure on the militants to increase their terrorist activities, even as it leads more moderate elements to engage in non-violent demonstrations. Ironically, the extremists only want to win if it comes through battle - winning through compromise or diplomacy is unsatisfying. I fear they will try anything to derail peaceful efforts to resolve the outstanding issues. Unfortunately, there is very little to indicate that anyone else in their society has the ability to control the agenda.
Stay tuned, and continue, as always, to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David B. Cohen
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-ISRAEL-from-Rabbi-Cohen---4-.html?soid=1102207047565&aid=maPSR5vTlz0
Here is my fourth installment of the Blog from Jerusalem
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