Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The Observer: Issue 4!

Well, dear friends, The Observer is out!

What does this issue have in store for you?

Well, other than much ado about Madoff, we have pretty much everything you would like to know about sexuality. Orthodox sexual education i.e. Tzelem? Kallah teachers? Judaism & sexuality in the modern-day world? The students of Yeshiva University giving their take on the matter? You name it; we've got it.

Then there's the results of a survey on the year in Israel phenomenon, just in from the Institute for University-School Partnership, an affiliate of Azrieli.

Then we have Dr. James Kugel visiting Stern, a review of the first TEIQU event, a review of the Yeshiva College production of "Newsies," a review of Stern's "Once Upon A Mattress," a review of a fascinating film entitled "Narrow Bridge" that deals with the topic of sexual abuse in the Orthodox world, and an important question: are you a boiling frog?

Also, what is a woman's place within the framework of halakha, is New York turning solar, and who doesn't want to know how to look pretty and fashionable even during a recession?

There's much more...so check it out!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very interesting issue - a few points

1. Why not have included someone (I would have volunteered) that thought Richard Joel's statement was lacking?

2.Sexuality articles were interesting - I agree that earlier introduction is crucial due to the other sources that will take our place. Challenge is to get community buy in (and to teach parents that it's ok to talk about).

3.R' Shafran clearly over simplified and wasn't called on it- Can a internet cafe get a hechsher in Queens (go to main st. by 73 ave and ask them)? Is it msayeah if a proprieter charges different fees for cash vs. check or credit card?

4.Women/halacha - IMHO the general current YURabbinic thinking is that anything that seems to give a positive response to something that could be construed as feminist generated (or worse conservative generated), even if there are many women who want it for all the right reasons, will not be viewed positively (a la R' Moshe's Tshuva)
One may think this is good or bad, but , that is the shikul hadaas as of now. Sara may think it wrong, but how do you get it changed(imho only by convincing rabbis over time that the change is really coming from within not from without). Btw imho the same thing applies to heksher tzedk.

KT
Joel Rich

Anonymous said...

Mazal tov on a great issue once again!
Chana,you always come up with topics that truly interest your readers. Keep up the good work!
I read the articles on sexuality-they are superb!

Anonymous said...

Looks great!!! I hope my brief e-mail comments were helpful...

I think there is a lot to say regarding Judaism's perspective on sexuality - while this is not the forum for extended writing, I would bring up Rabbi Avraham Peretz Friedman's excellent book "Marital Intimacy" for a short, but representative review of the relevant sources.

Chana said...

Gavi, that work was cited extensively in this article. And thank you, you were most helpful.

Anonymous said...

I know, that's why I re-mentioned it.

Anonymous said...

yet another blog issue, though an interesting one

nmf #7 said...

Excellent issue, Chana! Kudos.