Bati & Beni here at last!

Finally I gave birth. lol.

It's a mini-magazine for children.  Specifically children in African communities whose communities have expressed in interest in Torah.  Why should they get images of white Jewish children get crammed down their throat?  Then everyone will wonder what happened to their self esteem.  No!

Let's nip that in the bud!

So I created Bati & Beni mini-magazine for kids.

Want a sneak peek?  lol.  You know you do!

Donate to help get this out to them and you get your own copy as well.

Thanks.

Let's Make a Way

Shalom, shalom, Readers!

Long ago I created the first African Torah publication called Making a Way.  I did it with my own $$ out of pocket.  Unfortunately, I couldn't keep it up and had to stop.  But I'd like to try again but this time with YOUR help!

If you want to advertise, you can get 1/2 a page of advertisement for $100 and full page advertisement for $300 or just donate and help.

Be generous! You can give towards (and receive a copy) by donating at paypal to nevemiriam@yahoo.com.


THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Where is Bnei Hham's Torah? Part 2

The Precious Stone:

At the top of the ark was something to bring light into it.  Some say it was a window, some say it was a precious stone.  If it was a window then it would only shine light when it was day.  But since it was very stormy, probably definitely rainy weather, a precious stone may have been in order.

What is so special about a precious stone?  It really enhances the beauty of something.  Crowns in particular are decked out with precious stones.  But it's not coincidental, it's purposeful.

Keter means crown in Hebrew.  According to some, the precious gems on the crowns allows one to actually peer to what's above -- the next level.  Kind of like a crystal ball. Or like the Urim v'Thummim -- the breastplate of the Cohen/High Priest.

The Intercourse:

When Adam mated with Chava/Eve, it's written Adam "knew" Chava/Eve.  In fact, this "knowing" is a way of intimately getting familiar with someone -- or even something thing or a concept.

When it is taught that Hham had "intercourse" in the ark, since intercourse may have been forbidden, it may mean that he either went against the rules (broke a glass ceiling?) or he gained intimate knowledge from staring into the gem that was used for light.

There were others who also "had intercourse" according to the sages.  The dog and the raven.  As a result, the dog was made to be tied and the raven was made to expectorate.  Interestingly, the dog is, in fact, tied.  It is now closer to the human plane than most animals.  In some countries it's known as a "man's best friend." 

As for the raven, interestingly, it can actually use speech much better than the well-known parrot.  Speech is a very human characteristic.  Both the dog and the raven were brought up to a higher level away from their previous animal plane and into the human plane.

Romancing the Stone:

In the ark, Hham may have gazed at the precious stone and from gazing he peered through and gained intimate knowledge.  Knowledge of what?  What is his Torah/instructions?

As a result of this act, he is said to be stricken in the skin.  Black skin has a factor that is almost like the chlorophyll in plants.  Plants use a process called photosynthesis to convert light energy into chemical energy for fuel.  As well, melanin is a process that converts light energy from the sun into chemical energy for fuel.  That's on a physical plane.

On a different plane, let's talk about light.  In every synagogue, there is a light that is forever shining above the ark which contains the Torah.  Let that sink for a minute...  So from within the ark, Hham who was contained within the ark stared up at the light shining constantly from the precious stone and as a result was stricken in the skin.

The Torah can only be written on skin.  Traditionally, it's been written in cow hide.

To be continued...

Finding My Place

I am happy that I am slowly finding my place in the world -- 

I am finding that there are many individual groups and people all concerned and trying to help the communities in Africa who are interested in Judaism.  Somehow I feel like that is my "work."

I used to do more, but since my own family life fell apart, I kind of slithered into oblivion; shutting down my blog as you probably saw and not being very active in social media.  Not even being very active in real life.

L'ag b'omer two years ago will always be a memorable time.  It was the time when everything that was hanging precariously all fell apart.  Social workers, police, all kinds of everything was involved that day. One minute it was a regular day, we had guests coming for Shabbat, we were preparing the house, cleaning, I had just come back from picking up some of the kids from their school and the next minute.....

Next thing I knew the kids and I were on a bus heading for Jerusalem by order of the social welfare department.  It was never the same after that.

One day, I'll be more able to talk about it. But now I am glad to slowly make friends with others who are interested in helping all the various communities in Africa out.  

This is majorly exciting for me!!

The downside is that sometimes they have to go into unchartered territory. Our dear Harry Rosenberg is going to be pitted against Brother Polight, a conscious "brother" in a debate this coming Monday night.

Not sure the purpose of the debate except maybe to bring attention to Harry for the AFr. Amer. community.  And the purpose of that, I think?? is in case there are those who are interested in Judaism but don't know where to go, Harry will be a beacon perhaps.

Anyway, it's all nervewrecking lol.

The "White Savior" Wakes Up

One smart girl who truly wants to help, dashes perceptions and reveals the TRUTH...

Story here

The Haitian Revolution from a Kabbalistic Perspective

Firstly, i'm not a kabbalist. This musing is all just skimming the surface.

About a month ago, I came out into my front yard and happened upon a hummingbird nest.  The brightly blue colored papa and greyish colored mama hummingbirds were there and they were tending to their baby hummingbird.  Crouching nearby was a cat!

As soon as the cat got too close for comfort, the papa hummingbird sprung into action! He flew right in front of the cat's face.  Then quickly dodged the swiping paw. Again, went the papa, right into the cat's face and out again. Each time the papa retreated, he went farther and farther from the nest -bringing the cat with him.  After a while, I realized he was luring the cat away from the nest.  What strategy!!

Eventually, the cat lost interest in trying to get the bright blue bird and went away. whew.

But that got me thinking, every creature that Hashem created has its power and its way of defending itself.  If they "work it" well enough, they can fight even the most formidable of enemies no matter the size.

Some time later, I was thinking about tribal people, these earthy people who live off the land. Africans from their villages, Native American Indians and their old way of life.  I wondered if they really had any defense against the onslaught of European invaders who took their land, their lives, their everything.

These people seemed as if they were untouched by the whole Adam and Eve story. They were naked and just fine.  Just fine until they were informed that they were naked. Its as if they were very natural, very normal, very heart oriented.  I remember reading an article by Phylis Chesler, where she tries to understand how is it that "third world people" whom she thought were so sweet and innocent, could crumbled to such violence and cruelty as she has seen in the middle east.  Personally, i think its just called "keeping things real."  When they are well, things are well. When they are angry, they smash. But when the enemy is as slithering and as sneaky as a snake, there's no time to smash and fight and thrash. By the time they realize what's up, the battle is already halfway finished.

So how could they have fought this enemy?

This makes me think of the Haitian revolution.  These captured Africans who were led to the "new land" the Island of Hispaniola made a secret ceremony in which every abled bodied man ready and willing to fight, had to drink the blood of a pig as a seal that they would do whatever they could to succeed in this legendary fight. And so they did.  And they won their independence!

From a Torah perspective this is a very interesting ritual.

In the Jewish world, thankfully, we have the Torah. Specific instructions and guidance. Eat kosher, it says.  Stay away from promiscuous women, it warns.  Beware of Amalek, it admonishes.  No one else was told to beware of Amalek.  Also, we have the teaching that Esav (Amalek's grandpa) was a wicked person, so we know to be weary.  But what of tribal people with no warning?

In the case of the Haitians, again I don't know what prompted them to do this ritual - it certainly wasn't a normal ritual done before a fight.  But it could, form a Torah perspective, be seen as taking the sword of Esav to strike.

Esav is called the Hunter, He is the fighter.  He is the man with the sword who exacts punishment.  Esav is also likened to a pig. Why? Because at a first glance, the pig looks kosher.  It has the split hooves.  But only after killing it and seeing its belly will one realize that it doesn't chew the kud.  Sneaky!!  Esav also pretends to be so pristine and clean and so good.  He seems to have all the right motives.  He seems to look like an angel.  But he has wickedness in his heart!  Essentially, what the Haitians did was to take the sword from Esav and gave their enemy a good beating. What would have been the Native American Indian's way of "taking the sword from Esav"?

Everything has a Beat

This is just like a kabbalistic teaching! Wisdom from Africa.

Thank you for your Patience

Friends, Readers,

To all those who have ordered books and magazines, I thank you for your patience. Things are taking a tad bit longer than I had hoped, but its acoming.


Baruch Hashem!

Israeli Forces join with Kenyan Police

Please G-d, cause this to end well during this beautiful holiday of Sukkot.

Negotiation strategies.



News on Kenya (not about Israeli forces joining)

Sukkot, Sukkot, Everywhere!

Yes, its the festival of booths, sukkot where everyone builds little huts and lives in them fearlessly to recognize --its from G-d that security comes from, not from super locks and police, etc.

Here are the halachot (laws) of building a sukkah

In the African communities, some are just now finding out what is sukkot, so they can celebrate it better next time around.  Others have got it together with an African pizzazz too!!

Here is a sukkah from Awka, Nigeria made with bamboo sticks and palm leaves. Totally kosher!!

G-d willing, next year we'll have more communities ready with their sukkot.

Happy Holidays!!! Chag Sameach!!

Making A Way

Interest in Judaism has been growing in the African continent for a while now.  There are those who want it and there are those who just want to want it.  Either way, many are thinking about it.

For those who seem decidedly interested, I have created a magazine called Making A Way.

This publication will serve many purposes: 

1.) It will keep all the communities aware of the other one. Bringing them closer.

2.) Help them to exchange ideas and resources.

3.) Bring an awareness and exposure of the African communities to the greater mainstream Jewish communities.

4.) Show the fascinating and creative ways the African communities manage in order to do mitzvoth.

In addition, sadly, many other groups will come an try to dissuade these communities from their goal. As they wait the long wait for the Rabbanut to actually have a functioning branch that will deal with their cases and/or as they wait for an orthodox rabbi who will be interested in helping them, some get discouraged.  Since Judaism is not a "prosyletizing religion" there is not much we can do for them --and they were probably meant to go in the path that they chose. 

But for those who want to hold on, hopefully this magazine will give them a handle in which to hold on to, and hopefully the exposure will bring about more help for them.

Please join me and support this cause.  To donate for this magazine and /or to receive a copy please email me at nevemiriam@yahoo.com.

Thank you & Shana tova!

Putti Village 2000

Please let me know if you are game!!

Let's help the Abayudaya in Uganda.

Thanks so much!!!

****UPDATE:  WE HAVE 20% THE GOAL ALREADY*** people are just pledging, no one is giving yet.

Godliness in Everything

excerpt from Lik. Moharan. lesson 17

It is impossible to receive fear and love except through the tzaddikim (Holy, righteous people) of the generation. This is because the tzaddik of the generation is the one who reveals the fear and the love.


For the tzaddik always seeks and searches for ways to reveal the will of the Holy One. For the Holy One's will is in everything. It is in the creation at large, namely, that the Holy One willed to creat ethe world generally; and it is in the particulars of creation. In each and every particular ting there is the Holy One's will--namely, that the Holy One willed this specific thing to be as it is, with its speci+fic form, strength and nature; -whereas something else has a different form, a different strength and a different nature and demeanor.


Now the tzaddik always seeks and searches for this will, to comprehend and understand the Holy One's will in each thing. such as: Why was it the Holy One's will that the lion be created with the specific strength and power, the specific form, and the specifi nature and demeanor that the lion has; whereas conversely, a small gnat is very weak and has a different nature, form and demeanor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And I believe, that only holy and righteous people can be trusted to speak of the goodness of Africa, of Africans, of things related to Black folks in general, in particular and in detail. Most other simply can't wrap their brains around it, don't want to, and refuse to. Why? What do they think they stand to lose in such an acknowledgement?

In Judaism, we are told to remember Amalek. Amalek is the grandson of Esau who had decided to kill the Jewish people. Jews stay vigil always and recite this passage once a year, to always remember Amalek. Many people say that Hitler and Germany was Amalek.

Well, since the Jewish people is seen as a microcosm of the rest of the world, it would stand to reason that there may be another "Amalek." One that is out to destroy the godliness that the rest of the world has as well.

Again, in Judaism there is the belief that the Jewish people is a microcosm of the rest of the world -with each part-general, in particular, and in the details of the particular --being respresented by something in rest of the world.

What part of Africa and 'all things Black folks oriented" is connected to what part of the Jewish people?

My suspicion is that it has something to do with the brit, yesod, Yosef, etc. to be continued..

New Video on AIDS

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Long ago I wrote a post called "Let Africa Die?" where I was wondering about an essay by some doctors stating that no one actually checked for AIDS directly in African countries, they just lumped the symptoms of malaria, and the such all into one and if anyone had any of those symptoms, they were declared as having AIDS.

Now, I really got blasted for that post -no one disproved it, but I surely got blasted lol!

Anyway here is a more recent video on the topic. Again, not sure what to make of it, but I did want to expose it.




(hat tip= FB friend)

Africa in Early 20th Century

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Just doing some personal research about various countries in the African continent during the early 20th century.

If anyone has a site to recommend, please do.


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How to Not Write About Africa...

Hat tip = What Tami Said)

Hair and Tzitzit

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I thought this was an interesting parallel:

In the Jewish tradition, there are these fringes or bundles of strings that men wear on the four corners of their garment. These are called tzitzit. They consist of bundles of strings tied, knotted, and twisted in a pattern and then the rest sort of dangles down.

(I love when my husband wears his outside rather than tucking them inside. He also wears techeilus -the blue string)

In Hebrew, tzitzit is spelled: צִיצִת

Anyway, in Ezekiel 8,3 we find:

...and I was taken by a lock of my head...

The Hebrew version says: ...and I was taken by בְּצִיצִת of my head.."

Here, tzitzit is synonymous to hair. Thank you Likutey Moharan II for pointing that out.

I just thought it was interesting that tzitzit is used in reference to hair because its hair that we tend to put in knots, twists, etc. Now, I know that back in the time of the Songhai Empire around the 1400s, according to Ehav from Hochma and Mussar, there was a Jewish presence in Africa. (Also, I find it quite impossible that -as folks would have people believing- that there was no Jewish influence in the continent of Africa, especially subsahara Africa). Well, isn't it interesting that if these influence were removed, banned or whatever, that maybe, just maybe the people found a way to "maintain" by substituting the knots and twists onto the hair!

I can dream, can't I? lol

Let Africa Die?

Hi all,

In the recent months I have read some of the most shocking information ever. I am still reeling from it, but I thought I'd blog about to get some other input and also to clearly think it through for myself.

Everyone has heard by now about the epidemic of AIDS in Africa. If I am correct, AIDS is an immunal deficiency disease in which the body sorta has a problem fighting off bacterial infections, etc.

I stumbled across Bernie's blog in which he suggested that we "let Africa die" I couldn't believe my eyes. Someone should write this? With all due seriousness? What happened to compassion? Morals?

Then I began to wonder -really wonder as in not just a passing thought in my mind but to seriously wonder -why is AIDS spreading SO FAST in Africa? Either there are just a whole load of homosexuals very active and very happy going about their business or there are too many heterosexuals that are shady with their marital responsibilities, or too many 'trigger' happy singles involved in drug use and sex.

Often I didn't want to think this through because all options looked bad on Africa. In my mind, Africa the continent has had enough bad raps. I didn't WANT to believe this.

Also I had a hard time believing it because the more I learned about modesty as a Jewess, I have also learned that many tribes in Africa keep somewhat similar laws: separation from the husband during menstruation, a whole ritual cleaning process. Attempts are made, albeit gruesome in my eyes, to curb promiscuity. Meaning, purity has some value to the Africans.

So how do I account for the news of AIDS I'm hearing left, right and center.

Well, recently I stumbled across another piece of interesting information. What caught my attention was the question mark. The piece was called "AIDS in Africa? " I'm thinking, what's the question?

So I read the article. Y'all are welcome to read it too: here.

Basically, its saying NO REAL TEST HAS BEEN DONE TO PROVE THAT AFRICANS HAVE AIDS! That they do a simple obervation or minimal testing of symptoms and even though those same symptoms could be attributed to TB, malaria, and other disease that Africans have been dying from routinely, because of the great scare about AIDS -these DISEASES HAVE NOW BECOME MARKERS INDICATING THAT THE PERSON HAS AIDS.

In other words, It used to be that if you had high fever, were coughing up shtuff, etc they'd test you and see you had TB. End of story, pass on to see if you can get treated or pass away. Now, if someone has say TB symptoms, that in itself is used as an indication that the person has AIDS. Thus lumping all the malaria, TB, and actual AIDS patients together making a whoopingly overwhelming picture of AIDS in Africa.

Some sick stuff. Somebody tell me things have changed! Or maybe I should hope that this is correct? Well, I am going to do some more reading on this but, I just get angrier and angrier that people come into other cultures with their own prejudices in tow and just decide that this is how its gonna be.

And so, what is the solution? Proper testing and letting the deaths be called for what it really is instead of lumping it all as one cause?

All the more reason why blacks (Africans, African Americans, Caribbeans, etc etc etc Lord knows there are many many different blacks in the world) MUST have their own doctors, their own scientists, their own to look after their own interests.

ADDENDUM: I don't want to be misled. And I don't want to mislead others. If the info stated here is wrong (I am not a doctor nor an expert in bacteriology or virus by any stretch of the imagination) please CORRECT ME. Thank you.

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