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!

Avatar (spoiler)

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Please don't read this if you haven't seen Avatar and don't want to know the ending!

So, I saw the movie Avatar the other day. As someone who hardly watches tv -I don't even own a tv, and rarely sees movies, I must say I was not used to all the suspense there. I think I almost threw up my lungs when the main character, Jake Sully, was being chased by these alien hounds. lol!

The special effects were amazing and very ingenious. Perhaps these things are in other movies that I haven't seen, but to me they were very new -such as the floating mountains, twirling bugs, and not to mention the very interesting concept of hair!!!

If you recall, I wanted to see the movie after reading a post "Avatar and Moshiach" at Shirat Devorah's blog. Then I got more intrigued when I read a critique of it by Annalee Newitz.

Well so I saw it and I do think its related to alot of things but what I connected to most was that it seemed like a story of the struggle of Esau/Esav.

Here was America (white as some one label it) coming to Pandora -alien, primitive i.e. every minority on the planet earth represented here lol! -to basically shove the people aside and take what they possess --called keenly unobtainium. That should give you a hint as to whether its obtainable or not. But nevertheless, the pursuit continues.

Eventually, one of the Americans sent on that mission, Jake Sully (how's that for a last name?) defects and joins the "natives." Naturally, he becomes their leader and leads them to battle the "imperialist Americans" and sends them all back to America or blow them up in battle.

Annalee Newitz called this the white guilt being rehashed over and over. Just as it did in Dunes, in Dances with Wolves, Last of the Mohican, etc etc etc. By the way, I really love the first comment the came after her post. Here is an exerpt:

Speaking as a Left-Leaning White Guy™, I can't help but feel there's a culture of "white guilt oneupsmanship" in academic criticism these days. It's like a game to see who can be more guilty. "You think YOU'VE pointed the finger at racism? Ha! Watch now as I pwn your ass and prove you're just like all those other racist, imperialist honkeys!"

Until the next guilty whitey comes along... and so on... and so on... and so on... (gigshaft, commentor)

I think they are both right.

There is a perhaps subconscious guilt guiding the making of the movie, but most of it is cliched and a money maker.

THE SUBCONSCIOUS GUILT

In the story of Esau/Esav, he was a powerful warrior. He was destined to be the leader of the world and his father, Isaac was very proud of him. But for whatever reason, he was not following the religiosity of his father -he only pretended by asking "how does one tithe salt?" We don't tithe salt. It was evident, especially to the mother, Rifka, that this boy could not be a leader because his heart was not where it should be. Granted, he was quite fierce, so much so, that it is said that when his grandfather, Abraham died, Esau took out his grief by hunting down Abraham's old nemesis, Nimrod and killing him. But, how can someone lead without compassion, love, giving, all those things that religiosity tries to instill in a person? Rifka realized that Esau could not be the world leader. Finally, and maybe because he knew from his grandfather, Abraham, that his descendants were destined to be slaves in a "foreign land" (Egypt) and didn't want that for his progeny, he decided to sell his birthright. It had little value to him anyway. And so he gave up his right and his rightful place as a leader to the world.

When he saw that everything was truly finalized, with the blessings given to Jacob instead, He. Was. Furious.

And so the story goes. Even to this day, I would suspect, anyone who is a descendant of Esau (Western Civilization?) has that potential to be a great leader, but because the birthright is not theirs anymore, its as if they are wandering about life with no real purpose. So, they still try to lead. To conquer the world. To satisfy their greed but without the godly purpose -which was the problem in the first place. As a result, instead of the midas touch, often times when they enter a country they leave civil war in its wake. Colonialization. Slavery. Murder of the body and/or spirit.

But perhaps there is an awakening. A spark. A part which is not 1/60th yet, not enough to tip the scale. A little inkling to do good, to be that good, godly leader to all?

I think that is the subconscious stir that leads many to write/produce/promote/encourage movies like these. Its like stoking an amber that has the potential to become a flaming torrent of good -the Holy Mission one was intended to fulfill.... only to have the movie end and the lights turned back on. Reality bekons. The pull of greed bekons. Comforts bekon. Alas, where will the strength come from?

That is what I saw from one angle. But I saw something else from a different angle.

I like the idea of oneness with nature that the Navis had. Navi in Hebrew means prophecy. It sort of reminds me of a certain spark of holiness that Black folks have -I suspect. And that every group has but I just can't relate to because I am not intuned with them --but for sure in BF I sense this because I can. This special spark that is unobtainium to the conquering groups because it is ingrained in their birthright.

It reminds me of a teaching by Rebbe Nachman that everyone wants the Jewish person's money because it shines. So they raise taxes and take their money. But once its out of the Jewish guy's hand, it doesn't shine anymore. So they tax some more to get more money. But still it just doesn't shine once its out of their hand. In their desparation they keep trying.

I think the same thing goes for every group. We all have something that God gave us. Nobody can take it away. They just can't. They can squeeze and squeeze us like oranges, but the truth is once its out of our hands, it just doesn't have the same shine anymore and the greedy person who took it is left still thirsty for it.

Its our birthright.

At sometimes, just like in the movie, we have to use the same power of Esau to fight the onslaught of those who come greedily to take away from us, but note that it was the tribal woman's primitive weapon in the end that beat the main bad guy. The message: pick up Esau's weapons and tools, but then put it back down. Now that is not something I saw in those other cliched movies. Did anyone take note of that?

MONEY MAKING

And of course, why else does anyone do holywood, if its not for money making? There was so many cliched scenes in the movie, even I, a non-tv watcher, knew them. Typical guy falls in love with native girl, main character guy is like a loose canon to the rest of the group, but he's soooo needed so they keep him, natives have interesting rituals, all the typical characters -its almost like a video game. lol.

Anyway that is my take of it.



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