Picture of the Day

Sunrise over the dead sea. picture by Elyakim Shayovitz (found it when I was checking the weather at INN news)

Aid Flotilla to Haiti

Ron Mossad came up with such a brilliant idea. I like it, because as a Haitian, I want help for Hait and why not -especially after hearing that there is money earmarked --EARMARKED- for Haiti help, but is not being used.

Okay, time to whip out my tehillim book. Time to make noise about this in the world as well.

Thanks Ron Mossad for the idea!

Just For Laughs: An Unbirthday Party

What can I say, this is mindlessly, deliriously, ridiculously hilarious!
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Have a blessed day!!

Black and Jewish Goapele

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.(woman singing)




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Forward March!

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Black Women, I encourage you all to keep moving forward in acquiring holy knowledge. It is important and useful, learn it, feel it, know it beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are loved by the Creator, you have a purpose in this world, and all your faculties must be used towards achieving, creating, surmounting, building, and passing on to the next generation!

And now for a story (this is a repeat story):

There was once a black woman who always went down a certain street. Every day she made her trek down that street.  One day a mugger decided to crouch behind a bush and ambush her. He had plans to rob, rape, and do all sorts of horrible things to her.


Well it so happened that on that particular day, the young black woman had decided to wear her teachers garments. She put on her teachers shoes, the hat, the suit, the skirt. She looked like a totally different person. So, when she went down that same street, the mugger did not recognize her and did not harm her. She passed safely!

and now for the same story, but on a different plane:

There was once a young black woman who always went down a certain thought process. Everyday she made her way down that path.  One day some haters, nay sayers, and doubts decided to crouch behind a lie and and ambush her. They had plans to rob, rape, and do all sorts of horrible things to her.


Well it so happened that on that particular day, the young black woman had finally internalized what her teachers had been trying to teach her. She grew to a new level of knowledge, belief, understanding.A new wisdom.  Its as if she had new clothes on and was unrecognizable from what she used to be.  She began to think like a totally different person.  Truly, she WAS a different person.  So when she went down that same thought pattern, the pitfall that was there did not effect her at all. The old way of hurting her was no longer effective; she had moved on to a new plane of reality.

When we gain new knowledge, the old way of hurting us (be it the latest MSM's negative "studies" that always seem to end with bad news for BW, or the cruel statements made by comedians, etc) simply do not work anymore.  This is a good reason to keep learning, keep growing. But there is a catch.

If someone does not grow. Every day you see them with a number 1 in their hands. One day, just bring on a negative 1 (-1) and you've cancelled what they had.

Now if someone grows in a crawling sort of way. One day she has a 1. The next day she has a 2. And then a 3. and so on and so forth.  She's doing better than the girl carrying the 1 everyday. But a quick algebraic equation can cancel her too. (i.e. it may take more work to bring her down, but its not sooo impossible).

Okay, but if she progresses constantly. One day she has a 1. The next day a 5. The day after a 7. After that a 14, and so on and so forth, it would be extremely difficult to bring her down. Its almost not worth the work!

All this to say: progress with yourself. Push yourself as far as you can go with knowledge and understanding. Know --I mean don't just believe, but know- the boundlessness of G-d's love for you. Even though you may never reach the borders of His love for you, but the simple exercise of trying to imagine its borders and realizing its borderlessness will raise you up so high!!!

Much Blessings!!

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The Day I Was BLack as a Raven --And Cruel to My Kids!

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That day was this past Friday.

My mom was visiting and we all took a trip to Jerusalem. Since I've been in Israel, I have never gone to the cave of Machpele -the burial place of our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jaacob and some of the foremothers: Sarah, Rivka, Leah (Rachel is buried elsewhere). I've been in Israel almost 10 years and I 've never paid my respects to my ancestors, my protectors!


So when we were coming to Jerusalem with my mom, I had to do whatever I could to make that trek.

Black As A Raven:

"With whom is the Torah to be found? With the one who makes his face as black as a raven, and one who makes himself cruel to his children as the raven" (Talmud: Eruvin 22a)

I didn't care for my self. It seemed like a crazy plan to go to the cave on a Friday morning --the day everyone is running around madly trying to prepare for the holy Shabbat. How would I return? Would I have sufficient time to prepare for the Shabbat? Does it all seem small of me to do this? Crazy? It didn't matter. I had no concern except to get to that cave at long last!

Cruel to his Children as the Raven:

And on top of that, I dragged all my kids with me.  the city of Hevron is where the cave is located. It is surrounded by Arab villages and they don't like Jews. There have been skirmishes there before, but I had to rely of hope and faith that G-d would protect us. The bus was at 8 am and in my rush to make it happen, I was unable to give my kids any breakfast.

Luckily my sister had a few crackers in her purse and my mother had a box of raisins. Still my kids were hungry. I am so sorry that it was not planned out properly, but I am glad that they went.

Just the look on their faces when I told them, "This is the tomb of Abraham!" and "This is your forefather, Jaacob. " There was no talk of hunger or thirst. They didn't even make a rucus. They took it all in and I pray made a stronger bond with their ancestors.

It was a blessed day.

Quotable Quotes

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"Why do you speak against the Afrocentrics but keep your peace with the Eurocentrics?"

from: A Black Rabbi who shall remain nameless -until he says its okay. I miss him very much.




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