Rachael Posted:

A few days ago I saw the movie “The Adjustment Bureau” starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt.  I liked the movie because it was fun and not the thriller/chaser/blood & guts film you might expect.

For anyone who hasn’t seen the movie and wants to, please stop reading now because I’m going to discuss some of the core ideas.

The movie plays with the idea that there are many levels of ‘messengers’ or ‘agents’ who do the bidding of a higher power called ‘The Chairman’.  For every person there is a plan and these agents make sure that we are all staying on our plan because chance circumstances can sometimes derail things.  It’s a great concept to play with even to the point of having someone trip and fall which delays them just those few seconds needed to miss a bus etc. etc.

The bump in the plan is when the two heroes are determined to be together even though they’re not supposed to be.  The movie raises the question of whether or not you can change your plan.  After the movie I had a fantastic discussion about the Jewish themes that weave throughout the movie.  The concept of ‘angels‘ or ‘agents’ follows a Jewish thread but most importantly, the idea that determination and genuine heartfelt commitment can indeed change our fates, our ‘plans’.

That is the essence of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.  The idea that there is a destiny drafted for each of us but that we can effect that draft before it is sealed.  We are in part the creators of our own destinies.  That’s why Judaism says we should choose every action we take and not allow things to ‘just happen’.

I definitely recommend the movie. Â

Jacob Posted:

The above photograph was taken in the Situation Room of the White House on the eve of the Pakistan raid that led to Osama Bin Laden’s death. Der Zeitung, a Hasidic Jewish newspaper based in Brooklyn, published the photo with some very obvious changes. The version printed by Der Zeitung edited out the two women in the picture: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Director for Counterterroism for the National Security Council Audrey Tomason.

This sort of censorship and tweaking of reality is an example of the misogyny and fundamentalism that all religious institutions must seek to avoid. By distorting truth to conform to their own worldview, Der Zeitung is not practicing ethical journalism and is doing a disservice to their readers. A Washington Post article connects the dots between this example of extremism in the orthodox Jewish community and the treatment of women in Islamic fundamentalism.

The statement issued by Der Zeitung in response to the controversy said that, “because of laws of modesty, we are not allowed to publish pictures of women, and we regret if this gives an impression of disparaging to women, which is certainly never our intention.”

Of course, the problem with all fundamentalism is the strict adherence to a code of conduct without bothering to ask questions or rationalize. A completely literal interpretation of religion can lead to an oppressive mindset that perverts and undermines the original intention of righteousness in thought and action. All people should have the right to think for themselves and it is the responsibility of newspapers to present objective facts, not whitewashed versions of facts that do nothing to challenge the status quo.

Have you heard about Orthodox Jews who send texts on Shabbat? There’s no punchline here. Originating from groups of Orthodox Jewish teens, “Half Shabbos” is keeping Shabbat yet using your cell phone to stay connected to friends. Watch this video to learn more about the growing conversation occurring across Shabbat dinner tables.