H&M Under Fire, Ridicule for Selling Scarf Strangely Similar to a Tallis.

H&M Under Fire, Ridicule for Selling Scarf Strangely Similar to a Tallis.(Matzav).

Swedish international apparel chain H&M received mixed reviews on social media for offering a scarf for purchase that looks like a tallis.

The scarf, which sells on H&M’s website for $17.99 and was first highlighted by fashion blog Racked.com, has the same color scheme and pattern as a tallis. It even has “fringe at the short ends,” appearing strangely similar to tzitzis.

While some Twitter users marveled at the resemblance between the scarf and a tallis, others, the Algemeiner reports, were outraged, including one individual who wrote: “I’m not Jewish, but think it’s wrong to use an item of religious dress as a fashion statement.”

A different Twitter user said: “A lot of non Jews are going to be attacked for wearing it. Maybe they’ll understand what we go through.”

Another noted the irony of a Swedish retailer selling a scarf that resembles a tallis because “a Jew cannot walk in Sweden with a tallit (or a kippah) without risking himself.”

Others found the likeness humorous. One commented: “That is awesome. Is there a tekhelet option?” — referring to techeiles, the blue dye used for tzitzis, while another said, “lmaooo that great, I’ll finally be able to daven fashionably.” Hmmm..........It's not OK to make fun of Islam but it's OK to make fun of Judaism? No religion should be denigrated. 

Video - Jon Stewart Talks Judaism and His Coverage of Israel, Claims Iran Views Him as a Mossad Agent.

Video - Jon Stewart Talks Judaism and His Coverage of Israel, Claims Iran Views Him as a Mossad Agent. HT: Algemeiner.

“In Iran, I’ve already been outed as a Mossad agent and a CIA agent,” he told Canada’s National Post. “They’ve already produced 60 Minutes-style pieces describing me as a Mossad agent.”

“The Rabbi’s Cat,” - Cartoon about a cat who wants to become Jewish nominated for Award.

“The Rabbi’s Cat,” - Cartoon about a cat who wants to become Jewish nominated for Award.(TOI).A Cartoon about a cat who wants to become Jewish will face off against major Hollywood competition at one of the animation industry’s biggest awards shows. “The Rabbi’s Cat,” a French feature about a feline in 1920s Algeria, will compete against blockbusters including “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Brave” and “ParaNorman” for the top prize at February’s Annie Awards, handed out by the International Animated Film Association. In addition to a nomination in the best animated feature category, the film has also earned a directing nod for Joann Sfar. A French-Austrian co-production, the movie centers on a talking feline capable of debating the biblical story of creation. (The cat justifies his skepticism by citing carbon dating.) The plot also includes a trip across North Africa that the house pet hopes will lead to Jerusalem.

So, The Quran Relates Temple Tales.

So, The Quran Relates Temple Tales.(Myrightword).Via CriticalAnalyst.

Excerpts from a paper, The Temple in the Qurʾān, presented by William J. Hamblin, Professor of History, Brigham Young University today.
Taken together, all of the elements mentioned in this passage [Sūrah 34:12b-13a] --Solomon as builder of a place of worship, the massive use of bronze, the jinn as workers, the images, and water basins -- make it certain that this passage is describing the building of Solomon’s Temple, viewing its construction as having been ordered by God and facilitated by divine intervention.

In these Qurʾānic narratives about Mary, the temple appears in Qurʿān 3:35-37, describing the birth of Mary and her dedication as a youth to serve in the temple, where she is miraculously fed by God.

The Qurʾān also includes a rather detailed description of the destructions of the Jerusalem temple by the Babylonians and the Romans in 17:4-8. and The Qurʾān views the temple of Jerusalem through three different lenses.

1. First, the Qurʾānic temple was an Israelite holy place intimately tied to the lives of the ancient prophets. Solomon built it by divine decree and with miraculous assistance. It was commemorated as a place of repentance and miracles. 
2. Second, it was a Christian holy place, where God fed Mary miraculous food, and angels spoke to Zachariah. 
3. Finally, it was a contemporary Muslim sacred place, directly linked to the spiritual life of the Muslims, where Muhammad ascended to heaven in vision. But, despite its holiness, it was destroyed because of the apostasy of the Jews. For the Qurʾān, the Jerusalem temple is thus a sign of God’s miraculous power, and a warning, that sacredness does not derive from a place alone, but from submission (ʾislām) to the will of God.

Interesting but I think there is room for debate on some of his interpretations.Temple Denial anyone?Read the full story here.

Outcome of Islam-Christianity conference on Jerusalem to be published.

Outcome of Islam-Christianity conference on Jerusalem to be published.(IBNA).The first Islamic and Evangelical Christianity was held yesterday (May 27, 2012). A book will be published based on the outcome of the conference.
IBNA: The conference was themed at the Joint Duty of Muslims and Christians regarding Beitol Moghadas.("Beitol Moghadas" = Jerusalem (the city of the Great King).
In an interview with IBNA, caretaker of the information department of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO) said that the conference was arranged by the Center of Dialogue between Religions and the ICRO. As Khorshid Goudarzi said, the session was held in the presence of scholars from Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Switzerland, Denmark, Brazil, Pakistan and the UK. Issues about the future cooperation between Muslims and Christians were discussed in the conference.Hmmmm.......Excuse me for asking but how about the Jewish character of Jerusalem?Read the full story here.

"Verbum Domini" ("The Word of God") Ancient Bibles and Torahs in rare Vatican show.

"Verbum Domini" ("The Word of God") Ancient Bibles and Torahs in rare Vatican show.(Yahoo).
Ancient Torahs and Bibles have gone on show in the Vatican in an "inter-religious exhibition" aimed at exploring the common heritage of two of the world's main monotheistic religions.
The show "Verbum Domini" ("The Word of God") in St. Peter's Square puts on display for the first time outside the United States the contents of the Green Collection -- the world's biggest archive of ancient biblical texts.
The exhibition, which runs until April 15, is organised with the support of Pope Benedict XVI who wants "a renewed passion for the word of God," organisers said, adding that it "shows the common roots of Christianity and Judaism."
Among the most precious texts is the "Codex Climaci Rescriptus" -- one of the oldest Bibles written in Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ.
There is also the first-century Jeselsohn Stone tablet which contains 90 lines of Hebrew text and a rare Byzantine manuscript from the 11th century.
Visitors are also shown fragments of Torahs that were destroyed or damaged under the Nazi and Communist regimes in the 20th century.
The exhibits include shoe insoles made from a Torah during the Nazi occupation of France and a soldier's sack made from the binding of a Torah.Hmmmm......"Verbum Domini"Guess who's missing.“Violence does not build up the kingdom of God, the kingdom of humanity. On the contrary, it is a favorite instrument of the Antichrist, however idealistic its religious motivation may be,” Pope Benedict XVI .Read the full story here.

Canadian Jews Endorse Global March to Jerusalem.

Canadian Jews Endorse Global March to Jerusalem.(Fars).Tehran - The Steering Committee of Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) Canada has voted to endorse the Global March to Jerusalem (GMJ), an International non-violent event taking place in Jerusalem on March 30th.IJV Canada will be represented at the Global March by Vancouver Chapter member Maxine Kaufman-Lacusta, author of Refusing to be Enemies: Palestinian and Israeli Nonviolent Resistance to the Israeli Occupation. Maxine will travel to Jerusalem to join the event in person.
Maxine will be reporting her experiences on her blog and will write an article for the IJV Canada website on her return to Canada. Palestine Land Day commemorates the events of March 1976 when Israeli authorities confiscated thousands of dunums of private and public land in areas where the majority of the population was Palestinian, and especially in the Galilee.
Responding to Israeli actions, Palestinian residents declared a general strike. The Israeli response was violent. Israeli troops backed by tanks entered and occupied Palestinian villages, killing and wounding many and detaining large numbers of civilians.
This year, Palestine Land Day is being marked by a Global March to Jerusalem, an International non-violent event to demonstrate solidarity with Palestinians and to protect Jerusalem against the Netanyahu government's efforts to "Judaize" it.
Participants will demand freedom for Jerusalem and an end to Israel's apartheid policies, regional ethnic cleansing, and attempts to Judaize the city by driving out Palestinian inhabitants.
Jerusalem is widely seen as the key to war and peace in the region. The policies and practices of the state of Israel against Jerusalem and its Palestinian inhabitants are widely regarded as a crime not only against Palestinians, but against humanity. The Global March will unite Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, Christians, and Jews in an effort to end the Israeli government's disregard for International law in its continuing occupation of Jerusalem and other regions of Palestine. Read the full story here.