Ezzie's Blog Roundup, 6/13: Hey, 6/13!

When I was growing up, everytime we saw the number 613 it was a big deal. [Quick explanation: There are 613 commandments in the Bible, including 365 negative and 248 positive. As an aside, we are also taught there are also approximately 365 days in a solar year, and 248 limbs in a human body, and that the commandments somehow correspond to those numbers.] The older I get, the more ridiculous some of the connections people make to the number 613, but every once in a while there's a really good one that makes you think. Last week someone said one of the latter, but I'm drawing a blank, so this paragraph is pretty much dead in the water.

But 6/10 is a different story. On June 10th, 1973, a very long-haired and super-skinny ba'alas Teshuva from Queens named Rena Friedenreich married a floppy-haired 135-lb. Clevelander who had the interesting distinction of having been in Telshe, Ner Israel, Western Reserve University [now Case Western], and a secular kibbutz in Israel picking oranges in a 10-year span. His name was (and is) David Goldish, and they just celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary this past Shabbos. More on that later, though, because now, it's time for the roundup:

*Posts of the Day* There are two today...

1:

Jack. I'm not sure if he realized it, but he answered the question in the post. Wow.

2:

A new blogger, Lyons of Judah, talks about making aliyah in his first post. His second one is the letter he sent to his co-workers. An excerpt of the first post:

Reason #3.
Last summer, my people were thrown out of their homes. The day of the beginning of the Gush Katif expulsion (August 15th 2005 I believe) I was driving to work listening to WGN radio in Chicago. I wanted to hear the news. But instead of the news I heard some guy making a fool out of himself singing 'Take Me Out to The Ball Game!'? for a good 10-15 minutes. How could it be that fellow Jews are being kicked out of their homes and we here in America are too interested in the Cubs and (the World Champion) Chicago WHITE SOX!!! to give a hoot? Is my childrens fate going to be attached to those who eat Peanuts and Cracker Jacks? Or are they going to make a contribution to the Jewish Nation in the land given to us by God?

Woah. Read the whole thing. (Hat tip: RafiG, Yeranen Yaakov)

On the same note, WestBankMama has part two of the Aliyah posts roundup, and AirTime's Veev says it makes no sense to go - and they're going anyway. I wonder if they're on the same flight as Lyons of Judah...?!

It seems like Israel day in the roundup:

Amishav is serving in the army on his trip, while Irina debates how it's possible to properly express the feelings she had on hers. And GH is there now, too. Is he tearing his clothes? Ask Gil.

Daled Amos has 10 links: ABC. I've got 11 more...

Shira celebrates the Punster and her's 29th anniversary - congratulations!!

Chaverai weighs Can vs. Should regarding corporal punishment.

Xvi is on hold... and bored. What would you do?!

JBM sums it up in the title.

Jonah explains the job of the Jewish Federation... and why people should lay off of it.

LabRab compares the graduations of RIETS and YCT, and links to a fascinating old article.

S. revisits Facing the Truths of History. Fascinating.

Orthomom asks if you can hear this. Ow. But more important is the discussion on her blog about modesty (maybe) gone too far...

Finally, Shoshana wants to know how you chose your job.

Enjoy!