THYME Magazine

Citizen Journalism with a Better Flavor


Volume IV, Issue XLIX

What to Feed Your Soul

The 'other' weekly news magazine this week features, just in time for Thanksgiving reading, What to Eat Now [click to read]. While not disparaging the discussion of good nutrition, THYME explores the satisfaction of a different sort of hunger.

On November 7th, many of us awoke to a gnawing inside that would not be satisfied by any meal. We saw ourselves losing our beloved country. It was an emptiness that could not be explained away. Steve Elliott of Grassfire offered this bit of wisdom from Jeremiah 29: 

Build! Plant! Bless! And Pray!





"Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
 
(After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)

By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;

Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;

Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.

For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive." -- Jeremiah 29:1-14

Did you know that: "Jews make up 0.2 percent of the world population, but 54 percent of the world chess champions." -- David Brooks

I found an interesting article by Rabbi Nathan Lopez Cardozo in Jewish World Review. The Greatest Chess Game on Earth [click to read] shows how the people who followed Jeremiah's advice learned how, not only to survive, but to thrive in exile. After the destruction of the Temple, the development of small fellowships in Synagogues fed the spiritual hunger of those who had been carried away. Central to this community were the Holy Scriptures. Rabbi Lopez gives us a unique perspective on the Scripture. We should not see the constraints of Faith as restrictive. Rather, they are the structural rules which allow us to pursue great works, and in the process bless those around us.

The game of Chess, Cardozo writes, has strict rules. Yet, within these rules there are an unlimited amount of possibilities:

"He who knows all the rules is not automatically a good player. What makes him a great player is his ability to use these rules to unleash an outburst of creativity, which resides deep within him and emerges only because of the "unbearable" limitations. He then strikes! One small move forces everything to shift around, creating total upheaval and causing the opponent to panic as he never did before. And all this without ever violating one chess rule. This is mental torture. But it is also the height of beauty. It is the poetry of the game, like a melody is to music. Like one gentle brushstroke of Rembrandt on a colorful canvas, making everything look radically different, or like the genius musician playing her Stradivarius, re-creating the whole of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5. It transports the chess player to heaven. His body must be in top form because his playing ability deteriorates when his body does. Body and mind are inseparable. An entire world of feelings, images, ideas, emotions and passions come to the forefront." -- Rabbi Cardozo

Rabbi Cardozo offers deep nourishment for the journey ahead, as well as unique insight into how to live in the light of Holy Scripture. I LOVE the implications of his final thoughts:

" Surely chess is just a game, while Halacha, if properly understood and lived, deals with real life, deep religiosity, moral dilemmas, emotions and intuitions far more significant in man's life than a chess game.

But the man who plays chess in real life as suggested by Halacha will realize that if he "plays" well he is on the track to drawing closer and closer to the King, until he is checkmated and, unlike in a chess game, falls into the arms of the King." -- Rabbi Cardozo


The woods I played in as a boy...


...still offer endless adventures.

The State of the World: A Framework

New Series: Analysis from Jewish World Review


Globe photo by Bob Kirchman.

This, the First in a Series [click to read] from Jewish World Review offers a clear framework for understanding the world situation today.

"Three major areas of the world are in flux: Europe, China and the Persian Gulf. Every country in the world will have to devise a strategy to deal with the new reality, just as 1989-1991 required new strategies. The most important country, the United States, had no strategy after 1991 and has no strategy today. This is the single most important reality of the world. Like the Spaniards, who, in the generation after Columbus' voyage, lacked a clear sense of the reality they had created, Americans have no clear sense of the world they find themselves in. This fact continues to define how the world works."

A Note from Binyamin L. Jolkovsky

"The power of prayer is often spoken of. But those of us
who truly believe in it, act on it"


Spring Crocus.

I have been asked by family members of a rabbinic mentor who still acts as my second father to offer their gratitude to those who continue to pray and do extra acts of kindness on his his behalf.

It's human nature to reasses success if it's not soon in coming. But a down-side in relating the improvements of one who is critically ill is that one may presume wrongly that merits are no longer needed.

So let me put it this way: The status of Yisroel ben (Hebrew for "son of") Chana Tzirel has improved, but he is a long way from healed and still in a critical, if stabalized, condition. He is very much in need of as many prayers and meritorious acts preformed on behalf of him as possible.

Those acts can be as simple as being more patient with somebody who doesn't deserve it or holding a door when you are in a rush. The gestures of making our world better can likewise increase according to your ability.

Every prayer is precious to the Almighty. So are doing extra acts of kindness (no matter how small) in the merit of those who need Divine mercy.

No matter what your faith, PLEASE act on behalf. Please forward this note and post it to social media.

The power of prayer is often spoken of. But those of us who truly believe in it, act on it.

May the One who is the True healer, bless you in kind for your kindness,
Binyamin L. Jolkovsky,
Editor in Chief,
JewishWorldReview.com

Essential Morning Reading...

Binyamin Jolkovsky's Jewish World Review


Temple Beth Israel in Staunton, Virginia.

My three readers [1.] know that I often reference Jewish World Review [click to read]. It is a wonderful resource for commentary, opinion and spiritual insight. I became an avid reader several years back.

What I didn't realize at first was that Jewish World Review is the work of one man, Binyamin L. Jolkovsky, who puts the publication together daily by himself. He regularly works through the night to get the day's issue up for his considerably more than three readers. The time stamp on his email digest is often in the wee hours of the morning (around three-something once this week). Honoring Shabbat and Holy days, his work ethic drives him to put out extra issues before sundown comes on those most special of times.

If there is a single person who has inspired me to blog it is Binyamin Jolkovsky. He artfully places current events and spiritual thoughts side by side in his publication. He is a man who's mission is deeper than face value. I have corrresponded with Mr. Jolkovsky a few times. He reads every email himself and is thoughtful in his response. He assures me he's not hiding a highly capable staff somwhere, though the quality of his work makes me wonder.

It is no wonder that I consider Jewish World Review part of my essential morning reading. Often the Bible insight offered in the spiritual portion gives me something to think about through the day. The insight about world events is something you would be hard pressed to find so well presented anywhere else.

Today I ask all of my readers to click on the link below and enjoy the rich fare served up by Jewish World Review, and if you find it as meaningful as I do, consider making a regular gift to keep it going. My contribution is based on what I'd be more than happy to pay for a commercial publication that delivered similar content.

Pre-1967 Borders, BAD Idea!!!

The Survival of Israel is at Stake


Israel and New Jersey.

"It is good for an American president to have his hopes, but they will not be realized if they are founded on a basic misunderstanding of what is at stake in this conflict -- not just Jerusalem or the West Bank or the Golan Heights but Israel's existence. This conflict, it has slowly become clear -- even to those of us naifs who once thought peace was inevitable in the Middle East once direct negotiations began -- has never been about the creation of still another Arab state, but about the elimination of the Jewish one.

So long as an American president will not recognize that elemental, brutal, obdurate truth, and confront it openly, directly and honestly, then one futile presidential speech will follow another. That's the Middle East." -- Paul Greenberg

The Latest Futility [click to read]. Paul Greenberg in Jewish World Review.

Thoughts on Rhetoric and Reason

Madness and Evil... Happen in this Broken World


The view from Twenty Minutes Cliff Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Andrew Klavan [click to read] writes in City Journal: "Judging from his website, I would guess that Jared Lee Loughner suffers from schizophrenia. The man who opened fire with a nine-millimeter Glock in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday was obsessed with mind control and bizarre, incomprehensible theories of currency and government. He read books by Hitler, Marx, Plato, and Orwell, among others. He did not believe in God. By all appearances, his mind was ruined by madness and his soul by evil. In any case, he murdered a nine-year-old child, a federal judge, and four others while wounding at least twelve, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, a Blue Dog Democrat well liked on both sides of the aisle."

Lynn has More [click to read].

Glenn Reynolds [click to read] in the WSJ. ht/Lynn

Now Look Who's to Blame [click to read]. By Rabbi Dov Fischer in Jewish World Review.

He's a Tea Partier All Right [click to read]. Yankee Phil reports. To hear some people in the MSM, you'd think Loughner was carrying a Gadsden Flag and a pocket Constitution when he was arrested. Look at what was actually in his back yard.

Finally, Here is some clear perspective from Michelle Malkin [click to read]. Ms. Malkin also Remembers the Victims [click to read], including nine year old Christina Greene: "Greene’s family says she was vibrant, excited about life, and she was the “best daughter in the world.”

Born September 11, 2001, Greene was excited about the political process, was on the student government, and went to the Giffords event Saturday to learn more about the political process, family members say.

Greene attended Mesa Verde Elementary School. She was the only girl on the Canyon Del Oro baseball team. She loved the sport, as well as horseback riding and swimming. She wanted to be a veterinarian." -- KIDK/Michelle Malkin


Raven's Roost Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway.


Glenn's Falls near Vesuvius, Virginia.

Happy Birthday, Jewish World Review is 13!

I came for the Information but stayed for the Inspiration

Radio host Rush Limbaugh once mentioned a website called Jewish World Review [click to read] on his show. As a resident of a small town in Virginia, I felt deprived of so much good opinion writing. Binyamin Jolkovsky, who writes and edits JWR, opened up a whole new world for me. After reading JWR for a bit, I was hooked.

I came for the Information but stayed for the Inspiration. Here were articles affirming Centuries-old values and ruminations on IMAGO DEI! JWR was packed with writing on every aspect of life!

Binyamin became a treasured guest in my home every morning. He shared from his heart as he struggled through the loss of his Father and his own illness. It was a privilege to pray for his family. Through it all he continued to enrich our lives with JWR.

He only stopped to observe Holy Feasts and that too was an instructive moment. Communion with G-d was more important than the Divine mission itself. The human instrument must remember that he is a human instrument. Binyamin got that one right!

So happy birthday, JWR! Many thanks, Mr. Jolkovsky!

Francis Salvador, Patriot

Martyr of the American Revolution

Here is His Story [click to read] in Jewish World Review.

"Salvador was the first Jew to die waging the American Revolution. Ironically, because he was fighting on the frontier, he probably did not receive the news that the Continental Congress in Philadelphia had, as he urged, adopted the Declaration of Independence."

Broken Compass

Let's Hope the World is Right About 'Evil' Israel


Can we trust the world's compass if it is that broken?

Dennis Prager [click to read] in Jewish World Review.

"The reason mankind has to hope that the world, its leaders, its newspapers, its so-called human rights organizations and the United Nations are right about Israel is quite simple: If Israel is the decent party in its war with the Palestinian Authority and Hamas — and nearly all the world's countries, nearly all the world's media and the United Nations are morally wrong — what hope is there for humanity? If the world's moral compass is that broken, are we not sailing into a dark age?"

The Plain Truth about Israel [click to read] by Caroline B. Glick.

Caleb Leibowitz's Lesson in Prayer

What the 'Prayer Bomber' Can Teach Us


Caleb Leibowitz

The Gift of the Prayer Bomber [click to read] in Jewish World Review. This young man's respectful desire to honor his Creator should inspire us all to do likewise.

Defender of the Faiths

Why I Love Binyamin Jolkovsky

Jewish World Review ought to be on every Christian's morning reading list. This web publication of opinion, faith and generally usefull content is the brainchild of New York journalist Binyamin Jolkovsky. He's a professional, I'm an amateur. He's Jewish, I'm a follower of Jesus. He lives in the big city, I live in rural Virginia. He observes Saturday, I Sunday. If you say we have nothing in common you'd be dead wrong.

Both of us are citizens of Dennis Prager's first America... the one our founders crafted. Both of us are not friends of the 'other' Amerika... the one the left wants to remake us into. [1.] Both of us try to live our faith seven days a week... not just Saturday [or, in my case, Sunday].

I first learned of Jewish World review from the man that President Obama does not want us to listen to: Rush Limbaugh. Our local newspaper was devoid of much in the way of good opinion and Binyamin's work filled that void very nicely. I got on Binyamin's email distribution list and have used his publication as a source more times than I can number.

But Jewish World Review cannot rest on the back of one man forever. Please give his publication a try and if you think it is as great as I do please think of it as worthy of your personal investment. To me it is worth way more than a subscription to TIME or a lot of other publications. Why not bless Mr. Jolkovsky with a gift to help the publication grow this year.

Jewish World Review [click to read].

Michelle Malkin Talks about Binyamin [click to read].

Binyamin L. Jolkovsky

Publisher of Jewish World Review...

My three readers [1.] know that I often reference Jewish World Review [click to read]. It is a wonderful resource for commentary, opinion and spiritual insight. I became an avid reader several years back.

What I didn't realize at first was that Jewish World Review is the work of one man, Binyamin L. Jolkovsky, who puts the publication together daily by himself. He regularly works through the night to get the day's issue up for his considerably more than three readers.

If there is a single person who has inspired me to blog it is Binyamin Jolkovsky. He artfully places current events and spiritual thoughts side by side in his publication. He is a man who's mission is deeper than face value. I have corrresponded with Mr. Jolkovsky a few times.He reads every email himself and is thoughtful in his response.

So this morning I eagerly clicked on the email that would usually opento JWR's rich smorgasbord of articles and here is what I read instead:

Binyamin L. Jolkovsky was taken by ambulance to the hospital on December1st 2009, and he may be there for a couple of days. He apologizes for not being able to publish during that time.

He asks that you pray for him with his Hebrew name: Binyamin Leib ben (Hebrew: son of) Pesha.

Yitz Relkin

And so I add my prayers on his behalf. Binyamin, you owe me no apologies. Thank you for your faithful service to inform and inspire.We miss you. We pray for your speedy recovery!