Lebanese Food for Thought: Read Leerom Medovoi’s Presentation from December 9th
December 29, 2010
A Captive Audience
- Leerom
Lebanese Food for Thought
by Leerom Medovoi
Last October I left on a trip to Lebanon that only lasted five days, but that has really changed the way I think about the middle east. I teach in the English department at Portland State, where I am researching the literature and culture of America’s state of permanent war. Several years ago, I wrote a book about American culture during the long cold war, the era under which I grew up.
Now I’m working on contemporary literature, culture, and the war on terror. I left for Lebanon because I was invited to give a talk by the Center for American Studies Research at the American University of Beirut. This center was recently endowed by a Saudi prince with a big budget to fly out American scholars. My plan was to talk about a key part of my research project in which I am analyzing Islamophobia, and the construction of the Muslim as permanent enemy. The more I’ve looked at this, the more I’ve grown convinced that Islamophobia is a kind of racism, but not like the color-line racism we’re more familiar with in the U.S. It actually functions very much like anti-semitism, and I’m discovering that it is even linked to it historically.
So this is was what I had been invited to talk about.
Read Rabbi Joey’s Op-Ed on Indefinite Detentions and Human Rights
December 29, 2010
Needed: a Full Accounting of U.S. Detainees
On Dec. 17, The Washington Post reported that a nonpartisan think tank would look into the way that detainees in the war on terror are being treated. This news comes none too soon, considering our country’s post-9/11 experimentation with black sites, Guantanamo prisoners without rights, and cases under seal.
In Jewish teachings, a leading second century sage once said that it would be preferable to execute a criminal (for a capital offense) rather than keep him incarcerated for a long period of time. Since historians are pretty sure that no Jewish courts ever implemented the death penalty, the worry about indefinite detention is of paramount importance.
Tu B’Shvat: Celebrate the Birthday of the Trees!
December 21, 2010
Please bring one of the traditional 7 species (something with wheat, barley, figs, grapes, pomegranates, olives, honey) and some other fruit or nut.
For more information on Tu B’Shvat, click here.
Start 2011 off by joining us for the next Kabbalat Shabbat Dinner!
December 13, 2010
2011 is right around the corner. Why not make one of your New Year resolutions to attend the next Second Friday Kabbalat Shabbat Dinner on January 14? The deadline to RSVP is January 6th.
A modestly-priced dinner will be incorporated into the service starting at 6:30 pm (contact the office for details). Water and Teas are provided so please bring your own wine and juice.
If you can’t attend dinner, please come to the service portion.
You won’t want to miss the next one. Send in your RSVP form and your check, or pay online, using this convenient registration website. Please note that there is a $1.00 service charge for each person for online registration.
And place this event on your calendar on the second Friday of each month.
Future Dates: February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13
Join us for an Evening of Memories.
December 6, 2010
Tuttle, and Fufkin Vollmayer.
