Support grows for liberal area at Israel holy site

JERUSALEM (AP) ? The rabbi of Judaism's holiest prayer site on Wednesday endorsed a proposal to establish a section where men and women can worship together, a groundbreaking motion that could end a decades-old fight against an Orthodox monopoly of the area.

The fight over the Western Wall has reached a fever pitch in recent months, after police arrested female worshippers who prayed at the site wearing religious garments and leading prayers ? acts that Orthodox Judaism permits for men only.

The arrests caused an uproar in Israel and among liberal Jewish leaders in the United States, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to instruct the semi-governmental Jewish Agency to devise a plan that would permit non-Orthodox forms of worship at the holy site.

The Western Wall's rabbi, Shmuel Rabinovich, told Army Radio Wednesday that while he dislikes non-Orthodox prayer, he would tolerate it in a separate section in order to end intra-Jewish fighting at the site.

"I want everyone to pray according to Orthodox Jewish religious law, but I don't interfere," said Rabinovich, who is Orthodox. "If these things can be done at the Western Wall without hurting others, and this can bring about compromise and serenity, I don't object."

The Western Wall is Judaism's most revered prayer site because it is a remnant of the biblical Jewish temple compound. Worship at the site is administered according to Orthodox Jewish religious custom: the men's section and smaller women's section are separated by a divider, and women are not allowed to lead prayer groups or wear prayer shawls, skullcaps or phylacteries ? small boxes strapped to the head and arms during prayer.

The pluralistic Reform and Conservative movements, which allow mixed prayer and female rabbis, have long campaigned for recognition in Israel. The two groups however are largely marginalized in the Jewish state despite being popular overseas, especially in the United States. The emerging plan could represent a significant accomplishment by these liberal streams of Judaism.

Under the plan, unveiled by the Jewish Agency announced on Tuesday, Israel would create a permanent area for mixed-gender and women-led prayer next to a section of the Western Wall that mainly serves as an archaeological site. Currently, liberal Jewish worship is permitted in the area only during limited hours. Under the proposed plan, a platform would be erected to expand the area and allow liberal prayer there 24 hours a day, like the Orthodox section of the site.

The two Jewish prayer sections would be separated by the large wooden ramp that leads to the Muslim Al Aqsa Mosque compound, a site also revered by Jews as the Temple Mount ? another reminder of the sensitive, inextricable mesh of religious claims to the area.

Natan Sharansky, the chairman of the Jewish Agency, said he had presented the proposal to Israeli lawmakers and Jewish leaders in Israel and the United States, and hoped it would be accepted.

"One Western Wall for one Jewish people," said Sharansky, a one-time political prisoner in the former Soviet Union. He expressed his hope that the site "will once again be a symbol of unity among the Jewish people, and not one of discord and strife."

The plan will be presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and must be approved by Israel's government before it is implemented. Netanyahu's office had no immediate comment.

Women of the Wall, a liberal Jewish women's group whose members have been arrested in controversial monthly prayer sessions in the current female-only section of the site, cautiously welcomed the proposal.

"The principle is the most important issue here," said Peggy Cidor, a board member of Women of the Wall. "The most important thing for us is that someone has at last understood that this cannot continue."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/support-grows-liberal-area-israel-holy-132731265.html

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Shards of Memory (talking-points-memo)

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CSN: Giants erase four-run deficit to beat Rockies

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO ? The Giants used a Mile High springboard to the NL West title last year. They beat the Colorado Rockies 14 times in 18 games.

They are off to a good start again this season, positioned to try for a three-game sweep after storming back from a four-run deficit to take a 9-6 victory Tuesday night at AT&T Park.

But this is not a template they should plan to follow very often. On an oddly warm night that had a very Coorsian vibe, Tim Lincecum got stomped for a five-run second inning that matched the worst beating he took in any single frame last year.

It took the first opposite-field home run of Brandon Crawford?s career, a three-run shot in the sixth inning, to give the Giants instant life. Then it took Hunter Pence?s 1000^th career hit to tie it and one more rally against the Rockies? beleaguered bullpen to make a winner of reliever Santiago Casilla.

Pinch hitter Andres Torres hit a leadoff double in the eighth, Angel Pagan stung a tiebreaking single that nearly separated right-hander Matt Belisle from his clothes and the Giants tacked on two more to make it a less stressful save situation for Sergio Romo.

Lincecum?s problems are far from resolved ? he allowed six runs on four hits and four walks in six innings ? but the Giants have won in both of his starts. They only won consecutive Lincecum starts twice before the All-Star break last season.

Starting pitching report

Lincecum used to have a plumber?s wrench in his bag when a teammate would make an error behind him or a few hits would find turf. But the second inning sprayed out of control, just like so many of the rallies he couldn?t stop last season.

The drip-drip-drip started as it usually does, with a four-pitch walk to Troy Tulowitzki. Then Michael Cuddyer hit a ground ball to Scutaro?s left and the second baseman tried to spin and get the lead runner rather than take the surer out at first base.

It was a bad decision. The throw wasn?t nearly in time, and it was off line as well ? allowing Tulowitzki to take third base when Pablo Sandoval had to abandon the bag to chase down the ball in shallow left field.

Lincecum nearly minimized the damage. Todd Helton hit an RBI ground out, and after power threat Wilin Rosario drew a walk, Lincecum struck out Chris Nelson on a nasty slider. There were two outs and the pitcher?s spot coming up.

But Lincecum got to 2-2 before missing on consecutive fastballs to Juan Nicasio, including a full-count pitch that wasn?t close. It was the second consecutive start in which Lincecum walked the opposing pitcher (and he?d walk Nicasio again in the fourth, too.)

Then came the floodgates ? a two-run double from Dexter Fowler, who memorably tripled off Lincecum last year, and then a two-run single from Josh Rutledge.

That completed the damage in a five-run inning. Hard as it might be to believe, that matched the most runs Lincecum allowed in an inning last season (a five-run sixth May 25 at Miami).

The issue, once again, was fastball command. Lincecum had plenty of movement on his curve and changeup, but he couldn?t entice more swings. That?s because he threw just six strikes among 15 fastballs in the second inning.

Clearly, Lincecum remains a work in progress. But if he?s shown clear improvement in any area from last season, it?s improved conditioning and stamina. Even after a 32-pitch second inning, he was able to catch his breath and make it through the sixth inning on 104 pitches, allowing only a solo homer to Tulowitzki in his final four frames.

The upshot: Last year?s Lincecum probably doesn?t last as long, and would have overtaxed the bullpen as a result.

Bullpen report

Jose Mijares began the seventh and left a runner at second base for George Kontos, who preserved the tie when he got Tulowitzki to fly out.

Casilla pitched a scoreless eighth to receive the decision and Romo worked another 1-2-3 ninth inning to record his fifth save in five opportunities.

Romo has retired 15 of 16 batters faced this season, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out eight.

At the plate

The early innings were more about missed opportunities than the 2-0 lead that the Giants were able to hand Lincecum. Pence?s infield single drove in a run in the first inning but Hector Sanchez flied out to strand the bases loaded.

Scutaro managed a clutch hit in the second inning when he punched his second single of the game ? both of them to left field ? with two outs to drive in Crawford. The two crisp hits were a good sign for Scutaro, who entered in a 3-for-27 slump.

The Giants slugged their way back into the game in a four-run sixth, with an unlikely power source leading the way. After Nicasio committed the grave sin of walking Gregor Blanco and Sanchez to start the inning, Crawford greeted right-hander Adam Ottavino by smacking his 2-0 fastball to left-center field for a three-run homer

It was just Crawford?s second home run in 363 career plate appearances at AT&T Park ? and it was the first time he parked one the opposite way in the big leagues.

Crawford offered a sly smile as he crossed the plate, clearly not used to trotting on a ball hit anywhere to left field. Wherever they go, he makes his homers count. Of his eight career shots, three of them are three-run shots and two are grand slams.

The Giants still trailed 6-5, but they made up the rest quickly enough. Nick Noonan hit a pinch single, Pagan followed with a single and Scutaro sacrificed for the first out of the inning. After an intentional walk to Sandoval loaded the bases, Pence came through with his 1000^th career hit to move everyone up 90 feet and tie the game.

Brandon Belt grounded into a double play to stall the rally at four runs, though.

The bench was key in the late innings. In addition to Noonan?s pinch hit, Torres proved adept off the bench with his double off Belisle to start the winning rally.

The Giants had 14 hits and everyone in the starting lineup except Belt managed to reach via hit or walk.

In field

Aside from Scutaro?s bad decision in the second inning , the Giants didn?t give away any outs. Sandoval made the defensive play of the game, ranging far into foul ground to snag Helton?s pop-up near the Giants bullpen.

Attendance

The Giants announced 41,910 paid, and the sellout crowd received snow globes depicting the World Series parade in front of City Hall. If you look hard enough, you can see a tiny little Bruce Bochy pushing his Rolls-Royce after it ran out of gas.

Up next

The Giants complete their first homestand and wrap up their three-game series with the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday afternoon. The Giants will try to win for a 16^th consecutive time with Barry Zito (1-0, 0.00) on the mound. He?ll be opposed by left-hander Jeff Francis (1-0, 1.50). The Rockies just can?t quit that guy.

Source: http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/andrew-baggarly/baggs-instant-replay-giants-9-rockies-6

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Self-Standing Butter Knife Keeps Condiments Off the Table

There's probably rules and proper etiquette on where to place a condiment-covered knife once you've spread jams, jelly, or butter on your bread. But most of us just place it on the counter or table anyways, leaving an additional mess to be cleaned up. Is there a better way you ask? There is, this self-standing butter knife. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/fblUWvZ-y2E/self+standing-butter-knife-keeps-condiments-off-the-table

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Porsha Williams Accused of Heavy Boozing, Child Neglect

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/porsha-williams-accused-of-heavy-boozing-child-neglect/

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Vudu Headquarters Robbed, Hard Drives With Private Customer Data Stolen

There's been a break-in! And this time, it's a physical, real-world break-in ? not the digital variety we've grown accustomed to. Vudu, the video streaming service acquired by Walmart in 2010, has just sent an email to customers letting them know of a break-in that occurred in their Santa Clara, CA office on March 24th. While it appears that credit card info is mostly safe (Vudu says they never stored it), the thieves walked off with multiple hard drives containing data like customer names, encrypted passwords, addresses, and phone numbers.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/CV_naDNKa6g/

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Obama, with Newtown families, demands gun control vote

Obama, With Newtown Families, Demands Gun Control Vote

Speaking before families of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre, President Obama made an impassioned and urgent plea for stricter gun laws, as he accused Republicans of threatening to use "political stunts" to block reforms.

"This is not about politics. This is about doing the right thing for all the families who are here that have been torn apart by gun violence," the president told a packed crowd at the University of Hartford, just 50 miles from the site of the December shooting in Newtown, Conn. "It's about them, and all the families going forward so we can prevent this from happening again. That's what it's about."

Obama's visit to Connecticut comes at the start of a critical week, as the Senate is expected to debate the president's gun control agenda. While there are signs of agreement to expand background checks, two major parts of the president's plan, a ban on assault-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips, seem unlikely to pass.

In a rousing, campaign-style speech the president warned lawmakers not to use political tactics to prevent the Senate from voting on gun reform measures, arguing that they have an obligation to the victims of gun violence.

"If our democracy's working the way it's supposed to and 90 percent of the American people agree on something, in the wake of a tragedy, you'd think this would not be a heavy lift," Obama said of the broad support for background checks. "And yet some folks back in Washington are already floating the idea that they may use political stunts to prevent votes on any of these reforms."

Obama's warning comes as a group of 13 Republican lawmakers are threatening to block a vote on gun control legislation.

"They're saying they'll do everything they can to even prevent any votes on these provisions. They're saying your opinion doesn't matter and that's not right. That is not right," Obama said, as the crowd took to its feet, chanting "we want a vote!"

Nearly four months since the tragedy in Newtown, the president promised the parents of the slain children that "we will not walk away from the promises we've made."

"We want you to know that we're here with you," he said. "We are as determined as ever to do what must be done."

Before his remarks, the president met privately with several families of children who died in the Sandy Hook shooting. Many of those families then boarded Air Force One on their way to Washington to lobby Congress.

"If there's even one thing we can do to protect our kids, don't we have an obligation to try? If there's even one step we can take to keep somebody from murdering dozens of innocents in the span of minutes, shouldn't we be taking that step? If there's just one thing we can do to keep one father from having to bury his child, isn't that worth fighting for?" Obama said.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-newtown-families-demands-gun-control-vote-233418776--abc-news-politics.html

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