THE SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER

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Understand the Mission
THE SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER

An international Jewish human rights organization dedicated to generating change through the Snider Social Action Institute and education by confronting antisemitism, hate and terrorism, promoting human rights and dignity, standing with Israel, defending the safety of Jews world wide, and teaching the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations. With a constituency of over 400,000 households in the United States, it is accredited as an NGO at international organizations including the United Nations, UNESCO, and the Council of Europe.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, the Simon Wiesenthal Center maintains offices in New York, Toronto, Boca Raton, Paris,Buenos Aires and Jerusalem.

About the Museum of Intolerance on-line, click: http://www.museumoftolerance.com/

O Brasil gritando por ajuda!

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Brazilians need help!

This weekend I went to the city of Rio de Janeiro (distant 500 km from the city of Santos, São Vicente, SP, where I'm living).

Yes, Rio is gorgeous, with beautiful beaches to see, but I was not satisfied with the living conditions of most of the population. The social differences are immense. Here where I live (Santos) is a smaller city and cleaner, with less social conflict. But in Brazil there are very large social differences. Some places I saw there in Rio de Janeiro left a bad impression!

There is now an undeclared war between the forces of military and civilian police and traffickers, who dominate the poor communities, and the number of deaths is very high. The deaths by firearms in Rio de Janeiro (and also in Brazil) are higher than the war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan for example.

Some serious charities do a good job help, but that is little compared with the immense social problems because the services of education and health are poor and mismanaged by the government of Brazil.

Missing housing, schools, hospitals, basic services of water supply and sewage treatment. The waters and the sandy coastline of Rio de Janeiro are highly polluted.
If you want help there are many organizations on the site "HELP BRAZIL" http://www.ajudabrasil.com.br/buscaentidades.asp

Charity in the Festival of Lights!

Celebrate Hanukkah also helping the environment and doing charity.


On Chanukah, it is traditional to give children Chanukah Guelt - Money Hanukkah. One reason for this custom is the opportunity to offer them positive reinforcement for exemplary behavior, and encourage them to donate a portion to tzedakah - charity. This commandment (mitzvah), helps children understand the importance of charity (tzedakah) also when they are adults.

Some useful examples for charity on Hanukkah:

Ner Shel Tzedakah (Candle of Justice)A project for the sixth night of Chanukah Dedicating the night of Chanukah 6 to learn about the problem of poverty. Donate the value of gifts (or the gifts themselves) that would otherwise exchange on that night to organizations that help the poor.

Light Among the Nations
If each family had one light bulb with a CFL (compact fluorescent lamps), it would have the same impact as removing 1.3 million cars off the road. Celebrate Chanukah taking action to resolve the crisis of climate change. This campaign is to involve the community Jewish education, advocacy, and concrete measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Visit the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) to find out how you can participate in this important campaign.

Sustaining the Light: A Social Justice Program Guide for Chanukah. A new program guide of the Commission for Social Action, which highlights the themes of social justice of Chanukah - the environment, economic justice, children's issues, religious freedom - and describes the activities that flow from them. In the guide you will find ideas of social action program for families, social action committees, youth groups and other groups synagogue. We hope this material will help you make your Chanukah observance one that inspires acts of righteousness (Tzedek) and tsedaká (charity).

These lights are sacred

"These lights are sacred... we can only look at them" Unlike the Shabbat candles, the lights of Chanukah may not be used for personal pleasure.

For although our perception may be blunted, we were, and essentially we are masters of vision. Indeed, the Chanukah lights are placed in the window as a beacon telling all passers-by that darkness can be dispelled with wisdom, that darkness can be illuminated with the truth. At the same time that Chanukah celebrates the past, also celebrates the present and future.


For though Chanukah celebrates the miracle of a single amphora of olive oil burning for eight days, also imbues the world with the hope of redemption, when the light will triumph over negativity. That is all past and future, and as during the 36 hours of the beginning of mankind, "there will be no hunger or war, no jealousy or rivalry". For goodness be total, and all delicacies will be as common as dust.

The occupation of the world be known only to G-d.

"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the ocean floor" (Maimonides).

Light and Wisdom

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index By "Dov Ber Pinson"
Why do we call the Hanukkah Festival of Lights? Why not celebrate the oil or the Miracle of Eight Days? The root of the word Hanukkah is Chinuch, which means education. Hanukkah is a spiritual process is cumulative, whereby the total of thirty-six lights that are lit grow to reveal the light of Creation.

What is light? The light is generally used as a metaphor for wisdom. The universal symbol for understanding in a graphic design or illustration is a light or lightning. light - see. People of all cultures, when grasping a concept that is being explained, use in various languages, one word: see. "Oh, I see", we say, when we finally come to understand something.

Maimonides writes that a prophet can experience a ray of light, of radiance, which illuminates your path. "Light" is often used in the Torah to express knowledge and wisdom. With the words "Let there be light," the creation of the world emerged. The Talmud explains that this light lit Adam and Eve for thirty-six hours, from noon on Friday for the whole day of Shabbat, when "Adam could see the end of the world at his [other] end."

During this time, the Primordial Light, the inner wisdom of purpose and truth, was exhibited to mankind.

But for this purpose of creation is complete and order to overcome the darkness was made manifest, this bright light was hidden from the universe, stored for a time that would still come.

Since then, we long for that light, we seek and seek in prayer, study and meditation. However, even in our darkest hours we can access this memory born of the 36 hours that we, humanity as a whole, we live in this light. "Where should this light be hidden?" asks the Midrash, "in the Torah." In its radiance feel the wisdom, purpose and intent of creation.

In every generation there are 36 elevated souls present who support, nurture and keep this light.Hidden, unobtrusive, and practically unknown, these 36 people just are sparks of that Hidden Light. Through refined awareness of fair, in light of the Torah permeates the world.

During the eight days of Chanukah, our world is bright with this glorious light.

Hanukkah - The Festival of Lights

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A Universal Message

Hanukkah (On date 25 Kislev, 5.770 - hebrew calendar) This year (2009), the first candle is lit on December 11 - duration 8 days, contains a universal message for all people of all faiths - a message of freedom, the victory of good over evil, light over darkness. The symbol of the party, an eight-armed candelabra, acquired special significance for the Jewish people during the revolt against religious coercion of the ancient Greeks, about 2,200 years ago. This chandelier, in fact, represents much more than just a religious symbol. It symbolizes the freedom of expression and thus indicates the diversity and pluralism as important in our society. Giant chandeliers light up in public places proclaiming the universal message of religious freedom, as has been done in hundreds of cities around the world.

Talk - Ninet Tayeb

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TALK - Music by Baruch Ben Yitzhak, Marc Lazar and Ninet Tayeb

How do I fall again
Look in the mirror
Same face and sometimes
Want to be someone else for a moment
Without trying to understand the world
Be stupid
Only be

But instead of talking
I'm running from myself
Runs validates
Sometimes several
I prefer to keep quiet
I prefer to keep quiet

People do not really know
What is the meaning of a word
They want to sound sharp tongue
Experts who understand
And talk and talk ...

To fill the space to run their own
Escape validates
Sometimes several
But I prefer to keep quiet
I prefer to keep quiet
I prefer to keep quiet
I prefer to keep quiet ...