About 125 years ago, a German philanthropist decided that the Jewish immigrants crowded into New York City tenements could be best served by making a fresh start as farmers. This was not universally seen as a smart idea: bigoted stereotypes of the day held that Jews had no aptitude for farming. Undeterred, Baron de Hirsch… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Judaism
Forget nukes. Israel now has that old black magic
The governments of Israel and Iran will never star in a nation-state version of the classic play/sitcom “The Odd Couple,” this we know. We also know that there is a fair amount of “Spy vs. Spy” type activity happening between the two countries: assassinations. Terrorism-by-proxy. Computer viruses. But the bitter, undeclared war between the two… Continue Reading
The rebranding of King Herod starts now!
King Herod is a guy with a bit of an image problem. The Gospel of Matthew attributes an event known as “The Massacre of the Innocents” to him, which is not going to be great publicity no matter what. And while historical sources are slender for that event, everyone agrees that Herod did kill his… Continue Reading
Jewish protesters at … the Israeli embassy?
The Israeli embassy in Washington has seen its share of protesters, but even hardened demonstration-watchers must have been a little surprised by the 100 or so people who turned up this week with picket signs and chants: Jewish women. Specifically, Jewish women unhappy with restrictions on females praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, which… Continue Reading
God or Beyonce: Your decision at this year’s Super Bowl
Some of us have been burned out on the Super Bowl Halftime Show ever since they stopped enlisting the services of Up With People, but we are in the minority among Super Bowl watchers; last year the halftime show (you remember, MIA with the middle finger) had three million more viewers than the game itself.… Continue Reading
The Vatican and the SSPX: All over but the recriminations
For months now, we here at Hot Dogma have striven to be your number one source for news about the collapse of dialogue between the Vatican and the Society of St. Pius X, the collection of Latin-loving, Jew-hating odd ducks who broke away from the Church after the Second Vatican Council. As we’ve been… Continue Reading
The Vatican and the SSPX: The last days of dialogue?
Things have been pretty rough for those hoping that the radical schismatic sect called the Society of St. Pius X will be reconciled with the Catholic Church. Last month, the group’s leader, Bishop Bernard Fellay, did nothing to ease his organization’s problem of being perceived as anti-Semitic when he denounced Jews as “enemies of… Continue Reading
Why not soften it by calling them “frenemies” of the Church?
When last we checked in with the Society of St. Pius X, the ultra-traditionalist breakaway Catholic sect whose chances for reunion with Rome look dimmer by the day, a top Vatican official was hinting that their attempt to address charges of anti-Semitism by chucking Holocaust-denying Bishop Richard Williamson were not good enough. But why? Why… Continue Reading
Newtown, journalism and exploitation
Journalists love few things more than soul-searching about their profession, and since the Newtown massacre there have been plenty of anguished think pieces about how so many outlets got so much wrong in the first few days, along with the ongoing questions about ethical responsibilities to grieving families. Here’s a piece that I think raises… Continue Reading