The Following People go Straight to Shamaim

After throughly neglecting the work of Dr. Y. Lebovitz I have concluded that the following people go straight to Olam HaBa, bis hundert und zwanzig:
Akiva Gavriel (Jack)
Jacob Reckess
Daniel Halper

Laura O./Ike's car
Josh Young
Maxim Leyenson
Also get special *brownie points*

Thank you dearly for helping me move other people's stuff.

Tanur Shel Achnai, um, Oren

After two years of hot debate over the "status" of our oven, it has FINALLY been kashered. That's what you get for having a careful mathematician for a roommate I guess. Unfortunately, no dancing carob trees. Maybe next time.

Old Friends

Man, I miss that apartment. Two years I lived there.

Anyhow, an "update" for all those who care, and really, more for myself when I read this in 4 years:

I'm at Yeshivat Hamivtar, and really liking it. Rav Brovender is, as Jeremy Ginsburg says, "A hoot" - and runs a great shiur too. All the rebeim here are really cool, and my chavrutas, and well, that's like 90% of the experience right there. I'm totally learning a ton. Yay. It is kind of sad that I will have to leave this world in just a few weeks and start working, but I think that I will remember how great this learning stuff is for at least a few years, and that makes it all worth it.

In fact, the whole idea of working seems kind of remote at this point. I totally understand now how people get "lost" in the yeshiva world - it never occurs to them to stop learning, and the idea of working probably seems foreign after a few years of this. (Note: I don't think that's a bad thing.) I have reason to suspect, however, that the current "fire" I have - which is also present in the other fellows who have been there less than a month - runs out eventually, but I guess I won't find out for a long time. In any case, this seems to be the almost universal experience of the people I have spoken to.

I look forward to hearing from other 3w alumni in the future. Drop an email - I'm in Israel until July 11th.

Jew v. Jewish people

an email I sent to Prof. Volokh:
In response to your posting, I don't think there is an essential difference between the two terms. Ie one is not necessarily pejorative, as opposed to the other. I have discussed this with others before and the general consensus is that when people refer to "Those Jews" they are often doing so in a conspiratorial and bigoted manner.
Sort of like 'colored people' was the proper term for Blacks in the 50's, then people of color, African American (and then back to Black?). When a term gets worn, groups just tend to switch epithets.
Obviously, context plays the most crucial role, however.

OK, no more discussion about that!

What a Mess

Now that the Apt has three new residents, Josh, Daniel and Maxim there is more stuff lying around than one could possibly shake a stick at. Fortunately it is cleaner than it has been since, oh, fifth week of spring quarter.