About this Website

Chaim Finkelstein was the last editor of Haynt, a Jewish Newspaper in Warsaw, Poland, before the Holocaust. His book, Haynt: a tsaytung bay yidn 1908-1939, chronicles the history of the newspaper throughout its existence, giving a picture of Jewish life in Poland during the interbellum period. Haynt: a tsaytung bay yidn was published only in Yiddish. This website contains the complete Yiddish book and all of the English that had been translated so far.

How You can Help

About half of the book has already been translated into English since November, 2004. This project seeks volunteers to translate a few pages each. For each volunteer who translates ten or more pages, I will display a business card or similar ad and send a CD containing the complete book. As I receive translations, I will add them to this website and credit the translators for their contribution.

This project is not for profit and all translations are in the public domain. Please contact me if you want to participate in this project.

JERUSALEM - US President George W. Bush Thursday left open the options of one day flooding Israel with millions of “Palestinian” refugees and forcing the Jews to retreat to their indefensible pre-1967 borders.

Tonight (Monday) marks the beginning of Tisha B'Av - the ninth day of the month of Av - the Jewish People's national day of mourning and fasting. Commemorating several sad events in our history, it is most noted for being the date of the destruction of both Holy Temples in Jerusalem - some 2,500 and 2,000 years ago, respectively. They both stood on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem.

If Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the whole world, why is it that the State of Israel, which considers Jerusalem as its holy Capital, is nevertheless continuously maligned in the United Nations, and almost unanimously voted against on practically every issue dealing with the Holy Land?

Why is it that the bestial and inhumane actions of the Arabs are not openly condemned as evil by the nations of the world, who profess to live in accordance with the moral principles taught by the Hebrew Prophets. Those questions are not easily answered. Nor is the conduct of the media and so called "world opinion" readily explainable. You are not going to get understandable answers from Women in Green on these questions. They are as bewildered as you are by these conundrums, and perplexities.

What you are going to hear about however, is the attempt by Women in Green to reach you and have you touched by the spirituality of their upcoming Walk around the Walls of the Old City of Holy Jerusalem. We want you to be moved spiritually by the fact that both of the Temples which housed the presence of the L-rd of the Universe, were destroyed on the same exact day, the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av. What meaning does that fact have? Do we mortals fail sometimes in our attempts to morally fulfill G-d's Commandments? Do we sometimes lose perspective, and make of our rituals the ultimate goal, rather than a means to draw closer to G-d? Do our Temples, synagogues and churches, lose sight of their purpose, which is to draw nearer to our One G-d.

"Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord." (Zechariah 6:15)

When Moses went to meet God on the mountain, the people thought Moses had abandoned them. They forgot that the Divine Presence was still with them even if their human leader was not there. The people grew angry and upset, demanding a replacement in the form of a golden calf, an inhuman god, incapable of failure because it was incapable of anything except being an icon of security and lack of change. The golden calf could not confort, console, teach, guide or do anything that a compassionate God or a loving human leader could do.

In my younger years I expected too much of church and community leadership because I wanted them to be flawless in their duties. I was critical when they failed to meet my standards and expectations. As I've grown older I view leaders in a different light. I still expect integrety, compassion, openness, and humble service from them, but I am now more able to forgive them when they fail to meet this gospel virtues because I know how I also fail to live these virtues.

Most importantly, I now believe and remember that even when my leaders fail me, God is still with me.

REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993!

REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon!

TUESDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2003

As the world has mourned the tragic loss of the seven crewmembers aboard the space shuttle "Columbia," the ICEJ started receiving numerous messages of condolences for the family of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, asking that we pass them on. The IDF has now opened an E-mail address to send such messages: ilanfamily@mail.idf.il

Tens of thousands of condolences are already pouring in, including some from Palestinians. The following tribute is by our own ICEJ music director Chuck King, recalling his chance encounter with a "special" Israeli two years ago. The story with photo is posted on our Web site at:

icej.org

Click on the link above to the 7 stars, including one very close to our hearts.

A tribute to Ilan Ramon from Honest Reporting can be read below: