I ask, only because I have NO idea.  And apparently, my 14 years of Hebrew school recollection has not enlightened me on what’s going to happen when I die, other than the fact that I’ll know for sure wasting Saturday nights on Jdate will thankfully be a thing of the past.  (because if there is a heaven, we know a benevolent G-D will draw the line when it comes to Jdate in the afterlife)

The truth is……someone emailed me this morning to ask whether “you guys” (meaning, we Jews) believe in an afterlife…..and I really wasn’t quite sure.  The article below from Chabbad.Org seems to suggest we do, which makes me feel better, and more hopeful and a bit more informed to boot..:-)

Have a different opinion on Judaism and the afterlife?  Share it with us in the community comments section below!  (or just check out the entire article on what’s waiting for ALL of us, at the link following the short excerpt below..;-)

There isn’t anything after life, because life never ends. It just goes higher and higher. The soul is liberated from the body and returns closer to her source than ever before.

The Torah assumes this in its language many times — describing Abraham’s death, for example, as going to rest with his fathers and similar phrases. The Talmud discusses the experiences of several people who made the trip there and back. Classic Jewish works such as Maavor Yabok describe the process of entering the higher world of life as a reflection of the soul’s experiences while within the body

Do Jews Believe in an Afterlife? – Life & Death

For example – this article (From HolySparks.Com) recommends no touching for 30 days.  Not even pinkies.

 I believe one of the only reasons to date is to get your pinkie touched.  If I wasn’t interested in touching pinkies, I probably wouldn’t even leave the house, let alone date.

The truth is, for most of us in the mainstream……the BEST dating advice is to go out there and just bump up against enough people that you get comfortable with the chaos, and the crazy and hopefully get close enough to that one person who makes it seem like ride is most fun when it has a seat for 2.

We recommend touching.  And jdate.  And because I also believe in filling a hole in the markplace – look for the JuicyJews guide to finding love (and lust) online, coming soon to a bookstore near you..:-)  Or, if you like to keep your pinkies to yourself, you may prefer to check out 10 more jewish dating tips from Holysparks.com at the link following the short excerpt below!

Don’t touch and come close. Don’t touch! Are you crazy? That’s right. Not even holding hands…not even touching pinkies. Put the physical attraction (or lack thereof) on hold while you explore the deeper things. Outward appearances are the least accurate indicator of true love. Beauty fades, but the inner qualities improve with age for those people who are willing to refine themselves throughout a lifetime.”Don’t touch” is the way to come closer to developingthe emotional intimacy that is neccesary for a relationship to blossom into marriage.

Holy Sparks: Jewish Wisdom on Dating

It’s funny…..I only even heard of the whole issue, because a friend, knowing that we were “launching” JUICYJEWS, our odd and unconventional attempt at a  Jewish Social Network (which you are currently reading, so thank you..:-) thought we MAY run into some similar problems, or protests or perception obstacles as a result.

My thoughts were, when she brought it up for the first time –

“Why?  How is this in any way potentially insulting to Jews”?

I’m Jewish. 

Our contributors are Jewish. 

Our audience is Jewish. 

(And when I say audience…..I mean me, 3 of my Facebook friends and the occasional curious member of the Twitterverse)

And laughing – and languishing, in the contributions, the creativity, the COMMUNITY and the eccentricity of our culture is a huge part of the experience, for me……of being a Jew.

And I know that many others share that feeling……MOST of my friends, to be honest.

I’m not immersed in the rituals of religion.  Maybe that will change.  Maybe even this project, and the relationships that hopefully will emanate from this, may open me up to enjoying, and particpating in that part of my culture.

I am, however….deeply ingrained with the identity of being Jewish. 

It’s important to me – I feel a deep affinity for my ancenstry, and a perpetual pride in our history, traditions and culture.

Will people look at a social network, or community site FOR Jews, called – “JUICYJEWS” – and find reasons to insult, hurl hate, unleash anger or acrimony or any other vitriolic emotion our (or my) way?

Of course they will. 

That’s one of the biggest reasons I’m planning on signing up for Karate lessons for the holidays. 

And the truth is – fuck em’. 

Why should that stop you – or me – or anyone from expressing, emoting and enjoying the eccentricities, the annoyances, the fun, the foolishness and the commonality that every culture shares?

So is “Jew or Not a Jew” – the IPhone App offensive? 

It doesn’t offend me. 

(and of course,  we already have our own version of “Jew or False” planned for this – and I expect that may NOT win a lot of friends, fans and followers either…..even though it’s going to be funny as hell..:-)

It’s interesting, I just read this article by Rabbi Brad Hirchfield about his take on the French Iphone App controversy, and while I don’t 100% agree with his conclusion, I love how he references the early SNL skit – “Jew or Not a Jew”, and says he can’t remember some of those without cracking a smile.

I’ve seen some of those re-runs too….and they were very, very funny. 

I remember the “Dead or Canadian” skits that one of the late night comedy shows used to do (how come I think it was that MTV gameshow with Colin Quinn?), and they too….were often riotously funny.

An Iphone app ain’t gonna make the hate threshold go up. 

It may reveal who people really are (no pun intended..:-) but I see more danger in suppression, not silliness.

Check out the short article from Huffington Post below…..or share your thoughts, either way, in the community comments below!

Saturday Night Live was ahead of Apple, having introduced this concept as a mock game show called “Jew, Not A Jew” almost 30 years ago! Those with long memories will recall that the show was hosted by Viennese leader Kurt Waldheim, then becoming infamous for having lied about his Nazi past. Frankly, I thought it was hysterical then, and the memory of it still makes me smile. But perhaps that’s the point.What’s funny in America may not be so funny in France, where anti-Semitism is a much more prevalent and dangerous fact of life than it is in America. But is that really a sufficient argument for banning something?The problem is not the app per se — it is not in and of itself hateful or ugly. In fact, the whole thing is nothing more, or less, than a version of the informal game played by millions of Jews throughout the world: guessing who is Jewish and taking pride or pain in the acknowledgment. Perhaps it’s a stupid game, perhaps a brilliant way to create social cohesion. Either way, it’s not new, and banning a particular expression of the game because it’s not being controlled by the “right people” is absurd.

Brad Hirschfield: Jew Or Not Jew: French App Banned, But Anti-Semitism Remains

Thought that Madoff mask was NOT going to be all that original this Halloween? 

Think again!  Apparently, sales for Bernie Madoff Halloween garb are way down this year, proving once again, God (and Wallmart) hate ponzi schemes.

The good news is, Weiners are up. 

Way up.  I always thought that leaving the house with a weiner mask was in bad taste, but this year, it’s definitely very stylish.

Rubie’s, along with Ricky’s and other companies, are also marketing a Charlie Sheen costume. The mask—a good-enough likeness of the former “Two and a Half Men” star in the Ricky’s version—comes with an optional T-shirt emblazoned with words and phrases Sheen made infamous, including “winner” and “tiger’s blood.”

Not included: Sheen’s “goddesses.”

In attempting to deflect claims of anti-Semitism, the Hollywood meltdown warlock claimed to have Jewish roots on his mother’s side. So can we count his costume along with the Weiner and the Madoff?

Either way, Beige said, “religion never comes up” when the staff at Rubie’s discusses the appropriateness of a potential costume.

As for mask sales of the tragic Madoff, “That’s pretty much over,” he said.

Trick or tweet: Anthony Weiner and Bernie Madoff Halloween masks | Culture | Jewish Journal

Did you check out Harvey’s JuicyJews profile page?  It does give us a little bit of insight into the man……and for that, we are thankful.

What makes me juicy? I have a mind for business and a body for sin. I married one of the most beautiful women in the world, and she loves me for me. The character of Harvey Weingard in the hit HBO show “ENTOURAGE” is based on me.

How many of you have a character on “ENTOURAGE” based on you? I’ll tell you how many. None. Me and Marky Mark. That’s it. Only one of us is JUICY though….and you’re looking at him

Harvey Weinstein « juicy jews

BUT……for those of you who demand to know MORE about what the life of a busy Hollywood media mogul REALLY looks like, we encourage you to check out his trash.  And if that sounds like a job that’s a bit too dirty to do, fret not my friend…….as Tony Ortega from the Village Voice did the dirty work for you, and was nice enough to report on what he found.

Enjoy!  (and for what it’s worth, I don’t return Nicole Kidman’s texts either)

There is, however, one way of making Harvey Weinstein pick up: You pick up his trash and then pick through it. Which is what I did—strictly by accident—the other evening in Tribeca.

A friend and I stumbled across a recycling bin filled to bursting with what looked like screenplays. Atop the pile was a copy of Variety addressed: “Special Hand Delivery, Harvey Weinstein, 3rd Floor, 375 Greenwich St.”

http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-07-02/news/trash-talking-with-harvey-weinstein/

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