COVID-19 vaccinations developed by Pfizer and Moderna have now been approved, and shots have already begun to be administered to healthcare workers and others. Vice President Mike Pence received the vaccine last week in a televised event, and President-Elect Joe Biden is getting his vaccine today. There is controversy within some segments of the ultra-Orthodox community, where many have opposed other efforts to control the virus, including mask wearing and restrictions on the number of attendees at religious services, weddings, etc. And there is a history of opposition to other vaccines such as the flu vaccine within some Orthodox communities. This includes a group of Jewish mothers who have claimed that vaccines cause autism, epilepsy, and anaphylaxis, and that pediatricians cover up the dangers for their personal financial benefit. Since 2014, they have published an anti-vaccination magazine with what name?

The first Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are administered at Naval Health Clinic Hawaii by Official U.S. Navy Page is licensed under CC BY 2.0

A. OLIVES, an acronym for Orthodox Ladies Ignore Vaccination's Evil Schemes.

B. MANGO, an acronym for Mothers Against Non-believing Governmental Organizations.

C. ORANGE, an acronym for Our Rabbis Acclaim–No to Government Edicts.

D. PEACH, an acronym for Parents Educating and Advocating for Children’s Health.

E. UGLI FRUIT, an acronym for Unbelivably Gullible Lunatics Intent on Fomenting Ridiculous Untrue Idiotic Theories.

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There are many rules and traditions regarding the Chanukkiah, or Chanukkah menorah. For example, candles are placed in the Chanukkiah from right to left, but they are lit from left to right (lighting the newest candle first). Also, the candles are supposed to be in a straight line, not in a semicircle, and the height of each candle should be the same (NOTE: That makes RASHI, RAMBAM and RAMALAMADINGDONG'S moose menorah a non-kosher menorah. But still a very cool Chanukkiah!). What is the maximum height a Chanukkiah can be, and why?

Moose Menorah by Mark D. Zimmerman

A. 36 feet, representing the 36 righteous people, or Lamed-Vavniks.

B. 18 feet, which represents Chai, the word for life, that numerically is the equivalent of 18.

C. There is no maximum height for a Chanukkiah.

D. 40 feet, representing the number of years the Israelites wandered through the desert.

E. 32 feet, because the Chanukkiah is supposed to be seen, and that’s about the highest that most people see when they look up.

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President Trump will be hosting an in-person Chanukkah party at the White House this coming Wednesday. Many of the Jewish leaders who were invited have declined to attend because of the COVID risk. Some, however, plan to be there, including ZOA president Mort Klein, who explained the motivation of those attending, “They want to see important people and they want to be seen.” At the 2015 White House Chanukkah party, President Barack Obama addressed the attendees, including Israeli president Reuven Rivlin, and compared the Chanukkah story to what movie?

White House Hanukkah Reception 2019 is in the public domain

A. Said President Obama, “All of us come together along with Jews around the world to celebrate a band of Maccabees who inspire us even today. They remind me of another scrappy gang of fighters, The Dirty Dozen. Right? Their job was to wipe out an entire band of Nazi officers, and they had no military training at all. The were just tough, and committed to a cause. I mean, couldn’t you see Judah Maccabee played by Lee Marvin?”    

B. Said President Obama, “All of us come together along with Jews around the world to celebrate a band of Maccabees who inspire us even today. They were the original Inglourious Basterds. They stood up to the oppressors, and showed that with faith, you can achieve victory against the greatest of odds.”

C. Said President Obama, “All of us come together along with Jews around the world to celebrate a band of Maccabees who inspire us even today. Makes me think of Rocky. Now here’s a guy who doesn’t even belong in the fight. There is no way this dude is going to defeat the world champion, Apollo Creed. Right? So here you have Judah Maccabee, the Rocky of his day, going up against King Antiochus, definitely an Apollo Creed kind’a guy. But Judah fools everyone by winning. And when it’s all over, Judah Maccabee, exhausted, stands in the Temple and yells, ‘Yo, Adonai!’ ”

D. Said President Obama, “All of us come together along with Jews around the world to celebrate a band of Maccabees who inspire us even today. They were outnumbered, out armed yet proved freedom can prevail over tyranny, hope can triumph over despair, light can prevail over darkness. That sounds like a description of the new Star Wars movie but this one happened a little earlier.”

E. Said President Obama, “All of us come together along with Jews around the world to celebrate a band of Maccabees who inspire us even today. And think about those Maccabees. You know who they remind me of? The Deltas, from Animal House. Am I right? Judah Maccabee is definitely Blutarsky. His brothers, John, Simon, Eleazar, and Jonathan–they’re Otter, Boon, Pinto and Flounder. And then there’s Antiochus. Now he is Dean Vernon Wormer, for sure. You know, the guy who wants to get rid of the Deltas. He’s the Dean, so you figure he’s gonna win. But those toga-wearing Deltas, or in this case, the toga-wearing Maccabees ruled the day. And just like Bluto inspired his men by saying ‘Over? Did you say over?? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell, no!’, I'm pretty sure that Judah Maccabee said, ‘Oil? Did you say oil?? The oil doesn't stop burning until we decide it is! Was it over when the Russians bombed Tzeitel’s wedding? Hell, no!’ ”

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Renowned Argentinian football (soccer) star Diego Armando Maradona died of a heart attack last week at the age of 60. Maradona is generally considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, and is particularly remembered for a goal he scored against England in the 1986 World Cup Quarterfinals that has been dubbed “The Hand of God” goal. He played in four World Cups, leading Argentina to victory over West Germany in 1986, and he was jointly awarded the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award along with Pele. What was Diego Maradona’s connection to Jews and/or Israel?

Maradona by diego vaz is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

A. Maradona’s ancestors were Jews from Toledo, Spain, who converted to Christianity during the Spanish Inquisition. He only learned of his Jewish background in 1990 during a trip to Israel where the Argentinian soccer team defeated Israel in a match at Ramat Gan stadium. During the visit, Maradona visited the Nahum Goldmann Museum of the Jewish Diaspora (now Beit Hatfutsot: The Museum of the Jewish People) where genealogists showed him records documenting his family background.    

B. Maradona first visited Israel in 1986 when he contributed two goals to Argentina’s victory against Israel. He returned in 1990, again leading his team to victory, and in both of those years Argentina went on to play in the World Cup Finals. According to  Israeli sports reporter Uri Levy, Maradona considered his trips to Israel to be good luck charms. Levy stated that Maradona “...turned his visits to Israel into something superstitious. He said that every visit to Israel … will bring us a World Cup (victory).” Said Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in response to Maradona’s passing, “On behalf of all Israeli citizens, I express my deepest condolences for the death of my dear friend.”

C. In 2014, following Israel’s incursion into the Gaza Strip, Maradona criticized Israel, saying “What Israel is doing to the Palestinians is shameful.” He continued to be supportive of the Palestinian cause, later saying, “In my heart, I am Palestinian.” Said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in response to Maradona’s passing, “He was a milestone in world sports, and a loving friend to Palestine and its people.”

D. Maradona retired from competitive football in 1994 after failing a drug test at the World Cup Games. After retirement, he worked as a soccer coach and team executive, as well as playing in exhibition matches to raise money for charity. In 1999, Maradona played in a competition in Israel which featured handicapped Israeli and Palestinian players, raising money to send athletes to the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

E. The soccer player’s birth name was Diego Armando, and he was the child of Jews whose ancestors had fled Spain during the Inquisition rather than convert. He was a standout soccer player from a young age, and in high school he played for the local Jewish soccer club, Fútbol Judíos Argentinos. At that time his outstanding playing earned him the nickname from his teammates of “Mr. God,” which in Hebrew is “Mar Adonai.” He later adapted the nickname as Maradona, and in 1981 he legally changed his name to Diego Armando Maradona.

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