Recently, I had the opportunity to take a trip to Israel for a family wedding. While this was my fourth trip since 1979, I always find new and exciting perspectives.
Upon arrival at the airpoint, you begin to see the different types of backgrounds-Turkish tour groups,Missionary tours,Religious Jews, Arabs and many others.
I find it very refreshing to see everyone co-existing and acknowledging each other.
For those from the United States, our lack of learning other languages is not a major problem, as over half of the residents speak some to quite abit of English.
While in the Old City of Jerusalem,we encountered Armenians, Arabs and Israeli Jews. You feel very safe dealing with any gift shop owner, no matter their nationality. The shopkeepers are just trying to make a living and sometimes their means are not what visitors are used to. The only thing is trying to master the various cultures as not to offend or become involved in uncomfortable situations.
One interesting tidbit is that there is an upscale outdoor mall located 120 yards (375 meters) from one of the gates to the Old City; old butting up against new-sad and refreshing all at the same time for many tourists.
This is a country that is constantly building modern structures as the population increases. New roads and housing keep this small country thriving.

When attending the outdoor wedding and inside reception, there were friends of the families dressed casual to dressed up-everyone just seemed to fit in. What I enjoyed during this time and during large Sabbath meals with the 2 families at a synagogue was seeing the Sephardic(Spanish and Middle Eastern) Jewish customs of the one side mingling with the Ashkenazi(Eastern European)Jewish ways of the other family. Much respect and sharing took place.
It was a melting pot of heritages there: Israeli, Persian, Moroccan, American, British,Russian and others at these meals.
The cuisine is usually fresh fruit, yogurt and salads in the morning. Meat or chicken in the evenings and, of course, falafel at lunch or dinner.
While we hear of violence and safety issues in the area and region in the media, almost everyone has little to fear as they travel as long as you use common sense and avoid situations you would when traveling or living in any major city.
I sure I will be back to enjoy another aspect of this amazing country to see more of the sites and enjoy the diverse culture.

On the fourth floor of the Heinz History Center, there engraved in color are some pictures revealing transitions of the black struggle, liberation, love, unity and power, the Black History and the African migration into the greater Pittsburgh area and also the modern rich social, culture, education and the economic impact that we have brought with us into the region. I am proud to be a part of this historic wall side by side with Barack Obama, John Jack, rufus Idris, Mama Kadiatu, Albert Duroue, Robert Agbede and others that you might recognize as I proudly wave my Nigerian Flag and lift Africa high.

Club 9516/The Sound Kitchen - Cartoonist, artist, philanthropist Issa Nyaphaga

Rebroadcast:
This week on the Club 9516/Sound Kitchen, meet Cameroonian political cartoonist, painter, philanthropist and political exile, Issa Nyaphaga. There’s lots of good music ... and of course, the quiz ...

http://www.english.rfi.fr/africa/20100314-club-9516the-sound-kitchen-cartoonist-artist-philanthropist-issa-nyaphaga

According to a local tradition, the Jewish settlement in Djerba also spelled Jerba dates from the reign of King Solomon and so was founded the present al-Ḥāra al-Kabīra (the "Big Quarter"). A family of Kohanim, priests fleeing Jerusalem in the year 70 C.E. is said to have transported one of the Temple gates from Jerusalem to Djerba. It is believed to be enclosed in the Bezalel synagogue, known as al-Gharība (the "extraordinary") of the Ḥāra al-Ṣaghīra (the "Small Quarter"), which is situated in the center of the island.

The Gharība was a much frequented place of pilgrimage. The Jewish population consisted mainly of Kohanim with a small sprinkling of others, although there were no members of the tribe of Levi, the tribe assisting the Kohanim, among the residents. According to tradition, the absence of Levites on the island is the result of a curse of death against them by Ezra because they refused to answer his request to send Levites to Israel at the time of Jewish return to Israel after the first exile. The history of the Jews of Djerba includes three serious persecutions: in the 12th century under the Almohads; in 1519 under the Spanish; and in 1943 under the Nazis. In 1239 a colony of Jews from Djerba settled in Sicily , where they obtained concessions to cultivate henna, indigo, and the royal palm groves. It was common for the male Jewish population of Djerba to look for livelihood abroad, but they kept returning to the island, where their families had remained. Exchange of goods with Malta and Italy was in the hands of the Jews, who grew the products and processed the commodities for export themselves.

In the 19th and 20th centuries the Yeshivot, Rabbinical academies, of Djerba produced many rabbis and writers and they provided rabbis for the communities of North Africa. In 1946 there were some 4,900 Jews in Djerba, settled in al-Ḥara al-Ṣaghīra, al-Ḥāra al-Kabīra, and Houmt-Souk, the principal town of the island. Their number dwindled to about 1,500 by the late 1960s, about 1,000 in 1976, 800 in 1984, and 670 in 1993, the majority immigrating to Israel. Those remaining dealt in jewelry and commerce, but the Jewish neighborhoods lost their purely Jewish character as Muslims moved in and the community was the victim of several anti-Jewish incidents. Across the rest of the Middle East, Jewish communities have been vanishing over the past half century, since the creation of Israel. Before then, there were more than 850,000 Jews living in the Arab world. Today, there are between 4,000 to 4,500, according to Justice for Jews from Arab Countries, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Some countries, such as Algeria and Libya, which once had sizable Jewish populations, have virtually no Jews within their borders. Egypt, which through the late 1940s had 75,000 Jews active in the country’s economic and social life, is down to a few dozen. Only Morocco, once home to 265,000 Jews, has a community of 2,500 left. Many are elderly or middle-aged.

As other Tunisian Jews moved away to Israel and France for fear of persecution, the Jews of Djerba stubbornly clung to the promise of their own future. A community that had dwindled to fewer than 700 Jews by the mid-1990s—from a high of about 5,000 in 1948—began to grow slowly but surely. While there were and still are departures, they are outweighed by the young families choosing to stay. Today, the island’s Jews number roughly 1,000, local leaders estimate. Mounting concerns about anti-Semitism in France, underscore what the Chief Rabbi of Tunisia has been saying for years: That no place is safer or more hospitable for Jews.

“The Jews of Djerba are concentrated in one area, so the government is able to protect us,” says Haim Bittan, the Chief Rabbi. A resident of Djerba, Rabbi Bittan also believes that the community’s deep spirituality offers it protection. “We have faith in God, that if we keep his laws and commandments, he will guard us from evil,” he says.

The central government in Tunis has long seen value in having a stable Jewish population. Even after the 2011 revolution ousted longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali —the first casualty of the Arab Spring—the new leaders sought to assure Tunisian Jews that they were safe.

Djerba has enjoyed a lucrative tourist industry and Tunisia has been keen to preserve it by stressing its tolerance and moderation. Having a sizable Jewish community is key in that goal.

Djerban Jewish leaders are concerned about assimilation, so contacts with the 150,000 Muslims on the island are limited. Clustered in the Hara Kebira, the main Jewish quarter, they speak Arabic as well as Hebrew; a few speak French.

Relations between Jews and Muslims are complex—proper and respectful, though not especially close. Jewish men work alongside Arab merchants in the souk, for example, and enjoy amiable ties with Muslim customers.

With its low-lying houses and narrow, unpaved streets, the Hara Kebira is modest. While not walled in, it is insular and self-contained. Little boys run around in skullcaps; women wear long skirts, and scarves. And there are over a dozen working synagogues. The community is still Orthodox and insular but laptops, iPhones and TV sets are ubiquitous and more opportunities for women are being pushed for. Djerban Jews are proud of their heritage and want to preserve it even as the community has embraced aspects of modern culture. It is an ancient heritage of deep faith and it dwells on an island in space and in time.

For the most part this article is based on and quotes from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0005_0_05275.html and http://www.wsj.com/articles/insular-jewish-community-of-djerba-tunisia-has-weathered-revolution-and-terrorism-but-can-it-survive-girls-education-1423869146

The Dots on my Face.

Look at my face! Yes, look at it again... It has 47 dots, that's the number of people executed last Saturday by the Saudi Arabia dynasty, including a Shia religious leader Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Who gave us the right to decide who must live or die?

Tempa Lama Introduction to the Nature of Mind

My dear friends, i would like to share this video with you all. you all have a beautiful week. Tempa Dukte Lama

Tempa dukte lama short talk on the nature of mind and threefold path of liberation in Bon Tradittion of Tibet.

West Virginia has been my family's home for 4 generations. Our state has beautiful landscape and resources as well as a culture of pride. We are the only state in the history of the United States to have been created out of another state. This relates to the rich history of the Civil War, a major skirmish that nearly torn apart the great country that the value of U.S. has come to stand for.
My city of Wheeling, WV is the only city in this country to have served as the capital of 2 different states(within a years). We were known as the gateway to the West and our Suspension Bridge is the 2nd longest of its style in the world(after the Brooklyn Bridge). In fact, the City of Pittsburgh sued the City of Wheeling in the United States Supreme Court in the 1870s to try to keep the bridge from being build so travelers would need to cross the river at Pittsburgh instead. In 1900, due to the commerce of the city, there were more millionaires here per capita than anywhere else in the country.
The State of West Virginia is a large state geographically while spread in population. We have no city over 80,000 residents, giving us a small town, friendly atmosphere throughout. There are many festivals, community events, very clean state parks, and many other nice, safe and laid-back recreational opportunities. While the state has a low average income, the cost to live and do business here is very reasonable and inexpensive. The residents are helpful, geniune and look out for each other.
You can not find a better place to live or visit.
I highly recommend everyone investigate the opportunities of West Virginia for your next vacation or career move.
One possible link is: http://www.westvirginia.com/wonders/culture.cfm

Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) are martial arts that were practiced in Europe that have been lost or that have evolved into other practices. These arts include sword fighting (and other weapons forms), grappling, and wrestling.

HEMA organizations are like karate clubs in that members join together under a teacher to learn lost martial arts through historical texts, practice, and physical effort. This sort of living history keeps old martial art styles alive in a way that text cannot. Many HEMA teachers and instructors use historical text (source material) to teach new techniques, but they emphasize that immediately trying to practice a technique after reading about it is very difficult. This demonstrates the importance of practice and the necessity of the sport. Practitioners are eager to practice their art against non-cooperative combatants, which makes competitions athletic and competitive.

HEMA organizations are growing in popularity, and teachers are quick to emphasize that they do everything to ensure that their students will be safe--modern equipment with modern technology is used.

Learn more in this HEMA documentary:

Early history

The original settlement of Hawaii by Polynesians was followed by a second wave of immigrants that sailed from Tahiti during the 9th or 10th century. The original Hawaiians were highly skilled in fishing and farming. By the late 18th century their society had evolved into a complex one with a rigid system of laws set down by chiefs and priests. They worshiped and feared a group of gods not unlike the ancient Greek deities of Mount Olympus in character and power.

Contact with and settlement by Polynesian Tahitians began in the 9th century. The Tahitians ruled the earlier settlers. Powerful classes of chiefs and priests arrived and established themselves. The early Hawaiians lacked a written language. Their culture was entirely oral and rich in myth, legend, and practical knowledge, especially of animals and plant life. Today the Hawaiian alphabet consists in the order of the English alphabet of the letters A, E, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, U, and W. The Hawaiians displayed great skill in the use of wood, shell, stone, and bone, and their huge double and outrigger canoes were technical marvels. Navigational methods were well developed, and there was an elaborate calendar. Athletic contests encouraged warrior skills.

The arrival of Europeans

Capt. James Cook, the British explorer and navigator, is generally credited with having made the first European discovery of Hawaii; he landed at Waimea, Kauai Island, on Jan. 20, 1778. He traded with the Hawaiians who considered him a great chief with divine powers. He named them the Sandwich Islands after the Earl of Sandwich, first lord of the British admiralty. Upon Cook's return the following year, he was killed during an affray with a number of Hawaiians at Kealakekua Bay.

The initial appearance of Cook was followed by a period of intermittent contact with the West introducing to the islands various livestock, manufactured goods, and plants. During this period King Kamehameha I used European military technology and weapons to emerge as an outstanding Hawaiian leader first by conquering Hawaii Island in a 10 year civil war ending in 1782, then by seizing and consolidating control over the main island group except for Kauai and Niihau. For 85 years thereafter monarchs ruled over the Hawaiian kingdom. The local chiefs became governors over their islands under King Kamehameha I with this state of governorship coming being extended to include Kauai and Niihau since in 1810 Kaumualii their ruler accepted the rule of King Kamehameha I.

After the death of King Kamehameha I in 1819 his son Liholiho became King Kamehameha II. He abolished the Hawaiian religion. The religion involved large temples, many orders of priests and the belief in many gods and goddesses. Protestantism became the official religion enforced by the chiefs who accordingly forced the Roman Catholics to leave Hawaii. They tried to prevent more from arriving and arrested many Hawaiians who became Roman Catholic. In July 1839 the French sent the frigate L'Artemise to threaten Honolulu unless the Catholics were freed. The frigate's captain also demanded religious freedom for Roman Catholics. The Hawaiians gave in to the captain's demands.

Hawaii eventually had a Queen, Queen Liliuokalani. She seemed as if she would abrogate the constitution of Hawaii. The Committee of Safety, a group of American and European businessmen, some of whom were citizens of the kingdom, seized power in 1893, with the help of a company of U.S. Marines from the U.S.S. Boston, at anchor in the harbor. The U.S. government, under Pres. Grover Cleveland, refused to annex the territory, however, noting that the overthrow of the monarchy was an “act of war” accomplished against popular will using U.S. armed force . A short-lived republic (an oligarchy of American and European businessmen) ensued, until the administration of Pres. William McKinley annexed the islands as U.S. territory in 1900.

As a U.S. territory, Hawaii until 1940 was distinguished by a rapid growth in population, the development of a plantation economy based on the production of sugar and pineapples for consumption on the U.S. mainland, and the growth of transport and military links. Movements for statehood, based in part on Hawaii’s obligation to pay U.S. taxes without having corresponding legislative representation, began to emerge. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, 1941, brought not only Hawaii but the United States as a whole into World War II, and the islands were beset by an upsurge of military activity and a sometimes controversial curtailment of civil liberties.

Since statehood both the population and the economy boomed in Hawaii, with ever-increasing numbers of visitors. Tourism remained the dominant industry in the early 21st century. Visitors are lured not only by the warm climate and exotic beauty of the islands but also by a growing number of world-class resorts, built on such a grand scale that they are destinations in themselves. Moreover, the Mauna Kea Observatory has helped Hawaii become a major world center of astronomy.

Hawaii is by now multiracial with no dominant race. Still despite the draw of Hawaii for tourists, foreigners, and researchers, Native Hawaiians continue to demand land rights, more autonomy in their internal affairs, and the right to self-governance. The establishment of a Native Hawaiian governing entity continues to be debated between Native Hawaiians and those who oppose ancestry-based sovereignty.

Based partially on http://www.britannica.com/place/Hawaii-state and partially on The World Book Encyclopedia, sometimes quoting them verbatim.