‘Holy Hampton Hostilities’

“Goldman Ex-Partner, Hedge-Fund Chief Sender Fight Over Church.” That’s a headline on Bloomberg.com this morning, and the issue at hand is as ridiculous as it might suggest.

Dennis Suskind, formerly of Goldman Sachs, has bought a Methodist church in Sag Harbor, New York with plans to turn it into a house, and Adam Sender, the manager of Exis Capital, is pouting because he says he wanted to buy it for the purpose of showcasing his collection of contemporary art.

The fact that two money machers are arguing over gets to rip apart a place many consider holy in order to satisfy personal ambitions may just be the most telling sign yet that we are in the thick of an age of excess. But that’s beyond the scope of this blog.

That might be the case for the Figure Painting blog on Portfolio’s site, where I found this post, but its not outside the scope of The God Blog.

This reminds a little bit of the money changers doing business in the Temple. And yet, if churches are not being used for religious services, there is nothing inherently sacred inside their walls. Regardless of any amount of sacrilege, I thinks it’s safe to we’re living in a time of ”irrational exuberance.”

Arts

The heart and the drive

Israel

A Zionist without quotation marks

Yaron Amitai was the oldest soldier killed in the Second Lebanon War. At 45, he was past the required age for army reserve duty. Amitai nevertheless volunteered to serve as a combat medic in the Paratroopers Brigade scheduled to go into Lebanon

U.S.

Jewish identity defined—a la Facebook

Los Angeles

Banking on Israel’s future—from Brentwood

The earnest message was delivered in an opulent setting. First, the customary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were served in the Sheinbaum's plush backyard, where a clover-shaped pool, statues and sculptures seemed fixed into the landscape of the Brentwood Hills.

World

Conference tackles Shoah survivors’ needs for next decade

Not only are survivors alive in large numbers -- estimated at 700,000 worldwide, with about 85,000 in the United States -- but they are projected to be a part of Jewish society for another 10 to 15 years, and even longer for child survivors.

Education

New UC president keeps kosher, loves Israel

Kids & Teens

Keep religion out of presidential politics

Since last summer, when I volunteered for a Barack Obama event, I have received many nonsensical e-mails and heard many nonsensical arguments -- from friends and family as well as on TV -- about Sen. Obama's alleged lack of allegiance to the United States of America.

Calendar

Calendar Girls picks and clicks for July 5 - 11

Sports

‘Hoops’ harder than rocket science

Torah Portion

The voice of wisdom

Parashat Chukat (Numbers 20:1-22:1) Who was Miriam? She is the only woman in the Torah who bears the title "Neviah" -- prophetess. So who was she?

Opinion

From Pico to Sheba

I'm dying to tell you about a fascinating afternoon I spent with an Israeli scientist at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer, but first, I want to tell you how I ended up there

‘Holy Hampton Hostilities’

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