Saturday, October 01, 2005

Jew of the Year -- nominations so far

Here's who we have so far:
  • Gaza settler -- "As recognition for all they have done and represented over this year, and the awareness and emotion they brought tothe rest of us; and for the classy and heartbreaking way in which they left."
  • Simon Weisenthal -- "who dedicated his life to bringing Nazi monsters to justice and making them pay for the murder of 6 million Jews"
  • Wendy Shalit - "for enlightening the world to the truth about theultra-orthodox."
  • Ariel Sharon -- "for sheer guts -- and for showing that a right-wing PM can dowhat a left-wing one can't."
  • The settlers of Gush Katif AND the members of the IDF who expelled them -- "for creating one of the most riveting and heartbreaking news stories of the year" / "for reminding us at that despite all of ourdifferences, at our core we are one. Even when pitted against each other, we still have the ability to cry together; to mourn together. They have reminded us that no matter what, am Yisrael chai."
  • Rabbi Slifkin
  • Dov Bear
  • Shiri Maimon -- "clearly the most talentedat Eurovision and her 4th place finish was a source of pride to Jews inIsrael and Europe."
  • Paul Wolfowitz -- "for his changes to IMF"
  • Stanley Fisher -- "for his celebrated Aliyah and subsequent hard nose attitude to hold Israel's interest rates steady and keep our economy growing."
  • The anonymous philanthropists who donated $45m. to Boston's Jewish day schools in October, setting a wonderful example and setting a trend
  • Natalie Portman -- Hollywood star goes to university in Israel and stars in an Israeli movie
  • Mikhail Khodorkovsky -- symbol of political oppression in Russia
  • Rabbi Ismar Schorsch -- Retires from JTS after 20 years, "while still in top form"
  • Orit -- the Agunah who starred in 'Mekudeshet,' who finally received her get after 4 1/2 years and a long struggle with the beth din; for bringing the problems of Agunot to public attention and becoming a symbol of their plight
  • Edgar Bronfman -- "without whom there would be no such thing as Hillel, and therefore alot less identifiably Jewish people in the world"
  • Matisyahu -- "for quickly rising to be the world's most famous orthodox entertainer"

-- Anyone else? Last chance...

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