I was thinking of calling this post “Gershom Scholem, Jewish Mysticism, and the UFO.” But I don’t want to be accused of false advertising. The UFOlogical relevance of Gershom Scholem, and the domain of learning of which he was undisputed master, will become clear only gradually. I'll need a … [Read more...]
“Outtakes of a UFO Investigator” – Israel in the 1960s
“No!” Shlomo cried triumphantly. “I looked for the Wall. It’s not there! He gives you guided tours around Jerusalem, this Perowne, in his book. He shows you the—the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He shows you the Dome of the Rock. Which the Muslims built where our Temple used to be, so we … [Read more...]
Maccabees, Taliban, and the Real Story of Hanukkah
I wrote this "Hanukkah Q&A" ten years ago for a web course on Judaism. Things have changed a lot since then, in the world and in myself. Back then I didn't identify religiously, as I do today, as a Unitarian Universalist of Jewish heritage. But when I wrote, "there's no holy book, ours or … [Read more...]
Sadat in Israel – Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind
"We now show uncorrelated targets approaching from the north-northwest ..." --"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" In reality, it was more like the southwest from which the alien craft made its approach. But otherwise, the climactic scene in the Spielberg movie--the one where the UFOs make a … [Read more...]
A Gaza Story
Again there's news out of Gaza. I wish there weren't. Practically everything out of Gaza that's newsworthy is bad news. I don't have any wisdom to offer on the current situation. I can't say what the Israelis are doing wrong, what they might be doing better; given their situation, attacking … [Read more...]