Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Who Needs a GET? (Jewish Rabbinical Divorce)
A Jewish religious marriage - the Ketubah, should not ruin your life.
To all you ladies who have a husband who is holding a "get" over your head, I am going to tell you how you can screw him. Under Jewish law the husband has a license to blackmail his wife either into staying in an abusive relationship or giving up her property right and support to get a Jewish divorce - which is called a 'get'. In Israel, which does not really have a civil marriage, the Rabbinical court issues 'gets' and is sometimes unable to convince men to "give" a get to a woman. This issue becomes a problem that is not only embarrassing to this modern state, but also devastating to women. Essentially women are held is suspended animation for years without the ability to marry or in some cases even date other men.
The state of Israel recognizes divorces granted by foreign country courts. Women can take a vacation to Cyprus and get a civil divorce there through a local lawyer. Lawyers in Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey will be happy to help you, some may even be familiar with this religious-civil conundrum in the Israeli legal system. A divorce from a foreign country will essentially make you "free". Take your divorce papers to the Israeli state interior ministry and they will officially change your status from married to single.
If you have children from the marriage, file in the civil court in Israel for custody. Your husband - now EX-husband can't legally stop you. Also file your divorce in the Tabu, the Real Estate recorder's office to protect your property rights.
Now that you have filed for child custody, have your Israeli lawyer sue your EX-husband for your interest in the property.
If you want to remarry in Israel the rabbinical court will tell you that you don't have a Get. Technically there are correct, but that does not matter unless you want to marry and orthodox man and you are orthodox yourself.
Time for a second vacation to Cyprus. Take your divorce papers and your future husband's divorce papers (if he has any). Now you can marry totally legally in Cyprus, or Greece, or Turkey or any other country of your choice. The state of Israel will recognize your marriage. Follow the same procedures you did for your divorce with the state of Israel once you return.
Enjoy your life and don't let anyone ruin it -- sam-D-man @ T"A
Editor's note: this article is strictly 'sam-D-man's' personal opinion. By no means does this constitute legal advice. Please consult a qualified legal service or professional for specific legal issues.
Monday, August 4, 2008
No Honor in Murder - a Woman's Life in Israel
Miss Indonesia in a bikini: is this a Muslim dishonor?
Editor's note: Recently a Muslim Israeli woman came forward in fear for her life. She has been threatened with death by a family member for bringing dishonor to the family. Her act of dishonor has been a refusal to marry a man in an arranged marriage. This is a comment on this news item and similar stories in the Israeli media.
The Islamic (Muslim) way of life give to the men of a family life or death control over his women. We know that this occurs often in the Middle East among Muslims. The practice is that if the women in the family decides that a female family member bringing dishonor to the family it's OK to kill her.
What is dishonor? What is dignity? you ask! Both of these are not easily defined. Probably because they are dependent on tradition and basic Muslim values. These values seem to be different depending on who you ask and in which country. Both, honor and dignity, are excuses men use to exercise their cave-men, barbaric instinctive control over women. Their irresistible urge to beat the crap out of them for no reason. These like other urges that modern civil society has held illegal must be suppressed by making it a crime to control and abuse women. Then these laws need to be enforced and publicized, tell Islamic society: "don't do the crime, if you can't do the time". (a popular American saying about crime and punishment)
Islamic law will not crack down on physical abuse, verbal abuse, and murder of women. Remember under Islamic law women are told what to wear, eat, and how to socialize. Who and when to marry is a crucial and extremely important part of the dominance over women. This is one of the most dangerous and crucial pillar in the control of women in the traditional society. Men know that once a woman marries into a certain family with traditional values and way of life, she will continue to serve the community like a virtual slave. Their husbands, fathers, and even sons may do what they will with these hapless women.
Women of the world must organize and fight these "traditions" especially in countries that follow Islamic law and take for granted these brutal way of life.
sam-D-man in Tel Aviv
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Sex in the city - some relief for a friend
Discreet cards advertising "massage" - you can be sure if it's an "apartment" there is more than just oil...
I was having coffee with a friend last week (David from the north). We talked for a a long time about the complicated political situation and the local sport scene. Then our conversation turned to sex. David is not having any. That was a sad situation. David is not married, with a good job and a nice apartment in the north of Israel. He moaned on that he has no girlfriend and that the last six months no sex either. It was clear that this guy was one horny toad!
I finally looked at my friend and said: "you got to get laid!" David asked in half teary eyes: "how am I going to do that???" So I reminded him that he is in Tel Aviv. I took him for a walk down the street, a perfectly respectable residential street in the north of Tel Aviv. We looked for signs for "an apartment" which is a double-entendre for a small brothel. Here a bunch of girls get together and offer their services discreetly. For 200 to 300 shekels you can have your sexual needs satisfied and you can go home happy.
I walked David to the door, wished him good luck, and left. One hour later I get a call from David. He said that he has not felt this good in months (I was thinking years but didn't say anything). He reported that the girl was tender, warm, and sexy. He thanked me for pointing him to a good sex in the city. sam-D-man // in-the-city [Tel Aviv]
Editor's note: Strictly speaking prostitution is not illegal in Israel. Pimping is illegal and therefore most prostitutes work alone or in small groups. "Apartments" in Tel Aviv and other cities are usually very discreetly advertised with "business cards" (usually a revealing picture and a phone number).
Friday, June 27, 2008
Sex in the City - Teenage pregnancy pack in MA
A few days ago Time magazine reported a strange story. In a Gloucester Massachusetts high school 18 young girls age 14 to 17 made it their goal to get pregnant. The question is why? The answer lies in a culture that makes sex a dirty word. This school stopped their sex education program and do not provide free birth control clinics or medication. Add to that a religious community where leaders of all faiths preach high morals based on conservative values and the Bible.
Now we are seeing the tip of the iceberg of a problem religious fanatics and right wing conservatives have created. Girls are developing at younger ages and no politician pandering for votes or preacher's sermon can stop this. As girls develop their sex hormones rage out of control. This biological process is seldom controlled by religious or political views. Ignoring this combination of biology and politics makes for a deadly combination.
Rugged and individual the famous Gloucester sailor: a "perfect storm" is brewing in Gloucester Parents sometimes want to shield their children from the harsh reality of life. The church wants to scare the heck out of them with regard to premarital sex. Politicians want votes, specially in a conservative place in economically difficult times. Remember how president Clinton fired Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders for saying that masturbation should not be taboo in sex-ed? If these girls had been taught they can satisfy their sexual drive by masturbation they might not have resorted to vaginal sex. Or if oral sex was not made such a terrible act who knows what might have happened.
Until the time comes when sex is accepted as a part of life, without the religious taboos or right wing political social values, we are going to see more bizarre behavior. Young people do not know any better, they need guidance, direction, and most of all kind support. We must demand for the walls to come down on sex. Teach children about safe sex and alternatives to vaginal sex. Also, we must teach children how to avoid letting "some boy" get them pregnant.
These children have no clue on what's involved in raising and taking care of a baby. They can't imagine the total impact this child will have on their life. These children want sex and someone to love them. If parents really want their children to have a healthy and happy lives, you don't have to shield them from A L L the realities of life. The best remedy is just to love them and make sure you instill your best values in them. Be open to conversations about sex. Teach them that sex is good and healthy, but also teach them responsibility.
The high school these girls attend had no sex education or a clinic that provides birth control advice and medication. Now we see the terrible results. Israeli sexual attitudes are more open, we can only hope they are open enough so there will not be copycats all over the world. Sam-D-man from T"A
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Mid June Yakin' in Tel Aviv...
- Israel is a country that produces food at prices that all can afford. When those who suffer deprivation in Africa illegally cross Israel's borders we take them in. Israel provides them with world class medical services, food, shelter, and jobs. Other countries that share their culture mostly reject them. This was true with Asian refugees in the past. Israel will always take in refugees - it's in its DNA.
- While Arabs in the Palestinian Territories try to kill us, we provide them with electricity, water, oil, and food. When there was tragedy in Burma, a country that calls for our destruction, we freely sent medical aid, food, and drinking water. Israel has rushed aid to all those in need: friend and foe.
- Tel Aviv is a modern city which provide a vast variety of service for its people. The postal service delivers the mail and our cable TV delivers entertainment. We have a huge variety of food from around the world. It's fun to vacation in Tel Aviv.
- Barak Obama the presumptive US democratic party nominee made a recent foreign policy statement. In response to questions about Venezuela, North Korea, and Iran, he responded that these are three small insignificant countries. Someone finally got it right. Good show Barak!
- Jimmy Carter America's worst president has a lot of nerv to be critical of Israel. He keeps on criticizing Israel for the treatment of Palestinians without regard to the situation and the daily terrorist attacks which continue regardless of any political and government activities ON BOTH SIDES! The man who brought the Isramic revolution lead by mullahs to Iran, let 400 US hosteges rot in Iran, AND ruined the American economy - shold be hiding in some corner with his head down in shame. Any advice from you ain't worth a bag of peanuts!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
If looks could kill... baeuty and fashion in Tel Aviv
Looking good is important in Tel Aviv. This flies straignt in the face of the very confusing image of the rough and schlumpy Israeli woman. The image that Israeli women tried to portray in the 1950's was of pioneering all can do superwoman. Milk the cows in the morning, raise the kids in the day, guard the border at night. But the city reality of Israeli women was a little different. Fashion and beauty supplies came with Europeans very early on. Whatever Israeli women could not afford local companies made here. Jump forward 50 years to 2008 and the Israeli woman, a mix of every imaginable culture is very much interested in fashion and beauty. There are a dozen Israeli beauty supply companies, some with international reputation. Ahava started out as a Dead Sea specialty company, and Jade is well knows here but a bit of a 'hidden secret' outside Israel.
A crema counter with samples and plenty to buy. Let's face it, Tel Aviv is not considered a fashion center. I would say YET! But if you are a woman, this city is nothing to laugh about. It's true that most Israeli designers have looked elsewhere to develop their careers and their businesses. But women still want to look beautiful and there is plenty of products and services to help them. In the beginning of June Tel Aviv hosted a Beauty City 2008 fair. About 30 makeup, hair, and fashion companies gathered at the Tel Aviv fairgrounds and showed off their "product". It turned out to be a mix between a fashion show and a 50% off sale. Let's face it, these little bottles of beauty don't come cheap. Some of the names in the makeup category: Estee Lauder, Lancome, Hugo Boss, Jade, Revlon, Ahava, L'Oreal, and Dove. In the hair section: Wella, Pantene, Nivea, Shuki Zikri, and Gillette.
The big practical attraction was the 50% discount on almost everything on display. This is a big deal for women who like good products but don't like to pay the high prices. The more expensive products from Estee Lauder, Shisheido, Lancome, and Jeanne Piaubert were discounted a little less, but still 20% to 30% was offered.
Beautiful in design, the Revlon booth. The fair also offered a fashion show every hour or two. Cloths from Gucci, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix, and Dolce & Gabbana were on display worn by about 25 young models. Beuty City 2008 showed also how Israel has grown up in the fashion and beauty area. There are still many international brands who consider this market small and in transition. This is simply the phase Israeli women are going through, both economically and culturally. But the women here definitely want to look and be seen as beautiful. So when the late comers look back at 2008 they may regret not making Israeli women beautiful today. But that again is just a speculation on the future.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Sex in the city - religious control over women
Editor: This is a continuation to the article about "Purity Balls".
Controlling the sex life of women is just the first step to create a legal and moral system that will again subjugate women. None of these moralist who hide behind the mantra that they want to protect women from degradation and sin make no demands on the vices of men.
Men want to control women's bodies, their right to work, birth control, and sex. If you girls want to be slaves again, check how women are treated by the Taliban in Afghanistan and by the Muslim clerics in Iran. In these cultures, if you date some boy who one of the men in your family does not like, he has the right to kill you. Yes, to kill the woman, NOT the supposedly "offending man". They call it "honor killing". You see, there are many ways to call things, isn't this what George Orwell wrote about all these years ago?
Muslim Taliban rule control over women's dress Very religious streams of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam will tell women what cloths to wear, what food to eat, how men can use your body, restrict or forbid the use of birth control, and otherwise take from you, your right to choose how to run your life.
Girls, don't sit back and ignore this - fight for your rights! If you don't, you will loose them all, one by one. The first step will probably be abortion and prostitution. Women have the right to have babies when they want them, and women have the right to have sex when they want (money or not). Fight for your rights!
/sam-D-man / in Tel Aviv
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