Comments on: EXCLUSIVE: Report on politics department at Ben Gurion University

By: Guy Ben-Porat

Guy Ben-Porat — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:28:34 +0000

Noam, thank you for an important service.

Guy

By: מישהו קרא עד הסוף? | העוקץ

מישהו קרא עד הסוף? | העוקץ — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:22:15 +0000

[...] הפעולה הבסיסית שאף כלי תקשורת מהזרם המרכזי בארץ לא עשה ופירסם את הדו"ח במלואו. בניגוד לרוב התגובות של האקדמיה ושל אנשי [...]

By: Debbie

Debbie — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:45:06 +0000

All of the reports, for all of the departments, are published on the CHE website and are freely accessible to the public.

By: AYLA

AYLA — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:40:01 +0000

p.s. I’m off the grid now til Sunday. Take care, all. Pray for rain .

By: תודעה כוזבת » ארכיון הבלוג » אל תכתבו דו”חות באנגלית, אף עיתונאי לא יקרא אותם

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:36:16 +0000

[...] זה נראה, לא טרח אף אחד לקרוא, חבל. אין ממש קשר בין הדו”ח (כפי שפורסם על-ידי נועם שיזף ב-972) לבין התיאורים מסמרי השיער של שתי הכתבות [...]

By: AYLA

AYLA — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:57:10 +0000

I’m writing about rain in the desert, and actually first lived in the Negev four years ago when I came exactly for the days we pray for rain (shemeni atzeret through Pesach), and there is something about how we only pray for rain when rain is possible. this has something to do with our relationship/collaboration with God. We had out of season rain last year, and I called my dear friend who’s Muslim and also lives in the Negev to thank her; they pray all year .
*
@Noam–I teach at BGU and I’m considering drafting a petition for professors to sign in support of intellectual discourse. I know this kind of thing isn’t the norm in Israel, and often when I hear americans coming in with american-activist ideas, I roll my eyes a bit, knowing how different things are here. but. I really don’t see why that form of activism couldn’t be effective here (also, in different circumstances such as with the NGO Bill: why not Move.on-style petitions to the knesset from citizens?). Regarding the BGU situation, I’m trying to learn more about it first. I’m investigating via some BGU officials. Thanks to you and Dahlia for the reporting.

By: Mitchell Cohen

Mitchell Cohen — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:49:40 +0000

@Piotr Berman, I don’t think it is a sin to pray for a miracle in Judaism; I believe it is a sin to RELY on a miracle. Jews daven all the time for family members and/or friends who have illnesses that anything short of a modern miracle they will not survive (lo’ aleinu!!!!)….The key is not to say, “I won’t go see a doctor because G-d will cure me”….

By: Henry Weinstein

Henry Weinstein — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:37:54 +0000

DON’T MESS WITH MY PRAYER, RABBI TEXAS!!
Of course I’m a sinner, Piotr!
I’m even worse than that, I’m a Leftist!!
Curse on the Rabbi who considered that in Judaism it is a sin to pray for a miracle as if praying for something impossible was like paying online without credit card or hoping to win at the lottery without buying a ticket!
May he be reincarneted into a Sicilian Catholic nun to understand the true healing power of prayer!!

By: Noam W

Noam W — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:04:05 +0000

Out of context this reads very bad. But in context it actually raises some of the illnesses of Israeli Academia (and I am not talking about political leanings).

I doubt that the ratio of students to faculty is any better in Tel-Aviv university where I got my B.A. (albeit ten years ago). I know that Haifa University’s tenured to adjunct faculty ratio is worse across the board (this is the Israeli Universities’ way of “saving money”).

Also in Tel-Aviv university, when I was a student there, there was only one second year course in methodology. But whether to conduct quantitative as opposed to qualitative curricula is a very faculty specific choice, and depends greatly on the faculty’s outlook of political “science”. To critique a faculty for choosing one method of instruction over another is, in my opinion, border line unprofessional.

By: Piotr Berman

Piotr Berman — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:20:54 +0000

I read an article in “Texan monthly” (?? I am not sure) about prayers for rain organized by the governor of Texas (without success). Members of Texan clergy were asked for opinion. A rabbi noted that in Judaism it is a sin to pray for a miracle, so, rain can be prayed for only if it is somewhat probably, like at spring in Israel.

I guess there will be flood in West Texas before Chomsky will become a committee chair.