I’m not usually one to take an interest in fashion trends, but the apparently frum inspiration behind the Urban Outfitters 2011 Spring collection caught my attention. Hebrew signs form the backdrop of some catalog photos, while in other images models are wearing head scarves identical to those worn by observant, married Jewish women.

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Anyone who grew up with a Jewish mother knows that it is almost impossible to keep them from prying into your dating life. Now, thanks to the new “The JMom” site it’s easier than ever. The new online service is being marketed as a way for Jewish parents to network with other Jewish parents to find love for their kids. I predict even more awkward conversations than usual around Seder tables across America this spring.

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This week’s parasha contains the climax of the Exodus story as the Israelites flee from Egypt and escape through the Sea of Reeds. The Egyptians follow but are destroyed when the sea closes once again and drowns them. The Israelites celebrate their deliverance on the shores of the sea. Afterward, practical concerns of food and water take over. Moses performs two miracles to produce water in the desert and the miracle of the Manna falling from the skies is detailed along with strict instructions as to how the Manna is to be gathered. On the sixth day of the week a double portion of Manna falls so that on the seventh day, Shabbat, the Israelites do not need to go out and gather the food. The final story in the parasha is of the attack by Amalek on the wandering Israelites. Amalek is defeated thanks to another miracle, when Moses holds his staff up over the battlefield the Israelites prevail.

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Yesterday morning beloved Jewish folk singer Debbie Friedman passed away after being hospitalized with pneumonia. She had recently returned from a trip to England, where she had been teaching and performing.

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This week’s Torah portion is Bo. It picks up in the middle of the story of the ten plagues, which God sent to afflict the Egyptians so they would release the Israelites.

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In the continuing saga of college students having too much free time on their hands I submit to you the “Nice Jewish Greek Men of Cornell” 2011 calendar. Cornell’s Hillel Greek Council rounded up Jewish student volunteers from a variety of fraternities to pose as models for the 2011 calendar that sold out its first printing. All kidding aside, this is an amusing way to raise publicity for the university’s Hillel while providing a service to their community. So kudos to the enterprising students!

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Over the centuries Jews have frequently had to deal with misconceptions and misinformation about our culture and religion. While we have made strides in the last few hundred years, it is clear there is still some work to be done. In China, a new trend has arisen that may be good for the Jews or not, depending on your point of view. A spate of books published recently in China market Jewish Talmudic wisdom as a how to manual for business success. The problem with books like these is that they perpetuate a number of familiar stereotypes, like all Jews are good in business and that making money is a part of Jewish core values. Although in China these stereotypes seem to be laudatory, rather than derogatory as they are usually perceived in the west.

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As 2010 draws to a close this evening, here’s a look back at the 5 most popular blog posts and articles according to page views. Happy New Year and Shabbat Shalom!

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Anyone living in the Northeast knows just how bad the 2010 Post-Christmas Blizzard was this week. The news for the last few days has mostly been recriminations and attacks over how badly mismanaged the snow removal has been. But sometimes when Mother Nature conspires to land a knock out blow, people rise to the challenge to help one another. Amidst the thousands of flights canceled by the storm this week were a couple of El Al flights to Israel scheduled to leave New York’s JFK airport on Sunday night when the storm hit. Hundreds of passengers were stranded in the airport after sitting in their planes for hours on the runway. Due to the snow they were unable to get food, let alone kosher food for the kashrut observant Jews. Over 200 of the stranded passengers were college-age secular Jews going to Israel for the first time as part of Birthright and other similar trips.

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Most of us are familiar with the current theory of human evolution, that our species originated in Africa some 200,000 years ago and then spread around the world from there. But a new find in Israel may turn this notion on its head. This week Israeli archaeologists from Tel Aviv University revealed an amazing discovery, 400,000 year old remains that they believe may be human. If they are able to confirm the remains are from an ancient human (and not from one of the earlier species that we descended from) it would be a remarkable find. Not only revealing that humanity in our current form is twice as old as previously thought but that we may have evolved in Israel and not Africa. If the remains do turn out to be human, I’m sure the Israeli archeologists have names picked out already. Adam or Eve perhaps?

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