Obama to Try to Lower College Tuition Costs

Summary of Article: Obama has announced a plan to try to lower the cost of college tuition, which seems to be rising every year. Most families cannot afford college tuition without taking on student loans, which can take years to repay. Obama's plan is to (1) reward colleges that keep tuition costs down by having them rise in ratings. This provides an incentive. (2) Schools with higher ratings would qualify for larger federal grants.

Questions for Kids:

1. How do you pay for college? If you don't have enough money to pay, how do you get money? 
2. What does "incentive" mean? How is Obama's plan an incentive plan?
3. Can you think of something in your life that you didn't want to do that you ended up doing because you were offered an incentive, perhaps by your parents? 
4. Discuss the pros/cons of Obama's plan.

Baby Boomers May Be On Their Own

Summary of Article: Baby boomers are the generation of babies born right after World War II, in which there was an explosion in population growth. (For kids using this blog, baby boomers are your grandparents.) In the next 13 years, most baby boomers will be in their 80s. Today, the baby boomers are the main caregivers of their parents. But in 13 years, there won't be enough caregivers to take care of the baby boomers because of changing demographic ratios. Many elderly assume that their children will be able to sustain them in old age financially and physically. But this may not be true for the baby boomers.

Questions for Kids:

• Do you know any baby boomers? Who? Why was this expression created? 
• What is the problem facing baby boomers when they become elderly? What does "changing demographic" mean? Break it down and explain. 
• Most people do not work when they are elderly. How do they support themselves? (Pensions; retirement savings; children's support). Why are baby boomers worried? (There aren't as many people in the generations after them, to support their retirements and keep the economy going)
• What would you do today if you were a baby boomer and you were worried about this?

First Day of School News

In honor of today being the first day back at school for my big kids, here's a fun current event. But first, an update from yesterday:

Article: Yesterday we spoke about Syrian rebels asking for allies. Here's the udpate: The U.S. has ammased a fleet of ships in the Mediterranean Sea and is waiting for the green light from President Obama, who is waiting to confirm from UN inspectors whether chemical weapons were used. Once he gives OK, the U.S. will invade Syria.

And now for some fun: 

Celebrity Visits Kosher Restaurant Wearing Kippa
Summary of Article: Harry Styles, of the super popular British boys band One Direction, visited the NY kosher restaurant, Le Marais, last week. He was wearing a blue knitted kippa with his name on it (see link for picture). He also has a tattoo with his sister's name, Gemma, written in Hebrew.  However, he is not Jewish! For one of their songs that your kids will likely recognize, click here.

Syria Appeals to U.S. and Israel for Help

Summary of Article: For over two years, there has been a civil war in Syria, between the Assad Regime and rebels. The Assad Regime--backed by militant Islamists, Gulf regimes and Iran who are sending weapons--has recently used chemical weapons, killing thousands. Obama said that if chemical weapons were used, the U.S. would intervene, but so far America has done nothing. Syrian rebels have called to the U.S. and Israel to help them in the war.

Questions for Kids:

• Where is Syria? Find on map? 
• President Assad has ruled Syria for years as a ruthless dictator. Why are the people rebelling and asking for a new president? 
• Why have the rebels asked Israel and America for help, instead of other Muslim/Arab countries? (Speak about recent Israeli bombing of Assad's weapon caches)
• Why hasn't America intervened yet, when it said it would? (Speak about wars in Afghanistan and Iraq)
• What does "alliance" mean? Give an example in your life of an ally. What does "political alliance" between countries mean? Explain how that is at work here.

Using Instagram For Good

Quick shout out to my daughter, Maayan, and all her friends performing in a drama production for the very first time tonight! Good luck ladies!!


Summary of Article: A guy lost his phone while bike riding. Some kids found it while skateboarding, made a video telling the owner that he'd lost his phone and to call that number. They posted the video to Instagram and reunited the man with his phone. Click on the video to see what the kids posted.

Questions for Kids:

• If you found something that is lost, how would you find the owner? What tools could you use to return lost objects? 
• If you lost something, what ways would you try to find it?
• Tell a story of something you once lost and how you found it.

Defining Israel's National Character

Summary of Article: Since its inception, Israel has been both a democracy and a Jewish State. As a Jewish state, t Israel exists as a haven and home for the Jewish people. As a democracy, the state represents all its citizens equally, including its 24% non-Jewish citizens. How are these two reconciled? Justice Minister Tzpi Livni has asked a professor, Ruth Gavison, to reconcile the two and draft a constitutional provision explaining this. 

Questions for Kids:

• Every country has a founding statement or philosophy that defines it. This is Israel's. Analyze what this means: 
• "The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations."

• What does it mean to be a democracy? What does it mean to be a Jewish state?
• Some people say there are tensions between these two concepts. In what way? 
• If you were asked to draft the constitutional provision reconciling these two concepts, what would you say? 

BONUS: send a letter to Professor Gavison and Minister Livni with your ideas. See if you get a response.
  

Can Parents Name Their Child "Messiah?"

Summary of Article: A couple had a baby and named him Messiah. A Tennessee judge just rejected that name, saying it that "it’s a title that has only been earned by one person and that one person is Jesus Christ.” Ironically, 762 other babies were given the name Messiah last year, indicating that this judge's opinion will be overruled. The government can strike names that are too long, have weird punctuation or for other reasons. For instance, a New York judge legally struck a family's request to change their last name to "ChristIsKing" because it would be very awkward in light of their children's names: their daughter, Rejoice ChristIsKing, and son JesusisLord ChristIsKing, may cause discomfort to others having to say their names outloud. The ACLU is helping the "Messiah" boy family appeal their decision.


Questions for Kids:

• Should you be able to name your child anything you want? Why or why not?
• Why did the judges think the above names were inappropriate? 
• What are 3 names you love/don't love and why?

Baby Stealing in China

Summary of Article: In a province in China, a local obstetrician, known fondly as "Auntie," has delivered babies for year. It has recently been discovered that she has been stealing babies shortly after their birth and selling them for money to families who want babies. After a mother gives birth, she tells the family that there is something incurably wrong with the baby (a serious deformity) and that she'll "take care of it." Then she sells the baby to smugglers. It seems she has done this with around 55 babies. The families are devastated.

Questions for Kids:

• This could never happen in America because of security procedures in hospitals: matching wrist bracelets, alarms, supervision of doctors, etc. Talk about how American babies are protected from things like this.  
• There are bad guys in the world and good guys. Not every bad guy looks like he/she is bad. Some pretend to be good people. How did that happen here? 
• Who are the good guys in this story? (The detectives and prosecutors who carefully tracked down what was happening and have arrested Auntie)
• What charges should Auntie be arraigned on? What punishment should she get if you were the judge? 
• In China, there is a law that parents can only have one child. Why do they have this law? Does this change how you view this story, in terms of parents willingness to say have their baby taken?

El Al Does a Big Mitzvah

Summary of Article: Every year for the last 20 years, El Al, the Israeli airline, has partnered with Chai Lifeline to bring Israeli children with cancer to New York so they can attend summer camp and forget their troubles for a while. Inbal, an 11 year old cancer patient, was on board an El Al flight from Tel Aviv to New York waiting for take off. Senior staff began collecting the children's' passports, but no one could find Inbal's. Flight attendants and crew personnel searched everywhere for it. Finally, they had to ask her to leave the airplane. As she sat at the airport in tears, the plane began to depart. Suddenly, her passport was found in another kid's backpack on board. Flight attendants and the pilots desperately alerted El AL and the control tower for permission to return to the terminal. After 30 minutes, they returned, picked up Inbal, who made it back onto the airplane. The whole plane, including all the other passengers, cried and cheered. It is almost unheard of for planes that have already taken off to return to the terminal to pick up a passenger.

Questions for Kids:

• What is a mitzvah/good deed? 
• There are lots of mitzvahs in this story. Name 3. 
• If you were Inbal, how would you have felt at different times as the events unfolded? 

Criminal Law on the Streets

Summary of Article: A New York judge has ruled that New York City police officers have not been following the law. They have been stopping people on the recent, usually young minority men, without any objective reason/any reason to suspect them of doing something illegal. The police then searched these people for drugs or weapons before letting them go. In 88% of cases, no one was arrested. This is called "stop and frisk." Under criminal law codes, police must have a good reason to stop and frisk a person on the street or it violates someone's constitutional rights. The judge found that NYC police were stopping minorities, doing racial profiling, and conducting illegal stop and searches in neighborhoods with high crime rates. The judge ordered a federal oversight board to monitor this and ordered some cops to wear cameras to record street interactions.

Racism in Switzerland

Summary of Article: Oprah Winfrey, an African-American entertainer and one of the world's richest women, was visiting Switzerland for a wedding. She went to an expensive store and saw a nice purse. When Oprah asked to see it, the sales clerk refused, saying Oprah would not be able to afford the purse, which was $38,000. Oprah tried a few more times to see it, but was denied. Zurich's tourism office has since apologized to Oprah.

Questions for Kids:

• Why did the sales clerk not allow Oprah to see the purse? What was she assuming based on how Oprah looked? 
• This is called "racism." How do you think Oprah felt when this happened? 
• Why was Switzerland embarressed that this happened? 
• Every group has stereotypes about it. What are things we can do to stop from spreading stereotypes?

Bookstores in Trouble

Summary of Article: In recent years, independent bookstores have found themselves unable to make ends meet. Due primarily to the rock-bottom prices of books on Overstock and Amazon.com--now the largest supplier of books in America--as well as increasing rents, popularity of e-books, and huge chains, like Barnes and Nobles. As a result, independent bookstores have had to come up with creative ways to stay afloat. Some have incorporated coffee houses into their bookstores; others have members-only events, like lunches with authors; others sells trinkets and toys to make up for book sales. Now, some bookstores are turning to a new means: donations from customers to help with rent, moving costs or just making bottom line. Some customers are willing to donate money because they are upset that independent bookstores are becoming obsolete.

Note: For those living in Los Angeles, check out Children's Book World, the last independent children's bookstore on the West Side, with a phenomenal inventory and knowledgeable staff. To support them, that's where I buy all new children's book and gifts.

Questions for Kids:

• What is a chain store v. an independent/"mom and pop" store? 
• What are the pros/cons of online bookstores/chain retailers/independent bookstores from the customer perspective and the owner perspective? 
• Where do you get books from? 
• Can you name an independent bookstore you've been to? Why do some customers feel strongly that these are worth preserving and protecting? 

Poland Bans Kosher Slaughter

Summary of Article: Poland has recently passed a law prohibiting shechita, or Jewish ritual slaughter of kosher animals. Norway, Sweden and Denmark have long had similar bans. Israel and others have sharply criticized Poland for doing this and says it makes life untenable for Jews in Poland--a nascent form of anti-Semitism. Polish lawmakers contend the law was to protect animal rights.

Questions for Kids:

• What makes an animal kosher? (Whether it is listed as a kosher animal in the Bible/Torah and how you kill it). 
• This is an element of "ritual Judaism." What are other examples of ritual Judaism? (Circumcision, mikvah, keeping kosher, etc.)
• Poland's banning of ritual Judaism makes it hard to be an observant Jew in Poland. Why? 
• Why has this law made many Jews and Israel angry?

Coach for a Day

Summary of Article: 8 year old Jack Bolton is terminally ill (I'm going to tell my kids "very sick") and had one wish: to be a football coach for the Carlina Panthers. Thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, his wish has come true. They hired him to be coach for one day: he signed a contract (his compensation was as many hot dogs as he wanted), he wrote a speech for the team and actually got to coach them. See the 5 minute video.

Questions for Kids:

• If you could make one wish and have it come true (a wish that could actually come true), what would it be and why?
• How does the Make-A-Wish Foundation do "mitzvah/good deed" work?
• What mitzvah/good deed did you do or would you like to do today?

Should Children Be Detained for Stone Throwing?

Summary of Article: In parts of the West Bank, some Palestinians throw stones at Israelis. This has caused many injuries and even some Israeli deaths, especially when stones are thrown into cars, causing accidents. Israeli law says that anyone under the age of 12 cannot be arrested, put in jail, arraigned, etc. However, they do not just allow children under 12 to keep throwing rocks, because it can be a danger to the children and to those the children are targeting. So the policy is that for children under 12, Israeli soldiers may remove the child from the scene and bring him/her home or turn him/her over to the Palestinian Social Services department.

Questions for Kids:

• Why is rock throwing dangerous? What is a famous story in Jewish tradition about someone who throws a rock and kills someone? (David and Goliath)
• Some Palestinian children are taught to throw rocks at Israelis. Why is this dangerous? 
• What should Israel do about it? 

Generations of Identical Twins

Summary of Article: Here's a fun piece for today's current event. Fraternal twins are fairly common but identical twins occur in only 3 of 1000 pregnancies. They are so unusual, there is an annual conference identical twins each year in Ohio. About 15 years ago, identical twin brothers went to the conference. One of the brothers met an identical twin girl and fell in love. His brother fell in love with her sister. They had one wedding, with the girls wearing matching wedding dresses and the father walking both girls down the aisle at the same time. They moved next door to each other in Texas. And one of the sets of twins had identical twin boys. The chance of identical twins marrying and having identical twins is one in millions. How amazing is that?

Questions for Kids:

• What are identical twins? How are they different from fraternal twins? 
• If you lived next door to two sets of identical twins, how would you tell them apart? How do parents and friends tell apart identical twins? 

Afghan Youth Assimilate--Somewhat

Summary of Article: The United States has been at war in Afghanistan for over a decade and hopes to withdraw next year. As a result of the American presence, young Afghani men now wear jeans and shirts (as opposed to traditional dress), update Twitter and Facebook accounts on their cellphones and wear stylish sunglasses. Americans hoped that by embracing these material things--which the US and allies have spent billions of dollars instilling--the young generation would also embrace American values of democracy and women's rights. But New York Times interviews with dozens of young Afghanis shows that when it comes to women's rights, the young generation is not progressive. Young Afghanis still believe in tribal justice rather than a court system and see democracy as empty. For instance, they believe in cultural practices such as selling young girls to pay off family debts. They think women should stay at home and not be educated. Many women have protested laws aimed at protecting them--laws that protect against child marriage, polygamy and violence against women--and many still cling to black niqabs that cover them completely. They believe that women's rights go against Islam and are morally corrupt tools of the West.

Questions for Kids:

• Where is Afghanistan? Find on map.
• What values did America hope to bring to Afghanistan? Why are these values positive? 
• Why do many Afghani men prefer to keep women contained in the home and without rights?
• Why do we believe in America that women should have rights?
• Name and talk about 3 famous women in history or today that impact the world for the better.