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?