Shabbat Shalom from the Hillel that was before there was Hillel 5 Adar 5770  Even the most casual reader of the Book of Exodus will note another stylist change with this week's parashah. The parashiyot (plural of parashah) preceding last week's section (Mishpatim) were all written in a narrative style. Last week's parashah took us from the narrative to the legalistic and emphasized inter-human relationships, what Hebrew calls: the mitzvot bein adam l'chavero (the mitzvot between a human being and his fellow human beings). This week we once again we see what appears to be another new style in Exodus. Parashat Trumah (Exodus 25:1-27:19), and the following parashiyot in Exodus, deal with the construction of the Mishkan. We often translate the word mishkan as "tabernacle". In reality there is no English word for mishkan, it was a portable sanctuary that accompanied the Israelites on their journey from Mount Sinai to the land of Israel. At first reading the text seems to be nothing more than a series of building specifications. These details can be not only a challenge to the modern reader, and also may make him/her wonder what spiritual value there is in such a detailed text about a structure that no longer exists. Yet, even a superficial reading of this week's parashah reveals several key elements. These are: (1) the construction project was to be not only national in scope but one in which everyone was to participate, and (2) building materials would go through a process of selection starting with what was called: l'shem ha'kodesh (items designated for holiness), then to the materials being used, and finally in the post-construction phase they would be classified as mukdashim meaning "consecrated objects". In other words, an organizational process was now established taking the people out of a state of anarchy and providing them with a social framework. If we look at this text from this more abstract perspective, we see that the parashah offers us a very different message. Reading the text not for its details but rather for its deeper meaning, we cannot help but wonder if the building of the Mishkan did not offer the people a lesson in good organizational structure. In that sense the building of the Mishkan is the opposite of the building of the Tower of Babel. Babel was a tower that went no where, the Mishkan was to go everywhere. Reading the text we see that Moses faced multiple problems in the desert. Israel had just left Egypt, and despite the miracles or perhaps because of these miracles, most Israelites had still not learned to think for themselves. During their many centuries of slavery the Israelites had become used to being forced to build for the Egyptians but never for themselves. If Israel were to be truly an "Or la'Goyim/a light to the nations", then its people would have to learn to build for themselves and to find their own raison d'être. During the early years of wanderings, the Israelites must have felt lost and empty. They had witnessed miracles but had accomplished little for themselves. Now with this major construction project they would each have to contribute, they would have to create a division of labor and learn to select the correct materials. Is the text then teaching us through the medium of the building of the Mishkan that good managers learn the importance of finding the right people for the right job, of inspiring them to work hard, and of praising them for their accomplishments? Is the text also teaching us that true miracles are not those done for us but those we do for ourselves? Parashat Trumah then is as much about team work as it is about the Mishkan's construction. Its building gave Israel a national purpose and an obtainable goal. Parashat Trumah may be as much about societal construction as it is about building construction. What do you think?  Hold the date! Texas A&M's Third Annual Conference on Crypto-Jewish life will be held On April 8-9th: III Annual TAMU Crypto_Jewish Conference Schedule of Speakers Please visit our new Crypto-Jewish Website at: http://www.mnemotrix.com/crypto/. Thursday, April 8 Lunch and Welcome Introduction by Dr. Peter Tarlow 12:00pm 1:-2pm: The Sephardic Jews of Spain and Portugal: Survival of an Imperiled Culture in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries by Dolares Sloan 2:00- 3:00pm The Sephardic Legacy in the Caribbean: A History of the Crypto-Jews of the Greater Antilles - Stan Hordes 3:00-3:15 pm Break, Email checks, rest rooms 3:15- 4:15 Conversos and the Rise of Secularism -Juan Bejarano-Gutierrez - 4:15-4:30 Day 1 Wrap-up 7:00 pm Private Speakers' dinner Friday, April 9 9:00-10am Gabiela Bohn Film with comments from the director 10:00-11:00am New Archival Evidence on the Family Relations of Luis de Carvajal and his Mexican inquisitors - Dr. Roger L. Martínez: 11:-12:00 pm The DNA of Crypto-Jews - Dr. Bennett Greenspan Greenspan Lunch on your own 1:30-2:30 pm The Remnants of Sephardic Jews along the Borderlands of Texas - Ms. Diana Zertuche 2:30-3:30 pm Ismael Montalvo and the Mexican Revolution along the Lower Rio Grande Border - Carlos Larrede 7:00 pm Shabbat dinner at Hillel Open to all, at Hillel 8:00 pm Shabbat Services The conference is free, and to defray the costs, donations of $25 per person are appreciated Conference Hotel Information Manor House Inn 2504 Texas Ave S. College Station, TX 77840 979-764-9540 Toll free reservations: 800-231-4100 Continental Breakfast Each room includes: refrigerator, microwave, iron and ironing board and hair dryer. This year to make sure that the conference is fully funded we are accepting donations of $25 toward the conference.  L'Biddurchem/The Humor Section 1) A Contractor in Heaven A contractor dies on a fishing accident on his 40th birthday and finds himself greeted at the Pearly Gates by a brass band. An angel runs over, shakes his hand and says "Mazal tov! (Congratulations!)" "Mazal tov for what?" asks the contractor "Congratulations for what?" says the angel. "We are celebrating the fact that you lived to be 160 years old." "But that's not true," says the consultant. "I only lived to be forty." "That's impossible," says the angel, "we added up your time sheets!" 2) The Jewish Construction Worker and Engineer An Engineer and a Construction Worker were sitting next to each other on a long flight across country. The Engineer leaned over to the Construction Worker and asked if he would like to play a fun game. The Construction Worker just wanted to take a nap, so he politely declined and rolled over to the window to catch a few winks. The Engineer persisted and stated that the game is real easy and a lot of fun. He explained: "I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me $5. Then you ask me a question, and if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $5." Again, the Construction Worker politely declined and tried to nap. The Engineer, now somewhat agitated, said, "OK, if you don't know the answer you pay me $5, and if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $50!" This caught the Construction Worker's attention, and seeing no end to this mishagas (idiotic torment) unless he played, he agreed to the game. The Engineer asked the first question. "What's the distance from the earth to the moon?" The Construction Worker didn't say a word, but reached into his wallet, pulled out a five-dollar bill and handed it over to the Engineer. Now, it was the Construction Worker's turn. He asked the Engineer "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down on four?" The Engineer looked up at him with a puzzled look. He took out his laptop computer and searched all of his references. He taped into the Airphone with his modem and searched the net and the Library of Congress. Frustrated, he sent e-mail to his co-workers -- all to no avail. After about an hour, he woke the Construction Worker and handed him $50. The Construction Worker politely took the $50 and turned away and tried to get back to sleep. The Engineer, more than a little miffed, shook the Construction Worker and asked, "Well, so what's the answer?" Without a word, the Construction Worker reached into his wallet, handed the Engineer $5, and tried to get back to sleep.  Texas A&M Hillel Online!!! www.tamuhillel.org You can read about upcoming Hillel events, see Hillel news and history, and much more! www.tamu.edu Visit our Peruvian Sister community's webesite at: http://www.judaismo-reformista.es.tl/ To skip the introduction, go to the bottom of the first page and click on "salir de introducción". This will get you to the main page. Please visit our new Crypto-Jewish Website at: http://www.mnemotrix.com/crypto/.

Shabbat Shalom from the Hillel that was before there was Hillel 22 Shvat 5770  Parashat Yitro, Exodus 18:1-20:23, is perhaps one of the pinnacles of Biblical literature. Ironically, this weekly section, which contains the Aseret Ha'Dibbrot (mistranslated as the Ten Commandments), is named not after Moses, but after his father-in-law, Yitro. Moses' father-in-law, Yitro became for Moses the father that he never really had and his personal efficiency expert and most trusted advisor. Despite their personal difficulties Moses came to appreciate Yitro as man that loved him for who he was and was never afraid to interfere in Moses' life. Yitro criticized Moses harshly and at the same time guided him with love. The text hints that Moses was not always thrilled with Yitro's often uninvited criticisms. Despite this, Moses soon realized and cherished the fact that he had someone special in his life who not only loved him, but also was also willing to tell him (Moses) what he often would have preferred not to hear. A simple reading of the text makes it easy for almost any reader to understand why Moses at first may not have been happy with Yitro. Yitro spares nothing. Yitro's principal criticism of Moses was that he (Moses) had poor time management skills. Yitro recognized that prior to crossing into Sinai Moses might not have had control over his life. Moses had to negotiate with Pharaoh, deal with plagues, cross the Red Sea, keep the people happy and battle the Amalekites, who attacked Israel from behind. Now, however, that this first stage was behind them, the situation had changed radically. Yitro's great insight is that having accomplished all this, Moses, now safely in the Sinai Peninsula is still overwhelmed with work. Moses' tendency was to blame others. Ytro rejected this notion and put the blame squarely back on Moses. Yitro recognized that Moses lived with no privacy, was constantly acting as a "firefighter" in putting out minor social blazes, and was so busy doing minor detail work that he had no time to think or act globally. Yitro puts an end to all of this. Acting as a one-man army, Yitro develops an organizational system in which others are empowered to deal with minor problems leaving Moses with the major issues. This change did not come easily. It appears that Moses was concerned with what a bureaucracy might do to individual liberty. The Jewish people had just left the slavery of Egypt and Moses may not have wanted to substitute Egyptian tyranny for the tyranny of bureaucratic slavery. Yitro had to teach Moses how to create a system that was (1) not dependent solely on him, (2) used time efficiently (3) recognized the value of each individual, (4) avoided role conflict between individuals, in other words we cannot be a person's boss and friend at the same time, and (5) found a way to incorporate the "hamtakat ha'din" (the sweetness of judgment) into the legal system. Yitro's harsh criticism of his son-in-law produced the necessary impact. The result was that Moses was now ready to bring to Israel the basis of its civilization (and through Israel to the world). The "Aseret ha'Dibbrot" ("The Ten Utterances" or as they are often mistranslated, "the Ten Commandments") have are the basis for Jewish civilization and at the same time have been a source of internal conflict. Elegant in their simplicity they are difficult by which to abide. For example, what exactly does it mean to honor one's parents? How do we define work and refrain from working on the Sabbath day? Note that the text demands not only that we refrain from work on the Sabbath but also that we make it holy. In Hebrew kadosh (holy) is derived from the root k.d.sh meaning: to set apart, to make different. How do we make the Sabbath a different sort of day? What makes these commandments hard with which to comply is that they demand a balance in life. These ten utterances reflect Yitro's challenge to Moses. They too demand that we ask ourselves if we balance work and pleasure, if we find time for others and also for ourselves? Do we balance our public lives with our private lives? They tell us that how we use our time is a window into our souls. Yitro's challenge to Moses (and to us) was that he had to make choices. Moses could either spend his life dealing with details and putting out fires or he could concentrate on making time holy and creating a nation. The Aseret Ha'Dibbrot present us with these same choices: we can use G'd's gift of time wisely or we can squander it and in so doing squander our lives. There are those that say that the Ten Utterances (Commandments) are really all about time, what do you think?  Hold the date! Texas A&M's Third Annual Conference on Crypto-Jewish life will be held On April 8-9th: Please note that the conference is April 8-9 Among the speakers will be: Dr. Bennet Greenspan; DNA and Crypto-Jews Gabriela Bohm: Screening of her new film on Crypto-Jewish life Juan Bejarano-Gutierrez: "Conversos and the Rise of Secularism." Dr. Stan Hordes: The Sephardic Legacy in the Caribbean: A History of the Crypto-Jews of the Greater Antilles." Dr. Carlos Larralde: Ismael Montalvo and the Mexican Revolution along the Lower Rio Grande Border Dr. Roger L. Martínez: New Archival Evidence on the Family Relations of Luis de Carvajal and his Mexican inquisitors Dr. Dolores Sloan: The Sephardic Jews of Spain and Portugal: Survival of an Imperiled Culture in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries Dr. Peter Tarlow: The Before Before there was a Before. Ms. Diana Zertuche: The Remnants of Sephardic Jews along the Borderlands of Texas  Conference Hotel Information Manor House Inn 2504 Texas Ave S. College Station, TX 77840 979-764-9540 Toll free reservations: 800-231-4100 Continental Breakfast Each room includes: refrigerator, microwave, iron and ironing board and hair dryer. This year to make sure that the conference is fully funded we are accepting donations of $25 toward the conference.  L'Biddurchem/The Humor Section Two Jokes about the Ten Commandments 1) A Hebrew school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother," she asked "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat one little boy answered, "Thou shall not murder." 2) Henry, who was very elderly, was unhappy because he had lost his favorite hat. Instead of buying a new one, he decided he would go to synagogue and steal one when the worshippers were busy praying. When Henry arrived at the synagogue an usher intercepted him at the door and took him to a seat where he had to sit and listen to the entire sermon on 'The Ten Commandments.' After the service, Henry met the rabbi in the vestibule doorway, shook his hand vigorously, and told him, 'I want to thank you for keeping me from stealing a hat. I came here to steal a hat and after hearing your sermon on the 10 Commandments, I decided against it.' The rabbi answered, 'You mean the commandment ' Thou shall not steal' changed your mind?' 'No, 'retorted Henry, 'the one about adultery did. As soon as you said that, I remembered where I had left my old hat!'  Texas A&M Hillel Online!!! www.tamuhillel.org You can read about upcoming Hillel events, see Hillel news and history, and much more! www.tamu.edu Visit our Peruvian Sister community's webesite at: http://www.judaismo-reformista.es.tl/ To skip the introduction, go to the bottom of the first page and click on "salir de introducción". This will get you to the main page. Please visit our new Crypto-Jewish Website at: http://www.mnemotrix.com/crypto/.

Shabbat Shalom from the Hillel that was before there was Hillel 7 Shvat 5770  Now that we have returned from the Semester Break, we turn to this week's Torah portion called Parashat Bo. You will find it in Exodus 10:1-13:16. Parashat Bo deals with the theme of death, it speaks of the last three plagues to consume Egypt, culminating in the death of its first born sons. Throughout the parashah there is a sense of turning to the past, of wondering about the future, and of living in a present marked by fear. All of the plagues, and most especially the tenth plague, present us with more questions than answers. No matter how we may try to fight with the text or justify the plagues, the bottom line is that not only Egypt's guilty but also its innocents suffered and died. These plagues speak to moderns, for in every war fought, there is always a great deal of injustice and suffering. The issue of proportionality and collateral damage is also an issue found throughout the Biblical text. Is the flooding of the world in Genesis or the destruction of Sodom and Gemorrah in Genesis a foreshadowing of the tenth plague found in the Book of Exodus? This text forces us to ask such questions as: why do innocents suffer in war along with the guilty? Could these deaths have been prevented? Should the innocent suffer when leaders make mistakes? These are not easy questions to answer. Reading this text in the original Hebrew there is almost the feeling that Biblical text is merely reporting an event; not necessarily endorsing a philosophy. Yet when we think about the text we canno help note that time and again, the text appears to argue that there is no such thing as proportionality; that to claim proportionality in the face or evil is to be evil. This week's parashah indicates that Pharaoh chose to gamble with the lives of his people. Egypt had already suffered nine plagues and has been warned about the tenth. Pharaoh chose economic benefits (the labor gained from the slaves) over the life of his people. Pharaoh gambled and lost. The text also makes it clear, that what leaders do, does matter. Finally we are forced to ask: Were the Egyptians guilty of not having risen up and fought Pharaoh? This week's parashah is not an easy one with which to grapple. The story of the ten plagues haunts humanity throughout history. Are these not the same dilemmas facing us in places such as the Sudan, Afghanistan and Yemen? Is the text teaching us that war is humanity's collective moral regression; or that humanity can try to sanitize war, but in the end, the innocent always suffer along with the guilty? How do you interpret this text?  Hold the date! Texas A&M's Third Annual Conference on Crypto-Jewish life will be held On April 8-9th. More information to follow  L'Biddurchem/The Humor Section The obituary editor of the Jerusalem Post is not one to admit his mistakes easily. One day he got a phone call from an irate subscriber. The caller complained that his name had been printed in the obituary column. "Really?" replied the editor calmly. "And where are you calling from?" An Archaeological Wager An archaeologist was digging in the Negev Desert in Israel and came upon a casket containing a mummy, a rather rare occurrence in Israel, to say the least. After examining it, he called the curator of the Israel museum in Jerusalem. "I've just discovered a 3,000 year old mummy of a man who died of heart failure!" the excited scientist exclaimed. To which the curator replied, "Bring him in. We'll check it out." A week later, the amazed curator called the archaeologist. "You were right about both the mummy's age and cause of death. How in the world did you know?" "Easy," said the archaeologist. "There was a piece of paper in his hand that said, '10,000 Shekels on Goliath.'"  Texas A&M Hillel Online!!! www.tamuhillel.org You can read about upcoming Hillel events, see Hillel news and history, and much more! www.tamu.edu Visit our Peruvian Sister community's webesite at: http://www.judaismo-reformista.es.tl/ To skip the introduction, go to the bottom of the first page and click on "salir de introducción". This will get you to the main page. Please visit our new Crypto-Jewish Website at: http://www.mnemotrix.com/crypto/.

Shabbat Shalom from Hillel that was before there was a Hillel Organization. Additional updates are on our website <> 28 Tevet 5770 Bruchim Ha'Baim! Welcome Back Due to winter break we now study both last week's and this week's Torah portion. We now begin our yearly reading of the Bible's second book, Sefer Shmot or as it is known in English translation, the Book of Exodus. The Torah's second book's first parashah is also called Shmot. You will find this weekly section in Exodus 1:1-6:1. The second parashah to be studied is called VaEra and you will find it beginning in Exodus 6:2-9:35. Shmot is a very different kind of book than Genesis. Genesis is about individuals' lives within a family context, our family. As such, we often feel connected to Genesis' characters in very personal ways. Genesis hides nothing from us, and yet we are left wondering how well we really understand its mysteries. As we read Genesis we travel the gamut of human emotions from love to anger, from frustration to pride. The Torah's first book teaches us to take the bitter with the sweet, to tolerate human differences and to understand that love means learning to starting over. In that sense, Genesis is less about the beginning of creation but rather about understanding that creation is composed of multiple beginnings. While at first glance it appears that the Torah's second book begins where the first one left off, we soon see that it is a very different type of book. Although it has several important central characters, Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, we soon learn that this is a book in which the people rather than the persons becomes the central role. Exodus is no longer about a single family, but rather that family's transformation from a mere clan into a nation. In Exodus everything appears to be the same, but in reality everything has changed. Individuals are no longer single players but now rather part of a team. Thus in Exodus, the reader soon comes to realize that were it not for women such as the the midwives Puah and Shiphra, then Pharaoh would have succeed with his plans for genocide. We live today because of their lifesaving along with the efforts of other women such as Jochebed, Miriam, and Pharaoh's daughter. Exodus perhaps may best be described as a book about a people's will to survive. Yet to survive Exodus had to teach us both the need for self-respect and a love for freedom. Perhaps nothing better underlines this idea than the book's very name. Sefer Shmot means the Book of Names. Is Shmot teaching us that we are never truly free if we do not have a name? In Genesis we each have a name, but Exodus begins with slavery, with our being ha'ivriim the Hebrews rather than as individuals. Tyrants have long understood the importance of changing or depriving humans of names as a means to enslave. From the Inquisitors bonfires to the the fires of the Holocaust, dehumanization has come about by depriving humans of their names. Slaves are not asked their name, their masters give them a name. Slaves have no sense of dignity, no sense of self, no sense of a future or a past. Instead to be a slave is to merely exist in an ever-present. Ironically the Book of Exodus chooses not to call Pharaoh, the great enslaver, by a name. From this perspective, Exodus is not about leaving Egypt, as the English translation would mislead us to believe, but rather about going into Sinai. Exodus understands, perhaps better than any other piece of literature, that too many of us fear freedom. While many people may deny, history teaches us that often we seek others to make decisions for us. It would be in the Sinai Peninsula that Moses, a man who sought not become a leader, would became Israel's greatest leader and would transform all human history. It was in Sinai that words became deeds, that hopes turned into actions, that faith went from theory to reality. Sinai taught us that free men and women, collectively only merge into a people by first learning who they are, desiring to be free and seeing themselves as they really are. To be free is to find dignity in our names, to recognize our past and to have hopes for our future. Might this be the reason that this the world's most powerful book of liberation begins with names? What do you think? Coming up in January Fri. Jan. 15: Student Organized Shabbat Services at 8:00pm Mon. Jan. 18: Hillel office reopens Mon. Jan. 18 - 24: TAMU Hillel Welcome Back week Mon. Jan. 18: Mochas with Met starting at 6:00pm Tue. Jan. 19: Night on the town @ O'bannon's at 9:45pm Wed. Jan. 20: Movie Night at 8:00pm Thr. Jan. 21: Meditation at Hillel at 8:00pm Thur. Jan 21 (Musical workshop: see below) Fri. Jan. 22: Welcome back Student Dinner at 7:30pm Fri. Jan. 22: Welcome back Shabbat at 8:00pm Sun. Jan. 24: Welcome back bash (at 6:00 p.m.) Mon. Jan. 25: No Mochas with Mel this week Wed. Jan. 27: Girls night at 7:00pm Wed. Jan 27: Jan 27. Jewish Aggie Culinary institute of the Americas (jaciota) Fri. Jan. 29: Shabbat Tu B'Shvat Ecology Services at 8:00pm Fri. Jan. 31: First Spring Semester Student Open Hillel Board at 7:00pm Peru Travel: Attention all students interested in traveling to Peru this Spring Break: If you are interested you must let Rabbi or Melanie know by this Sunday, January 17th and you must have your $100 turned in by 4pm Monday, January 18th. If you cannot meet the deposit deadline please let us know prior to the 18th. Save these dates: March 5: Spirit of Shabbat April 8-9: Crypto Jewish conference Want to Learn to Act? TAMU Hillel in cooperation withteh Brazos Valley Players Association will offer an innovative workshop taught by professionals that will focus training on one aspect of the performing arts. We are dedicated to bringing unique theatrical training experiences to the Brazos Valley each month, and are thrilled to announce the first two of these here. January 21st: Musical Audition Workshop (Ages 12 - 18) Conducting this workshop will be Molly F. Gasbarrini. Molly (BVP Musical Director) began her performing career in Paris, France, where she performed as a soloist in a European tour of John Cage's Songbooks. Molly received Bachelor's degrees in Music and Psychology from the University of Buffalo, and was the recipient of the prestigious President's Award for scholarly excellence. Her resume includes extensive performances in Chicago and New York. Professional roles include Phoebe (Dr. Sex), Madeleine Monroe (Tony 'N' Tina's Wedding), Linda Rogo (Poseidon: An UpsideDown Musical) and Lumea (Beauty and the Beast). She has been an active participant in Bryan-College Station's theatre community since her move to Texas three years ago. Musical Audition Workshop, January 31st 2010 Cost per student $100 Location; TAMU Hillel, 800 George Bush. Class size: 15 Time: 1:30 pm - 5:45 pm Instructor: Molly Gasbarrini The workshop price is $100.00 and will take place from 1:30pm - 5:30pm at the Texas A&M Hillel Foundation. Please be a few minutes early. Students should bring a water bottle and a selection of music to work on with Molly. Taking notes is encouraged but not required. See below for additional registration information. February 21st: Introduction to Improvisation (Ages 16+) Introduction to Improvisation, February 21st 2010 Cost per student $150 Class size: 16 Time: 12:00 pm - 6:15 pm Location: TAMU Hillel, 800 George Bush, Instructor: The Hideout Theatre Staff Students should wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to have fun. Taking notes is encouraged but not required. The Brazos Valley Players will provide snacks and refreshments. See below for additional registration information. Registration and Questions If you are interested in registering or have questions, please email us and we get back to you promptly. Please be sure to include a phone number so we can call you. You can also send emails to our executive director, Bryan Burrets, at bburrets@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!" The Brazos Valley Players Brazosvalleyplayers@gmail.com 401 Southwest Parkway #312 College Station Texas 77840 L'Biddurchem/The Humor Section Moses was sitting in the Egyptian ghetto. Things were terrible. Pharaoh wouldn't even speak to him. The rest of the Israelites were mad at him and making the overseers even more irritable than usual, etc. He was about ready to give up. Suddenly a booming, sonorous voice spoke from above: "You, Moses, heed me ! I have good news, and bad news." Moses was staggered. The voice continued: "You, Moses, will lead the People of Israel from bondage. If Pharaoh refuses to release your bonds, I will smite Egypt with a rain of frogs" "You, Moses, will lead the People of Israel to the Promised Land. If Pharaoh blocks your way, I will smite Egypt with a plague of Locust." "You, Moses, will lead the People of Israel to freedom and safety. If Pharaoh's army pursues you, I will part the waters of the Red Sea to open your path to the Promised Land." Moses was stunned. He stammered, "That's.... that's fantastic. I can't believe it! --- But what's the bad news?" "You, Moses, must write the Environmental Impact Statement." Texas A&M Hillel Online!!! www.tamuhillel.org You can read about upcoming Hillel events, see Hillel news and history, and much more! www.tamu.edu Visit our Peruvian Sister community's webesite at: http://www.judaismo-reformista.es.tl/ To skip the introduction, go to the bottom of the first page and click on "salir de introducción". This will get you to the main page. Please visit our new Crypto-Jewish Website at: http://www.mnemotrix.com/crypto/.