There are many mitzvoth and customs associated with the Festival of Sukkot. We are taught in the Torah to build and dwell in the Sukkah, and we are also commanded to gather together the four species, our lulav and etrog. The Torah tells us why we are to dwell in the Sukkah and its symbolism; however the Torah never tells us why we are to gather the lulav and etrog, what they are about, or what to do with them. This became prime material for our rabbis and sages, and they taught many insightful lessons on the meaning of the lulav and etrog. I'd like to share with you one that I learned, (and teach), that I find particularly meaningful.

The Marple Newtown School District features an "All About Me" week for each child as part of the regular kindergarten curriculum. Parents are invited into the classroom and share stories or read to the class. In this case an evangelical Christian mother sought to read from Psalm 118. When she was prevented from doing so, she filed suit contending that her free speech rights were violated.

A federal district court judge in Philadelphia ruled that the school district had created a "limited public forum in which all viewpoints must be permitted" and that its prohibition on religious speech was a form of "viewpoint discrimination," a result that can only be justified by a compelling governmental interest. The court found such an interest in the school district’s desire to prevent a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

The mother appealed, seeking to force the school to allow her to inject her religious message into the classroom. She was supported by the Alliance Defense Fund, a litigation support group launched by James Dobson, D. James Kennedy and other noted televangelists. Together, they are seeking to use this case as a wedge to permit a vast array of religious practices to be introduced into the public schools by claiming that "viewpoint discrimination" violates the parent's constitutional rights under the first amendment's free speech clause.

JSPAN told the Court of Appeals that it supported the result reached by the trial court judge, but that he unnecessarily analyzed the dispute under a framework not applicable to captive audience speech in a kindergarten classroom. According to JSPAN’s brief, the age of the children and the context of the mother’s speech are key. Considering these factors, "the school district acted properly to prevent the children from having their classroom used to advance religious views other than their own."

To read a copy of the JSPAN brief, click here. The case is expected to be argued in the spring.

The speech delivered by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at Columbia University on September 24 has been dissected at length by the press and the media. What is less known is the fact that the university found itself in a similar position seventy four years ago, but with a very different outcome.

Dr. Rafael Medoff, director of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, reports, on George Mason University's History News Network, that in 1933, Hans Luther, Nazi Germany's ambassador to the United States and a senior official of Adolf Hitler's regime, was invited by the president of Columbia to speak on campus and to be the guest of honor at a reception. The visit caused an uproar among students and faculty. Students who criticized the invitation were derided by the university as "ill-mannered children".

President Nicholas Murray Butler continued to face ongoing protests throughout the decade, as Columbia insisted on maintaining friendly relations with Nazi-controlled German universities through student exchanges and participation in the 550th anniversary celebration of the University of Heidelberg. Eventually, in the late 1930s Dr. Butler belatedly changed his position and spoke out against the Nazis.

Dr. Medoff suggests that, in giving President Ahmadinejad a public forum this week, the current Columbia administration "seems to have learned so little from the mistakes of the 1930s". But is that really so?

A New York Times editorial of September 25 supports the university's decision to invite the Iranian leader to speak. The Times states, "We can imagine no better way to give hope to opponents of Iran's repressive state than by showcasing America's democracy and commitment to free speech. And we can imagine no better way to lay bare the bankruptcy of Mr. Ahmadinejad's views than to have him speak, and be questioned, at a university forum."

Should Columbia University have invited Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak? Isn't this how a democratic society and an educational institution should treat this "petty and cruel dictator", as Lee Bollinger, Columbia's president, described Mr. Ahmadinejad - offering him the right of free speech, but, at the same time, forcing him to confront the student protesters who challenged him for his Holocaust denial, his threats against Israel and the repression of Iran's citizens?

• We invite you to join this discussion. Click here to record your response.
• To read Rafael Medoff's article in its entirety, click here.
• To read the New York Times article from December 13, 1933 of the visit of Ambassador Luther to the Columbia campus, click here.
• To read the New York Times editorial of September 25, 2007 in its entirety, click here.

On July 31st, the House Financial Services Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA), passed HR 2895, the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007, by a vote of 45-23. This bill directs funds from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to be dedicated to the creation of a trust fund independent of annual appropriations. The fund would focus on the production and preservation of affordable rental housing for extremely low-income families, with the ultimate goal being the creation of 1.5 million new housing units over the next ten years. The bill is expected to be considered by the full House in early October.

In addition, the Expanding American Homeownership Act of 2007, HR 1852, was passed by the House on September 18. This bill modernizes the FHA and includes a dedicated source of funding for the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund. There was strong bipartisan support for HR 1852, which passed by a vote of 348-72.

JSPAN encourages its readers to call their Representatives and ask them to co-sponsor and vote for HR 2895. Tell them that affordable, decent, safe and accessible housing for all must be a priority in this country!

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from the Greater Philadelphia region include: Bob Brady, Chaka Fattah, Jim Gerlach, Joe Sestak, Patrick Murphy and Allyson Schwartz.

To learn more about the National Housing Trust Fund campaign, click here.

The bombing, on September 6, by the Israeli Air Force of Syrian storage bunkers, which Israel believed contained nuclear material including warheads, and Syria claimed was a cargo of cement, caused Syria to complain to the United Nations about the invasion of its air space. They said nothing about the bombing. Why not?

In the September 20 issue of the MeretzUSA Weblog, J.Zel Lurie asks some provocative questions and posits some tantalizing answers.

To read J. Zel Lurie's analysis in its entirety, click here.

Columnist David A. Love is an attorney based in Philadelphia and a contributor to the Progressive Media Project and McClatchy-Tribune News Service. Mr. Love wrote the following article for the September 6 edition of The Black Commentator, a weekly internet magazine which features commentary, analysis and investigations on issues affecting African Americans:

Black men in Philadelphia are an endangered species, murdered at an alarming rate by gun violence.

The city's murder rate is the highest of America's ten largest urban centers. Although Philadelphia has only one-sixth the population of New York City, it has more murders. In 2006, 406 people were murdered in Philadelphia, a trend that shows no sign of relenting through 2007. So far, as of September 4, there have been 279 murders this year.

Become a member of JSPAN or renew your membership now. It's easy to do on our website by credit card, or you can mail in your donation. JSPAN is your progressive voice and action agency, and needs your help now!

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