Is torture (sometimes) okay?

For the last couple of years, a debate has been brewing about the military’s treatment of terror suspects. There has been evidence of prisoner abuse, complaints of innocent people being held without trial, and questions of whether water-boarding is considered torture.

The root question of this debate is how we balance the rights of individuals versus the protection of the American public from potential harm. Do we have the right to treat someone in an inhumane way in order to prevent a terrorist attack?

The question becomes - how big of an attack must be prevented in order to justify the torture of someone? Do you treat a major attack similar to 9/11 the same way you would an attack that might kill 2 people?

When, if ever, is torture justified? What do you think?

Family Sells Home to help Ghanans

Last week I was watching the Today show when I saw the most amazing story. A  15 year old girl named Hannah Salwen convinced her family to sell their 6,500 square foot Atlanta home for another half the size. Half of the price difference between the two homes (over $800,000) would then be devoted to combating hunger in Africa. (Her brother Joseph made a video of their story which can be seen above, and they have been covered in the media as well.)

Hannah’s Lunchbox, as they call it, is an amazing new take on what normal American families are willing to do to help needy people around the world. One day while driving home, Hannah saw a man begging for money on the street while a Mercedes was idling at a red light right next to him. The epiphany she had was that if normal Americans cut back on some things which were truly luxuries, they would be able to use that money to help countless others.

This selfless act forces us to think what we can possibly cut back on in order to help others. While the Salwens donation of 3/4 million dollars is amazing, small donations really can make a difference. Drinking tap water over bottled water can save a lot of money; buying clothing from target instead of Banana Republic can save a lot of money; sharing DVDs, CDs and video games with friends instead of buying multiple copies can save a lot of money.

A number of websites can now allow you to support small projects in countries around the world, with very little money. Kiva is a Web site where you can choose from hundreds of entrepreneurs who would benefit greatly from loans as small as $200 to buy supplies for their businesses (and that’s money you get back in the end!). FINCA is an organization that doesn’t let you choose who to help, but does similar loans to small business-people. Donorschoose.org is a great site that allows people to finance small projects and supplies in low-income schools across the United States.

So think about it - what can you live without? Tell us your story.

New and Revised Eimatimes Style

I want to welcome you all to the new and improved EimaTimes blogging format. You may have already noticed the difference that we will be having first-person posts for the first time ever!

My name is Aaron, and I will usually be the voice of the EimaTimes. Hopefully we will have guest contributors who will be Eimatai advisors, alumni, or just friends of the project.

I will try to share my experiences, and how they relate and are relevant to high school age leaders. Sometimes I’ll write in first-person, but I won’t totally abandon the objective portrayal of an issue without my own spin.

I hope you enjoy this new style, and please let me know what else we can be doing to improve this site!

The Magical World of Walt

In 1901, Walter Elias Disney was born into a simple farming family. Over the years, Walt’s family moved around a few times, but no matter where they went, Walt felt at home with his drawings.

It began with some simple sketches of horses and other things he saw everyday, but in high school he began taking art classes at night. Before long, he was the cartoonist for his school’s paper, and moved on to drawing ads for newspapers, magazines and newspapers.

As they say, it all began with a mouse. After a rough start in the cartoon producing business, Walt came upon his best friend for life: Mickey Mouse.

Over the years, the Disney Brothers Studio came out with countless full-length animation films including favorites like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, and Lady and the Tramp. But Walt had a grander dream.

He wanted to create a place where families could go for quality time together. He envisioned Disneyland originally as a place his employees could bring their children to. Walt worked tirelessly to perfect his vision of Disneyland, and turn his dream into a reality.

But it did not stop there. Walt felt an obligation to the entire world. He saw the ills of society, and he knew he had the means to help.

He dreamed of creating a better society that promoted progress and innovation. He envisioned people living, working, and recreating in one symbiotic community. Walt dreamed of the Experimental Prototype Community of tomorrow. EPCOT.

Walt bought almost 50 square miles of land in the heart of Florida, and believed that he could start from scratch there. He planned to build a larger Disneyland, and also to create his model community.

Unfortunately, Walt did not live to see his dream fulfilled - he died before Disneyland completed construction. But that dream that began with a mouse lived on in the hearts and minds of those Walt had inspired. 40 years later, millions of people enjoy Disney parks around the world, and enjoy an escape to a magical place far far away.

Walt believed in something, and he worked his entire life to see that vision come to fruition.

Six Steps to a more Meaningful Thanksgiving

Here are six quick ideas to make your Thanksgiving more than just eating and watching football:

1. Enjoy time with your family
It shouldn’t be forgotten that one of the most important things to be thankful for is your family. Use this weekend as an opportunity to connect more with those you love.

2. Volunteer
There are a number of food banks and charities across the country that need help on Thanksgiving to distribute food to those who need assistance. To find your local food bank, try checking out www.volunteermatch.org

3. Donate Food
If you can’t volunteer on Thanksgiving, try making a food donation. When you go food shopping, try to buy double of some products in order to donate them. You can also ask all guests to bring an extra can of food with them that will be donated to a local food pantry.

4. Save a seat for someone
Educate your family about someone in the world who is in need. You may want to save a seat for the three Israeli soldiers who have been missing for over a year, for the refugees of the major humanitarian crises in Africa, or for the American soldiers fighting in Iraq and around the world.

5. Spread some Torah
Use this Thanksgiving as an opportunity to share some thoughts of thinks we as Jews appreciate. You can talk about blessings before and after the food we eat, the appreciation and respect we have for our parents, and the appreciation we as Jews have towards a country that protects us.

6. Invite some guests
The holidays are very difficult times for someone who may not have any family of friends in the area. Look around your school, synagogue or neighborhood, and discuss with your parents if there is anyone you could invite who would have nowhere else to be. Contact the local nursing home and see if there are any residents who may be interested in joining a family meal.