Free Republic

Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress was notable in two respects. Queen Esther got her first standing O in 2,500 years. And President Obama came up empty in his campaign to preemptively undermine Netanyahu before the Israeli prime minister could present his case on the Iran negotiations. On the contrary. The steady stream of slights and insults turned an irritant into an international event and vastly increased the speech’s audience and reach. Instead of dramatically unveiling an Iranian nuclear deal as a fait accompli, Obama must now first defend his Iranian diplomacy. In particular, argues The Post, he must defend its...

The Netanyahu government’s attitude to the United States shows it is “waiting for President [Sarah] Palin, an Obama official reportedly told Peter Beinart, writing for the Atlantic Monthly news site. Palin was the Republican candidate for vice president two years ago and is considered a front-running candidate for the next presidential election in 2012. “As an Obama official once told me about the Netanyahu team, with amazement, ‘these guys are actually waiting for President Palin,’” wrote Beinart, a senior political writer for The Daily Beast and associate professor of journalism and political science at City University of New York. In...

Miss California gets backing of lawmaker ... from Alabama Christians to beauty queen: 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant' While many in Hollywood ridicule her, scores of Americans are now applauding Miss California's stance against same-sex marriage – including one Alabama lawmaker who drafted a resolution supporting her.

APRIL 10, 2009 The Freedom to Choose a New Faith By ASHLEY SAMELSON At tomorrow's Easter Vigil, I and hundreds of thousands of other catechumens around the world -- converting from other churches and faiths -- will be baptized, confirmed and received into the Catholic Church. Each of us is invited to take the name of a saint or other biblical figure as our confirmation, or "Christian," name. This name represents a biblical or Christian historical figure of particular meaning to the convert's faith and prayer life. I will take the name Esther. Esther, one of the Bible's daredevils. As...

Opinion September 10, 2008 Reading about Queen Esther helped guide Palin By Gov. Linda Lingle If there was any doubt that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will shake up Washington and institute real change, the selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential nominee has put that question to rest. Few people can match McCain's maverick spirit and bipartisan nature like Palin. I've known Sarah Palin since her election as governor in 2006. I am confident she will be a great friend of the Jewish community and Israel, as well as a terrific leader and great vice president....

http://www.jewishworldreview.com -- Picture Queen Esther. Now, take those golden locks and replace them with thick black tresses, and instead of those big round baby blues, imagine almond shaped eyes the color of onyx. And that creamy white complexion? Try something a little tawnier, a little more olive. Now you have a closer picture of what the real Esther probably looked like: A beautiful Persian Jewish woman, very likely the same lineage as the beautiful Persian Jewish women who today populate the Los Angeles Jewish community. Iranian Jews seem to be more amused than offended by the storybook and mask depiction...