This edition of Haveil Havalim is being dedicated to the brand new Israel Baseball League, in honor of having just completed their first week of playing baseball in Israel. There is little more that can actually be described as Haveil Havalim as professional sports, so it is appropriate to dedicate in their honor.

Playing sports can at least be rationalized by using an excuse such as exercise, for example. But watching professional sports does not even have that. I had a Rebbe in yeshiva (don't remember which rebbe, just remember that it happened by a rebbe in yeshiva) who used to say that professional sports has the zchus that it keeps the goyim off the streets. If not for [insert name of any specific sporting event here], there would be tens of thousands of goyim with nothing to do who might end up taking out their boredom on the Jews. Professional sports in Israel doesn't even have that.

The 123 edition is going to begin with a tribute to Harry Caray - who does not need any introduction.He was famous for leading the 7th inning stretch in Wrigley Field in his great rendition of "Take me out to the ballgame" with his climax coming at "1-2-3 strikes you're out!"

And I will now begin the edition, leading off is Harry Caray himself!!

"All Right now! Lemme hear Ya!!! Everybody! A one, a two, a three..."



and in case you actually wanted to see Harry and not just listen, here goes (enjoy the Bud Light commercial at the end)....





Kudos to Soccer Dad who is the founder and manager of the Haveil Havalim roundup of the Jewish blogging world. Be in touch with him if you wish to volunteer hosting a future edition of HH.

I was actually surprised I did not see very many posts about baseball in Israel this week. Most were just making the announcement that baseball is finally here. (at least) Two bloggers went to Opening Day, and their posts are included within.

MISC:
Jewish Blogmeister interviewed a blogger - DafNotes..

Irina is hopeful for the future of the world after meeting a bunch of NATO generals.. and then she met up with the Germans again..

Yitzchak reviews some Gitmo poetry..

PsychoToddler goes kicking and screaming into the digital age - and even offers a free song for download!!

Treppenwitz thinks he is a bad husband..

postblogism discusses the writing of fake history

Elie reaps naches as he reviews his fortnight..

Schvach Yid wonders where the Ladino speakers have gone...

Michael discusses his plan on dyeing his tzitzis with Tcheiles...

Batya reviews a book about the United Nations..

Smooth Stone remembers the yahrtzeit of Alfred Dreyfus..

Irina learns a lesson from her grandmother..

Fiery Spirited Zionist shows that sanctions cannot stop Iran..

Jack remembers his grandfather..

MizEllie hates her doctor..

Frum Satire describes different types of womens hair coverings...

Neil has some old siddurim on his shelf, and felt connected to history...

DAG finds a funny connection between the Chicago White Sox and Breslav...

CosmicX offers mystery tree #3..

Our Bs, eh? talks about inconsistencies...

Hirhurim discussed some of the halachic issues of a singing guy whose voice sounds feminine. I wrote about the story as well, as did yaak, LOR and JoeSettler.

bluke discusses how much of a person's parnassah is really from heaven..

LOR breaks down a Jewish music advertisement..

Its Almost Supernatural does not like the South African Jewish Leadership.

Jews for Hillary brings us a video of Hillary's talk with the OU...

Yid with Lid says Barack Obama is not a leader. He has no guts.

Nuch Epes a Chosid has some inspirational words and stories about Monkey See Monkey Do.

Mottel is on vacation, and his friends could not guess where....

Carl is rethinking his support for Guilliani..

Friar Yid discusses the phenomenon of less Jews giving their sons circumcision..

Israeli Tikkun Blog talks about the Jewish wedding season..

Yisrael discusses some facts about womens hair coverings..

Sarah is still posting pictures from her (not so) recent trip to the US..

DAG would prefer to shop at Wal-Mart than at a Jewish store...

Dag emailed a prof at University of Denver about some Bible criticism Aish dismissed. Then he got into an email discussion about it..

The Rabbi Without a Cause talks about a Tisha B'Av video that blames the Holocaust on non-observant jews.

Israel:
Akiva guest blogged about a story of intimidation. A few days later an amazing follow-up story took place.

Michael talks about some cultural differences he has noticed since making aliyah..

I reviewed the situation of Gilad Shalit, one year later.. Yaak discusses Gilad Shalit as well...

Batya tells us how the international media don't pay attention to what the Arabs really say...and then compares Olmert's attitude to terrorists with his attitude to young Zionists..and more about Darfur..

CosmicX wants Gilad Shalit freed, but not with an open check.

Steve from Its Almost Supernatural talks about how South African Cabinet Ministers have been attacking religions, specifically Judaism and Israel..

Elder of Ziyon smirks at the demands for humanitarian treatment for convicted terrorists..

LGF brings to light CNN's omission of Jerusalem, Israel in their weather section... Isreallycool also talks about it, with an update. hubscubs talks about it too in his post on Middle East Reporting..

Aussie Dave at IsraellyCool talks about negotiation tactics that he imagines Olmert used for the recent Sharm Summit..

Schvach Yid tells Israel to watch its back!

Mere Rhetoric talks about media lies

Solomonia talks about the culture of death in the Palestinian Authority..

Meryl Yourish tells us who Mahmoud Abbas really is..

Olah Chadasha points out that while everybody else claims the moral ground, immoral Israel is the only country actually taking in refugees from Darfur.

Judith at HNN has a Quote of the Day about the only -ism to actually do anything practical..

Barbara shows how for many, Palestinians included, Israel has become a beacon in the Middle East

A Mother in Israel took her family to Opening Day in the new Israel Baseball League...

Ezzie sent his Israel Baseball Correspondent to Opening Day and he reported back..

Rock of Galilee has been back to blogging recently and discusses Yitzchak Levy's agreement to release his daughter's murder...

JoeSettler breaks down the statistics of agunot and finds something very surprising...

Rafi G (that's me) brings you news updates from the Israel Baseball League..

Jameel has disappeared again. My sources tell me he is on a mission from the CIA to secure a shipment of waffles that is at risk of being hijacked by terrorists. It is all hush hush because of they get hold of the World Waffle Supply, the Muqata will be in serious danger of attack by these anti-waffle fundamentalists. So while Jameel is away, his blog has been overrun by anarchists and gues bloggers. J-Cop brings an article from Rabbi Shandalov of Chicago about why he is making aliyah.

A Town Crier sends us to an article about Israel's missing children...

A Town Crier calls Condi on her calling Hamas a resistance movement. I wrote about the same issue.

Daled Amos points out Israel is letting 5000 Muslims into Israel, yet only allowing less of the Falash Mura.

Schvach Yid has links to a bunch of important articles...

Mobius comments on the GOP rejection of a $2.4 Billion aid package to Israel. Steve also talks about the GOP rejection vote..

Yid with Lid tells us about how the US made up Palestine..

Carl in Jerusalem says it is deja vu all over again.. and informs us of some inappropriate video tapes discovered about some Fatah leaders... and comments on a stupid idea...Here Carl tells us what Israel can learn from Denmark..and then discusses the announcement that the IDF is prepared to perform a military op to free Shalit...

Yid with Lid points to a recent slip up in Mahmoud Abbas's speech. It shows he is a liar.

Batya, the teacher, now gives us a geography lesson..

The Right Coast talks about his experience at the Israeli Supreme Court..

Israeli Satire Laboratory has a funny piece on Mahmoud Abbas accepting responsibility for the recent PA fiasco...

Oleh Michael says we need need a real man in government. He, of course, is referring to Golda Meir.

Dr. Sanity talks about the Palestinian Middle Class.

Happy anniversary to Yisrael Medad. No, not his wedding anniversary... and here Yisrael discusses PA repression..

Esser Agaroth thinks Jerusalem needs a new logo..

Serandez posts a letter about what two children would do if they were locked in a room with only one piece of bread...

This Ongoing War comments on a NY Times review of a movie about Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

Schvach Yid comments on Israel's taking in refugees from Darfur..

Batya wonders about some Arab construction..

Yid With Lid says Olmert is like an accountant..

TORAH:
Reb Chaim explains the Urim V'Tumim

The Harry Potter Torah blog darshens about the importance of fighting for truth

Barbara talks about how important being a good mother is...

Torah Thoughts points out the idea of changing your perspective..

NY's Funniest Rabbi has two human looks at Bilaam.. and some miraculous middle of the night thoughts..

Dixie Yid talks about geirim..