Jewish Surnames Explained

Richard Andree's 1881 map of the Jews of Central Europe

Ashkenazic Jews were among the last Europeans to take family names. Some German-speaking Jews took last names as early as the 17th century, but the overwhelming majority of Jews lived in Eastern Europe and did not take last names until compelled to do so. The process began in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1787 and ended in Czarist Russia in 1844.

In attempting to build modern nation-states, the authorities insisted that Jews take last names so that they could be taxed, drafted, and educated (in that order of importance). For centuries, Jewish communal leaders were responsible for collecting taxes from the Jewish population on behalf of the government, and in some cases were responsible for filling draft quotas. Education was traditionally an internal Jewish affair.

The best places in the world to be a rich foreigner

By Ishaan Tharoor October 22 
 

This year's iteration of HSBC's annual ranking of the best places to live as an expat, published Wednesday, ranked 34 countries on a host of indicators, such as salaries earned, the expat's quality of life and an expat family's ability to raise kids abroad. The full rankings are in this chart below. Switzerland tops the list overall, with Egypt coming last.

The bank surveyed 9,288 expats in over 100 countries, but only presented findings for countries where there were more than 100 respondents.

Switzerland topped the rankings, as it had done the year before. Over a quarter of the expats HSBC polled earned more than $200,000 annually, but also maintained a better work-life balance than in their home countries. Switzerland's beautiful scenery and lack of air pollution is a plus, with vast majorities of expat parents there saying their children lived safer and better lives than in their previous home, according to HSBC's press release.

Perhaps more interesting is the growing draw of Asia for the expats surveyed, with its booming economies presenting lands of opportunity for expats from all over the world. "Asia emerges from this year’s survey as the best region for financial wellbeing, with nearly one fifth (19%) of expats earning over USD200,000 p.a. and 65% saying they have more disposable income since relocating," says HSBC.

The rankings look rather different when you separate the findings by category. Asian countries may account for terrific remuneration, but not necessarily the greatest living experience. You'll note China is not in the top 10 countries for raising children. Many expatriates, particularly those living in Beijing, the smog-clogged Chinese capital, fear the long-term effects of the country's air pollution on their kids.

Explore HSBC's data in full through an interactive that rearranges the rankings on the basis of various criteria that you can sort and toggle, ranging from an expat's ability to assimilate to a local culture to his or her satisfaction with the country's economy. The report is connected to HSBC Expat, which provides off-shore financial services to clients.
This likely influenced the profile of the expats surveyed for the study. The scores for China and the U.S. probably don't take into account American immigrant diasporas, nor the hardships faced by a growing community of petty merchants from Africa and other parts of Asia trying to eke a living in China.

In HSBC's survey of global high-rollers, the expats in the U.S. do applaud their host country for one thing -- its education. More than three quarters of expat parents in the U.S. state educate their children. The global average in the HSBC survey was only 37 percent.
 

Ishaan Tharoor writes about foreign affairs for The Washington Post. He previously was a senior editor at TIME, based first in Hong Kong and later in New York.

 

 

Veer & Zara

Indians are more brave in addressing the "Partition" dilemma..

The outstanding economic, demographic and cultural weights of Delhi had no match to the Islamabad's.. Certainly; the religious pros an cons among both had draw the visions, capacities and solutions..

I personally believe that the "Partition" was a political plot; which "Jinnah" was unable to properly seed or grow.. On Parallel; "Gandhi" did not object; acknowledging how religion would be a time bomb.. They both had believed that the only defuse is partitioning the parties..

Flames of War

I had spend an hour watching the latest film produced by ISIS; Flames of War; which is banned from public airing.. Thanks to Clarion Project - Addressing Islamic Extremism for sharing..

 I can concluded three issues for the thoughtful to consider:

1. Martyrdom is unprecedented weapon in modern warfare, apart from Japanese and Vietnamese heroic acts, which uneasy to deter but Nukes or Withdraw..

2. Media contents have to change to confront these enchanted enthusiastic guys, by deploying new Arabic anchors, facilitating new Muslim task-forces, and play the same but reversed tunes..

3. Despite how problematic the development of a united political will; yet it is conceivable by reduction of political agendas; then the Arabic Muslim civic societies will provide truly effective actions..

Global Hunger Index

I have a sketchy idea that "Hunger" is a "Moral" decline.. not a "Resources" or a "Distribution" one..
Do you share that?

Macro Economics are political, while Micro Economics are social.. Geopolitics is often immoral, while Sociopolitics are..
The meant paradox aims to transform Politics into a moral perspective, while elevate the Politics of social practices..

Disposal of crops' surplus is macro/political; while wasted tomato in festival is micro/social..
I can live with La-Tomatina, Oktobarfest, Cité des Citrons, or Adha's waste meat; but I agree on need to denounce the dumping of surpluses, the use crops for alcohol manufacturing, improper processing of sacrifice meat, as well as the electricity consumption to watch extravaganza's and late TV shows..!!

Retirement Options

I do not believe in retirement as an unproductive phase of living, but I would like it as a commitment free productive one..

Retirees can contribute a lot to the public life and people around.. They can offer without stresses of earning living (at least not for a long shopping lists).. Thus, their products are usually aesthetic, perfectionist and innovative..

This is the type of retirement I'm looking for.. 

Yet, the biggest question is: Where??

Dances of the Planets

The planets in the heavens move in exquisite orbital patterns, dancing to the Music of the Cosmos.  There is more mathematical and geometric harmony than we realize.   The idea for this article is from a book Larry Pesavento shared with me.  The book, 'A Little Book of Coincidence' by John Martineau, illustrates the orbital patterns and several of their geometrical relationships.  .
Take the orbits of any two planets and draw a line between the two planet positions every few days.  Because the inner planet orbits faster than the outer planet, interesting patterns evolve.  Each planetary pairing has its own unique dance rhythm.  For example, the Earth-Venus dance returns to the original starting position after eight Earth years.  Eight Earth years equals thirteen Venus years.  Note that 8 and 13 are members of the Fibonacci number series.

• Earth:     8 years * 365.256 days/year  =  2,922.05 days                   
• Venus:  13 years * 224.701 days/year  =  2,921.11 days (ie. 99.9%)

Somewhere Peaceful

سودان الاستدامة

السودان تم اختزاله في الخرطوم المدينة ، وقد شمل هذا غالب "متعهدي" السياسة والعلم والفن ، ولعل هذا شأن كافة البلدان المتعثرة في النمو والتنمية ، حيث تتدهور الأقاليم والأمصار لصالح معقل الدرهم والقلم والدولار ، ألا وهي العواصم التي تنوء بالعشوائيات والإمتدادات العفوية التي تسمى زوراً وبهتاناً بالخطط والبرامج الاسكانية ، ولا يوجد من يستحي معرفياً ليسميها مدناً ويناديها حضر .. الأزمة كما يبدو جلياً لم تختزل وتنحسر لتكن في فرقة حاكمة وأخر تتنافس معها على حاضر ومستقبل الأمة ، ولكنها تتمدد وتتضخم لتشمل الكافة ممن تجذبهم الجرائد الصفراء والمقالات الحمراء والأحلام الخضراء ..

My Dear 40+ Professional Single Friend..

My Dear One..

You had been a bright addition to my existence.. We had shared the sweetness of honesty, innocence and goodness.. Together, we had assembled a new meaning of closeness and individuality.. Together we had defeated the taboos and the defective norms.. We had proven been Humans..

It breaks my heart observing the wonderful years slip away.. It is cordially known that we had never been meant to live alone.. Please, do not draw your coming years with loneliness.. Do not waste your amazing energy in vain.. Do not value the defective fantasies once more..

Muslim Families Look After Kolkata Synagogues

The Jews in Kolkata came from Baghdad about 220 years ago [Priyanka Borpujari/Al Jazeera]

Kolkata, India - Generations of Muslim families have been taking care of the maintenance of three synagogues in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, which was once home to a thriving Jewish community. The city's Jewish population has dwindled over the decades to just about 20 as compared to 3,000 at its peak before the country became independent from British rule in 1947. Khalil Khan, 71, has been working as caretaker of Beth El synagogue, one of the city's three synagogues, for the past 55 years. His two sons - Anwar and Siraj - have chosen the same job. "It takes a week to clean the entire structure, its furniture and artifacts. By Friday afternoon, the work has to be complete," said Rabbul Khan, whose father and two uncles have also previously worked at the Maghen David synagogue.

Malala & Education

Certainly; Malala Yousafzai (1997) did not write her own thoughtful speeches nor organized her own global campaigns.. Her dad, the owner of “For-Profit” School chain is incapable either, nor her “in-house traditionally-hostage” mother.. In Today’s world; it is a norm that any celebrity in any field will find fundraisers, promoters, organizers, bodyguards and researchers to help and enable the (any) person to excel and grow as a “Rock-Star”.. It becomes a multibillion business across the world..

I’m not a fan of Malala story, because it is too much mature (and complex) for her young age.. Therefore, it is never meant for her generation or for the youngsters, but for business leaders and politicians to “showcase” the mightiness of new corporate mindset of innovation, and “bully” the outdated ideological and radical groups to lower their (resilient) arms.. Apparently, we all have to surrender to the powers of our man-made evils and antichrists.. None of the today’s (amazingly brilliant and digital) school pupils will accept her martyrdom for humanity, yet they will have to “sink” in the overwhelming media circus..

Thankfully; Malala did not speak on behalf of Islam or Muslim; as her case was “plotted” to be global and Westernized..

Soldiers of Allah

Mullah Omar of the Taliban of the Emirate of Afghanistan

Certainly it is biased.. yet reveals the history in structured manner..
However, it tells the initiations of today's world..!

The Forgotten White Slaves

The Irish slave trade began when the Proclamation of 1625 James II required Irish political prisoners be sent overseas and sold to English settlers in the West Indies. By the mid 1600s, Irish were the main slaves sold to Antigua and Montserrat. At that time, 70 percent of the total population of Montserrat were Irish slaves.” “Ireland quickly b...ecame the biggest source of human livestock for English merchants and the majority of the early slaves to the New World were actually white.”

 “During the 1650s, over 100,000 Irish children between the ages of 10 and 14 were taken from their parents and sold as slaves in the West Indies, Virginia and New England. In this decade, 52,000 Irish (mostly women and children) were sold to Barbados and Virginia. Another 30,000 Irish men and women were also transported and sold to the highest bidder. In 1656, [Oliver] Cromwell ordered that 2000 Irish children be taken to Jamaica and sold as slaves to English settlers.”
Martin goes on to explain that for some reason, the Irish slaves are often remembered as ‘indentured servants.’ However, in most cases during the 17th and 18th centuries, they were no more than “human cattle.”