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Showing posts from July, 2015

Jerusalem Launch Monday February 8, 2016 in dialogue with Start Up Nation author Saul Singer Moreshet Avraham Rechov Adam 22 East Talpiot 18:30

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c ontact information:   pater.amemoir@gmail.com This page last updated Feb 2, 2016 Jerusalem Book Launch & Sale Monday February 8, 2016  Elliot Jager in dialogue  with Start Up Nation author  Saul Singer  Moreshet Avraham Rechov  Adam 22  East Talpiot 18:30 For the latest news on  THE PATER please visit our   Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/Pater-My-Father-My-Judaism-My-Childlessness-927232393986393/ JEWISH BOOK WEEK LONDON Be Fruitful and Multiply  Elliot Jager in dialogue with Simon Hattenstone of The Guardian Sunday, 21 February 2016 - 11:00am  Location: St Pancras Price: £6.50  In his provocative book The Pater , Elliot Jager tackles a near-taboo topic:  the Orthodox Jewish attitude towards infertility and what it feels like to be a childless Jewish man.  In conversation with Guardian journalist Simon Hattenstone he also grapples with the concept of paternity and his complex relationship with his ow

Britain's New Statesman is running a cover story on childless Leaders -- but they are all women

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The current issue of the New Statesman is about childless women who are world leaders. And I'm looking forward to reading it. (Incidentally, did they forget  Park Geun Hye  of South Korea?) At the same time, I'm trying to think of serving male presidents, prime ministers, and kings who are childless. There is Pope Francis. Alright, that one is low hanging fruit. Am I right to guess Belgium's  Charles Michel  does not have children? Narendra Modi, the premier of India is childless, as far as I can see.  So, too, is Oman's Qaboos bin Said Al Said. Mark Rutte of  Netherlands is unmarried and childless. As is Philippines President Benigno Aquino III Add in President of Botswana Ian Khama Any others? 

Conversation Starter: Do you think you've lost friends because you do not have children?

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Not really. Perhaps surprisingly but most of the people we socialize with have children.  The people we feel closest to have kids and we are "invested" in the lives of their children – especially milestone events. In the old days bar and bat mitzvahs, now going into the army (most Israelis go from high-school to military or national service before even thinking about college) and weddings. Obviously, we have drawn closer to some people and drawn away from others along the journey of life. In thinking about married friends with children the key variable has had more to do with their choice of life-partner than whether the couple has children. Or in the case of a single parent whether this person is capable of thinking about anything beyond their parental role -- whether they can relate to others.  The self-obsessed, socially tone-deaf, and oblivious bore me -- having nothing to do with how many kids they have or don't have. Intuitively, our friends has

Childlessness in the News

From The Hindu Kerala’s oldest Jew complains against bank for withdrawing pension