[Peace-discuss] Politics in America

[C. G. Estabrook]

[From the Forward, the interesting New York Jewish weekly. --CGE]

The activist behind the Web site JewsforJohnKerry.com, a source for Hebrew
paraphernalia promoting Kerry's candidacy, is firing back at the comment
of a Bush supporter who snickered that the Democrat should leave Kerry's
surname off the gear.

It seems that in the Talmud, "Kerry," spelled kuf-resh-yod in Hebrew
characters, is a word for an unwanted seminal emission, as the Republican
yuckster pointed out to the Forward.

The comment frosted Ari Hoffnung, the Bronx financier who launched
JewsforJohnKerry.com in May as a labor of love.

"I think it's a little twisted," he retorted about the Republican's gibe.

"I'm fluent in Hebrew. That's how the main papers -- Ha'aretz, Yediot
Aharonot -- spell [Kerry's] name."

Hoffnung shot back that one easily can make Hebrew puns with the
president's name, such as "Bush-Busha," meaning "Bush is a shame or a
disgrace," but added quickly, "I don't want to go there."

Republicans do know about the "Bush-Busha" problem, which is why
Bush-promoting gear with Hebrew lettering (expect to see it at the GOP
convention) sticks to "George" or "Dubya."

Hoffnung, whose T-shirts, mugs, caps and totes sport slogans such as "John
Kerry, Ha-davar Ha-ameetee" ("The Real Deal") and "Bush Kiss My Tush,"
said his site is generating queries from all kinds of folks who want to
volunteer for the Kerry campaign -- "anybody from somebody in California
to rabbinical students" at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Manhattan
seat of Conservative Judaism. Hoffnung, who plans to donate the site's
profits to Democratic organizations working to increase Jewish voter
turnout, is in discussions with the National Jewish Democratic Council in
hopes of hooking up, perhaps with a presence at the Democratic National
Convention. He expects his venture to explode in popularity in the fall:
"Come September, I think this will be of interest to Jewish college
activists."

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