[GJM] A JEWISH MONEY GAME!!

[robert searle]

Dear All,

       This morning I came across a Jewish money game
so to speak! I thought I might include it here as for
whatever reasons it fascinated me. I have great
respect for the Jews (excluding the present Israeli
government ofcourse)especially their  seeming ability
of many of them to get rich! This may be due to their
education, and/or the claim that they are Gods Chosen
People. It is interesting too that the mystical
Kabbalah puts an emphasis on the importance of word,
and number in its teachings. They may be some kind of
connection here. Who knows? 

Ofcourse, the most obvious reason why they have been
associated with wealth is that many of them were the
"original" money-lenders charging interest on loans.
This was something which the Church at the time did
not condone. But, the Jews were able to do it somehow,
and made fortunes.

Yet, it is still interesting to note that a large
proportion (and NOT all!) top business people appear
to be of Jewish origin. This ofcourse is given away by
their surnames (eg. Bloomberg, Stiglitz,
Goldstein,Soros,Green, etc). 

If one believes in reincarnation such people may have
been money-lenders, and businessmen in previous
births. This would be a good reason for their
commercial acumen. Indeed, there are those in the
Jewish mystical tradition that believe in rebirth, and
our evolution towards ultimate perfection through many
lives. This is in keeping with the idea of an
all-loving God as there is no eternal damnation, or
the flames of hells (a pagan concept rather than a
Christian one!!).

I have come across a number of examples of Jews being
born into total poverty, and yet, able to make it to
the top of the financial tree. George Soros already
mentioned is a classic example. 

I,myself, have a friend who is half-Jewish. Instead of
receiving income from the state he now lives off the
largesse of a deceased American relative who started
from literally nothing. This person was Jewish, and
made his money giving financial advice!!

Incidently, I do not believe in the racist claim that
the Jews are "secretly" trying to take over the world.
This is errant nonsense.

Anyway, to return (!!)to the Jewish money game I
mentioned in the first paragraph. It is quite simple,
and is not as "complex" as monopoly (which I played
with as a child, and loved). It consists of two
"wooden top" like "toys." These are referred to if I
am not mistaken as large dreidels. Here, is how it
works:

"Each players starts with ten pennies (instead of
pennies, you can use dimes,beans, "gelt",etc).

1) Each player puts up one penny.

2) The youngest player goes first by spinning the
dreidel. The letter that faces up tells what to do
(see below).

3) Play each game for as long as you want. The Player
with the most pennies at the end wins! If at any point
no money is left, start again..."

As already indicated it should be said here that each
dreidel has on its four sides Hebrew writing which
cannot be reproduced here. However, their latinised
versions can be presented. They are:-

...."NUN - Do nothing. Next player goes.

    GIMEL- Take all the money!

    HEY -  Take half of the money.

    SHIN - Pay in two pennies."


(source of the above is Shulsinger Judaica Ltd, How to
Play the Dreidel Game).


R.Searle



		
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