Jewgle Perth

Last week JewglePerth asked:  Is the Perth Jewish community prepared to tolerate intellectual dishonesty?  The answer, unfortunately, appears to be that it will.

It seems hard to believe, but a week after the Maccabean was made aware of plagiarism by Ken Arkwright, not only have they failed to acknowledge an exposed breach of journalistic ethics, not only have they failed to suspend their correspondent in the face of untenable circumstances, not only have they published another “Did you Know” column, not only is the column once again reproducing material from a website without referencing it, but that website once again happens to be Wikipedia!

Approximately 80% of the text in the article published this week is lifted from Wikipedia, as referenced below.  There is no link in the Maccabean item to the source, and once again, the reader is under the impression that this is the intellectual creation and scholarly research of Mr Ken Arkwright.

For the Wikipedia item please visit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gl%C3%BCckel_of_Hameln

Maccabean Column:

Gluckel of Hamelin, whose Hebrew name was Glikl bat Judah Leib, was born in 1646 in Hamburg, and she died in 1724 in Metz, Alsace-Loraine. She became a Jewish businesswomen centuries before the Women’s Liberation Movement.  She wrote in Judeo-German, the forerunner to Yiddish.  The first part of her written legacy is a Living Will that was intended to guide her descendants to live ethical lives. 

Wikipedia:

Glückel of Hameln (also spelled Gluckel or Glikl of Hamelin; also known as Glikl bas Judah Leib) (1646, Hamburg - September 19, 1724, Metz) was a Jewish businesswoman and diarist…… Written in Yiddish, her diaries were originally intended for her descendants. The first part is actually a living will urging them to live ethical lives.

Maccabean Column

Historians discovered much later the Glukel diaries, and they started to appreciate her account of life at that time.  Glukel and her husband Chaim lived in Hamburg.  Chaim was an affluent Hamburg businessman and Glukel was already involved in his business during his lifetime. Chaim died in 1689, when she took over the business.  She traded with businesses in Vienna, Paris, Berlin, Leipzig and Metz.

Wikipedia:

It was only much later that historians discovered the diaries and began to appreciate her account of life at that time. Glückel lived in the city of Hamburg, where her husband Haim was an affluent businessman. Already involved in his business during his lifetime, when he died in 1689, she took over the business, conducting trade with markets as far as Amsterdam, Leipzig, Berlin, Vienna, Metz and Paris.

Maccabean Item

She remarried Cerf Levy, a banker from Metz in Lorriane, and moved to live there in 1700.  Levy went bankrupt in 1702 losing his and her fortune.  He died in 1712, leaving her a widow for a second time.   She begins her diaries in 1689, continued writing until 1699, and later resumed the writing between 1715, and 1719.  These diaries predate modern Yiddish literature, and they were written by a women, which was a rarity for Jewish texts from that period.  The diaries deal with world and Jewish history, and they cover the controversies surrounding the false messiah Shabbetai Tzevi, the day-to-day life of Jewish inhabitants of the Rhine valley and the consequences of the Swedish wars fought by King Charles XII. 

Wikipedia

In 1700 she remarried, to a banker from Metz in Lorraine, and relocated there. Two years later, her husband Cerf Levy failed financially, losing not only his own fortune but hers as well. He died in 1712, leaving her a widow for a second time. In her diaries, begun after her first husband’s death in 1689, she describes key events in both Jewish and world history, such as the messianic fervor surrounding Sabbatai Zevi or the impact of the Swedish wars waged by King Charles XII. At the same time, she also describes day-to-day life among the Jewish inhabitants of the Rhine valley. Other scholars point to the fact that they constitute an early document in Yiddish, predating the rise of modern Yiddish literature, while still others note that they were written by a woman, a rarity for Jewish texts from that period.

Maccabean Item

Glukel’s twelve children by her first husband married into the most prominent Jewish families of Europe.  They include:  Hendrick, Heine, Samson Raphael Hirsch, and many more.  The handwritten manuscripts of her Ethical Will and her Diaries were kept my Glukel’s children and grandchildren. 

Wikipedia

Glückel’s twelve children by her first husband married into the most prominent Jewish families of Europe……They include such figures as Heinrich Heine, Samson Raphael Hirsch, Daphne Merkin, Joseph, Mordechai and Isaac Breuer, Ursula and J. Ezra Merkin, Salomon Heine and Bertha Pappenheim (also known as Anna O.)……. The handwritten manuscript of Glückel’s diaries was kept by Glückel’s children and grandchildren.

Maccabean Item

Recent German and English publications of these memoirs are:  “Die Memoiren der Glückel von Hameln   Beltz Verlag, 2005. The Life of Glückel of Hameln 1646-1724, written by herself.” Horovitz Publ. Co. London 1965.

Wikipedia

Bibliography - “Die Memoiren der Glückel von Hameln” Aus dem Jüdisch-Deutschen von Bertha Pappenheim (Autorisierte Übertragung nach der Ausgabe von Prof. Dr. David Kaufmann, Wien 1910). Mit einem Vorwort von Viola Roggenkamp. Weinheim und Basel: Beltz Verlag, 2005. ……..

 The Life of Glückel of Hameln 1646-1724, written by herself. Translated from the original Yiddish and edited by Beth-Zion Abrahams, Yoselof 1963 (1962 Horovitz Publ. Co., London).

Now the Maccabean article changes subject and talks about Jacob Emden.  You will need to go to the page to reference the plagiarism in this part of the article    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Emden

Maccabean:

The other Hamburg diarist was Jacob Emden who wrote “Megillath Sefer” containing his and his father’s biography.  Emden was a Rabbi, a Talmudist and a prominent opponent of the Sabbetaians.  He was born in Altona/Hamburg in 1697 and died there in 1776.  He was the son of Tzevi Hirsch ben Yaakov Ashkenasi (1656 - 1718) and the great great grandson of Elijah ben Yudah of Chelm, Baal Shem (1514 - 1583). 

Wikipedia:

Jacob Emden was a rabbi and notable talmudist, and prominent opponent of the Sabbateans. He was born at Altona June 4, 1697, and died there April 19, 1776. He was the son of the Chacham Tzvi, and a great-great grandson of Elijah Ba’al Shem of Chelm…….His Works:   Megillat Sefer, containing biographies of himself and of his father.

Maccabean Article:

Emden studied Talmud under his father’s guidance.  He was the formost Talmudic authority of that age.  In 1715 he married the daughter of Mordechai ben Naphtali Kohen, Rabbi of Ungarish-Brod, in Moravia.      

Wikipedia: 

Until seventeen Emden studied Talmud under his father Rabbi Tzvi Ashkenazi, the foremost Talmudic authority of the age, first at Altona, then from 1710 to 1714 at Amsterdam. In 1715 Emden married the daughter of Mordecai ben Naphtali Kohen, rabbi of Uhersky Brod, Moravia, and continued his studies in his father-in-law’s yeshivah.

Maccabean Article:

Emden became well versed in Talmudic literature. He also studied grammar, philosophy, Latin, Dutch and Kabbalah.  This required from him a superhuman effort, as he believed that a Jew should only occupy himself with secular sciences during the hours of twilight.  The Tanach Joshua 1:8 reads “…you shall mediate therein (torah) day and night”.  Emden interpreted this passage that a truly observant Jew can study secular subjects only in the twilight hours, as days and nights are reserved for Torah study.

Wikipedia: 

Emden became well versed in Talmudic literature; later he studied philosophy, Kabbalah, and grammar, and made an effort to acquire the Latin and Dutch languages, in which, however, he was seriously hindered by his belief that a Jew should occupy himself with secular sciences only during the hour of twilight. This belief stems from the biblical verse (Josh. I, 8): “You will study [the Torah] day and night”, leaving room for secular studies during hours, which are neither truly day nor truly night.

Maccabean Article:

He was opposed to the teachings of philosophy, and maintained that “the Guide to the Perplexed” could not have been written by Maimonidies, because a pious Jew could never write a book that responded to “non-Jewish theology”.   Emden spent three years at Ungarish-brod, where he held the office of private lecturer in Talmud.  Thereafter he became a jewellery merchant, which required him to travel and to decline Rabbinic appointments. However, in 1728, he accepted the Rabbinate in the City of Emden from which he took his surname. 

Wikipedia:

He was opposed to philosophy, and maintained that The Guide to the Perplexed could not have been written by Maimonides, as he could not imagine that a pious Jew would write a work accepting and promoting what Emden saw as a non-Jewish theology.  Emden spent three years at Ungarish-Brod, where he held the office of private lecturer in Talmud. Then be became a dealer in jewelry and other articles, which occupation compelled him to travel. He generally declined to accept the office of rabbi, though in 1728 he was induced to accept the rabbinate of Emden, from which place he took his name.

Maccabean Article:

In 1733, Emden returned to Hamburg/Altona and there he obtained the permission of the Jewish community to establish his private Synagogue and from the King of Denmark to establish a printing press.  He was soon attacked for publishing a prayer book called Amudei Shamayim (Pillars of Heaven) that did not conform to the official prayer book approved by the chief Rabbi of the German community Ezekiel Katzenellenbogen. 

Wikipedia:

In 1733 Emden returned to Altona, where he obtained the permission of the Jewish community to possess a private synagogue. ….. His relations with Ezekiel Katzenellenbogen, the chief rabbi of the German community, were strained from the very beginning……A few years later Emden obtained from the King of Denmark the privilege of establishing at Altona a printing-press. He was soon attacked for his publication of the siddur (prayer book) Ammudei Shamayim, being accused of having dealt arbitrarily with the text.

Maccabean Article:

Emden’s opinions were very unconventional and yet he was extremely Orthodox.  He believed that the ban on polygamy by Rabbenu Gershom (965-1028) was a serious mistake because it replaced Jewish with Christian ethics. 

Wikipedia:

Emden’s opinions were often extremely unconventional. …… He believed that the ban on polygamy by Rabbeinu Gershom was a serious mistake in that it followed Christian morals; although, he states, he does not have the power to urge the ban to be repealed.

Maccabean Article:

In the Sabbath eve section of this prayerbook, he gave details how the mitzvah of sexual intercourse is to be consummated between husband and wife.  He never deviated from tradition and after a careful study of the Zohar he concluded that a great part of the Zohar was the product an imposter.  Yet Emden taught that Christianity has an important role to play in God’s plan for mankind and he had friendly relations with Christian scholars.  Emden considered that the New Testament contains part of Jewish tradition for the benefit of Christians.  

Wikipedia:

Emden has been criticized for his interest in sexual matters but while it is true that, for instance, he provides, in his Siddur, details of how the marital act is to be carried out, this is in the context of the Shabbat eve section of the Prayer Book which, for the Kabbalists, is the occasion for sexual congress between husband and wife in order to repeat and assist the union on high between the male and female principles in the Godhead….. Emden believed that Christianity has an important role to play in God’s plan for mankind and was on friendly relations with a number of Christian scholars…… From Emden’s perspective, the New Testament appropriates parts of Jewish tradition, such as B’nei Noah and Proselyte, to the benefit of Christians, see also Council of Jerusalem.

Maccabean article:

In 1772, the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin issued a decree forbidding burial on the day of death.  The Jews in his community asked Emden to demonstrate from the Talmud that a longer exposure of a corpse would be against Jewish law.  Emden referred them to Moses Mendelssohn, who had great influence with Christian authorities.  However, Mendelssohn agreed with the ducal order.

Wikipedia:

In 1772 the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin having issued a decree forbidding burial on the day of death, the Jews in his territories approached Emden with the request that he demonstrate from the Talmud that a longer exposure of a corpse would be against the Law. Emden referred them to Mendelssohn, who had great influence with Christian authorities; but as Mendelssohn agreed with the ducal order,

Maccabean Article:

Emden fought a lifelong battle against Jonathan Eybeschutz, who in Emden’s eyes was a committed Sabbetaian (follower of the false Messiah Shabbetai Tzevi).  The Emden-Eybeschutz controversy lasted several years and turned nasty.  In Megillath Sefer, Emdin accuses Eybeshutz of having an incestuous relationship with his own daughter and of fathering a child with her.  Many friends of Eybeschutz retaliated, and Emden’s life seemed to be in danger.  So he left Altona and took refuge in Amsterdam (May 1751).

Wikipedia:

Of these controversies the most prominent was that with Jonathan Eybeschütz, who in Emden’s eyes was a convicted Shabbethaian. The controversy lasted several years, continuing even after Eybeschütz’s death……  In Megillat Sefer, he even accuses Eybeschütz of having an incestuous relationship with his own daughter, and of fathering a child with her…..  The majority of the community favored Eybeschütz….. His life seeming to be in actual danger, he left the town and took refuge in Amsterdam (May 1751).

Maccabean Item:

The court of Frederick V of Denmark decided on 3 June 1752 in favour of Emden fining his opponents 100 thalers. Consequently, Emden returned to Altona and took possession of his Synagogue and printing press.  However he was forbidden to continue his agitation against Eybechutz. 

Wikipedia:

Emden’s cause was subsequently taken up by the court of Frederick V of Denmark, and on June 3, 1752, a judgment was given in favor of Emden, severely censuring the council of the three communities and condemning them to a fine of one hundred thalers. Emden then returned to Altona and took possession of his synagogue and printing-establishment, though he was forbidden to continue his agitation against Eybeschütz.

Maccabean Item:

Christians wear a crucifix around their neck for Jesus to protect them from evil sprits and the devil.  Jews copied this custom by wearing Magen David’s, minature Mesusoth and many other forms of devil scarers.  It was against such superstition that Emden fought his battles.  Many of his contemporary Rabbis made money out of writing suitable magic formuli for these charms.  No wonder that these charlatan Rabbi’s disliked Emden to the extent that he had to fear for his life. 

We are now back again in the dark middle ages, and a large industry of Jewish charm-Jewellery has surfaced supported by Rabbis who will teach you which text in the charm is kosher and will protect you from the evil spirit and which is not.  Emden would turn in his grave if he were aware of some of the spiritual and intellectual decay of Judaism in our time. 

Wikipedia:  ?????

Actually, this section of text above is not taken from the Wikipedia post about Emden!  Therefore, it could be assumed that it is the intellectual creation of Mr Ken Arkwright.  Of course the tone of these above paragraphs is derogatory towards Judaism, as is often the case with Mr Arkwrights editorial stance. 

Once again, JewglePerth calls on the Maccabean to recognise the ethical breach that has occured and to appropriately act.

With all the intensity around, if you need some light relief, check out this nomination for website of the day.  NB - needs sound

http://www.iiiiiiii.com

Hale School is planning to stage the anti-Semitic play “Seven Jewish Children : A Play for Gaza” by Carol Churchill on 13th, 14th and 15th October.
See below for some notes on this piece of blood libel…

The play is planned to be staged by Redfoot (the Hale School Theatre Company), by two recent Curtin graduates, Laura Fullerton and Nicole la Bianca. These graduates “are seeking a cast of 7 to 10 Year 11 students to be involved in a challenging theatrical process exploring the relevant themes that this play presents…”

If you’re concerned by this (and you should be), write to:
Stuart Meade, Headmaster
Hale School
Hale Road
Wembley Downs
Western Australia 6019

Telephone: +61 8 9347 9777
Email: jnradmin@hale.wa.edu.au

From The Spectator, Sunday, 8th February 2009, by Melanie Phillips
The Royal Court’s mystery play
… a ten-minute blood-libel written by Caryl Churchill. …
Ostensibly about Israel, it is actually a direct attack on the Jews. It tells them in effect that they are to be held responsible for the fact that in Israel Jews have turned into Nazis. Indeed, the title ‘Seven Jewish children’ makes that explicit…
…The Jews are presented as literally dehumanised, with the claim that they feel no pity or sorrow for the babies they have killed because they assert they have a monopoly on suffering; indeed, they supposedly laugh at those they have killed. And the portrayal of Jews as not only monstrous child-killers but ‘better haters’ because they are the ‘chosen people’ is straight out of the hallucinatory lexicons of medieval Jew-hatred.
This is an open vilification of the Jewish people, not merely repeatedly perpetrating incendiary lies about Israel but demonstrably and openly drawing upon an atavistic hatred of the Jews. It is sickening and dreadful beyond measure that the Royal Court theatre is staging this. It is not a contribution to a necessarily polarised and emotional debate. It is open incitement to hatred.
In the Middle Ages, ‘mystery plays’ which portrayed the Jews as the demonic killers of Christ helped fuel the murderous pogroms against the Jews of Europe. With this piece by Caryl Churchill, the Royal Court is staging a modern ‘mystery play’. It is a despicable act.

From The Jewish Chronicle, February 12, 2009, by Leon Symons
Outrage over ‘demonising’ play for Gaza

A 10-minute play about the history of Israel by the playwright Caryl Churchill has been condemned as antisemitic…
[Jewish Board of deputies] spokesman Mark Frazer said: …“We knew the play was going to be horrifically anti-Israel because Caryl Churchill is a patron of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign; the title Seven Jewish Children is the least of what pushes it beyond the boundaries reasonable political discourse.”
…Jonathan Hoffman, co-vice chairman of the Zionist Federation, has seen the play. He said: “This was a libellous and despicable demonisation of Israeli parents and grandparents which will only stoke the fires of antisemitism.
“It draws on several antisemitic stereotypes, from the blood libel through to the ‘chosen people’ trope.
“It is a grotesque parody of Jewish history, distorted to portray Israeli fathers as heartless, murderous triumphalists and Israeli mothers as caring only about what’s best for their daughters.
“Fortunately, the vast majority of London theatregoers are nowhere near as brainless as these demonised Jews — and certainly nowhere near as brainless as Caryl Churchill takes them for.” …

From The Sunday Times, February 15, 2009, by Christopher Hart
… Churchill comes across like a very minor Old Testament prophet, bewailing the Wickedness of my people Israel (Jeremiah 7:12). And the final lines, delivered by an Israeli in full rant, about how the Palestinians are “animals”, how he wants to see their children “covered in blood”, are simply outrageous.
…Seven Jewish Children isn’t art, it’s straitjacketed political orthodoxy. No surprises, no challenges, no risks. Only the enclosed, fetid, smug, self-congratulating and entirely irrelevant little world of contemporary political theatre. Fresh air is urgently needed. But I’m not holding my breath.
Meanwhile, donating to Medical Aid for Palestinians seems a good idea. I just hope the supplies get through. Two weeks ago, the UN suspended all food aid to Gaza after 10 lorryloads of supplies, 3,500 blankets and 400 food boxes were stolen at gunpoint. By Hamas.

Sunday July 19 at 7.30pm at the Jewish Centre

The SZC is presenting the movie  “Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi” on

$8 Entry or $5 concession

Contact Maya Shabi, Perth Community Shlicha, PH: 08 92768730

Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi (“Hakochavim Shel Shlomi”), written and directed by Shemi Zarchin, is a heartening comedy and surprising love story, which focuses on the captivating character of one boy blessed with extraordinary talents, who discovers through the power of love that the sky is the limit.

Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins

Synopsis: Shlomi takes care of everyone. He feeds his grandfather, bathes him and listens to his fictitious stories from World War II. He reminds his older brother to take his medication on time and intently… Shlomi takes care of everyone. He feeds his grandfather, bathes him and listens to his fictitious stories from World War II. He reminds his older brother to take his medication on time and intently listens to his pornographic thoughts. He calms his quick-tempered mother and mediates between her and his hypochondriac father who was thrown out of the house after cheating on her. He looks after his older sister`s twins and makes sure she keeps going back to her husband who can`t tell between the identical babies. And most of all, Shlomi makes sure to make everyone happy by cooking their favorite dishes. Shlomi knows – they’ll eat and calm down. Because his home is a battlefield and Shlomi runs around between everyone, making peace. But no one in the family really sees Shlomi. Even Shlomi doesn`t see Shlomi. Until one day a routine math test arouses the suspicions of Shlomi`s math teacher and school principal. After meeting and talking with him, they realize that a very unique personality is hiding behind this neglected and dormant boy. With their help and the help of Rona the gardener with whom he falls head over heels in love, Shlomi discovers himself. BONJOUR MONSIEUR SHLOMI is a heartening family comedy, a surprising love story, which focuses on the captivating character of one boy blessed with extraordinary cooking talents, who discovers through the power of love that the sky is the limit.

Starring: Oshri Cohen, Arie Elias, Esti Zakheim, Aya Koren, Yigal Naor, Assi Cohen

Director: Shemi Zarhin

Is the Jewish community of Perth prepared to tolerate intellectual dishonesty?

The text in this weeks “Did You Know” column would appear to the unsuspecting reader to be the scholarly research of the articles author.  However it appears to have been taken straight from Wikipedia - “the free encyclopaedia that anyone can edit”. 

There is nothing in the Maccabean item to reference it back to Wikipedia.  Similarly there is no citation on the  Wikipedia item’s history page to suggest that the content is authored or contributed by Ken Arkwright.    

 Approximately 90% of the DID YOU KNOW? column in this weeks Maccabean appears to have been plaguarised from a single webpage, and in many cases is barely even rephrased. 

The page concerned is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_God_in_Judaism

Remember as you read this that all the ideas, sources and quotes included in the Maccabean column would appear to have been cut and pasted from a single webpage, not from a multiple range of websites.  Also remember that this webpage is not referenced by the article.   Here are the examples: 

Quote from the Maccabean article:

“The best-known and most important name of God recorded in the Torah is YHWH, also called the Tetragrammaton.  Tetragrammaton is a Greek word meaning tetra (four) and gramma (letter).  It appears in the Masetoric Text of the Torah 6828 times, albeit in various spellings.   You may wish to look for more details in the Stuttgartensia addition of the Hebrew Masoretic Text.”

 Quote from Wikipedia:

The most important and most often written name of God in Judaism is the Tetragrammaton, the four-letter name of God, YHWH or Yahweh. “Tetragrammaton” derives from the Greek prefix tetra- (”four”) and gramma (”letter”, “grapheme”). The Tetragrammaton appears 6,828 times (see ‘Counts’ in the Yahweh article) in the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia edition of the Hebrew Masoretic text.”

 Quote from the Maccabean article:

“Orthodox Jews use this Adonai only in prayer, whilst Progressive and most Conservative Jews are willing to pronounce it and write it for educational purposes, but not during casual conversation.”

Quote from Wikipedia:

“Orthodox and some Conservative Jews never pronounce it for any reason. Some religious non-Orthodox Jews are willing to pronounce it, but for educational purposes only, and never in casual conversation or in prayer.”

Quote from the Maccabean article:

“The Tetragrammaton appears for the first time in Genesis 2:4″…. “translates to Adonai Lord”

Quote from Wikipedia:

This name is first mentioned in the book of Genesis (2.4) and in English language bibles is traditionally translated as “The LORD”

Quote from the Maccabean article:

“Some Christians, who were ignorant about the fact that in many Jewish texts the vowels for Adonai were put under the consonants of YHWH for the Name of G-d, believed that they had discovered the true meaning of the name of G-d.  This combination of muddling together two words adds up to the nonsense word Jehovah”

Quote from Wikipedia

“By contrast, the translation “Jehovah” was created by adding the vowel points of “Adonai.” Early Christian translators of the Torah did not know that these vowel points only served to remind the reader not to pronounce the divine name, but instead say “Adonai,” so they pronounced the consonants and vowel points together (a phonological impossibility in Hebrew). They took the letters “IHVH,” from the Latin Vulgate, and the vowels “a-o-a” were inserted into the text rendering IAHOVAH or “Iehovah” in 16th century English, which later became “Jehovah.”

Quote from Maccabean article:

“The book of Ruth 2:4 and many other biblical passages account for an unrestricted usage of the name of G-d.  “And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the reapers, YHWH be with you.  And they answered him “YHWH be with you”  Abbreviations of the name of God were freely used, and we do know how they were pronounced, for instance, yeho, -yo, -yahoo-yah”

Quote from Wikipedia:

Substituting Adonai for YHWH dates back at least to the 3rd century BCE.[3] Passages such as:  “And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, YHWH [be] with you. And they answered him, YHWH bless thee” (Ruth 2:4)….strongly indicate that there was a time when the name was in common usage. Also the fact that many Hebrew names consist of verb forms contracted with the tetragrammaton indicates that the people knew the verbalization of the name in order to understand the connection. The prohibition against verbalizing the name never applied to the forms of the name within these contractions (yeho-, yo-, -yahoo, -yah) and their pronunciation remains known.”

Quote from Maccabean:

“El is yet another word in the Torah for G-d.”…. “Linguists failed to accept that Judaism was often influenced by heathen theology and they tried to assert that Elohim is a pluralis majestatis (expression of majesty) or a pluralis excellentiae (expression of excellence and dignity). 

Quote from Wikipedia:

 ”Another popular explanation comes from the interpretation of El to mean “power”;……”Other scholars interpret the -im ending as an expression of majesty (pluralis majestatis) or excellence (pluralis excellentiae), expressing high dignity or greatness: compare with the similar use of plurals of ba’al (master) and adon (lord).”

Quote from Maccabean

 Wilhelm Gesenius (1786-1842), the father of Semitic language studies, writes in his Hebrew Grammar “The use of the plural as a form of respectful address is quite foreign to Hebrew.”

Quote from Wikipedia

Indeed, Gesenius states in his book Hebrew Grammar ² the following: …..The use of the plural as a form of respectful address is quite foreign to Hebrew.”

Quote from Maccabean:

It was first translated into English by William Tyndale in 1530.  He was not sure of the true meaning of the Tetragrammaton and therefore translated it into its Hebrew substitute Adonai (my Lord)

Quote from Wikipedia:

Many English translations of the Bible, following the tradition started by William Tyndale, render YHWH as “LORD” (all caps) or “LORD” (small caps), and Adonai as “Lord” (upper & lower case).

Quote from Maccabean:

“The word Adonai has an equally interesting history as YHWH.  It is a Hebrew plural of Adoni and means ‘my lords’.  The singular, Adoni, was applied by Phonecians for their God Tammuz and it entered the Greek language as Adonis”

Quote from Wikipedia:

Jews also call God Adonai, Hebrew for “Lord”. Formally, this is plural (”my Lords”), but the plural is usually construed as a respectful, and not a syntactic plural. (The singular form is Adoni, “my lord”. This was used by the Phoenicians for the God Tammuz and is the origin of the Greek name Adonis.”

Quote from Maccabean:

Another word for God is Shaddai…. Shaddai was a city at the banks of the Euphrates in northern Syria during the Bronze Age.  Now it is called Tell eth-Thadyen.  Thadyen” is the modern Arabic form of Shaddai. El Shaddai would therefore translate as God from the city of Thyden (Shaddai).  Exodus 6:2 states Shaddai is the name by which God was known to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who came from that region.  Another theory is that Shaddai is derived from the verb shaded (overpower, destroy).  Professor Harriet Lutzki has produced evidence that Shaddai was an attribute of a Semitic Godess.  She believed that the name of the goddess is connected to the Hebrew word sad (breast), in other words he/she is the goddess of the breast. 

Quote from Wikipedia:

Shaddai was a late Bronze Age Amorite city on the banks of the Euphrates river, in northern Syria. The site of its ruin-mound is called Tell eth-Thadyen: “Thadyen” being the modern Arabic rendering of the original West Semitic “Shaddai”. It has been conjectured that El Shaddai was therefore the “god of Shaddai” and associated in tradition with Abraham, and the inclusion of the Abraham stories into the Hebrew Bible may have brought the northern name with them (see Documentary hypothesis).

According to Exodus 6:2, 3, Shaddai is the name by which God was known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The name Shaddai is used as a name of God later in the Book of Job.

In the Septuagint and other early translations Shaddai was translated with words meaning “Almighty”. The root word “shadad” means “to overpower” or “to destroy”. This would give Shaddai the meaning of “destroyer” as one of the aspects of God. Thus it is essentially an epithet. Harriet Lutzky has presented evidence that Shaddai was an attribute of a Semitic goddess, linking the epithet with Hebrew sad “breast” as “the one of the Breast”, as Asherah at Ugarit is “the one of the Womb”.

Quote from Maccabean:

“God was sometimes called The Seven, because Hebrew scribes had to take particular care when writing the following seven names of G-d: Eloah, Elohim, Adonai, Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh, YHWH (i.e. Yahweh), Shaddai, Zebaot

Quote from Wikipedia:

God was sometimes called The Seven.[11] Among the ancient Hebrews, the seven names for the Deity over which the scribes had to exercise particular care were: [12] Eloah, Elohim, Adonai, Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh, YHWH (i.e. Yahweh), Shaddai, Zebaot

I believe that these extracts demonstrate and evidence the fraudulant use of intellectual property.  The evidence above suggests it is highly improbable that the Maccabean Did You Know column this week is the original writing and research of Mr Arkwright.  This is a very serious situation for the community and its representative newspaper. 

As a matter of journalistic ethics, the Maccabean must now act as it considers appropriate.   This type of plagiarism where personal credit is claimed for the scholarly and academic ideas of others is a serious ethical breach.  It is not tolerated in academic institutions.  It is not tolerated in the business market.  Most of all, it is not tolerated by the journalistic profession. 

I urge the Maccabean to treat this alleged plagiarism with the disdain that it deserves.   The Maccabean, regrettably, must own up to what has occurred, and find a way to move forward.  By acting decisively the paper will maintain the confidence of the community.  I also believe the outrage associated with this situation should be directed toward the apparent intellectual dishonesty of the author, and not the unsuspecting editorial or administrative people who no doubt accepted the item for publication in good faith. 

Some years back there was an ethical outrage from the Jewish Community over an incident when the Maccabean inadvertantly published a photoshopped image.  On that occasion the paper chose to admit its error and apologise, and also reiterate that its editorial stance did not sanction this breach of journalistic ethics.  It maintained the support of its readers as a result. 

This situation that JewglePerth regrettably feels needs to be exposed, has far reaching repurcussions that strike at the heart of journalistic integrity.