"I'd Rather See You Jailed Than Dead."

There has always been a strange double-standard when it comes to Israeli self-defense. The world, and too many Jews, have been "turned on" by the images of the ragged, starving Jews discovered in the ruins of Nazi Concentration Camps. The international do-gooders are comfortable with weak malnourished Jews and don't feel threatened by them.

No other country, only Israel, is expected to absorb constant terrorism, bombs and rockets. Only Israel is required to fight a war with "restraint." And very unfortunately, very dangerous indeed, the Israeli media and self-appointed morality experts keep trying to brainwash us that it's a legitimate request.

Obama to U.S. Jewish leaders: Israel must engage in self-reflection

Actually, I agree, but I expect very different conclusions. Let's return to the title, what a neighbor said to her husband and sons:

"I'd Rather See You Jailed Than Dead."

Self-defense is to stay alive. Think of your own life first.

We don't owe anything to our enemies, nor foreign countries, nor the United Nations.

Those who hesitate are those who get attacked and killed. We are the continuation of the Jewish Nation whose history is recorded in the Bible. Yes, that very same Bible westerners, including United States President Barack Hussein Obama swears on. By denying our full national rights to our entire historic homeland they prove themselves liars.

Reflect on That!

Not Just Doing Their Jobs

A little justice will hopefully go a long way. Today the news here in Israel mentioned two cases in which workers are to be punished for doing their jobs badly, dangerously, injuring and in one case killing many.

One was the bus driver whose bad driving was blamed for the accident near Eilat where the bus went off the road, down a ravine killing over twenty tourists. The tourists were Russian travel agents on a promotion junket to Israel. Most went home in coffins or badly injured.

The second was the mounted policeman who rode his horse into protesters demonstration against government destruction in Amona.

The horse trampled Yehuda Etzion, of Ofra, a middle-aged grandfather.






G-d willing these cases will help educate the public that there's a consequence to their actions and they must pay for "mistakes."

Why Won't Leonard Cohen Perform Here?

I understand that Leonard Cohen had tried to set up a performance in Ramallah, besides Tel Aviv, when he visits in the fall.

The Pseudistinians declined the honor.

He'd be welcome here in Shiloh. Maybe our venue is a bit too small, but there's a nice concert set-up in Ariel.

And since he plans on being here during the High Holidays, I trust he'll sing "Who By Fire."

When I taught English EFL, I used this poem as literature.

Av, The Month To Mourn

Wednesday, July 22, is the first of the month of Av. It's the middle of the three week period we mourn the destruction of our Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

Before we had a Beit HaMikdash, we had the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle stood in Shiloh for 369 years. Shiloh was the first capital of the Jewish nation, before the kings ruled. Think about how long a period of time it was and how primitive communication. But during all those centuries contact was kept between the Jewish Tribes. We worshiped the same G-d the same way. Our children were taught the same history.


Thirty-one and a half years ago, the Jewish People returned to Shiloh and established a town. We have hundreds of Jewish families, a yeshiva, a large elementary school, stores, a library and more.

And every Rosh Chodesh women come to Shiloh to pray. Please join us on Wed., July 22, 9:30am.

Tel Shiloh is open to visitors daily. For more information email telshilo@gmail.com

A Bissel Common Sense From Avigdor Lieberman

Finally, some common sense from the Israeli Government. Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told the European Union's Javier Solana that peace is something imposed.

"Peace must be built, not imposed."

I'm so sick and tired of all the loony Left proclamations demanding that Israel self-amputate and strangle itself by promoting an Arab terror state in its heartland. Have you ever looked at a map of Israel?



It's pathologically insane to expect even a temporary minimal "peace" if the Arabs are allowed any semblance of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.

I've said it once and I'll say it again:

"I'm a pragmatist!"

I'm not willing to risk my home, my country to please anyone else. I believe the Arabs when they say that they want us dead and gone. Yes, I'm a realist.

Intermarriage In The U.S.A. - Jews and Moslems

Hat tip: AJG

The latest high profile Jew plus goy engagement is New York Jewish Congressman Anthony Weiner and Hillary Clinton aid Huma Abedin.

Echoing Edwin Schlossberg's mother when he announced his engagment to Caroline Kennedy, Fran Weiner said:

"Anything that makes them happy."

I remember Schlossberg's mother saying exactly the same thing, but I can't find it online.

Another dead end to a Jewish line.

missionary conversions and recycled news

Posted by Jewish Israel

Evangelicals recycle messianic old “good news”
Recently, the Standing with Israel newsletter section of Charisma Magazine ran a feature article by messianic “Rabbi” Baruch Rubin entitled: Messianic Judaism Recognized in Israel and Elsewhere
The text of the article reports that, The Messianic Action Committee (MAC) “under the name Action Committee for Messianic Judaism in Hebrew, has been officially recognized as an Israeli not-for-profit organization. This means that the government of Israel now officially recognizes Messianic Judaism!”
Well, Jewish Israel felt that the Christian rabbi was pushing the envelope a bit far, because attaining non-profit status in Israel is not analogous to being recognized as a branch of Judaism. So we decided to investigate the misleading report...more

Missionary converts: a history lesson
The Israeli Rabbinate is faced with a significant number of converts to Judaism who continue to believe in Jesus and operate as missionaries. At the same time a government ministerial committee is set to discuss a proposal to prevent the Rabbinate from canceling conversions. Jewish Israel gives an essential history lesson of a time and a case when the Israeli government, High Court, and the Chief Rabbinate were in sync with each other. It should have set a precedent, but now the secular courts and our “evangelical friends” are set to try and supersede Torah Judaism in Israel with so-called “religious freedom”. Readers should review this post, as we are now faced with a direct spiritual threat to everything a Jew should hold dear...more

Freund Finds Friends in Finland
Michael Freund has put Club Med writers to shame with his latest piece on “pleasant”, “peaceful”, “pristine” Finland – a place where “Baptists, Pentecostals and Lutherans…stand united” in their support for Israel. Freund feels that “Israel and world Jewry must do more to cultivate relations with Helsinki.”
Well, before anyone start sowing more seeds, Jewish Israel feels obligated to offer our readership, and Mr. Freund, a whirlwind virtual tour of “the other side of Finland” – a place where Baptists, Pentecostals and Lutherans conspire together in their efforts to target Jews for conversion...more

Obama Doesn't Know Bupkes About The Holocaust!

I entered the living room "for a second," was about to go to sleep and had even missed the end of Leonard Cohen Concert on TV in order to put a freshly washed sheet on my bed. All his songs sound the same; don't they?

And the late news went on Israel's Chanel One. They said that Obama was very moved by his visit to Africa (could it be true that he was born there?) as United States President. Shocked I was to hear Obama compare, as similar, the Holocaust and slavery. Just a couple of weeks ago, he said the same about the sic Palestinian Arabs here.

One thing for sure. He doesn't know bupkes about history. The Holocaust was the systematic state supported murder, attempted annihilation of an entire People, the Jewish People, and some other groups the Nazis didn't want to exist. Ten Million human beings were murdered, among them, six million Jews.

Nothing like that ever happened to the Arabs. Black African slaves were valuable "products." Nobody wanted them destroyed or killed. And talking about Arabs and black slaves... Who ran the slave trade? Yes, Arabs!

So how can U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama identify with both the Arabs and the black African slaves?

There's only one answer. Obama doesn't know bupkes about history.

Shabbat vs Yishuv HaAretz, Settling The Land of Israel

According to Jewish Law, settling the Land of Israel, buying our HolyLand, takes precedence over Shabbat.

ENGLISH AFTER HEBREW

לאור האיום של הריסת מאחזים, הציבור נקרא להיות עירני
ולדווח על תזוזת כוחות חשודה.

בעניין שבת:
הרב דב ליאור, מרא דאתרא של קרית ארבע חברון,
מסר לפעילי ועדי הפעולה אפרת-גוש עציון-קרית ארבע חברון,
שאם מזהים בשבת תזוזת כוחות צבא ומשטרה ויש חשש שמדובר
בכוחות גירוש שבדרכם להרוס מאחזים,
אפשר להשתמש, בשבת, בטלפון כדי לדווח לרכזי הפעילים האזוריים –
ואלו יבדקו אם מדובר בכוחות גירוש ויוציאו הוראות בהתאם.

אנו תקווה שלא נצטרך להגיע למצב זה ושכוחות הבטחון יפעלו
תמיד נגד אויבי ישראל ולמען עם ישראל וארץ ישראל.

ועדי פעולה אפרת-גוש עציון-קרית ארבע חברון
לפרטים נדיה מטר 0505500834 יהודית קצובר 0507161818 מרים פליישמן 0524295557

In light of the threat of destruction of outposts,
the public is asked to stay alert and report any suspicious movement of troops.

About Shabbat:
Rabbi Dov Lior, Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Arba Hevron, told
the members of the Efrat-Gush etzion-Kiryat Arba
action committees that if one sees a movement of troops on Shabbat and there is a possibility that those troops are on their way to destroy outposts, one can use the phone, on Shabbat, to report about it to the known activists of the area and they will check what is going on and give instructions to the public accordingly.

May we never need to come to that point.
May our security forces always be used against the Arab enemy and in defense of the People of Israel and the land of Israel .

Shabbat Shalom

Efrat-Gush Etzion-Kiryat Arba Hevron Action Committees

For details: Nadia Matar 0505500834 Yehudit Katzover 0507161818 Miriam Fleishman 0524295557

This psak, rabbinic judgment/decision, reminds me of Oslo times, when the legally crucial stage of building the roofs on the houses in Shvut Rachel, was done on Shabbat. Shvut Rachel is just east of our livingroom windows. We've had a birds-eye view of the growth of the community from the trucking in of the very first caravans to the construction of the permanent homes. When it was feared that the army would stop the builders before the roofs were in place, we were instructed by our local rabbi, Rabbi Elchanan Bin Nun, to call on Shabbat if we saw any interference with the building. Baruch Hashem, nothing happened, and the houses were completed.

When we lived in Bayit V'Gan, Jerusalem, I had a friend whose father remembered his own father buying land on Shabbat. The Halacha, Jewish Law, is to sign and pay for our HolyLand even on Shabbat. It's forbidden to delay such an important Mitzvah.

The Scars of Discrimination Don't Disappear

I wasn't raised aware that there were different sorts of Jews, from different ethnic groups. In New York we only knew that either you were a Jew, or you weren't. There certainly wasn't any prejudice or ranking among Jews.

It never ceases to amaze me how different things have been for other Jews, especially in Israel. A few months ago, it took me a bit to realize that someone was insulting me by calling me Ashkenaz, to show that I'm not as generous as she is. I asked her if she would accept it if I insulted her by her family's ethnic identity? I told her that I wasn't raised that way and never speak to people that way. She finally apologized, and then we made a point of having a friendly conversation.

Tonight there is a television show about the late and great singer, Jo Amar, who passed away just over a week ago. It's on Chanel One's "Jewish Home" program. They had on some other Sfaradi (North African, like Amar) stars to interview about him. I don't think the producer/director expected the interview to go the way it did (paraphrasing):

"Jo Amar would have been more successful if he had been given the support that an Ashkenaz performer got."
"He was held back."

The resentment was so strong; you'd think it had happened today. We have to be so careful about what we say and do to others.

There are two types of Mitzvot (G-d giving commandments) those between Men and G-d and those between Man and his fellow Man (people and people.) Repentance for sins between man and G-d is relatively easy, but getting forgiveness from other people is much harder.

Y'hi Zichro Baruch--L'Ilui Nishmato

May his memory be a blessing,

and may this elevate his soul.

Strange Coincidences

Just before Shabbat I found the time to glance at a few blogs, among them Seraphic Secret. There I read a post about the most amazing young artist, Moshe Hammer, Z"L, of California, who had been killed in a tragic accident a few years ago.

I was so impressed by the examples of his work which illustrated the post and Robert J. Avrech's more complete article in the Jewish Press. Davka, on Shabbat our guests' last name was also Hammer, but they don't know of any relationship.


And a different sort of coincidence...

After Shabbat I came across an op-ed piece by someone who also does sketches, granted a totally different style and subject.

Michael Arthur wrote for the New York Times about how he became an artist.

The pen and ink drawings of Hammer and Arthur are very different. Arthur's focus on the people and leave lots of empty space. Hammer's are to illustrate religious texts and blessing. The pictures are complex and the space is full of Hebrew prayers and text.

I enjoy them both.

Shavua Tov U'Mevorach

Have a Good and Blessed Week

Parshat Shavua, Pinchas, Torah Portion of The Week

Finally, the tikkun, the correction for Shimmon and Levi's attack on the Shechemites.

Bereishit, Genisis, chapter 34
א וַתֵּצֵא דִינָה בַּת-לֵאָה, אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְיַעֲקֹב, לִרְאוֹת, בִּבְנוֹת הָאָרֶץ. 1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
ב וַיַּרְא אֹתָהּ שְׁכֶם בֶּן-חֲמוֹר, הַחִוִּי--נְשִׂיא הָאָרֶץ; וַיִּקַּח אֹתָהּ וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֹתָהּ, וַיְעַנֶּהָ. 2 And Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her; and he took her, and lay with her, and humbled her.
ג וַתִּדְבַּק נַפְשׁוֹ, בְּדִינָה בַּת-יַעֲקֹב; וַיֶּאֱהַב, אֶת-הַנַּעֲרָ, וַיְדַבֵּר, עַל-לֵב הַנַּעֲרָ. 3 And his soul did cleave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spoke comfortingly unto the damsel.
ד וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁכֶם, אֶל-חֲמוֹר אָבִיו לֵאמֹר: קַח-לִי אֶת-הַיַּלְדָּה הַזֹּאת, לְאִשָּׁה. 4 And Shechem spoke unto his father Hamor, saying: 'Get me this damsel to wife.'
ה וְיַעֲקֹב שָׁמַע, כִּי טִמֵּא אֶת-דִּינָה בִתּוֹ, וּבָנָיו הָיוּ אֶת-מִקְנֵהוּ, בַּשָּׂדֶה; וְהֶחֱרִשׁ יַעֲקֹב, עַד-בֹּאָם. 5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter; and his sons were with his cattle in the field; and Jacob held his peace until they came.
ו וַיֵּצֵא חֲמוֹר אֲבִי-שְׁכֶם, אֶל-יַעֲקֹב, לְדַבֵּר, אִתּוֹ. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to speak with him.
ז וּבְנֵי יַעֲקֹב בָּאוּ מִן-הַשָּׂדֶה, כְּשָׁמְעָם, וַיִּתְעַצְּבוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים, וַיִּחַר לָהֶם מְאֹד: כִּי-נְבָלָה עָשָׂה בְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לִשְׁכַּב אֶת-בַּת-יַעֲקֹב, וְכֵן, לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה. 7 And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought a vile deed in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
ח וַיְדַבֵּר חֲמוֹר, אִתָּם לֵאמֹר: שְׁכֶם בְּנִי, חָשְׁקָה נַפְשׁוֹ בְּבִתְּכֶם--תְּנוּ נָא אֹתָהּ לוֹ, לְאִשָּׁה. 8 And Hamor spoke with them, saying 'The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter. I pray you give her unto him to wife.
ט וְהִתְחַתְּנוּ, אֹתָנוּ: בְּנֹתֵיכֶם, תִּתְּנוּ-לָנוּ, וְאֶת-בְּנֹתֵינוּ, תִּקְחוּ לָכֶם. 9 And make ye marriages with us; give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.
י וְאִתָּנוּ, תֵּשֵׁבוּ; וְהָאָרֶץ, תִּהְיֶה לִפְנֵיכֶם--שְׁבוּ וּסְחָרוּהָ, וְהֵאָחֲזוּ בָּהּ. 10 And ye shall dwell with us; and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.'
יא וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁכֶם אֶל-אָבִיהָ וְאֶל-אַחֶיהָ, אֶמְצָא-חֵן בְּעֵינֵיכֶם; וַאֲשֶׁר תֹּאמְרוּ אֵלַי, אֶתֵּן. 11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren: 'Let me find favour in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
יב הַרְבּוּ עָלַי מְאֹד, מֹהַר וּמַתָּן, וְאֶתְּנָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר תֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָי; וּתְנוּ-לִי אֶת-הַנַּעֲרָ, לְאִשָּׁה. 12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me; but give me the damsel to wife.'
יג וַיַּעֲנוּ בְנֵי-יַעֲקֹב אֶת-שְׁכֶם וְאֶת-חֲמוֹר אָבִיו, בְּמִרְמָה--וַיְדַבֵּרוּ: אֲשֶׁר טִמֵּא, אֵת דִּינָה אֲחֹתָם. 13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with guile, and spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister,
יד וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵיהֶם, לֹא נוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה--לָתֵת אֶת-אֲחֹתֵנוּ, לְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ עָרְלָה: כִּי-חֶרְפָּה הִוא, לָנוּ. 14 and said unto them: 'We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us.
טו אַךְ-בְּזֹאת, נֵאוֹת לָכֶם: אִם תִּהְיוּ כָמֹנוּ, לְהִמֹּל לָכֶם כָּל-זָכָר. 15 Only on this condition will we consent unto you: if ye will be as we are, that every male of you be circumcised;
טז וְנָתַנּוּ אֶת-בְּנֹתֵינוּ לָכֶם, וְאֶת-בְּנֹתֵיכֶם נִקַּח-לָנוּ; וְיָשַׁבְנוּ אִתְּכֶם, וְהָיִינוּ לְעַם אֶחָד. 16 then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.
יז וְאִם-לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ אֵלֵינוּ, לְהִמּוֹל--וְלָקַחְנוּ אֶת-בִּתֵּנוּ, וְהָלָכְנוּ. 17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.'
יח וַיִּיטְבוּ דִבְרֵיהֶם, בְּעֵינֵי חֲמוֹר, וּבְעֵינֵי, שְׁכֶם בֶּן-חֲמוֹר. 18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son.
יט וְלֹא-אֵחַר הַנַּעַר לַעֲשׂוֹת הַדָּבָר, כִּי חָפֵץ בְּבַת-יַעֲקֹב; וְהוּא נִכְבָּד, מִכֹּל בֵּית אָבִיו. 19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter. And he was honoured above all the house of his father.
כ וַיָּבֹא חֲמוֹר וּשְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ, אֶל-שַׁעַר עִירָם; וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֶל-אַנְשֵׁי עִירָם, לֵאמֹר. 20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying:
כא הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה שְׁלֵמִים הֵם אִתָּנוּ, וְיֵשְׁבוּ בָאָרֶץ וְיִסְחֲרוּ אֹתָהּ, וְהָאָרֶץ הִנֵּה רַחֲבַת-יָדַיִם, לִפְנֵיהֶם; אֶת-בְּנֹתָם נִקַּח-לָנוּ לְנָשִׁים, וְאֶת-בְּנֹתֵינוּ נִתֵּן לָהֶם. 21 'These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for, behold, the land is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
כב אַךְ-בְּזֹאת יֵאֹתוּ לָנוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים, לָשֶׁבֶת אִתָּנוּ--לִהְיוֹת, לְעַם אֶחָד: בְּהִמּוֹל לָנוּ כָּל-זָכָר, כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵם נִמֹּלִים. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent unto us to dwell with us, to become one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.
כג מִקְנֵהֶם וְקִנְיָנָם וְכָל-בְּהֶמְתָּם, הֲלוֹא לָנוּ הֵם; אַךְ נֵאוֹתָה לָהֶם, וְיֵשְׁבוּ אִתָּנוּ. 23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and all their beasts be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.'
כד וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל-חֲמוֹר וְאֶל-שְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ, כָּל-יֹצְאֵי שַׁעַר עִירוֹ; וַיִּמֹּלוּ, כָּל-זָכָר--כָּל-יֹצְאֵי, שַׁעַר עִירוֹ. 24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.
כה וַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיוֹתָם כֹּאֲבִים, וַיִּקְחוּ שְׁנֵי-בְנֵי-יַעֲקֹב שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אֲחֵי דִינָה אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ, וַיָּבֹאוּ עַל-הָעִיר, בֶּטַח; וַיַּהַרְגוּ, כָּל-זָכָר. 25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city unawares, and slew all the males.
כו וְאֶת-חֲמוֹר וְאֶת-שְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ, הָרְגוּ לְפִי-חָרֶב; וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת-דִּינָה מִבֵּית שְׁכֶם, וַיֵּצֵאוּ. 26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went forth.
כז בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב, בָּאוּ עַל-הַחֲלָלִים, וַיָּבֹזּוּ, הָעִיר--אֲשֶׁר טִמְּאוּ, אֲחוֹתָם. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
כח אֶת-צֹאנָם וְאֶת-בְּקָרָם, וְאֶת-חֲמֹרֵיהֶם, וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר-בָּעִיר וְאֶת-אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה, לָקָחוּ. 28 They took their flocks and their herds and their asses, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field;
כט וְאֶת-כָּל-חֵילָם וְאֶת-כָּל-טַפָּם וְאֶת-נְשֵׁיהֶם, שָׁבוּ וַיָּבֹזּוּ; וְאֵת, כָּל-אֲשֶׁר בַּבָּיִת. 29 and all their wealth, and all their little ones and their wives, took they captive and spoiled, even all that was in the house.
ל וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל-שִׁמְעוֹן וְאֶל-לֵוִי, עֲכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי, לְהַבְאִישֵׁנִי בְּיֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ, בַּכְּנַעֲנִי וּבַפְּרִזִּי; וַאֲנִי, מְתֵי מִסְפָּר, וְנֶאֶסְפוּ עָלַי וְהִכּוּנִי, וְנִשְׁמַדְתִּי אֲנִי וּבֵיתִי. 30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: 'Ye have troubled me, to make me odious unto the inhabitants of the land, even unto the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and, I being few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and smite me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.'
לא וַיֹּאמְרוּ: הַכְזוֹנָה, יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת-אֲחוֹתֵנוּ. {פ} 31 And they said: 'Should one deal with our sister as with a harlot?' {P}

In this week's reading, Pinchas, the descendents of Shimon and Levi are on different sides.

Numbers 25
ו וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּא, וַיַּקְרֵב אֶל-אֶחָיו אֶת-הַמִּדְיָנִית, לְעֵינֵי מֹשֶׁה, וּלְעֵינֵי כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְהֵמָּה בֹכִים, פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד. 6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.
ז וַיַּרְא, פִּינְחָס בֶּן-אֶלְעָזָר, בֶּן-אַהֲרֹן, הַכֹּהֵן; וַיָּקָם מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה, וַיִּקַּח רֹמַח בְּיָדוֹ. 7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand.
ח וַיָּבֹא אַחַר אִישׁ-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-הַקֻּבָּה, וַיִּדְקֹר אֶת-שְׁנֵיהֶם--אֵת אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֶת-הָאִשָּׁה אֶל-קֳבָתָהּ; וַתֵּעָצַר, הַמַּגֵּפָה, מֵעַל, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. 8 And he went after the man of Israel into the chamber, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
ט וַיִּהְיוּ, הַמֵּתִים בַּמַּגֵּפָה--אַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים, אָלֶף. {פ} 9 And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand. {P}
י וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. 10 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
יא פִּינְחָס בֶּן-אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן-אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן, הֵשִׁיב אֶת-חֲמָתִי מֵעַל בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּקַנְאוֹ אֶת-קִנְאָתִי, בְּתוֹכָם; וְלֹא-כִלִּיתִי אֶת-בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּקִנְאָתִי. 11 'Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned My wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was very jealous for My sake among them, so that I consumed not the children of Israel in My jealousy.
יב לָכֵן, אֱמֹר: הִנְנִי נֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת-בְּרִיתִי, שָׁלוֹם. 12 Wherefore say: Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace;
יג וְהָיְתָה לּוֹ וּלְזַרְעוֹ אַחֲרָיו, בְּרִית כְּהֻנַּת עוֹלָם--תַּחַת, אֲשֶׁר קִנֵּא לֵאלֹהָיו, וַיְכַפֵּר, עַל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. 13 and it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'
יד וְשֵׁם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמֻּכֶּה, אֲשֶׁר הֻכָּה אֶת-הַמִּדְיָנִית--זִמְרִי, בֶּן-סָלוּא: נְשִׂיא בֵית-אָב, לַשִּׁמְעֹנִי. 14 Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers' house among the Simeonites.

Zimri is from Shimon and Pinchas from Levi.

There's a very fine line between permitted violence and forbidden. Pinchas did the right thing.

Shocking! I Agree With Sarkozy!!

All along, I've been saying that it would be a bad idea for Israel to bomb Iran. European and American leaders have been playing with the egos of our "leaders," like bullies teasing their victims, egging them on to do daring and foolish things. And then after the deed, they say:

"Not my problem. I didn't do it."

So the victim is doubly, triply victimized.

A unilateral attack by Israel against Iran to thwart the Islamic republic's nuclear ambitions would be an "absolute catastrophe", French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned on Thursday.
Sarkozy was speaking after a summit of G8 and other leaders in Italy at which they agreed on the need to pursue a negotiated deal with Tehran to halt a programme which Western powers fear hides a plan to acquire nuclear weapons.
"Israel should know that it is not alone and look at all this calm. If I have fought so hard in the name of France to get people talking about Iran it's also a message to the Israelis that they are not alone," he said. (complete article)

I'm no Sarkozy fan, but here he's on target. Iran is an international problem, not an exclusively Israeli one.

New Blog, Care of The Retarded in Israel

I discovered a new blog about care for the retarded in Israel. The focus seems to be residential facilities for the seriously retarded, those who cannot be cared for at home. Please don't say that the families can keep their retarded children. That's not always the case, especially when the "children" are middle-aged and the parents are elderly or deceased.

In many cases, there is no family member who can handle the responsibilities, so the parents work hard to find a residential facility for their child.

The blog's first post discusses the staff problem. By paying only the minimum wage possible, it attracts workers who don't care about the residents. There's a lot of abuse.

I'll have to keep checking up on the blog to see what they add.

The 17th of Tammuz, Fasting, The "Three Weeks" Have Begun

I wonder if Jews in the Southern Hemisphere have a better understanding of the Three Weeks.

The Three Weeks are bookended by two fast days, the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av. This time period corresponds with the Destruction of our (the Jewish) Holy Temples in Jerusalem.

It's summer here in Shiloh. Our local pool's schedule is geared to take Jewish Law as primary. During the Nine Days, when bathing for fun is forbidden, we can't use it for swimming. Only swimming lessons are allowed. Actually, one isn't supposed to start summer swimming in the week and a half between the 17th of Tammuz and the first of Av. If you've already gone swimming, you can continue, because it's "routine."

Kids who attend Jewish-Torah camps should get some idea of what's permitted during the three weeks and nine days, special programming for the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av. But those whose parents my not be a knowledgeable and aren't in a Torah framework, may not be aware.

So, back to my question. Do Jewish kids in Jewish schools in the southern hemisphere, where it's winter and they're in school, have a better knowledge of the laaws pertaining to the three weeks, nine days, 17th of Tammuz and 9th of Av?

How Jewish Is Birthright?

This article about how Birthright insists on muting the message is terribly disturbing.

If the Jewish kids/young adults don't hear about the importance of aliyah, marrying Jewish and having Jewish kids from Birthright, where will they hear it?

"But Lifshitz’s “message,” alumni say he routinely pushes aliyah, pressures participants to date only Jews and
stresses that they should “make Jewish babies,” has drawn criticism over the years. And this week, citing new restrictions forced on him by Birthright officials, Lifshitz, 53, a secular, nationalist former Israeli army officer whose office is based in Kfar Saba, cut his ties with the popular trips, formally withdrawing from the winter ‘09-’10 trip season."

Why mute the message?

Why Is Israel Negotiating With The United States?

First of all, I must say that I'm glad that those negotiations were a "flop." But even more important. What ever happened to the concept of direct negotiations between Israel and her enemies? Or... take out your math... is the United States Israel's enemy?

The New York Times titled its article in a rather insulting way, referring to Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak as just "an official."

Israeli Official Meets With U.S. Envoy in London

Could that reflect America's respect for Israel's sovereignty?

What's the real point of these negotiations? Should Israel trust George J. Mitchell? Do these negotiations prove that the United States identifies with Israel's enemies?

Simple math:
Israel should negotiate with its enemies:

Israel + enemies

Israel + United States

United States = Israel's enemies?

Interesting Juxtaposition

Read these headlines:

Court Fines State for Moving Gush Katif Graves

Barak: I'll Take Down 23 Outposts in a Matter of Weeks

I see a connection here, the insensitive hand of Ehud Barak. Yes, I know that Ariel Sharon of the Likud was the Prime Minister who forced Disengagement. There was no political opposition, because Barak's Labor Party supported it.

Also, I'll never ever forget the rampant terrorism during Barak's reign as Prime Minister.

We live in a crazy mixed up world. Many, many Israelis voted for the Likud, because they wanted a strong Right wing government. They expected him to make a coalition with Avigdor Lieberman, the NRP and the National Union. They were wrong. They were had! They voted Likud and got Labor. Barak is more powerful than Lieberman. Bibi has adopted Kadima's platform.

Israel's most Left wing policies have come from faux right wing politicians like Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon. And now Netanyahu is doing the same. The pro-Land of Israel politicians in the Likud are impotent. They have no power.

Where's World Jewry? May I Admit Jealousy?

Hat tip IMRA



About a hundred well-meaning, misguided Americans are about to enter Gaza with about a million dollar$ worth of gifts for the Arab terrorists there.



The Arabs in Gaza and the "PA" have received more gifts, foreign funding per capita than any other group of people anyplace else. That frees them for their "hobbies," like making kassams to launch at Israel and teaching their kids to hate Jews and Israelis.

My neighbors and I don't get financial help. Jews don't come here to offer their assistance and rarely come to tour Tel Shiloh. It's not on their "must see list."

Just this afternoon, I heard some of my neighbors saying that they can't afford to take their kids to the Tuesday afternoon activities in the park because of the entrance and workshop fees. These activities are sometimes free, but our teenagers are using them as a fundraising tool. Shiloh Youth are going to sponsor a camp for children sick with cancer. That really is wonderful, and I'm proud of them. But not all of the families here have enough money, so not all the local children can attend this afternoon's event.

Sarah Palin, Ignoring The Obvious.

I watched the CNN video about Sarah Palin featuring bloggers like Jill.

I haven't read, watched or listened to all the commentary about her decision, but the more I do, the more I notice what others seem to be ignoring. It's Palin's family. She used the word "protect" in her explanation, and she gave the the vote of her kids re: whether to resign or not. You can hear baby babbles in the background, whether her young son or grandson isn't ascertainable.

Palin is a young woman, a mother of a large family with many needs. Her husband travels a lot. In one of the recordings I heard, she even mentioned how happy she was that he was able to be present at the event.

IMHO, she'd be a "friyer," Hebrew for "sucker" to waste her time, energy and money to run in 2012. Anyone who attempts that should know that it would be futile to run against Obama. The chance of winning is nil. American politics is changing/has changed, as Hilary Clinton learned the hard way.

No doubt the world will be hearing more from Sarah Palin, and no doubt that she'll keep surprising people.

Out of The Box Re: Sarah Palin

Jill, who writes like she talks, is going to be on a live panel about Sarah Palin and sent out queries to bloggers for ideas.

Here's my letter:

Good luck! I'm impressed.Unless something really awfully shocking happens re: Obama, nobody has a chance against him in 2012.There may be something twisted in the media pressure on Palin for Pres in '12, just to get bashed. Rather perverse, I'd say.Think out of the box, m'dear girl.She can take a sabbatical from politics, spend time with her family and come back fighting ready in 2016. And that's probably what the media, the dems and the Bushies don't want.

Local Graffiti

This bit of local, Shiloh, Israel graffiti predates, but predicts, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu's cave-in to the dangerously Loony Left.



It says:

REVENGE!

G-d is the King

Not Benjamin Netanyahu

(May his name be erased)

“Pray for Larry Derfner”: Israel’s ambassador for Jesus

Posted by Jewish Israel

The lawsuit filed by the Nachalat Yeshua Messianic congregation against Beersheba Chief Rabbi Yehuda Deri and counter-missionary organization Yad L'Achim, went to trial on June 10th.

With the messianic community seemingly short on evidence, calls and abundant prayers went out to Larry Derfner -the Jerusalem Post columnist who brought us Jesus for Jews in a feature article four months ago.

Jewish Israel reports on how Larry Derfner has become a major cog in the messianic persecution PR machine. Last Friday the Jerusalem Post’s Up Front magazine had a two-page spread by Derfner on missionary Eddie Beckford from Arad. Beckford is under house arrest for a brutal assault against a Jewish man. A video of the beating, which also includes Beckford’s attempt to run over Jewish protestors, can be viewed here. Derfner elevates a thug awaiting trial, and transforms him into a victim and a hero.

What drives Larry – an atheist – to collaborate with missionaries? This is a must read report

UPDATE: The last week in June (just prior to his Jerusalem Post feature),Larry Derfner made the cover of The Messianic Times . The interview has since been taken offline. The introductory paragraphs of the feature story seem to indicate that Larry had "changed his mind" about messianics....hmmmm...(or perhaps "duh!" is more appropriate under the circumstances)

Bibi, Two Feet In The Left

No surprise. Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister has joined the Left by adopting their slogan, "two states for two people." I heard it from his very mouth on the news.

"For the first time, we brought a national agreement for the concept of two states for two peoples," he said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting.

I'm not really surprised. What disappointed me was to hear faux Right Benny Begin make some double-talk excuses for him on Israel's Chanel One.

I am glad that I didn't vote Likud!

A weaker Likud would have been stronger for Israel in the opposition. Last year I heard Bibi say that his aim was to be "center," and I've been blogging about it ever since.

Here's some irony for you. The Israeli media/Left wants us to think that the statement Bibi just made is what the world wants. I've been searching all the big news sites, New York Times, BBC, Fox and now CNN, and zero, nada, nothing about Bibi's cave-in.

Maybe there will be something somewhere tomorrow, but if this was considered important news, it would have been posted on the news sites hours ago.

Why haven't Likudniks like Moshe Feiglin reacted? And what about Likud MK's Erdan, Rivlin and Tzippi Hotobilli?

Bibi's not leading. He's chasing the Left-Led tail.

"They Took My Cottage Cheese" by Evelyn Hayes

They Took My Cottage Cheese

by Evelyn Hayes,

Author of "The Plague Series ( 3 volumes)," because their hearts were softened to accept the unacceptable,

a poetic diary 1993-2009

July 4, 2009, Checkpoints are for terrorists, I thought. But as Israel is opening checkpoints, those with the knives, guns, toy guns from towns where jihad thrives are going through unchecked. Where's my independence? I might be stopped from being a great grandma because they are being let go. Those unchecked might have weapons of mass destruction.

What about me? I don't mind being checked going into a super market, a shopping center, a hotel, a restaurant, a plane. Yes, that shoe bomber was on my Pan Am plane. Yes, the other TWA 800 passengers who were in the terminal with me were blown up. Yes, I was about to walk past Sbarro when it was blown up. Yes, my friend just passed the Moment Cafe a moment before it was blown up. Yes, my son was on Egged Bus #14, but was going the other way. Yes, my daughter was on the Brooklyn Bridge and saw the plane crash into the Twin Towers. Yes my son was in the Battery Tunnel below and saw ash covered people running in. He had to back out that September 11, 2001.

Because of Jihad, innocents have to show their licenses and sign into New York office buildings. Grandmas have to lift their satchels onto trolleys to go through x-rays at bus stations and NY office buildings. So, liberalism is liberating the jihad side and letting mix and mass get through checkpoints unchecked.

Risk and rash are the unleashing of terrorists while little old grandmas like me suffer because there are those who would do a Bombay nad make the mum-bye everywhere, but those from jihad country can have free play, liberal justice to do the unjust by their own authority.

I was travelling Swissair. They checked my bag, waist pack, computer. No liquids! They took my cottage cheese. I wanted to have a healthy snack. Remember, us innocents have to get to the airport three hours early. No drinks, no tooth paste, no wrinkle cream, no make up, no tweezers, nail clips. They make us take off our shoes- I can't even bend to retie the laces. Hats? Can't they see I'm innocent? Why can't they check the more likely guilty. I should explode, scream, "Do you want me to eat junk food? That's my cottage cheese?" How is Duty Free surviving when someone bought Buy Two One Free perfume and they confiscated it all - liquid you know.

So grandma me is being treated evenhandedly, like a criminal , a potential terrorist. So toddler, she, is getting her bottles nuked. No formula? What about nursing mother - the only liquid they let through. So Netanyahu is opening checkpoints, not checking potential law breakers when tourists can't even go into the Capitol Building, the Senate Building, the Courts without getting nuked.

Who is pushing the Jews to give up security? Why? Do they want us dead again? Will the tunnels into Gaza never end? Hundreds, SOOO deep. Liberalism is not liberating; it's aiming at the good and letting killers kill.

They took my cottage cheese, blame me for trying to stay healthy and alive. There's obamanomics; it broke the banks and granny's purse got thin. Is this an obama-comic? They took my cottage cheese? Will I have to buy junk food? I think liberalism is junky. It blows off your face. Don't you think it's junky, too? My independence is dependent on check points especially when they let jihad out of jail. Give me settlement anytime.

NCSY, What We Didn't Know

My husband was sent a book to review, Living From Convention To Convention: A History of the NCSY, 1954-1980. I grabbed it immediately.

"I'm the NCSY'er. I'm the one who must read it and review it."

At first I read the book quickly and with great enthusiasm. It began with a Forward by Rabbi Pinchas Stolper. It hit my emotions like many of his talks had done when I was in high school.

Lag B'Omer in Bear Mountains, NY, 1963, was the first NCSY event I ever attended. Less than six months earlier on a wintry Saturday or Sunday night, my father drove me to the Great Neck Synagogue to attend a "Teen Club" get-together. We had only moved to Great Neck late August, just before school started, and my parents had decided that my getting involved in the synagogue youth activities would be the best way for me to make more friends. I was suffering severe culture shock after our move from Bell Park Gardens, Bayside to Great Neck, New York.

The Teen Club meeting was in a large old house in the woods behind the synagogue's building. I immediately felt at home with the kids. It was under the auspices of an Orthodox Synagogue, but in those days there was very little to differentiate teen programming between Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Judaism. We were just Jewish kids who lived in Great Neck. There was a youth director, either Stan or Hal Greenberg. We met weekly, and at some point, we were informed of trip to Bear Mountains, and I went.

Honestly, I don't remember anything very "Jewish" about those early events. It could have been the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. I certainly had no idea that these fun activities would end up totally changing my life. And even when I began attending Shabbatonim, conclaves and conventions I just thought of them as fun social activities. That included the constant singing and dancing to Hebrew songs during the meals.

It seemed to me that this organization was well-established, well-oiled and very experienced. Only now after reading Zev Eleff's book have I discovered that in essence I was part of a grand experiment led by Rabbi Stolper.

Rabbi Stolper was out to prove that if you exposed ordinary American Jewish teenagers to Torah True Judaism, they would accept it. It took me a few years, but in the end I did. By the time I graduated high school, four years after that picnic, I was as Torah observant as I could be in a totally non-religious home.

Now, about the book. On one hand, it was like reading personal, disturbing things about your parents, things children don't need to know. Rabbi Stolper and Rabbi Chaim Wasserman, his Assistant National Director and my Regional Director, always gave the impression that they were fronting a strong movement. Even though I was a chapter, regional and finally national officer, I had no idea of the organizational difficulties they constantly faced from the OU. Now that I've read the book, cover to cover, I appreciate more, if that's even possible, how much they did.

The book itself is badly organized and doesn't project the passion of the NCSY experience. After a while I found it difficult to read, because there was no clear timeline. The narrative skips all over the place, maybe because the young author has no personal knowledge. It became tedious reading. I doubt if anyone unconnected to NCSY during the times discussed could get through the book without suffering total confusion.

I was very disappointed. Regardless, I plan on lending it to other NCSY'ers who are still close friends. Yes, I still maintain strong friendships with people I met through NCSY. Yesterday I showed it to one who is anxiously awaiting her turn to read the book. We discussed writing our own NCSY history through the eyes and memories of former NCSY'ers.

NCSY was established at the time when all experts were predicting the demise of traditional, strict Torah Judaism. It was the first kiruv, Orthodox Jewish outreach, organization. I don't have sufficient words to thank the idealistic, daring pioneers who ran NCSY in those early days. Who and what would I have been without NCSY?

Shocking News From Sarah Palin!

Sarah Palin Resigning as Governor
I watched and listened to her explanation, and honestly, I can't quite figure it out. Apparently I wasn't the only one surprised. After barely a year in the spotlight as Republican hopeful, she seems to have said something about contributing to the country and Alaska without formal office and party. Does this mean that she's going to spend more time campaigning for the U.S. Presidency?


Unless Obama really messes things up, no Republican has a chance against him in 2012.

Dry Bones Scores Again!

The East Bank

And All I Did Was Grimace and Mutter

Here's my husband's report.

We were at the United States Jerusalem Consulate's "July 4th" celebration. We've been invited for quite a few years, at least fifteen, if I'm not mistaken.

In the early years, we were among the very few blatantly (in the uniform of kippah for him and hair-covering for her) Orthodox Jewish attendees. Most years there was a "kosher table," but this year it seemed even more kosher than usual. This year there just wasn't some food with a sign, there were people "guarding" the food. That's a Halachik (Jewish Law) requirement. The food was dairy and parve, which meant that those who wanted the Ben & Jerry's ice cream could have the ice cream for dessert. In previous years, they had Hagen Daz.

I didn't grimace because of my diet. It wasn't all the traif, Israeli loony Left and Arabs which bothered me.

I didn't like the message of the outgoing U.S. Counsel General Jake Walles. He made it very clear that he and the American Government would do everything in their power to create a sic "Palestinian" State. He went on and on and yapped and yapped and said other nonsense like that the United States was founded for freedom. Historically that isn't true. Did you ever hear about the Boston Tea Party? "No taxation without representation." The American Revolution was all about money, not freedom. The liberty/freedom stuff came later.

If a high-ranking American State Department official can't get American History straight, do you really think he (and they) know anything about the needs, history, security etc of another country? Another part of the world?

I was politely silent when attending their event, but now I can open my mouth and send my words out to be read.

The Kosher Christian Controversy

Posted by Jewish Israel
a half-baked case:
Should a Jewish convert to Christianity be trusted with matters of kashrut? The Chief Rabbinate said “no”. The secular Supreme Court of Israel – which in recent years, has been telling the Israeli Rabbinate how to keep kosher - said “yes”.
This issue of apostasy is sure to cause major controversy and confusion as halachic authorities and the secular courts clash. Rabbi Tovia Singer of Outreach Judaism gave Jewish Israel – and the media - a hand in defining just who is not a Jew...more

An update on the Rabbi Riskin report

A day after Jewish Israel posted a controversial video clip of Rabbi Riskin, and filed a report on some of his contentious interfaith theological endeavors, Israel National News asked Rabbi Riskin for a response.

Jewish Israel would like to thank INN’s Hillel Fendel for taking the initiative to follow-up on our concerns and findings with his own very thorough report on Arutz 7’s English site. And we are pleased that Rabbi Riskin took the time to respond and expound on his positions. We also appreciate Rabbi Riskin’s retraction of the term “resurrect” and his admission that, “It was definitely the wrong choice of words and I should have not said it.”

Rabbi Riskin’s explanation not only validates Jewish Israel’s concerns, but it also prompts further questions - and it leaves a lot of issues unresolved. Jewish Israel will continue to report on this matter and will keep you informed of developments.

The full version of the ICEJ Ministry of Comfort video can be seen online in a number of locations – including the ICEJ site.

History, Past Protests

Last week I traveled to a wedding with Yossi and Perchiya Apter, parents of Noam, HaYa"D. We reminisced about a series of demonstrations, vigils, they organized many years ago. I promised to look for a couple of pictures I had scan and send them.

The Apters recalled that the impetus for the demonstrations, which they said lasted only six weeks, was the murder of our neighbor Rachella Druk, HaYa"D.

Arab terrorists had opened fire on a bus load of Shiloh residents, mostly women and children, who were on their way to a demonstration in Tel Aviv, to encourage then Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir to be strong in defending Israel's needs at the Madrid Conference, October, 1991.

The driver, Yitzchak Rofeh, and Rachella were murdered. A few children were seriously injured, including Harel Bin-Nun, HaYa"D, who after recovering from that injury was later brutally murdered by Arab terrorists when doing guard duty in Yitzhar, north of Shiloh, near Shechem.

That attack was one of the first, if not the first, shooting attack by Arab terrorists on innocent Israeli Jewish civilians. The location was a winding mountain road, just south of Tapuach, and it was obvious that the Arabs had been hoping that the bus would tumble down the mountain murdering many more Jews. As the shooting began, young Harel, not even Bar Mitzvah (13) age, quickly ran to the front of the bus to turn the steering wheel away from the cliff.

Rachella's murder seriously affected all of us. May her memory be a blessing.