Shiloh Musings

Obama as Haman and Preparing for the Jewish Month of Adar

2012-01-29T09:20:00.001+02:00

Things are never as they appear. United States President Barack Hussein Obama is as slick as they come, especially when it comes to his friendhsip sic with the State of Israel. Yes, it's all a sham. Ruthie Blum shows that perfectly, as only Ruthie can, in her Israel HaYom op-ed. Many of us have missed her writing since she left the Jerusalem Post. I hope that she'll be a regular in Israel Hayom and other publications.

This Obama ad is more slippery than a ripe banana peel.

The first Israeli featured is Shimon Peres, which symbolizes the type of Israel Obama supports and aims for. Don't forget the Oslo Accords and how it was negotiated behind the back of official Israeli Government officials and weakened the country.

This week's Parshat Shavua, Torah Portion is Bo, Exodus 10:1-13:16, and the Haftara for Bo has the antidote for those who try to tell me:

"You're right, but you must understand that Bibi is under a lot of pressure from the United States..."

They are wrong. Remember, we're only under pressure when we don't have that umbrella G-d keeps open for us. As I've said many times, the sun is always shining, even when it's cloudy and raining. Yes, even when it's stormy, thunder and lightening just hide the sun. We need the rain, and we need the cold and wind.

In this week's Haftara, Jeremiah puts it well:

כה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הִנְנִי פוֹקֵד אֶל-אָמוֹן מִנֹּא, וְעַל-פַּרְעֹה וְעַל-מִצְרַיִם, וְעַל-אֱלֹהֶיהָ וְעַל-מְלָכֶיהָ; וְעַל-פַּרְעֹה--וְעַל הַבֹּטְחִים, בּוֹ. 25 The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith: Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Pharaoh, and them that trust in him; כו וּנְתַתִּים, בְּיַד מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשָׁם, וּבְיַד נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ-בָּבֶל, וּבְיַד-עֲבָדָיו; וְאַחֲרֵי-כֵן תִּשְׁכֹּן כִּימֵי-קֶדֶם, נְאֻם-יְהוָה. {פ} 26 and I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants; and afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the LORD. {P} כז וְאַתָּה אַל-תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב, וְאַל-תֵּחַת יִשְׂרָאֵל--כִּי הִנְנִי מוֹשִׁעֲךָ מֵרָחוֹק, וְאֶת-זַרְעֲךָ מֵאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָם; וְשָׁב יַעֲקוֹב וְשָׁקַט וְשַׁאֲנַן, וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד. 27 But fear not thou, O Jacob My servant, neither be dismayed, O Israel; for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall again be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. כח אַתָּה אַל-תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב, נְאֻם-יְהוָה--כִּי אִתְּךָ, אָנִי: כִּי אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה בְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הִדַּחְתִּיךָ שָּׁמָּה, וְאֹתְךָ לֹא-אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה, וְיִסַּרְתִּיךָ לַמִּשְׁפָּט, וְנַקֵּה לֹא אֲנַקֶּךָּ. {פ} 28 Fear not thou, O Jacob My servant, saith the LORD, for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee, but I will not make a full end of thee; and I will correct thee in measure, but will not utterly destroy thee. {P}

I know that it's hard for people who don't fully believe in G-d to believe this. Too many people tell me that they're "smarter" than I am. Well, I may not be a genius in the conventional sense, but I do believe in G-d and I believe that if we do our part G-d will save us. There is no other explanation for Israel's great victory in June, Iyyar-Sivan, 1967.

So many inexplicable things happen in this world. It's not "chance," nor science/logic; it's G-d. That's the bottom line.

One of the things I learned in the Decoding the Riddled Text of Esther by Atara Snowbell course I took last year in Matan was that although Haman gave the impression that he was a loyal official of King Achashverosh, it was a lie. And Obama and his staff are lying about their friendship with Israel. The truth, like Ruthie Blum wrote is the exact opposite.

One of the reasons that I've been promoting Tel Shiloh as a place of prayer is that it's a direct connection to G-d. It's not a grave/tomb, nor a wall. It's the location where G-d accepted Jewish Prayer, like the Prayer of Chana, Hannah. We don't need any go-between when we communicate with G-d.

The Rosh Chodesh Adar Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh

Friday, February 24, 20118:30am

Shiur Torah, Short Tour & Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשיםראש חודש אדר בתל שילה

יום ו' 24-2 8:30

יהיו סיור ודבר תורה קצרים

נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

You're welcome to join our facebook page. Tel Shiloh is open to visitors daily. Tours can be arranged through the office. Email telshilo@gmail.com or phone 02-994-4019.

"Kosher Jesus": judging a book by its cover

2012-01-28T20:08:00.003+02:00

Posted by Jewish Israel

Last August Jewish Israel reported on Rabbi Shmuley Boteach's plans to launch his book "Kosher Jesus". In this newest report we ask, "how far and low will a Jewish man go in order to ensure and secure that loving embrace from evangelical Christians?" It seems we're about to find out as "Rabbi Shmuley" attempts to theologically reconcile Judaism with Christianity.

In this extensive report Jewish Israel explores Boteach's high risk venture from a number of angles and takes a look at the reactions coming in from rabbis, counter-missionaries, and Christians.

Ya gotta wonder if Shmuley jumped the shark…more

Latma Reveals the Truth About MK Ahmad Tibi and More...

2012-01-28T18:32:00.001+02:00

Latma shows the Right way of seeing the news here in Israel!

Thanks to Caroline Glick

Rachel Corrie, BDS, The Campaign of Lies

2012-01-27T08:46:00.002+02:00

Here's the fifth of the series of Anti-Israel lie busters by Fred Taub.

Video 5 of the Top-10 Lies About the Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions(BDS) Campaign against Israel. Presented by Fred Taub of Boycott Watch,and author of the hit book Boycotting Peace.

Fred's videos give very clear explanations of the truth behind the distorted news you read and hear from all the media.

True Story About Getting a Seat on an "Unoffical" Gender-Separate Bus, Plus

2012-01-26T06:43:00.001+02:00

I've written about the problems here in Israel with the newly popular halachik invention of "Mehadrin" sic buses in which men sit in the front and women in the back. Besides the "official lines" included, there are quite a few others in which you almost never see men and women sitting together, unless they're spouses or close relatives. It's also common in other lines for individual religious or chareidi men to take up the seats (one for each two person seat) and the women boarding the bus, shlepping to the back to look for an empty seat next to another woman.

Since I'm old enough to pay half-price, I'm also old enough to refuse to endanger myself walking in a moving or even about-to-move bus. Especially since I feel rather anonymous on public buses, I've begun asking the men to double-up to free a seat for me. I ask politely, and it works. I used to just ask for other women, but now I even ask for myself.

Legally, even the officially separate seating bus lines are supposed to be "voluntary," not required. That means that women can ask men to double up so they can sit down in the front of the bus.

Rafi's Life in Israel put up an interesting youtube clip about Israeli TV news reporters dressed as chareidim to see how secular Israelis react to them in various situations. Even if you don't understand Hebrew well, you may follow the action from body language etc.

Food for thought.G-d is waiting to redeem us, but we have to be ready.

Chodesh Shvat Tov!

American Politics, What's Worse, Being a Multi-Millionaire or a Philanderer?

2012-01-25T05:36:00.002+02:00

It looks like the American Republican Party is getting set to choose between two "evils," a multi-millionaire and a philanderer.

Mitt Romney's family money and income seem to make the Republicans uncomfortable, maybe jealous, too.

Way back when, in the middle of the previous century, the American public heard Richard Nixon's Checker's speech in which he made a point of his honesty and the fact that his wife, Pat dressed in inexpensive clothes:

Well, that's about it. That's what we have and that's what we owe. It isn't very much but Pat and I have the satisfaction that every dime that we've got is honestly ours. I should say this—that Pat doesn't have a mink coat. But she does have a respectable Republican cloth coat. And I always tell her that she'd look good in anything.

It is a known fact that the poorer the politician, the more financial "help" he/she needs and the more of a chance that "questionable" money will supplement the budget.

Newt Gingrich's detractors are trying to remind people of his bad marriage record. I can't speak for Republican Party members, but it's hard to think of too many successful politicians who don't have philandering and multiple marriages in their CV's. That includes FDR, JFK, Clinton, and more. Please add their names in the comments. The American public seems to secretly admire them more than they like those with lots of legal money.

I wonder whom the public will support in the end...

Anti-Israel, Anti-Jewish, Anti-Semitic "PA," Mufti, and BDS Enemies of Peace for Sure

2012-01-24T06:32:00.001+02:00

Nothing's new as Dry Bones shows in his timeless cartoons...

Listen to Fred Taub in his expose` of BDS. Apparently, BDS is over a hundred years old!

And the PMW Palestinian Media Watch proves that Mufti did apply call to kill Jews to current conflict.

The statements of the two highest religious authorities in the Palestinian Authority are misrepresentations of what the Mufti said. In fact, the words he chose to provide a context for the Hadith show that he quoted this Hadith that anticipates Muslims killing Jews, to make it relevant for the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict.The Mufti introduced the Hadith by referring to the "47 years" of Fatah's and the Palestinian "revolution," thus placing the Hadith in today's context. He then added that this is a "reliable Hadith" from the reliable collections and part of accepted Islamic law and belief. After citing the Hadith, the Mufti claimed that Israelis are planting the "Gharqad tree surrounding the [Israeli] settlements and colonies," thus suggesting that Israel is preparing for when the Muslims fulfill this Hadith and come to kill them. According to the Islamic tradition the Gharqad tree will be the only tree that will not call out to Muslims to kill the Jews hiding behind them. By saying Israelis are already planting Gharqad trees around their cities, the Mufti was explicitly relating the Hadith about the killing of Jews to the current time. He was not merely citing "historical religious writings," as claimed. (complete article)

The State of Israel and Jews all over the world really do have enemies who have no compunctions about using violence of all sorts against us. To survive and thrive, we must be willing to fight and defeat them in all ways possible!

Why Haven't The State of Israel and Migron Sued The NIF, Peace Now and Arabs for False Claims?

2012-01-23T08:39:00.001+02:00

Since the courts ruled that the Arab ownership of Migron lands are false, shouldn't all those involved in the case be sued? Yes, that would include the Arabs and their coaches from the New Israel Fund and Appease aka Peace sic Now.

The so-called "compromise" for Migron is a travesty!

Let's use the courts to get real justice!

Freedom of Religion, NOT in JORDAN, Where are the Protests?

2012-01-22T07:24:00.001+02:00

Man praying in public bus.

According to one of the basic Jewish Laws, a man is to pray wearing T'fillin every day. In many parts of the world it's common to see shlichim, emissaries from Chabad offering Jewish men the chance to do the mitzvah, even if it's just once with borrowed T'fillin.

Every Monday, Thursday and Rosh Chodesh, you'll see Bar Mitzvah celebrations at the Kotel in which all (most would be a more accurate word I guess) of the men over the age of thirteen with their T'fillin on head and arm.

Any country that forbids men from taking T'fillin into its borders is crossing the line of basic human freedom of religion. All international human, civil and religious rights group should be up in alarm about those countries. One of them is Jordan. For some very strange reason, Arab and Muslim countries are coated in Teflon when it comes to human rights. They have no problems getting away with human/religious/civil rights offenses, especially when it comes to discriminating against Jews.

Jordan also bans Israelis from bringing in food with them. This is a problem for Jews who only eat kosher food, since they have to buy everything in Jordan from Jordanian shops which aren't kosher.

Now, in all honesty, considering the ban of necessary prayer "equipment" and kosher food difficulties, I don't see the point of going to Jordan and giving money to the Jordanian economy. And I'd like to see some official protests by Israeli, Jewish and international civil/human/religious rights organizations, especially by those funded by the United Nations. Let's see some official sanctions against Jordan!

Latma, Jewish terror and anti Arab discrimination strikes again

2012-01-21T18:29:00.003+02:00

Here's the latest from Latma.

I features a song about the Israeli media, "Lie, Lie, Lie."

Latma is a project of Caroline Glick.

Rami Levi Stores, Not Just Cheap Chicken and Cabbage

2012-01-20T07:38:00.002+02:00

I'll be cross-posting this on me-ander.

As you know, I work in Yafiz, which is the chain of clothing stores owned by the Rami Levi discount supermarket chain. My store is located in Sha'ar Binyamin, the shopping center (like those built in the USA suburbs during the 1950's) just northeast of Jerusalem, in the Mateh Binyamin, Benjamin Regional Council.

Yesterday just before signing out from work and going into the supermarket for a few items, the buzz was that Pnina Rosenblum, Israel's rags to riches cosmetics industrialist and politician was expected in the supermarket.

My husband would tell you that I rarely admit I'm wrong (maybe because I'm usually right) but when it comes to Rosenblum, I must admit that I was wrong. When I first began seeing pictures of her at all sorts of events, I'd call her the bimbo. In the end she has proven to be anything but. She's a blond, but bimbo she isn't.

I had never noticed, but apparently the Pnina Rosenblum cosmetics, soaps etc are marketed in the Rami Levi store.

I could hear her complimenting the managers on the display. Now, our branch of Rami Levi, like most discount supermarkets, isn't a fancy place. It also doesn't sell high end items. Rosenblum's products and general philosophy match Rami Levi's. When she decided to go into politics, she didn't choose an elitist Leftist ideology and party. Today she's an active member of the Likud and even served as a Likud MK for a short time.

Rosenblum didn't enter the supermarket with an entourage of aides and photographers. That impressed me. I took these pictures from "discrete" distances using the zoom.

Seconds after putting away my camera, she came right up to me, as if offering a good shot, but I didn't take it.

The most humorous part of this visit was overhearing the other customers talking about her. Many hadn't a clue as to who she is and why she was there. One person explained to another that she's a Likud politician and was flabbergasted when told that she's a cosmetics industrialist.

As I've mentioned frequently, "timing is in the Hand (Power) of G-d, Siyata D'Shmaya. Yesterday was certainly an example. Why else would I have ended up working that day, and shopping at exactly that time? And the icing on the cake was that just as I got on line to pay, I saw my next door neighbor on the next line, and yes, he took me home. Thank G-d, G-d is Great!

Shabbat Shalom to Everyone

News! Jews Finally Allowed to Travel/Drive on Adam- Atarot Road

2012-01-19T21:13:00.000+02:00

OK, it's only for three hours for a start, but on Wednesday, January 18, 2012, the road from the Adam Junction to Atarot and northern Jerusalem was open to Jewish traffic during rush hour, on a trial basis.

For the past few years, Jew have been banned from traveling on that road because the Arabs had attacked Jews there. OK, it doesn't make much sense to punish the victims and give victory to the terrorists, but since when can you find logic in Israel's policies when it comes to Jewish rights? During this time, there was apartheid on the roads. Arabs could go on whatever road was more convenient, and Jews are still restricted. But what do you hear from the faux human rights groups, foreign diplomats and the media? You hear that Arabs are discriminated against and forbidden to travel on most roads.

Not long ago there were soldiers stationed at the junction whose job it was to davka keep Jews off of the road. I was once a passenger in a car that had been warned away.

Davka, on Wednesday I traveled to Jerusalem and saw the Jews being signalled that they can drive on that road. Here are two pictures I took.

In recent months the Benjamin Regional Council, just north of Jerusalem where the junction is located, has been making great strides in reducing the early morning rush hour traffic jams. I only travel to Jerusalem once a week during those hours, but I've seen an enormous improvement, reduction in travel time.

Anti-Government, Israeli Media Campaign, Brainwashing

2012-01-19T07:06:00.000+02:00

During my trips to the states, I enjoy seeing how much more expensive it would be for me to live there. The fruits and vegetables I live on here and that have helped me rid my body of 15 extra kilo (over 30 pounds) would be awfully expensive. The cost and complications of health insurance in America are also outrageous. For sure my university educated daughters would have graduated deeply in debt if they had attempted to get their degrees in the United States. A good Jewish education for five children would have had been a luxury there, too. And maybe there would have had been fewer kids if we hadn't taken the boat (Greek Lines, Anna Marie) to live our lives in Israel two months after our wedding...

So, I really can't stand the anti-Israeli Government campaign I hear on the news here all the time. They keep quoting all sorts of "studies" claiming that life here is more expensive than a host of other places. I don't agree. Most of the time they compare apples to pears or more like SuperSol prices from Israel to Costco.

Another distortion is what foods are chosen for the "sample basket." If you live on prepared foods and fancy breakfast cereals, yes, it would be cheaper in the states and many other places. But if you buy simple, natural foods and lots of fruits and vegetables in season, then it can easily be cheaper here in Israel.

An enormous difference is in health insurance. Americans don't expect health coverage from birth to death. Only some full-time workers can expect their employers to offer some sort of health insurance. Part-time workers there have no coverage, certainly nothing like the standard health insurance available to all Israelis whether working full-time, part-time or not at all. Most standard medications here in Israel are subsidized. The Tipat Chalav, Well-Baby Clinics are legendary for their excellent care here in Israel.

Just being logical, pragmatic, I consider my life here in Israel superior to anything I could have gotten any place else.

The Israeli media is brainwashing the public against the State of Israel

There's a War Goin On. We're Being Attacked!

2012-01-18T21:07:00.000+02:00

6:45pm: Qassam rocket fired from Gaza hits south of Ashkelon city in IsraelQassamCount

Qassam rocket hits south of Ashkelon

Why blame the rocket?

Rockets/Qassams aren't self-propelled.
Those qassams must be aimed and launched by human beings.

The same goes for any other weapon. Don't blame the weapon, even if it's an atomic bomb.

There has always been an element of surprise in our most successful military battles. I don't see how all the announcements of impending war are to our advantage. Stop talking and kill the enemy!

Never Dull in the International Media "Information" War, For Good and For Bad

2012-01-18T05:22:00.000+02:00

I'll start with something good. That's Fred Taub's new project, Pepy's Coffee Shop, a humorous hasbara Information effort. I guess he's basing it on the fact that

"You catch more flies with honey than vinegar."

Check out Pepy's specials.

On a totally different note, I got calls yesterday when I was out and offline (not being one who carries my internet life along with me) that the international anti-Israel internet terrorists had hacked into the Shiloh website among other more prominent Israeli sites. I guess that puts us in good company. Why would anyone outside of Shiloh really consider it an important site?

The Bottom Line, Do The Republicans Want to Win and Does The Israeli Government Want to Defeat the Arab Terrorists?

2012-01-17T07:19:00.000+02:00

As a high school EFL English Teacher, one of the things I've had to teach has been how to find the main idea of a passage and how to summarize. These are related skills too often ignored.

Too many people get lost in the maze, see the trees, not the forest and don't quite know where they should be going and how to get there.

Four years ago, in the United States, I had the distinct impression that the Republican leaders, the Bush dynasty fans/workers, were ambivalent at best about the McCain-Palin ticket. That's one of the main reasons why it did so poorly in the elections against Obama. I wonder if the Republican Party has learned its lesson. At this point, they should be working harder at supporting one candidate and a suitable running mate who will run against Obama, rather than still fighting each other.

It reminds me too much of how the Israeli Government refuses to recognize the dangers we're in from Arab terrorism. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu continues with his quest at any cost for peace with the Arabs. Here and there he'll say something true about the Arabs' intentions, but then he returns to the mind-numbing mantra about the possibility of a "...chance for peace...."

Unfortunately, we have a Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, who is investing more time fighting Jewish patriots than Arab terrorists. There is no excuse for this! Would he and Bibi dare to attack Arabs the way he attacks innocent Jewish families living in Judea and Samaria?

These policies only weaken us, especially in front of our Arab enemies whose aim is to destroy us.

The government also prosecutes Israelis, civilians and soldiers who stand up for their rights.

We shouldn't care about what the world says and thinks. They don't care about us. The bottom line is that we must do what's best for Israeli security and not follow the rule (perverse morality) of the Left.

Just Before The Riots

2012-01-16T07:48:00.001+02:00

Yesterday, as I was peacefully strolling from the Shmuel Hanavi junction to downtown (center) Jerusalem, I began to notice more and more chareidim gathering on the street the closer I got to Kikar Shabbat (Square.) I figured that some important rabbi had just died and they were getting ready for a funeral. My cell phone is a telephone only, so I couldn't check the internet and didn't think it important enough to warrant a phone call.

There aren't any big chareidi rabbis whose funeral I would attend, so I really didn't see the point of finding out what the occasion was. Also, women don't join the mobs/crowds in those neighborhoods, Me'ah She'arim, Geula etc.

Then I realized that the crowd seemed a bit too young and tense for a funeral, and the police were gathering, too. I debated taking pictures. Years ago, photographers were routinely attacked in those neighborhoods for daring to make human images. But things have changed. I saw lots of people (yes, young chareidim) taking pictures, another reason I began to doubt that it was a funeral, so I very discretely whipped out my camera for just a couple of shots.

Over to my left, from Me'ah She'arim, I noticed a large garbage bin had been set alight. That was a good reason to pick up my pace and get to the safety of Jaffa Road as quickly as possible.

Soon after I made it out of there rioters took over the streets of Geula and Me'ah She'arim protesting the arrest of crooks, con artists, who have been stealing from charities.

Violent demonstrations took hold of the capital’s Mea She’arim neighborhood on Sunday afternoon, following the arrest of six haredi men earlier in the day. The men were arrested on suspicion of embezzling charitable funds, money laundering, tax evasion and other tax offenses.

It really bothers me that there's a Pavlovian protest/riot reaction among the chareidim against the authorities when one of them is arrested. They should be angry at the crooks, not the police. It's obvious that they can't police themselves within the community. Stealing from charities, abusing power etc are all against the Torah. Full beards and long black coats can hide a multitude of sins.

There are many good, sincere, Torah and G-d loving people among the chareidim who should be outraged at the corruption of the few. Those men I saw on the streets and who rioted later on should have been busy studying and praying that their friends repent. There was no excuse for the riots and damage to public property.

It's Not "Chinese" to The Chinese, or "Greek" to the Greeks

2012-01-15T08:04:00.000+02:00

It's perfectly clear to me why China is the perfect place for the hasbara, information campaign Dry Bones is involved with.

Israel’s enemies try to erase the pre-1948 history of the Jews in the Land of Israel. But China has not yet been infected with this denial of Jewish History.

We propose to inoculate the 1.3 billion Chinese against this modern libel with exciting, popular, online, and free to download apps and eBooks …in a form and with content that will appeal to both the Chinese establishment and Chinese university students alike.

Yup! A unique project to bring China and the Jews closer together through educational, digital, Chinese-language, graphic works written and drawn by award-winning Dry Bones cartoonist, scholar, and political analyst Yaakov Kirschen (me)

There aren't too many peoples, cultures, societies that have existed for thousands of years. There are the Jews and there are the Chinese and probably a couple of others. But that's it! Other countries, peoples, cultures, religions, etc are just in their infancy in comparison. And just like babies don't comprehend things the way adults do, the rest of the world can't get it into their heads that we're not the same.

Jewish History, well-documented in writing and science, archeology, is thousands of years old. This is beyond the comprehension of younger nations. Just like no matter how clever my grandchildren are, I wouldn't dare say that they can read and write on the level of an adult.

Even the European countries, which are much older than the American ones, haven't reached their adolescence compared to the Jewish Nation.

The Jewish religion, Judaism, predates Christianity and Islam. Both of those tried to replace us, aka identity theft. They may have more believers, but we're still alive and kicking. And unlike any other religion, we're also a People and Nation.

This may not make much sense to others, just like I don't understand Chinese and Greek, but it's the truth. There is one Jewish People/nation/religion and we're the only ones who have a right to our Land and History. I wish Ya'akov Kirschen aka Dry Bones a lot of luck on his project.

It's Latma Time! Yair Lapid, The Latest "Free Centre Party." Remember Them?

2012-01-14T19:11:00.001+02:00

The Israeli Political Scene isn't as boring as the American one. Two political parties have dominated American politics for over a century, the Republicans and the Democrats, but Israel is different, very different. We give our voters a choice, a real choice. Almost every election there's a new political party that seems to answer the needs, desires, fantasies of the voters And very much like cotton candy or an elegant souffle, the Free Centre, Black Panthers and Gil aka Pensioners and more, ad nauseum, they don't last all that long. They end up more like bubble gum all over the voters' face.

The media here in Israel loves the Lapid family, Tommy and little Yair. Here's Latma's take...

Cruelty to Children

2012-01-13T09:04:00.000+02:00

What if the Israeli Government would barge into the apartment of illegal foreign workers, rouse them and their children in the middle of the night, destroy their possessions and force the residents, men, women and children into the cold rainy night?

It's obvious what would happen:

All of the Israeli human rights groups would protest.
The media would be enraged and publicize the inhuman cruelty.
Lots of MK's and wannabes would protest, make speeches, write op-eds, get interviewed in the media etc.
Educators and academics would protest, talking about the permanent emotional harm these attacks by the cruel Israeli government.

Nu, something similar did happen, and not for the first time. But it didn't happen to illegal foreign workers in Israel. It happened to Israeli citizens. Defense Minister Ehud Barak, with the full support of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu have gone to war against Jews. I guess we here here in Israel have no security problems, no enemies or Arab terrorists for the army to be concerned with.

Just like Barak and his band of human rights terrorists did in Alei Ayin, Migron and too many other sites to list here (you're invited to add them and links in the comments,) yesterday a cold dawn witnessed Barak and Netanyahu's most recent destruction of Jewish homes in Mitzpeh Avichai.

Read Arlene Kushner's reaction:

But that's not what happened last night in Mitzpe Avichai, outside of Kiryat Arba (which is itself adjacent to Hevron). Police and representatives of the civil administration, after first blocking roads, came in the small hours of the morning, roused families from their beds, ordered them outside and destroyed their temporary homes. There was a light rain falling and the temperature was close to the freezing point. Ten structures were destroyed, nine of which were inhabited. I believe the tenth was a synagogue. Among the families so evicted were several children and babies. The Flaishman family, by itself, for example, has seven children. Miriam, the mother of these children, said, "They arrived in the middle of the night. It was brutal. I woke up after they broke down the door and were already in the living room." This is simply unacceptable.

Please voice yours wherever possible.

May there be a Shabbat Shalom

PS I had been wondering why none of the predicted rain had fallen yesterday. Rain here in the HolyLand is a gift from G-d. No doubt that G-d punished us by drying the clouds.

"Occupied?" "Apartheid?" Some Middle-East Truths

2012-01-12T08:53:00.002+02:00

"...the principle which is quite true in itself that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily," This and similar lines in Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it..." Joseph Goebbels

In today's world, the Left and numerous anti-Israel and antisemitic groups also play the mind-control game. Even in Israel the techniques are being used by the media to change perceptions of reality. That's how they control the United Nations.

Thank G-d today there are groups like UN Watch, Palestinian Media Watch, NGO Monitor, IMRA and similar groups which work hard and very professionally to try to counteract all the lies. At this moment some of them are having internet problems and I can't get into the sites.

I live in Shiloh, and I know the roads and life here. Arabs move around freely, but Jews are restricted. If there's apartheid, we Jews are the ones who have restricted movement, not the Arabs.

Häagen-Dazs, Faux Mehadrin sic Buses and the Sin of Taking on Nazirut

2012-01-11T21:50:00.000+02:00

Even within the world of Torah Observant Jews, who follow Laws of Kashrut, Shabbat, Taharat Mishpacha (Family Purity Laws) etc there are many disagreements among the rabbis and Torah scholars.

Today the Jewish World was abuzz with a news report questioning the kashrut of Häagen-Dazs ice cream. The Jerusalem Post headline grabbed everyone's attention by claiming that it isn't kosher. The situation is very different. It all goes back to whether or not all milk needs kashrut supervision. The OU has always followed the psak of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein who considered American food law, which forbids adding anything to cows milk as making the milk perfectly permissible for Jews.The European food laws are different, so in Europe many Torah observant Jews are strict about only having dairy products that are Chalav Yisrael. Israeli kashrut groups used to mostly follow the American psak, but now more people want Chalav Yisrael, and that's how Häagen-Dazs is becoming controversial. It's not Chalav Yisrael, but that doesn't make it traif.The Jerusalem Post, which has come out against the so-called Mehadrin buses that require that women sit in the back, is suddenly sympathetic to the traif accusations against Häagen-Dazs.

I don't think legislating separate seating in buses is very Mehadrin in the Derech Eretz department. Instead of young men being taught to get up for an older or pregnant woman and giving her his seat, they're being taught that women belong in the back of the bus.

And this brings me to one of the courses I've been studying at Matan this year, Change of Course and Course of Change: Sefer B´Midbar, by Atara Snowbell. We've spent the past few weeks studying the pros and cons of taking on the status of נזירות Nazirut.There is no Mitzvah Torah Commandment to become a Nazir, Nazirite. It's a very problematic vow and commitment. In non-Temple times there's no way of even ending it, which goes against the thirty day limit. The Nazir takes on prohibitions, not cutting one's hair, no eating or drinking any product that is derived from grapes and not having any contact with a dead body.

When the thirty days are over, the Nazir must end it.

At the end of a person’s nazirite period, there were certain atonement offerings he needed to bring to the Temple. The Talmud asks: why should a nazirite, who essentially has taken upon himself voluntary prohibitions beyond the letter of the law, be required to seek atonement? What sin did he commit? One Talmudic opinion suggests that the fact that he denied himself the pleasure of drinking wine is considered sinful.

The ceremony includes having his hair cut and drinking wine. Continuing with the restrictions is totally forbidden. Judaism isn't a religion that celebrates suffering and deprivation.

As we began to finish off the discussion about it, I thought of those who do an extreme "diet health cleansing" and instead of following it with a regular eating regime continue the cleansing, become anorexic and destroy their health and even die.

A Torah Observant life is all G-d is asking from us.

Proof of Jewish History in the HolyLand

2012-01-11T05:35:00.000+02:00

Most of the world is willing to create any lie possible to try to prove that we Jews have no real right to a state in this part of the world, or any to be exact. The British, with the support and cooperation of the League of Nations invented new countries, like Jordan, to take our Land. Then they and the United Nations invented a new custom-tailored "people" to supplant and terrorize us here, the Palestinians sic. Every once in a while, archeologists inadvertantly discover another physical proof of an Ancient Jewish Nation. I live in Shiloh, the Biblical City, where it's easy to prove the Biblical descriptions. The latest news from the archeological front is that A Stamp with the Temple Menorah was Uncovered in Excavations near Akko.

This is the same sort, shape of Menorah that has been used as a Jewish symbol for thousands of years.

The seven light menorah was used in the Holy Temple. It's the traditional symbol of Judaism, not the today's more popular "Jewish Star," which graces the center of the Israeli Flag.

We have the history and the proof. Whoever denies it is lying.

Nothing's Really New, The News and Parshat Shavua, Torah Portion of the Week

2012-01-10T08:15:00.000+02:00

I'm one of those who loves reading Dry Bones, especially when he posts old cartoons which are so up-to-date, like this one from ten years ago on Appeasement.

If Bones (Ya'akov Kirschen) had been creating cartoons during World War Two, he could have substituted "Hitler" for the "PLO." Their aims are/were the same, to rid the world of Jews. And the so-call civilized western world were silent aka acquiesced.

This week's Parshat Shavua, Torah Portion of the Week is Sh'mot Exodus. It tells the story of an ancient attempt at a Holocaust, destruction of the Jewish community/clan that was in Egypt. At that point in time, the Jewish People were all together, not scattered over the world. They had been invited to Egypt by a previous Pharaoh as a way of thanking Joseph (one of the tribe) for administering food supplies during a long famine.

The Bible tells us that the Jewish People rapidly increased during its time in Egypt.

Exodus Chapter 1 שְׁמוֹתז וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ וַיַּעַצְמוּ--בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד; וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ, אֹתָם. {פ} 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. {P}

It's rather ironic that suddenly in Egypt the women didn't suffer from the infertility problems described in Bereishit, Genesis. All of our matriarchs, Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah had periods of painful, worrying infertility, and suddenly in Egypt, davka, we're told of a hard to believe birthrate. It's important to remember that in modern times, pre-State of Israel and in its early days, all of the experts predicting that the Arabs would soon overpopulate the state and take over. Instead, the Jewish population has increased beyond all predictions, and the Arab family size has decreased.We're in Shiloh for thirty years already, and from the beginning we've heard that we should be prepared to leave, but a second and third generation of Jewish families are already living here in the yishuvim, Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria, going to the same schools, etc. The "experts" aren't G-d. G-d has other plans for us.When I contrast the earlier Biblical stories about infertility, I have no doubt there must have been a vow by the women to do everything, even risk their lives to have more children, if only G-d would open their wombs. That's why the midwives defied Pharoah.

טו וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, לַמְיַלְּדֹת הָעִבְרִיֹּת, אֲשֶׁר שֵׁם הָאַחַת שִׁפְרָה, וְשֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִית פּוּעָה. 15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah; טז וַיֹּאמֶר, בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן אֶת-הָעִבְרִיּוֹת, וּרְאִיתֶן, עַל-הָאָבְנָיִם: אִם-בֵּן הוּא וַהֲמִתֶּן אֹתוֹ, וְאִם-בַּת הִוא וָחָיָה. 16 and he said: 'When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, ye shall look upon the birthstool: if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.' יז וַתִּירֶאןָ הַמְיַלְּדֹת, אֶת-הָאֱלֹהִים, וְלֹא עָשׂוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֲלֵיהֶן מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם; וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ, אֶת-הַיְלָדִים. 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men-children alive. יח וַיִּקְרָא מֶלֶךְ-מִצְרַיִם, לַמְיַלְּדֹת, וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶן, מַדּוּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה; וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ, אֶת-הַיְלָדִים. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them: 'Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive?' יט וַתֹּאמַרְןָ הַמְיַלְּדֹת אֶל-פַּרְעֹה, כִּי לֹא כַנָּשִׁים הַמִּצְרִיֹּת הָעִבְרִיֹּת: כִּי-חָיוֹת הֵנָּה, בְּטֶרֶם תָּבוֹא אֲלֵהֶן הַמְיַלֶּדֶת וְיָלָדוּ. 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh: 'Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwife come unto them.' כ וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים, לַמְיַלְּדֹת; וַיִּרֶב הָעָם וַיַּעַצְמוּ, מְאֹד. 20 And God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

Think about the fact that most religions are passed on via the fathers, but Judaism is passed on via the mothers. That is how G-d thanks women for rescuing male babies during the time of slavery to Pharaoh in Egypt. The women were physically slaves but mentally, religiously free. They followed and feared G-d.

Today we have a State of Israel, but we're being governed by politicians who are slaves to western mentality and human ideologies. We have a long way to go to be truly free.

With Those Arabs, There Can't Be Peace

2012-01-09T08:39:00.000+02:00

The other day, I found myself watching an episode of the TV show "24," and I couldn't stop laughing. No, it's not a comedy, certainly not intentionally by the screenwriters. It's a very tense drama, but there was some dialogue that ran so true, I thought I was eavesdropping on high-ranking politicians/diplomats/policy-makers. One character, Jack Bauer, was looking on incredulously while the other Allison Taylor, who is supposed to be President of the USA, was insisting that his actions would damage the "peace process." She was part of negotiations to "bring peace" to a part of the world that "never had peace before." Granted, I'm paraphrasing from memory.

How many times have international and Israeli politicians/diplomats said the same fantasy-filled junk/lies?

"Happily ever after" may be the perfect ending to a fictional fairy tale, book or movie, but in real life we have enemies who can't change their "stripes," feelings, ideologies, psyches etc. Israel has Arab enemies who aren't shy about telling the truth. They want to destroy us! Ignoring this easy to verify fact is the biggest danger to world peace than any other thing going on in the world today! In real life people are murdered by terrorists. It's irreversible.

Caroline Glick's article about the "land for peace hoax" is a must-read. Another necessary read is PMW, Palestinian Media Watch, which is now also in עברית Hebrew.

Will there ever be peace? G-d willing, in the future there will be peace, but it's not something we can "buy," negotiate etc. True peace will evolve, when the Arabs realize that we are strong and can't be budged. So, the truth is that, yes, peace is up to us, but being "nice" won't get us peace.

Only if we're strong, determined and faithful to G-d and our Land will we have true peace!

Journalist Giulio Meotti calls for rejection of Judeo-Christian blend

2012-01-08T14:57:00.002+02:00

Posted by Jewish Israel

Giulio Meotti, a fiercely pro-Israel and very articulate Italian journalist, recently conjured up memories of Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik's stance on interfaith relations. Meotti called for a rejection of the "Judeo Christian blend". However he also continued to call for Israel to ally herself with evangelical Christians while neglecting to note that the pro-Israel evangelical enterprise largely aspires towards a "Judeo-Christian" fusion.

Meotti's call for a separation of faiths can be seen as a brilliant strategic move by advocates of the interfaith partnership, or as somewhat disingenuous and suspect by those who oppose the faith-driven coalition.

Jewish Israel welcomes the call for red lines, but sees things a little differently. Does Giulio Meotti perhaps have something else up his sleeve?...more

Squeezing Myself Back Into HH Hosting

2012-01-08T11:11:00.000+02:00

cross-posted on me-ander

According to Ya'aqov, this must be #342 of Havel Havelim. Just doing a quick calculation; it seems like this veteran weekly blog carnival must be about ten years old by now. It was started by Soccer Dad who hung up his blogging mitts a few years ago. He passed the buck, the baton, the torch whatever on to Jack who has been lost in his random thoughts of late.

So the bottom line is that HH is rather rudderless at present, but you can't hold a good blog carnival down...

Here's the spiel:

Havel Havelim is the most veteran of the jblogger carnivals and probably one of the longest running blog carnivals there is. Blog carnivals are like "floating" internet magazines. They float from blog to blog, like "floating crap games," l'havdil.

Havel Havelim, the international jblog carnival, was established by Soccer Dad, and is now run by Jack. The term “Havel Havelim” is from Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, which was written by King Solomon, who built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other “excesses” and finally realized that it was nothing but norishkeit, “havel” or in English “vanities.” I think that King Solomon and his father King David were the original "bloggers." The books they wrote, when you take them chapter by chapter, can easily be described as blog posts. The stones they used to write on made them last, so that we can read them now. I doubt if today's technology will preserve our words for so long.

There are two other jblogger carnivals, the Kosher Cooking Carnival and JPIX which showcase everything about kosher food and picture posts with Jewish themes. If you're interested in hosting a KCC, please contact me, for JPIX Leora and for HH Jack.

Blog carnival has been limping along, and now for months. It hasn't been sending out the links to the hosts, but carnival owners can still access the instacarnival, so I still recommend sending them your posts and to be double safe also join the facebook page and find out who's the next host, and then message or email the host. And who's the next host? Good question. But don't let that stop you from sending us links. Just put hh in the "subject." I'll post a PS when I get more more news.

And now on with the show!

Let's start with the good news! A מזל טוב mazal tov to Heshy Frum Satire Fried, who just got engaged!

LadyLight reviews Rabbi Trugman's (of Ohr Chadash) new commentary on the Torah, Orchard of Delights and really enjoyed it.
Shari blogs about her feelings living here in Israel, truth behind the headlines.
Sharon shows us security walls. Some are even pretty!
Shoshanah complains about difficulties for handicapped olim. If anyone can help, contact her in the comments. She also helps needy kallot; read all about it.
Ricki's mom gives us a very important reminder. Highly recommended
Read about Miriam's winter gardening.
Susan gives good advice re: antibiotics and the importance of consulting with a pharmacist.
Here's something serious from Jenifer about kids growing up.
West Bank Mama predicts war in Gaza.
It's summer time in Baleboostehland.

Miriyummy blogs about knitting not cooking this time.
Rafi G. lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh, so if you want to know what's happening from a first person perspective, check out his Life in Israel.

Here's a little halacha lesson from Leora and her new Mayor, Gary Minkoff.
I've been trying to make sense out of the new Jerusalem bus routes which aim to get force travelers to take the lightrail.

Seraphic Secret and I both blogged about turbans. I prefer them, wrapped scarves and kerchiefs, to other hair-covering options.
Love of the Land is a good source for pro-Land of Israel articles. Here's one by Naftali Bennett.
Elder of Ziyon tells the truth about the fake refugees of 1948.
Ruti hits the perfect note in her article about kol isha, the sound of women's voices.

How's this for a tongue twister? "Risa's red mailbox in Rechovot"
Ima 2 Seven writes of the problem in Nachlaot.
doc writes about a serious problem, choosing a guardian for her child.
Frume Sarah writes about an organization that gives a break to families who have a special needs child, Refua V’Chayim.
Paula writes about Shabbat. I can't imagine a life without it, even though I wasn't raised with it at all.

The multi-lingual Ilana-Davita gives advice about learning a language.
Shelly's goal is Ahavat Chinan.
Our Shiputzim blogged food while fasting.
Read Pesky's history lesson.
I blogged about how healthy laughter is and the Rebbetzin's Husband wrote about the importance of 8 hugs a day.
My husband criticizes Daniel Kurtzer's policy towards Israel. He also sees improvement in American policy.
Hadassa's kids are growing up, but she still posted about babyproofing. Is that a hint?
The bima ima seems too busy reading to blog.
Shirat Devorah bakes challah in memory of her sister.

And let the show go on. Please share this far and wide and visit all the blogs and comment etc. Thanks to all of you.

You Need a Sense of Humor

2012-01-08T06:59:00.000+02:00

As doctors have been admitting for a few decades already, it's healthy to laugh. Laughing (and just even smiling) releases a type of hormone, chemical in the body which can be even more effective than artificial medicines in fighting certain diseases.

Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

Haven't we all said that the news and politicians make us sick?

Thank G-d there are some very good antidotes on youtube. As you know, I am a fan of Latma and post their shows every week. Latma is probably modeled on PJ Media, aka Pajamas Media, which being American, is much larger. That's because the United States is much, much larger and has greater problems. To prove my point, watch some PJ Media ~~stand-up comedians~~ commentators:

These two are more serious, but they're still worth listening to...

Latma Gets it Right!!

2012-01-07T18:03:00.000+02:00

This week's Latma:

In this week's Tribal Update we interview Haaretz columnist Demon Levy about his surprise defense of Haredim, we present a public service message for the IQ deficient, the average Israeli discusses a certain sector and Bibi shows his feelings about the Supreme Court.

Latma is a project of Caroline Glick, who writes the best opinion pieces in the Jerusalem Post. Read her latest "The Land For Peace Hoax."

Building, Jerusalem, Shiloh, Now and Biblical Times

2012-01-06T07:42:00.000+02:00

Forty years ago when we lived in Bayit v'Gan, Jerusalem, my father was impressed. There was so much building going on in Jerusalem compared to Long Island, New York. And when he lived with us two years ago, he loved walking around our Shiloh neighborhood admiring the new houses under construction.

Our Bayit v'Gan apartment had an amazing view over most of Jerusalem. We could see buildings sprout before our eyes. When we moved in the shikunei elef Hebrew University Givat Ram dorms were naked, bare rectangles marring the landscape, but by the time we moved to Shiloh, ten years later, they were well camouflaged in green to match the landscape. The "Omariya plot" only got one of the giant towers which had been planned for it. The valley between Bayit v'Gan and Beit HaKerem was empty; off to the right we could see the tiny Givat Mordechai and the orchards between it and HU. I could watch my children play in the nearby playground from the kitchen merpeset. There was an empty lot between us. The year we decided to look for a yishuv, everything began to change, especially when they built an apartment house in the empty lot.

In Jerusalem birds now compete with heavy, high building apparatus, and enormous building projects are changing the landscape. I walk a lot in Jerusalem and have to replace landmarks in my memory to navigate around.

The house being built across the street from us changes daily. I can't wait until I see neighbors actually living in it.

During recent Rosh Chodesh (monthly) visits to Tel Shiloh for prayers, Miryam Blum, of Eli, regales us with information she "sees" from the ancient stones, building blocks all over the site.

Next month's Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers at Tel Shiloh, (please publicize, thanks):

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh

Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat

Wednesday, January 25, 2011

8:30am

Shiur Torah, Short Tour & Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים

ראש חודש שבט בתל שילה

יום ד' 25-1 8:30

יהיו סיור ודבר תורה קצרים

נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

You're welcome to join our facebook page. Tel Shiloh is open to visitors daily. Tours can be arranged through the office. Email telshilo@gmail.com or phone 02-994-4019.

Is the Primary System Making it Harder For Republicans to Choose an Electable Candidate?

2012-01-05T20:09:00.000+02:00

I remember the United States Political Conventions from when I was a kid. They were held every four years in the summer, just before Presidential Elections to choose the party's candidate. You didn't have primaries then; I think that a few states had a party caucus for party members to vote/choose. The delegates from each state were generally instructed which candidate would get their vote. There was some suspense, because political "wheeler dealers" made the big decisions.

Put simply, the elite of the party activists chose the candidates. They had their criteria, favors owed, ideology and electability.

The general public would get their choice later. They would vote for either the Republican or Democratic candidate. Today some states don't require party membership to vote in the primaries, which means that the results may be distorted.

One of the advantages of the old system was that for the most part it kept out extremists. They looked for someone who had a chance to be elected. I don't think that a Ron Paul would have a chance. Actually, this present system in which most states hold primaries is working against the Republicans. They still have too many candidates and could find themselves post-primaries with a candidate who hasn't a chance to win. There's only room for two on the ticket, a President and a Vice-President. So Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum must stop fighting each other.

If the party really wants to get into the White House, they ought to find a way to solidify the ticket and start marketing it.

Jews Attacked by Jews, Davka at the Dawn of the Tenth of Tevet

2012-01-05T11:29:00.000+02:00

Today's the Tenth of Tevet, a day of mourning and fasting. It commemorates "the beginning of the end..." It was the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem

Tevet 10

In 424 BCE, Babylonia King Nebuchadnezzar began his siege of Jerusalem. Actually, there was little damage on that first day and no Jews were killed, yet it began a chain of disasters which ended with the destruction of the Holy Temple. The 10th of Tevet is still observed today by Jews as a public fast day, as mentioned by the prophet Zechariah (8:19). One year after Nebuchadnezzar's siege, on this date in 423 BCE, Jeremiah purchased a field and prophesized that "Houses, fields and vineyards will yet again be bought in this land" (Jeremiah 32:15). This gave hope to generations of Jews for a return to the Holy Land -- a prophecy that we have seen fulfilled in modern times. (from aish.com)

We fast every year to remember, to learn from it. So why are we so "thick?" Why hasn't the Jewish People and the State of Israel learned anything even after thousands of years?

At about 4:00 AM Thursday, residents of Havat Gilad said, a group of armed, masked men broke into two homes, frightening the residents, who thought they were under attack. The masked men left behind the orders. A spokesperson for Havat Gilad said that “this operation was another example of the humiliation residents of Yesha are forced to undergo daily by the Defense Minister and his messengers, under the aegis of the Prime Minister.” (complete article)

This is so outrageous! What is this going to become, the Argentina of thirty years ago, G-d forbid?

"Masked men" representing the Israeli Government?
Persecuting people for their patriotism?
"Idealogical crimes?"

Our country, the State of Israel is in danger and the government is going after Jews, not terrorists.

We have a long way to go... G-d willing, we'll find the right way to be good, strong, proud and loyal Jews. That will strengthen the State of Israel and guarantee our survival.

No Coffee Tomorrow, Jewish Fast Day, Tenth of Tevet

2012-01-04T21:44:00.000+02:00

Tomorrow is the Tenth of the Jewish Month of Tevet, aka Asara b'Tevet. It's a fast day, a day of mourning and grief. It should be a lesson to us all.

One of the tragedies commemorated on the 10th of Tevet is the first recorded sin of sinat chinam (baseless hatred) to affect the Jewish people - the sale of Yosef which took place on that day.

We know that we are still in exile because we have not overcome the sin of sinat chinam.

There have been and still are terrible acts like this in the recent past and in the present, Jew against Jew.

Background of the fast:

The Jewish People were already half exiled from their land. Nebuchadnetzer had taken King Yehoyachin and the Prophet Ezekial into captivity. In their place, Nebuchadnetzer had left as king in Jerusalem, Tzedkiyahu the son of Yehoyachin.

In Babylonia, the Jewish People began to make themselves comfortable in their exile. The prophet Ezekial chastised the Jews, that they should amend their ways and return to the customs of their fathers. However the people in exile were not interested. What would it help them?
In Jerusalem, Tzedkiyahu tried to make a coalition with the kings in nearby lands to rebel against Nebechadnetzer. However Nebechadnetzer found out and sent his general, Nevuzaradan, to take the city. In Jerusalem, the prophet Jeremiah, urged the people to return to the ways of their forefathers, but it was to no avail.

The siege began quietly, almost without any notice. The Jewish residents of the capital were secure in their fortified city. The warning of the prophet were like a joke, the words of a mad man.

The army of Nevuzeradan slowly encircled the fortified city. They closed off all entry and exit to the city. It took Nevuzaradan two and a half years to finally conquer the city.

Today we are also in danger. Every "peace" sic agreement and concession has just increased terrorism and danger. We're being ruled by short-sighted politicians who are enamoured by international praise rather than being loyal to G-d.

If all it took to get us on track to truly follow G-d, I'd gladly give up my coffee, water and food. Our security is up to G-d, not American shopping coupons aka aid sic. King David was our greatest king and greatest warrier. He understood that G-d and G-d only gave him strength:

1 Samuel Chapter 17 שְׁמוּאֵל א
מה וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד, אֶל-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, אַתָּה בָּא אֵלַי, בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית וּבְכִידוֹן; וְאָנֹכִי בָא-אֵלֶיךָ, בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, אֱלֹהֵי מַעַרְכוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר חֵרַפְתָּ. 45 Then said David to the Philistine: 'Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast taunted.
מו הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְסַגֶּרְךָ יְהוָה בְּיָדִי וְהִכִּיתִךָ, וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת-רֹאשְׁךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ, וְנָתַתִּי פֶּגֶר מַחֲנֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְחַיַּת הָאָרֶץ; וְיֵדְעוּ, כָּל-הָאָרֶץ, כִּי יֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel;

Also Chana:

1 Samuel Chapter 2 שְׁמוּאֵל א
ד קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים, חַתִּים; וְנִכְשָׁלִים, אָזְרוּ חָיִל. 4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

And the Prophet Zacharia:

Zechariah Chapter 4 זְכַרְיָה
ו וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי, לֵאמֹר, זֶה דְּבַר-יְהוָה, אֶל-זְרֻבָּבֶל לֵאמֹר: לֹא בְחַיִל, וְלֹא בְכֹחַ--כִּי אִם-בְּרוּחִי, אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת. 6 Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying: 'This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

We must unite to fight our enemies!!

If The Jordan FM Calls "Palestinian-Israeli Talks "Positive," It's Bad for Israel

2012-01-04T05:30:00.000+02:00

Hat tip: IMRA

Amman, January 3 (Petra) - Jordan on Tuesday hosted a meeting between Palestinian and Israeli officials in a bid to kick start serious and effective peace talks between the two sides to ultimately arrive at the aspired goal, which is the two-state solution.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh and Middle East peace Quartet envoys opened a meeting before being joined by Palestinian and Israeli negotiators.

The talks at the foreign ministry seek to reach common ground for resumption of direct negotiations on a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal based on the two-state solution that addresses all final status issues by the end of 2012. (complete article)

and

AMMAN, January 3, 2012 (WAFA) – Palestinian negotiators attending a Quartet meeting in the Jordanian capital Amman on Tuesday submitted proposals on security and borders to their Israeli counterparts, who took the proposals and promised to respond to them in future meetings, according to Jordan’s Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.

He said at a press conference following the conclusion of the first direct talks between Palestinians and Israeli in 16 months held in Amman that the two sides held serious and constructive talks and have agreed to hold more meetings in the future, all will be held in Jordan. (complete article)

There's no way that this can be good for Israel, its security and continued existence.

The Jerusalem Post reports it a bit differently:

Before meeting in Jordan, Abbas warns of "hard measures" if Israel doesn't accept the PA's demands; Marwan Barghouti pens letter saying the peace process has failed, calls on leadership to stop "exporting illusions."

Israel and Palestinian negotiators meeting in Amman on Tuesday for the first direct talks in 16 months agreed to continue talking, with another round scheduled in Jordan next week, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, who hosted the talks, said at a press conference after the meeting that the Palestinian delegation submitted proposals on border and security issues to Israel, and that the Israeli team took the proposals and said it would respond and present its ideas in a future meeting. One principle that Israel is expected to put forward is the need for an Israeli security presence along the Jordan River in any agreement. (complete article)

And the BBC sees it very differently:

Israel and Palestinians: 'No progress' in Jordan talks
Israeli envoy Yitzhak Molcho and Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat held talks in the Jordanian capital Amman alongside international mediators.

Officials from both sides had played down the prospect of any imminent resumption in peace talks, and the meeting ended with no breakthrough. (complete article)

What's the truth?

One thing for sure, bad news for Israel, lots more international and internal Leftist pressure to compromise basic security!

Credit Card Hacking, Financial Terrorism

2012-01-03T19:47:00.000+02:00

I may be a bit behind in the scandal. Have they (whether the banks sor the hackers) divulged/discovered the key to the hacking? How did they do get all that Israeli credit card information?

I've always been very nervous about paying for anything online. I'm almost as paranoid about that as paying by phone. I totally refuse to donate to any charity that calls me on the phone. It's so easy to scam, cheat people. Anyone can say they're calling for -charity/yeshiva etc. There's no way to investigate a voice.

There's a line in the Israel HaYom article that has me wondering:

One list contains the credit card information of 65 purported Zionists, who purchased "stuff from Judaism web site," the hackers wrote. Another list included the details of more than 500 people who "donated to Israeli Zionist rabbis."

They must have hacked into the Jewish websites that sells Judaica and others that fund-raise. That's a reason to go back to checks I guess. The credit card info doesn't seem to be from the banks. Credit card companies reported that they have identified the customers whose credit card details were exposed on the Internet

Hat tip: IMRA
Here's the information and instructions from Bank of Israel, Banking Supervision Department:

Bank of Israel
Office of the Spokesperson and Economic Information
03.01.2012

Banking Supervision Department: Credit card companies reported that they
have identified the customers whose credit card details were exposed on the
Internet

As reported in the media, details of credit card customers were recently
exposed on the Internet, as a result of hackers breaking into the websites
of companies which maintained that information. Based on an initial report
submitted by credit card companies to the Banking Supervision Department,
the information was on a total of about 15,000 active cards, at the three
credit card companies—Cal (Cartisey Ashrai Le'Israel)—Israel Credit Cards;
Isracard, and Leumi Card. The Banking Supervision Department is in continuous contact with the companies in order to investigate the event, the circumstances of its occurrence, and actions being taken to deal with the occurrence.

The credit card companies reported that they have identified the cards of the customers whose details were exposed on the Internet, and the cards have been blocked for use in Internet purchases and telephone purchases. This is expected to prevent fraudulent use of the cards through these methods, following the exposure of the information. The companies are contacting the customers in order to exchange the cards that they own. Service centers of all the companies are set to provide answers to customers, and customers who suspect that their card has been misused can turn to the credit card company in order to look into the need to cancel the charge.

The Banking Supervision Department wishes to clarify that the customers will not bear responsibility for fraudulent use of the cards as a result of the exposure of their details as noted above, in accordance with the instructions of the Debit Card Law. In any case, the Banking Supervision Department recommends that customers examine the charges on their credit card statement or at the websites of the credit card companies in order to
identify transactions that they did not conduct. Any problem should be reported to the credit card companies as soon as possible.

Proof For The Police

2012-01-03T06:54:00.000+02:00

I'm a pedestrian. We don't have a car. I walk, and I walk a lot. I'll be walking even more, because I'm angry with Egged, the bus company, for selling me the wrong bus ticket on my Rav-Kav. It wasted a lot of money and they weren't willing to credit me, but that's another story. When I stormed out of the "Public Complaints" office I told the schnuks that I'm thankful that G-d gave me the good health, even at my age, to walk, and so I will do my best not to take the bus in Jerusalem, unless I really have no choice. But of course that's another story. The moral of that one is to check very carefully what you signed for and bought and for how much, even if you're risking missing a bus.

Here in Israel, even in small communities like Shiloh and Ofra, there are "cross-walks" where pedestrians are supposed to have right of way to cross the street. Too often cars and buses stop on the cross-walk making it very dangerous for pedestrians to find the room to walk or see the traffic light. After my unpleasant and unsuccessful scene at Egged, I caught two drivers breaking that law. If the Jerusalem traffic cops want, they can use these photos to ticket the drivers.

And later when I got to the Shmuel Hanavi bus stop to wait for my bus I saw a car parked there for the longest time. Yes, that, too, is forbidden by law.

Paving The Way to True Peace

2012-01-02T21:24:00.000+02:00

The key to true peace is tolerating others.
The key to true peace is the cessation of violence, terrorism.
The key to true peace is accepting that everyone has the right to live without threats of terror, violence.
The key to true peace is when everyone can practice his/her religion.

When it comes to "peace in the Middle-East" none of these requirements should be ignored. There won't be peace without them. Any proposal, requirement for a willingness to negotiate sic that demands that one side be forbidden civil, human and religious rights won't lead to peace.

Peace can't be "negotiated" when one side is out to ELIMINATE the other in every sense of the word. It's a sham, and it's a shame that our Israeli Government, led by the Likud's Binyamin Netanyahu doesn't have the guts to tell the truth.

Whether it's the "Quartet," the United Nations Obama or the Pope is the "mediator," no peace can be brokered, negotiated. Very simple, the Arabs aren't ready. They are still scheming to destroy the State of Israel and all the Jews who reside here.

True peace will only come when the world accepts and celebrates our, the Jewish right to live here in our historic Homeland.
True peace will only come when the Jewish People actively inherit The Land, conquor it, as we are commanded in the Bible.
The true most accurate indication that we are actively inheriting our Holyland is that we are building homes for Jews.

The house across the street is growing rapidly.

The more Jews build, the stronger we'll get.
The stronger we get, the more the Arabs will fear us.
The more the Arabs fear us, the safer we will be, until the day comes when the Arabs will be ready for peace, true peace.

May more and more Jews live in our Historic Homeland.

Practicing Before Getting Back into the HH Saddle

2012-01-02T07:54:00.000+02:00

It has been almost two years since I've hosted a Havel Havelim, so I'm just warming up, practicing.

Havel Havelim is the Jewish Blog Carnival. What's a "blog carnival?" I like to describe it like a floating internet magazine. HH is one of the oldest blog carnivals still traveling the international internet. It was established/started by Soccer Dad who no longer blogs. Then Jack took it over, and now it's sort of floundering, so Esser Agaroth's Ya'aqov and I are trying to get it back on track. That's why he started a Havel Havelim facebook page, which you can join. Our big question will be how to submit your links so they'll be included in Havel Havelim. I hope we'll get control of the blog carnival account, so the weekly host can receive the list from them. So, in the interim, I'm requesting that you send your link to bc and fb message or email the upcoming week's host. The info will be on the previous HH and on the fb page. Since I'm coming out of "retirement" for next week, please email me.

So, enough with all the prelude, on with the show! And don't forget to visit, comment etc all the blog posts included and share this post far and wide. Thanks!

I'm dreading fouling up all sorts of sign-ins because I just got used to 2011 and now it's 2012, but Chavi's happy that she's starting a new year. The Baleboosteh, the mother of all those gems is raising wonderful children.

Read about Risa's lovely Friday in Rechovot. I sympathize with Ricki; I can't imagine having to sleep with that thing on my head.

Israel has no peace, not even a cease-fire with its neighbors. Subscribe to QassamCount.

The Elder of Ziyon takes on Ilan Grapel.

Leora's Shepherd's Pie is very different from the one my trekker son and I used to make. I guess I hadn't blogged about it, but we made one with chopped meat and potatoes and other veggies.

Pesky brings up a good point about the negative side of Jews only coming to Israel when dead, especially when there's no family here. What's the point?

More on the Bet Shemesh and RBS situation by Rafi, who actually lives there. I wrote about mixed seating on me-ander and what I think of those who are fixated with little girls on Shiloh Musings.

NO, this isn't a Havel Havelim. It's just a practice to get ready for next week. Please visit the blogs included and share this around, thanks.

HONENU ASSISTS MOTHER OF 5, ARRESTED FOR PRAYING ON TEMPLE MOUNT

2012-01-02T00:50:00.000+02:00

From Honenu

HONENU ASSISTS MOTHER OF 5,
ARRESTED FOR PRAYING ON TEMPLE MOUNT

(Dec 30, ’11) Hadassah Kolish with her husband and five children, ages one to seven years, ascended the Temple Mount (Har Habayit) on the 6th day of Hanukkah. She said that she brought her family to this holy place to give thanks to G-d for the miracle performed for her ancestors over 2,000 years ago. She wanted her family to view the place where the Maccabees rededicated the Holy Temple.

When she arrived to the Temple Mount, the holiest place in the world for the Jewish people, she was told she was not able to bring up any Judaica items such as prayer books, talitot etc. On her family tour of the Mount, she was accompanied by two officers, one Jewish police officer and one Arab officer of the Wakf (the Muslim religious body given authority over the Temple Mount by the Israeli government).

Hadassah said she follows the halachic (Jewish legal) ruling of many Rabbis that allow Jewish visitors to walk on the present day Temple Mount as long as they stay away from the area where the Temple stood. She has a map to guide her.

Hadassah began to recite the Hallel prayer, a prayer of praise recited during the 8 days of Hanukkah, with her children. “The Jewish policeman did not care,” she said, “he was busy on his cellphone”. The Arab officer started screaming, “She is praying, she is praying!” She was warned to desist. She was told that she was not allowed even to move her lips. When she continued, she was arrested by the Jewish officer, Azulay, told she was a criminal and brought to the Old City police station. She refused to be questioned by an Arab interrogator and contacted Honenu who provided her with a lawyer. After being counseled by Honenu lawyer, Adi Kedar, she was released with no criminal charge.

Hadassah says that the 3 hour ordeal did not discourage her, and encourages others to stand up for their religious rights.

Even after 10,000 Jews rallied last year, calling for freedom of religion on the Temple Mount, Jewish rights there are still denied.

Protect basic rights in Israel.
Donate generously to Honenu.
Make Israel a better place.

Public Transportation Revolution in Jerusalem, Anarchy Reigns!

2012-01-01T06:47:00.000+02:00

In two weeks major sections of bus routes will be amputated from the map. No doubt that those in power neither travel public transport nor know Jerusalem well enough. If you're going to make a revolution, then do it well, not like the planners have done. I can't find a map/chart/ad online right now, and I don't have time to search further. My attempts at scanning the one in In Jerusalem have failed. Anyway it got chopped into four pieces.

As threatened, all of the buses that travel on Sderot Herzl no longer will, because Egged promised not to compete with the train. That means that people who live in places like Bayit V'Gan and Kiryat Yovel must get off the bus at Mt. Herzl and then get on the train if they want to go to the downtown area or the Machane Yehuda Market. And if they want to go further, like to the Emek Refaim area or Talpiyot, they have to get on another bus on King George St./Blvd.

From what I can figure out, there isn't a whole new way of looking at the city, like extending the #21 from Givat Sharett to Talpiyot and Malcha, which would make it a one bus trip for those in Bayit V'Gan.

I hope that the Jerusalem Bus facebook page will have maps and instructions soon. And the same for the Jerusalem Bus site. And of course the Egged site ought to post everything immediately. It should have been up on Friday when the ads were put in the local papers.

G-d willing, I'll be posting lots more about the changes.

And How Does This Shiloh Grandmother Feel About The Religious/Gender Stories in The News?

2011-12-31T20:16:00.000+02:00

The Jerusalem Post's Barbara Sofer wrote an interesting article this week about the issue.

I was trying to help a media colleague from one of the world’s well-known networks. To create balance in a news report on the current discussion of women’s status in Israel, he sought an English-speaking woman interviewee who would defend the policy of restricting women to the back of the bus. We weren’t having much luck. My first suggestion was going abroad that week and the second was already abroad. Finally, he turned to me. “What about you?”

He was hoping that as a religious woman who wears long skirts and covers her hair, I might be sympathetic to the idea of segregated seating on buses. Initially, I was shocked by his erroneous assumption, but the more I thought about it, the better I understood.

Even though Sofer, like myself, covers her hair and dresses in skirts and sleeves, our tzniyut (modesty) stringencies most likely would be considered insufficient by chareidim especially in the summer. I live in Shiloh, a religious, dati leumi, aka Orthodox community. The school has its dress code based on Jewish Law.

There are many interpretations of Jewish Law even among those who make every effort to live by the Torah. We aren't chareidi; we're like those who send their children to the school in Beit Shemesh that has seen its young students attacked/harassed.

The situation there has gone too far, and I'm glad that those who oppose the violence are uniting to protest. Rafi, of Life in Israel, reported on it. He lives in RBS.

Now for my opinion on separation of the sexes... I don't mind sitting behind the mechitza to doven, not having to worry about anything other than communicating with G-d. I'm not looking for honors, attention or any of the other things going on "downstairs." To tell you the truth, I see more serious praying up where I sit than down there where the men are.

Traveling on a bus, train or plane is a different matter. I'll sit wherever. I must admit that I do look first for empty seats next to women, but if the only empty seat is by a male, I'll sit there. If he doesn't like it, he can get up. I have instructed men to sit together to free a seat for a woman or two. There's no reason for a woman to stand when men are occupying double the seats they need. For myself, I'll just sit. At my age, I need to, but some women are too shy. That's when I've interfered.

And about those men who consider eight year old religious girls sexually provocative...

"We’re all nauseated by the footage on Channel 2 of the man in Beit Shemesh describing his “healthy” male urges when he sees a little girl walking to school." from the Barbara Sofer article

Those men are pedophiles, perverts trying to blame their problems on innocent children. Those men need serious psychiatric help. Anyone seeing them harassing children should shout:

"PEDOPHILE!"

I suggest that we all try being as makpid, exacting in a different mitzvah, Torah Commandment. Let's try Derech Eretz, the way to treat other people. It's better to act Mehadrin than eat Mehadrin.

Save The Date!

2011-12-30T10:55:00.000+02:00

I have this feeling that if I don't do it now, I'll forget until it gets close the actual date of Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat, when we'll be back to Tel Shiloh for our monthly Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers. The other day, Rosh Chodesh Tevet was very inspiring. Women came from four different different communities.

For some it was their first time participating in our prayers and tour of Tel Shiloh.

As anyone who has studied any Jewish Bible knows, Shiloh is a traditional place for prayer. The Mishkan, Tablernacle rested here for 369 years. During that time, Shiloh was the spiritual and administrative Capital of the Jewish People.

Archeological finds confirm the Biblical narrative.

For the past year or so Miryam Blum has been enriching our Rosh Chodesh Prayers by giving us inspiring tours while we walk together to the location which most experts believe was the spot where the Mishkan stood.

That is where we pray.

Please publicize information about next month's Rosh Chodesh Prayers.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh

Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat

Wednesday, January 25, 2011

8:30am

Shiur Torah, Short Tour & Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים

ראש חודש שבט בתל שילה

יום ד' 25-1 8:30

יהיו סיור ודבר תורה קצרים

נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

You're welcome to join our facebook page. Tel Shiloh is open to visitors daily. Tours can be arranged through the office. Email telshilo@gmail.com or phone 02-994-4019.

Latma's Predictions, No Joke

2011-12-30T07:28:00.000+02:00

Latma, as usual, shows us the Right way to look at things. This week's newscast is a clever one comparing clips from older shows with the news.

There's a lot of truth in their satire about Israel, the Middle-East and other news topics. Latma is a project of Caroline Glick.

Arab Islamic Terrorism, No Joke

2011-12-29T06:57:00.000+02:00

Hat tip for cartoon: Shy Guy

If I'm not mistaken, this is from Denis Leary Christmas special, 2005. Here's the full show.

Denis Leary's Merry F#%$in Christmas by Newpunk

Here in Israel, our ordinary innocent citizens feel the brunt of terrorism all the time. Subscribe to QassamCount, so you won't be in the dark. And whom is our government investigating? Good Jewish kids.

Sorry, but I don't feel like posting something cheerful today.

Chanukah Holiday May Be Ending, But The Jewish Victory Lives On

2011-12-28T10:51:00.000+02:00

Those upstart Americans, a very new nation of just a few short centuries, keep on preaching "even-handedness" in the Jewish-Arab "conflict," sic. Many Jews, Israelis and historians don't really relate to the irony of it all. The Jewish People is most probably the thoroughly documented, longest-lasting People in the History of the World. To be intellectually honest about it, there's no equality between the sides. There had never been an independent nation in the Land of Israel besides the Jewish ones. And today's Arabs aren't connected culturally, religiously or historically to the non-Jewish people mentioned in the Bible.

The Jewish Bible, the collected now written "Oral Law" and modern archeological finds document Jewish History, Religion and our unbroken connection to the Land of Israel.

I live in Shiloh, the same Shiloh in which Eli, Samuel and Chana worked and prayed.

A table or chair must have at least three legs for stability, and we have our Land, Religion and History which makes the Jewish People unique in the world. The Greeks were not the only despots to have attempted to ban Jews from living according to Jewish Laws. We have out-survived them all.

Today the Jewish Religion burns more brightly than the Roman Catholics of Spain whose Inquisition against Jews caused many to hide their practice of Judaism. Today, centuries after that unjust, racist law caused the deaths and secret practices of so many Jews, their descendants are waking up to their Jewish pasts and some have returned to Judaism.

Chanukah is our longest holiday, eight full days. That's more than a week. Each day we light another candle. One mitzvah leads to another. The light we're supposed to show the world must be of Jewish Values, not modern, secular ideologies.

Can People, Cultures, Societies Really Change?

2011-12-27T07:22:00.000+02:00

As you know, I'm very doubtful about the chances of Israel having anything resembling true peace with the Arabs. The hate, violence, antidemocratic culture and values are too ingrained in the minds and hearts of the Arabs in the Middle-East. I'm a realist, a pragmatist and yes, also a victim of Arab terrorism.

The recent attempt of the United States to turn Iraq into a western-style democracy would be humorous if it wasn't such a tragic, dangerous and violent situation. What can I say besides, "I told you so." It's all so obvious and predictable.

It will take many generations and determination by the Iraqis (and other Arabs here) themselves to change their mind-sets, values and ways of doing things.

There's an interesting article in The New York Times and its International Herald Tribune about how Bill Keller followed a number of families in Moscow from the end of the USSR until today, Putin's Children. These families were given a chance for a new life and new home, sharing the construction and building their own apartment house. The results, where they are today, don't surprise me.

I know many former residents/citizens of the USSR who made aliyah to Israel. They came with nothing other than determination to succeed, and succeed they did. After barely twenty years, two decades here in Israel, most live on a much higher standard of living than I do. Their main aim was to improve their lives and their children's lives and they certainly did. They learned how to work the system better than I or even my children can ever know.

Some also had aims besides the materialistic ones. Those who live here in Shiloh enjoy its spiritual benefits as Torah observant Jews. I could easily see parallels, similarities in the stories Keller tells in his article with the olim immigrants who came here.

One thing for sure is that no other immigrant group succeeded to advance more quickly in every aspect of Israeli society than those from the FSU, whether academic, cultural, financial, political, religious and more.

Good News? Take off the Blinders

2011-12-26T07:53:00.000+02:00

Dry Bones' Shuldig looking for good news.

Blinders may be good for keeping horses focused, but they're very dangerous for humans who are supposed to be making policies to keep us safe. The world is being ruled by pseudo-intellectual Leftists who, even when have good intentions, are totally blinded to the truth about their pet causes.

That's the nicest way I can describe what's going on in the world.

Combine heavy rose-colored glasses to the blinders and you're going to have some very serious accidents.

Here in Israel, we're endangered because the Government refuses to fight the enemy that hasn't stopped attacking us. No other country in the world would accept the frequent rocket attacks by Arab terrorists, as if they were just random mosquito bites.

The PLO and its leaders are pet causes by almost all of the world including the Unites States, Europe, the United Nations and even many Israelis. I find this totally incomprehensible. The PLO is involved with and supports terrorists and terrorism. There's no way to white-wash it.

Read Arlene Kushner's latest article about the PLO. It's easier to make a case for Santa Claus than for the PLO, Hamas, Fatah to be willing to make a true peace with Israel.

Stop the make-believe. It's just too dangerous!

That Beautiful Flame, The Light, There's a Price

2011-12-25T08:09:00.000+02:00

Yesterday, Shabbat, we had a guest speaker at our weekly Women's Torah Class, השיעור נשים HaShiur Nashim, which is the longest running shiur in Shiloh. We've just passed the thirty year milestone. I had never met the guest before, but it ended up that she had once been the study partner of one of my daughters...

Many aspects of Chanukah were touched on; my head was very full of ideas and concepts fighting for my attention. Towards the end she mentioned the light, the flame we admire in our chanukiyot, Chanukah Menoras. There were be no light without the burning of the wick, the oil, the candles.

That light we admire isn't free.

Suddenly, I couldn't be quiet. Here it is, Chanukah, the Holiday celebrating our religious and national freedom and the war, the battles for that freedom.

"The price of our freedom today is serving in the IDF, even when some of our precious soldiers, our sons, family members, neighbors, friends and more are killed?" I asked.

Nobody could disagree. It may be an unpleasant truth in some circles in Israel and the Jewish World, but pacifism and Leftist John Lennon "Imagine" philosophy are the recipe for end of the State of Israel and Jewish People.

The continued existence of the Jewish People and State of Israel are dependent on our will to fight for it, including accepting the price for our loyalty and commitment.

During Chanukah we add two prayers, על הניסים והלל Al HaNissim and Hallel, Because of the Miracles and Praise The Lord. Both prayers voice our thanks to G-d for all He has done for us. G-d responds and helps when we do our bit. Human beings were gifted with free will, so we must use our power of choice between good, evil and standing on the sidelines to protect ourselves. When we follow G-d's commandments and fight for our rights, religion and Land, then G-d, in the original "matching funds" responds with miracles.

Sometimes I wonder if our willingness to fight is a miracle, too... Could it be that G-d "cheats" a bit to keep us surviving?

Chag Urim Sameach

May You Have an Enlightened Holiday

If you haven't yet listened to Reuven Genn's talk about g'vura, heroism, now's the time to hear it.

Christians in the HolyLand

2011-12-24T18:48:00.000+02:00

Hat tip: IMRA

I guess this is as good a time as any to remind all of you that here in the Middle-East, there's only one country that treats its Christians well.

Were you surprised to hear that only in Israel are Christians safe and free to live according to their religion? That is as long as they don't try to convert Jews--which is against Israeli Law.

My Mistake, I Never Claimed to Be Perfect

2011-12-23T13:02:00.000+02:00

Last night, in the dark, I had presumed that the neighbors had started putting stone "siding" on their quickly built house. Then this morning in the light of day, I saw (and smelled it when I got closer) that there's wooden siding, at least on the north.

There are both wooden slats and stone rectangles in front, so it's still possible that there will be stone coating at least part of the house.

No doubt, within a week we'll know. Of course, no work is being done now, as it's close to Shabbat. So, I'm also closing down my blogging etc. for Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom

Chag Urim Sameach

Perfect Chanukah Present From Latma! The RIGHT Way of Looking at The News

2011-12-23T07:49:00.000+02:00

Enjoy this week's program. It's definitely one of their best. And if you can recognize the skit I liked best, please write your guess (including why) as a comment.

Latma is a project of Caroline Glick.

House-Building Update, Quick and Easy Jewish Building

2011-12-22T07:34:00.000+02:00

Just a couple of days ago I blogged about the house that is very quickly being built across from us. A large portion of the price of building is just paying the workers, so the quicker the building process is, the less the house will cost. Or it won't cost more to use Jewish workers if they use a very fast building method. This also saves on rental costs, because the family who is paying for the new house has been renting a different one. Also, by building with Jews, there is no need to pay for a security guard. Some local contractors use far-eastern workers, but they have to also provide housing etc.

Yesterday, when I returned home from my Matan Bible studies in Jerusalem I could see lots of progress, even though only a couple of days, at the most, had gone by since I had last photographed the house.

Here are the new pictures:

You can see that the outside is being prepared for siding, probably stone

The side door and windows were cut after my last photos had been taken.

The house will be warm in the winter, since it has good insulation and faces the eastern sun. My daughter's addition to her house was made in a similar way and they hardly have to heat it.

This Israeli Government Speaks With "Forked Tongue"

2011-12-21T21:31:00.000+02:00

Finance Minister: Razing Outposts 'Unthinkable'

Minister Yuval Steinitz says "the fate of Kfar Saba and Tel Aviv is that of Beit El and Shilo," Amona was a mistake. (complete article)

We've heard this before and we've heard too many contradictory statements from Bibi's bloated Cabinet. Yes, just like Israeli politicians have been saying one thing and doing the exact opposite for decades. You can just consider it campaigning.

Steinitz is Likud and Likud wants our votes. Apparently he has been appointed to mollify and sedate us, get our confidence and then Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will give voterless Leftist Ehud Barak free hand to destroy Jewish homes and harass as many Jews as he wishes.

This isn't the first time we've heard such promises from Likud politicians.

Menachem Begin promised "many Elon Morehs," but was the first prime minister to freeze settlement building in Judea and Samaria, and later uprooted the thriving settlements of northern Sinai. The man whom the media dubbed "the father of the settlements," Ariel Sharon, cruelly uprooted Gush Katif, the Jewish settlement bloc in the Gaza Strip (and also Yamit and its satellites in Sinai ). And the current prime minister, the leader of Likud, declared "two states for two nations" and thus threatened to uproot the entire settlement enterprise. (complete article)

In hindsight, with a dose of cynicism, it's easy to say that Begin had meant that more Jewish communities would have to struggle with the government for recognition and support. Likud ended up no more supportive of settling Judea, Samaria, Sinai etc. than Labor. And as we all know, Menachem Begin's Peace Agreement with Egypt's Sadat required that Israel give the Sinai to Egypt and destroy its Jewish towns and communities. And Ariel Sharon was in Likud when he announced Disengagement and the destruction of Jewish life in Gush Katif.

So, sorry Minister Steinitz, your words do not reassure us.

Thoughts About Tzvi Fishman's "Imagine all the Jewish People lived in Israel. A Chanukah Song"

2011-12-21T05:41:00.000+02:00

Today the lyrics of Tzvi Fishman's "Imagine all the Jewish People lived in Israel" don't seem so far fetched. Could such a scenario really be when there wasn't even a single Jewish businessman trying to make a buck in New York or yen in Japan?

Here we are over a hundred years after the first stirrings of Modern Zionism. No doubt that everyone called Herzl a "dreamer" and couldn't imagine that his solution to antisemitism had a chance to succeed.

Think about it: Theodor Herzl and the great science-fiction writer, Jules Verne, were peers and died just months apart. Most Jews of their time probably took Verne more seriously than they took Herzl. The idea that Jews would find their national salvation in the barren infested Middle-East was preposterous. Almost every Jew who had the guts to try a new life headed to North America. You had to be certifiably crazy to go to that "other place." Few stayed; they either tried another, easier part of the world or died from disease or Arab terror. Yes, Arab terror isn't new. It didn't begin with Israel's victory in the 1967 Six Days War nor the 1948 War of Independence.

Even when my husband and I made aliyah, as a couple of newlyweds, it was still a rare phenomena, and conditions here weren't easy. But today Israel is as modern as any other advanced country. When we came, we were dreamers, too. Who could have imagined that Israel would develop into the advanced country it is today with an economy stronger than most? Those wise with their money are investing their dollars here.

Get real and follow Tzvi's advice. "Imagine..."

בניה קלה Biniya Kala, Quick Building by Jews Here in Israel

2011-12-20T12:33:00.000+02:00

Those of you who read my husband's blog may have caught his post about the building (construction process, not structure) across the street. We've both been photographing it from our house, front door, merpeset (terrace) etc.

Until very recently, people have denigrated the idea of building with Jewish workers only for the very practical reason/excuse that Jews don't work as quickly as Arabs. Traditional building here is of the "brick by brick" or pouring cement which ends up taking forever.

This building by conventional methods and Arab workers was begun 2 years ago.

I have no doubt that this old-fashioned method builds homes to last. In addition it's fire-proof and needs little upkeep/repairs. At least that's our experience. Both of our sons live in Jerusalem stone buildings that were built over a hundred years ago. One is in Nachlaot and the other in Nachalat Shiva. One of the big disadvantages to the old-fashioned brick by brick method is that there is no way to do it quickly. It's either slow or very, painfully slow. The larger the building, the longer it will take. You can't build the fourth floor before the second or third.

In recent years all sorts of prefabricated and other assemble/kit types of building methods have been tried to speed things up. Some neighbors had the walls poured as cement in situ. Cement walls cause awful insulation problems. Modern building materials have been tried, too. A few years ago, after the government began confiscating "caravans," mobile homes aka trailers as they were being transported to the yishuvim communities in Judea and Samaria, an in situ method was developed to assemble the walls etc. from factory-made building "sheets." Entire caravan neighborhoods were built like that.

Caravans under construction

Now the same basic method is being used to build houses. Here's the new house across from us. The foundation and security room are cement, and the rest seems to be like the caravans. Bli neder I'll continue photographing until the neighbors move in.

Is Security "Profiling" Discrimination?

2011-12-19T08:31:00.000+02:00

Yesterday, before leaving home, I was watching BBC (if I'm not mistaken or one of the few news channels we receive via our "dish,") and they were showing a panel debating the effectiveness and morality of security "profiling" in airports. To make it "interesting" for the viewers, they had a Moslem woman in favor and a sibling of a terror victim against.

The Israeli system was mentioned, though superficially and inaccurately. The key to the Israeli system is less the solely "racial" and "national" profiling than the pre-security interview. This extremely important aspect of Israel's air-security method wasn't mentioned while I was watching the program. The program's security expert made light of Israel's methods by saying that we only have a few dozen flights a day while the United States has tens of thousands. He purposely distorted the fact that air security in the United States is different airport to airport. That's why I endured a public "pat-down" in Phoenix but not in JFK. I had traveled in the same skirt from Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, NY's JFK and Phoenix, but only the Phoenix security considered me a potential danger.

Passengers traveling from Israel's airport are interviewed when first waiting on line with all their luggage. A security inspector asks for passport and ticket and begins asking very innocuous questions. From the answers and the passenger's passport, nationality/race, manner of dress etc. the inspector must make a decision. Does this person warrant further inspection or not. Of course, a key to this method is having a security staff of multi-linguists who themselves have passed all types of security checks. That's where the Americans would have a problem. Outside of major metropolitan locations, it would be very difficult to find enough qualified people.

Another subject I didn't hear was the total waste of time when using "random checks." It's like throwing letters up in the air and expecting them to land in in order that would give you properly spelled words and grammatical sentences.

The anti-profiling people on the panel refused to reply to the statistics stated that a very large number of terrorists are young adult Moslems, and countries that do racial/cultural profiling suffer less airport terrorism.

If you have to choose between profiling and random checks, it's a no-brainer. Random checks are a waste of time and money. And profiling alone is insufficient. The Israeli method is much more complex.

I work in Yafiz, a large clothing store Sha'ar Binyamin, and a sizable percentage of our customers are Arabs. As in any store in the world, part of my job is preventing shoplifting. Shoplifters can come from any national or religious group. I approach everyone smiling asking how I can help. Most smile back and tell me what they're looking for. There are always those who seem afraid and quickly scamper away. My gut feeling is that some of them had been casing the joint to see if they're sufficiently ignored in order to steal from us.

All of these security methods are important, crucial for everyone's safety. The more one works in the field, the better your antennae get to sense who needs more "attention." Yes, that's "profiling." You can't get away from it, no matter how "immoral" some people may think it. Cut out the ideology and get real.

In the following video I saw on facebook; "Candid Camera" style, they have an Israeli woman (her accent is very Tel Aviv, not Arab at all) dressed as an Arab and refused service at a gas station kiyosk. (Please ignore the awful English spelling.) Watch how Israelis deal with it.

The "Other Side" of Torah

2011-12-18T14:05:00.006+02:00

Posted by Jewish Israel
Pastor Mark Biltz, leader of the messianic El Shaddai Ministries of Tacoma Washington, has the kind of christ-driven "pro-Israel" approach, which should cause responsible Jewish community leaders to abruptly about-face and pave a clear detour to ensure the spiritual integrity of the Jewish collective.

Biltz inter-changes religious identities and definitions in order to deliberately wreak confusion and blur the definitive lines between faiths. And yet, one can find a hefty sampling of Israel's best "Land-of-Israel" spokespersons and rabbis on the guest speaker line-up of that thriving messianic Christian congregation. ...more

Biltz was recently in Israel and was hosted in communities in Judea and Samaria. At the time of his visit we posted three videos which are directly related to this report:

Messianic Pastor Mark Biltz: "The New Testament is Torah"
Pastor Mark Biltz puts Jesus in the Torah on GLC
Pastor Mark Biltz puts a Christian spin on the "Aaronic Blessing"

Jewish Israel wishes our readership a Happy Chanukah!

I'll Take Obama's "Dare"

2011-12-18T07:54:00.000+02:00

"And as Ehud has said, it is hard to remember a time when the United States has given stronger support to Israel on its security. In fact, I am proud to say that no U.S. administration has done more in support of Israel's security than ours. None. Don't let anybody else tell you otherwise. It is a fact." from United States President Barack Hussein Obama, at the 71st Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism

Well, here's another example to be added to the list, right under "the history of the Palestinian sic people."

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it..." Joseph Goebbels.

OK, Barry Obama, I'm willing to call your bluff! It's obvious that you have some new Jewish speech-writers on your staff, but a speech is just a speech. It's also obvious that you've been taking lessons in public speaking, since you sound much less wooden than you did previously. But, again, a speech is just a speech, and I know that you didn't write it; just like you didn't write any of your speeches. You're campaigning and you're fund-raising. You want Jewish support, so you've brought new people onto your staff to train/coach you in how to speak to Jews.

Here's the entire speech:

Whoever the new speech-writers are, they're good. But it's just words, and I don't trust them, because the truth is that Obama's uncompromising support for the Arab Pseudostinians aka Palestinians sic is the most dangerous thing for Israeli security.

Those Arabs aren't shy about telling the truth. Their single solitary aim is the destruction of the State of Israel and replacing it with an Arab terror state that will endanger world peace, and that includes the United States of America.

Barry Obama, don't you dare lecture us about Judaism and Jewish History!

I don't accept your lies!

Chanuka, Rosh Chodesh Tevet, Tel Shiloh

2011-12-17T22:15:00.000+02:00

Next week will already be be Chanukah. And before the eight day holiday of Chanukah has ended, there will be Rosh Chodesh Tevet, the beginning of the Jewish Month of Tevet. I have my plans set, bli neder, G-d willing, I'll be celebrating at Tel Shiloh. For the past few years, I work my schedule around Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers at Tel Shiloh.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh

Rosh Chodesh Tevet

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

8:30am

Shiur Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים

ראש חודש טבת בתל שילה

יום ג' 27-12 8:30

יהיה דבר תורה

נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

Tel Shiloh is open to visitors daily. Tours can be arranged through the office. Email office@telshilo.org.il or phone 02-994-4019. It's a lovely place to visit, tour and pray, too, of course. There's a snack place, and food and tours can be arranged for groups and events. Make a day of it.

This Week's Latma: "Peace Now sings of the Grecian miracle of Hanukah and a parental lesson in how to get ahead"

2011-12-17T19:00:00.000+02:00

Thank Caroline Glick for establishing Latma. Latma shows us the Right way of seeing the news.

And apropos to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu's refusal to write for the New York Times because of its anti-Israel positions, here's Latma's "Tom Friedman song:"

Giv'at Asaf, Vulnerable in More Ways Than One

2011-12-16T08:02:00.000+02:00

If the only Israel, especially Judea and Samaria aka West Bank sic Israel you know of is via the media, you'd think that the various "outposts" threatened with destruction by the extreme Leftist Israeli "Judicial" system are tucked away in "densely populated" Arab areas. Well, the truth is the exact opposite.

First of all, all of these little hamlets are on empty land, neither owned, occupied nor cultivated by anyone and that includes Arabs. Extensive maps of owned land were researched and made over thirty years ago during the "golden era" of ישוב הארץ Yishuv Ha'Aretz, Jewish return to live in the Land of Israel.

Yes, some of the small Jewish villages are on mountain tops, but others, like Givat Asaf, are on the main road. All of the pictures I take of Givat Asaf are taken when traveling by it on a bus. Givat Asaf is at a very crucial and dangerous junction. As you can see, it's not protected in any real way.

Young families live and raise their children exposed to traffic, Arab terrorists and extreme Left agitators and anarchists.

Givat Asaf was established after Arab terrorists murdered Asaf Hershkowitz of Ofra. Asaf, HaYa"D, was murdered at the T-junction to Beit El, a short time and distance from where his father had been murdered. In response, a community was established at the spot, overlooking the road.

The existence of a Jewish village at that junction increases security for travelers and trempistim waiting for buses and rides. But for the young determined and idealistic families who live there, there is a vulnerability, not only from terrorist enemies, but also from the Leftists and courts who have targeted them from day one. Despite the dangers and opposition, the community has been growing, thank G-d.

Should Chanukah Be About Shopping for Presents?

2011-12-15T08:41:00.001+02:00

I wonder where the Chanukah gift custom came from. How old is it? Is it a long-time custom for Jews who had been living in Moslem countries, like in North Africa or India? If you can answer that question, please do in the comments, thanks.

Working in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, I can attest to the fact that that local Arab Muslims buy presents to celebrate all sorts of Moslem holidays. The Rami Levi commercial empire certainly benefits from that custom. Moslem holidays "travel around" the calendar, because it's a totally lunar calendar without solar adjustments. The Jewish Calendar combines solar and lunar, so holidays will always fall in the right season.

Chanukah and Christmas coincide, give or take a few days or a week or so. In an early pre-leap month Jewish year, Chanukah will end a week or so before Christmas, but in most years Christmas will fall in Chanukah. Please don't forget that Judaism predates Christianity and both predate Islam. I think that fact is a very important one to remember. Of those three major religions, Judaism is the most veteran, the oldest. The other two, Christianity and Islam, base much of their histories and territorial claims on Judaism in a double-punch attempt to replace Judaism, aka identity theft.

All Jewish Holidays revolve around food and eating. There are lots of jokes giving that as the punch-line.

Would Chanukah presents for the kids, spouse and more be the custom if the holiday didn't coincide with xmas shopping season?

There's an awful irony if the answer to that question is "NO!"

Chanukah is the Jewish Holiday that celebrates the fight against assimilation to foreign, non-Jewish cultures. In the media and commercially dominant western Christian culture of today, this is shopping and gift-giving season. I don't see all that shopping as being connected to the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah. During Chanukah we're supposed to add the Al HaNissim, Because of The Miracles to all of the prayers we say during the eight day holiday. It explains what we're celebrating and why:

תפילת "ועל הניסים" לחנוכה

על הניסים ועל הפרקן ועל הגבורות ועל התשועות ועל המלחמות שעשית לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן הזה:

בימי מתתיהו בן יוחנן כהן גדול, חשמונאי ובניו, כשעמדה מלכות יון הרשעה, על עמך ישראל, להשכיחם תורתך ולהעבירם מחקי רצונך, ואתה ברחמך הרבים, עמדת להם בעת צרתם. רבת את ריבם, דנת את דינם, נקמת את ניקמתם, מסרת גיבורים ביד חלשים, ורבים ביד מעטים, וטמאים ביד טהורים, ורשעים ביד צדיקים, וזדים ביד עוסקי תורתך, ולך עשית שם גדול וקדוש בעולמך, ולעמך ישראל עשית תשועה גדולה ופרקן כהיום הזה. ואחר כך באו בניך לדביר ביתך, ופנו את היכלך, וטהרו את מקדשך, והדליקו נרות בחצרות קדשך. וקבעו שמונת ימי חנוכה אלו, להודות ולהלל לשמך הגדול

Translation:
And [we thank You] for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds, for the saving acts, and for the wonders which You have wrought for our ancestors in those days, at this time—

In the days of Matityahu, the son of Yochanan the High Priest, the Hasmonean and his sons, when the wicked Hellenic government rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah and violate the decrees of Your will. But You, in Your abounding mercies, stood by them in the time of their distress. You waged their battles, defended their rights, and avenged the wrong done to them. You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and the wanton sinners into the hands of those who occupy themselves with Your Torah. You made a great and holy name for Yourself in Your world, and effected a great deliverance and redemption for Your people Israel to this very day. Then Your children entered the shrine of Your House, cleansed Your Temple, purified Your Sanctuary, kindled lights in Your holy courtyards, and instituted these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise to Your great Name.

That's what the Chanukah holiday is all about.

PS Just in case you're curious, I will give small gifts to the kids when we get together. But I hope and pray that it's the being together that will be the biggest gift of all, the great celebration, not the trinkets.

Bloggers as Legitimate Journalists, Israeli Press Cards?

2011-12-14T05:31:00.000+02:00

For the past few years, there has been a campaign to pressure/convince the Israeli Government Press Office to recognize bloggers as journalists and give us official Press Cards. Of course, not all bloggers are the same and not all do anything that can be considered "journalism."

"BLOGGERS TO RECEIVE GPO CARDS

The Advisory Committee on Evaluating the Criteria for Issuing Government Press Office (GPO) Cards this morning (Tuesday), 13.12.11, submitted its recommendations to Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein, Public Diplomacy, Diaspora Affairs Ministry Director-General Ronen Plot and GPO Director Oren Helman.

The Committee recommended unifying the various types of cards issued by the GPO under the single heading "GPO Card" which would serve all those engaged in media professions.

In light of the Committee's recommendations, it was proposed to expand the content of the substantive definitions of media and the list of media professions and positions in order to adapt them to recent changes and developments in the field. The new definitions include media professions and means such as bloggers and niche portals." complete article

At the second International Jewish Bloggers Convention in Jerusalem a few years ago (there never was a third or more) the subject was broached and cheered.

I've always considered my blogs my own privately controlled magazines. Especially, here on Shiloh Musings, I write mainly op-ed pieces, but sometimes I do, frequently with the help of friends, offer news even illustrated articles, like the one about the early morning attack on Alei Eyin by the IDF.

Another would be my expose` showing the enormous luxury homes the Arabs are building here in Judea/Samaria. These pictures are a few years old. Today there are many more and much larger Arab mansions; they dwarf the homes my neighbors and I live in.

This blog, Shiloh Musings, isn't restricted to just my writings. A few friends are allowed to post whenever they have something important to say. There's no way I can write about life in Israel's south, under Arab terrorist bombardment the way Netivotgirl can. Sara Layah Shomron, one of those expelled by Israel from Gush Katif, reports from Nitzan about the dangers and trying to rebuild their lives, despite being targeted by Arab terrorists.

Many bloggers, like myself, also write for other publications, but by having blogs we are our "own bosses" and control what gets published and when. Actually, I do have a degree in journalism. I'm not some yenta at the keyboard. My blog posts are read by many, though I can't prove numbers, since they're available on facebook and other social media. And they're also "copied" on other sites. A number of years ago I did get an official Israeli Press Card by showing a letter from a foreign newspaper I write for. I consider myself to be a journalist, albeit an opinionated one.

G-d's Hand, It's All in The Timing

2011-12-13T07:20:00.000+02:00

For me, life became easier, more wonderful when I finally recognized my lack of power. G-d is the great organizer, conductor.

Just over fifteen years ago, when I was run over by an Arab terrorist, I actually felt safer and more secure than I had before. My injury, yes, thank G-d, was relatively minor, and it suddenly became so clear to me that G-d protected me. I could have been among the murdered or seriously injured. It wasn't up to me or even to the terrorist. I was among the first of his targets. G-d protects us. G-d decides when our time is up. G-d heals us, and G-d allows disease to ravage our bodies.

How we react to all of this is us to us. G-d gives us potential but doesn't make our decisions for us. WE HAVE FREE WILL.

G-d decides when and where we'll be born and to which parents. And since our parents are human, too, we must find ways to compensate for their mistakes and try to do better jobs with our own children.

When we pray for rain, we pray that it will come in the right season and good, fitting quantities. Rain is from G-d. Without rain, without water we will all die. All of life is dependent on G-d.

And how did I decide to write about G-d's gift of perfect timing? Yesterday when I was waiting for the plumber to come to fix one of the toilets, the doorbell rang. I was sure it was him, but it was a neighbor who felt she must report that there was a leak coming from a pipe in the back of our house. Perfect timing! When the plumber did come a few minutes later, I was able to ask him to do both jobs for one "visit/payment." I really felt that as a special gift from G-d, Baruch Hashem!

American Presidential Politics, Will the Republicans Unite to Win?

2011-12-12T07:54:00.000+02:00

A few months ago, I posted a poll on the left-sided sidebar asking:

"Do you think United States President Obama will be elected for a second term?"

There are only a couple of weeks left before that poll closes. I don't think that things have changed much since I first asked that question.

I'm a strong believer in "marketing." Almost anything can be sold if properly packaged. In all honesty, I think the election of Barack Hussein Obama is a good example of that. Of all the wannabes, Democrats and Republicans, who had been competing for the American Presidency four years ago, the track record, experience qualifications of Obama were most probably the weakest. That, davka, made it easiest to market him, because not having much experience also meant that he had made fewer mistakes and had a more paltry file of "past statements," etc. I've seen that time after time in our local Shiloh elections for town council where the least known and experienced candidate gets the most votes.

It's very simple:

The less you've tried to accomplish the fewer enemies you've made.

The present Republican front-runners have been in American politics a long time; therefore they've made a lot of enemies. The "Bush machine" seems to be hibernating, especially after their poor performance in the previous presidential race. They have trouble giving their all to candidates whose names aren't Bush.

Another problem is the process of choosing a candidate. This may seem rather shocking, but I think that the old way, when the party powers powwowed controlling state delegate votes in the big flashy summer party conventions had some advantages over today's drawn out state-by-state "beauty contest" primaries in which registered voters can chose whom they want as party candidate. No method is perfect; don't get me wrong.

In the olden days, one generally needed to be an experienced politician to get the nomination. The party powers generally put together a package of president and vice president that complemented each other. John F. Kennedy was the weaker of his package in terms of political power, but the young Camelot Kennedy's were easier to market than the politically wily Lyndon B. Johnson. After JFK's assassination, it was the much more politically experienced Johnson who got his political platform passed.

When party big wigs chose the candidates, there was more of a chance that they'd unite to promote them and campaign fully for them. Four years ago when Obama was vying for the nomination, the turning point in his favor was the decision of the Kennedy's to desert Hillary Clinton and support him. With the Kennedy machine behind Obama, Hillary didn't have a chance.

If the Republicans really want to defeat Obama next year, they (the political power machines) must already decide between them who would be the best candidate and choreograph the primaries to market the package.

I found this interview with Victor Davis Hanson informative and interesting to complement my post.

Newt Gingrich on the "Peace Process" and More

2011-12-11T07:01:00.000+02:00

He's got it!

As I've blogged many times, the idea that we can make peace with people who want us destroyed is totally ridiculous. There can only be peace when both sides want it. The Arabs don't want to have peace with us, with the State of Israel. They are consistently honest about it. They want us gone, dead and gone. Trying to force us to endanger our very existence is to assist us in committing national suicide, G-d forbid. It's hard enough to find an Israeli politician who isn't afraid to say that simple truth, so when I hear a foreign politician I really want to dance for joy.

I feel like dancing around to "The Rain in Spain..." He's got it!

"Henry, By George, she's got it! By George, she's got it!"

And another video message to dance to is The Truth About the Refugees by Israel's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon.

I do have one complaint about this film. It's that they use a map of Israel that does not include Judea and Samaria. We don't need that "dotted line" border and different coloration later on in the film.

If you read the credits, you'll see that some of the crew, the Blass boys, who put it together also work for Latma.

New on the Jewish Israel front

2011-12-10T23:41:00.006+02:00

Posted by Jewish Israel
Jewish Israel has received a full endorsement from Rav Dov Lior, the Chief Rabbi of Hebron and Kiryat Arba. Rav Lior expressed his complete confidence in Jewish Israel as a trusted source of information and responsible reporting, and urged Jewish leaders and his rabbinic colleagues to utilize Jewish Israel's services before considering activities or involvement with Christian groups and leaders...more

Messianic Calev Myers and Likud MK Danny Danon form new Knesset Caucus
Likud MK Danny Danon and messianic/evangelical attorney Calev Myers have just founded a Knesset caucus to battle international anti-Semitism. Putting Myers at the helm of such a venture would be something akin to appointing fallen White House Press Correspondent Helen Thomas as director of the Anti-Defamation League. Myers frequently derides – in the strongest of language - the Torah observant community and those who resist messianic overtures and moves towards assimilation in Israel....more

Jewish Israel column appears in new publication, the Jerusalem Observer
The Jerusalem Observer ("Hamashkif") is a new, free weekly Hebrew - English publication in Israel. Ellen Horowitz, Content and Research Director for Jewish Israel, has been asked to add her insights in a regular column for the paper. The December 2 issue carried her article "an Unholy Alliance" and the December 9 issue carried the editorial on Danny Danon and Calev Myers ..more

This Year's Visit of "The Spies"

2011-12-10T19:48:00.000+02:00

my father and the "spies"

For over twenty years already, our humble abode has been on the "must see" list for United States Consular officials aka "the spies." A couple of years ago, when my very elderly father was living with us, he couldn't understand why they davka came to our house to ask us questions. Maybe it was because his first job as an accountant was auditing businesses for New York State, his philosophy has always been to do one's best to keep officials from "getting too friendly." Considering that we're veteran ex-pats, it did seem suspicious to him that consular officials are in touch with my husband.

They've been coming to Shiloh to visit us for over twenty years. Sometimes I try to hide out and not play my role as the straight ~~shooter~~ talker. Twenty years ago I almost threw the official out and probably would have if my husband hadn't been there to stop me. But the trigger to the unpleasantness actually came as a result of his question.

"Why don't you invite Jewish Israelis to your events, like the Independence Day Reception?"
"We're even-handed. We don't invite the terrorist Hamas either."

I immediately reacted:

"Are you comparing us to the Arab terrorists who just murdered my friend Rachella Druk, who's now buried just down here?" And I pointed in the direction of the Shiloh Cemetery.

The guy had nothing to say in response. postscript: For quite a few years after that, we were invited to the Jerusalem Consulate Independence Day Reception. I even attended a few, but never when the date was during the "Three Weeks" when attending festive events is forbidden.

Yesterday was one of those visits. The usual routine is that my husband shows them around and then they come to the house for coffee/tea. I sit with them for a bit, then go to wash dishes or otherwise disappear, since "silently acting dumb and agreeable" just isn't my specialty.

Honestly, I just don't know how I got started, but I guess the Dershowitz talk at the Begin Center must have still been influencing me, because I began telling them that it was immoral and against all criteria of human/civil rights for the United States Government to promote a policy that would forbid Jews to live here, or anywhere. I reminded them that in the United States it is illegal for someone to be banned from living in a building for religion or race. Racial and religious discrimination is immoral and they shouldn't be trying to enforce it here.

Then, as they couldn't really answer me, I considered it the perfect time to wash the dishes. There's no wall between the kitchen and diningroom, so I couldn't avoid listening...

After that I decided that they must hear the source of their mistaken policy. They (not personal, just the American policy-makers) don't know history. It seems that the American State Department and even President Barack Hussein Obama don't know history. They have the mistaken belief that there had been a country called Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel. The truth is, as I explained it, that there had never been such a country, society, culture or people. They should just check old history books. Palestine was the name given to the land the British Mandate was supposed to turn into a Jewish State.

The only people that had ever had an independent country/kingdom here was the Jewish People, and we are the same People. So, of course, they tried to correct me by saying that there were other ancient nations. We reminded them that the other nations are all dead and gone, but we're the same Jewish People. Jews have always, continuously lived here, even if not in great numbers and not ruling. The Jewish People never deserted the Land of Israel.

Did my "arguments" make any dent, influence them in any way? I don't know. Will they include what I said in their reports? I don't know that either.

One thing I do know is that it's very important to keep telling the truth and not be wimpily diplomatic or afraid.

And now a Dvar Torah on this week's Torah Portion is Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4-36:43.) It tells of Jacob's return to the HolyLand and his reunion with his family, especially his feared twin brother, Essau. Why was Jacob so afraid of Essau, even after G-d had promised him protection? Why did Jacob bow to Essau and speak to him as if Essau was his master? It was a very critical mistake on the part of Jacob. It showed his family weakness and may very well be the reason his sons Shimon and Levi didn't trust him to properly punish Shechem and family after Shechem raped Dina.

Latest Latma, "Singing refugees from Tel Aviv and Bibi's daily grind"

2011-12-09T07:59:00.000+02:00

Caroline Glick posted this early, so you can watch with your Friday morning coffee:

Foreclosures, The American Economy, Like Israel's During HyperInflation

2011-12-08T08:26:00.001+02:00

Nobody can deny that the American economy is awful. One of the reasons is that banks and mortgage companies have been making it too easy to get loans. There's some sort of "flexible," think of rising yeast dough, mortgage payments, aka adjustable rate mortgages. People have been ending up paying more than they can afford and end up losing their homes to the bank/lender.

During Israel's hyperinflation, people found themselves owing and paying more on their mortgage than their homes were worth in the sinking economy.

Dry Bones is right again.

You can't accurately budget when payments and expenses keep rising, and income is stable or falling.

Who Should Be Offended? Israeli Aliyah Campaign

2011-12-07T05:41:00.000+02:00

I'm glad I waited until now to write about Israel's wimpy response to the complaints about the aliyah campaign. Dry Bones, as usual, hit the nail right on the head and is the perfect illustration to my post.

It's almost Chanukah 5772, 2011, and the modern Helenists are raging. Chanukah is the Jewish holiday celebrating religious freedom and the defeat of the Greeks who tried to stop us from observing our religion. Helenism was the ideology of those who attempted to replace Jewish values, customs and religion with those of the ruling Greeks.

The secular Left head today's Helenists who try to impose their ~~values~~ life-style on us all. The IDF's punishing of religious soldiers who don't want to listen to women's singing is an example.

Those Liberals aren't very liberal when it comes to Judaism!

And another example is the quick capitulation of the Israeli anti-assimilation aliya campaign. Bibi and gang gave victory to the Helenists on the Eve of Chanukah. He's no Judah Maccabee for sure.

Human Rights versus The Goldstone Report

2011-12-06T07:03:00.000+02:00

Justice Richard Goldstone will never live down the outrageously unbalanced, unprofessional inaccurate UN Fact Finding Mission about the "Gaza-Israel War" he headed. For many people, his name is now the symbol of the United Nations Judicial Hypocricy and anti-Israel policies.

The NGO Monitor recently came out with The Goldstone Report “Reconsidered” – A Critical Analysis, Edited by Gerald M. Steinberg and Anne Herzberg. A large book launch was held at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center this week. The standing-room-only event also included the delayed presentation of the Begin Prize to Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, who couldn't make last winter's event. Since Dershowitz is also associated with NGO Monitor, it was a perfect shidduch to combine the two.

Speakers were: Anne Herzberg, legal advisor of NGO Monitor, Prof. Gerald Steinberg, president of NGO Monitor, Maj. Gen. Avichai Mandelblitt, Prof. Avi Bell and the very entertaining Prof. Alan Dershowitz.

Here are some excerpts I was lucky enough to film, especially considering that I had no idea what they'd be saying and when to press "on" and "off."

Change? Our Our Characters, Path, Ikar Core, Can They Change?

2011-12-05T08:18:00.002+02:00

Chaviva threw out what at first seemed a very superficial challenge, asking on facebook and her blog how we've changed in the past ten years or since high school graduation, which for her are one and the same. I linked to it in my blog visiting post. Of course, for people like me, there's a lifetime of difference between the two, since she's the age of my youngest child. One of my peers, rickismom, who blogs on Beneath the Wings, answered Chaviva. Chaviva commented and I replied to her comment:

Chaviva, maybe the "ikkar," the core of us doesn't change, but change is an integral part of Judaism. That's what teshuva is. Our "ikkar," core is good and pure, and we must peel away the drek, sorry but I just can't think of a better term for it.

Superficially, we can change. Some of us never get to the core, unfortunately.

We all have our ups and downs. Life isn't perfect, and it's certainly not easy. Sometimes it seems like G-d has given us challenges we can't deal with.

Rickismom, you're an inspiration for many.

Chaviva's blog is a wonderful revealing narrative of a young woman's journey. Chaviva's road is being revealed and is never dull. Rickismom and I are a full generation older, but because Judaism never freezes a person in one frame, we're all traveling and changing, even if it looks superficially like we've "arrived" at our goals. Unlike in sports, the goal posts are supposed to keep moving.

I've been learning about football, American, because my son plays. I was surprised to discover that after a touchdown, there's another play/chance to add a couple of points. Judaism allows permits unlimited "extra points." The "play" is never over. We can always add points by continuing teshuva, repentance. That's the ikar the core/main goal of Judaism. We're never finished with our journey until our very last breath.

American Liberal -With a Capital "L"- Hypocrisy Times Two

2011-12-04T15:06:00.000+02:00

#1- It's the height of hypocrisy for leaders or citizens of one country to criticize the election results and legally voted laws of another country. Democracy, or democracy with a small "d" means the decision of the majority. No foreign country, official, academic or whatever has a moral right to say the results of elections and legal process of another country isn't democratic, and that includes Mrs. Bill aka Hillary Clinton the Secretary of State of the United States of America when she's talking about Israel.

Clinton is against religious and civil rights in that she believes that religious IDF soldiers should be forced to go against their religious belief. It's not her religion and none of her business. She has her anti-religious agenda and has absolutely no right to impose her opinions on Torah-observant Jews, whether in Israel or any other place in the world.

#2- The United States has a president who won the election because he's (half-) black. Many people voted for him for that reason only. They felt it time to have a non-Caucasian President. Voting for a person because of his/her color is no different from voting against someone just because of color. They are both decisions based on race, not on objective qualifications. In both cases people are judged by how they superficially look and not their experience.

Yes, many of those who voted for Barack Hussein Obama were blinded by his color and looked at nothing else. That is just as dangerous as refusing to vote for someone because of his/her color or sex. Obama's election didn't prove that the United States is conquering racism, it just means that the Liberal, with a capital "L," are successful in pushing their agenda and voted in an affirmative action president.

Latma: "Israeli media embraces pluralism and Obama's advisor embraces Arab democracy"

2011-12-03T19:42:00.000+02:00

Obama's Reality Perception Advisor John Zelokoreli opining on the gifts of Arab democracy. We also present the Israeli media's embrace of pluralism and our favorite suicide bombers Jamil and Awad discuss reconciliation with Israel.

The RIGHT way of looking at what's happening in Israel and the world, Latma...
Enjoy the show.

Thank Caroline Glick!

"Palestine" Once Meant The Jewish Community in the HolyLand

2011-12-02T06:59:00.000+02:00

Many of you have probably seen "The Spielberg Jewish Film Archive - Where Do You Get Off." In it, Edward G. Robinson solicits funds to help rehabilitate refugees from Europe in pre-State Israel, and he calls it "Palestine." This is not about Arabs, not at all.

It's a well-written, well-produced, convincingly acted, no surprise considering that the star is Edward G. Robinson, fund-raising appeal to help the struggling Jewish community -mostly Holocaust survivors*- in the HolyLand aka "Palestine." Obviously, even though the year it was produced is 1948, it predates the declaration of the State of Israel.

Apparently, at that time, it was clear to many/most that Palestine was the name of the Jewish Homeland. In marketing the principle is to use the most easy to recognize name/term. Only post-declaration of the State of Israel did the Arabs, or their anti-Jewish supporter adopt the name Palestine and invent a new nationality to compete with Jewish History.

The original aim of Islam was to supplant/replace Judaism. That's why it adopted many of our Biblical characters and narrative. That's why its followers have been trying to steal our Land and destroy our State.

We must be inflexibly strong and determined to win it all back!

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach

Have a Peaceful and Blessed Sabbath

*according to the pictures/film clips illustrating it

What's The Point of Staying in The United Nations? And Why Is The Israeli Government Supporting Our Enemies?

2011-12-01T07:10:00.000+02:00

I don't know if it'll do any good, but I'll keep posting about the uselessness of being a member of the United Nations. Besides being a forum for abuse, discriminations and hateful lies, what's the point? Israel is continuously attacked and condemned. No matter what or how eloquently or accurately Israeli delegates and leaders reply to the hate, it won't change anything.

The United Nations is against Israel. 'Solidarity with Palestinians' is proof. Unfortunately, the Government of Israel, its politicians, media etc are barking up the wrong tree, making things even worse, because it, even under Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, supports the establishment of a Pseudistinian aka Palestinian sic State. There is no way such a state can be benign, harmless and a "peace" partner with Israel.

It's virtually impossible for our supporters to succeed when our own government supports those who want to destroy us.

Netanyahu's and UN Ambassador Prosor's speeches are like Swiss cheese, tasty but full of holes. Listen and point them out in the comments, thanks.

Shiloh, Still a Spiritual Center, From the Bible to Today

2011-11-30T05:35:00.000+02:00

One of the things that has been reinforced by systematially, chapter by chapter, studying the Tanach, Bible in Matan's Al HaPerek course is that Shiloh remained a spriritual center for the Jewish People even after its destruction and King David's choice of Jerusalem as the Jewish Kingdom's Capitol. Achiya the Shiloni, played an important role, very much like Shmuel, Samuel the Prophet had done before.

The modern town of Shiloh is located next to Tel Shiloh and many of the homes can see where the ancient Mishkan, Tabernacle stood. Today Jews live where Biblical Jews ate of the sacrifices, because pottery chards from that time can be found. That includes the town of Eli. Among the women who come to the monthly Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers are women from Eli who enjoy being able to see their homes from the site of the Mishkan. You can watch and listen to Miryam Blum's explanation of the water system under Biblical Shiloh by clicking here.

On the Jewish Calendar, we're now in Kislev. It will soon be Chanukah. Here's the information about next month's Women's Prayers. Following that are pictures from the recent prayers and tour of Tel Shiloh.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh

Rosh Chodesh Tevet

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

8:30am

Shiur Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים

ראש חודש טבת בתל שילה

יום ג' 27-12 8:30

יהיה דבר תורה

נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

Tel Shiloh is open to visitors daily. Tours can be arranged through the office. Email office@telshilo.org.il or phone 02-994-4019.

Do "Katyushas Explode" All By Themselves?

2011-11-29T08:21:00.000+02:00

One of my major "pet peeves" is inaccurate, watered down, wimpy headlines like this one:

Katyusha rockets explode in western Galilee

Now, do katyushas appear and explode spontaneously, independent of human handling?

Honestly, think about it. This headline certainly gives the impression that all of a sudden some "katyusha rockets" mysteriously, magically were found to be exploding in Northern Israel. Do they suddenly show up like mold on the basement wall?

How did those katyusha rockets end up in the western Galilee? The subtitle "summary" in the Ynet news article states:

IDF confirms at least three Katyusha rockets explode in Western Galilee, search area for forth rocket; no injuries reported, but several structures sustain damage. IDF forces respond with artillery fire on Lebanon

I guess that means that somebody in Lebanon must have launched the missiles/weapons at Israel. Otherwise the IDF wouldn't have fired on Lebanon. A much more accurate title/headline would state that Lebanon fired katyushot at the western Galilee, Israel. QassamCount's report is no better, since its source is the same ynet article.

Tel Shiloh, On Top of Ancient Reservoir

2011-11-29T00:12:00.002+02:00

Here are three very short videos with explanations, mostly in Hebrew, by Miryam Blum, of Eli, about Ancient, Biblical Shiloh.

Ancient Shiloh was a place of pilgrimage. The Mishkan Tabernacle, House of Jewish Prayer stood here in Shiloh for 369 years. Shiloh had few "permanent residents," besides the priests and Tabernacle staff, but they were always prepared for visitors, especially for the Jewish Holidays. There was a need for water for all the visitors. In short, it has been discovered that there are many underground places at the Tel Shiloh that had held water. You can also see it in the stones uncovered.

This was filmed during our monthly Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers at Tel Shiloh. Next Rosh Chodesh, during Chanuka, will be Rosh Chodesh Tevet, 5772, December 27, 2011.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh

Rosh Chodesh Tevet

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

8:30am

Shiur Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים

ראש חודש טבת בתל שילה

יום ג' 27-12 8:30

יהיה דבר תורה

נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

Tel Shiloh is open to visitors daily. Tours can be arranged through the office. Email office@telshilo.org.il or phone 02-994-4019.

Building in The Land of Israel, If Not in Shiloh, Then Never in Tel Aviv

2011-11-28T09:01:00.000+02:00

Tel Aviv is the Israel Leftist Capitol of the State of Israel. Especially the Israeli radical extremist Left choke over the fact that Ben Gurion chose traditional Biblical Jerusalem over the Modern Zionist invention, Tel Aviv.

Factually, actually today's Israeli radical extreme loony Leftists still refuse to believe that the true "parents" of their beloved Tel Aviv are Shiloh, Hebron and Jerusalem. Three parents may seem a bit much, but we're talking history, not biology. The modern State of Israel is descended from the Bible, and the Jewish Nation had its first capital in Shiloh. After that for seven years, King David ruled from Hebron and after that he brought his government/monarchy to Jerusalem. These three cities give the modern state legitimacy. Three is an important number for stability. Commentary Magazine has an interesting article about the Israeli Left, worth reading.

Appease aka Peace sic Now is upset that the Israeli Government has approved building homes for Jews in Shiloh. These building plots were actually allocated for building a very long time ago, but actual building is recent.

I see things rather simply, and from now on I think that our response to anybody who denies our Jewish right to be/live in places like Shiloh should be:

"So you believe in apartheid. You believe in discriminating against Jews. That's what you're promoting by banning Jews from living here. You're a racist."

That's the truth. All those Leftists, Liberals with a capital "L" are just racists and must be confronted with the plain and honest truth.

Here are a few pictures of some recent building here in Shiloh. Enjoy!

Values, That Killer BLACK FRIDAY

2011-11-27T07:41:00.000+02:00

I grew up in a different America. We had blue laws which restricted store openings and protected what was then called "family values" and Sunday "sabbath" closing. Social values stressed time off, not 7 day shopping, and certainly not the violence for a bargain that I keep hearing about re: Black Friday. No surprise it's called BLACK FRIDAY. I can't imagine anything blacker than being mobbed, trampled and killed to save money.

video hat tip: Lady-Light

I'm not a fan of shopping on the internet, but if that's an option, I'd use it as a safety shelter to get Black Friday prices. I've fled discount supermarkets because of crowds and hating to wait on line.

Let's get to chessed, values and middot and my neighbor's advice on how to greet someone sporting a cast. I must admit that I probably said all the wrong things to her. And don't forget tzedakka. The Rebbetzin's Husband blogs about giving.

Is the world economy getting worse? Shirat Devorah posts about the endangered Euro.

It's time to think about Chanukah gifts. Must they cost lots of money? Do you have any good ideas? Chodesh Tov! I must get ready to go to Tel Shiloh for Women's Rosh Chodesh prayers. Next month is Tevet, Tuesday December 27. Meet me at Tel Shiloh.

"Times They Are a-Changin'," Latma Style

2011-11-26T18:10:00.000+02:00

Caroline Glick's Latma, Israel's premiere satire website brings you the Arab world's rendition of Bob Dylan's immortal Times They Are a-Changin' performed by Egyptian Minister of Conspiracy Theories Halil Majnoun, Libyan rebel leader Adel Herayme and Palestinian Minister of Uncontrollable Rage Tawil Fadiha...

Enjoy, if that's the right word!

Hasn't The Time Come to Leave The UN?

2011-11-25T07:52:00.000+02:00

The United Nations was never really an example of morality. It has always been a monstrous money-wasting hypocritical and dangerous organization. Its powerful bodies, like UNESCO, are filled with countries in which human and religious rights are unknown. like Syria. And Libya is on the UN Human Rights Council.

Yes, all/most of its member nations are united, but they're united against Israel, not united to promote international justice and morality.

And please don't tell me that Israel should be grateful for the November 29, 1947 vote in the United Nations. At the time, the United Nations was only two years (and one month) old, having been ratified in October 24, 1945. It had no power. It did nothing to support the State of Israel. Basically, the Zionists were told they could make a state without being condemned by other countries. Most of the countries that voted for the establishment of a Jewish State expected the Arab countries to defeat Israel. So, by voting "yes," they made themselves "look good" but that was it. They could then blame the Zionists for not being prepared and strong and viable enough to survive.

The truth is that Israel had no allies, just a worthless, powerless United Nations vote.

The proof was that in the spring of 1967, when Egypt's Nasser demanded that United Nations peace-keeping forces withdraw so Egypt could invade/destroy Israel, the UN quickly complied.

In 1967, no country came in as allies for Israel when it was clear that the Arabs planned our destruction. Thank G-d, the most powerful ally, G-d Himself, gave us victory over Egypt, Jordan and Syria and facilitated the liberation of Judea, Samaria, the Golan, Jordan Valley and Sinai. There's no need for the State of Israel to support an organization that doesn't support our existence. All they do is condemn us. Let's behave like the proud nation we should be.

Thanksgiving, Reconsidered/Think Again

2011-11-24T12:30:00.000+02:00

This post, under a different title, is cross-posted on me-ander. It's one of those posts/articles/essays that "wrote itself" in a manner I hadn't planned at all. I had been planning a very light, nostolgic post, like the one I had written a couple of years ago about my childhood memories of Thanksgiving, It's Not Thanksgiving If It's Not At Aunt Pauline's... But all of a sudden I discovered I had written a totally and utterly different genre. My facebook friends have been busy commenting on it, and bringing up very important points. Some of you may find this post outrageous, upsetting and even "sacrilegious." But as a Jew who lives in Shiloh the Biblical Homeland of the Jewish People, I think it's very important to differentiate between European invaders/colonialists who took over what is today called the "Americas" and Jews returning to our historic and spiritual homeland. Sorry, if I've ruined your appetite for the turkey and cranberry sauce.

Here it is:

Thanksgiving? Don't We Thank G-d Every Day?

I try to remind myself that every breath is a miracle. Every morning when we wake up, we're supposed to thank G-d that He returned our soul. Accidents happen, even fatal tragic ones, for "no logical reason." I really do try to remember that G-d controls these "little things."

The United States has a holiday, Thanksgiving, when it's traditional to gather with family and friends for a large meal, to thank G-d for the survival of the pilgrims, colonizers, invaders.

As I remember learning, the early pilgrims were grateful to have survived the bitter conditions in the "new world" and established the holiday. There's a myth that they feasted with local indians. I don't know what's taught today in American schools, since there's more sensitivity to the fact that the European pilgrims, settlers were racist colonizers. Don't choke on the turkey bones, but that's the truth.

Here in Shiloh, I feel totally at home, having returned to my, as a Jew, historic homeland. Honestly, I find it rather offensive to celebrate that immoral/racist American holiday in the Jewish Holy Land.

Sorry, this isn't the post I had planned on writing. The keys on the keyboard just kept pulling my fingers, and this is what came out.

Free Ride, Soon to End, Jerusalem Trolley Fare Warning

2011-11-23T21:12:00.000+02:00

Yes, there's just one more week left to enjoy the free train rides in Jerusalem. The screens at the station were playing the reminder/announcement today, and I guess they'll be playing the same tune for another week.

I'm one of those who has been enjoying my free rides, and yes, I do plan on continuing to take the train when it suits my itinerary and time schedule. I was on the train again, today, twice even.

I'm among those in suspense concerning the bus route changes in Jerusalem. We've been warned that areas serviced by the Jerusalem Lightrail won't get bus service on parallel or the same streets. I wonder how that will work. I also haven't filled my RavKav card with money. On December 1st I'll need it "live;" at present it's "dead."

Changes like these are frightening, confusing and disorienting. OK, yes, we can't expect things to stay the same forever, and they shouldn't stay the same forever. But it would be nice to have some notice about exactly what the new bus routes will be. Not everyone has the time and talents to relearn such vital information.

I think that many people will be happy to continue traveling by train, even if it costs money. This morning, just after 7am I was very lucky to catch an empty train that went straight from the depot to the French Hill/Givat HaMivtar stop. Usually at that time, the train if full (mostly of Arabs) by the time it gets there.

No doubt that I'll be among those screaming and complaining that the new routes are ridiculous, illogical, time-wasting etc. But I'll have no choice other than to get used to them. That's human nature.

Here's the message on "video."

Real Life Here in The Middle-East

2011-11-23T05:46:00.000+02:00

Living, in Shiloh, the eye of the storm, my perspective is rather different from those who write mainstream newspapers or "rule" from the spacious offices of the United Nations etc. For the past year, I've been interacting with Arabs very frequently as an ordinary salesperson in Yafiz (Rami Levi's clothing store) in Sha'ar Binyamin, north of Jerusalem. Jews and Arabs mingle, work and shop daily. Tension is minimal, maybe because those who can't abide such a situation don't come. But the truth is that the good prices seem to be the unifying factor.

Most of our Arab customers pay cash. They not only come from the nearby villages but from Ramalla, Shechem, Jericho, Jordan and much further away. Some Arab store owners use our sales to stock their own stores. It doesn't surprise me to read that Arabs invest in Israel, more than in their own neighborhoods. They're saavy shoppers on the whole.

I also wasn't surprised to read that Jordan's Hashemite King Abdullah has been meeting with Abbas to try to block Hamas. His kingdom is in danger. If the "Arab Spring storms" spread to Jordan, he may not survive.

For many of the local Arabs, living near Jews is life-saving. You don't read about these things in your regular paper, do you?

"Spring" Anarchy This Winter

2011-11-22T07:15:00.000+02:00

The Leftist and loonier press and politicians have been touting Arab "spring" uprisings as something great and encouraging these past few months. No surprise to me at least; those "spring" uprisings have bloomed into anarchy and violence. There's a limit to how long international Leftist mentors and trainers can keep the masses under control.

Egypt, for example, is not an advanced, western, peaceful nation. Just because Mubarak was ousted doesn't mean that his successors will be any better. Egypt is now in turmoil; unrest reigns supreme.

Protesting and demonstrating can be a lot of fun. Define "fun." Each society, culture sees it differently. The smoke in the Egyptian demonstrations (riots) is very different from the smoke seen in this Occupy Wall Street video (hat tip Heshy.)

Nu, some of you obviously think I don't get it about Brian Havig's video, but like in all great comedy, there's a lot of truth. That's right. Without touching on real issues, it's not funny. That's why Dry Bones is so successful.

Ya'akov takes the truth and presents it simply and clearly without too many distracting words. I try not to elaborate too much when writing. I've been describing the Israeli faux social justice demonstrations as Korach.

The problem with that is that too few people know the significance of Korach in Biblical Jewish History. Just trying to google/find a link about Korach that uses terms that ordinary people can understand is difficult. Ordinary people know virtually nothing about the Bible. I was once such a person. Only in recent years have I begun learning more seriously and be able to connect the various historic events and people.

I'll try to explain who Korach was and why he's considered a very dangerous leader. During the forty year trek the Jewish People took from Egypt to the Promised/Holy Land, Moses was designated by G-d to lead. The hierarchy of leadership, including religious, was also clearly assigned by G-d. Korach was a cousin of Moses and protested his family's inferior status. This only affected his immediate family, but to garner more supporters he embellished his protest. It was very much like all the recent protest movements, whether in Cairo, Tel Aviv, Wall Street-NYC etc. No matter what your gripe, you're invited!

That's anarchy. Who's behind today's international protests? Good question, shades of Korach for sure.

Our Enemies Always Attack Us When We're Weak, Haughty and Overconfident

2011-11-21T08:27:00.000+02:00

In my Tanach, Bible studies in Matan's Al HaPerek, we have just learned about Shlomo HaMelech, King Solomon's reign. I must admit that as I study the Bible, and this is the second year of the program, I'm always seeing parallels to modern politics and history. I certainly agree with the refrain in King Solomon's most important IMHO book, Kohelet, Ecclesiastes,

ט מַה-שֶּׁהָיָה, הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה, וּמַה-שֶּׁנַּעֲשָׂה, הוּא שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה; וְאֵין כָּל-חָדָשׁ, תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ. 9 That which hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.

The more I learn, the more I agree what King Solomon wrote in Kohelet at some point after major failures and tragedy, when he finally repented, admitted his sins and mistakes.

King Solomon, Son of King David and Batsheva inherited the throne, the Kingdom, the united People of Israel, all twelve tribes and all the Land that David had conquered and unified. There was peace, and Solomon's job, assigned by G-d, was to build the Holy Temple and rule according to G-d's Mitzvot Laws.

This was a time of great potential, very much like post-1967 Six Days War Israel euphoria, on the day that Egypt, Syria and Jordan surrendered. 1 Kings Chapter 8 מְלָכִים א

טז מִן-הַיּוֹם, אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶת-עַמִּי אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, לֹא-בָחַרְתִּי בְעִיר מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לִהְיוֹת שְׁמִי שָׁם; וָאֶבְחַר בְּדָוִד, לִהְיוֹת עַל-עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל. 16 Since the day that I brought forth My people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that My name might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.
יז וַיְהִי, עִם-לְבַב דָּוִד אָבִי--לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת, לְשֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. 17 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
יח וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, אֶל-דָּוִד אָבִי, יַעַן אֲשֶׁר הָיָה עִם-לְבָבְךָ, לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לִשְׁמִי--הֱטִיבֹתָ, כִּי הָיָה עִם-לְבָבֶךָ. 18 But the LORD said unto David my father: Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for My name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart;
יט רַק אַתָּה, לֹא תִבְנֶה הַבָּיִת: כִּי אִם-בִּנְךָ הַיֹּצֵא מֵחֲלָצֶיךָ, הוּא-יִבְנֶה הַבַּיִת לִשְׁמִי. 19 nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for My name.
כ וַיָּקֶם יְהוָה, אֶת-דְּבָרוֹ אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר; וָאָקֻם תַּחַת דָּוִד אָבִי וָאֵשֵׁב עַל-כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה, וָאֶבְנֶה הַבַּיִת, לְשֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. 20 And the LORD hath established His word that He spoke; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

After the Six Days War, signs were posted all over Israel thanking the IDF for the victory, even though, we only won because of G-d's help, G-d's miracles.

Unfortunately after all those beautiful words, King Solomon was haughty and overconfident. He considered himself above G-d's Law and sinned.

טז דִּבַּרְתִּי אֲנִי עִם-לִבִּי, לֵאמֹר--אֲנִי הִנֵּה הִגְדַּלְתִּי וְהוֹסַפְתִּי חָכְמָה, עַל כָּל-אֲשֶׁר-הָיָה לְפָנַי עַל-יְרוּשָׁלִָם; וְלִבִּי רָאָה הַרְבֵּה, חָכְמָה וָדָעַת. 16 I spoke with my own heart, saying: 'Lo, I have gotten great wisdom, more also than all that were before me over Jerusalem'; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

Not only did he take too many wives, but he took non-Jewish ones. He also purchased too many horses, and davka from Egypt, definitely against G-d's Laws, Deuteronomy Chapter 17 דְּבָרִים.

טז רַק, לֹא-יַרְבֶּה-לּוֹ סוּסִים, וְלֹא-יָשִׁיב אֶת-הָעָם מִצְרַיְמָה, לְמַעַן הַרְבּוֹת סוּס; וַיהוָה, אָמַר לָכֶם, לֹא תֹסִפוּן לָשׁוּב בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה, עוֹד. 16 Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses; forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you: 'Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.'
יז וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה-לּוֹ נָשִׁים, וְלֹא יָסוּר לְבָבוֹ; וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב, לֹא יַרְבֶּה-לּוֹ מְאֹד. 17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

King Solomon disobeyed both Laws. He bought horses from Egypt and married and made alliances with a total of a thousand women.

Even worse than that, just like then (1967) Prime Minister Levi Eshkol's Government, immediately after the Six Days War, gave the key to the Temple Mount to the Arabs, King Solomon soon gave away twenty cities to King Hiram, 1 Kings Chapter 9 מְלָכִים א.

יא חִירָם מֶלֶךְ-צֹר נִשָּׂא אֶת-שְׁלֹמֹה בַּעֲצֵי אֲרָזִים וּבַעֲצֵי בְרוֹשִׁים, וּבַזָּהָב--לְכָל-חֶפְצוֹ; אָז יִתֵּן הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה לְחִירָם, עֶשְׂרִים עִיר, בְּאֶרֶץ, הַגָּלִיל. 11 now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar-trees and cypress-trees, and with gold, according to all his desire--that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

And just like all of the "peace gestures" Israel gives our enemies, Hiram wasn't pleased and just wanted more.

Read through the Bible and you'll see how G-d punished King Solomon and not only divided the Kingdom, he also sent in foreign enemies that had been biding their time, waiting for the Jewish King to weaken, 1 Kings Chapter 11 מְלָכִים א.

יד וַיָּקֶם יְהוָה שָׂטָן לִשְׁלֹמֹה, אֵת הֲדַד הָאֲדֹמִי: מִזֶּרַע הַמֶּלֶךְ הוּא, בֶּאֱדוֹם. 14 And the LORD raised up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the king's seed in Edom.

And today, too, our enemies get strong, because we as a nation sin. Our security is dependent on our obedience to G-d as a Nation. We pray in the plural, not in singular. It's not enough to say or think that just our personal Torah-Mitzvah observance is enough. We're all on the same boat together. We're all One People. And when our leadership is faulty, we're all in danger. Those Jews who think they're safer abroad, in Chutz la'Aretz, out of the HolyLand, are sadly mistaken.

Last night at Matan, David Sabato reminded us that the Jewish Nation hasn't been united since the days of King Solomon's rule. G-d orchestrated the division as punishment for his sins.

We have a long way to go, so let's get started.

Blessed With Rain, Are We Doing Something Right?

2011-11-20T08:47:00.001+02:00

HolyLand rainfall isn't something that just happens. Chazal, our sages tell us that G-d gives us the rain according to our deeds, our behavior according to mitzvah observance. The past few years have been cursed with drought. This year the rain began "on time," when we add the prayer for rain a couple of weeks after Succot.

We can see that it's a real winter by looking at the morning sky.

The past few years have been terribly dry with first heavy rains months later than we need. That's the reason for the tragic, deadly forest fire in the Carmel, northern Israel, last year.

If there had been sufficient rain, the forest wouldn't have had burnt so quickly and thoroughly.

I totally enjoy seeing the "green peach-fuzz" early ~~grass~~ weeds sprouting here in Shiloh. It's a sign of blessing.

When it's raining, we must call it a beautiful day, because we do need every drop of water G-d is willing to give us. The sun is always shining, even if it's hiding behind the clouds.

Let it rain!

Latma, Is Channel 10 Too Big to Fail? And Peace Now's Financial Woes

2011-11-19T19:55:00.000+02:00

There's nothing better than Latma to tell us what is really going on. It's the Right way to see Israel and the world.

Thank Caroline Glick!

Sweet "Revenge"

2011-11-18T08:06:00.000+02:00

For many Holocaust survivors, marrying and having children was their revenge. The Nazis wanted to destroy the entire Jewish People, and the Nazis didn't succeed. People actually survived the death camps and made new lives for themselves.

In today's modern State of Israel our big physical enemy is terrorism. Not only do the Pseudostinian aka Palestinian sic leadership demand the destruction of the State of of Israel, but their followers attack to murder us. Twenty years ago, in one of the first shooting attacks, my friend and neighbor Rachella Druk was murdered. She was a young mother of seven; her eldest was in high school.

Yesterday, on a chilly overcast day, we met at the cemetery to honor her memory. The real honoring was done by her children, all married and parents, too. The Arab terrorists murdered Rachella's body, but her essense, her faith in G-d and the Jewish People and Jewish Land are strong and enduring.

Two vibrant communities were established in her memory, Shvut Rachel and Rechallim. Rachella was the first to be buried in our cemetery.

As I was walking down from my house to the cemetery I got a ride with a neighbor:

"Come in, you're going to do chessed shel emmess, right."
"Right, you know what אמת emmess/emmett (truth) really means?" I asked him. "It means אמות ammute I'll die, because the truth is that we'll all die."
"Thanks for the chiddush, new idea."

Yes, the truth is that our time in This World is limited. We rarely have a clue as to the "expiration date." So we must get in our mitzvot as efficiently as we can.

Shabbat Shalom
Have a Peaceful and Blessed Sabbath

L'Illui Nishmata shel Rachella

Almost Rosh Chodesh Kislev and Chanukah

2011-11-17T07:43:00.000+02:00

It's said that the older we get, the more quickly time goes. Is that why it's hard to believe that Chanukah is barely a month away. Yes, it's almost Rosh Chodesh Kislev. So, I'd like to remind you that we're planning on having our monthly women's prayers at Tel Shiloh. This isn't a women's minyan. We're just women who pray at the same place and the same time. And as long as there aren't any men in the area, we sing/pray the Hallel prayer outloud.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh

Rosh Chodesh Kislev

Sunday, November 27, 2011

8:30am

Shiur Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים

ראש חודש כסלו בתל שילה

יום א' 27-11 8:30

יהיה דבר תורה

נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

Tel Shiloh is open to visitors daily. Tours can be arranged through the office. Email office@telshilo.org.il or phone 02-994-4019.

I go to Tel Shiloh, the actual site of the Mishkan, Tabernacle monthly, and every month there are changes.

So, even if you've been there before, it's worth going.

Hopelessy Hateful, Don't Value Life, Can't "Peace" With Them

2011-11-16T05:40:00.000+02:00

You can only make peace with those who value human life. Societies and cultures that worship "martyrs" for their deaths including "suicide bombers/terrorists" will never honor peace treaties, no matter what they sign to.

Again, Dry Bones pictures it perfectly:

We're playing with the future of the world, with human life. That's something the looney Leftists refuse to recognize. They're infatuated with the Arabs and totally ignore the true situation. There's more human rights discrimination within Arab society than any security restrictions Israel puts on the Arabs.

Remember, we're still "counting qassams." The Arab terrorists in Gaza are still attacking Israel with missiles. Israelis are being killed and injured by the Arabs, and property destroyed or damaged by their attacks.

If those extreme Leftists were really in favor of peace, freedom, religious and civil rights, they'd be protesting against the Arabs, not against Israel and Jews!

"Freedom Riders?" I'd Like to Ride Free From Arab Terrorism

2011-11-15T20:24:00.000+02:00

Not for the first time, international Leftist agitators are making life Hell for innocent Israeli civilians. Today, mid-afternoon, on my way home to Shiloh from Jerusalem I noticed some disturbances at the machsom military exit from Jerusalem. I could see professional photographers and bits of a sign or two in Arabic. Somehow I managed to get my camera out and shoot a couple of imperfect photos. My photos obviously weren't staged.

When I saw this, I figured that the Extreme Leftist Machsom Watch had attacked with their disturbers of the peace, but apparently I had been wrong about it. It had been the faux Freedom sic Riders.

Obviously, logically, if they were really in favor of true freedom, freedom from terrorism, they'd include our (Jewish) freedom in their demands. Those Leftists don't care. They keep looking for excuses to attack Jews and Israel in any way they possibly can.

All these extreme Leftists actually accomplished, besides their photo ops and publicity, was to cause a major traffic jam for Jews and Arabs on the road to Jerusalem.

Both Jews and Arabs travel our roads. Many of the Arabs live and work in Israel. But since when do logic and facts influence those extreme Leftist anti-Israeli agitators?

The "News," Reliable or Not?

2011-11-15T07:50:00.001+02:00

Dry Bones brings us back to the days when, no matter how hard we searched there really weren't too many options, choices for getting news.

Now Israel has lots of tv stations, and many people have access to foreign tv, including news programs, but it's still the same basic "approach" to the news. The vast majority of the international media religiously subscribe to Leftist ideology.

Many of us try to find more reliable news information on the internet, like Caroline Glick's site or her fantastic Latma news programs. There's also Arutz 7, which although no longer has an Israeli radio news show independent of internet, is still a good news source. And since almost no news site cares about Israel being attacked, it's a good thing to sign up for QassamCount, which updates on the Arab missile attacks.

And of course for op-eds and editorials, nothing beats the blogs. Many of us blog, because we got tired of seeing our articles rejected by the mainstream press. Fewer newspapers even pay writers, so if we're going to do it for nothing, we may as well have full control. I consider my blogs to be my personal magazines for which I'm editor-in-chief. I've even invited others to blog on them to add more variety and viewpoints.

Which "alternative news" sources are your favorites?

Protection Against Airborne Torpedoes* aka Qassams?

2011-11-14T07:11:00.000+02:00

My father was in the United States Navy during World War Two. He was very lucky, having been transferred off of the USS Indianapolis a very short time before it was torpedoed. There were very few survivors, especially because the Navy didn't have contact with the ship and didn't know about the attack.

Writing about the frequent Arab terrorist qassam attacks on Israel has all sorts of linguistic difficulties. I never quite know what to call the weapons. I absolutely hate the Israeli media favorite "rackettot," little rockets, which sounds just too cute and harmless.

Onomatopoeia is a very effective linguistic tool. By giving a dangerous, potentially fatal weapon a cute, fun-sounding, child-like name, one is decreasing associative fear and terror. When I hear the word "rocket," I think "rocket to the moon," a great, thrilling adventure and challenge.

The Israeli Government, more exactly successive Israeli Governments have been wasting time and money trying to invent protective devices, like the Iron Dome, instead of sending the IDF against to terrorists to destroy them and their missiles/weapons.

Some of the "protective gear" have been rather low-tech, like the sewer pipes placed in southern neighborhoods housing Disengagement Gush Katif "DP's."

And some of the newer ideas remind me more of coffins or old now banned refrigerators in which people especially children got locked into.

This coming February the Home Front Command will stage a test in the Negev a variety of technologies for protecting civilians under rocket attack.

Lt. Col. Tzachi Zarko, Head of the Engineering Branch of the Home Front Command told IMRA that besides testing equipment designed by the Home Front Command itself – including a 'protected bed' that looks like a regular bed though can be transformed into a 'protected hut' during emergencies and a special closet that can be used as a safe room, the Home Front Command will make available whole “test rooms” that companies can outfit with protection equipment and technologies.

The metal closet as designed by the Home Front Command would cost around 10,000 NIS and is prohibitively heavy. The bed, as now designed, would also cost around NIS 10,000,

Let's just send in the heavy artillery to destroy the Arab terrorists!

*Doesn't "airborne torpedo" sound much more dangerous than raining or falling rockets?

Here We Go Again, Arab Terrorists Launch Missiles at Israeli South

2011-11-13T22:51:00.001+02:00

The past few days, QassamCount had been quiet. It's on my sidebar, so along with checking what my blog friends have posted I can see if there's anything new on QassamCount. The longer it goes without being updated the more nervous again. We don't have the sort of peace that can stop terrorism.

Arab terrorism is a simmering undercurrent in our daily lives here in Israel. It's like a seething volcano, never totally silent. There was just an erruption of Arab terrorist violence.

8:34pm: Qassam rocket fired from Gaza explodes in open area in Shaar Hanegev in Israel

Terrorism is not just some "natural phenomena." We shouldn't "be strong" and tolerate it. It must be stopped. Accepting it as inevitable is a weakness, not a sign of strength. It's the "philosopher's way" of wimping out.

Opting Out, The Yitzchak Rabin Memorial Hate-Fest

2011-11-13T08:08:00.000+02:00

One of the best things about my recent work schedule, night shift, has been missing the Israeli television news. This is the season when hate, sinat chinam, baseless hatred against other Jews, is celebrated by the media, politicians and public figures.

Yitzchak Rabin memorial at Jerusalem Municipality

There are so many theories based on fact and fiction about the killing of Yitzchak Rabin, it's hard to know exactly what happened. There are more holes in the official judicial conviction of Yigal Amir than in ~~Swiss Cheese~~ a fishing net.

Rabin's killing has replaced Chaim Alosoroff's, Dir Yassin, King David Hotel bombing etc to incite Jew against Jew.

I pray for true peace and the cessation of this hatred. I demand that the Left do the חשבון נפש Cheshbon Nefesh, Accounting of the Soul, to see the true source of hatred, how David Ben-Gurion could have had no compunctions about ordering Yitzchak Rabin to lead the attack against the Jews bringing weapons on the Altalena to free Jerusalem from the Arabs. Yes, Rabin attacked innocent Jews. That his memory is being used to incite against Jews is a tragedy, because nothing was learned from the earlier tragedies brought to you/us by the Israel Left.

Latma, The Right Way! Israel's Judges, Bombing Iran and Other Topics

2011-11-12T20:39:00.000+02:00

Caroline Glick's Latma keeps getting better and better. Take a look: