For those who travel in Judea and Samaria, this is a familiar sight.
And believe me, the license plate proves it's an arab truck!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
On the Road
There's no limit to the lies people tell and people believe. I hear from those who don't travel in my neck of the woods that Arabs aren't allowed on the roads near the yishuvim. That's not true. There are many more Arabs on the roads than Jews.
For those who travel in Judea and Samaria, this is a familiar sight.
For those who travel in Judea and Samaria, this is a familiar sight.
Zionist-Kibbutz Dream in YESHA
The other night on TV, you must think all I do is watch TV, but it's not so, they had a piece on former kibbutznikim in yishuvim. Of course the ones they showed aren't my neighbors from the religious kibbutzim, like Chofetz Chaim or Yavne or Tirat Tzvi. That's not news.
They showed former left-wing from totally non-religious kibbutzim, who today are shomrei mitzvot, Torah Commandment observing Jews living in yishuvim. They also interviewed former neighbors or parents, OK I didn't listen to every word, who told how they feel about the changes.
Of course, some present kibbutznikim have a very strange concept of pioneering. "It was fine before the state was founded, but once there was a state, there was no need to expand." And in contrast the father of one of the former kibbutznikim said: "It's not so strange. My father was a rabbi, and his father and I'm descended from some very famous rabbis."
I think that one of the things that upsets the non-religious Left the most is that they know that we're keeping the Zionist dream alive, and we're keeping Judaism. The great rebellion against Jewish observance is a failure. Without Torah, the Land and the State of Israel just dry up and weaken.
They showed former left-wing from totally non-religious kibbutzim, who today are shomrei mitzvot, Torah Commandment observing Jews living in yishuvim. They also interviewed former neighbors or parents, OK I didn't listen to every word, who told how they feel about the changes.
Of course, some present kibbutznikim have a very strange concept of pioneering. "It was fine before the state was founded, but once there was a state, there was no need to expand." And in contrast the father of one of the former kibbutznikim said: "It's not so strange. My father was a rabbi, and his father and I'm descended from some very famous rabbis."
I think that one of the things that upsets the non-religious Left the most is that they know that we're keeping the Zionist dream alive, and we're keeping Judaism. The great rebellion against Jewish observance is a failure. Without Torah, the Land and the State of Israel just dry up and weaken.
Between A Rock and A Hard Place--The Druse
Last night, I found myself watching the Israeli Channel 1 TV talk-show, which was about some violence in a Druse Village. The Druse were referring to some major police action, which they claimed was a use of unnecessary force.
The Druse really are in a difficult position. They're not Arab. They're not Jewish. They're not Moslem nor Christian. They serve in the Israeli Army, in difficult positions, and they are killed as Israeli soldiers. In a sense, nobody really trusts them completely, because they're not part of anything other than Druse society. The young Druse are angry.
Finally I found out the background of the story:
The Druse really are in a difficult position. They're not Arab. They're not Jewish. They're not Moslem nor Christian. They serve in the Israeli Army, in difficult positions, and they are killed as Israeli soldiers. In a sense, nobody really trusts them completely, because they're not part of anything other than Druse society. The young Druse are angry.
Finally I found out the background of the story:
Peki'in Aftermath: Jewish Hostage and Arson Victim Speak
As calls for an inquiry and the firing of the police chief are made, the officer held hostage and rabbi who had his home torched in Peki’in speak.more
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
And if he was dying?
G-d forbid I should belittle Olmert's cancer. Cancer is cancer, and some people with the most serious survive and thrive and others die after first being diagnosed with a minor case. So who knows what Olmert's health prognosis really is, only G-d.
But by announcing that he has cancer, however microscopic it may be, his approval rating rose to a whopping 11%.
So, a very sincere refuah shleimah, complete recovery, from me here in the Holy City of Shiloh.
But by announcing that he has cancer, however microscopic it may be, his approval rating rose to a whopping 11%.
So, a very sincere refuah shleimah, complete recovery, from me here in the Holy City of Shiloh.
Our Union is Better Than the Other Union
Considering that some New York garment union workers tried to murder my grandfather over eighty years ago, it's ironic that I'm writing something good about a union.
I'm a member of Irgun Morim, Teachers Union, and not the Histadrut Teachers Union. The Histadrut signed a very bad contract for its members, which reduces, yes I said reduces, the hourly wage for teachers. The weekly requirement of hours is much greater, so full-time teachers will receive a bit more monthly, but they'll have to work a lot harder for it. Well, that's the basic premise of the government and many of the public. "Teachers just don't work hard enough." It's like those supermarkets which cite studies that the women manning the check-outs, cash registers, work more quickly if they spend their eight hour shifts on their feet. No chairs, no stools!
Well, my Irgun Morim has refused to sign, and many of the teachers are striking. The yeshiva high school where I teach isn't striking, for various reasons I can't get into right now, but we're allowed to take off to go to all the big demonstrations. That's where I was yesterday instead of in the classroom, a big rally in Jerusalem while the Knesset was discussing the strike.
Ron Erez, head of the Irgun Morim, was enthusiastically received. We don't want him to buckle or weaken.
More pictures on me-ander.
I'm a member of Irgun Morim, Teachers Union, and not the Histadrut Teachers Union. The Histadrut signed a very bad contract for its members, which reduces, yes I said reduces, the hourly wage for teachers. The weekly requirement of hours is much greater, so full-time teachers will receive a bit more monthly, but they'll have to work a lot harder for it. Well, that's the basic premise of the government and many of the public. "Teachers just don't work hard enough." It's like those supermarkets which cite studies that the women manning the check-outs, cash registers, work more quickly if they spend their eight hour shifts on their feet. No chairs, no stools!
Well, my Irgun Morim has refused to sign, and many of the teachers are striking. The yeshiva high school where I teach isn't striking, for various reasons I can't get into right now, but we're allowed to take off to go to all the big demonstrations. That's where I was yesterday instead of in the classroom, a big rally in Jerusalem while the Knesset was discussing the strike.
Ron Erez, head of the Irgun Morim, was enthusiastically received. We don't want him to buckle or weaken.
More pictures on me-ander.
Competing Kashrut--All Kosher
This Shemitta year, the Israeli Rabbinate has gone the way of the Chareidim and rejected heter mechira, permitted "selling" of the Land. This was not well received by all Torah observant Jews and their rabbis. So a group of strictly Torah observant rabbis established a supervision service for those who want heter mechira.
The official rabbinate is furious. They say that it's illegal, but they allow all of the other competing kashrut supervision by the chareidim.
Sort of makes you lose your appetite.
The official rabbinate is furious. They say that it's illegal, but they allow all of the other competing kashrut supervision by the chareidim.
Sort of makes you lose your appetite.
Monday, October 29, 2007
"Holy" Red Strings
There are those who say that the "holy" red strings are hoaxes. Recently I see people selling strings with all sorts of doodads.
They look like they were strung in China.
They look like they were strung in China.
Rally for the Teachers
Today, instead of teaching six lessons, I only taught two because of the demonstration. The afternoon classes after 2:30 were cancelled so we could attend the demonstration. This time it was in Jerusalem, near the Knesset, since there were important meeting about education at the time.
I took some great pictures, but photobucket isn't uploading them as quickly as it should.
Besides all the speeches there was a lot going on.
A man had a sign saying:
I asked him if he's really doing it. He said, "yes." He's a school principal; his children are university graduates, and he's worried about his grandchildren.
Nearby, some women were selling big rolls and said that they could make more money selling the rolls than teaching.
pictures later
I took some great pictures, but photobucket isn't uploading them as quickly as it should.
Besides all the speeches there was a lot going on.
A man had a sign saying:
I'm hunger-striking for the sake of my grandchildren.
I asked him if he's really doing it. He said, "yes." He's a school principal; his children are university graduates, and he's worried about his grandchildren.
Nearby, some women were selling big rolls and said that they could make more money selling the rolls than teaching.
pictures later
My Letter to US Pres. Bush
To: comments@whitehouse.gov
Send your letters in, too!
No doubt that if US President Bush allows Rice to implement her dream of a Palestinian state, History will blame Bush for the destruction of the State of Israel.
That is the aim of Rice and her Palestinian partners, Israel's destruction, since there's no room for two states in such a minute area. And since, as the late US President Truman was known to have said, "The Buck Stops Here," it will be President Bush who will take the fall. History will blame him, just like it praises Truman for Israel's existence, although Truman really wasn't involved.
Send your letters in, too!
One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor!
"One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor!"
Yes, Paul Simon was right about that!
Yes, Paul Simon was right about that!
Look carefully at how these synagogue seats are constructed.
If you tap the "table" in front of you, you're tapping someone's seat. And if you plop down in your seat, you can make someone's siddur, prayer book, jump. Another problem is when the siddur or Chumash, Bible, is so large that it digs into the back of the person in the seat in front which is attached to your "table." Remember that the seats are also attached horizontally, so if you lean forward, you may take all your seatmates with you. Not very pleasant.
Not everyone is as hyper-sensitive as I am to all these disturbances, but it's still something to take in account and think about.
The recent fad of clapping in the middle of the Silent Prayer is a real problem. It stops me, prevents me from praying, and then it's hard to concentrate again.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
It's time to jail the foreign leftists!
Foreign Leftists keep coming to Israel to help the Arab terrorists destroy Israel. Recently some British vandals destroyed Israeli vineyards. They should be jailed to the full extent of the law and then declared persona non grata and never allowed to return here.
Instead of persecuting Israeli patriots, the security forces should be investigating all of the Left wing groups which bring foreigners as political agitators, like the one that brought Rachel Corrie.
We have to stop apologizing for surviving and destroy those who want us destroyed!
Instead of persecuting Israeli patriots, the security forces should be investigating all of the Left wing groups which bring foreigners as political agitators, like the one that brought Rachel Corrie.
We have to stop apologizing for surviving and destroy those who want us destroyed!
I'm not walking to the back of the bus!
In recent years, some Israeli bus lines have adopted the custom of separating men and women to the extreme. Woman are supposed to schlepp to the back of the bus, which has fewer seats than the front, even making them stand, while the men sit comfortably, sometimes even one to a double-seat, and conveniently in the front. This has become a de facto standard in the more religious Israeli circles and bus routes.
Now on regular bus lines, in my old age I've been offered seats in the front of the bus by a variety of bus travellers. There are pluses to starting to "look my age." I'm honestly very grateful for the help and thank people. I don't consider it an insult to be considered old.
Just over a week ago, twice in one day, I entered buses in which I was expected to schlepp myself to the back, even though there were plenty of empty seats in the front. Neither were officially of the chareidi sex-separated lines.
The first was a bus out of Tel Zion, which I picked up at the Maavar Michmas bus stop. It's a very short ride from there to Jerusalem. Almost all of the seats I could see had one person sitting, so there were plenty of empty seats. It's just that almost all those closest to the door had a man sitting, and I wasn't going to scandalize them by sitting next to them. All that was needed was a little efficient practical thinking. One man, just one man, needed to get up to sit next to a male friend and give me his vacated seat. I looked at them, and they looked at me, and I held onto the pole for dear life as the bus rounded the very dangerous curve onto the main road.
As a mother and teacher, I find myself "educating others" at the oddest of occasions, so as I started requesting what seemed so obvious out loud, a young mother with tiny infant in her arms moved over to make room for me. I sat with them, but I wonder how these men treat their wives and mothers.
Then, on my way home, that very same day, I waited at the French Hill bus and hitchhiking stop. Finally a local "school bus" pulled up. Our regional council provides a free bus during commuter rush hour to help people get home. I was one of the first on the bus. Again I was greeted by a bus filled with one man to a double seat. They looked at me, and I looked at them. I was tired and hadn't spent my day at a desk like many of the high tech workers who were so comfortably sitting. There was no young mother or female of any sort in the front of the bus.
I had no choice; I asked out loud that "someone" get up to sit next to a friend, or I'll just plop myself wherever I want. It was a good move, and I got a seat. The other was quickly filled by a young teenage girl.
More people got on the bus, many were teenage girls. The driver wouldn't leave while the girls were standing. He got up and checked the situation:
And the guys got up, and there was room for all.
Now why can't they think of it themselves?
Even better, why can't they think of other people, instead of just being selfish?
Now on regular bus lines, in my old age I've been offered seats in the front of the bus by a variety of bus travellers. There are pluses to starting to "look my age." I'm honestly very grateful for the help and thank people. I don't consider it an insult to be considered old.
Just over a week ago, twice in one day, I entered buses in which I was expected to schlepp myself to the back, even though there were plenty of empty seats in the front. Neither were officially of the chareidi sex-separated lines.
The first was a bus out of Tel Zion, which I picked up at the Maavar Michmas bus stop. It's a very short ride from there to Jerusalem. Almost all of the seats I could see had one person sitting, so there were plenty of empty seats. It's just that almost all those closest to the door had a man sitting, and I wasn't going to scandalize them by sitting next to them. All that was needed was a little efficient practical thinking. One man, just one man, needed to get up to sit next to a male friend and give me his vacated seat. I looked at them, and they looked at me, and I held onto the pole for dear life as the bus rounded the very dangerous curve onto the main road.
As a mother and teacher, I find myself "educating others" at the oddest of occasions, so as I started requesting what seemed so obvious out loud, a young mother with tiny infant in her arms moved over to make room for me. I sat with them, but I wonder how these men treat their wives and mothers.
Then, on my way home, that very same day, I waited at the French Hill bus and hitchhiking stop. Finally a local "school bus" pulled up. Our regional council provides a free bus during commuter rush hour to help people get home. I was one of the first on the bus. Again I was greeted by a bus filled with one man to a double seat. They looked at me, and I looked at them. I was tired and hadn't spent my day at a desk like many of the high tech workers who were so comfortably sitting. There was no young mother or female of any sort in the front of the bus.
I had no choice; I asked out loud that "someone" get up to sit next to a friend, or I'll just plop myself wherever I want. It was a good move, and I got a seat. The other was quickly filled by a young teenage girl.
More people got on the bus, many were teenage girls. The driver wouldn't leave while the girls were standing. He got up and checked the situation:
"There are plenty of seats still available."But of course the young women wouldn't sit by the men and the men, territorial about their precious possessions, wouldn't move to sit with their fellow males. Finally, you guessed it, big mouth me called out:
"Girls sit down next to them. If they don't like it, they'll move."
And the guys got up, and there was room for all.
Now why can't they think of it themselves?
Even better, why can't they think of other people, instead of just being selfish?
PS If men want to sit separately from women, they should sit in the back of the bus. Honestly, how many men are pregnant, schlepp babies and all the paraphernalia etc?
Saturday, October 27, 2007
A Mother's Answer
The "men in the Beit Medrash" have spent thousands of years pondering the relation/connection between the "Akeidat Yitzchak," the Sacrifce of Isaac (who wasn't actually sacrificed) and his mother, Sarah's death. You can read the Bible here and here.
Some say she died from fear that Abraham would sacrifice, Isaac, her only son, and others say that she was afraid that Abraham was too "soft" and refuse G-d's commandments. As I was reading the parsha today, I came to a different conclusion. Sara know what g-d had commanded. She simply prayed to G-d saying:
And that's what happened. A mother's love saved her son. Compare that with Hagar and Ishmael!
Verse 9: They came to the place that El-him had designated to him. Avraham built the altar there, and arranged the wood. He bound his son Yitzchok, and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood.
Verse 1: The lifetime of Sarah consisted of one hundred years, twenty years and seven years. [These were] the years of Sarah's life.
Verse 2: Sarah died in Kiryas Arba, which is Chevron, in the land of Canaan. Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep for her.
Rashi: To eulogize Sarah and to weep for her.
The narrative of Sarah's death immediately follows the Akeidah [binding] of Yitzchok because as a result of the news of the Akeidah, that her son had been prepared for slaughter and had almost been slaughtered, her soul departed from her and she died.7
Some say she died from fear that Abraham would sacrifice, Isaac, her only son, and others say that she was afraid that Abraham was too "soft" and refuse G-d's commandments. As I was reading the parsha today, I came to a different conclusion. Sara know what g-d had commanded. She simply prayed to G-d saying:
"G-d, please take me, instead."
And that's what happened. A mother's love saved her son. Compare that with Hagar and Ishmael!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Iran's An International Problem
You may consider it one of those damned if you do, and damned if you don't scenarios, but the bottom line is that Israel has its own enemies and threats, and we'd be harming ourselves more if we put the Iran problem first.
We should stop trying to figure out what the world will like. We should defend ourselves, destroy our enemies. That's the only way we'll survive. That's the only way we'll get anybody's respect!
We should stop trying to figure out what the world will like. We should defend ourselves, destroy our enemies. That's the only way we'll survive. That's the only way we'll get anybody's respect!
Good News for Bible Lovers
The OU is presenting Nach Yomi, a daily Tana"ch-learning program.
I have two major pet peeves about Jewish education in America and even here at the programs for foreign students.
- One is that learning is in English, even in frameworks and areas wherein the students have been in a Jewish school from nursery. And then when they go to Israel for their "year or two abroad," instead of making an effort to improve their Hebrew, they continue learning in English, via translation.
- Bible isn't part of yeshiva curriculum. The girls programs get a bit, but many of the boys don't learn it at all. Even in Israel, where it's possible to visit most places where our formative history occurred, the Tana"ch, Bible is ignored.
So I'm very happy that the OU is rectifying it. Next they should offer Bible tours. Meet you in Shiloh!
Shabbat Shalom
Thursday, October 25, 2007
How Dumb Do They Think We Are!!?!
The Histadrut Teachers Union signed an agreement with the government which lowers teachers salaries. Yes that's right!
The new contract gives the teachers less per hour than the old contract!
What kind of idiots are those elementary school teachers?
And now the Histadrut is working with he government to try to convince the Irgun Morim to sign, too.
I guess the union pays the union well, so they don't have to live on teachers salaries.
Even crazier, my friends and neighbors who are elementary school teachers haven't the vaguest idea about what their new contract gives them. Ignorance may be bliss, but it won't pay the bills.
The balloons say:
The new contract gives the teachers less per hour than the old contract!
What kind of idiots are those elementary school teachers?
And now the Histadrut is working with he government to try to convince the Irgun Morim to sign, too.
I guess the union pays the union well, so they don't have to live on teachers salaries.
Even crazier, my friends and neighbors who are elementary school teachers haven't the vaguest idea about what their new contract gives them. Ignorance may be bliss, but it won't pay the bills.
The balloons say:
Without Education
There's No Future
Chasing Tails
It looks pretty dumb, doesn't it?
Actually, when I googled for a picture of a cat catching his tail, I was hoping to see something more "active."
Israeli politicians are like cats trying to catch their tails. They are the antithesis, the exact opposite of what true leaders really are.
Last night's hate-filled TV eulogies of Yitzchak Rabin revealed more of his underlying rationale for Oslo. Believe me, Olmert's not the first tired Israeli politician. Yitzchak Rabin was also tired. One of his confidants, sorry, but I forget who was talking, explained that during the Gulf War of US President Bush The First, Rabin was depressed by the sight of cars streaming out of Tel Aviv. He looked at those Israelis fleeing their homes and knew that they were his kind of people, the ones whose votes he wanted. That's why he liked the Oslo Accords. It suited Israelis who had no problem fleeing their homes. Even better, those Israelis got to keep their homes, while the patriotic Land of Israel loving Israelis would, G-d forbid, be exiled from theirs.
Yes, instead of offering leadership and encouragement to the Israeli citizens, Rabin packaged a plan based on the worst and weakest of the Israeli psyche.
True to form, Rabin never apologized for his violence against fellow Jews during the Israeli War of Independence. He was a dedicated follower of Ben Gurion who feared competition for leadership and ordered Menachem Begin to be killed when the Altalena tried to dock to deliver fighters and arms to free the Old City of Jerusalem. Yitzchak Rabin was the commander of the Palmach unit which attacked the Altalena and killed their fellow Jews, Hashem Yikom Damom, May G-d Avenge Their Deaths.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Avenging Blood of Jews
Left wing, MK Yossi Beilin called upon Hashem to avenge the blood of a Jew, Yitzchak Rabin.
We shouldn't forget to use the same phrase when mentioning the Jews killed by Yitzchak Rabin and his troops when shooting at the Altalena. ...hhmmm think about it...
Maybe that's what actually did happen....
We shouldn't forget to use the same phrase when mentioning the Jews killed by Yitzchak Rabin and his troops when shooting at the Altalena. ...hhmmm think about it...
Maybe that's what actually did happen....
Democracy, Choices
Not long ago, I wrote about my meeting with Adi Mintz, one of the candidates running for the job of head of Mateh Binyamin, our "regional council."
It's sort of like being governor or county head with the responsibilities of a mayor, like garbage disposal, roads, education and more. I couldn't find a map of Mateh Binyamin, but if you look at this map, you can get an idea. It's directly north of Jerusalem and includes the area including Dolev, Ramalla which is next to Beit El, Ofra and to the east of it and Shiloh and a bit further north where Eli is. It's a large district, and the roads don't connect the different communities. Administering, governing, the area isn't easy, and there are only two candidates for the position.
It's sort of like being governor or county head with the responsibilities of a mayor, like garbage disposal, roads, education and more. I couldn't find a map of Mateh Binyamin, but if you look at this map, you can get an idea. It's directly north of Jerusalem and includes the area including Dolev, Ramalla which is next to Beit El, Ofra and to the east of it and Shiloh and a bit further north where Eli is. It's a large district, and the roads don't connect the different communities. Administering, governing, the area isn't easy, and there are only two candidates for the position.
A couple of months ago, when I heard who the two candidates were, I felt that there was no choice, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. One, Adi Mintz, was tainted by his association with Moetzet YESHA and the other, Avi Ro'eh, I saw as an "establishment figure" from the present administration. And you guessed it, I'm not enamoured with the way that the council is being run any more than I respect Moetzet YESHA.
During Succot, Adi Mintz came to Shiloh, and I went to hear him and, yes, ask questions. Somethings he said were good, and others did not satisfy me at all. He claimed that "it's not the same Moetzet YESHA; there are new people on it." I think that the old ones, the ones who totally failed in the struggle against Disengagement should apologize and resign. He couldn't imagine why. Yes, that is politics and not garbage collection, but to me it's about personal judgement and taking responsibility. There were other things which impressed me, but I didn't think it right to make a decision without meeting the other candidate.
Actually, I had "met" Avi Ro'eh before, but the circumstances were very different. I had taught English to one of his sons the year his first wife was killed, when an Arab driver rammed into her car. I went to their home to pay a shiva, condolence, call.
Last night he came to Shiloh, so I decided that the time had come to find out what he had to offer us. All I knew was that he's the assistant head of the regional council, and I took for granted that it meant that he was in favor of the status quo.
I didn't bother getting up from my seat to take the pictures, so it looks like the room was emptier than it actually was. And I didn't photograph the women sitting near me. There were many more people there than who came to hear Adi Mintz, but it wasn't Holiday time, and many were confirmed supporters, not curious like me.
Avi surprised me by starting off by saying how differently he'd be running things. That was good, and I demanded details, since I knew absolutely nothing about his way of doing things. Yes, I was impressed.
His plans for public transportation are similar to my own. Avi definitely knows what's going on in the region and is involved in important projects, projects I support.
Afterwards I spoke to some neighbors for further information.
How can we make intelligent, informed, wise decisions about whom to vote for without checking out the candidates?
Yes, I do think that Avi Ro'eh will do a better job than Adi Mintz.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Loving to Hate
The Israeli Left has a long history of hatred of any Jew who doesn't accept their philosophy and politics.
This is the time of the year when we're reminded of it. Yitzchak Rabin's Yartzeit (anniversary of death.)
It was Rabin who told the hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens who demonstrated against his Oslo Plan that they could "spin like propellers." He also stated that he was Prime Minister for those who agreed with him. It was "winner take all" in his concept of democracy.
After his assassination, the Left announced that all religious, all who live in YESHA, were responsible for the murder. I'm not going to get into whether Yigal Amir shot real bullets at Rabin or a blank, meaning that someone else is the murderer, but don't forget that Yigal Amir wasn't from YESHA.
Decades before Rabin was killed, Rabin commanded the Palmach soldiers who shot at the Altalena, killing Jews and destroying the weapons which had been brought to free Jerusalem.
And before that, the Revisionists were declared guilty of killing Alossoroff, even though research has shown that they weren't involved, but the Left never lets facts get in the way.
Yes, it's hate time, that horrid season which destroys the national unity.
This is the time of the year when we're reminded of it. Yitzchak Rabin's Yartzeit (anniversary of death.)
It was Rabin who told the hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens who demonstrated against his Oslo Plan that they could "spin like propellers." He also stated that he was Prime Minister for those who agreed with him. It was "winner take all" in his concept of democracy.
After his assassination, the Left announced that all religious, all who live in YESHA, were responsible for the murder. I'm not going to get into whether Yigal Amir shot real bullets at Rabin or a blank, meaning that someone else is the murderer, but don't forget that Yigal Amir wasn't from YESHA.
Decades before Rabin was killed, Rabin commanded the Palmach soldiers who shot at the Altalena, killing Jews and destroying the weapons which had been brought to free Jerusalem.
And before that, the Revisionists were declared guilty of killing Alossoroff, even though research has shown that they weren't involved, but the Left never lets facts get in the way.
Yes, it's hate time, that horrid season which destroys the national unity.
Jerusalem, The Underground Museum
No, the museum isn't underground.
This is the Jerusalem museum about the Jewish Underground prisoners who fought the British Mandate for an independent Jewish State in the 1940's. I went there the other day with my mother, who is visiting.
There's now an exhibit, from the Van Leer Institute, of photos of Jerusalem in the early Twentieth Century.
We couldn't get over seeing that rug beater, displayed among the old household items. I had one just like it in the 1970's. I used to schlepp my rug to the merpeset (balcony) railing and beat out the dust and dirt. That was a the standard cleaning technique. Nobody in the neighborhood had vacuum cleaners in those days.
I hadn't been to the museum for decades, and it has been fixed up very nicely. They show a 15 minute movie, which we saw in English. It gives a good idea of the pre-State era. The only problem is that except for a few of the permanent signs, the only language is Hebrew. They were also out of their English brochure, though the girls working there insisted that they usually have one in English.
Admission is very reasonable, just ns10 for most and ns5 for seniors. That's $2.50 and $1.25 at today's rates. The photo exhibit is until December, if I'm not mistaken. The museum is between the Russian Compound Police & Courthouse and the Jerusalem Municipality.
Monday, October 22, 2007
A Different Kind of War Wives
Beware America!
This new generation of war wives, the women American soldiers bring home to mama and apple pie aren't interested in fitting into their new families. In previous generations, the women quickly did their best to be American, even if it involved adopting to very different customs and religion.
Today's Iraqi war wives and husbands keep their old religion and even make a condition that their new American spouse become Muslim, too.
This new generation of war wives, the women American soldiers bring home to mama and apple pie aren't interested in fitting into their new families. In previous generations, the women quickly did their best to be American, even if it involved adopting to very different customs and religion.
Today's Iraqi war wives and husbands keep their old religion and even make a condition that their new American spouse become Muslim, too.
Shas and Yisrael Beitenue Don't Want to Leave the Government
...Yisrael Beiteinu and Shas reiterated this weekend that they are inclined to quit the government if "core issues" are discussed at the Annapolis peace conference, as the coalition crisis worsened ahead of the summit. (complete article)
Don't they read the papers?
Rice demanded that the PA and Israel not shy away from the divisive issues. "We have rejected this approach for decades," she said. "Decisions must be made without running away from the issues. Only dealing with the core issues will bolster the diplomatic process." (complete article)
I think that they just don't want to leave their government coalition perks.
Know Your Enemy
There's great confusion in Israeli society, and it's not new. During Oslo times, 14 years ago, an old friend came up to me at a Bar Mitzvah and greeted me with:
I was so shocked, that I couldn't reply. Yes, imagine me at a loss for words. Rabin, who had commanded the unit that shot to kill Jews on the Altalena, scored great success during Oslo in fostering the idea that innocent, patriotic Zionist Jews like myself were a danger to the State of Israel. His Yartzeit is coming up, and that's the best I can say about him.
Olmert is even stranger, since he wasn't raised to be Left-wing. As a "convert" to that philosophy, his enthusiasm is tinged with "green," envy, greenbacks...
Now it has been revealed that the security forces of his Arab terrorist partners were planning to assassinate Olmert. Considering his release of terrorists who haven't yet succeeded in murdering Jews, I hope he gives the same additional opportunities to these failed assassins. Otherwise, it just wouldn't be fair.
"It's nice to see you, even though you're the enemy."
I was so shocked, that I couldn't reply. Yes, imagine me at a loss for words. Rabin, who had commanded the unit that shot to kill Jews on the Altalena, scored great success during Oslo in fostering the idea that innocent, patriotic Zionist Jews like myself were a danger to the State of Israel. His Yartzeit is coming up, and that's the best I can say about him.
Olmert is even stranger, since he wasn't raised to be Left-wing. As a "convert" to that philosophy, his enthusiasm is tinged with "green," envy, greenbacks...
Now it has been revealed that the security forces of his Arab terrorist partners were planning to assassinate Olmert. Considering his release of terrorists who haven't yet succeeded in murdering Jews, I hope he gives the same additional opportunities to these failed assassins. Otherwise, it just wouldn't be fair.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Freedom of Religion = Capitalism
Isn't it just a matter of supply and demand? That's the linchpin of capitalism, no?
Capitalism is the epitome of personal freedom, isn't it?
When a neighborhood changes, because people of the same religious observance want to live there, together, that's capitalism, supply and demand.
When a religious school finds its building insufficiently large enough to hold the students who want to study there, supply and demand, capitalism, make it necessary for the local government to approve its expansion.
Is there a quota on the amount of a certain jeans or sports shoes that can be sold? No. When there's more demand, more are produced.
In suburban Great Neck, New York, the North Shore Hebrew Academy leased a public school building, because the neighborhood changed. There weren't enough children registered in the public school system in the district to fill all of the buildings and classrooms, but there was a shortage of space for all of those registered in the Jewish elementary school.
If the United States is a country which promotes personal freedom, freedom of religion, then the Westchester Day School must be allowed to build its new building.
Capitalism is the epitome of personal freedom, isn't it?
When a neighborhood changes, because people of the same religious observance want to live there, together, that's capitalism, supply and demand.
When a religious school finds its building insufficiently large enough to hold the students who want to study there, supply and demand, capitalism, make it necessary for the local government to approve its expansion.
Is there a quota on the amount of a certain jeans or sports shoes that can be sold? No. When there's more demand, more are produced.
In suburban Great Neck, New York, the North Shore Hebrew Academy leased a public school building, because the neighborhood changed. There weren't enough children registered in the public school system in the district to fill all of the buildings and classrooms, but there was a shortage of space for all of those registered in the Jewish elementary school.
If the United States is a country which promotes personal freedom, freedom of religion, then the Westchester Day School must be allowed to build its new building.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Jerusalem, Old and New-ish
Last week I was finally able to take my parents to the Kotel HaMa'aravi. My mother had been saying that she wanted to go since they first arrived.
When I was walking to their hotel, I glanced at the "Pearl" hotel and the reflection in the window reminded me of the Old City Walls.
Here's a photo from their hotel room.
Finally, the Old City. We took a taxi from their hotel, but there still was a lot of walking.
Here they are after going to the Wall itself. It was Thursday, so there were lots of Bar Mitzvah Celebrations. Lots and lots of people were there.
My parents had been to the PNAI Convention, as you can see on his water holder.
When I was walking to their hotel, I glanced at the "Pearl" hotel and the reflection in the window reminded me of the Old City Walls.
Here's a photo from their hotel room.
Finally, the Old City. We took a taxi from their hotel, but there still was a lot of walking.
Here they are after going to the Wall itself. It was Thursday, so there were lots of Bar Mitzvah Celebrations. Lots and lots of people were there.
My parents had been to the PNAI Convention, as you can see on his water holder.What Israeli Teachers Want
Yes, there's a teachers strike going on here, but not all teachers are striking.
There are two teachers unions, the Histadrut and the Irgun. Well, doesn't that sound familiar?
As you can probably guess, I'm a member of the Irgun Morim, not the Histadrut Morim. The Histadrut already signed with the government. It signed an agreement which cancels all of the incentives which made it possible for many to be teachers in Israel.
In Israel it has always been possible to work part-time as teachers. Mothers of children under the age of 14 needed to teach fewer hours to be considered full-time. After fifty and then again after fifty-five there is a reduction in the amount of hours to get a full-time salary. Not that a full-time salary is very high.
Since Israeli schools generally aren't very big, many teachers need more than one school for a full-time job or enough money to live on.
In recent years, classes are getting larger. To save money, schools fill the classes with the maximum number of students. Schools get paid per student. A few years ago there was a concept of "minimal class size," kita tiknit. A school got a budget per class. The building I teach in was built during that time. Now we need more kids in each class to cover expenses, and the classrooms are crowded.
The much heralded "reform," which the Israeli Government claims will improve things is just a reworking of the Dovrat Reform, which was horrid. It didn't deal with lowering class size and improving curriculum and teaching methods.
The politicians are convinced that we old teachers, those who taught during the days when Israeli students ranked high in international studies, don't know how to teach. They want young academics to take over. They want "serious" full-time teachers who will keepfactory office hours.
That way there won't be time to take professional courses or run errands. Day care will have to increase hours, too. They think teachers are stupid. The teachers quickly calculated the increased hours and the suggested pay and discovered that the per hour pay would be less than it is today.
Hmmmm...
The Histadrut signed it. And most of the teachers I know who are members never even checked it out. They trust that it'll be fine.
The Irgun is striking, but in my school, we aren't allowed to. That's a problem. I think we ought to strike.
And back to the title..
What do we Israeli teachers want? We want conditions which would make teaching better for the kids to learn. We want smaller classes and less stressed-out teachers. We're stressed out, because our conditions and salaries are substandard.
There are two teachers unions, the Histadrut and the Irgun. Well, doesn't that sound familiar?
As you can probably guess, I'm a member of the Irgun Morim, not the Histadrut Morim. The Histadrut already signed with the government. It signed an agreement which cancels all of the incentives which made it possible for many to be teachers in Israel.
In Israel it has always been possible to work part-time as teachers. Mothers of children under the age of 14 needed to teach fewer hours to be considered full-time. After fifty and then again after fifty-five there is a reduction in the amount of hours to get a full-time salary. Not that a full-time salary is very high.
Since Israeli schools generally aren't very big, many teachers need more than one school for a full-time job or enough money to live on.
In recent years, classes are getting larger. To save money, schools fill the classes with the maximum number of students. Schools get paid per student. A few years ago there was a concept of "minimal class size," kita tiknit. A school got a budget per class. The building I teach in was built during that time. Now we need more kids in each class to cover expenses, and the classrooms are crowded.
The much heralded "reform," which the Israeli Government claims will improve things is just a reworking of the Dovrat Reform, which was horrid. It didn't deal with lowering class size and improving curriculum and teaching methods.
The politicians are convinced that we old teachers, those who taught during the days when Israeli students ranked high in international studies, don't know how to teach. They want young academics to take over. They want "serious" full-time teachers who will keep
That way there won't be time to take professional courses or run errands. Day care will have to increase hours, too. They think teachers are stupid. The teachers quickly calculated the increased hours and the suggested pay and discovered that the per hour pay would be less than it is today.
Hmmmm...
The Histadrut signed it. And most of the teachers I know who are members never even checked it out. They trust that it'll be fine.
The Irgun is striking, but in my school, we aren't allowed to. That's a problem. I think we ought to strike.
And back to the title..
What do we Israeli teachers want? We want conditions which would make teaching better for the kids to learn. We want smaller classes and less stressed-out teachers. We're stressed out, because our conditions and salaries are substandard.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Radio Interview
I was interviewed on the radio the other day. It is the show you can hear until next Tuesday, (October 23). Here's the access information:
http://www.zoaphilly.org/
Click on "listen anytime."
My interview was short and in the middle of the program, since they called me 6:30 pm Israel time. I wrote more about what I had wanted to say here.
ps If someone knows how to record it into a format which will be "permanent," please do and send me the link to that. Thanks
http://www.zoaphilly.org/
Click on "listen anytime."
My interview was short and in the middle of the program, since they called me 6:30 pm Israel time. I wrote more about what I had wanted to say here.
ps If someone knows how to record it into a format which will be "permanent," please do and send me the link to that. Thanks
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Refuah Shleimah
Please pray for a Refuah Shleimah, a Full and Speedy Recovery, for P'nina bat Sofia Zlata
Tonight I went to a feast. It was a very special and unusual feast. Food was set out for every one of the brachot. In Judaism we make different blessings before eating different kinds of food.
Tonight I went to a feast. It was a very special and unusual feast. Food was set out for every one of the brachot. In Judaism we make different blessings before eating different kinds of food.
- There is "mezonot" we say on baked goods, like cookies.
- There is "borei p'ri hagefen" we say on wine and grape juice.
- There is "borei p'ri ha'etz" we say on fruit from trees.
- There is "borei p'ri ha'adama" we say on "annuals," vegetables grown in the ground, like carrots or cucumbers.
- There is "shehakol" we say on food not from the earth, like cheese and meat.
Tonight my neighbors and I gathered together to bless food out loud, so we could all say, Amen, and pray for special things, especially the Refuah Shleimah of our neighbor, who needs all of our prayers, so please pray for P'nina bat Sofia Zlata.
Thank you and Shabbat Shalom
It's Not About Shiloh
Yesterday I was interviewed on an American radio show. If I'm ever sent the link, which they had promised, I'll post it, though I was too rushed and spoke too quickly. Cell phone interviews are not my best medium.
They wanted to know how we feel, here in Shiloh, about US's Rice and Olmert's stew, plans to G-d forbid exile us from our home.
Well, my reaction/message is simple:
That's it, easy as pie.
They wanted to know how we feel, here in Shiloh, about US's Rice and Olmert's stew, plans to G-d forbid exile us from our home.
Well, my reaction/message is simple:
It's not about us here in Shiloh and the rest of Judea and Samaria. It's about the future of the State of Israel.
US's Rice has a dream. Her dream is to establish another Arab State in the Land of Israel, and she doesn't give a darn hoot if it causes the destruction of the State of Israel. The fact that Ehud Barak's withdrawal from Southern Lebanon facilitated Arab missiles being shot at Haifa and the rest of Northern Israel, and the fact that Sharon/Olmert's Disengagement has given Arabs a perfect launching pad to shoot kassam rockets at Ashkelon, Ashdod, Sderot and the southern Negev haven't meant anything to them.
If G-d forbid Rice's dream comes true, the entire State of Israel will be easy targets for destruction. So you see that it has nothing to do with Shiloh.
Anyone who supports this conference cooked up by Rice, Blair, Bush, Olmert etc is cooking up the DESTRUCTION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL, G-d forbid!
That's it, easy as pie.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Spooky Stuff
Do you ever worry about all the personal info published on the net? I do. I try to be more discreet about some photos I post. Also, my original plan for me-ander was to make it anonymous. It just didn't work, and I couldn't post very personal things. I don't mind my opinion being known by all. I have nothing to be ashamed of.
But what if I say something "against the law?"
But what if I say something "against the law?"
Never Dull--Israeli Politics
Do you remember the biggest shock of the last, was it only a year and a half ago? Israeli elections? Yes, I'm referring to the Retirees Party.
They're on the verge of splitting, but like the other opportunists in the Olmert Government, they're probably too pragmatic to risk losing an of their coalition perks.
Everyday the news is filled with more corruption charges against Olmert and his cronies. Unfortunately, I don't see all this as speeding up the end of his career, since so many people are involved, and they're afraid that he'll implicate them.
They're on the verge of splitting, but like the other opportunists in the Olmert Government, they're probably too pragmatic to risk losing an of their coalition perks.
Everyday the news is filled with more corruption charges against Olmert and his cronies. Unfortunately, I don't see all this as speeding up the end of his career, since so many people are involved, and they're afraid that he'll implicate them.
Why Rice is so Dangerous
Warning to Israel: Secretary Rice confuses Arab-Israeli conflict for struggle of Blacks for equality in Jim Crow America
Read that IMRA editorial linked above. It gives some insight as to what is behind US's Rice fixation in establishing a Pseudistinian state, G-d forbid.
Read that IMRA editorial linked above. It gives some insight as to what is behind US's Rice fixation in establishing a Pseudistinian state, G-d forbid.
Honenu's Work is Not Yet Done
Honenu, the Legal Aid Society which provides aid for the "indirect victims" of continued Arab terrorism - those who have been forced to respond in real-time to genuine threats on their own or on others' lives, and as a result, have become entangled in a web of legal difficulties with tremendous financial and other costs, is still working hard on the Disengagement cases, over two years after thousands of innocent Jews were exiled from their homes.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
ISRAELI COURT SPARES PRISON FROM JEWISH YOUNGSTER CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER
Israeljustice.com
Date added: 10/16/2007
BEERSHEBA -- An Israeli court, dismissing prosecution evidence of attempted murder, spared a prison sentence from a Jewish youngster who participated in an Arab-Jewish rock throwing melee in the Gaza Strip in 2005. (for complete article click here)
hat tip: IMRA
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
ISRAELI COURT SPARES PRISON FROM JEWISH YOUNGSTER CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER
Israeljustice.com
Date added: 10/16/2007
BEERSHEBA -- An Israeli court, dismissing prosecution evidence of attempted murder, spared a prison sentence from a Jewish youngster who participated in an Arab-Jewish rock throwing melee in the Gaza Strip in 2005. (for complete article click here)
hat tip: IMRA
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Another Amona?
That's what we feared as we approached the large plaza by the Tel Aviv Museum.
Those horses looked too familiar to those who had seen them up close while protecting Amona. We didn't feel any better when we saw the riot police.
We're just some underpaid teachers protesting the worse than insufficient government offers at the rally called by our union, the Irgun Morim.
Thousands of teachers demonstrated last night in Tel Aviv. Teachers came from all over the country. The teachers I work with in The Mateh Binyamin Yeshiva High School left work early to meet the bus that left from Pisgat Zeev, Jerusalem. We picked up more teachers on the way in Ramot, Givat Zeev and Shilat.
I couldn't resist photographing the setting sun as we rode there.
During the demonstration, the male teachers in our delegation had no problem rounding up a minyan for the Evening Prayers.
The demonstration was orderly; there was no need for police, mounted or otherwise. It was a definite provocation to have them "guarding" us.
The Olmert-Yuli Tamir Education Reforms will only make things worse for teachers and students. They don't improve education at all. That's why we must strike. In my school, we don't usually strike, and we're having another staff meeting to vote on it.
Those horses looked too familiar to those who had seen them up close while protecting Amona. We didn't feel any better when we saw the riot police.
We're just some underpaid teachers protesting the worse than insufficient government offers at the rally called by our union, the Irgun Morim.
Thousands of teachers demonstrated last night in Tel Aviv. Teachers came from all over the country. The teachers I work with in The Mateh Binyamin Yeshiva High School left work early to meet the bus that left from Pisgat Zeev, Jerusalem. We picked up more teachers on the way in Ramot, Givat Zeev and Shilat.
I couldn't resist photographing the setting sun as we rode there.
During the demonstration, the male teachers in our delegation had no problem rounding up a minyan for the Evening Prayers.
The demonstration was orderly; there was no need for police, mounted or otherwise. It was a definite provocation to have them "guarding" us.
The Olmert-Yuli Tamir Education Reforms will only make things worse for teachers and students. They don't improve education at all. That's why we must strike. In my school, we don't usually strike, and we're having another staff meeting to vote on it.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Christian America
hat tip: Ellen
I'm copying this in its entirety sans the picture of the writer and sans embedded links.
Food for thought, but bring your barf bag. This is frightening stuff.
World Net Daily Exclusive Commentary
Vox Day
Coulter is right!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: October 15, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern
Ann Coulter, being a Christian, understandably knows her Christian theology rather better than her interlocutor last week, a Jewish gentleman by the name of Donny Deutsch. Apparently Mr. Deutsch hasn't paid much attention to a best-selling book that has been published a few times over the last few centuries, as he took great offense to Miss Coulter's assent to his question that "It would be better if we were all Christian?"
Given that Jesus Christ and all of the apostles were Jews before they were Christians, it shouldn't exactly have surprised Deutsch or anyone else that Christians view Jews as pre-Christians, incomplete Christians, elder brothers in faith who are errantly awaiting a Messiah who has already come. Nor did it surprise them; the feigned shock and outrage from the professionally offended performance artists is about as convincing as Hillary Clinton's robo-cackle.
Scenting a fundraising issue, left-wing Jewish interest groups demonstrated their commitment to human liberty and free intellectual discourse by demanding that the mainstream media stop talking to the best-selling author who also happens to be one of the most popular right-wing commentators in the country. The Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, Ira N. Forman, reluctantly admitted that while Ann Coulter has freedom of speech, he would very much like to see her forced to exercise it in private.
"Just as media outlets don't invite those who believe that Martians walk the earth to frequently comment on science stories, it's time they stop inviting Ann Coulter to comment on politics," he said.
In addition to the ineptness of his analogy, this would appear to be an extraordinarily silly demand, except for the fact that Vanity Fair has recently announced that a remarkable 51 percent of the Vanity Fair 100 Power List are Jewish in a country in which Jews make up approximately two percent of the population. Jews also make up seven percent of the current House of Representatives, 13 percent of the Senate, and, according to John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, authors of "The Israel Lobby," roughly 100 percent of George W. Bush's foreign policy advisers. One hopes that Mr. Forman's co-religionists have the wisdom to ignore his demand for the shunning of Miss Coulter as the Israel lobby's petulant demand for a third Middle East war, this time in explicit defense of Israel rather than U.S. national security, already has the potential to severely divide America's Jews from the rest of the country, Christians and nonChristians alike.
America is still quite friendly towards Jews, but the incessant attacks on Christianity by the likes of Deutsch, Forman and Abe Foxman have grown increasingly tiresome. Given this irritating behavior, and the historical fact that Jews have worn out their welcome in literally dozens of countries over the centuries, it is the height of foolishness for a small number of misguided individuals to demand that 80 percent of the American population remain silent about the tenets of its religious faith. Christians are dying for their faith in the Sudan, in North Korea, in China, Vietnam and Myanmar; they are not about to shut their mouths simply because a few Jews in the media disapprove of their beliefs.
And I have more bad news. Miss Coulter only expressed a desire that Jews would recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah, but the truth is that Christians believe that one day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The only choice for you, me, Richard Deutsch and everyone else is whether to do it now, or do it later.
But, until that day arrives, there is no reason why American Jews and American Christians should not get along in perfect amity. Neither Judaism nor Christianity is going to disappear, and it is as absurd for Jews to hold modern Christians responsible for the Jews persecuted in medieval times as it was for those medieval Christians to have held those medieval Jews responsible for persecuting them in ancient times. As for Israel's survival, not only are the Israeli Defense Forces perfectly capable of defending the nation against a fourth-rate military power like Iran, but it has the Lord God of Israel on its side. Israel simply doesn't need the U.S. military to fight its battles for it.
Despite its flaws, America has been one of the best friends the Jews have ever had. It would not only be a tragedy, it would be a stupid and wasteful one if Americans were provoked into developing the instinctive anti-semitism that currently pervades Europe, the Middle East and so much of the rest of the world.
I'm copying this in its entirety sans the picture of the writer and sans embedded links.
Food for thought, but bring your barf bag. This is frightening stuff.
World Net Daily Exclusive Commentary
Vox Day
Coulter is right!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: October 15, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern
Ann Coulter, being a Christian, understandably knows her Christian theology rather better than her interlocutor last week, a Jewish gentleman by the name of Donny Deutsch. Apparently Mr. Deutsch hasn't paid much attention to a best-selling book that has been published a few times over the last few centuries, as he took great offense to Miss Coulter's assent to his question that "It would be better if we were all Christian?"
Given that Jesus Christ and all of the apostles were Jews before they were Christians, it shouldn't exactly have surprised Deutsch or anyone else that Christians view Jews as pre-Christians, incomplete Christians, elder brothers in faith who are errantly awaiting a Messiah who has already come. Nor did it surprise them; the feigned shock and outrage from the professionally offended performance artists is about as convincing as Hillary Clinton's robo-cackle.
Scenting a fundraising issue, left-wing Jewish interest groups demonstrated their commitment to human liberty and free intellectual discourse by demanding that the mainstream media stop talking to the best-selling author who also happens to be one of the most popular right-wing commentators in the country. The Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, Ira N. Forman, reluctantly admitted that while Ann Coulter has freedom of speech, he would very much like to see her forced to exercise it in private.
"Just as media outlets don't invite those who believe that Martians walk the earth to frequently comment on science stories, it's time they stop inviting Ann Coulter to comment on politics," he said.
In addition to the ineptness of his analogy, this would appear to be an extraordinarily silly demand, except for the fact that Vanity Fair has recently announced that a remarkable 51 percent of the Vanity Fair 100 Power List are Jewish in a country in which Jews make up approximately two percent of the population. Jews also make up seven percent of the current House of Representatives, 13 percent of the Senate, and, according to John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, authors of "The Israel Lobby," roughly 100 percent of George W. Bush's foreign policy advisers. One hopes that Mr. Forman's co-religionists have the wisdom to ignore his demand for the shunning of Miss Coulter as the Israel lobby's petulant demand for a third Middle East war, this time in explicit defense of Israel rather than U.S. national security, already has the potential to severely divide America's Jews from the rest of the country, Christians and nonChristians alike.
America is still quite friendly towards Jews, but the incessant attacks on Christianity by the likes of Deutsch, Forman and Abe Foxman have grown increasingly tiresome. Given this irritating behavior, and the historical fact that Jews have worn out their welcome in literally dozens of countries over the centuries, it is the height of foolishness for a small number of misguided individuals to demand that 80 percent of the American population remain silent about the tenets of its religious faith. Christians are dying for their faith in the Sudan, in North Korea, in China, Vietnam and Myanmar; they are not about to shut their mouths simply because a few Jews in the media disapprove of their beliefs.
And I have more bad news. Miss Coulter only expressed a desire that Jews would recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah, but the truth is that Christians believe that one day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The only choice for you, me, Richard Deutsch and everyone else is whether to do it now, or do it later.
But, until that day arrives, there is no reason why American Jews and American Christians should not get along in perfect amity. Neither Judaism nor Christianity is going to disappear, and it is as absurd for Jews to hold modern Christians responsible for the Jews persecuted in medieval times as it was for those medieval Christians to have held those medieval Jews responsible for persecuting them in ancient times. As for Israel's survival, not only are the Israeli Defense Forces perfectly capable of defending the nation against a fourth-rate military power like Iran, but it has the Lord God of Israel on its side. Israel simply doesn't need the U.S. military to fight its battles for it.
Despite its flaws, America has been one of the best friends the Jews have ever had. It would not only be a tragedy, it would be a stupid and wasteful one if Americans were provoked into developing the instinctive anti-semitism that currently pervades Europe, the Middle East and so much of the rest of the world.
History Quiz
This "history quiz" is being passed around via the Internet. I'm curious about its authenticity. I don't usually post things like this, but I made an exception here:
HISTORY QUIZ
A little history lesson: If you don't know the answer make your best guess. Answer all the questions before looking at the answers. Who said it?
1) "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good."
A. Karl Marx
B. Adolph Hitler
C. Joseph Stalin
D. None of the above
2) "It's time for a new beginning, for an end to government of the few, by the few, and for the few...and to replace it with shared responsibility for shared prosperity."
A. Lenin
B. Mussolini
C. Idi Amin
D. None of the Above
3) "(We)...can't just let business as usual go on, and that means something has to be taken away from some people."
A. Nikita Khrushev
B. Josef Goebbels
C. Boris Yeltsin
D. None of the above
4) "We have to build a political consensus and that requires people to give up a little bit of their own...in order to create this common ground."
A. Mao Tse Dung
B. Hugo Chavez
C. Kim Jong Il
D. None of the above
5) "I certainly think the free-market has failed."
A. Karl Marx
B. Lenin
C. Molotov
D. None of the above
6) "I think it's time to send a clear message to what has become the most profitable sector in (the) entire economy that they are being watched."
A. Pinochet
B. Milosevic
C. Saddam Hussein
D. None of the above
Answers:
(1) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/29/2004
(2) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 5/29/2007
(3) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(4) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(5) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(6) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 9/2/2005
hat tip A
HISTORY QUIZ
A little history lesson: If you don't know the answer make your best guess. Answer all the questions before looking at the answers. Who said it?
1) "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good."
A. Karl Marx
B. Adolph Hitler
C. Joseph Stalin
D. None of the above
2) "It's time for a new beginning, for an end to government of the few, by the few, and for the few...and to replace it with shared responsibility for shared prosperity."
A. Lenin
B. Mussolini
C. Idi Amin
D. None of the Above
3) "(We)...can't just let business as usual go on, and that means something has to be taken away from some people."
A. Nikita Khrushev
B. Josef Goebbels
C. Boris Yeltsin
D. None of the above
4) "We have to build a political consensus and that requires people to give up a little bit of their own...in order to create this common ground."
A. Mao Tse Dung
B. Hugo Chavez
C. Kim Jong Il
D. None of the above
5) "I certainly think the free-market has failed."
A. Karl Marx
B. Lenin
C. Molotov
D. None of the above
6) "I think it's time to send a clear message to what has become the most profitable sector in (the) entire economy that they are being watched."
A. Pinochet
B. Milosevic
C. Saddam Hussein
D. None of the above
Answers:
(1) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/29/2004
(2) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 5/29/2007
(3) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(4) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(5) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(6) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 9/2/2005
hat tip A
Sunday, October 14, 2007
More fun than I had expected
I'm referring to my new Arutz 7 blog. It seems to be developing a personality all its own. I hope that doesn't make me schizophrenic!
Good night!
Good night!
Chipping Away
We must have faith.
"Justice" has been chipping away at the "armor" protecting Ehud Olmert from the punishment he will get, some day.
Each announcement of some scandal, investigation etc. makes that day closer. It'll be a major earthquake, no doubt.
And each Kassaam rocket the Arab terrorists launch at us bring more and more Israelis to the realization that the Arabs are our enemies and the government can't be trusted.
"Justice" has been chipping away at the "armor" protecting Ehud Olmert from the punishment he will get, some day.
Each announcement of some scandal, investigation etc. makes that day closer. It'll be a major earthquake, no doubt.
And each Kassaam rocket the Arab terrorists launch at us bring more and more Israelis to the realization that the Arabs are our enemies and the government can't be trusted.
Shavua Tov!
"Peace" in Short Supply
When I first heard this bit of news, I thought it was a joke:
Al Gore, UN share Nobel Prize for climate work
But then, thinking a bit more, I realize that it's consistent with what I've been saying for a long time. "Peace" is not man's work, so the Nobel Prize Fund has a very difficult challenge in choosing deserving recipients for its "Peace" Prize.
Maybe they should change the title to something within the realm of human success. How about:
Al Gore, UN share Nobel Prize for climate work
But then, thinking a bit more, I realize that it's consistent with what I've been saying for a long time. "Peace" is not man's work, so the Nobel Prize Fund has a very difficult challenge in choosing deserving recipients for its "Peace" Prize.
Maybe they should change the title to something within the realm of human success. How about:
The Nobel Prize for Attempting to Make the World A Better Place
Saturday, October 13, 2007
"Yetzer Haraa*" Bag
This crossposted on Arutz 7
I really ought to bring a "yetzer haraa bag" to work. That's my solution to the distractions stealing my students' attention from my ....ok, not always the most interesting... English lessons.
The big problem is the cellphone. You'd think these teenage boys were top surgeons or rescue experts, the way they insist on being able to answer the phones during the lessons. I've tried all sorts of tricks, threats and punishments. Sometimes after a lesson I'd drop a few phones in the office, hoping the principal would punish the little darlings.
But now I have a totally new technique. I offer to take their "yetzer haraa" out of their hands for the lesson, no punishment, just for their protection. It would be nice to have a nice bag which a could take around the room and smiling sweetly, offer to do them a favor and take care of their phones, Driving "Theory" booklets and whatever ever else is drawing their minds away from my lesson. I'm sure that starting the lesson with such a pleasant routine would increase their concentration.
I think we could all use a "yetzer haraa bag" to keep temptation away.
Actually, I'd love to give one to US President Bush. Now think about it. Are things going all that great in the USA? The dollar has dropped and is at par with the Canadian one. Medical care is outrageously, unhealthily expensive. And what's Bush's, and many of his recent predecessors' great yetzer haraa? Making "peace" in the Middle East. Why doesn't he do something constructive for his own people?
Honestly, there's nothing more dangerous for us Israelis than "peace talks." They increase terrorism. Besides that, peace, true peace, won't/can't be achieved by Israel's trying to be nice and giving the terrorists our Land. Peace isn't a product that can be bought. True peace comes from G-d.
"Hu Oseh Shalom" G-d Makes Peace.
Shavua Tov
*evil inclination
I really ought to bring a "yetzer haraa bag" to work. That's my solution to the distractions stealing my students' attention from my ....ok, not always the most interesting... English lessons.
The big problem is the cellphone. You'd think these teenage boys were top surgeons or rescue experts, the way they insist on being able to answer the phones during the lessons. I've tried all sorts of tricks, threats and punishments. Sometimes after a lesson I'd drop a few phones in the office, hoping the principal would punish the little darlings.
But now I have a totally new technique. I offer to take their "yetzer haraa" out of their hands for the lesson, no punishment, just for their protection. It would be nice to have a nice bag which a could take around the room and smiling sweetly, offer to do them a favor and take care of their phones, Driving "Theory" booklets and whatever ever else is drawing their minds away from my lesson. I'm sure that starting the lesson with such a pleasant routine would increase their concentration.
I think we could all use a "yetzer haraa bag" to keep temptation away.
Actually, I'd love to give one to US President Bush. Now think about it. Are things going all that great in the USA? The dollar has dropped and is at par with the Canadian one. Medical care is outrageously, unhealthily expensive. And what's Bush's, and many of his recent predecessors' great yetzer haraa? Making "peace" in the Middle East. Why doesn't he do something constructive for his own people?
Honestly, there's nothing more dangerous for us Israelis than "peace talks." They increase terrorism. Besides that, peace, true peace, won't/can't be achieved by Israel's trying to be nice and giving the terrorists our Land. Peace isn't a product that can be bought. True peace comes from G-d.
"Hu Oseh Shalom" G-d Makes Peace.
Shavua Tov
*evil inclination
Perish, the Holocaust Myth
Veteran readers may remember that I've mentioned this before.
- Six Million Jews did not "perish" in the Holocaust.
- They were murdered!
- G-d did not murder them!
- People did!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Jewish Boys Kidnapped!
There's a shocking report of the kidnapping of three Jewish teens. They were trying to get to Beit El from the bus stop/hitchhiking post in French Hill.
- It is reported that they had gotten into a taxi.
- It is reported that they had gotten into a car with an Arab driver.
There is no contradiction in those two sentences. Many, many taxi drivers are Arab. I frequently find myself taking taxis, and many of the drivers are Arabs. There is no quick, easy and discreet way of checking out who is driving the cab.
Beit El bus service is relatively good, but after a certain hour, there aren't any buses.
Baruch Hashem, the boys managed to alert the police, even though their phones had been stolen.
Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov
Elections in Beit El
Yisrael Libman, who used to live in Shiloh, is running for head position in Beit El. He is campaigning as "the next generation."
I've only seen his posters up. I wonder who is running against him.
I've only seen his posters up. I wonder who is running against him.
Easier Up Than Down
In most cases one thinks that "up" is harder than "down." I'd say that the major exception is the Succah, that "temporary booth or hut" which is a requirement during the week long Succot holiday. Everything must be ready before nightfall when the holiday begins. Most people only start construction it after Yom Kippur, which leaves barely three days, if there isn't a Shabbat in between.
Then, until it all get disassembled and put away.
My neighbors haven't been any quicker than we have. We're waiting for son #1 to make an appearance to take down the schach, the special roof. He lives in Jerusalem.
Building and eating and sleeping in the succah are mitzvot (G-d given commandments,) but taking down the succah isn't. Maybe that's why the job just drags on.
Then, until it all get disassembled and put away.
My neighbors haven't been any quicker than we have. We're waiting for son #1 to make an appearance to take down the schach, the special roof. He lives in Jerusalem.
Building and eating and sleeping in the succah are mitzvot (G-d given commandments,) but taking down the succah isn't. Maybe that's why the job just drags on.
Written for my Arutz 7 Blog, But I had "technical problems"
My Arutz 7 blog
The Succah Isn't Completely Down
Most of the walls are down, because I needed to hang out the wash, and last year I strained my arm trying to reach the clothes line. And that caused a weakness which facilitated my dislocating my shoulder while playing basketball.
Now, I'm sure you're wondering what this ordinary little story has to do with politics, and you expect politics on an Arutz 7 blog! Sure you do!
After 26 years of living in Shiloh, I'm still amazed at how inaccurately most people imagine our lives. We are just ordinary middle-aged people. Our once full and vibrant house is mostly empty and quiet.
Our mortgage has been paid. Mortgage you may want to ask.
Yes, that's the truth. There were years when the finances were difficult, with a couple of children in high school at the same time, their tuitions and the usual expenses of a family with five children.
Politics is the "hum" surrounding us, but our daily life is typically suburban-- OK, I admit that there are a few differences. The school buses and public transportation are in bullet-proof vehicles. My son wasn't allowed to ride his bicycle to high school in nearby Kochav Hashachr because of the fear of terrorist attacks.
Our local cemetery has the graves of children and a young mother murdered in terror attacks by Arabs.
Some people won't visit us; they're afraid. And others won't visit us, because they think that Judea and Samaria should be Juden rein. I can't think of anything better than that Nazi term.
You may expect me to be constantly involved with and discussing politics. Here in Shiloh, in the center of the storm, there's a calm. But we know that all the "clutter" is swirling around us, a real "twister," is endangering our precious country. So in between the mundane of cooking and laundry, I certainly am aware and involved with the politics, but I, too, need detergent to get out the stains. Speeches and lofty words don't help.
Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom
The Succah Isn't Completely Down
Most of the walls are down, because I needed to hang out the wash, and last year I strained my arm trying to reach the clothes line. And that caused a weakness which facilitated my dislocating my shoulder while playing basketball.
Now, I'm sure you're wondering what this ordinary little story has to do with politics, and you expect politics on an Arutz 7 blog! Sure you do!
After 26 years of living in Shiloh, I'm still amazed at how inaccurately most people imagine our lives. We are just ordinary middle-aged people. Our once full and vibrant house is mostly empty and quiet.
Our mortgage has been paid. Mortgage you may want to ask.
"But we've always been told that the government gave you your home."
"Not true. Not true at all. We chose our building plot from the few available. Then we chose an architect, who started planning. And we sold our Jerusalem apartment to pay for our Shiloh home. And we took out a mortgage to cover the rest."
Yes, that's the truth. There were years when the finances were difficult, with a couple of children in high school at the same time, their tuitions and the usual expenses of a family with five children.
Politics is the "hum" surrounding us, but our daily life is typically suburban-- OK, I admit that there are a few differences. The school buses and public transportation are in bullet-proof vehicles. My son wasn't allowed to ride his bicycle to high school in nearby Kochav Hashachr because of the fear of terrorist attacks.
Our local cemetery has the graves of children and a young mother murdered in terror attacks by Arabs.
Some people won't visit us; they're afraid. And others won't visit us, because they think that Judea and Samaria should be Juden rein. I can't think of anything better than that Nazi term.
You may expect me to be constantly involved with and discussing politics. Here in Shiloh, in the center of the storm, there's a calm. But we know that all the "clutter" is swirling around us, a real "twister," is endangering our precious country. So in between the mundane of cooking and laundry, I certainly am aware and involved with the politics, but I, too, need detergent to get out the stains. Speeches and lofty words don't help.
Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Proof that Avigdor Lieberman is Out of His League
Lieberman warns against raising 'core issues' at Annapolis parley
Says move may break up gov't; Erekat: If PM, Abbas reach deal, they'll be "the most important people to walk this holy land since Jesus."
"Core issues" are the basis. There's no way it can be good for Israel. It'll be worse than the Madrid Conference.
This is Very Hard For Me
hat tip: Ellen
I'm reeling in shock. The very person who introduced me to Zionism and brought me to the Betar Zionist Youth Movement, Dennis Avi Lipkin is heading, or fronting, a party/movement I consider dangerous to the State of Israel.
I always get a kick out which former Great Neck residents, those of us who spent our formative--adolescent--years there, avoid giving that little detail. In his bio, he admits to being born in Flushing, but just mentions "New York" for his later, pre-Israel, address.
In mid-1960's Great Neck we were an anachronism, rejecting America and its benefits. We weren't the only ones, but we took a different path from the "non-conformists" and their uniform green bookbags. There were a handful of us, students in Great Neck North, who went to the Free Soviet Jewry demonstrations of SSSJ, rather than demonstrating for "negro" civil rights, the Biaferans or against the Vietnam War. The war that ignited us was the Six Days War and the liberation of our Jewish Historical Lands.
We would meet at the Oneg Shabbat teenage programs of the Great Neck Synagogue, which were open to any Great Neck teenager, even if his/her parents were not members of the shul. It was Dennis who gave a focus to our feelings by teaching us Zionism and taking us to Betar meetings on Sundays in Manhattan.
Dennis went to Israel as a student, and when my husband, a Betari of course, and I made aliyah right after our wedding, there was Dennis greeting us in the Maon Betar, Old City, Jerusalem, our first home in Israel.
I consider my life here in Shiloh to be a direct consequence of what I learned from Dennis, but Dennis has changed. Christian America is a strong part of his psyche and/or political philosophy. I don't think it is good for Israel to have a joint Jewish-Christian Political Party. You can do that in the United States, but Israel is the only Jewish country in the world. I don't want Christians having political power. Things are dangerous enough as it is when our weak, "miss-guided" politicians run after world praise and approval rather than doing what's best for us and obeying G-d.
Yes, this is very hard for me. I warmly thank Dennis for helping to get me on the path I took and remain, but I totally disagree with the path he is now on. G-d willing he should return.
Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom
I'm reeling in shock. The very person who introduced me to Zionism and brought me to the Betar Zionist Youth Movement, Dennis Avi Lipkin is heading, or fronting, a party/movement I consider dangerous to the State of Israel.
I always get a kick out which former Great Neck residents, those of us who spent our formative--adolescent--years there, avoid giving that little detail. In his bio, he admits to being born in Flushing, but just mentions "New York" for his later, pre-Israel, address.
In mid-1960's Great Neck we were an anachronism, rejecting America and its benefits. We weren't the only ones, but we took a different path from the "non-conformists" and their uniform green bookbags. There were a handful of us, students in Great Neck North, who went to the Free Soviet Jewry demonstrations of SSSJ, rather than demonstrating for "negro" civil rights, the Biaferans or against the Vietnam War. The war that ignited us was the Six Days War and the liberation of our Jewish Historical Lands.
We would meet at the Oneg Shabbat teenage programs of the Great Neck Synagogue, which were open to any Great Neck teenager, even if his/her parents were not members of the shul. It was Dennis who gave a focus to our feelings by teaching us Zionism and taking us to Betar meetings on Sundays in Manhattan.
Dennis went to Israel as a student, and when my husband, a Betari of course, and I made aliyah right after our wedding, there was Dennis greeting us in the Maon Betar, Old City, Jerusalem, our first home in Israel.
I consider my life here in Shiloh to be a direct consequence of what I learned from Dennis, but Dennis has changed. Christian America is a strong part of his psyche and/or political philosophy. I don't think it is good for Israel to have a joint Jewish-Christian Political Party. You can do that in the United States, but Israel is the only Jewish country in the world. I don't want Christians having political power. Things are dangerous enough as it is when our weak, "miss-guided" politicians run after world praise and approval rather than doing what's best for us and obeying G-d.
Yes, this is very hard for me. I warmly thank Dennis for helping to get me on the path I took and remain, but I totally disagree with the path he is now on. G-d willing he should return.
Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
I knew it!
Yesterday, while I was waiting almost half an hour at Givat Asaf, the T junction to Beit El, I saw many more than usual United Nations, fancy Arab and Pseudistinian-flagged vehicles turning in. That's because it's also the junction to Ramallah. I was certain that some sort of important meeting was going on there and mentioned it to someone who pooh-poohed my suspicions:
Why do people always think that middle-aged women don't know anything? Unfortunately, I wait at that junction a lot, and I know what's "normal traffic." Yesterday looked auspicious.
Luckily for me, IMRA confirmed it.
Well, now I have the proof. The anti-Israel busy-bodies have been plotting some more. And to think that they passed just inches from me on their way to Ramallah...
"There always are Arab cars going in."
"True, but today there are more than usual and in a short period of time."
Why do people always think that middle-aged women don't know anything? Unfortunately, I wait at that junction a lot, and I know what's "normal traffic." Yesterday looked auspicious.
Luckily for me, IMRA confirmed it.
Diplomats to push Israel, PA declaration
By HERB KEINON
Quartet envoy Tony Blair met in Ramallah with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and PA Prime Minister Salaam Fayad on Tuesday, as high level diplomatic efforts are under way to get Israel and the PA to draft a joint declaration to be endorsed at the US-sponsored Middle East conference next month. (For complete article click here)
Well, now I have the proof. The anti-Israel busy-bodies have been plotting some more. And to think that they passed just inches from me on their way to Ramallah...
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Peace?
Palestinians: Allah, Kill Americans
by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook
Palestinian Media Watch Bulletin
October 9, 2007
The Palestinian Authority (Fatah) daily newspaper’s political cartoon today illustrated a prayer for the killing of Americans. A Muslim is shown kneeling in prayer facing a US B-2 Stealth Bomber. The words of his prayer are encased in missiles aimed at Americans:
"Allah, scatter them!”This curse for the death of Americans is a special prayer for Al-Qadr Night (the 27 th day of Ramadan, noted in the corner of the cartoon), when Muslims customarily pray in mosques throughout the night.
“And turn their wives into widows!”
“And turn their children into orphans!”
“And give us victory over them!”
This continues the identification by the PA and Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction with those who fight and kill Americans. The most recently published 12 th grade PA schoolbooks, for example, call those who fight American soldiers in Iraq "brave resistance.”
Why you can't trust polls
A poll is only as good as the questions.
You can control the results by the way you word the questions.
That's also why I'm against referendums.
I must credit IMRA for this one, the perfect example of a convoluted question to drag out the results the pollster wants.
The type of question to get the most accurate results are simple. People just can't follow the tangents. I know from my experience answering those telephone calls. Here's the introduction of the IMRA article:
You can control the results by the way you word the questions.
That's also why I'm against referendums.
I must credit IMRA for this one, the perfect example of a convoluted question to drag out the results the pollster wants.
The type of question to get the most accurate results are simple. People just can't follow the tangents. I know from my experience answering those telephone calls. Here's the introduction of the IMRA article:
Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:
You really have to give credit to Dr. Mina Tzemach.
When she discussed how to put together this poll with the folks at Yedioth Ahronoth they were no doubt struggling to come up with a way to best support their political agenda (= withdrawal).
So how about this question:"Could Minister Ehud Olmert achieve a public mandate allowing him to change Jerusalem's status as part of a permanent peace agreement with the Palestinians if 80% of the ministers were behind it?"
Try thinking that one through while the kids are hollering for dinner and you want to sound PC to the anonymous pollster on the line!
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