60 Minutes, Let The Time Run Out!

CBS's veteran news show, 60 Minutes, just had a program about Israel. They called it "Time Running Out For A Two-State Solution?" Thomas Friedman also wrote an op-ed with the same theme.

One thing I've learned is that whenever someone tries to sell you something that must be decided on, signed for "immediately, or..." it's something bad. And the sic "Two-State Solution" is worse than bad. It'll make the Arab Hamas terrorist missile attacks from Gush Katif look like Heaven.

Please look at these maps.

Please look again.

On 60 Minutes, Tsippi Livni reiterated that she was going to remove Jews like me from their homes. Here's the transcript:

"It's not going to be easy. But this is the only solution," she replied.
"But you know that there are settlers who say, 'We will fight. We will not leave. We will fight,'" Simon asked.
"So this is the responsibility of the government and police to stop them. As simple as that. Israel is a state of law and order," Livni said.

The "only solution?" And what about "law and order?" Contrary to the Arab lies Bob Simon reported on his show, the Arabs build thousands of buildings all over Judea and Samaria without the need of permits and inspections. It's rare for the Israeli authorities to destroy unsafe, unapproved or Arab terrorist homes in Israeli cities, and when they do it takes months of complicated decision-making. The Arab mansions I photographed a couple of years ago are dwarfed by the new ones.

Some of you may expect me to cry, rant and rave about how Tsippi's plan would affect me personally, but I don't see it as a personal problem. I don't see it as a local Shiloh problem, nor a Shomron (Samaria) problem nor a Judea-Samaria problem.

Please look again at the maps. It should be very clear that the establishment of an Arab terrorist state in Judea and Samaria would herald the destruction of the State of Israel, G-d forbid. That is the aim of the Arabs. Hamas, Fatah, Hizbullah etc all agree on it. They're all the same.

In May of 1967, Israel was a poor struggling country, suffering from Arab terrorism, when Egypt, Jordan and Syria began to threaten war. Egypt demanded that the United Nations remove its "peace-keeping forces," which had been in place to prevent war. The UN quickly fled. Egypt, Jordan and Syria bragged that they would destroy Israel and shove it "into the sea."

I remember all this. I wasn't a child at the time. And at the time, Israel only held parts of Jerusalem and none of Judea, Samaria, the Jordan Valley, the Golan Heights, nor Sinai and Gaza.

The present, the post-June, 1967, Six Days War violence against Israel is part of a long history of violence against Israel. It began long before Israel took possession of our Biblical, our historical Homeland. They never wanted us here and never will want us here. There is no possible compromise.

As I've said many times before, I'm a pragmatist. I'm not a dreamer. I look at the facts, at the map and at history.

60 Minutes is just a TV show. It didn't tell the truth. The Arabs who appeared on it didn't tell the truth, and Tsippi Livni didn't tell the truth either. The only one who spoke straight was Daniella Weiss.

It's Raining!

Yes, although we're well into the second third of winter, at least according to the calendar, rain has been so rare that rain is worth announcing on this blog.

Israel gets the necessary and blessed rain only during the winter, from late October until early April, on average, and this year has been so far from average, it's frightening. Somebody told me that there hasn't been such a dry year for 75 years. Considering that 75 years ago, people didn't garden, nor launder clothes very frequently, nor bathe as frequently as today... this year's drought, added to the previous years' droughts are really bad.

I'm going to finish soon and turn the computer off and unplug if the thunder continues.

Some Thoughts For Shabbat

Today, after relaxing yesterday, I finally found the time to check out a couple of other blogs, those I enjoy but never get to. They had posts with what I find to be similar messages.

"If Your Have To Ask You Are Not Ready Yet" on A Simple Jew and Yitz's The Stuffed Lion and the Half Suit.

And to get you in the proper Shabbat mood, here's something else I found on Heichal HaNegina.

Not Your Usual Israeli Tourist Scenes

Here's water going through the ancient water carrier in Ir David, David's City, Ma'ayan Shilo'ach.




And Kever Rachel, Rachel's Tomb was very crowded on the Eve of Rosh Chodesh Shvat, the beginning of the Jewish Month of Shvat, the last month of winter.

Pre-Shabbat Update, Moshe Avitan (Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha)

Baruch Hashem, thank G-d.

G-d has been performing great miracles, as you'll read in Ruth's letter about her son-in-law, Moshe. I also heard that another, even more seriously wounded Israel, Aharon Karov, who was considered, "anosh," the Hebrew term for dying, is already starting to walk. We must never give up!

Dear Relatives and Friends,

This will be the last update until late Saturday night/early Sunday morning and I'm happy to tell you that Moshe continues to improve in health. Last night he was in quite a lot of pain but today says that the pain is a lot less. Sarah stayed with him last night but neither of them got any sleep due to a lot of noise in the ward. Hopefully tonight will be better.

He says that his sight is a little better in both eyes and that the double vision problem is better than it was. They say that his sight should continue to improve although we must be prepared for the possibility that it may never be the same as it was. However, knowing Moshe and the distance he has travelled in the last ten days - "they" could well be wrong!

Moshe decided to ignore the fact that he was told that he wouldn't be able to eat solid food for four or five days and has been eating normal food! This, in spite of the fact that he cannot open his mouth very far due to the damage that was done to the jaw "hinge" and the repair work that has been done (this is what I understood - it's possible that I've got it a bit wrong). He has to do frequent exercises on his jaw, holding his bottom jaw open for a length of time or having it held open for him. He is working hard on this.

Now for the amazing news - there is talk of him being discharged in the early part of next week. When this happens, he will have to continue to come back as an outpatient and he still has to have the support padding taken out in a few weeks. It's almost unbelievable that only ten days ago we thought we had lost him. What a fighter!!

A long road to recovery lies ahead and he still needs your prayers, but he's on the way!!

Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom (a good and peaceful Sabbath),

Ruth

It Had Seemed So Much Longer, And Very Forboding

The roads near French Hill, Jerusalem, have changed yet again. Not all that long ago I ranted about our loss the the combination bus stop and "trempiada," around the corner from French Hill. Now if you're coming from north of Jerusalem, like Shiloh, or even Pisgat Ze'ev and Neve Ya'akov, you have to take a very round-about way to French Hill. And if you're going by bus, you need an additional bus or walk further and through an Arab neighborhood.

Monday night was the opening of the Jerusalem Conference in the Hyatt Hotel, which is between French Hill and Mount Scopus and in what's considered an "Arab neighborhood." I've walked there from French Hill, and that was my plan. But the bus didn't stop across from French Hill. It took the bridge and left me off at Ammunition Hill, across from Ramat Eshkol, catty-corner from the "white statue," which isn't a Calder.


I was stuck with a dilemma. How could I go to the hotel? Walking through French Hill was no longer a reasonable option, due to distance and an "unpleasant" section of roadway. Walking up as it to the hospital would take a while, too. Taxis aren't in the budget of the unemployed, and there is a direct road straight to the hotel, but I've only seen Arabs walk there. I called my husband to ask, and he answered:

"Take the road by the statue."
"But it's full of Arabs."
"So, what could happen?"
"They could kill me."
"There are guards there at one of the buildings."

I tried to get myself into a strong, confident posture and pace. They say that body language is a great defensive weapon. But really, an over-weight middle-aged behatted woman with a backpack strapped to my back, and a fanny-pack and camera strapped to my waist, I definitely didn't look very Arab. I looked like one of those crazy Jews from a sic "settlement." The road felt very long. I was nervous about terrorists and being run over, since there wasn't a sidewalk. And I've already been run over by an Arab terrorist.

I noticed the guard, and he noticed me, and soon I got to the end of the road, turned right and could already see the hotel. Over the following two days, I took that route, again and again and again. This may not follow the Laws of Physics, but I am sure that it got shorter and even shorter. The last time I walked it, close to 2pm yesterday, it only seemed a couple of blocks long. And, no, it didn't sprout a sidewalk.


I'm glad that I walked it, because it is now the best way to get between French Hill and Ramat Eshkol. And I faced and conquered a fear.

Please believe me; it looked much more frightening in the dark!

Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in the Negev

Well, thanks to our esteemed government (renowned for its bravery and honesty) our lives here in the Western Negev are back to normal. Sort of. My Sederot pupils were rudely awaken early today with the "Color Red" siren and a Kassam. **sigh** Same old, same old. The Eshkol residents had theirs yesterday I believe.

On a personal level, having stubbornly stayed at home throughout most of the war, I felt the accumulated stress catch up with me. Began crying at the drop of a hat. So, I booked a hotel room and hubby and I boogied up to Jerusalem for three days of blessed rest. This week, during the hours I spent in rest and contemplation, I asked myself again and again: How do Sederot's citizens remain sane after eight years of rocketing?

How do couples achieve anything approaching normalcy in their relationships armed with the knowledge that at any given moment they may need to seek shelter within ten seconds? How do parents cope with the stress of having their children out of sight when a "color red" siren sounds? How do the residents sleep nights? How many tranquilizers and sleeping tablets must they take and for how long? What kind of life is this????

Monday night at the hotel, I had problem sleeping (sans sleeping tablet :) So, I listened to Jojo Abutbul's radio program from 1- 3:00 a.m. One idiot from Tel Aviv said that they were rocketed (remember the sealed rooms and Scuds once upon a time?) and found it difficult to understand why the southern residents were making such a fuss. I have never felt closer to committing homicide than at that moment. How the *&(%(*%&^%*&%*_)(*^ can that idiot compare a war with a beginning, middle and END and his experiences to that of our dear brothers and sisters in Sederot and the Eshkol region???? Does that moron realize what eight years means? For me, it is approximately 1/6th of my life. For others it is a lifetime.

One of our twelfth graders at Ulpanat Tzvia Sedot Negev is named Or. She is absolutely brilliant as is her younger sister in grade nine. During one of our phone conversations midway through the war I expressed my dismay over her family's lack of a "mamad." (The room which doubles as a bomb shelter.) When I queried her about one sibling's reaction to the rocketing, she sardonically replied, "Come on, ha'morah, she is seven years old. This is normal life for her." Forget homicide. What I'd prefer is t0 require all incoming politicians following the upcoming elections to reside in Sederot for the duration of the government. (Usually no more than two years.) I assure you, G-d willing the "normal" life of Or's family would dramatically improve!

Christianity in Israel Update

Posted by Ellen W. Horowitz

CONVERTED DEMOCRATICALLY
Jews for Jesus is claiming 14 new Israeli converts for this month. And Israeli HOT Cable TV featured the head of the cult’s Israeli branch defending his activities as “democracy…freedom of expression, freedom of religion”, and “completely legal” in the State of Israel.

As Benny, the guest accommodation manager at Kibbutz Amiad – which was hosting Jews for Jesus - puts it, “We know how to take money, they know how to give money. It’s strictly business. It’s not as though Amiad is changing its religion.”
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THE GAZA WAR THROUGH CHRISTIAN EYES
The World Evangelical Alliance plays "neutral"
The WEA - the largest evangelical body in the world released a neutral statement on the Gaza war: “The God who is near wants to bless the Jewish people but not at the expense of the Arab people and He wants to bless the Arab people but not at the expense of the Jewish people.”
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The Messianic spin on the Gaza War
The Messianic publication Israel Today is reporting that “In their nearly unified support for military action, Israeli Messianic leaders did not forget Jesus' command to also love Israel's enemies (Matthew 5:44). “Howard Bass, pastor of the Messianic Nachalat Yeshua congregation in Israel’s southern city of Beersheva, voiced his support for Israel’s campaign against Hamas Gaza, but qualified this by stating that, ‘… Israel continues to resist turning back to the God of Israel and His Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God, who alone gives peace, security, healing’. "
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The North American Evangelical Lutheran Church is “not taking sides” (ha!)
(Choice excerpts):
"That is not about keeping Israel safe from suicide bombers," said Bishop James Justman, head of the East Central Synod of Wisconsin. "That is to crush the spirit of people who have been on the land for a long time. I'm not taking sides in general because it's such a big mess and reminds me of the sadness when there are so many layers of hatred and violence and bad things that have happened. But there are so many stories like that, but this one stands out to me. Here's this grizzled old guy still in his house … and he's surrounded by angry settlers."
"But as I observed where the wall is and how it's being used, I would say now it's a strategic measure of apartheid."
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Evangelists and Islamists join forces in “Humanitarian Aid” Efforts
A friend from Texas, who has been busy organizing pro-Israel rallies, expressed shock that a “huge anti-Israel, Gaza solidarity fundraising event took place last weekend at the local Islamic center. Co-hosting the event was THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY”. She is searching for the “inflammatory ad” promoting the event which appeared in the local paper.

Meanwhile, I went online and discovered that The American Bible Society and Middle Eastern Bible Societies have joined together to Bring Humanitarian Aid for Gaza Conflict Victims. This humanitarian aid project is a joint effort between the American Bible Society (ABS), Palestinian Bible Society (PBS), the Bible Society in Israel (BSI), and the Arab-Israeli Bible Society (AIBS).
And you can bet that very active proselytizing in Israel is a part of this venture.

In what I can only call “a proportional response”, the Arab Palestinian Christian Development Director of the societies felt the need "to express the love of Jesus Christ to both sides", and he recently visited a hospital in Beersheva “to offer prayers and words of blessing” to wounded Israeli soldiers.
"In conjunction with PBS, BSI and AIBS, the American Bible Society will help to provide 100,000 Psalms Scripture portions in South Israel and 100,000 Scripture booklets in Arabic languages for Palestinians and Israelis."
Under the circumstances, Israeli politician Effie Eitam may want to try and get that PR shot of him at the American Bible Society's Bible Library taken offline (that image is prominently displayed on several Bible Society related links)
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Close Calls for Christians in Sderot
Evangelical Earl Cox got knocked off his feet by a Kassam , and Yechiel Eckstein had a remarkable photo op with an incoming missile. It was also reported that Jordan Sekulow – son of Jay Sekulow of Jews for Jesus and ACLJ fame – had a close call with an incoming projectile
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POMP AND uncomfortable CIRCUMSTANCES
Warren Witnesses at Presidential InvocationEvangelical Pastor Rick Warren concluded the invocation at President Obama's inauguration in an exclusively evangelical way. He used the opportunity to "witness" to the many millions watching the ceremony: "I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa, Jesus, Jesus (hay-SOOS), who taught us to pray, Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name...." Some critics note that Warren turned the invocation into an explicitly Christian prayer, and that his reference to Jesus as Yeshua was a gesture towards so called "messianic Jews". Time Magazine notes that for the sixth straight presidential inauguration, rabbis would not have a place on the dais. Since 1985, only Evangelical Protestants have played a part in the presidential swearing-in ceremony.

On the other hand….

Did Lookstein Overlook Halacha?
The JTA reports that The Rabbinical Coucil of America – charged a prominent member of violating its rules by participating in the National Prayer Service at the National Cathedral on the morning after Barack Obama's inauguration.
“The long-standing policy of the Rabbinical Council of America, in accordance with Jewish law, is that participation in a prayer service held in the sanctuary of a church is prohibited," the RCA said in a statement.
The RCA said that Rabbi Haskel Lookstein’s participation “was problematic both because the service was held in the sanctuary of a church, which Orthodox Jews are prohibited from entering, and because it was an interfaith prayer service, which the RCA discourages for fear that such participation could allow missionaries to legitimize their argument that Jews can indeed embrace Jesus.”

Rabbi Tzvi Hersch Weinreb, the executive vice president of the Orthodox Union sited the late Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik’s position that Orthodox rabbis “should not engage in theological debate or participate in interfaith services.”

But Rabbi Lookstein has responded in a letter to his colleagues at the RCA. An excerpt follows:
“It is well known that many Chief Rabbis of England have gone into Westminster Abby when summoned there by the King or Queen, and many other great rabbis have done the same to represent our community. The Chief Rabbis of Israel have engaged in similar activities, and, most recently, the Chief Rabbi of Haifa, Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen was involved in similar activities. In fact, he attended the funeral of the late Pope, John Paul II.”
Rabbis may be going to church, but do we really want Jesus in the Temple?...
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EXPLOITING JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE INSTITUTE
Women on the Walls held a “prophetic summons” in Jerusalem in early January.
The Promotion: O women, herald of good tidings, Say to Zion: “Accept from us the joyful announcement of the resurrection of Messiah! O Jerusalem, rejoice, and leap for joy! For you have seen the King, coming out of the tomb, and Behold, He comes now as the Fair Bridegroom!"
Christine Darg of Exploits Ministries, Covenant Alliances and the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus, led the evangelic road show .
Too bad Rabbi Glick, the director of the Temple Institute was caught on a feature video participating in a rather bizarre ceremony with Darg, who has at the bottom of her homepage:
EXPLOITS DECLARES THE MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE THROUGH MINISTRY AND MEDIA, BASED ON THE PATTERN OF ACTS 1:8-'You shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.'
Exploits Ministries online financial statements for the Year 2007 identify them as “ a missionary society with a Biblical mandate to take the Gospel to the Bible lands… “ with a …”commitment to take the Good News of Jesus Christ back to the Bible Lands where the Gospel began, to
both Jew and Arab…”

And then of course there are these choice audio and video quotes:

“ Even though many people are afraid to share the gospel here, I tell you I have never had any problem...we were giving away beautiful posters to the Israeli soldiers at checkpoints ... The Russian Jews are the most open Jewish people group to the gospel on the face of the earth at this moment. The Russians today were begging us for New Testaments … "----Christine Darg ,Exploits Ministries, Covenant Alliances, in partnership with the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus

“It’s heartbreaking…that Jewish souls will be lost to eternity unless they come to know him [Jesus] as their Jewish Messiah. As both Christians and Messianic believers we have a responsibility to correct what’s been done in the past….Today we can give back the Jewish people their own Jewish bible - one that explains in a Jewish context that Yeshua is the Messiah of Israel who loves them in a very special way. I encourage you to sponsor a chapter of the much needed bible so that you can show the love of Yeshua to the Jewish people here in Israel…” ---Peter Darg, Exploits Ministries and Covenant Alliances in partnership with the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus

Perhaps Rabbi Glick was unaware that Christine and her husband Peter personally engage in activities which directly target Jews for conversion.
But a few months back, I and a group of other concerned activists met with the Director of the International Department of the Temple Institute, Rabbi Chaim Richman, and discussed the missionary problem in Israel. At the time Rabbi Richman expressed outrage and assured us that the he was on top of the situation.
Perhaps the Temple Institute got thrown off track by Christine and Peter Darg’s active partnership with Covenant Alliances, and the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus - who state as their policy
“We at the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus as well, do not hide our refusal to cooperate with Christians active in missionary work amongst Jews”. (Benny Elon in the JPost).
For more on Covenant Alliances and the Knesset Caucus read here and here.
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A WORD ABOUT “EVANGELICAL”
What is an Evangelical? Are they more than just “Israel’s best friends”? An exclusive commentary at World Net Daily answers that for us.
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A WORD ABOUT THE VATICAN
In this new era of Christian-Jewish reconciliation, this report just wouldn’t be complete without including mention of the Vatican’s recent activities. But words just don’t do these injustices justice. So a simple listing with links will have to suffice
· The Pope reinstates Holocaust-denying bishop and Chief Rabbinate cuts ties .
· Bishop Richard Williamson in his own perverted words (must watch video interview)
· Cardinal Renato Martino, the head of the Vatican Council for Justice and Peace and a former Holy See envoy to the United Nations, compared Gaza to a "big concentration camp"
· Pope Benedict recently restored the Tridentine rite - a prayer for the conversion of Jews - resulting in a boycott of a key Vatican event by the Chief Rabbi of Venice, who has accused Pope Benedict of wiping out 50 years of dialogue.
· The Vatican continues its efforts to whitewash the record of Pope Pius Xll ("Hitler's Pope") so that they can proceed with the beautification process without Jewish sensitivities getting in the way.
· Vatican negotiators in Israel reportedly appear eager to finalize negotiations on fiscal and property matters prior to the pope's upcoming visit to the Holy Land. It should be noted that there are ongoing attempts by the Vatican to acquire property on the Diaspora Yeshiva Campus - including the Upper Room above The Traditional Tomb of King David.

What’s Rabbi Riskin gonna do?
In light of all of these old/new tribulations with the Church, one wonders if Rabbi Riskin and his “Orthodox Jewish center to theologically dialogue with Christians” is still planning to co-host, with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, a religious leaders mission to Israel this March.
And will David Nekrutman, executive director of Riskin’s interfaith center continue to cooperate with and encourage Vatican efforts to rehabilitate Pope Pius Xll?
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Update: Messianic Attorney Pastor Calev Myers of the law offices of Yehuda Raveh kindly requested that I remove certain language in this specific post in reference to Mr. Cohen - which I have done.

Missionary alert: Aviad Cohen's singing Jesus in Jerusalem
"The World's Most Kosher MC" turned ________________ has made aliyah . Heads up Ministry of Interior as this guy has got to go. He is one_____________. But the Christian channels from CBN to TBN to GodTube just love him.You can read all about Aviad's messianic exploits on Jerusalem's Ben Yehuda Street.

Will It Come To This?

Not Quite The Same, But...

I enjoyed this New York Times article about women who made a difference for equal pay for women.

Yesterday at the Jerusalem Conference, someone came up to me and told me that he reads my blogs:

"By the way, did you ever get that call?"

He was referring to a post I wrote lamenting that although I'd offered to help in the elections and sent my phone number to the political party of my choice, nobody called.

OK, it's not the same, but that glass ceiling covers a lot of territory.

I thank G-d for blogging!

I Have So Much To Learn

I have been taking a TaNaCh, Bible course in Matan. We have two lectures per month about Biblical Characters, their times, events, locations etc and then we go on a tour related to that topic.

The first month was easy for me, since it was about Shmuel, Samuel, and Shiloh, where I live. That's just about the only part of the Bible I have any sort of real expertise. The only other characters in the Bible, besides those in the Chumash, the first five books, I know something about are King Saul, King David, Ruth, Naomi and Ester. They haven't been our topics at all.

I could take this course another few times until the facts begin sticking to my brain.

This past month we studied Yeshayahu, Isaiah. I'm going to have to find a basic course, since in terms of Biblical, historical context, I was lost. I remember feeling something very similar when I first started studying the Bible. I'd explain it as a giant gigsaw puzzle, having trouble finding peices that fit together. At least when I studied here in Shiloh with Rabbi Nissan Ben Avraham, we began went in order. We just didn't finish.

For that reason I will just post the pictures, limiting the explations to Ramat Rachel, Ir David and the "Tayelet." All are in Jerusalem. If you have more information, please add it in the comments. Thank you. (bloggers spellcheck is off, so please let me know of any typos. Thanks, again.)

Ramat Rachel











Ir David













The Tayelet

Post-Operation Update, Moshe Avitan (Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha)

Here's the latest update on Moshe Avitan from his mother-in-law. Please continute praying for a refuah shleimah, a complete recovery. Thank you.

Dear Relatives and Friends,

I had hoped to get the update out in time for people in Israel to read it tonight. However, the phone has been going non-stop since I got home from the hospital. So sorry Israeli people if you don't see it until Thursday morning. At least those in the States will get to see it today and possibly also England and mainland Europe.

I'm extremely happy to tell you that, thank G-d, the operation went well this afternoon. It was about three hours from the time Moshe went into the operating theater until we heard that he was in the recovery room. The bullet has been removed and is ready to hand over to the Shabak ("Shin Bet", Security Services) for examination by the ballistics people. They have also somehow put temporary support under his left eye so as to align the two eyes. This will have to be removed in three or four weeks. By that time, presumably, they expect the left eye to be "supporting itself". For the next few days Moshe will only be able to eat liquids and semi-liquids. This seems rather a shame as he was beginning to come back to being "Moshe" and eating, talking and generally behaving normally. Now we have to go back a bit. Slowly, slowly...

I haven't seen Moshe since the operation. After coming out of the recovery room he went back to the ward and only Sarah and, possibly, his mother are to be with him this evening. I hope to be able to report on his continued progress tomorrow. Keep praying please!!

All the best,

Ruth

Fundamental Flaw

Today I managed to attend a couple of sessions/panels at the Jerusalem Conference. I took notes, but this I'm writing from memory. It stood out, because it's a typical and fundamental flaw in Israeli thinking.

Many politicians were included as speakers and panelists at the conference. Most plentiful were Likud MK's (Members of Knesset) and the wannabees, the "hopefuls" running on the list. They generally gave such good Right-wing speeches, you'd expect them to be in Ichud Le'umi.

Likud MK Silvan Shalom was one of the speakers in "The Threats Facing Israel and the West, Is There a “Clash of Civilizations?" I had missed Rabbi Gold's introductory remarks, but I was told that when Silvan Shalom criticized him, it was clear that MK Shalom had misunderstood the rabbi's words.

MK Shalom tried to prove that dangerous ideologies can be defeated by military means. I have no problem with that basic premise, just the example he gave. He described World War Two as nations uniting to fight the ideology of Nazism.

That wasn't the situation. No country cared about internal Nazi ideology. They didn't care when Jews and other "undesirables according to Nazi ideology" lost their jobs, homes and lives. If Nazi Germany had just stayed in Germany, nobody would have gone to war.

The European countries which were at war against Germany were in defense of their existence. They were fighting the German military, not the Nazi, pro-Aryan ideology. No country, and that included the United States, went to war against Nazi Germany to save Jews.

I have no doubt that the myth is believed by the vast majority of Israelis, and that's why they suffer the delusion that America is our friend and would save us, if necessary. This fundamental flaw endangers us. We must be strong, self-reliant and independent.

I also partially disagree with a later speaker, Maj. General (reserves) Yossi Peled past OC Northern Command, Candidate for Likud, who said that "unlike most every other country, Israel can't afford to lose even a single war." True, G-d forbid, losing a war would mean the end of the State of Israel. But the Jewish People have been in existence for thousands of years, and we have suffered defeats and the destruction of our ancient country and independence. And as the world saw in 1948, we've come back to life.

If G-d forbid this modern country is destroyed, then in a hundred or a few hundred years, the Jewish People will try again and G-d willing finally get it right.

Please pray that G-d succeeds in planting true wisdom in our leaders.

At The Jerusalem Conference, Part 2.5

I don't yet have time for a very detailed report on the Jerusalem Conference, so let this illustrated post suffice.

Here's one of the charts, from an Arab internet site, shown during the talk by Lt. Colonel (res) Jonathan D. Halevi, Senior Researcher, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.

We're just not "on the ball" when it comes to utilizing modern technology. Yes, it's hard to believe. Aren't Jews supposed to be so smart? Well, it looks like we're not using our G-d-given talents for our own needs.

Here are a couple of scenes from the opening night.



Apparently I missed some very interesting statements yesterday morning when I was on my Matan Tour, which I'll bli neder blog about later.

It was during the session called, Israel under Attack, and the Civilians of the Gaza Area Respond. Sharon Katz, of Voices Magazine, told me that the crowd was incredulous. Politicians, from southern Israel, who spoke "crowned" their remarks with support for Disengagement.

It's very disappointing, though not surprising, that Left wing politicians are so glued to their ideology that they can't see the terror and hatred through their Left-tinted lenses.

Tuesday's Update, Moshe Avitan (Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha)

Here's the latest letter from Moshe's mother-in-law. Extra prayers are needed today for Moshe because of the surgery.

Dear Relatives and Friends,

Here we are, less than 12 hours before the scheduled time for Moshe's surgery. It's nerve-racking!

Today Moshe asked the nurses to put a patch over his left eye. He is seeing reasonably well, albeit somewhat blurry, with his right eye but the left eye, lacking supporting muscle below, was causing him to have a sort of double vision. He felt better with the patch.

The surgery is scheduled to take place between 12 noon and 1 p.m. Wednesday. Obviously, depending on the operating "list" it could be earlier or later. Your extra prayers and Psalms are requested for any time you can on Wednesday, that the surgeons be given strength and skills from Above to perform the operation successfully.

Once this is over we seriously have to get down to the business of post-trauma counselling for both Sarah and Moshe. It is difficult to see when this could have started as Sarah has constant calls on her time from the medical authorities and to deal with bureaucratic stuff and Moshe seems to have doctors and nurses wanting to do check-ups at all hours of the day and night.

Thanks to you all for your concern.

Ruth

May G-d give strength and good health to the entire family.

Does This Mean I Ought To Blog More?

Today, again, I spent time at the Jerusalem Conference. Totally by chance I ended up at a panel discussion about Arab use of the internet to influence the world.

Honestly, I'm too tired to write a long post about it, but let it suffice that we are not doing enough. In comparison, we're doing almost nothing.

We have not utilized the potential of the internet to explain the importance of the Land of Israel for the Jewish People. Nor have we made a dent about trying to prove to the world that The Arabs here are not "partners for peace." They are educating their kids for terrorism and war.

G-d willing, I'll expand on this in another day or two.

The true meaning of "HAMAS"

Reporting On The Jerusalem Conference-- Part 1

Last night I attended the opening of the Jerusalem Conference. I sat next to Arlene Kushner and agree with her report on Lt.-Gen. (ret.) Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon speech, which you can find on her site. She left soon later and probably would have been as disgusted and disappointed as most of us were at Ketzaleh's clown-like behavior. He treated it like an election rally and never answered the questions he was asked, nor did he pay any attention to what the others were saying. Some people would say that the conference was "his baby," and he thought that he was above all. No, it won't affect my plans to vote for Ichud Le'umi.

And even while I was very impressed by the two young Likud representatives, MK Gilad Erdan and Tzipi Hotobeli (Likud candidate/hopeful,) I don't think that they will have any real influence on the Likud. Bibi Netanyahu is controlling it very tightly. Erdan lost his cool when discussing the fact that most of the Likud MK's supported Disengagement. He couldn't explain it, and I was among those entirely incredulous, not quite comprehending his defense of the Likud. I would love to see Erdan and Hotobeli in Ichud Le'umi. I think they're wasting their energies and talents in the Likud, where they will be stifled.

MK Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor) was his usual obnoxious, illogical and irrational self. He insists we need "two nations for two Peoples," but he wouldn't transfer Arabs from their homes and fled the conference before questions to the panel. He mocked all those, like Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon and Katzeleh, who "enter politics at sixty," after successful careers in other spheres, claiming they don't know anything about being politicians. I kept thinking of what one newspaper editor told me:

"I prefer to hire those who have degrees in history, science, economics etc, because any intelligent person can learn how to write an article. Those who study journalism don't know anything about what they're supposed to be writing."

Too many politicians just learn how to be elected, and they really don't understand the issues, history and background.

I'll just return to Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon and MK Gilad Erdan before closing this post. Yes, they did say all the right things, but I still have my doubts. I didn't hear Ya'alon's shouting and leading anti-Disengagement demonstrations after resigning. Nor did MK Gilad Erdan forcefully voice and publicize his opposition. As Likud MK's they don't (won't) have the freedom to do as they please, as they believe.

That's another reason why I'm voting Ichud Le'umi and consider it the wisest choice. I don't want to vote for people who must guard their tongue and compromise.

Monday's Update- Moshe Avitan (Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha)

Thank G-d! The letter from Moshe's mother-in-law tells of a miracle, but we must continue to pray.

Dear Relatives and Friends,

I'm very happy to tell you that Moshe's sight is improving. Today he was able to read two more lines on the card they give him to check his eyesight. His spirits were also higher today.

What seems like a lifetime ago but is only one week ago, we were praying that Moshe would live and that he would have full mental faculties. Then we were praying that he wouldn't be blind. Once he regained consciousness on Wednesday and they were able to check his eyesight, finding that he had at least partial vision in one eye, we were praying that he would have vision in both eyes - at least to some extent. Now, as his eyesight is improving with every day that passes, we're praying that he regain full sight. I wonder, why do we always want more than we have!!! Sorry - just being a bit introspective.

Please keep up the good work everybody. We have the big hurdle of the operation that they're now talking about doing on Wednesday which is the big operating-room day in Hadassah.

Thanks for all your concern.

All the best,

Ruth

Keep Shitrit Out of Power

Here's another of his lame-brained, Peresian schemes:

Meir Shetreet: Lease Golan for 25 years and then buy it from Syria

Sunday, January 25, 2009
Meir Shetreet: Lease Golan for 25 years and then buy it from Syria
Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA 25 January 2009
"And with regard to the Golan - I am for real peace. There will be Syrian sovereignty in the Golan. Real peace means that they lease the Golan to us for 25 years and after 25 years we will see that there is peace - we will purchase the Golan from them. The Americans purchased Alaska. The area of the Golan is half of one percent of the area of Syria."Minister Meir Shetreet (Kadima) at meeting sponsored by the Council for Peace and Security on 22 January 2009
as reported in a summary written by Uri Reychav

Yisrael, Batach B'Hashem

People of Israel, Trust in G-d

Sunday Update: Moshe Avitan (Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha)

Here's the most recent letter from Moshe's mother-in-law:

Dear Relatives and Friends,

As expected, there is not a lot to report on Moshe's physical condition today. He continues to improve and has been up and about and is eating normally. His eyesight continues to be very blurred and we still have no prognosis on what will be with his sight. He is due to see the eye doctor tomorrow (i.e., Monday) and perhaps we will have more idea then, or perhaps not until after the operation which, so far, is scheduled for Wednesday.

Now that the initial period of worry about his life is, please G-d, over we begin to realise to what extent this attack has emotionally hit Moshe and all the family. They are all traumatized and it's going to take a lot of time for them to come out of it. Please have the whole family in mind when you pray for Moshe's health.

Thanks for all you are doing and keep it up!!

All the best,

Ruth

I would like to add something about trauma, shock of bad news. One doesn't have to be at the "event," attack, accident to suffer, be affected. When my older son was nine, he was hit by a small truck while riding his bike in the neighborhood. The neighbor who took on the difficult task of knocking on my door and telling me and also had to get me to prepare for a ride in the hospital in the ambulance, was the school secretary. I was a teacher in the school, and for years later, every time she called me on the phone about the most mundane and benign things, I'd reply in the most terrified way:

"What happened?"

Strangely, I suffered less long-term hysteria-panic after I was run over in a terror attack. In that case the damage was more physical, and my making contact with the media, my interview with the Jerusalem Post and a Dutch newspaper and appearance on the English-language IBA News allowed me a certain release, control of the situation and confidence-building. I also found myself at the very same spot, very soon after, so I didn't have a chance to develop that "phobia" people sometimes get.

Back to my son's accident. Totally contrary to anything in my psyche, he enthusiastically looked forward to returning to bicycle riding. When, about three months after the accident, the orthopedist told him that he could walk on both legs and get rids of the crutches, the first thing he said was:

"May I ride my bike?"

The doctor almost needed to do first aid on me, and told him that it would be very good physical therapy. His most serious, and potentially crippling injury, was a dislocated pelvis. Baruch Hashem, thank G-d, my son recovered, and I learned to admire his emotional strength and healthy attitude.

As Ruth requested,

Refuah Shleimah

and lots of strength

to Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha's entire family,

friends and neighbors.

There's Plenty Of Room At Tel Shiloh

Today I traveled to Kever Rachel (Rachel's Tomb) in a super-packed, overloaded bus, filled with women, children and a couple of men. The driver was freaking out, because we more more than the maximum allowed.

When we got to Kever Rachel, it was really mobbed. We wondered if it had anything to do with the stories of a Rachel warning soldiers about booby-trapped houses in Gaza during the recent war. Some people believe the story, considering the woman Rachel Imenu, Our Matriarch Rachel, and others consider it impossible. Whatever, whoever, however the soldiers were warned, it was a miracle, and that's good enough for me.

Civilian buildings were used to camouflage missile launchers, like this reporter admits. (Hat tip, Boris) Read the subtitles:




Thousands of Jews go to Kever Rachel every week, or every day. Now it's a little easier to get there, since you don't need to travel in a bullet-proof vehicle. There is regular bus service and a parking lot for private cars.

Our regional council subsidizes a bus every month, the day before Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the Jewish month, according to the lunar calendar. I go every couple of months, if it fits my schedule.

For a long time, I've been wondering why people go to Kever Rachel and not to Tel Shiloh. Personally, I feel much closer to G-d when I pray at Tel Shiloh. Maybe it's the "hyper" in me, finding it hard to concentrate when there are so many people crowded together.

That's why just over a year ago, I started inviting women to come to Tel Shiloh on Rosh Chodesh to pray.

I don't like praying at graves and tombs, focusing on dead people, even great, righteous people.

I feel more attached to the Land, the sites where great things happened to the Jewish Nation.

Shiloh is one of the most important places in Biblical Jewish History. It was the Capital of the Jewish Nation for 369 years, from the time that Joshua conquored Our Land until Shmuel (Samuel) The Prophet took over from Eli the HIgh Priest.

It was in Shiloh where Chana, Shmuel's mother after sufferng from being barren many years, prayed for a son who would be dedicated to doing G-d's work. Shmuel was that son.

So what could be better as a place of prayer than Shiloh?

תפילת נשים
ראש חדש שבט בתל שילה
26-1 יום ב' 9:30
נא להזמין משפחה וחברות
Rosh Chodesh Shvat
at Tel Shiloh
Monday, 26-1, 9:30am
Please invite family and friends to join us

One can visit any time. Contact the Tel Shiloh office:

02-994-4019

telshilo@gmail.com

Yes, Barack Hussein Obama is U.S. President

Ruthie Blum Leibowitz got it 100% right, plus extra credit, in her media article about the media's infatuation with Barack Hussein Obama.

Ironically, during the campaign bloggers and mainstream journalists who stressed Obama's middle name were attacked for using underhand tactics to ruin his image, but when it came to his Inauguration as U.S. President, he, himself, used that very Arab/Moslem middle name. As a kid, even in Indonesia, he was known as "Barry," but at some point he began to use his full, non-white sounding, name, Barack Hussein Obama.

Unlike many Afro-Americans who changed their American-sounding names to Arab ones when they became Moslems, like Cassius Clay becoming Mohamed Ali, Obama was given his name at birth, as "junior," named after his Kenyan father.

Americans are in for a rough ride. Bush was booed at the Inauguration, something that bodes danger for the American public.

It is not going to be easy for Obama to please his fans, and they're not the subtle polite types.

Israel should send , George Mitchell, his emissary back home. Obama will soon be so embroiled in own domestic problems that he won't have time for us if we're firm.

The timing of this visit is a blatant interference in Israeli Elections, and G-d willing it will totally backfire on Kadima, Labor and Obama. How it will affect the Likud depends on how Bibi Netanyahu welcomes Mitchell. If he tells him to get lost, then he'll benefit, but if he tries to negotiate with him, then the Likud will suffer, because it'll show that push comes to shove, the Likud is no different from Kadima.

Update: Moshe Avitan (Moshe Rafael ben Aliza A'isha)

Here's the latest letter I received from Moshe's mother-in-law:

Dear Relatives and Friends,

I wish you all a shavua tov (a good week). I have been asked to send Moshe Avitan's Hebrew name with all my updates so that people new to the list will know what name to use in their prayers. Hence, you will see this name on the subject line from now on.

I'm happy to tell you that there is continued improvement in Moshe's physical condition. He is now walking, eating and talking normally. His nervousness (understandably) still prevails and I think it's going to take a while for him to revert to the happy, outgoing and smiling Moshe that we knew before this attack. Slowly, slowly...

It seems that they are thinking of operating on Wednesday. As I understand it, the operation will be two-fold: (a) to take out the bullet, and (b) to do reconstruction work under the eyes where muscle has been damaged. I will perhaps know more of this tomorrow.

We are in a sort of hiatus period now with information. I don't think that anything is going to change very much, apart from, hopefully, continued improvement, until after the operation. This doesn't mean that we can forget Moshe in our prayers, Psalms and learning. He has still a long, long way to go before he has a complete recovery. So please continue to keep up the good work!!

Thanks,

Ruth

Such Timing...

We see the "hand of G-d" in all sorts of things.

"Yisrael, Batach B'Hashem!"

"People of Israel, Trust in G-d!"

This week's Haftara, the readings from "The Prophets" portion of the Bible can be read as political commentary on Israel's security plans. Since the government decided to end Operation Cast Lead, aka the Election Campaign War, and take our IDF out of Gaza, it has announced that it's trusting Egypt to keep us safe, by making sure the terrorists don't rearm.

Davka, what's the Haftara for Parshat Va'era? Yechezkel 28:25 - 29:21 In it we see Egypt as weak, not the country to rely on. We must take responsibility for ourselves and only trust in G-d!

Thursday Night Update: Moshe Refael ben Aliza Chaya

From his mother-in-law:

Moshe has today been taken from the ICU to the "mouth and jaw" ward. His general condition continues to improve and he was able to eat a little today. The doctor wants him to get out of bed a little tomorrow and start to move around. I'm sure that it will make him feel a lot better if he can perhaps go for a shower and walk a little. The doctors are still hesitant about doing the surgery and want to wait a few days in order to get rid of a lot of the fluid build-up. They are amazed at how fast Moshe is improving. We're certain that the prayers and Psalms that are being said by so many people are behind this improvement!!

Having seen pictures of the car, we wonder how Moshe and Sarah came out alive! All the windows were shattered. Apart from the bullet that hit Moshe we know that one bullet went through the left front door and exited the car from the right front door at "body level", passing in front of Moshe and Sarah. Another went through the windscreen and exited the back window, passing between them. Apart from being cut a little by some flying glass, Sarah was physically unscathed.

Please continue to pray for a Refuah Shleimah, a complete and speedy recovery for Moshe Refael ben Aliza Chaya, thank you.

Eilat Is Also Eretz Yisrael, The Land Of Israel

I'll start with a version of a popular Israeli joke of the past few decades:

A couple just had a baby boy, and they were trying to decide what name to give.

"How about Ya'aqov?" asked the husband
"No," said the wife. "It isn't Biblical enough."

Of course, we all know that Ya'aqov was a very important a crucial Biblical character. He fathered the twelve tribes, but when people talk of "Biblical names," they mean the lesser known ones, like some I'm particularly fond of, Tzruya, She'era and Nedavya.

When we talk of Eretz Yisrael, we think of the Biblical area near Shiloh and the others on the mountain range, like Shechem, Beit El, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron.

When we think of Eilat, we think of tourists and beaches and marinas. But Eilat also has a Biblical History.

I believe that we each have a place in the Land of Israel where we can feel at home, and that's where we should live. I would never tell someone that they should live in Shiloh and not Eilat, and I just want the same respect.

Here are some of the pictures and movies I took during our recent vacation in Eilat.
















Would you believe that I had never been in Eilat before? That's the truth. I'll be posting more pictures at a later date.

He Saw Rachel Imenu

Today I almost fainted in our teachers' room. One of our teachers in Ulpanat Tzvia Sedot Negev, Aharon, said that his brigade witnessed the appearance of Rachel Imeinu. He said with great emotion that in the two weeks he served in Gaza, there were more miracles than could possibly be counted!

Aharon said that the brigade was divided and not all of the members were present when she appeared. I enjoined, "I want the name! The name of the soldier who spoke with Rachel Imeinu!" He said the soldier's name is Yoel S., and that they have been serving together in reserve duty for years. Yoel S. had the great merit to witness a miracle like those one only reads about in the weekly Parsha! (Torah portion) And, not only did he see Rachel; he spoke with her!

Drawing near a building, a woman dressed in a white Jalabiya (the traditional clothing of North African Jews from places such as Morocco and Tunisia) came out. She told them in fluent Hebrew to leave immediately, as the building was booby trapped. The third time this occurred, Yoel queried, "Who are you?" Then she revealed herself as Rachel.

The rest is history! (Read Yitz's blog post from January 20th for the entire story!) I believed the story even before my day at work today. But having spoken to a level headed, G-d fearing colleague whose brigade witnessed this miracle sent chills up the spine of everyone in our teachers' room. Indeed, I think it's a tremendous kiddush Hashem to publicize this story far and wide!

May Hashem send Rav Mordechai Tzemach ben Mazal Tov a full recovery and keep him well, until 120. May He and we all merit the prompt arrival of Moshiach speedily in our days!

B"H, Thank G-d, Improvement in Condition of Moshe Refael ben Aliza Chaya

I received an update from Sarah's (Moshe's wife) mother and received permission to post it. Of course, please continue to pray for a complete recovery, Refuah Shleimah, for Moshe Refael ben Aliza Chaya.

Dear Relatives and Friends,

I'm happy to tell you that there has been an improvement in Moshe's condition. They have removed all the horrendous tubes from his mouth and he is now able to talk a little and drink through a straw. His face is all colours of the rainbow with big purple rings around swollen red eyes but it seems that he can see -- albeit with blurred vision -- from both eyes.

Adding to the facial swelling is the fact that he is being given steroids - presumably to reduce the build up of fluid in the sinuses.

They are hoping to operate early next week and are talking about possibly moving him out of the ICU tomorrow.

That's it for now. Thank you all for being with us in your thoughts and prayers,

Thank you

Same Old Ehud Barak

ברק ברח

Barak Barach

Barak Fled

That has been the rallying cry against Ehud Barach oops! Barak ever since he ran for cover instead of helping the wounded at the training accident at Tzehelim Bet and how he ordered our troops to flee Southern Lebanon, which enabled Hizbullah to arm against Israel.

The vast majority of Israelis are disgusted and disappointed by Israel's early withdrawal from Gaza and the pre-mature cessation of Operation Cast Lead, aka the Election Campaign War.

Ironically, Tzachi Hanegbi, whose mantra used to be "Barak Barach," now sounds just like him in his announcement:

"Hamas militants face a simple equation," Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi told Army Radio. "If the [rocket] fire resumes, we will respond with force so strong and overpowering, they will miss the day the Israel Air Force's offensive began." (hat tip IMRA)

Barak's reign as Prime Minister was full of threats like that, but he never followed through, and we ended up with the worst bout of Arab terrorism ever. The media calls it "The Second Intifada," not that I remember any announcemt by the terrorists that they had ended the sic "first" one. There were periodic lulls, like when ocean water recedes between waves.

Ehud Barak was elected during such a lull, and then he so mishandled the subsequent terrorism, emboldening the terrorists by his unilateral campaign promise withdrawal from Southern Lebanon, that most of the country felt under siege. We were forced to get bullet-proof vehicles or travel dressed in heavy bullet-proof vests. My sons were serving in the army at the time, and I was more nervous about their walking in Jerusalem than when they were doing their actual military tasks.

Today, what frightens me is the national amnesia, which has allowed that same Ehud Barak to return to politics as head of the Labor Party and subsequently become Defense Minister. As IDF Chief of Staff, he was instrumental in downgrading the army which caused the many mistakes in Olmert's Lebanese War fiasco of two and a half years ago.

And now, Ehud Barak is willing to accept continued smuggling of arms by Hamas into Gaza. All I can think of is that a deal was made via the Egyptians to keep things "quiet" until after Israeli elections.

Please don't forget that one of the new U.S. President Obama's highest priority Foreign Policy aims is to establish a new Arab country in the very heart of Israel.

My husband and I just spent close to a week on vacation in Eilat, sans internet. That's why I haven't posted recently. We were dependent on TV news, which gave very little real information. Now we're back.

Most Israelis, Jews and concerned people all over the world are shocked that Israel ended Operation Cast Lead without the freeing of Gilad Shalit. What was the real point of that "war?" "War," "operation," "campaign," it doesn't matter what it's called. The important thing is to have a clear goal, and Israel doesn't. Our soldiers are motivated and want to to the job professionally. When we returned to Jerusalem from Eilat, we saw signs all over proclaiming that "the people have the fortitude to support the soldiers on the frontline." Our problem is that we're ruled by weak tired, selfishly ambitious and shortsighted politicians.

G-d is angry with them, and that's why there's no rain. But G-d loves the people, and that's why with all of the rockets and missiles launched at southern Israel, there were so few casualties.

With elections coming up, we have the opportunity to vote for true leaders. I'm voting for Ichud Le'umi, the only party which is uncompromising in its support for the People and Land and State and Security of Israel.

Please Pray for Our Most Recent Terror Victim

A young husband, father from nearby Shvut Rachel was shot in the head by Arab terrorists the other night. His parents live in Shiloh.

Please pray for a Refuah Shleimah, a complete and speedy recovery to:

נא להתפלל לרפואת משה רפאל בן עליזה חיה

Moshe Rafael ben Aliza Chaya

And please let others know.

"Did Rachel Imeinu tell the Soldiers that I sent her?"

The following story is but one of many that have been circulating recently. But today we have an amazing confirmation of it, by two of the great Rabbis of our time. Please read on…

Recently a miracle which happened in Gaza to a group of fighters was recounted by noted rabbis and others: In a combing the homes in the outskirts of a Gazan city, searching for Hamas terrorists and weapons, a Golani officer, along with soldiers of his company, knocked on the door of a house that they wanted to search. An old woman, whose head was covered with a kerchief answered the door. The officer asked her in Arabic to evacuate the doorway, but she answered him in Hebrew, and begged him to immediately get far away from the house, since it was booby-trapped [mined with explosives], and there was a danger to him and his soldiers. There was also the danger of their being kidnapped by the terrorists, and taken away into a nearby tunnel. The officer insisted on entering, but she was more insistent that they didn’t. The officer took note of the house, and approached another one. After a knock on the door, it was opened, and there was exactly the same old woman! The amazed officer asked how she came there, but since but a few minutes earlier, he had seen her at the other house... She again begged him to leave, together with his soldiers, for the same reasons as before. When he asked her who she was, she replied that she was Rachel Imeinu, and she wanted to protect and save the soldiers. A little while later, it turned out that the old woman was right: the houses were booby-trapped, and they had openings to tunnels. The houses exploded, and the soldiers' lives were saved!
This testimony was provided by one of the Golani Brigade soldiers who was injured, and later reported the incident in the hospital. The soldier was interviewed on Galei Tzahal [Israel Army Radio].

***

The following is a translation of a story related by Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, son of former Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, and himself the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat. [A video presentation of this, in Hebrew, can be found here]:
Recently, a story has been circulating about Rachel Imeinu, who appeared to soldiers in various places, and saved them from booby-trapped houses. A great Rosh Yeshiva told me that it was true, and that he knew the man told the story, and told me his name. He asked me: "Is this related to the fact that [your father] Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, when he was released from the hospital, went once, twice and three times recently, before the war, specifically to pray at Rachel's Tomb? He didn’t go anywhere else but to Rachel's Tomb."
I heard the story, and told him I would ask.
I asked the Rabbi (my father) whether this was true. He said: "It's true. I told her: 'Rachel, there’s a war. Let your voice refrain from crying, go before the L-rd, and pray before Him for the righteous soldiers, who are fully dedicated, that they should strike, but not be stricken...'
Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu then said to his father: "You know, she really came," and then his father asked: "Did she tell them that I sent her?..." In those words.
Everyone can judge for himself. If this is the greatness of our soldiers, such tzaddikim [righteous ones], that our holy Fathers and Mothers come to save them, who has the nerve to criticize them?
Many miracles happened during this war: so many missiles were fired, and so many of them fell in open areas. And these were sophisticated missiles, not ordinary. May it be G-d’s Will that the merit of our holy Fathers and Mothers stand in our stead, for us and all the holy House of Israel!