Nothing Insidious About IDF Preparing Jewish Communities for Arab Violence

I can't remember exactly when it had started, but the IDF has "always" coordinated/planned defense tactics with the Jewish yishuvim communities and towns in Judea and Samaria.

IDF training Israeli settlers ahead of 'mass disorder' expected in September         
West Bank settlers to receive tear gas and stun grenades to prepare for 'Operation Summer Seeds'.

We're now celebrating thirty years of living in Shiloh. There has always been a government paid security coordinator who is in charge of all aspects on local security and in liaison with the IDF.  We came to Shiloh in 1981, when there were very few families with phones, no cell phones, internet etc.  All able-bodied men* took turns doing guard duty using rather obsolete weapons.  Our main tool for communication with the outside world, including the official security forces, was a very temperamental and unreliable machshir kesher, walkie-talkie.

*That term included the guys studying in Yeshivat Hesder Shiloh.  Women were also trained, if we were interested.  I remember going to the orchards just under Tel Shiloh for training.  For me at least, rifles are easier to fire than pistols.

Over the years we've sometimes had IDF soldiers reinforcing the local volunteer guards.  As the men here have gotten older and less able to take their turn guarding, there is now an option to pay a certain amount every month, and the community hires other residents.  This is a much better arrangement.  Some of the young men actually do it for a living.  They get superior training and are assigned enough shifts to support their families.

Back to the local civilian training--  It shouldn't surprise anyone that the local/regional army commanders run training drills here for those involved in security.  International groups, the media-here and abroad and even Israeli politicians encourage the Arab enemy to attack Israelis, so we must be prepared.  Even the IDF, following Appease aka Peace sic Now goes after Jewish civilians and destroys homes and agriculture.  The Israeli army is run by two different "heads," one strictly defense and the other Left wing ideology.

Sometimes Israelis, both civilians and soldiers, get into incomprehensible catch-22 situations and need the legal help of Honenu.

Since youtube keeps deleting them, you'll have to click here to see the latest JewsNews.

Will Jerusalem Ever Be The Same?

Reflecting...

Things always must change or they die. 

Today's Jerusalem isn't the same as a century ago, a decade ago or a year ago.  It doesn't even matter if it's a good move or a bad one.  Change happens.  It must.

Imagine what people said all those millenium ago when Herod was expanding the Holy Temple!

So, if you can, enjoy the new Jerusalem Trolley.  Riding the Lightrail can be a lot of fun!

Those Cracks in the Washington Monument

Being here in Israel sans American TV, I have no way of knowing if the comedians have enjoyed the obvious jokes about the earthquake-caused cracks in one of the world's most famous phallic symbols, the Washington Monument.

At the same time that the United States is being ruled by one of the tallest Presidents ever, Barack Hussein Obama, the Washington Monument, the tallest stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk in the world has become dangerously damaged.

The United States economy is not improving.

I have no doubt that with more and more baby boomers reaching retirement age and needing more medical care, things will get worse. Of course, part of the reason is that my peers, of the "me generation" with the first long, extended adolescence, had statistically few children. That means that there's a shortage of working adults in their thirties to pay into Social Security and other retirement funds. Yes, Social Security is like a legal "Ponzi scheme."

Over forty years ago, when my husband and I made aliyah (moved to Israel,) we treasured and saved every dollar we got as gifts. Now, the U.S. Dollar is losing value in relation to the Israeli Shekel.

American friends who bought an Israeli home not long ago told me that it was the very best financial investment they ever could have made.  Israeli real estate is where financially savvy Jews from all over the world are investing their money.  The downside of this is that they are driving prices up, past where your average Israel can compete.  Bottom line: Jews are sending their money before making the big move.  The United States banks offer much less interest than the Israeli ones.

It doesn't surprise me that the Washington Monument shows cracks on the top.

Ima 2 Seven's Havel Havelim

I guess that hosting a Havel Havelim is small potatoes for an Ima 2 Seven.  She makes it look so easy.  G-d willing I'll find time to check out the posts.  I suggest that you visit it and read the posts; commenting would be nice, too.

I'll be hosting the next Kosher Cooking Carnival this week, G-d willing.  If you'd like to host one, please let me know.  And send your posts to KCC here.

Stay safe and healthy and have a great week.

Earthquake Then Hurricane, Is There A Message?

Life in New York, and the rest of the East Coast this August hasn't been dull.  First an earthquake and now that awful hurricane, Aunt Irene is churning things up.

I understand that various spiritual leaders are blaming the legal approval of "gay marriage," but according to the Bible only Eretz Yisrael, The Land of Israel, the Land Promised to the Jewish People is subject to punishment in that way.

Our rain and other "natural" events are controlled by G-d as reward and punishment.  As in the joke, "G-d's a local call here."

Wherever you are, there is still the issue of This World and the Next, reward and punishment.  Next week we begin the month of Elul, the time for  Teshuva, Repentance.  If you're stuck home waiting out the storm, it may be a good idea to get a headstart.

Stay safe wherever you are...

Jerusalem's "Horse Garden" Protest Taking Over The Sidewalk

Straight from the "horse's mouth," ok a series of pictures to show that the Leftist Anti-Government "Tzedek Chevrati," "Social Justice" demonstration at the "Horse Park" on King George Street has taken over the sidewalk.

I hadn't planned on reporting about them.  All I wanted was to discreetly enter the public WC in the park, but you can't do it from the direction of Hamashbir any more without walking through the... well... see for yourself:

I have no doubt if this had been a "Right" demonstration, anyone parking their tables and tents on the sidewalk would be arrested.

No doubt that people who use labels like "social justice" get better treatment than others.  Where's the justice in that?

Latma, This Week's Right News

Here's this week's edition of Caroline Glick's Latma.

This week on the Tribal Update, the television-on-Internet news satire show produced by Latma -- the Hebrew-language media criticism website I run we bring you two perspectives on the deterioration of Israel's ties with Egypt -- from the Prime Minister's Advisor for Official Apologies and from a representative of the public.

We also bring you the latest updates on the imprisonment of pop singer Margalit Sanani whose recent arrest on suspicion of mob racketeering and extortion has rocked Israel's media celebrity world.

Enjoy the show!

Jerusalem Trolley Unites Jews and Arabs

The route of Jerusalem's newly minted light rail goes through Jewish and Arab neighborhoods.  Jews and Arabs ride it together.

It begins in Pisgat Zeev and then makes a tour through the main shopping street, passing the mall, which is very popular with Arabs.  This is the stop in front of the mall.

Yes, it's true.  There were probably more Arabs waiting that Jews.  That's most probably because the train will take all of us to a wealthy Arab neighborhood.

Yes, there are wealthy Arab neighborhoods.  It's not an oxymoron.

At present, at least, riding the train unifies all sectors of Israeli society, at least in Jerusalem.

From the arab neighborhood of Beit Chanina we go to French Hill, Ammunition Hill, the "seam" and then pass the Old City before turning onto Jaffa Street and town.

Apartheid against Arabs? No way!

The big question is:

How long will this peaceful coexistence on the train last?

I Get My Strength and Courage From My Jewish Sources

I think that just the title alone should have kept Jews from the Glenn Beck events.  I don't consider it acceptable for Jews to go to Christian spiritual leaders.  I don't need Glenn Beck for courage.

I agree with Moshe Feiglin on this issue:

But another Israeli far-rightist, Moshe Feiglin, has expressed strong reservations, accusing Mr. Beck, a Mormon, of coming to Israel to spread replacement theology.

Several leading rabbis distanced themselves from the rally on Wednesday, and the choir of the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem canceled a scheduled performance.

“This is the throne of the Lord,” Mr. Beck intoned theatrically to a haunting background track that mixed the sounds of rams’ horns, a Jewish funeral prayer and some Islamic incantation. (complete article)

I'm moved to tears by King David's T'hillim Psalms said/sang in the Hallel prayer when I hear it in my local Shiloh synagogue and at other events. I've been studying the Bible, especially the story of King David, his difficulties and great faith in G-d.

Jews, we have our own spiritual leaders. Please search "in the family."

"Special" Couples, Rav Arele's Solution

My neighbor, Rabbi Arele Harel, made Time Magazine.  The editors consider it very newsworthy that an Orthodox (American term) Rabbi counsels and matchmakes for homosexuals.  No, he doesn't match "same-sex," exactly the opposite.  Rav Arele matches otherwise Torah observant homosexuals with lesbians.

I had been debating about blogging about this because of its "sensationalism."  Recently I spoke to Rav Arele for a couple of minutes about it asking why he hadn't mentioned a very important point in the interviews I had read.  OK I haven't read everything, and of course I don't know what the editors and journalists neglected to include.

Over the years, no,  centuries Probably forever the solution for "what to do with the otherwise Torah observant Jew found in same sex relationships" was to fix him/her up with some innocent Jew from a family that wouldn't be able to easily discover that fact.  So an orphan, or a child of converts or BT's (chozrim b'teshuva-relatively new to Torah observant lives,) or new to the community etc. is "surprisingly" fixed up with a child from a much more miyuchas, connected/elite family.

And they don't live happily ever after...

Rav Arele's solution is much more just and compassionate.  Both the husband and wife know what they're getting into.  Their personal solution as a couple, as a family is based on truth.  This shouldn't be mocked by the satirists.  This should be embraced by the therapists.

Is This Peace?

A few months ago, I heard a fantastic speech by Caroline Glick in which she described Israel's relationship with Egypt post-Begin's giving the Sinai to Sadaat and "peace treaty" as "a ceasefire."

The peace treaty contains an entire annex devoted to specific commitments to cultivate every sort of cultural, social and economic tie imaginable. But both Sadat and his successor Mubarak breached every one of them.

As the intervening 32 years since the treaty was signed have shown, in essence, the deal was nothing more than a ceasefire...

That's what I thought of when I read that Egyptians are trying to organize a million-man demonstration against Israel:

Egyptian daily al-Youm al-Saba'a reported Wednesday that Egyptian protest organizers are calling for "a million-man protest" outside Israel's embassy in Cairo on Friday.

The protesters, using Facebook and other social media venues, say the focus of the demonstration will be the demand to have the Israeli ambassador expelled from Egypt and Israel's embassy in the capital closed. Recalling an ambassador is considered a step towards the cessation of peaceful relations between countries in diplomatic circles.

Meanwhile, protesters continue to demonstrate outside the embassy for the fifth day in a row, calling out, "Expell the ambassador immediately." Others gathered outside the ambassador's Cairo residence and called fellow citizens to join them in order to "force the ambassador to leave Egypt."

And as I write this, the Arabs are still launching rockets, weapons at southern Israel:

Gaza terrorists fired two rockets at the Eshkol region in southern Israel, shortly after similar attacks on Ashkelon and Ofakim.

When is the State of Israel going to fight to destroy the terrorists?

"...Do We Not Bleed?"

Maybe we should be shouting and condemning more than we do.  But really, why do we need to do a Sarah Bernhardt to try to get those who attack us condemned by the world?

NGO Monitor has  officially complained that the various human rights organization have ignored attacks against Israel.

The Jerusalem-based human rights watchdog organization NGO Monitor sharply criticized Amnesty International’s response to last week’s Palestinian attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers, which resulted in the killing of eight Israelis and scores of wounded.

Prof. Gerald Steinberg, NGO Monitor president, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday that “instead of issuing a strong condemnation of the August 18 Palestinian terror attacks, Amnesty International’s statement draws a false equivalence between cold-blooded murder and self defense that targeted those responsible.”

It brings back Shylock's poignant cry:

To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else,
it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and
hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses,
mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my
bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine
enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath
not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with
the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject
to the same diseases, healed by the same means,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as
a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?
if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison
us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not
revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will
resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,
what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian
wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by
Christian example? Why, revenge. The villany you
teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I
will better the instruction.

Will Gadhaffi Escape and Seek Refuge?

Not long ago, it was revealed that now deposed dictator Gaddafi is Jewish, yes, he's halachikly a Jew.

The world has been watching Libyian  Muammar Gadhafi's exploits for over forty years.  As I remember, he wasn't taken very seriously way back when, but he has been in power longer than anyone besides Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain.

Will he really be captured?  Nobody seems to know at present.

The humorist in me wonders if he'll suddenly show up at some Nefesh B'Nefesh office and demand refuge in Israel as a Jew.  Can you picture it?  His children and grandchildren also qualify technically, at least according to the Jewish Agency which accepts grandchildren of Jews.

If that happens, would he be rejected, as Meir Lansky was?  Granted, it's a disservice to Lansky to compare them.

Current events are better than the "Perils of Pauline" or Who Shot JR Ewing?

Letter sent to Rabbis and a Former Missionary Reports on Beck's Caesarea event

posted by Jewish Israel

Jewish Israel has been closely monitoring Glenn Beck's activities in Israel. We expressed our concerns and hopes by letter to both Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger and Rabbi of the Kotel Shmuel Rabinovtich. Both of these rabbinic figures plan on attending Glenn Beck's "Restoring Courage" rally on August 24. The letter, which can be read in both Hebrew and English, was also copied to a number of other rabbinic leaders prior to yesterday's Christian event in Caesarea.

We believe Jewish Israel's efforts over the years have borne fruit. The event in Caesarea was far more dignified and reserved than many of the other mega-Christian events that have been held in Israel in recent years.

It remains problematic that missionary figures like Mike Evans (of Jews for Jesus fame) was given the stage and that TBN, an overt missionary network, which actively targets Jews in Israel, was given the rights to broadcast Beck's event.

We asked a former active evangelical missionary, who has since converted to Judaism, to view yesterday's event in Caesarea with us and to give us her impressions ...more....

What's Christianity?

My mind (CPA's daughter) generally goes to "the bottom line," the essence of the issue, story etc.

While many people I know went to yesterday's Glenn Beck Evangelical Extravaganza and plan on going to his Jerusalem one on Wednesday, I've stayed away.  I follow the psak, Jewish religious judgment of the rabbis of Jewish Israel and my local Shiloh Rabbi HaRav Elchanan Bin-Nun who consider Glenn Beck and other self-professed pro-Israel Christian Zionists to have an agenda that goes against the basic principles of Judaism.

Let's just check out something very simple.  What is the very basis, principle of Christianity?

"Belief in Jesus Christ and following Him in a personal relationship is the central principle under which all others come." Read more

Contrast that to the opening of the Ten Commandments, which Christians claim to follow:

Exodus Chapter 20 שְׁמוֹת

א וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים, אֵת כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֵאמֹר. {ס} 1 And God spoke all these words, saying: {S}
ב אָנֹכִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים: לֹא-יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, עַל-פָּנָי. 2 I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
ג לֹא-תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל, וְכָל-תְּמוּנָה, אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל, וַאֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת--וַאֲשֶׁר בַּמַּיִם, מִתַּחַת לָאָרֶץ. 3 Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
ד לֹא-תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לָהֶם, וְלֹא תָעָבְדֵם: כִּי אָנֹכִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֵל קַנָּא--פֹּקֵד עֲו‍ֹן אָבֹת עַל-בָּנִים עַל-שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל-רִבֵּעִים, לְשֹׂנְאָי. 4 thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me;
ה וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד, לַאֲלָפִים--לְאֹהֲבַי, וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְו‍ֹתָי. {ס} 5 and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments. {S}

Over the two thousand years, since Christianity had been invented, its aim has been the destruction of Judaism, identity theft.  For most of that time, the method was violent, such as the Crusades, the Inquisition, forcing Jews into restrictive ghettos and the European, Christian-supported Holocaust.  In recent decades, since the establishment of the State of Israel, Christians of all sects and stripes have tried something new, "love."  They cleverly, like the חכם chacham Yonadav who told King David's son Amnon how he could seduce his sister Tamar,  realized that the Jewish People post-Holocaust feel unloved by the nations of the world.  All the Christians have to do is profess love and donate money, and Jews will enthusiastically follow them.

Jewish survival defies all logic and makes a mockery of the entire Christian theology.  Remember that Christians call their bible "the New Testament" and have latched it onto the Jewish Bible.  They claim to be the "continuation" adopting parts of Jewish History.  But their fundamental belief in a dead human being goes against the most basic principle of Judaism:

"Thou shalt have no other gods before Me."

There is a Biblical, theological alternative to non-Jews who want to follow G-d's Laws.  It's called the Seven Noahide Laws.

Jewish Activists, Get off those Beck buses

Posted by Jewish Israel

The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), which regularly televises shows targeting Jews for conversion in Israel ,will not only be broadcasting Beck's events tonight and on 8/24, but TBN executives and broadcasters Matthew and Laurie Crouch will be televising a special pre- show event from Caesarea.

These in-your-face missionaries will be joined by Glenn Beck, John Hagee and David Barton – at least that's what the promotions and programming schedules say.

Just how bad is TBN? Please view these recent video excerpts of the Crouch clan who have been busy broadcasting in Israel these past several days. Rick Ridding, a nephew to TBN's founder Paul Crouch, is responsible for last week's Elav messianic happening for Israeli Youth.

Jewish Israel will have a full report on Beck's "Uber-Christian event" very soon, but one wonders how any Orthodox rabbi or Torah observant activist can, with good conscience, board those buses tonight.

Are You Partying With Glenn Beck?

Our local rabbi, HaRav Elchanan Bin-Nun came out with a statement against attending the Glenn Beck "happening" this week.  My written Hebrew comprehension is the pits, especially when I'm tired," so I'll just give you the bottom line.  Don't go!   Beck's associated with missionary personalities who target Jews for conversion etc. and has them on his program.  The Hebrew is from Rav Elchanan's letter:

לכנס זה הוזמנו גם יהודים מרחבי יש"ע וגם מבנימין, ולצערי הרב ישתתף שם גם הרב ריסקין ואחרים. לאחר בדיקת המידע על הכנס ועל תכנו ברצוני להודיע כי חלק מהכנס יהיה בודאי טכס נוצרי דתי גם במלל וגם בשירה. גם אם החלק הזה של הטכס מופנה לקהל נוצרי שיהיה שם, יש אסור הלכתי להשתתף בכנס זה, לדעת רבנים רבים, להערכתי, רוב מוחלט של הרבנים והרבנות הראשית בכלל. האסור הוא ענף של השתתפות בטכס של ע"ז שזהו אסור חמור מאד. על כן, ברצוני להודיע שאסור להיענות להזמנה זו.

As you know, I support the Jewish Israel site, and they have articles on Beck which are worth reading and in English.

The Christian groups have a very clear agenda.  It doesn't matter how well they hide it.  The legitimacy of their religion is based on the denial of Judaism.

The photos were taken in New York at a table set up to attract Jews to Christianity.

Ehud Barak Fights his Enemies!

While the Arabs in Gaza are attacking Israel by launching numerous rockets at Israel's south, killing and injuring Israelis, men, women and children...





Ehud Barak has finally figured out whom to fight and destroy.

Ramat Migron Outpost Demolished

Ehud Barak, Duh! "Defense Minister Barak said that he views Thursday's attack, ... with the upmost (sic) gravity."

First of all, this official communique doesn't seem to have been edited.

How many deadly rockets do the Arabs have to launch at Israel?
How many times do Arab terrorists have to attack Israelis for Ehud Barak to understand what's going on?

Jerusalem, 20 August 2011

Defense Minister Barak Statement Regrding Situation in the South
(Communicated by the Defense Minister’s Media Adviser)

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, today (Sat.) 20.08.11, held a special meeting to evaluate the current situation, with C-O-S Maj.-Gen. Benni Gantz, and inteligence and security personel.

Defense Minister Barak said that he views Thursday's attack, aimed at civilians inside Israel's sovoreign territory, with the upmost (sic) gravity. "The attackers left from the Gaza Strip. Most of the perpetrators were killed, and the senior figures resposuble were eliminated shortly afterwards. The IDF has struck forcefully, in the past two days, those responsible for the attack in the south and has functioned efficiently to protect Israel's populace against launches from Gaza."

The Defense Minister noted the importance of the Peace Agreement with Egypt and emphasised our apprecation for the level-headedness and responsibility demonstrated by the Egyptians. "Israel is sorry for the deaths of the Egyptian policemen during the attack on the Israel-Egypt border." Defense Minister Barak ordered an IDF investigation and called for a joint investigation with the Egyptian military to examine the circumstances of the event. According to the results of the investigation, proper conclusions will be drawn.

Defense Ministe Barak said, "The peace agreement between Israel and Egypt is of enormous importance and it's strategic value to Middle East stability is great."

Now why have we apologized to Egypt for killing Egyptian policemen? They were supposed to have been guarding the border. They failed. Terrorists entered Israel and attacked Israelis. If some Egyptian police died as a result of that attack, they should blame the terrorists, not Israel.  And Israel should never apologize!  We should be demanding apologies from Egypt!!!

The Tribal Update Presents "Palestinian" Independence, and More

Latma is a project of Caroline Glick.

Arab Terrorists Attacked Israelis Again

Of course, the big question is:

Are these attacks the beginning of another Arab war against Israel?

Arab terrorists attacked Israel, near Eilat.  Six (or more?) Israelis were killed and dozens injured.  The attackers were neither "militants," (Three Egyptians Dead as Israel Chases Militants Along Border, Arutz 7, shame on you,) nor "gunman," as Yahoo described them, Gunmen kill 7 in Israel.

Davka, BBC did a better job:

Deadly attacks hit Israeli vehicles near Egypt

CNN described it differently:

Attacks focus attention on Islamist extremists in Egypt -- and tunnels and
Israeli airstrikes target Gaza after multiple attacks

And the Jerusalem Post can't decide if the attack was by "gunmen" or terrorists.

Israeli air strikes hit Gaza after gunmen attackCounter-terror officer killed by terrorist fire near EilatThe Arab terrorists  entered from the Sinai which has been under Egyptian control ever since Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin gave it to Egypt thirty years ago.  Therefore, Egypt is supposed to be responsible for security there, but we all know that Egypt has been in "turmoil" for months.

Egypt is on Israel's southern border, and there have been Arab rocket attacks on a number of Israeli cities in the south.

The crucial question is:

Can the Israeli Government connect the dots?

Waiting For A Train in Jerusalem

Jerusalem residents and those of us who are in Israel's Capitol for work, study, business etc. have been waiting very impatiently for that lightrail train to allow ordinary people to board and ride it.  Yesterday when I was schlepping heavy bags from Machane Yehuda Market all the way to the bus station, I looked yearningly at the tracks parallel to my path.

It seemed rather surreal to already see people sitting at the train stops, as though the train was about to arrive and let them on.  Did they know something I didn't know?

Even though, as a vattica, "senior citizen," bus fare is very cheap, I didn't feel like going to Agrippas Street for the bus.  I had my heavy carefully divided between my backpack and two sturdy bags.  It's not all that far between the market and the bus station.  I survived the walk perfectly fine.  But it would have had been nice to have taken the train...

Jewish Civil Rights in Israel

For some strange perverse reason, many Jews refuse to see the injustice in the way many Jews are treated by the Israeli Government.  Disengagement was a "festival" of crime against Jews, from beginning to end.

There is one wonderful organization that does its best to fight this injustice, Honenu!

Here are some facts, true stories about judicial cruelty that happened just a few years ago.

Report on Civil Rights Violations
Israeli Government Violations of Disengagement Opponents’ Civil RightsThe 50 page report is authored by Dr. Yitzhak Klein, director of The Israel Policy Center; Shmuel Meidad, founder and director of Honenu, and attorney Itzhak Baum. It can be downloaded.

In A Parallel World, Written for Voices Magazine

Voices from Shiloh for Voices

In A Parallel World
By Batya Medad
Av
August, 2011

My trips to the states are like living in a different dimension, a parallel world. Conversations are on different topics, surprisingly different values and priorities. I confuse people by sounding like a native but ask very dumb questions. When I pray, I have no idea which direction to face. My attempts to figure out from where the sun is shining never work.

Food and water look the same but have different tastes. Kosher sandwich places don’t serve salad. The kosher Dunkin Donuts in Riverdale didn’t even have a tomato or slice of lettuce for my sandwich. Israelis wouldn’t go for that.

At a “very Jewish wedding,” where the men were all in matching kippot, blessings were said under a roofless “chuppah” and the food was traif. Specially ordered plastic covered kosher food was ordered for the few of us who follow Torah Law.

American newscasts centered on murdered children but nothing else. I had no idea what was happening in Israel.

New York City is now a very mellow place. Even competing for views of the July 4th fireworks display, there was very little stress and tension.

A year my father was reunited with my mother in their new “home” in Arizona, they’re well-adjusted and barely remember any other life. Call that the gift of senility.

My Arizona Shabbat hosts were horrified that although it was my third visit, I had never seen the Grand Canyon. They drove me there on Sunday. The City of Phoenix, plus its suburbs, is almost as large as the State of Israel. I’m not used to driving such distances. And then we got to the Grand Canyon and Sedona… G-d sculpted and painted these beauties when separating water from dry land during the early days of Creation.

Flying in airplanes I marveled at the talents, intelligence and creativity G-d gave to human beings. It seemed totally miraculous that we were floating, suspended for hours in the air, higher than birds can fly.

I thank G-d for these opportunities and gifts. I hope I appreciate them sufficiently.

The "Right of Return," Jewish Rights to The Promised Land

Arlene Kushner's latest research paper about UNRWA for David Bedein's Israel Resource Review is full of facts we must digest.  It appears that the basis for UNRWA's refusal to just resettle the Arabs in other places is based on their mantra "the right of return."

Now, let's get to some very simple history. 

• The only people to have an independent nation based on common history, culture, religion etc in this part of the world, middle-east, with Jerusalem as its Capital City is the Jewish People.  For any other group to claim rights is pure identity theft.
• The Jewish Religion is older than the Christian religion and both are older than Islam.

The Bible (Jewish Bible) is a historic document and ancient writings which chronicles the Jewish People and its attachment to the Holy Promised Land.  That's the basic summary, main idea of what's written in it.

As a Jew I demand RIGHT OF RETURN!

Read His Lips! The Arabs Don't Accept Israel No Matter How Small

This is from MEMRI TV



#3046 - Nabil Shaath, Head of Foreign Relations in Fatah: We Will Never Accept the "Two-States for Two Peoples" Solution to the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
ANB TV (Lebanon/London) - July 13, 2011 - 02:53




The Israeli Left, like Shimon Peres and the media refuse to let the public know the truth. They endanger the State of Israel by continually pushing us into an agreement with the Arabs who don't want peace with Israel.  The Arabs want a world without Israel, and they're not shy about stating their views and plans.

Jesus gets Smicha and a Hechsher from Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

Posted by Jewish Israel

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach and others came back utterly intoxicated by the recent CUFI Summit. While recapping what it was like to be "surrounded" by "five thousand Christian lovers of Israel", Rabbi Boteach took the opportunity to introduce his upcoming book, "Kosher Jesus".

Jewish Israel takes a look at Rabbi Boteach's interfaith theological exploits and some reactions to his ordination (christening?) of "Rabbi Jesus".

Is this where unchecked Jewish-Christian relations are leading us?...more

Shimon Peres, Loose Cannon, or Worse?

The position of President of the State of Israel is more honorary and photo-op than anything else.  Even though recent presidents have been former politicians ready to (or forced to) retire from active party politics made into courtly figureheads, the earliest presidents weren't former MK's.  The Israeli President is supposed to transcend party politics and represent the entire nation.

Present President, Shimon Peres behaves as if the position as comparable to being Prime Minister.  He hasn't left his politics and ideology at the doorstep.  He's still running his personal negotiations with the Arabs.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmud Abbas held four secret meetings with Israeli President Shimon Peres in a bid to revive stalled peace talks, a PA official told AFP on Saturday.

The official quoted Abbas as saying at a meeting of his Fatah party on Friday, “I met Shimon Peres four times in Amman and London in an attempt to restart negotiations and the peace process on a correct foundation.

“Shimon Peres assured me that the negotiations between us could lead to results that could be adopted by the Netanyahu government,” the official quoted Abbas as saying, but noted that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu thwarted those efforts.

“After the first four meetings, a fifth was scheduled in Amman, but Shimon Peres apologized and said, ‘I’m sorry but the government does not accept that we negotiate and I cannot do anything,’” Abbas said at the Friday gathering, according to the official. (complete article)

Peres's behavior endangers Israeli democracy by going against the law and the spirit of the law.

Does Latma really fear the Media Police?

Does Latma really fear the Media Police?
Should they?



Latma is a project of Caroline Glick.

This week on the Tribal Update, the television on internet media satire show produced weekly by Latma, the Hebrew-language media satire website I lead, we present our Story Hour, where we learn about the raven who wanted to be king of the forest.
We also bring you into the "social justice" protests interrogation rooms and show how the media deal with dissidents.
We also recall that this week is the 6th anniversary of the destruction of Jewish Gaza -- that brilliant plan that was supposed to turn Gaza into Singapore.
And much more.

Guest Post: "Israel's Early Pioneers" by Leah Bat-Chaim

"Israel's Early Pioneers" by Leah Bat-Chaim

Batya recently posted an old video from 1913, showing Jewish pioneers farming the land.  I will admit, I've watched the video repeatedly; their enthusiasm is heart-warming.  The first song in the background begins: "With my plow have I earned my happiness," and goes on to describe the joy of growing and harvesting crops "here in our land".  The second song is "Rejoice day and night, heroic Galileans!"

One of the pioneers, seen at 28-33 seconds, and also at the end of the video, is Joseph Trumpeldor, one of the more famous pioneers.  He is seen here helping to push the plow even though he had only one arm.  (He had lost an arm in the Tzar's army in 1904, before coming to Israel).  Trumpeldor and seven other kibbutz members lost their lives while defending the village of Tel Hai in northern Israel in 1920.  Kiryat Shemona - "Town of the Eight" - is named in memory of these eight defenders.

Many of the Israeli pioneers at the beginning of the 20th century were socialists, and it is customary to think of that period of Israeli history ("The Second Aliyah") as the "socialist aliyah".  However, the truth is that most of the Jews who came to Israel, at that time and other times, were not socialists.  Most were middle-class tradesmen (merchants, craftsmen, etc) who concentrated on building a family and making a living (and while doing so - they built Israel's economy too). They weren't "politically active" like the socialists, and therefore the arena was open for the socialists to rewrite history.  The non-socialist majority of the "Second Aliyah" was described a few years ago in an enlightening article (in Hebrew) in the Israeli newspaper "Makor Rishon".

On the other hand, even the socialists were patriotic in those days, unlike today's leftists.  It is interesting to read the memoirs of Rachel Yanait Ben Zvipublished in Hebrew in 1959 as "Anu Olim", and in English translation in 1963 as "Coming Home".  (The book is available used from Amazon for about $15, and might also be available in Jewish libraries.)  She describes her arrival in Israel at the beginning of the 20th century; her travels throughout the Land of Israel, in most cases accompanied by Yitzhak Ben Zvi (whom she later married, and who eventually became Israel's second president); the pioneering Jewish villages that she visited, and the agricultural school that she founded.  There are a few mistranslations in the English version of the book (one of the more glaring ones:  the translator rendered "moshavot", which actually means a type of farming village, as "colonies").   Also, it is written from a somewhat socialist point of view, and in one part is very critical of the "Nili" underground and the Aharonson family who were behind it.  But in general the love of Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) and respect for Jewish tradition and history (even though Rachel was not observant by the time she came to Israel) is felt throughout the book.

But before the "Second Aliyah" there was also the "First Aliyah" (in the 1880's), and before that there was the "Yishuv Hayashan", "the Old Yishuv" i.e "old community", who prepared the infrastructure in the 19th century.  People who concentrate on Israel's recent history, usually beginning in the mid-20th century, are often not aware that there were Jews actively living in the Land of Israel throughout the centuries of exile.  This is described in detail in the book "Twenty Centuries of Jewish Life in the Holy Land" by Dan Bahat.  The book is summarized here; it is available used from Amazon for about $10, and might also be available in Jewish libraries.

There is an excellent book, unfortunately available only in Hebrew, called "Kach Zeh Haya" ("That's How It Was") by Eitan Belkind, whose parents were among the founders of Rishon L'Tzion during the 1880's.  His cousin, Avshalom Feinberg, was one of the founders of Nili.  Avshalom lost his life in the Sinai desert in 1917 while on a mission for Nili.  His bones were found in Sinai, after the Six-Day War, beneath a date tree that the Arabs referred to as "The Jew's Tree", and which apparently had grown from some dates that Avshalom had in his pocket when he died.  Avshalom's bones were reinterred in Israel, with the original date tree transplanted to the new site; and a young palm tree was recently planted at a memorial service for Avshalom.

Belkind describes the Jewish pioneers of the 19th century who established farming villages, including Rishon L'Tzion, Zichron Yaakov, and Petach Tikva.  Today these are flourishing towns in Israel; but the pioneers who built them, purchased empty land at exorbitant prices from absentee Arab landlords (who had mostly received the land as grants from the Turkish sultan).  The land that these Arabs were willing to sell was either malarial swamps (as described in this song, written for Petach Tikva's centennial, and based on a true story), or land where little could be grown (as described in Belkind's book).  It took many years of hard work by the Jewish pioneers, and enormous investment from Jewish philanthropists and from ordinary Jews around the world, to make Israel what it is today.

The Links:

your article of course: http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2011/08/land-of-israel-then-1913-and-now.html
Trumpeldor's bio: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/trumpeldor.html
Second Aliyah: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Immigration/Second_Aliyah.html
Rachel Yanait Ben Zvi: http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/ben-zvi-rahel-yanait
Yitzhak Ben Zvi: http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/State/Yitzhak+Ben-Zvi.htm
Nili: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/nili.html
Aharon Aharonson: http://www.zionism-israel.com/bio/biography_aaron_aronson.htm
Yishuv yashan: http://zionism-israel.com/dic/Old_Yishuv.htm
First Aliyah: http://www.moia.gov.il/Moia_en/AboutIsrael/aliya1.htm
Jewish history in Eretz Yisrael:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths/mf1.html
http://www.yahoodi1.com/2010/07/20-centuries-of-jewish-life-in-israel.html
Eitan Belkind: http://www.gen-mus.co.il/en/person/?id=2493
Avshalom Feinberg: http://www.think-israel.org/pollack.lonepalmtree.html
Winkie's article about the memorial service for Avshalom: http://myrightword.blogspot.com/2009/05/memorial-ceremony-for-avshalom-feinberg.html
Rishon L'Tzion: http://www.rishonlezion.muni.il/eng/Pages/HistoryofRishonLeZion.aspx
Zichron Yaakov: http://www.zy1882.co.il/eng/index.asp?id=1238
Petach Tikva: http://www.zionism-israel.com/photos/PetahTiqva.htm
Yoel Moshe Salomon:
http://www.hebrewsongs.com/?song=habaladahalyoelmoshesalomon
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-893059022704767005#
Israel then and now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpFhKpS67DQ
Israel's accomplishments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeVvMJdvEX8

Leah Bat-Chaim, from Maaleh Adumim

United States President Barack Hussein Obama's Peculiar Praises of Islam

As an expatriot American of "senior discount age." The America I grew up with is nothing like the America its sitting president, Barack Hussein Obama describes:

Like so many faiths, Islam has always been part of our American family, and Muslim Americans have long contributed to the strength and character of our country, in all walks of life.
(complete text of Obama's Ramadan speech)

After that he steps on very thin ice:

"In one month, we will mark the 10th anniversary of those awful attacks that brought so much pain to our hearts. It will be a time to honor all those that we’ve lost, the families who carry on their legacy, the heroes who rushed to help that day and all who have served to keep us safe during a difficult decade. And tonight, it’s worth remembering that these Americans were of many faiths and backgrounds, including proud and patriotic Muslim Americans.

"Muslim Americans were innocent passengers on those planes, including a young married couple looking forward to the birth of their first child. They were workers in the Twin Towers -- Americans by birth and Americans by choice, immigrants who crossed the oceans to give their children a better life. They were cooks and waiters, but also analysts and executives.

"There, in the towers where they worked, they came together for daily prayers and meals at Iftar. They were looking to the future -- getting married, sending their kids to college, enjoying a well-deserved retirement. And they were taken from us much too soon. And today, they live on in the love of their families and a nation that will never forget. And tonight, we’re deeply humbled to be joined by some of these 9/11 families, and I would ask them to stand and be recognized, please.
"Muslim Americans were first responders -- the former police cadet who raced to the scene to help and then was lost when the towers collapsed around him; the EMTs who evacuated so many to safety; the nurse who tended to so many victims; the naval officer at the Pentagon who rushed into the flames and pulled the injured to safety. On this 10th anniversary, we honor these men and women for what they are -- American heroes.

"Nor let us forget that every day for these past 10 years Muslim Americans have helped to protect our communities as police and firefighters, including some who join us tonight. Across our federal government, they keep our homeland secure, they guide our intelligence and counterterrorism efforts and they uphold the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans. So make no mistake, Muslim Americans help to keep us safe.

"We see this in the brave service of our men and women in uniform, including thousands of Muslim Americans. In a time of war, they volunteered, knowing they could be sent into harm’s way. Our troops come from every corner of our country, with different backgrounds and different beliefs. But every day they come together and succeed together, as one American team.

"During the 10 hard years of war, our troops have served with excellence and with honor. Some have made the ultimate sacrifice, among them Army Specialist Kareem Khan. Galvanized by 9/11 to serve his country, he gave his life in Iraq and now rests with his fellow heroes at Arlington. And we thank Kareem’s mother, Elsheba, for being here again tonight. Like Kareem, this generation has earned its place in history, and I would ask all of our service members here tonight -- members of the 9/11 Generation -- to stand and accept the thanks of our fellow Americans.

That spin has me dizzy.

Unless I'm just not seeing it in the news I hear and read, the Democrats don't have any politicians trying to run against Obama in next year's Presidential Elections.  They consider him the best the party has to offer the United States.  Considering the deteriorating state of the American economy, I'm surprised.  Are Americans really satisfied with Barack Hussein Obama at the helm?

Vote in the poll on my sidebar about the upcoming US Elections.

Lost Weapon Found From an Ancient War

One of the women who comes most months to pray in Tel Shiloh on Rosh Chodesh sees and describes buildings and rooms from the old building blocks scattered around.  It's a living and vibrant town for her.  She helps us picture and hear Eli and the other priests leading the pilgrims in prayer.  Recently she participating in an "open house," when the archeologists invited people to join digging for the day among the ruins where the Holy Mishkan, Tabernacle stood for 369 years during the Time of the Judges.

Shiloh certainly isn't the only location in Israel being explored, dug and investigated by archeologists.   A section of the Kotel, wall which surrounds the Temple Mount is also being dug.  The world certainly knows that the Muslims, a much newer religion, have been fighting the Jews for it.  But how many know that thousands of years earlier, the Romans fought the Jewish People for Jerusalem and other parts of the Holy Land?

On the eve of Tisha B’Av, artifacts were exposed that breathe new life into the story of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem:

A sword in a scabbard that belonged to a Roman soldier and an engraving of the Temple’s menorah on a stone object were discovered during work the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted in the 2,000 year old drainage channel between the City of David and the Jerusalem Archaeological Garden

The channel served as a hiding refuge for the residents of Jerusalem from the Romans during the destruction of the Second Temple.

A 2,000 year old iron sword, still in its leather scabbard, was discovered in work the Israel Antiquities Authority is doing in the channel, which served as a hiding refuge for the residents of Jerusalem from the Romans at the time of the Second Temple’s destruction. In addition, parts of the belt that carried the sword were found. According to the excavation directors Eli Shukron of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Professor Ronny Reich of the University of Haifa, “It seems that the sword belonged to an infantryman of the Roman garrison stationed in Israel at the outbreak of the Great Revolt against the Romans in 66 CE. The sword’s fine state of preservation is surprising: not only its length (c. 60 cm), but also the preservation of the leather scabbard (a material that generally disintegrates quickly over time) and some of its decoration”.

A stone object adorned with a rare engraving of a menorah was found in the soil beneath the street, on the side of the drainage channel. According to Shukron and Professor Reich, “Interestingly, even though we are dealing with a depiction of the seven-branched candelabrum, only five branches appear here. The portrayal of the menorah’s base is extremely important because it clarifies what the base of the original menorah looked like, which was apparently tripod shaped”. The fact that the stone object was found at the closest proximity to the Temple Mount to date is also important. The researchers suppose a passerby who saw the menorah with his own eyes and was amazed by its beauty incised his impressions on a stone and afterwards tossed his scrawling to the side of the road, without imagining that his creation would be found 2,000 years later. (complete article)

• The sword with remains of the scabbard on it. Photographic credit: Clara Amit, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority
• The stone engraved with the image of the menorah. Photographic credit: Vladimir Naykhin.

Even the most secular of the Israeli archeologists find themselves proving that Biblical stories are rooted in facts, proven by science.

Israel Has Real Enemies!

Hat tip IMRA

The State of Israel has real enemies, those who aim to destroy it with all means.  Listen to this clip from MEMRI TV, transcript follows.

Hizbullah MP, Retired Brig.-Gen. Walid Sakariya: Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Hizbullah Will Wipe Out Israel, Even at the Cost of Hundreds of Thousands of Casualties, following US Withdrawal from Iraq

Following are excerpts from an interview with Hizbullah MP Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Walid Sakariya, which aired on ANB TV on August 7, 2011. (complete transcript)

While Israel keeps trying to find ways to "make peace" with the neighboring Arabs, they still worship terrorists. Here's an article by PMW Palestine Media Watch.

PA TV program Best Mothers honors suicide terrorist by visiting her mother


Mother upon news of daughter's suicide bombing:

"I want to sing, Darin is a bride"

The faux peace agreements being promoted by the Left and foreign countries won't bring true peace to Israel. It would only endanger us even more.

Facebook, Where Are You?

First it was my phone.  No dial tone, but yes, internet.  Now, this morning facebook isn't "answering."  Last night I "wrote in my status" something like "it was late and since nobody had commented on my blogs, I'd just go to sleep and not blog."  Well, I guess blogger got its revenge.  Now facebook is down, so even though I still haven't gotten comments to yesterday's posts, I'm blogging.

That sounds pretty pathetic, doesn't it?

Well, I haven't gotten desperate enough to check in on twitter.  I have my posts go up there automatically for all the other "twits," or is it "tweets" to read.

I'm waiting for my coffee to "perc."  That's the type of word of wisdom I write on facebook and if I got the right proportion between coffee and water in the percolator.  I'm going to copy this onto word to spellcheck.  OK, maybe I'll try the blogger one.  I haven't for months.  Then it didn't work.  And it still doesn't!

Today, I have more laundry to do. I don't launder during the 9 days, which are really 9 and a half or 3/4.  I can also finally go to the pool.  Ten days missing the pool in the hot summer is suffering.  Our pool is a two minute walk from the house, just far enough so we don't hear any noise.  And the grandkids may be coming for a "swim," too.

It's also Thursday, so I have cooking to do.  And I have to do my Matan Al HaPerek sources for my study group.

So, as you can see, I have plenty to do if facebook insists on ignoring me.

Who Elected Them?!

The Left is demanding to take over the Israeli Government!  They control the media and universities.  This is very dangerous for Israeli democracy.  It breaks the Left's "heart" to see the latest polls and the election results each time, so they're doing their best to rule in the streets.

That's the truth.

Tent Protesters Threaten Government
Tent protest leaders say they will not talk to the committee appointed to deal with them.

Protestors try to disrupt housing deliberations

Social protests face next challenge: Loss of interest
Now of all times, during the moments that are liable to signal the protest's gradual end, its leaders must continue to invigorate the language that is taking shape under them.
Haaretz Editorial

Holon slum's tent city nothing like Rothschild Boulevard
Jesse Cohen slum is home to a far more desperate side of tent city movement, where hard-luck stories far outnumber acoustic guitars.
“I’m telling you, if a solution isn’t found, this will all explode. You’ll see real violence, any moment now.”

Building for Redemption

Translating from language to language is like playing "telephone;" the messages get more and more garbled the further you are from the source.  Thousands of years ago, when HaKodesh Boruch Hu, Our Holy and Blessed G-d gave us the Torah, it was hard enough for the Jewish People to understand and follow it.  Since then, the interpretations and explanations can over-fill the largest libraries in the world.

Ever since we had been exiled from the HolyLand, interpretation of these writings and commandments became even more difficult, influenced by living in foreign lands.  Since the beginning of the Zionist Movement, the establishment of the State of Israel and the miraculous 1967 Six Days War, the Jewish People can now see it all from a different perspective. 

WE ARE HERE IN THE LAND G-D HAS CHOSEN FOR US!

Suddenly, what it means to "settle" the Land is a real, not theoretical, question.

Numbers Chapter 33 בְּמִדְבַּר

נב וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, מִפְּנֵיכֶם, וְאִבַּדְתֶּם, אֵת כָּל-מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָם; וְאֵת כָּל-צַלְמֵי מַסֵּכֹתָם תְּאַבֵּדוּ, וְאֵת כָּל-בָּמוֹתָם תַּשְׁמִידוּ. 52 then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places.
נג וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, וִישַׁבְתֶּם-בָּהּ: כִּי לָכֶם נָתַתִּי אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, לָרֶשֶׁת אֹתָהּ. 53 And ye shall drive out the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein; for unto you have I given the land to possess it.
נד וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם אֶת-הָאָרֶץ בְּגוֹרָל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶם, לָרַב תַּרְבּוּ אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ וְלַמְעַט תַּמְעִיט אֶת-נַחֲלָתוֹ--אֶל אֲשֶׁר-יֵצֵא לוֹ שָׁמָּה הַגּוֹרָל, לוֹ יִהְיֶה: לְמַטּוֹת אֲבֹתֵיכֶם, תִּתְנֶחָלוּ. 54 And ye shall inherit the land by lot according to your families--to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance; wheresoever the lot falleth to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall ye inherit.

The Jewish building going on in Our Land, and the fact that second and third generation of those who have been living here for decades are also living and building here, is the acceptance and practice of that Torah Commandment from G-d.

Many building projects, large and small, are blooming.  We must take these steps, obey these mitzvot, commandments to be worth of the Moshiach, Redemption. 

Here are some pictures: