Today's Internal Likud Elections, Primaries

I remember fast and furious blogging and correspondence about the previous Likud Primaries.  This year most of us have been awfully silent.  Maybe that's because die hard Moshe Feiglin supporters are beginning to suspect that their idol candidate isn't all that serious about wresting the Likud leadership from Bibi Netanyahu and his very professional* cronies.

Today is the Likud Primaries, and I'm not at all knowledgeable about what's happening, who's running and if there's really a difference between the candidates.  I barely know what positions are to be voted on.

Feiglin may be a very nice person.  He has been through a very tough year plus since his son David's accident.  There's a much better and very recent article in the Jerusalem Post but you need to pay/subscribe to read it.  All of this does not qualify Feiglin or prove that he really has it in him to fight for the Right and the Land in the Likud and in Israel.

Still, if you have Likud membership, you should vote Feiglin, even though he won't win.  Mattot Arim gives advice about which Merkaz, Central Committee members to vote for and more.  It's always good to vote.  Try to weaken Bibi; annoy him.

Netanyahu, despite his knowledge of Jewish History, the Bible and International Terrorism etc.  packages himself as Center.  He believes that by being Center, not Right, he is more electable and more attractive to international leaders and media.  He is not Center because it is best for the future security of the Jewish State of Israel. 

Binyamin Netanyahu likes to tell people that he and his sons, including his younger son, Avner,  who won the Youth Bible Contest, that they spend Shabbat learning Bible.  Bibi, like his name's Biblical relative King Saul is missing a crucial factor, G-d. Netanyahu may be a proud Israeli seeing Biblical connections to our Land, but he is not a proud Jew.  He doesn't see that G-d conducts the world.  He's following "common sense" and not G-d's will. 

This is like when King Saul offered the young David his armor and weapons to fight Goliath.  David tried them on and saw that they wouldn't suit him nor his purpose.  David, who later succeeded Saul as king, understood that G-d would provide the only weapon that really counted.

לג וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל-דָּוִד, לֹא תוּכַל לָלֶכֶת אֶל-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הַזֶּה, לְהִלָּחֵם, עִמּוֹ: כִּי-נַעַר אַתָּה, וְהוּא אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה מִנְּעֻרָיו. {ס} 33 And Saul said to David: 'Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.' {S} לד וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל-שָׁאוּל, רֹעֶה הָיָה עַבְדְּךָ לְאָבִיו בַּצֹּאן; וּבָא הָאֲרִי וְאֶת-הַדּוֹב, וְנָשָׂא שֶׂה מֵהָעֵדֶר. 34 And David said unto Saul: 'Thy servant kept his father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, לה וְיָצָאתִי אַחֲרָיו וְהִכִּתִיו, וְהִצַּלְתִּי מִפִּיו; וַיָּקָם עָלַי--וְהֶחֱזַקְתִּי בִּזְקָנוֹ, וְהִכִּתִיו וַהֲמִיתִּיו. 35 I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. לו גַּם אֶת-הָאֲרִי גַּם-הַדֹּב, הִכָּה עַבְדֶּךָ; וְהָיָה הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הֶעָרֵל הַזֶּה, כְּאַחַד מֵהֶם, כִּי חֵרֵף, מַעַרְכֹת אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים. {ס} 36 Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath taunted the armies of the living God.' {S} לז וַיֹּאמֶר, דָּוִד, יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר הִצִּלַנִי מִיַּד הָאֲרִי וּמִיַּד הַדֹּב, הוּא יַצִּילֵנִי מִיַּד הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הַזֶּה; {ס} וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל-דָּוִד לֵךְ, וַיהוָה יִהְיֶה עִמָּךְ. 37 And David said: 'The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.' {S} And Saul said unto David: 'Go, and the LORD shall be with thee.' ...

מה וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד, אֶל-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, אַתָּה בָּא אֵלַי, בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית וּבְכִידוֹן; וְאָנֹכִי בָא-אֵלֶיךָ, בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, אֱלֹהֵי מַעַרְכוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר חֵרַפְתָּ. 45 Then said David to the Philistine: 'Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast taunted. מו הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְסַגֶּרְךָ יְהוָה בְּיָדִי וְהִכִּיתִךָ, וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת-רֹאשְׁךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ, וְנָתַתִּי פֶּגֶר מַחֲנֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְחַיַּת הָאָרֶץ; וְיֵדְעוּ, כָּל-הָאָרֶץ, כִּי יֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel; מז וְיֵדְעוּ כָּל-הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה, כִּי-לֹא בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית יְהוֹשִׁיעַ יְהוָה: כִּי לַיהוָה הַמִּלְחָמָה, וְנָתַן אֶתְכֶם בְּיָדֵנוּ. {ס} 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hand.' {S} מח וְהָיָה כִּי-קָם הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּקְרַב לִקְרַאת דָּוִד; וַיְמַהֵר דָּוִד, וַיָּרָץ הַמַּעֲרָכָה לִקְרַאת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי. 48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. מט וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד אֶת-יָדוֹ אֶל-הַכֶּלִי, וַיִּקַּח מִשָּׁם אֶבֶן וַיְקַלַּע, וַיַּךְ אֶת-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, אֶל-מִצְחוֹ; וַתִּטְבַּע הָאֶבֶן בְּמִצְחוֹ, וַיִּפֹּל עַל-פָּנָיו אָרְצָה. 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slung it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth. נ וַיֶּחֱזַק דָּוִד מִן-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי בַּקֶּלַע וּבָאֶבֶן, וַיַּךְ אֶת-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי וַיְמִתֵהוּ; וְחֶרֶב, אֵין בְּיַד-דָּוִד. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. נא וַיָּרָץ דָּוִד וַיַּעֲמֹד אֶל-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי וַיִּקַּח אֶת-חַרְבּוֹ וַיִּשְׁלְפָהּ מִתַּעְרָהּ, וַיְמֹתְתֵהוּ, וַיִּכְרָת-בָּהּ, אֶת-רֹאשׁוֹ; וַיִּרְאוּ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים כִּי-מֵת גִּבּוֹרָם, וַיָּנֻסוּ. 51 And David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their mighty man was dead, they fled.

Nothing's new.  Again we're waiting for a "David," but inactively waiting won't help.  G-d will help us when we make great efforts.  So, vote if you're a Likud member. Vote against Bibi.

*professional in my political lexicon means knowing how to hold onto power and totally weaken and destroy the opposition.  It does not mean doing what's best for the country, only what's best for themselves.

Not All Mothers Love Children and More Facts to Chew On

The lala loony Left has been trying to brainwash us into believing that the Pseudostinian aka Palestinian sic Arabs are "just like you and me and want to live with us in peace," but it's not all that simple and Pollyanna.  Granted, there are some, and I work with and sell to Arabs in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, without any tension or discrimination.  But we must be realistic.

The Palestinian Media Watch works hard to document the truth behind those rosy and optimistic images the Left wants us to believe.

The murderer of the Fogel Family was raised by a mother who is proud of her son's brutal attack on five innocent Jews.

And I'd like to see a little lot more sense from the Israeli Government.  There shouldn't be automatic "mazal tov on your election results," especially when the winner is the Muslim Brotherhood, which endangers world peace and stability.

Let's see who can give the answer to this question:

How many United Nations and other international condemnations have there been on the violence in Syria and its government's reactions and killings?

Obama as Haman and Preparing for the Jewish Month of Adar

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Rosh Chodesh Adar Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh

Friday, February 24, 2012 8:30am

Shiur Torah, Short Tour & Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים ראש חודש אדר בתל שילה

יום ו' 24-2 8:30

יהיו סיור ודבר תורה קצרים

נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

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

"Kosher Jesus": judging a book by its cover

Posted by Jewish Israel

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

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

Ya gotta wonder if Shmuley jumped the shark…more

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

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



Thanks to Caroline Glick

Rachel Corrie, BDS, The Campaign of Lies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

Chodesh Shvat Tov!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

Let's use the courts to get real justice!

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

Man praying in public bus.

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

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

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

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

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

Latma, Jewish terror and anti Arab discrimination strikes again

Here's the latest from Latma.



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

Latma is a project of Caroline Glick.

Rami Levi Stores, Not Just Cheap Chicken and Cabbage

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shabbat Shalom to Everyone

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anti-Government, Israeli Media Campaign, Brainwashing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Qassam rocket hits south of Ashkelon

Why blame the rocket?

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

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

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

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

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

"You catch more flies with honey than vinegar."

Check out Pepy's specials.

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

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

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

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

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






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

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



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

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



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

Just Before The Riots

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cruelty to Children

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

It's obvious what would happen:

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

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

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

Read Arlene Kushner's reaction:

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

Please voice yours wherever possible.

May there be a Shabbat Shalom

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

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

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

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




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Proof of Jewish History in the HolyLand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With Those Arabs, There Can't Be Peace

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

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

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

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

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

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

Journalist Giulio Meotti calls for rejection of Judeo-Christian blend

Posted by Jewish Israel

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

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

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

Squeezing Myself Back Into HH Hosting

cross-posted on me-ander

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

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

Here's the spiel:

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

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

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

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

And now on with the show!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You Need a Sense of Humor

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

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

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

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



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

Latma Gets it Right!!

This week's Latma:

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

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

Building, Jerusalem, Shiloh, Now and Biblical Times

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

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

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

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

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









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

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh

Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat

Wednesday, January 25, 2011

8:30am

Shiur Torah, Short Tour & Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים

ראש חודש שבט בתל שילה

יום ד' 25-1 8:30

יהיו סיור ודבר תורה קצרים

נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

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