Biblical Rape of Dina vs Terror at The Trempiada

This week's Parshat Shavua, Torah Portion of the Week, Vayichi, doesn't have the "rape of Dina," but the terrible event is alluded to in Jacob's blessing of Simon and Levi. At the Shabbat Women's class I was at, we ended up discussing the topic of the rape.

• Was Dina guilty, provocative by going out on her own in Shechem?
• Was it Dina's fault?
• Should she have been better guarded?
• Didn't she realize that Shechem wasn't like her grandfather's compound?
• Certainly it wasn't acceptable for girls to be wandering out by themselves....

I had no patience for that train of thought. Didn't her aunt and grandmother go out by themselves? I can just imagine that Jacob raised his growing family with stories of their real home, the Land his grandfather Abraham had gone to according to Gd's instructions, the Land that his father Isaac had never left. 

The rape was not Dina's fault.

And when a Jew is attacked by Arabs when waiting for a ride/tremp or a bus, it's not his/her fault either. 

We have to recognize that our enemies have different values and culture. They glorify terror and murder. I'm always chastising others who stand in the road and/or have their backs to the traffic. There are proper ways to wait for a tremp or bus,and there are ways that are asking for trouble. I don't think that Dina's trying to meet the other young women from Shechem was wrong. She was raped, and the rapist was the guilty party.

This was written a few days ago and was scheduled to post.

Brazilian Chutzpah, More of The Same...

Dani Dayan

Considering that as of today there isn't a single solitary foreign embassy in Jerusalem which is the Capital of the State of Israel, and Israel hasn't taken proper steps against all those countries, I am not surprised that Brazil is being so rude and chutzpadik about the appointment of Dani Dayan as Israel's Ambassador.

Brazil's reluctance to accept an Israeli ambassador who is a West Bank settler has set off a diplomatic crisis and led to concerns in the Israeli government that the clash could encourage pro-Palestinian activism against it.
The appointment four months ago of Dani Dayan, a former head of the Jewish settlement movement, did not go down well with Brazil's left-leaning government, which has supported Palestinian statehood in recent years. (reuters)

For years I've been suggesting that from day one, that's close to sixty-eight 68 years ago, the State of Israel should have taken strong measures against every single country that refused to recognize Jerusalem as its Capital City. Tel Aviv is not the Capital; Jerusalem is!

A very simple policy to implement, and it would probably save Israel a lot of money, would be to do the same. Retaliate by having all Israeli embassies in cities other than what the country claims as its capital. Tit for tat, why not?

That is what a proud, confident self-reliant and sovereign country would do. That is what the State of Israel should do! MOVE ALL OF OUR EMBASSIES OUT OF OFFICIAL CAPITAL CITIES IN EVERY COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE JERUSALEM AS ISRAEL'S OFFICIAL ETERNAL CAPITAL!!!

Mainstream Media Distort Reality

You won't get the truth from the headlines!

Israeli forces kill four Palestinian assailants in West Bank

It's not just CNN, Reuters etc. Israel's Jerusalem Post isn't any better:

Two terrorists shot dead in car ramming, stabbing attacks over the weekend

Instead of "cause" then "effect," the headline creators distort to propagate an anti-Israel agenda.

The emphasis should be on the fact that there are Arab terrorists who aim to kill us and destroy the State of Israel.

A Palestinian protester returns a tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops during clashes in the West Bank village of Silwad, near Ramallah December 26, 2015.  REUTERS/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN

No other country would just keep on letting this happen, just react trying to catch them instead of wiping out the Arab terrorist cells and executing all convicted terrorists. There must be mandated automatic death penalty whether the terrorist succeeded in murdering or not. They are not ordinary criminals and they are not "misguided youth" plagued by poverty and lack of opportunities. They are dangerous deadly psychopathic warriors.

The only justice is the rid the world of them!!

In All Honesty...

To be perfectly honest, I just don't believe that the security forces have any proof that the Jewish suspects that have been tortured and are still being tortured to extract confessions are guilty of burning that house in Duma. And I will not believe it until and unless I see real proof. I'm disgusted that so many people including rabbis support Shabak and take for granted that the boys are guilty.

There is one very simple test that can prove it. Check handwriting, including spray-painting and see if  any of them write in such a distinctive way. Today at the Shabbat women's class I've been participating in every week (for the past 34 years,) if they know of any young Jewish men who have handwriting like this or of any school that trains the students to form letters like this.

Graffiti reading 'revenge' found at the scene of the arson terror attack in Duma, July 31, 2015.AP read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.675422

Total silence greeted my question. Our group consists mostly of grandmothers and even a great-grandmother. We all know how boys of that generation write. So, why do the Shabak keep torturing the boys instead of simply checking their handwriting, especially with spraypoint which is much more difficult to control?

The Yin and Yang of Arab Terrorism vs Israeli Survival

No doubt you're all aware and knowledgeable about the concept of Yin and Yang.

In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (also, yin-yang or yin yang) describes how opposite or contrary forces are actually complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. (Wikipedia)

It's a delicate balance. There must be an equality of forces for both yin and yang to survive.

Treating victims of Jerusalem attack, Dec 23 2015

Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

At present, I see that in the Arab terrorism versus Israeli survival. And in this case, the "equality" is bad, because it's Israeli weakness that perpetuates the Arab terrorism. And when we show too much weakness, like in the quest for peace, we just get terror and war. Actually terror is a form of war. It's the "convenient war," in which one doesn't have to travel to the front, because the front travels to civilian centers.

The Israeli quest for peace is actually a terrible sign of weakness and just invites more Arab terror. We must break the Yin/Yang stalemate by showing greater strength and determination than the Arabs have. That is the only way. Our victory and determination is the only way to truly end terror. We must defeat the terrorists with our minds and weapons. No more coddling, and no more giving them fair trials. They are not ordinary criminals. They are ideological like the Nazis. That is the truth.

Gd willing the politicians in charge will come to their senses and stop pandering to those who don't care if we live or die.

We need leaders not followers!

Saved by The Bell

Angry people and employees going on strike.

On Tuesday, facebook and email groups, whatsapp and more were full of panicky "how will we travel... manage etc during the BIG STRIKE?" Schools, public transportation, museums, sick funds, government offices etc were all supposed to be closed on Wednesday.

I answered one of those requests about "How will we travel?" with "We'll know tomorrow." That's because after forty-five years in Israel, especially the last decade or so, I know that these strike threats are no more than negotiations tactics, especially when they are so early in the day.  Tuesday night I was at a friend's apartment in Jerusalem so I could easily get to Matan in the morning, and we had almost no doubt that the strike would be averted.

Nowadays, especially with a Likud Government of a very anorexic 61 MKs that does not want elections again, Bibi will order the government representatives to MAKE A DEAL! And that's what happened.

General public strike averted at the last moment

Illustration Photo Credit: Channel 2 News

It's not that the public agrees with the Workers Unions; today's Israelis refuse to be inconvenienced for even a second. And there's nothing more inconvenient than a strike. Just days after the kids went back to school after the long Chanukah vacation, the very last thing that parents want to deal with is finding their kids at home and all the logistics of trying to work and care for them simultaneously. Even more annoying than the public transportation being on strike is when teachers strike. And considering that the last Netanyahu government barely lasted a year, he does not want elections to be an annual tradition.

Bibi bought some peace for a bit, and we'll see what his opponents have up their sleeves next...

Building and Road Improvements in Shiloh Area

One of the complaints of people who live in Mateh Binyamin (Benjamin County) where Shiloh is concerns traffic jams at Tzomet Adam (Junction.) It's a badly planned junction with a tiny contorted traffic circle, which is barely large enough for a small suburban neighborhood. It connects roads to Jerusalem, Adam, Binyamin-Shomron and Ramalla. The planners had wanted to somehow keep the Ramalla traffic a bit separate from the rest of the traffic, which just compounds the primary problems of a very small circle and not enough traffic lanes.

Besides the expected traffic jams, this setup isn't safe, because there's no way an emergency vehicle can go through.  Finally, there not only are plans to widen and fix it, but the work has begun!

Besides that there are new multifamily buildings ready in Shiloh. And more are planned.



And others have been started in various neighborhoods.



Regardless to what the world and Israeli Leftists like to think, life goes on here and bli eyin haraa is getting better and better.

Demand Civil Rights for Jews in Israel!

On the Temple Mount, we could walk but not pray.

There are two very disturbing issues going on in Israel right now. One has been going on for decades. You can probably guess that it concerns the lack of religious/civil rights for Jews to pray in the holiest place in the Jewish World, Har Habyit, the Temple Mount. And the other is much more recent. I'm writing about the cruel and inhuman methods the police used against the young men they had decided had burnt an Arab house in Duma.

Since the police couldn't find any real evidence, nor find any witnesses, they tortured and broke one of the suspects who finally agreed to say and sign anything just to make them stop.

"The sexual harassment against my client damages all that is sacred to him, his values of Torah observance and the commandments," Ben-Gvir stated, adding that his client had been sleep-deprived for an extended period of time.
"After the interrogators passed the initial stages of interrogation and my client stuck to the truth, they simply received a license to kill," he continued, adding that the interrogators may have sodomized him. "At some point four thugs entered his room, beat him, and tied him to his bed."

Torture Shrinks

"The descriptions are shocking and appalling: they tied him upside down and beat him again and again, until he screamed 'Enough! Leave me alone, let me go, I didn't do anything!'" Ben-Gvir said. "They broke him. I believe very much that there are doubts that any confession he made are usable in court. They beat him into a shadow of a person."  (Arutz 7)

They wouldn't have dared do such things to Arabs, because the Left-leaning civil rights activists would bring them to court. But they have no compunctions at all when it comes to patriots, proud Jews on the Right. The government's aim is to break them. There seems to be no difference today than when Gush Katif was destroyed, which made thousands of Jews homeless and unemployed. And then when the security forces came to destroy a few houses in Amona, the "police" had orders to make the demonstrators suffer, too. And they did, physical cruelty was rampant. Male demonstrators were beaten in their most sensitive places, and young innocent girls were grabbed indecently by men. I've heard reports of rape and definite sexual harassment.

The aim of the Left was/is to break the Right, especially the young idealists. And that is why I have no trouble believing the stories about these illegal and immoral interrogations.

This is a perversion of the old saying:

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Golden Rule)

In today's Israel, the "others" are treated better than we Jews are by the unjust Justice System, and that is a big moral problem!

Israeli Politics: Pre-Elections Shake-Ups?

While the Israeli Opposition hasn't let up much in its campaign to unseat Bibi and the Likud, things haven't been very pastoral on the Right of the political spectrum.

Pundits have been hinting and nudging the recently "retired" Gideon Sa'ar to reinvent himself and against Netanyahu, and they now claim he will. OK they've said it before... Let's see. I wonder about a lot of things when it comes to him, and the biggie is whether his wife, Israeli news anchor Geula Even, is willing to have her professional wings clipped if he re-enters politics. And I'm very cynical about his actual ideology, how Right he really is, especially push comes to shove...

And the other really big news is that in the newly Puritan Israel, which once prided itself on the sexual prowess of its politicians, considered it even admirable that sexual conquests were "easy" and condoned and even braggable, now condemn all that.

The latest "victim" of the new morality is none other than Sylvan Shalom who finally resigned when the accusations got too hot to handle even by his wife Judy Shalom Nir-Mozes. He'll be replaced in the Likud Knesset line-up by Amir Ohana, who'll be the Likud's first out of the closet homosexual MK. Let's see what the Israeli media will do with that.

And considering the super narrow coalition of 61 that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu heads, politics will stay rocky for as long as he has those thin delicate reins in his hands.

Yoram Hazony Weighs In on Media Distortion of Vatican Conversion Policy Towards Jews

posted by Jewishisrael.com

Dr. Yoram Hazony, a prominent Jewish scholar in the fields of philosophy, theology, and political theory, has written a critical analysis of the recent Vatican document on Catholic-Jewish relations which was misrepresented and misinterpreted in a virtual media blitz. The article, "What the Vatican Didn’t Say—And What It Did", was published on the TorahMusings website.

Deeming the media spin "an outrageous mistake", Dr. Hazony’s analysis needs to be read in full by those who are still under the false impression that the Vatican announced an historic and revolutionary policy change regarding the conversion of the Jews.

Dr. Hazony is unsettled by other issue with the document. Similar to Professor David Berger's and Rabbi Sholom Gold's recent citing of Rav J.B. Solovietchik's concerns with regards to expectations to reciprocate or trade favors in theological discussions with Christians, Dr. Hazony expresses the following apprehension:

"Having read the Commission’s proposed affirmation of a unity between the Christian messiah and the Torah, I cannot escape the feeling that this equivalence is designed to permit some kind of syncretistic resolution of Jewish-Christian disagreements—one in which Christianity recognizes the redemptive potential of the Torah in exchange for one or another kind of Jewish acceptance of Jesus as a path to salvation."

JewishIsrael's upcoming report will shed additional light on the PR mechanism behind the misleading Vatican headlines, as well as the linkage between the recent Vatican document on Jewish-Christian relations and the so-called "Orthodox Rabbinic Statement on Christianity".

In the interim, we strongly suggest that the recent opinions of Dr. Yoram Hazony, Professor David Berger and Rabbi Dr. Sholom Gold be read and considered....more

The Myth of the "Demographic Threat"

The Myth of the "Demographic Threat" is older than the State of Israel.

...the Palestinian population living under Israeli control will soon surpass the Jewish population, and that Israel would be forced to abandon democracy if it wants to preserve its “Jewish character.” (972Mag)

One of the things I kept noticing when Arabs were a sizable portion of our Yafiz customers was the small size of their families. Not only did the Arab families who came to the Sha'ar Binyamin branch of Yafiz have fewer children than the local Jewish families, but the Arab businessmen visiting from Jordan and other countries to buy for their "kids back home" have only two or three of them.

Recess in Shiloh's boys school

Israeli Jews, religious, traditional and even less so, are very child oriented and have more children than Jews in other parts of the world. And those who actually follow the numbers, the birthrates of Jews and non-Jews here in Israel see that the Jewish birthrate is rising while the Arab one is falling.

He {Yoram Ettinger} has found that the gap of the Jewish-Arab fertility rate (number of births per woman) has all but closed. Arab women in Israel had an average of 6 births more than their Jewish counterparts in 1969 – and this number has now shrunk a hundred-fold to 0.6. As of a year ago, the Arab rate was 3.17 births per woman, and 3.11 for Jews – and 3.4 when both spouses were Israeli-born.
Israel’s Jewish fertility rate exceeds the rate in most of the Muslim world. In Iran, for instance, women have an average of 1.83 births, and 2.12 in Saudi Arabia. Ettinger's take is that the dropping Arab fertility rates reflect accelerated modernity, while "the Jewish fertility rate is bolstered by optimism, patriotism, attachment to roots and collective responsibility."
The number of Jewish births in Israel has risen hugely over the last two decades, from 80,400 in 1995, to 136,000 last year – a 68% increase. Over the same period, the annual number of Arab births in pre-1967 Israel has stabilized at 40,000. In 1995, Jewish births constituted 69% of total births in Israel, but are now approaching 78%.
In Judea and Samaria, the Arab birth rate has dropped drastically, from 5 births per woman 20 years ago to 2.76 in 2015. (Israeli demographics working in Jews' favor)

And when you add this to immigration and emigration statistics, you can easily see that we Jews are not in demographic danger. Those who still say that we must leave Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley for demographic reasons are not telling the truth. Davka, extending full Israeli sovereignty over our Biblical Homeland and making it easier to build for Jews will increase the Jewish birthrate even further.

Israel Suddenly Unpopular with Presidential Wannabes

AP

In recent years until just now, part of the rite of passage for those running to be running for the United States Presidency made a point of visiting Israel, claiming sympathy and support and always promised to recognize Jerusalem as Capital and other such lies. And of course they have great and moving speeches written for the occasion. And Israeli politicians and most of the public become all enthusiastic and enamored. And with those running and competing to get the Republican nomination, especially considering the now very chilly/frigid statements coming from the Obama White House we had been certain that we'd be entertaining lots of Republican hopefuls.

Reuters

AP

But all of a sudden the two Republican front-runners, the two most unlikely candidates, Donald Trump and Ben Carson both canceled their trips to Israel. Has Israel lost its luster, or have the wannabes begun to realize that no matter what they say here, they're going to anger a lot of people? It would be like walking through a minefield or a park where dogs leave their "droppings."

In a sense I am very happy that we're being spared the circus of candidates, promises and lies. The American Presidential race should not be about Israel. The United States is a country with enough of its own problems, especially economics and security. The United States desperately needs a President who can solve those problems and give a better future for Americans than the forecast shows now.

And Israel's problems won't and can't be solved by the USA!

This week's Parshat Shavua, Torah Portion of the Week is "Vayigash..." "And he (Judah) approached..." In Rabbi Jonathan Sacks' recent book, "Lessons in Leadership," he describes Judah as a surprise/unlikely leader, who had been written off after being at fault for Joseph's being sold and lost to the family. But in Judaism there is always the opportunity to repent, as Judah showed, and his repentance made him a strong effective leader. Today, the State of Israel, the Jewish People are waiting and praying for a new "Judah" to lead us. He (or she) will bravely approach all foreigners fearlessly. Gd willing it will be soon, speedily in our days....

Shavua Tov

Have a Good Week 

Results of Arab Terror Can't be Wiped Away

The bus stop is right near the String Bridge, which is why
it is called by that name. It's on Herzl Blvd a short walk from
Binyanei Ha'uma Convention Center, the Central Bus Station,
major government offices, Cinema City and the Kiryat Moshe
neighborhood.

The day after the horrible Arab terror attack at one of the most crowded, well-used bus stops on our route back home to Mateh Binyamin and Samaria (Ariel and beyond,) in addition to servicing more than a dozen other routes from all over Jerusalem, Gush Etzion and the Hebron area, which left a young toddler and others permanently maimed, I passed by it.

Before then, the Zaka volunteers and then the Jerusalem Municipality had already cleaned and repaired it so so nobody could tell that an Arab terrorist, who had all the necessary papers/certificates to enter and drive around Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and wherever he wanted, had violently rammed his car into those innocently waiting for a bus.

This genre of terror attacks is frequently fatal, like the one which injured me almost twenty years ago, and serious injuries to the legs -especially the knees- are very common, because that is where the terror car/weapon strikes first. This Arab terrorist had planned to do more than just ram into Jews; he came armed with an ax, but thank Gd there were Jews on the scene armed with guns, and they knew how to use them. By the time I passed by the next day, everything seemed "as usual."

We have been through all of this so many times before, too many, and I haven't seen any of the real policy changes that would enable us to defeat our enemies. Cement barriers by bus stops are no more than window-dressing. All Arab terrorists must be executed without trial. They aren't criminals; they are enemy combatants and we're at war! The Death Penalty is just when the enemy wants to destroy the State of Israel. And all of those international anarchist agent provocateur Leftists must be sent home. They are as dangerous as those ramming, stabbing and shooting at us.

Yotam Shmuel ben Yael, the
toddler whose leg had to be 
amputated after the Arab terrorist
attacked him.

May Gd give a refuah shleimah -complete and speedy recovery- to all of the injured, young and old.

Terror should never be excused or explained. It is immoral and unacceptable! Anyone who makes excuses for the Arab terrorists must be considered as guilty as the attackers/killers themselves.

RE: Israel, The World Refuses The Truth

Whenever we say the full Hallel, which includes Psalms Chapter 115 תְּהִלִּים I think of those who refuse to admit that the Jewish People and the State of Israel are innocent victims of terror and discrimination.  King David said it so well:

א  לֹא לָנוּ יְהוָה, לֹא-לָנוּ:    כִּי-לְשִׁמְךָ, תֵּן כָּבוֹד--עַל-חַסְדְּךָ, עַל-אֲמִתֶּךָ.	1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake.
ב  לָמָּה, יֹאמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם:    אַיֵּה-נָא, אֱלֹהֵיהֶם.	2 Wherefore should the nations say: 'Where is now their God?'
ג  וֵאלֹהֵינוּ בַשָּׁמָיִם--    כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-חָפֵץ עָשָׂה.	3 But our God is in the heavens; whatsoever pleased Him He hath done.
ד  עֲצַבֵּיהֶם, כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב;    מַעֲשֵׂה, יְדֵי אָדָם.	4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
ה  פֶּה-לָהֶם, וְלֹא יְדַבֵּרוּ;    עֵינַיִם לָהֶם, וְלֹא יִרְאוּ.	5 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;
ו  אָזְנַיִם לָהֶם, וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעוּ;    אַף לָהֶם, וְלֹא יְרִיחוּן.	6 They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not;
ז  יְדֵיהֶם, וְלֹא יְמִישׁוּן--רַגְלֵיהֶם, וְלֹא יְהַלֵּכוּ;    לֹא-יֶהְגּוּ, בִּגְרוֹנָם.	7 They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they with their throat.
ח  כְּמוֹהֶם, יִהְיוּ עֹשֵׂיהֶם--    כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-בֹּטֵחַ בָּהֶם.	8 They that make them shall be like unto them; yea, every one that trusteth in them.
ט  יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּטַח בַּיהוָה;    עֶזְרָם וּמָגִנָּם הוּא.	9 O Israel, trust thou in the LORD! He is their help and their shield!

After all these milenium when our enemies have attempted to destroy us and blame us for their sins and blame us for surviving and blame us for Gd's protection the miracles which have missiles land in empty fields and our smaller armies defeat larger, more numerous Arab armies etc.

Why can't people, Jews and non-Jews see the truth that we are the Chosen People? We are Gd's People. Gd does not want us destroyed. There are times when Gd wants us to be punished for our sins, and that is when we are exiled and suffer greatly.

So when all these countries and faux "do-gooder" NGOs condemn us for defending ourselves and effectively "ducking" enemy attacks, it's just plain antisemitism and hypocrisy, because when they feel under attack they certainly kill, maim and destroy more than we ever do.

We will only enjoy true peace when we take off the "mufflers" from the weapons -both military and hasbara/propaganda/information- we use for defense and unabashedly fight our enemies.

Billionaire Temple-Building Bishop to Lay Cornerstone in Jordan Valley

Posted by JewishIsrael.com

BREAKING: Billionaire Temple-Building Bishop to Lay Cornerstone in Jordan Valley
Billionaire Bishop Edir Macedo, head of the Brazilian mega-church Universal  Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG), will be laying a cornerstone in a ceremony to take place tomorrow, December 17th, at Machaneh Gilgal. A cornerstone for what exactly remains a mystery at this time, but our sources assure us that it promises to be an enormous undertaking, involving mega bucks.

For those excited about the prospect of more tourism for Israel, it should be noted that when a Pentecostal leader such as Macedo builds, it's for worship and not just tourism.  And yes, UCKG is a missionary church, boasting some 12 million members world- wide. It most certainly does target Jews for conversion and seems to be especially fond of death-bed evangelism.


JewishIsrael asks: Why is the Jordan Valley Regional Council dealing with a mega-church, Jew-targeting missionary who in the past has been accused of major criminal activity?...more

Blog Round-Up, HH of Sorts

You know what they say about a rose being a rose no matter what the name, so is a Jewish and Israeli blog round-up by hosted me still a Havel Havelim, no matter what the format?

While you're mulling over that, I'd like to remind you that whatever Havel Havelim communications still go on are on our facebook page, which you can join. And I'd really be happy if others would host, not just me... I have no idea when I'll be doing one again, though they seem to pop up about once a month. And I'm also including some food posts, so consider this also a Kosher Cooking Carnival, which also has a facebook page.

If you have any questions about the blog carnivals, hosting or want to send me links, just write to, shilohmuse@gmail.com thanks.

Enough with the introduction, but I'd still like to remind you that this will only work well if you read/visit the blogs included, maybe even comment and of course please share this and whatever else you find interesting.

I'm returning to my "secret" format, just giving a linked title and not saying who sent or what blog. Yes, that's another reason to try to be clever with titles. And I'd like to know which is your favorite post. Please let me know in the comments, thanks.

OK, on with the show!! I will try to vary by mixing up genres.

The Democrat Jihad Against Judaism
Beer Bazaar comes to Jerusalem
Chanukah Lesson: Jews are Not Pacifists!!
Win for "Jerusalem Big Blue Lions" Opening Game!
How to Go Forward Despite Intense Grief
Still Here After 730 Days
Speaking of Journeys....
The Rebbe vs. the Zen Monk
Chanukah, 5776, 2015, Day #7, Now for The Turkey; Chodesh Tov!
Chanukah in Israel: why it’s simply better here
Fokokt Anti-Israel Headlines
The Saddest Way to End 2015
So Much Pain Because the Dog Ran Out of His Yard...
Why Is the World so Blase' About Terror in Israel?
The Mother of All Languages
Rabbi Tzvi Klamen zt"l
CHANUKA….A TIME FOR MEMORIES AND MIRACLES….
I Hear the Sirens...

Which is your favorite?

Professor David Berger Assesses Problems with "Orthodox Rabbinic Statement on Christianity"

posted by Jewishisrael.com
  

 "…elements of this declaration are decidedly problematic."

Tablet Magazine has a lengthy article by Rabbi Dr. David Berger which assesses the impact of ‘Nostra Aetate’ on Jewish-Christian relations. A true scholar and diplomat, Professor Berger delivers a balanced evaluation of a complex subject.  

JewishIsrael notes that Dr. Berger continues to reaffirm Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik's position as outlined in "Confrontation". JewishIsrael highlights some of the concerns Dr. Berger cites with regards to the recent "Orthodox Rabbinic Statement on Christianity" ...more

Arab Leaders and "Fellow Travelers" Support Terror

I sincerely pray for a refuah shleimah, a full and speedy recovery, to all of the injured in yesterday's Arab terror attack against Jews in Jerusalem. Special prayers for the toddler whose leg was seriously damaged, Yotam Shmuel ben Yael.

Scene of ramming attack at Chords Bridge in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem Post (photo credit:ISRAEL BEN HEMO)

Maybe this is deja vu time again, like in the early, mid-1930's when "good" sic people all over the world closed their eyes to the rising antisemitism and systemized murder of Jews in Nazi Germany. All this acceptance and agreement and cooperation with the BDS and the support of Fatah and Hamas and the Arab terror against innocent Israelis bodes bad news for world peace.

American Secretary of State John Kerry is threatening Israel again, claiming that we are the cause of the "impasse" and lack of peace here.

Secretary of State John Kerry

Reuters

Kerry told the magazine that he believes that Israelis headed toward becoming a “unitary state that is an impossible entity to manage” and warned that such a reality would lead to Israel becoming like a “big fortress” and strengthen groups like Hezbollah. (Arutz 7)

Of course he totally leaves out the fact that his buddies in Ramalla support and justify the terror against Israelis, civilians and patrolling soldiers.

Two-thirds of Palestinians support knife attacks: poll    

Abbas: Palestinian violence is "justified popular uprising"

Considering all that, how can we expect a "State of Palestine" sic to be a good neighbor to the State of Israel?

The safest place in the Middle East, even especially for Arabs is Israel. There is less violence, better police, the best medical care and social benefits. Whenever the "land trading" idea is raised, Israeli Arabs throw fits, because the very last thing they want to do is to live under an Arab government.

We, Israel have a job to do, and that is to annex all of the Land we hold, full sovereignty in all of the Jordan Valley, Judea, Samaria and the Golan. Make it clear that we are no longer interested in negotiations. There is nothing to negotiate about. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu must apologize to the Israeli public for his support for a "two state solution" meaning a Palestinian state! He must admit that he had been wrong about it. That's the sign of a true Jewish Leader. Like in the Bible when Judah admitted that Tamar was the righteous one, and he had been wrong, which made their descendants into the most suitable to be King, yes David.

Enough with weak politicians running the country. We need true Jewish Leaders!!!

Deja Vu, Arab Terrorist Rammed Our Bus Stop Again

Having been injured in the first of this genre of terror Arab attacks, it's deja vu all over again, as the saying goes...

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I don't know who was injured at all, but it's a bus stop I have waited at many times. It serves local Jerusalem buses and buses to communities all over Judea and Samaria. For us, it's the first stop on the way home, and for those coming to Jerusalem from Hebron, Gush Etzion etc, it's the about the last (if I'm not mistaken.)

This is what I wrote on facebook as a comment about the photo:

 It's a major bus stop, especially since pretty much all the Judea/Samaria buses have been banished from the bus station. It's total chaos a good part of the day, with lots of buses, traffic etc, no shelter, WC's etc

Refuah shleimah, complete and speedy recovery to all of the injured, and may Gd give strength to them and their loved ones.

Chanukah Lesson: Jews are Not Pacifists!!

The eighth day of Chanukah, all of the candles/oil pots are lit and shining brightly. 

In modern times various Jews have been in the forefront and innovators of extreme Leftist philosophies like Pacifism. And as a result a very ironic, dangerous and inaccurate theory/belief has taken hold that it's not very Jewish to be a war hero or fighter. They've envy adopted the Christian principle that religious leaders shouldn't bear arms. There is absolutely nothing Jewish in this!

Judaism is a religion that combines the holy and the profane, relegating them to specific times and needs.

Last night at the Chanukah Party for our "golden-agers" in Shiloh, we heard a fascinating talk by Ya'akov Avramson about the message of the Chanukah story. (I had been invited to attend to help translate his talk into English. Yes, age-wise I can be there as a member, but I'm usually to busy to attend the events.)

We were told that the aim of the Greeks was not to physically destroy, murder us all. They were not like Haman of the Purim story or the Nazi Holocaust. The Greeks just wanted to destroy the Jewish Religion, to keep us alive as Greeks/Hellenists, to follow their way of life.

So, since this wasn't a physical-military war, modern philosophy would then conclude that our weapons should be in the mind, hasbara, an information campaign as it would be called today. Or maybe, as someone sitting near me said, it was more like the Spanish Catholic Inquisition, which resulted in Jews hiding their religious practices for generations and centuries until completely lost to the Jewish People.

But what did happen? How did we fight the Greeks? With our minds or with military weapons? We actually used and needed both religious and military means and leaders to defeat the Greeks and liberate the Temple Mount and Holy Temple! Who led the fight? It was the Jewish spiritual leader, the High Priest Matityahu  who galvanized the Jewish People and led the fight.

One day the henchmen of Antiochus arrived in the village of Modin where Mattityahu, the old priest, lived. The Syrian officer built an altar in the marketplace of the village and demanded that Mattityahu offer sacrifices to the Greek gods. Mattityahu replied, "I, my sons and my brothers are determined to remain loyal to the covenant which our G-d made with our ancestors!" ...Before his death, Mattityahu called his sons together and urged them to continue to fight in defense of G d’s Torah. He asked them to follow the counsel of their brother Shimon the Wise. In waging warfare, he said, their leader should be Judah the Strong. Judah was called "Maccabee," a word composed of the initial letters of the four Hebrew words Mi Kamocha Ba’eilimHashem, "Who is like You, O G-d." (Chabad)

Matityahu and Yehuda didn't bury themselves in a study hall praying; they formed an army. Even though the Jewish Army was smaller and had fewer weapons than the Greeks, Gd made a great miracle. The Jewish People were victorious! That's because our strength and victories come from Gd. That is why even today, when our enemies bombard us and shoot us, most of the missiles miss their targets and cause minimal damage. But we still must fight our enemies with military might and weapons, not pacifism.

Gd's assistance comes in "matching funds." When we militarily fight  our enemies in the name of Gd, then Gd assists us, and we win!

That is the Chanukah message. The brightly lit Chanukiyot, Chanukah Menorahs all over the world are more like "visual aids" to remind us and our enemies that our lights from Gd are the strongest and most lasting!

Chag Urim Sameach

May You Have an Enlightened Chanukah

Climate Panic Farce vs Evolution

I guess you can add this post to my "dumb question" series...

Those around the world who consider themselves among the elite, enlightened fervently believe in Evolution and mock those who take Gd's power and Creation seriously.

So, my question is:

If you believe in Evolution, why should you want it to stop now? What is the problem with "Endangered Species" and "Climate Change?" Aren't they ongoing proof of Evolution?

Nu, am I crazy or not?

Evolution:
any process of formation or growth; development:the evolution of a language; the evolution of theairplane.2.a product of such development; somethingevolved :The exploration of space is the evolution ofdecades of research.3.Biology. change in the gene pool of a populationfrom generation to generation by such processesas mutation, natural selection, and genetic drift.4.a process of gradual, peaceful, progressive changeor development, as in social or economic structureor institutions.5.a motion incomplete in itself, but combining withcoordinated motions to produce a single action, asin a machine.6.a pattern formed by or as if by a series ofmovements:the evolutions of a figure skater.7.an evolving or giving off of gas, heat, etc.

Evolution means ongoing change, so why get all hot and bothered about climate change? Why make a big international convention and new unenforceable rules?

From L-R, Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius, President-designate of COP21 and French President Francois Hollande applaud during the final plenary session at the World Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) at Le Bourget, near Paris, France, December 12, 2015. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe Read more at Reuters http://www.reuters.com/news/picture/with-landmark-climate-accord-world-marks?articleId=USKBN0TV04L20151213#JVfwlQ10RcAXHr0y.99

Obama calls Paris climate pact 'best chance to save the one planet we've got' 

"Today the American people can be proud because this historic agreement is a tribute to American leadership. Over the past seven years, we've transformed the United States into the global leader in fighting climate change," Obama said.
He said the accord shows what is possible when the world stands as one, adding: "This agreement represents the best chance we have to save the one planet that we've got." (Jerusalem Post)

Am I the only one who thinks they're all nuts?

Fokokt Anti-Israel Headlines

It may be that the most powerful staff member of a news site or hard-copy paper is the person who writes the headlines. Headlines not only attract readers but they "make news" by how they summarize it in a minimum of words. Read these headlines I found tonight on the internet.

Israeli troops kill three Palestinians in West Bank, Gaza (Reuters)
Three Palestinians killed in West Bank, Gaza (Yahoo-AFP)

They tell a story, and it's a false one!

picture from article about how to write powerful of headlines

If you click and read both stories you will discover that instead of Arabs being killed for no apparent reason, the Arabs killed had been terrorists in the act of attacking attempting to murder innocent Jews!!

...Citing an initial investigation, an army spokeswoman said that after crashing into the checkpoint, the motorist emerged from the car carrying a knife, apparently intent on stabbing the soldiers. A relative of the dead man gave his age as 55.
In the second incident in Hebron, the army said troops fired at Palestinians who attacked them with rocks and petrol bombs after non-lethal riot-dispersal measures failed. Palestinians said a 22-year-old local man was fatally shot in the chest.
Earlier on Friday, Israeli officials said a Palestinian gunman fired at a checkpoint on the northern West Bank boundary, causing no casualties, and was then shot by guards and fled... (Reuters)

Halhul (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Three Palestinians were killed Friday in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, one after allegedly attempting to run down Israeli soldiers and the others in clashes with troops...

A Palestinian man tried to ram his car into military bases before being shot dead by Israeli forces on December 11, 2015 (AFP Photo/Thomas Coex)

And, as you can see, the headlines distort the stories. That's editorializing. The media has an agenda, and it's anti-Israel. The want the world to think that we are the aggressors, when the truth is the complete opposite.

Israel has been suffering from Arab terrorism from well before the establishment of the State of Israel.

• Arabs frequently attacked the early Zionists.
• Arabs refused to agree to the United Nations Partition Plan and the establishment of the State of Israel. 
• Israel had to fight for its independence.
• Arabs from Jordan, Syria and Egypt attacked the young state constantly, never recognizing its right to exist.
• In May, 1967, Egypt announced that it would destroy the State of Israel and "throw Israelis into the sea." It demanded that the United Nations remove all Peacekeeping Forces, which it promptly did. 
• This resulted in the June, 1967 Six Days War in which Israel had to defend itself against three armies from three different directions, Jordan, Syria and Egypt. Israel defeated them and liberated much of the Jewish Historic Homeland, Judea, Samaria, Jordan Valley and also the Golan and Sinai.
• In October, 1973, Egypt and Syria attacked Israel again, this time without warning. And after great losses of men, Israel was finally victorious.
• Since then Israel has made every effort to establish peaceful relations with Arab states and give unprecedented rights and privileges to Arabs living within our borders, but they just want us dead.

You're not going to get the true story in the international media. It's hard enough to find accurate reporting even from the pro-Left Israeli media.  Yes, that's why I blog...