Jewish Funerals and Mourning in Israel

Israel, being a Jewish country, and nothing bringing out traditional Jewish values more than death, funerals are much better attended than in most other places.

Recently a neighbor passed away, and people came from all over to pay final respects.

According to Jewish Law/Tradition, the funeral is to honor the dead person. In my experience, being given time off from work to attend a funeral of a friend or neighbor is relatively easy in Israel. And if the dead person is a relative, there isn't 'even a question. Everyone knows that it's a requirement.

Children also attend funerals and memorial events in cemeteries. Death is part of life, and many children are taught about it at the youngest ages. Death isn't hidden.

Our memorial ceremonies, and funerals, include ordinary people talking about, and to, the dead person.

We don't dress up for a funeral in black, and neither does the family. More accurately, the immediate family, the official mourners --children, parent, spouse, sibling of the dead person-- certainly don't dress up in "proper black suits," like you'd see in traditional christian countries. Many Israelis, even those not all that religiously observant, follow the custom of having their shirt/jacket ripped at the funeral. The ripped clothing is worn for the week of mourning, shiva, except for Shabbat. Yes, the same clothing is worn the entire week, except for Shabbat. Hair isn't combed/styled or washed.

The mourner isn't supposed to take care of him/herself. Neighbors and more distant relatives are expected to cook, shop and straighten the house during the shiva week. Mourners are not told to ignore their pain and shock. They aren't supposed to be distracted from it by taking care of their routine household needs.

Shiva visitors are called "comforters." The proper Hebrew term for visiting a mourner is to "comfort" the mourner. Proper conversation during a shiva call is to ask the mourner about the dead person. Side conversations among visitors isn't acceptable behavior. It's not a social call. The center of attention must be the mourner, and if the mourner doesn't feel capable of speaking, it's permitted to ask to see a photo of the dead and see if that helps the mourner.

Serve the mourner; don't expect the mourner to be a host.

Many experts in human psychology say that the Jewish Laws and customs for mourners are most suited for the needs of a mourner.

When you leave the mourner, you say Hamakom yinachem... May the Place/Gd give you comfort...

I Voted in Municipal Elections

photo by one of the election staff

I went down to the polling station which is in the Ohel Shiloh Banim, local boys school very early to get "training," since I had volunteered to be an "observer." Well, there was no training, so I just voted early. And I highly doubt that I'll return to "observe." There will be enough "observers" without me, Gd willing.

Even though I have written/blogged quite a bit about my choices, I know from long experience that once people are in office, they tend to "surprise" us. Sometimes it's for good, but more frequently for bad.

Between Free Will, that major responsibility that Gd gifted us, and siyate d'Shmaya, when Gd overrules, it's not a good idea to think that we can predict much. The only thing we can really predict is that things won't go exactly as expected, and that officeholders rarely do what they promised when campaigning. 

When confronting choices, like I had in the "booth" behind the screen, sometimes we change our mind. You may have noticed that I only blogged about two of the choices we had to make, two of the issues. I wrote about head of the region, sort of the governor. And I wrote about the local council list. I wrote nothing about who should represent us in the regional "parliament." That's because I couldn't choose. One campaigned that he'd work as part of the coalition no matter who's in it, which turned me off. I'm too much an idealist. I like policies and plans. The other one just wrote all sorts of ordinary platitudes, to make everything "better." That didn't enthuse me at all. I had been thinking of an empty envelope, or two ripped half ballots. I even thought of playing a "switching game" with my eyes closed and the ballots upside down, so I wouldn't know for whom I voted. At the last second I made a choice, but since it wasn't with my full heart, I won't say who got my vote.

Gd willing, I put the best choice of ballot in each envelope.  

I consider it very important to vote, even in the case when you're not impressed by the candidates.

An important thing I want to show and tell you is that our voting station is handicapped accessible! Take a look at the picture below. Thank Gd the location is perfect. It's also near bus stops.

Gd willing, the results will be the best possible. That we will only discover in the months and years to come.

Not Afraid of Change, Vote עמ- Emek Shiloh Local Council

Rafi Fisher עמ- Emek Shiloh leader

Despite the modest plans, way back when, for Shiloh's growth and development, Shiloh and the surrounding area has been miraculously fruitful. Today there are close to one thousand 1,000 Jewish families in Shiloh and various yishuvim (towns) and hilltop from Givat Harel, just west of Highway 60, and going east until the Alon Road. This doesn't include Eli to the north, Maale Levona to the west or Amichai, which at present as a different government status.

Fertile vineyards in the area of  עמ- Emek Shiloh

For the second time, there will be elections for a "local council," which would have the authority to plan joint projects and even eventually make changes in how all of the various communities are governed. This council will consist of nine 9 members, and there are two parties competing.

I'm supporting עמ- Emek Shiloh, because its leadership sees the future of our region as a vibrant growing municipality, in which the existing communities need to join as one governing unit to the betterment of all. We shouldn't be competing, otherwise we will just end up strangling, slowing down or limiting our growth.

The outgoing council was dominated by people who wanted to preserve the status quo, keep the various communities separately governed. And those same people are hoping to continue; they are running on a competing list.

Last night, the עמ- Emek Shiloh candidates met with some of the English-speaking community in Shiloh to explain the situation and their plans.

It's time for change. We need to unite for a better future, Gd willing.

Vote עמ- Emek Shiloh!

Deadly Antisemitism in the USA, Pittsburgh Prayers

11 killed in Pennsylvania synagogue shooting

8 killed in Pennsylvania synagogue shooting

SHOOTING AT PITTSBURGH SYNAGOGUE KILLS EIGHT

At least four reported dead, 12 injured in shooting at Pittsburgh synagogue

Pray for the injured Jews and police.

The United States isn't immune from antisemitism and certainly not from violence. Jews who think they are safe are sadly mistaken.

My husband and I made aliyah as a newlywed couple almost half a century ago. It was the smartest thing we ever did.

Today's numbers show that the largest Jewish community is here in Israel. Between immigration, diaspora assimilation and the fact that Israel has the highest birth rate of any developed country in the world, our Jewish population is growing quickly.

In 1970, when we boarded that large ship to Israel, we entered a country that had a much lower standard of living than the one we had left. And even three years after the legendary, miraculous Six Days War victory, the future of the young country was still uncertain.

I always felt secure here in Israel and had no real worries about the physical security of American Jewry. Things have changed. Now Israel has advanced in every way, and the United States is in trouble.

Israel is the Home for all Jews. Join us.

Very Cultured IDF Army, Only in Israel

As I blogged on A Jewish Grandmother, the other day I spent a few hours in the Israel Museum. It was full of IDF Israel Defense Force soldiers. No, there wasn't a security emergency. Going to the Israel Museum and many other cultural and historic sites is part of "basic training."

Our soldiers come from all walks of Israeli society, plus many come from abroad and voluntarily serve in the army as lone soldiers. It's very common to see groups of soldiers touring around the country. I consider that one of the very special "only in Israel" aspects of living here.

IDF soldiers aren't just a "fighting force," they are an important part of Israeli society, whether Jewish or not. That's right. Many IDF soldiers aren't Jewish. Some aren't because they are descended from Jewish fathers, and neither their mothers nor they have converted, although they are very Israeli. And less well-known is the fact that Israeli Druze, Bedouin and even regular Israeli Arab Muslims serve in the army.

Life in Israel isn't what the international, very Leftist, media likes to portray. The truth is very different. The only apartheid here is in the areas controlled by Arabs and the PA-Palestinian Authority.

The Talmud on Broadway

This morning while walking around the neighborhood alone, meaning without my walking buddies, I was listening to Broadway tunes on Spotify. The King and I is one of the shows on my "Broadway" selection, and as I listened to the words before the song "Getting to Know You," I suddenly realized that the "ancient saying" referred to was Jewish. I was sure that the concept  "If you become a teacher, from your students you'll be taught." was from  Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers. When I got home, I quickly skimmed a translation I have of the book but couldn't find it.



Then I asked my husband to find the source, and he did. It's in the Talmud, Taanit and was said by Rabbi Chanina.

Sefaria

Considering the disproportionately large percentage of Jews who were involved in writing/composing Broadway musicals in the mid-twentieth century, the chances are pretty good that the line was inspired by the words of Rabbi Chanina. Rodgers and Hammerstein fit that ethnic/Jewish bill. Richard Rogers was Jewish as was the father of Oscar Hammerstein.

Can you think of any other Broadway shows or popular tunes or stories that could be inspired by, or related to the Talmud or other Jewish sources?

Celebrating Yom Aliyah Day

Last year I celebrated Yom Aliyah Day by officially performing stand up for the first time, something I could cross of my "bucket list." This year my husband and I attended a Betar-Likud event to which immigrants/olim from all over the world were invited.

photo taken by Yisrael Medad, from Betar blog

It was in a Netanya hotel, and I found us places to sit at a table that had a sign saying "English" on it. Other tables had Spanish and French signs. We ended up sitting with some old friends from American Betar and our shlichut, youth work job in London.

We enjoyed the rendition of Betar songs by the young band that performed. And, of course, it was nice to get together with old friends. Not everyone at our table knew enough Hebrew to understand the speeches, which was a shame. There should have been some multilingual greetings to make them feel truly welcome.

Many of my closest friends here in Israel are olim, immigrants. We come from wide and varied backgrounds. Everyone contributes to the flavor of life in Israel, like the holy Biblical ketoret, which was a combination of a wide variety of "fragrances," some ingredients being very bitter on their own. But mixed in the recipe that Gd instructed, they combined into something exquisite. That is our life here in Israel, Israeli society.

We feel very privileged to be in this wonderful time, when we see the fulfilment of Gd's promises to the Jewish People. I have no doubt that things will get even better. Jews, join us for your own sake, לך לך, Come to the Holy Land to live with us.

All except one, photos by me, Batya Medad

Who Should Replace Avi Roeh as Head of Binyamin Regional Council?

There will be local elections all over Israel next week. That includes the Regional Council of Binyamin (Benjamin,) the local council of Gush Shiloh Bloc and our representative to the Binyamin Forum (parliament.) Yesterday I wrote that I'm supporting עמק שילה- ועד מקומי Emek Shiloh-Vaad Mikomi, vote עמ list for our local council,  and today I'll write about the top position.

Last night I attended a chug bayit, parlour meeting to meet, listen to and ask questions of Shiloh Adler, one of the two candidates hoping to replace Avi Roeh as head of the Binyamin Regional Council.  The meeting was very well attended, which doesn't show up well in the photos because of where I sat. Men and lots of women were there, too. Most were of the younger generation with children in school and still having babies. There were a few around my age. I was the oldest, but not the most veteran in Shiloh.

By process of elimination, I had quickly decided that I'd vote for Shiloh Adler even before hearing anything about him, but I needed to make sure I wasn't making a big mistake. The reason why I didn't want to vote for Yisrael Ganz is simply because I'm disgusted at how things are being done by the Binyamin Regional Council, and Ganz is one of the present hierarchy there.

Our public transportation is awful. Buses are unreliable, schedule problematic, routes, not enough or varied etc. A couple of years ago, the Binyamin Regional Council replaced very good wooden bus stops (shelters) that had windows  and replaced them with badly designed and constructed metal ones that neither protect us from the elements nor allow us to see an approaching bus nor let the driver see that we're waiting inside. And then right before elections, there was extra money, so they decided (like many other municipalities) to give us new sidewalks which almost cancelled our bus service. That's because the so-called planners never bothered to check government regulations for road width. They also destroyed very safe and sturdy safety rails on the staired paths and replaced them with cheap, thin rickety ones, which not only are already falling apart, but they are falling out of their sockets. While working on these "upgrades," as the Mateh Binyamin, the regional council calls them, they broke my main water pipe and damaged the garden wall. And there are other problems. So, for me, it was an easy and obvious choice not to vote for anyone connected to the present administration.

But I'm too much a political pundit and realist to blindly vote for Shiloh Adler. I had to meet him. That's why I went to the meeting last night. A few English-speaker friends had asked me to send a report about the meeting. The following is what I wrote/emailed, typos and all:

There was a nice group at the meeting, mostly young people from the middle and down the hill.
Adler came well prepared, with a staff/crew of impressive people, who also spoke.
What bothers him is that nobody ever says they're from Binyamin. After all these years, and despite the large size and population, it never has made people feel its presence. That bothers him, and he'd like to fix it.
He asked for questions. I had to reduce what I had planned to the minimum, so I mentioned public transportation and the awful roads. I stressed that we can't get to most of the Binyamin yishuvim easily, even Kochav Hashachar which is close as the crow flies. And Places like Talmon are near impossible.
I also complained that the moetza put all the offices in Psagot, which is out of the way and now in Sha'ar Binyamin. I mentioned that I consider Shiloh as having moved to Petach Tikvah and in my combination bus/tremp, I can get to Tzomet Yarkon more quickly than Jerusalem.
Adler seems to understand a lot about the financial potential, business etc.
Later he replied to my question. He has researched (his staff no doubt) the public transportation in other areas and agrees that ours is the worst.
I came up with someone who says that Ganz says many of the same things, but Ganz didn't come with a strong backup team. And although he has been with the moetza for a number of years, he never really succeeded in fixing anything and moving stuff.
I saw at least one person from the Emek Shiloh list. Moshe Batish was there, too, and he's running for the Moetza council seat. 

Before previous moetza (regional council) elections, I had gone to a number of "meet the candidate" events, and I must say that Adler's was the best presentation I've ever experienced. Not only did he take notes as we spoke, he tried to answer some of our questions after all questions had been asked, including mine. Then when he rushed off to his next meeting of the evening, his crew (cabinet) stayed to further answer our questions. I was impressed that one even buttonholed me for more information.

I have no doubt that we need new leadership in Mateh Binyamin. The only one offering that is Shiloh Adler. The icing on the cake is that he seems very competent and has surrounded himself with a good team.

Hiking Through Emek Shiloh Valley עמק שילה

Last Friday at high noon, a multigenerational group from גוש שילה Gush Shiloh Bloc took off together under the guidance of Land of Israel, Eretz Yisrael guide extraordinaire Zeev Ehrlich. 

A treasure trove of little-known history and Biblical geography, Ehrlich told us about the unusual nature of the massive Shiloh Valley and its place in Jewish History.

Apparently today's growth of Jewish communities around Emek Shiloh Valley עמק שילה isn't new. Over the millenia, even a few hundred years ago, there were also Jewish towns surrounding the valley and  taking advantage of the fertile land for agriculture.

Zeev Ehrlich

The tour was sponsored by the עמק שילה- ועד מקומי Emek Shiloh-Vaad Mikomi, vote עמ list for the Local Council. In recent years the גוש שילה Gush Shiloh Bloc has grown enormously in every way. It's situated between just west of Highway 60 and goes all the way eastwards to the Alon Road. There's potential for much more growth, since most of the Land is government owned. That's why the new community of Amichai, designated especially for the former Amona families/residents, is located here. 

I'm supporting this list, because I feel that it has the most vision for growth and unity. In order to maximize our potential the numerous existing communities must give up some independence and work together. This is a process that has played out all over Israel. Many of today's major and successful cities also began as small independent communities. No doubt that the גוש שילה Gush Shiloh Bloc will remain a combination of rural and suburban, but too much money and manpower are now being wasted.

The Biblical stories centered in גוש שילה Gush Shiloh Bloc are well-known, and it was very exciting to learn of Jewish life here during other times, even long after the Destruction of the Second Holy Temple. As you can see from the pictures, there's plenty of empty Land for Jewish Life here in גוש שילה Gush Shiloh Bloc.

The Mishkan and Post-Temple Judaism

Yesterday in Matan during the lecture by Yael Leibowitz, in which she described what we'll be learning this year, she mentioned that after the destruction of the Holy Temples, Chazal, our sages had the task of defining a Judaism which could survive in Exile and without a Temple. It had to be "portable."

After close to forty years living in Shiloh, it's no surprise where my mind went. I saw a chiastic structure framing the period between Joshua's leading the Jewish People into the Land of Israel and the Destruction of the Second Holy Temple which preceded the long two thousand 2,000 year Exile into the Diaspora.

Model of Inner Tabernacle, Ancient Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh

Main Synagogue in Shiloh, designed after the Biblical Tabernacle

The bridge was the Mishkan, Tabernacle, especially when it rested, stood temporarily in Shiloh for close to four hundred years. Prayer, more specifically communal, consisted of sacrifices and took place in and around the Mishkan. The Mishkan was first constructed according to detailed plans communicated by Gd right after the exodus from Egypt.

The Mishkan was made to be portable, and during the forty years the Jewish People were "in transit" between Egypt and the Holy Land, it could be moved. In the Holy Land, it then "rested" in Shiloh. Besides the stone foundation, it was still constructed of wood, fabric and animal skins. That's why it is so difficult to ascertain exactly where it stood in Shiloh. No stone walls remain, no matter how far deeply the archaeologists dig.

When we were a united tribal nation, the Tabernacle was enough to keep us together, build shared experiences, but with time the Jewish People needed more.

In the Holy Land, first the Mishkan was the center for religious pilgrimages. Later, during the Davidic Dynasty, it was replaced by the Beit Hamikdash, Holy Temple in Jerusalem. And then, after the destruction of the Second Temple and the dispersion of the Jewish People, a new version of Judaism had to be developed. No longer did Gd send specific instructions. It was in the hands of knowledgeable people, the Sanhedrin.

The Sanhedrin developed/decided on a Judaism that has kept us a People for two thousand years. And now, thank Gd, we have returned to our Land. As Jews return from all corners of the world, it's time to erase our differences and build the Third Holy Temple in Jerusalem, Gd willing, speedily in our days...

"Indian Summer" Israeli/Jewish Blog Roundup

Once upon a time, there was a weekly Israeli/Jewish Blog Roundup called Havel Havelim... And for a shorter time there were monthly  JPIX and the Kosher Cooking Carnival. This was all during the heyday of independent blogging, when people all over the world took advantage of the internet to establish our own brand of journalism.

Our roundups aka "blog carnivals" floated from blog to blog. We took turns, since in those days hosting would bring new readers and fans. And the custom was also for the bloggers included in the roundup/carnival to mention the blog carnival in their own blogs. We were a community.

Mainstream newspapers and magazines noticed the unpaid talent free for the taking and added "blogs" to their internet versions. So, many people, including bloggers, became voluntary op-ed writers for those commercial publications.

Over the years, independent blogging has become less popular, though many people still blog, and blogs are used as inexpensive internet sites for services and advertising.

As you must know, since you're reading this, I do still blog. Actually I blog on two independent blogs, this one and A Jewish Grandmother, and occasionally on the Arutz 7 site. It's also possible that that the Jewish Press sometimes uses my posts in their blog section.

I blog pretty frequently, though not as obsessively, one on each blog daily, as I used to blog. In those days I'd set up articles to be posted on my blogs on days I wasn't to be home. Most bloggers blog no more than once a week or even less frequently.

After this long introduction, I'm going to list the titles (embedded with links of course) of a number of interesting blog posts. A few will be from my own blogs, but the vast majority are from other blogs. Please visit, comment and share. I hope that you enjoy them, find them thought provoking etc. And of course, I'm not responsible for the opinions of others.

Israeli Movie Day - 17/10 - 10 shekel movies!
EU admits violent riots in Gaza, but remains clueless still
A Torah Dedication that was a Disgrace
Trump Should Trash His "Peace Plan"
Parshas Noach: Do you see the man riding upon the donkey?
New "Space-Saving" Graves in Jerusalem
Antisemitic Sentence Examples in Oxford English Dictionary
Chocolate Lovers Truffle Brownies
Something to make me smile – Ethiopian Women Bus Drivers
Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem #30, Speedily Out of Order at New Train Station
Home-brews for the Ramot Forest: Thursday, October 18
Musings as a Frugal Entrepreneur
"Settler Racism"
Interesting Recent Links - Lech Lecha 5779 - Day 1
Art of Revelation: A Visual Encounter with the Jewish Bible, Stunning!

If you have any other Jewish/Israeli blogs to recommend, please tell me in the comments, thanks.

Trump Should Trash His "Peace Plan"

I know that US President Donald Trump hasn't yet announced what his team has come up with for a "Mid East Peace Plan," but he should just stop the whole thinking/planning process. It's not going to work. It doesn't matter how smart, clever or creative he thinks his son-in-law Jared Kushner is. No "Plan" will bring peace here.

You can't impose a "peace plan" on terrorists and their victims. Terrorism just doesn't stop so easily. The Arab terrorists have been, still are teaching their children that murdering Israelis is good. First that whole ideology must stop. And it will take a long time.

The PA-Palestinian Authority pays a pension to convicted/successful terrorists and their families. Mahmoud Abbas is no peace partner.

Besides the terrorism, there's the growing movement all over the world supporting the Arab terrorists and delegitimizing the State of Israel. It doesn't matter what Israel does, they want us gone.

The more Israel agrees to give, the more the Arabs will demand. That's because their idea of peace, their "final solution" is the destruction, Gd Forbid, of the State of Israel.

I suggest that Trump use his talented team to make peace in the United States. It seems close to a civil war right now. America needs them more than we do.

Peace will evolve Gd willing without deals and plans.

Life in The Fast Lane, Pre-Shabbat Message

I must get off the computer quickly. Shabbat is soon, and I have lots to do.

Life is too short to put things off. Especially now that I'm now officially a senior citizen, retired and all, I try to take advantage of opportunities. When my friend and I suddenly discovered that we could just go on the new Jerusalem high speed train to the airport, not only for free, but immediately, we did it.

Everyday we're offered opportunities. We just must notice and take advantage. It's important to see family and friends as frequently as possible. There's no guarantee that there will be a tomorrow.

Let's enjoy the sunshine and the rain.

Sometimes it is hard to put that smile on your face, but since smiles can be contagious, they're worth the effort.

Blessings for a Joyful and Peaceful and Exciting Shabbat and Life

Women's Upcoming Rosh Chodesh Prayers, Kislev

On Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan, we had very joyful prayers at Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh, as it was just a few days after the wedding of a participant. As her mother is one of our group, the young bride has been dovening with us for years. Afterwards, we were invited to their home for a festive meal.

There's a lovely, dedicated group of women who come to Tel Shiloh every Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the Jewish Month, to pray together. We sing Hallel out loud but otherwise pray silently. Also, whenever possible, we get updates on the latest archeological discoveries at the Tel, which is the location of Biblical Shiloh.

The Bible tells us that Shiloh was the first religious and administrative Capital of the Jewish Nation, for almost four hundred 400 years, even before there was a king. The Tabernacle, Mishkan, was located here. One of the theories about its exact location is that it stood where we now pray.

Shiloh Hakeduma, Ancient Shiloh administers the Tel Shiloh archaeological site.  There are many activities during school vacations, besides the regular picnic area, educational movie, hologram, tours etc. It's open daily, except for Shabbat and Jewish Holidays. Contact them for more information, visit@telshilo.org.il, 02-5789111.

Our next Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers will be on Rosh Chodesh Kislev. Friday, 1st of Kislev, 5779, November 9, 2018, 8:30am. Please join us. 

כולן מוזמנות, תפילת נשים, ראש חודש כסלו, א' כסלו, יום ו' ,9/11/2019  , 8:30, בשילה הקדומה, תל שילה

Security Inspection

As we were entering Jerudalem by bus, the guards were seen to have asked the driver and passenger for identification. With the identification still held by the guard, we could see them pull over. Then we were waved in.

Revisiting Sha'ar Binyamin, My Jewish-Arab Workplace

Yesterday, I shopped in Rami Levy, Sha'ar Binyamin. I hadn't been there for a very long time. For close to six years I had worked in Yafiz in the commercial center. I worked with Arabs. It's definitely a Jewish-Arab Workplace. I sold to Arabs. I got to know some of the Arab staff in Rami Levy.

When I had been asked to join the Yafiz staff, nobody told me that I'd be entering an entirely new world. Nobody told me that there would be fellow staff and lots of Arab customers. I honestly don't know if I would have taken the job if it had been described that way.

At the time I began working in Yafiz, we really needed the money. Not that I got decent pay in Yafiz; it was minimum wage. But even minimum wage is better than no wage at all.

On the whole my experiences with the Arabs, fellow workers, including at Rami Levy, and customers was very pleasant. I gained a certain confidence for sure. When Arab (men, of course, women didn't) tried to bargain with me to get a lower price, I made it very clear, in my firmest teacher's voice, that nobody, ABSOLUTELY NOBODY got discounts. All customers paid the same price. I even learned a few words of Arabic to help me.

Many Arabs used to love to come and talk to me in English. There were those who said that coming to Yafiz reminded them of America.

An elderly Arab woman used to shop for clothing to send to her grandchildren in Egypt. Jordanian businessmen used to tell me that they loved the selection of children's clothes we had. There was even a time when Arab tourists used to come in vans for "shopping tours."

Yesterday I was surprised at the friendly greetings I received from workers and customers there, Jews and Arabs alike.

There are still many Arab workers, but one thing I noticed, even the last two years I worked in Yafiz, that there are fewer Arab customers. Apparently, the PA Police try to punish those who shop in Jewish businesses and confiscate their purchases.

I want to make something very clear. I'm what can be called an extreme Jewish Nationalist, who firmly and unabashedly believes that there is none and never has been a Palestinian People, Arab terrorists should be executed even without a trial if caught in the act and full Israeli Sovereignty must be declared over all the Land held by the State of Israel, even the Land that has been allowed to the PA-Palestinian Authority. But I also believe that one of the ways to develop peace between Jews and Arabs is to carefully give the Arabs a chance. At the same time there should be zero tolerance to any Arab who even hints at pro-terror feelings. 

American Left Causing Its Own Problems

This isn't the United States I knew.

This isn't the United States where I was educated.

This isn't the United States where I was taught the basic principles of democracy. 

Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose.

In recent years something very frightening has happened in the United States. The Left has recovered from McCarthyism, the heat of the Cold War, when they had been under attack, losing jobs, jailed. Now they are fighting basic American values, and many ordinary Americans are scared. They insist that they own morality. They don't accept that there are other opinions.

That's why Donald Trump was elected. Ordinary Americans couldn't trust the politicians, not just the Leftist Democrats. They couldn't relate to the Republican politicians either. So, in the primaries they chose the outsider, the one who said what they were thinking. They chose the man whom the establishment hated. They elected Donald Trump, the most unlikely POTUS ever.

The Left's reaction to Trump's election went against all precedent. The American Left rioted and screamed and schemed and threatened. They haven't been behaving as law-abiding, liberal democratic citizens.

I'm glad that I don't live in the United States of America. Considering what's going on in American universities, things will only get worse.


"Greatest. Video. Ever" isn't my comment. I can't clean it from the video.

Celebrating Again, Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan

We've barely recovered from almost a month of a marathon of Jewish Holidays, including the Bible Marathon here in Shiloh, when it's time to save this coming Tuesday for our Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers here in Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh.

Tuesday, 30th of Tishrei 5779, October 9, 2018, 8:30am, we will have our Women's Prayers.
תפילת נשים, ראש חודש חשון, ל' תשרי, יום ג',9/10/2019, 8:30, בשילה הקדומה, תל שילה.

Please join us and spread the word. This is the location where the Biblical Chana prayed for a son, who was to be dedicated to the Jewish People. If you'd like more information, then email me at shilohmuse@gmail.com with "Rosh Chodesh" as subject.

Shiloh Hakeduma is open to the public six days a week, all but Shabbat and Jewish Holidays. It is an official archeological site with plenty to see and do.  For more information visit@telshilo.org.il or 02-5789111.