Good News! Ruthie Blum Back in Jerusalem Post

Now that Caroline Glick, has decided to throw her hat into the political ring, the Jerusalem Post knew that they were losing a bit draw, so now Ruthie Blum is being featured on the back page of Friday's paper. If I'm not mistaken she will have an opinion piece there every two weeks.

I'm very happy about this. Of course I'd like it if we could read both Glick and Blum, but...

RIGHT FROM WRONG: THE LOST-CAUSE CAMPAIGN TO CHALLENGE PM

For complete article click here.

And he's more of Ruthie Blum. Listen, she's great!

Benny Gantz's New Political Party Empty of Ideology

No surprise for you readers of my blog. I don't see Benny Gantz's new political party, Israel Resilience, as worth voting for. He's playing a familiar game of being the newest "tofu" or "chameleon" party with a few vague terms, which hint at no real ideology, other than getting elected.  these "center," or "trust me" parties are extremely common in Israel. Almost every Knesset election has one.

They are very popular with the voters, who for some strange reason, haven't yet caught on to the con. The leaders of these parties remind me of the imaginary politician I had envisioned when I wrote my highest graded composition for a university English class. The assignment was to write a parody of a campaign speech, and the line I remember best is:

"I want what you want."

I can imagine Benny Gantz saying it at campaign rallies and parlour meetings. It follows the principle that as long as you don't say anything negative, many people will like you. The polls give Gantz's parve* party a lot of votes, more than ten percent of the Israeli public.

Israelis like to give people a chance, since most have serious complaints about those they know. I've noticed this rather consistently even in our local Shiloh elections. A first time candidate usually gets a high percentage of the vote. The only time it doesn't happen is if there are a few first time candidates. Then the voters have a difficult choice deciding whom to vote for.

The only way to get an accurate idea of what Gantz or a similar party leader/figurehead stands for is to take a good look at the people on his/her list. What are their ideologies, experience etc? By examining them, you find out two things:

1. what is important to the main #1 candidate
2. who is backing him/her; politics is expensive; follow the money

The Israeli political system isn't like most others. Here we vote for party lists of Knesset candidates. Honestly, I think it works well in a country as tiny as Israel. The Prime Minister is the Knesset Member who can succeed in gathering a coalition of at least sixty-one 61 of the one hundred and twenty 120 Members of Knesset.

Yes, that's me voting a few years ago, at the 20th Knesset Elections.
Photo by Linda Fairman

*parve, according to the laws of kashrut, is a food that can be eaten with either milk or meat.

Sovereignty Now!

Here in Israel we've been living in a dangerous absurdity for over fifty 50 years.

In June, 1967, against all odds and predictions, not only did the State of Israel survive the war which began with vicious threats of annihilation from Egypt's Gamal Nasser, who had galvanized the Arab world and easily got the United Nations to withdraw its Peacekeeping Forces, but when the dust settled after battles on three fronts, lasting less than a week, Israel was victorious.

In all honesty, to say that "Israel was victorious" is an understatement. Not only did the State of Israel defeat the three neighboring countries which had attacked, Egypt, Syria and Jordan, but the IDF Israel Defense Forces liberated land on all three fronts.

On the Egyptian front, the unpopulated Sinai desert and Gaza fell into Israeli hands, as the Egyptian soldiers rapidly fled back to Egypt. On the northern front with Syria, Israel succeeded in pushing the Syrians out of the Golan Heights, which has drastically improved the security of northern Israel, most notably the agricultural communities which had suffered greatly from Syrian attacks over the years. And most significant was that Jordan lost what they had referred to as the "west bank," land they had illegally occupied and didn't develop since the 1949 ceasefire. In the UN Partition Plan, that area was supposed to be an additional invented* Arab state.

Davka, the land liberated from Jordan is the Biblical Land of Israel, where most of Ancient Jewish History had taken place. Besides Beersheva, which Israel has held and developed since the establishment of the State of of Israel, the other main Biblical cities, Shechem, Hebron, Shiloh and Walled Jerusalem were all liberated from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in June, 1967.

For some inexplicable, fokokt reason, instead of annexing and declaring full sovereignty over all of that miraculously liberated Land, like any normal country would do, Israeli leaders decided to hold it to use as "payment" for "peace" with our enemies. On the whole, our enemies haven't taken the bribe.

Egypt, under Nasser's successor Sadaat, did accept the Sinai sans Gaza in exchange for what could be called a "cold peace." The price for Israel was extremely high, since it involved the destruction of Jewish communities and the forced exile of their Jewish residents.

The Golan, where there are many Jewish communities, can't be given away without endangering northern Israel. And considering the instability and violence in Syria, the truth is that not even the Arabs in the area really want change.

For some totally mystifying reason, Israeli politicians have been claiming that it's possible to allow a "State of Palestine," sic to established in some of Judea Samaria without causing danger to the State of Israel and the Jewish communities which would be "permitted" to remain. This questionable policy, which is now supported by people all over the world, has caused a dangerous instability and uncertainty among the local Arabs. It has davka pushed them into allying with Arab terrorists. That's because  it's clear to them that if Israel, Gd forbid, leaves, the terrorists will rule.

Sorry Charlie, as the saying goes, but without a strong Israeli presence, not only will Arab terror rage and rule, but the State of Israel would be in serious danger. And obviously, Israel can't buy peace for Land.

The only way we can start on the road to peace is by imposing Israeli Sovereignty on all of the Land Israel controls, including what had been given to the PA-Palestinian Authority.

Sovereignty Now!

Shiloh, Israel

This is my new facebook cover photo, which I produced for 52Frames "Hello From..." challenge. Following is what I wrote:

"Shiloh, Israel"
One of the downsides of being a longtime member of 52Frames is finding a new angle to this challenge. That's why instead of using a picture I took of our iconic Tabernacle Synagogue, based on the Biblical Tabernacle which stood here in Shiloh for almost four hundred years, or the area of the Biblical Shiloh, I looked for a different view. I shot east from the archeological site, but I wasn't fully satisfied with the photo. Then today I was in Jerusalem and photographed an Israeli flag, flying outside a store. Yes, I used the double exposure tool in snapseed to combine a picture of western Shiloh with an Israeli flag. It may be kitschy, but I like it. Sometimes patriotism is kitschy at times, but it's not a crime. Modern Shiloh is celebrating forty-one years this week, perfect timing.

*To this day, there has never been a history of unity, peoplehood among those Arabs living west of the Jordan river. To be perfectly honest, until Great Britain brought the Hashemites in to occupy and rule Transjordan, east of the Jordan River, there had never been an independent country, society, culture, people etc there either.

Potential Security Deterioration in Mateh Binyamin

For years when there had been reports of terror attacks, drive bys, rammings, shootings, stabbings at various roadside bus stops in Gush Etzion and the Shomron (Samaria), I'd be able to say that in Mateh Binyamin our security experts have tried to protect us by not approving roadside bus stops. This has now changed.

There have always been trempiadas, hitchhiking posts on the main roads, but official bus stops had been restricted to either inside of communities passing guard posts, like in Ofra, Kochav Hashachar and Sha'ar Binyamin or inside junctions, where there are soldiers stationed, like near the gas station on the way to Psagot/Tel Zion. And until two days ago, January 20, 2019, Givat Asaf, the T junction to Beit El and Ramalla.

When the road "planners" of Mateh Binyamin "upgraded" that junction, which has been plagued by traffic jams and terror attacks, they somehow forgot that not only are there buses that go to and from Beit El, but all of the buses on Highway 60 in both directions turn in so that passengers can board and unboard. More frequently than you'd like to imagine, the buses got stuck, because various vehicles blocked their way. In addition, there was no coordination between where the buses turned and the exiting bus stop. The whole setup had become a major nightmare, but at least if I caught a ride going into Beit El, I could wait relatively safely on the inner road for a bus going towards Jerusalem.

For me, ramming terror attacks are something I've experienced, so I fear them more than other terror genres. I was lightly injured in the very first ramming terror attack over twenty years ago. 

I was horrified to discover that from now on the official bus stops are on the main road. There is now a traffic light, including a pedestrian one, but that decreases security. I've passed by a few times already, and travelers are on their own there. Security personnel stand in relative safety inside structures on the inner road leading to Beit El and Ramalla.

Here are some photos I took yesterday going north on my way home to Shiloh:

the new Givat Asaf Junction, showing its traffic lights

bus stop going south towards Jerusalem
buses stopped to pick up and let off passengers will stop traffic

going north to Ofra, Shiloh and Ariel

going north to Ofra, Shiloh and Ariel

Embarrassed to Admit I Even I Mixed Up Bible Text and Commentary, Torah Portion, Beshalach

A couple of days ago, I had a blog post in my head based on Parshat Shavua, the Weekly Torah Portion. When I began writing it I discovered that the specific event I was comparing to Israel's legendary and totally effective bombing of the enemy airfields, isn't written in the Torah. The story of Nachson's step in the Reed Sea is from a Midrash. I felt like a total idiot. I've always made a point of basing my understanding on what's written in the Tanach/Bible, not on commentary.

I wrote the following on facebook:

I'm devastated to discover that the story of Nachshon stepping into the sea, which caused it to split is just midrash. I was looking for the Bible verse and it doesn't exist.

Many friends admitted to the same mistake. Scrap that blog post.

Then I read the whole Torah Portion, Beshalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16), in shul. Among what's really written towards the end a couple of verses, which I've chosen as crucial lessons for us Sh'mot, Exodus 17:11-12.

Sefaria

וְהָיָ֗ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרִ֥ים מֹשֶׁ֛ה יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנִ֛יחַ יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֥ר עֲמָלֵֽק׃

Then, whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; but whenever he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12

וִידֵ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ כְּבֵדִ֔ים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו מִזֶּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וּמִזֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י יָדָ֛יו אֱמוּנָ֖ה עַד־בֹּ֥א הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

But Moses’ hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus his hands remained steady until the sun set.

I have no doubt that nothing has changed for the Jewish People, from three thousand plus 3,000+ years ago, until today. When we, the Jewish People and State of Israel use our strength, united against our enemies we will prevail, but if we show weakness we will lose.

Our security and survival isn't dependant on others, only on how we behave.

The State of Israel does not need the approval and support of foreign leaders and countries. Our greatest victories occurred without any outside help. When we have depended on others for security advice, like the 1973 Yom Kippur War, we were almost defeated.

King David explains it very simply when he prepared for his fight with Goliath. At the time, David was an unknown shepherd who had been sent to bring supplies to his older brothers. When he heard the taunts of the giant Goliath, he rushed to the fore and discovered King Saul and soldiers paralyzed with fear. ISamuel 17:10-11

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔י אֲנִ֗י חֵרַ֛פְתִּי אֶת־מַעַרְכ֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה תְּנוּ־לִ֣י אִ֔ישׁ וְנִֽלָּחֲמָ֖ה יָֽחַד׃

And the Philistine ended, “I herewith defy the ranks of Israel. Get me a man and let’s fight it out!”

11

וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע שָׁאוּל֙ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֵּחַ֥תּוּ וַיִּֽרְא֖וּ מְאֹֽד׃ (פ)

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and terror-stricken.

12

וְדָוִד֩ בֶּן־אִ֨ישׁ אֶפְרָתִ֜י הַזֶּ֗ה מִבֵּ֥ית לֶ֙חֶם֙ יְהוּדָ֔ה וּשְׁמ֣

David volunteered to fight the giant and then rejected the offer of Saul's weapons and protective gear. He became our king, and even the Messiah is descended from him, because he always recognized that it's Gd's power that controls our victories and defeats, not conventional armies and weapons.

גַּ֧ם אֶֽת־הָאֲרִ֛י גַּם־הַדּ֖וֹב הִכָּ֣ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְֽ֠הָיָה הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֨י הֶעָרֵ֤ל הַזֶּה֙ כְּאַחַ֣ד מֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֣י חֵרֵ֔ף מַעַרְכֹ֖ת אֱלֹהִ֥ים חַיִּֽים׃ (ס)

Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and that uncircumcised Philistine shall end up like one of them, for he has defied the ranks of the living God.

37

וַיֹּאמֶר֮ דָּוִד֒ יְהוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִצִּלַ֜נִי מִיַּ֤ד הָֽאֲרִי֙ וּמִיַּ֣ד הַדֹּ֔ב ה֣וּא יַצִּילֵ֔נִי מִיַּ֥ד הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י הַזֶּ֑ה (ס) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֤וּל אֶל־דָּוִד֙ לֵ֔ךְ וַֽיהוָ֖ה יִהְיֶ֥ה עִמָּֽךְ׃

The LORD,” David went on, “who saved me from lion and bear will also save me from that Philistine.” “Then go,” Saul said to David, “and may the LORD be with you!”

The State of Israel will only be safe, secure and truly sovereign when our political leaders are willing to accept what King David instinctively knew. Gd is our "secret weapon," and as long as we stay loyal to Gd, we will be victorious and thrive.

Looks Like The End of The NRP National Religious Party מפדל

Way back when, even before the Establishment of the State of Israel, people chose their political party according to the Zionist Youth Movement they were active in. Betar voted Herut, Bnei Akiva voted NRP National Religious Party מפדל etc. A relatively high percentage of Israeli youth were in a youth movement, whether it promoted Leftist kibbutzim, religious moderation or שתי גדות לירדן Shtay Gadot Layarden, Two (Both) Banks of the Jordan.

In the days before internet, television and even a phone in every home, Israeli kids kept busy with their youth movement friends. One's youth movement ideology was one's politics, sick fund, school, address, bank and pretty much everything. Things have changed in Israel, and the political polls show it.

The last surviving and relatively strong ideological youth movement is Bnei Akiva, which has always been connected to the NRP aka Jewish Home Party. In recent decades, the strong ideologues graduating from Bnei Akiva haven't supported the NRP, finding it too weak and compromising on ideology and idealism. Those controlling the coffers and properties of the NRP found themselves in the embarrassing and risky position of having to recruit ambitious politicians from the outside. That's how Naftali Bennett and the more secular Ayelet Shaked ended up running it.

Bennett and Shaked did their staj, internship as party heads and then must have done a secret poll that showed that the NRP voters would vote for them without the label NRP, so they left it and have established the New Right, a name which I consider absolutely awful.

Ever since Bennett and Shaked announced their new political party, polls are showing that the NRP won't pass the minimum votes to get into the Knesset. Read the latest from Jeremy's Knesset Insider.

Israeli society has changed enormously in the half century we're in the country. It's very rare for a country and society to change so quickly.

The Lion's Roar, 3rd of Tzvi Fishman's Tevye Series

I finished reading The Lion's Roar by Tzvi Fishman, and now I have to wait almost a year to read the next installment, Anonymous Soldiers. #1 Tevye in The Promised Land was reviewed here, as was #2 Arise and Shine.

Before I go any further, I'll get straight to the point. Buy the series for yourself, friends and family. The books suit all ages, and if you're careful about what your kids read, no problems. There's nothing to censor.

Fishman's series is also a fantastic way to learn and teach Jewish and Israeli History. The Tevye series can also be used to teach Jewish History in Jewish Schools or English in Israeli ones.

The Tevye series should be turned into movies or television shows. The plots are actual history, though characters are a combination of real historical figures with fictional ones. And as I've said before, consider Tevye of the Forrest Gump genre. The big difference is that Tevye is highly intelligent and ideologically motivated, unlike the also fictional Gump, who finds himself in real historic events by chance.

The Lion's Roar gives us an excellent view of the controversy and then break in the Zionist Revisionist movement that Zeev Jabotinsky had established. In addition, we read of the tension, competition and inside story between all of the Zionist groups, from Left to Right.

For those who are familiar with the history of the time, when Jews in the Promised Land had to decide between supporting Britain against Germany or attacking British police, because they supported Arab rights over Jewish ones, Fishman's characters and plot are well-written. It's also an enjoyable challenge for us to pick out which of his fictional characters are based on real people.

I'm anxiously awaiting further installments about Tevye and his family in the Promised Land.

Product details

• Series: Tevye in the Promised Land Series
• Paperback: 526 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 14, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1726116107
• ISBN-13: 978-1726116107
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.2 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds

Alternative News Sources, Blog Roundup, January, 2019, Shevat, 5779

Enjoy, these tasty morsels of journalism

A blog roundup is like an internet magazine. I'm offering a variety of topics from various blogs. I hope you enjoy them; read, share and comment. I'm not responsible for opinions/statements on blogs which aren't mine, and posts written by others. Enjoy, and if you have any blogs you'd like to recommend, please list their names and links in the comments, thanks.

I just offer the titles of the posts and not the names of the blogs. And they're in no special order. Enjoy!

Moshe (Misha) Arens 1925-2019
The Israeli "Queen of Beer"
3 Suggestions to Enjoy Jerusalem in Stormy Weather
American Football in Israel, Lions in The Lead
Two Pro-Israel Arab Politicians The Mainstream Media Aren’t Talking About
Ben-Gurion, Zionism, and democracy
Jews are Thinking of Leaving Scotland. Good!
Why Do they Refuse?
Rosh Chodesh Shevat, Wet, Cold and Sunny, Onward to Adar
Last 2 Radio 103 FM Polls
"Arise and Shine," More Adventures with Tevye by Tzvi Fishman
The Brigade
Blessed Rain Water at Jewish Legion Memorial, Shiloh Junction
Thanks for the rain
All Shuk Up: Mujadra Basmati Rice Recipe, Vegetarian Jerusalem Mixed Grill, and More!
Wikipedia, We Have a Problem
Tech in the Shomer Shabbat Home
Books Read in 2018 #MyYearInBooks
100 + Books from 2018
CAN WE SAY GOODBYE ?

Which is your favorite post, and why?
Favorite blog, and why?

Blessed Rain Water at Jewish Legion Memorial, Shiloh Junction

Yesterday one of my walking partners called and suggested that we take a walk to see streams of water at the Shiloh Junction. Her timing was great, and I was able to take a break from my Shabbat cooking to join her.

Since our time and walking prowess are rather limited, we took her car to the Shiloh Junction and walked across the road to the Shiloh Valley park and hiking trail. It has also been dedicated as the Jewish Legion in Binyamin Memorial.

During World War One, the first Jewish fighting force was established, the Jewish Legion, and one of the areas it got to was Shiloh. So, last summer a memorial was set up at the Shiloh Junction.

Today, the area just west of Shiloh is a Jewish agricultural area with olive groves and vineyards. Since it's part of the Emek Shiloh, Shiloh Valley, it's extremely fertile. When we came to live in Shiloh in 1981, the entire area was barren. But in the past twenty years, this area has been one of the most profitable agricultural sites around. Prize-winning Meshek Achiya Olive Oil grows olives here, and a number of prize-winning wine companies get their grapes from here, too.

Experts can taste the difference between rain-watered produce and artificial irrigation, so the accumulation of rainwater here is very important, Baruch Hashem, thank Gd.

My Really Dumb Question About That "Wall"

I may have gotten this all mixed up, but I have a question to those who don't want the American Government to construct a wall to keep out illegal immigrants.

Maybe I'm just stupidly simplistic, but if I understand those against the "wall" correctly, they think that anyone who wants to move/migrate to the United States should be able to, whenever they want, without being forced to go through the legal, bureaucratic procedures. If I understand correctly, those against the "wall" consider what they call "migrating" as a human right.

So if "migrating" shouldn't be a difficult hassle, then why should there be border control anyplace? Why should tourists, who just come to spend money, enrich the American economy have to worry about visas, passports and entrance laws? And what if some of those tourists decide to stay in America, shouldn't they be welcomed with open arms and allowed to live in the USA without fear of being deported? What makes the hispanics coming from the south of the border be more desirable as "new Americans," than those who fly in, or enter any other way?

Just curious. Did I misunderstand something? Or am I just stupid?

New York City

Bibi's "Big Announcement" Total Dud

Last night before 8pm Israel Time, I hurriedly tried to find a link to listen to Prime Minister Bibi Binyamin Netanyahu's "important announcement." About a week ago, there had been a similar situation from Naftali Bennett, and that's when he and Ayelet Shaked told us all that they were leaving NRP-Jewish Home and officially starting their own political party.

So, unlike those on facebook who were making jokes out of Bibi's possible "news," I thought maybe he was going to announce that a dynamic, charismatic vote-getter would be joining Likud.  I was wrong. A very tired and uninspired looking Binyamin Netanyahu just kvetched that the "judges were against him." He wanted the opportunity to confront his accusers. To be honest, knowing my criminal law more from American television, than anywhere else, I agree with him. But I don't see this as suitable material for a big public announcement.

What do you think?

Belgium Joins The Antisemitic Hypocrites

Over ten years ago, I wrote a post here about the blatant hypocrisy of countries that ban shechita, the Jewish method of slaughtering animals. Yes, the same countries generally ban Islam's hallal slaughter, too. These countries claim that our ritual method of using a super sharp knife to cut a very specific part of the neck by highly trained slaughterers is immoral and cruelty to animals.

You don't have to be one of those traumatized as a child by the iconic Disney cartoon/movie Bambi, find that reason peculiar to say the least. Bambi's mother was killed by a hunter. Hunting is the killing and wounding of animals, frequently leaving them in horrendous pain, not the instant death of properly done shechita.  The research I did twelve years ago showed that  every single country that bans shechita permits hunting.



So, just to make sure I'm not mistaken, it was very easy to check if Belgium permits hunting, the epitome of cruelty to animals. Yes, of course hunting is legal in Belgium. Click the following links:

http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/hunting/HuntingRegulations_Belgium.pdf
https://en.browning-blog.eu/the-belgian-hunting-permit-what-you-should-know/

That proves it. The new law forbidding shechita in Belgium has nothing to do with morality and animal protection. It's just to make life more difficult for Jews.

"Arise and Shine," More Adventures with Tevye by Tzvi Fishman

I'm truly enjoying the adventurous Tevye in the Promised Land series by Tzvi Fishman. I've coined them the Forrest Gump genre of literature, a subgroup in historical novels. Now for the second in the series, which tells what happens to Tevye the Milkman and his growing family, once they're well settled in the Promised Land, Arise and Shine.

Life isn't simple and calm for Tevye and his clan. Like the fictional Forrest Gump, Tevye and his family not only participated in the most important and game-changing events in post World War One Mandate/Palestine, but they knew and interacted with all of the main historic figures. For me, personally, it's a sign of Fishman's writing skill that he created very realistic younger versions of some people I actually knew. The young and idealistic Moshe Segal in Fishman's books could very well be what our elderly neighbor in Jerusalem's Old City had been like a half a century before we knew him.

You can see in the cover of Arise and Shine, the fictional Tevye is flanked Zeev Jabotinsky, David Ben-Gurion, Yair Avraham Stern and Yosef Trumpeldor. That simple illustration summarizes this entire series by Tzvi Fishman. Tevye was much more than a simple milkman.

Even more than that, Fishman doesn't sweeten the story, making Tevye and his family immune from the violence and dangers of the time. In Volume #1 Tevye in the Promised Land, illness and Arab terrorists were the killers of Tevye's daughters and friends. But in Arise and Shine, Arab terror becomes the biggest danger. And to make matters worse, the British, who are supposed to be keeping the peace and facilitating the establishment of a Jewish State favor the Arabs and restrict Jews, even from self-defense.

Tevye and his family gave up on their rural, agricultural life and are living in Jerusalem, where Tevye the milkman has a milk route. Chief Rabbi Kook is the rabbi Tevye looks up to, as he has since his earliest days in the Promised Land. In the struggle for a Jewish State, most of Tevye's family find themselves firmly in the Revisionist camp. David Raziel, Uri Tzvi Greenberg, Moshe Segal and Avraham Stern are among those who visit Tevye's home.

The mix of true history and fiction Tvi Fishman cooked up in this series is a perfect blend. For those readers who aren't familiar with the history and historic characters, I highly recommend reading the books slowly and supplementing with a bit of quick research if necessary.

Again, I must say that the book could be made into a riveting television series. It's also a great book to read to children, instead of letting them watch the "screen." The book is a lot "cleaner" than what you'll find on television or in the movies.

I highly recommend Tzvi Fishman's Arise and Shine as a book for all ages. I'm now almost half way through the third volume, and I understand that there's a fourth in production, which Gd willing will be published in under a year.

Series: Tevye in the Promised Land Paperback: 458 pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (October 15, 2018) Language: English ISBN-10: 1724652672 ISBN-13: 978-1724652676

Israel Elections 2019, 5779 Latest Polls

Two interesting polls are out on Jeremy's Knesset Insider, both hot off the press, meaning that they include both the New Right of Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked and Labor running on its own, sans Tzipi Livni.

The shocker for many is that Bennett and Shaked are correct in their guess that they had brought most votes to the veteran NRP (National Religious Party,) now called Jewish Home. The polls show that without them, Jewish Home may not even get into the Knesset. The NRP is doing worse than Livni, which even has me shocked.  And I'm pretty sure that the polls were done before Caroline Glick publicly joined the New Right. She should bring votes from Likud and NRP.

I'm just going to copy/paste from Jeremy's Knesset Insider and let you take a good look. What do you think? Of, course, we still have a while to go before the actual elections, but so far it looks interesting. Honestly, I love this stuff.

PS Please remember that these are just polls; they aren't election results.

Kan Channel Poll: Likud 28, Israel Resilience 14, Yesh Atid 13, Joint List 12, HaYamin HeHadash 9

TNS conducted a poll of 543 people for the Kan Channel that was broadcast on Jan 2 2018.

Current Knesset seats in [brackets]

28 [30] Likud
14 [-–] Israel Resilience (Gantz)
13 [11] Yesh Atid
12 [13] The Joint (Arab) List
09 [03] Hayamin Hehadash (Bennett & Shaked)
07 [18] Labor
07 [10] Kulanu
07 [06] Yahadut Hatorah/UTJ
06 [07] Shas
06 [05] Meretz
06 [01] Gesher (Orly Levy)
05 [05] Yisrael Beitenu
00 [06] Livni Party (close to the threshold)
00 [05] Bayit Yehudi (far from the threshold)
00 [–-] Telem (Yaalon), Zehut (Feiglin), Yachad (Eli Yishai), Eretz Chadasha (Eldad Yaniv), Green Leaf, Ofek Chadash (as other) under 3.25% threshold

62 [66] Current Right-Religious Coalition+Y.B.
58 [54] Current Center-Left-Arab Opposition+Gantz-Y.B.

Additional Questions:

Who is more suited for Prime Minister?

40% Netanyahu, 30% Gantz, 30% Don’t know

Who is more suited for Prime Minister?

40% Netanyahu, 36% Don’t know, 24% Lapid

******

Channel 13 Poll: Likud 31, Israel Resilience 12, Joint List 12, Yesh Atid 10, Labor 8

Midgam conducted a poll for Channel 13 that was broadcast on Jan 2 2018.

Current Knesset seats in [brackets]

31 [30] Likud
12 [13] The Joint (Arab) List
12 [-–] Israel Resilience (Gantz)
10 [11] Yesh Atid
08 [18] Labor
07 [06] Yahadut Hatorah/UTJ
06 [03] Hayamin Hehadash (Bennett & Shaked)
05 [10] Kulanu
05 [07] Shas
05 [06] Livni Party
05 [05] Meretz
05 [05] Yisrael Beitenu
05 [01] Gesher (Orly Levy)
04 [05] Bayit Yehudi
00 [–] (1.8% of vote) Yachad (Eli Yishai)
00 [–-] (1.3% of vote) Telem (Yaalon)
00 [–] (1% of vote) Eretz Chadasha (Eldad Yaniv)
00 [–] (0.4% of vote) Zehut (Feiglin)
00 [–] Green Leaf and Ofek Chadash (as other) under 3.25% threshold

63 [66] Current Right-Religious Coalition+Y.B.
57 [54] Current Center-Left-Arab Opposition+Gantz-Y.B.

Scenario Poll: Gantz + Livni

Current Knesset seats in [brackets]

31 [30] Likud
15 [06] Israel Resilience (Gantz) + Livni
12 [13] The Joint (Arab) List
11 [11] Yesh Atid
08 [18] Labor
07 [06] Yahadut Hatorah/UTJ
06 [03] Hayamin Hehadash (Bennett & Shaked)
05 [10] Kulanu
05 [07] Shas
05 [05] Meretz
05 [05] Yisrael Beitenu
05 [01] Gesher (Orly Levy)
04 [05] Bayit Yehudi
00 [–] (1.8% of vote) Yachad (Eli Yishai)
00 [–-] (1.3% of vote) Telem (Yaalon)
00 [–] (1% of vote) Eretz Chadasha (Eldad Yaniv)
00 [–] (0.4% of vote) Zehut (Feiglin)
00 [–] Green Leaf and Ofek Chadash (as other) under 3.25% threshold

63 [66] Current Right-Religious Coalition+Y.B.
56 [54] Current Center-Left-Arab Opposition+Gantz-Y.B.

*Note: Scenario poll total is 119 seats, not 120.

Additional Questions:

Who is more suited for Prime Minister?

37% Don’t know, 35% Netanyahu, 28% Gantz

Who is more suited for Prime Minister?

55% Don’t know, 38% Netanyahu, 17% Lapid

The Knesset can be seen in the background. Remember that Israeli Elections are for Knesset seats, not for Prime Minister.

Political Surprise from Israeli Left, Politics Never Dull

Pundits weren't really shocked when Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked announced that they were divorcing the NRP Jewish Home to start an independent New Right party.

But Labour's Avi Gabay's sayonara to Tzippi Livni's did take people by surprise, and that includes Tzippi herself. Yes, the Zionist Union is no longer "united." Apparently, it was a marriage made in hell, at least for him.

Livni has bounced through Israel's political spectrum probably more than any other politician. She also may be the only one as "party head" who although getting the most Knesset seats, couldn't or wasn't given the nod to form a ruling coalition. Maybe she should just take the hint and retire.

When elections are scheduled, it's never dull here in Israel.