Hamas/Gaza War Musings #33- אחרי החגים After the Tishrei Holidays 5785

 

This War Musing is adapted from last night's "gnite" on Facebook. As some of you know, I write a message, rather unplanned every night before I go to bed. The words just come out, and it's as if my tapping fingers have minds of their own. Even when I sit down with a plan... I discover a very different message appearing on the screen. Please feel free to comment and share. 

Gnite

It's now אחרי החגים after the Tishrei Holidays. Most of the Jewish month of Tishrei is full of Jewish Holidays, Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur, Succot and Simchat Torah. Outside of Israel there's an extra day of Simchat Torah which is followed immediately by Shabbat, so those who observe Torah won't reach this milestone until three stars show Saturday night.

Last year's Simchat Torah was a nightmare. A Nazi like pogrom took place in Southern Israel. Reservists were called up on the holiday all over the country. Others just rushed out to help even though they hadn't been called.

Terrible tragedies and cruelty along with legendary heroism simultaneously.

Israeli military failed horrendously in every way. But the Israeli and Jewish People have been totally amazing.

During the previous year, there began attempts to reform our Judicial system, and our Defense Ministry needs reform, too, from the top.

We're still at war. More of our brave wonderful soldiers are dead and wounded. We must defeat the enemy. They must surrender, and we must resettle Gaza. Gd willing...

Please

During Succot there was an important event promoting return to Jewish life in Gaza. Disengagement was a terrible mistake, as were the Oslo Accords. If you've been reading this blog and my statements/comments on Facebook, you know that I'm totally disgusted with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu's pledges, in Congress, the UN General Assembly ad nauseum that we're not returning to live there.

Bibi is the Centrist/Leftist that he unabashedly pledged to be when I heard him speak at the International Jewish Bloggers Conference in 2008. This is ignored and denied even by those who were there with me. I know he said it; his policies prove it. That's why I don't vote for the Likud. I choose my party, election by election according to policies. 

I'm not married to a political party. Too many people vote for a specific party religiously. I don't. I follow my principles, not sentiment. Menachem Begin lost me when he gave all of the Sinai, the best buffer zone imaginable, to Egypt, including destroying all Jewish communities there, in exchange for promises of peace. How could it be peace if Jews are forbidden to live there? Another thing for you to think about... Saadat didn't want Gaza. 

Netanyahu wasn't part of the anti-Disengagement movement, which makes it no real surprise that he keeps saying that Israel isn't returning to live in Gaza, Gush Katif. He hasn't changed. Bibi's a Leftist who recites Right wing slogans. Even during this war, his government has destroyed Jewish homes instead of expanding Jewish communities. As Prime Minister he has destroyed many Jewish communities and neighborhoods. I look at policy, not slogans.

Policing a territory or country doesn't work, if you're not living there. The USA fled Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan... when their policing didn't work. The same happened to Israel in Lebanon, and now Biden has made it clear that he has a policy plan for "after the war." The USA will establish a Palestinian State and police it. By what right? 

I'm an old lady. I've been in Israel since 1970. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, I was a young mother of two in Jerusalem and felt that there was something very suspicious in the actions of the United States. I envisioned them as planning for a draw, victory for neither Israel or Egypt allowing the Americans to enter and rule. It took a few years until the truth came out. The USA was involved in the war before the first bullet was fired, hiding it all from Israel. They have admitted it. Bruce Brill's book Deceit of an Ally was approved by American censors. Brill's memoir proves that my suspicions were on the right track. Yes, I've written about this before.

Shabbat's soon, and I must finish this, even if there's more to say. I'm looking forward to reading your reactions...

Hamas/Gaza War Musings #32- Har Habayit, Temple Mount- What Took Me So Long?

Selfie with me and my husband

On Sunday, during Succot, I ascended Har Habayit-The Temple Mount for the second time. I'm embarrassed to say that it was only the second time. Here's something I wrote about my first, though for some reason the photos don't show. In another post, you can see the photos, though none of me.

A few days ago, I decided that I just had to ascend Har Habayit. One year of war. The world is so against us. The physical spiritual center of Judaism is Har Habayit, Jerusalem. I felt the need to be there. When my husband said he planned on ascending this Sunday, I told him that I'd be accompanying him.

Honestly, although I'm totally in favor of Jews ascending Har HaBayit, I'm not a "regular." Decades ago, my husband had had some "bad" experiences, which caused me some trauma. I did go a few years ago with friends but found the "security" inspection and unpleasant atmosphere for Jews too disturbing. My hang-ups...

On Sunday, it was a different world. I didn't have to go with an empty bag. It's not that those in our "group" took out siddurim* for prayers, but if we had siddurim we didn't have to leave them outside of security.

Jews aren't allowed to wander freely around Har Habayit. We're grouped by the entrance staff and then escorted by a few policemen. Most or possibly all of ours were Jewish. The policeman in charge was definitely religious. Not only was he wearing a kippah, but he had long peyot**. 

One person in our group led some prayers, something that only a few years ago would have been forcibly stopped. The only response was that we were told that our time up on the Holy Temple Mount was timed, and that standing still meant that we wouldn't get the "full tour."

Friends of mine, who ascend frequently, have been saying how much more pleasant and spiritual it now is. I now agree and hope to ascend more frequently. There is no place in the world holier for Jews. The First and Second Holy Temples were up there. We pray fervently that the Third Temple will be built במהירה בימינו speedily in our time...

*prayer book
**uncut hair on the part of the his face where Elvis grew his sideburns

Hamas/Gaza War Musings #31-Which Jews Would You Put in The Top 50?

I was disgusted when I saw the Jerusalem Post's #1! 

In response I wrote a letter to the editor. After waiting a week and not seeing it published, I decided to blog it and welcome your responses. 

Horrified

When I saw the photo of Doug Emhoff on the cover of the Rosh Hashanah magazine of the Jerusalem Post, I felt sick. It took me two days to even open the magazine. Emhoff? Really? What were the editors of the Jerusalem Post thinking of? The guy married an ambitious biracial/biethnic non-Jewish woman who's running for President of the USA. 

 

How does that make him more special, more important than our IDF soldiers risking their lives, health to defend the State of Israel?

 

How does that make him more special than the survivors of the horrendously cruel attacks by our perverse enemies on October 7, 2023? 

 

How does that make him more special than the Israelis whose homes and communities were destroyed by the Gazan Hamas and their allies?

 

How does that make him more special than the brave Israelis still marrying and having children during this horrendous war?

Need I go on? 

Busha! You should be embarrassed!!

I couldn't read that magazine. After two days I turned the page and quickly slammed it shut. I've worked in advertising, and the first rule is that your cover should make people want to read the magazine/book whatever.

 

Jerusalem Post, you've failed. How could you promote Doug Emhoff and his wife against Donald Trump who had been the most pro Israel USA President ever? You're playing politics promoting the most unabashed anti-Israel candidate ever!

Batya Medad, Shiloh

Hamas/Gaza War Musings #30, Post Rosh Hashanah, Disturbing...

Here is another of Facebook my pre bedtime musings...

Before I sat down to write this one, I had totally different thoughts concerning what I'd write. But surprisingly different words began to appear on my screen. 

Please read it, and tell me what you think, thanks.

Gnite

Three days offline, no news, no travel, too much food...

Two days of Rosh Hashannah, shofar blasts, prayers...

Then a day of Shabbat...

Time and meals with friends, learning...

Almost half a week, we could almost pretend it was a regular year...

But we were on alert... could there be another massive attack?

What's going on in the rest of the country?

How are our children? Soldiers?

Will we be inundated with bad, tragic news once Shabbat ends?

When will we win this war? Destroy the enemies? See them surrender?

I feel more worried by the minute...

It's preposterous and dangerous to negotiate with someone who wants to destroy you

Get real!

On the Jewish calendar it's a new year. 5785 תשפ"ה

We must pray and fight and work hard to change things for the better. The world wants us destroyed. They are only concerned about the safety and health of Hamas, Hizbolla, Gaza and Lebanon. Do you hear condemnations of those who murdered, raped, captured innocent Israelis? We have no reliable allies. We must stop asking the USA, UN and others for help.

It's time to unify, pray to Gd and fight to win.

Shavua Tov

Gmar Chatimah Tovah