Stirring Trouble Here in Israel

Two types of poison are at present stirring trouble here in Israel.

One is our old nemesis, Jimmy Carter, who should have stuck with peanuts instead of the United States Presidency. He and Obama read the same script, both loving the P.A.'s Abbas and hating Israel. Carter was bad enough as president, but the minute he didn't have to please anyone but his true supporters, the faux smile was erased when he dealt with any Israeli who had the gumption to support our precious country.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) shakes hands with former US president Jimmy Carter during their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah. (photo credit:REUTERS)

The former US president urged European countries to take a more constructive role in pushing for a two-state solution.
“The end of occupation and settlement expansion that a two-state outcome implies is, in our view, the best guarantee of Israel’s future security and acceptance by its neighbors,” he said. “To help achieve this goal, we feel it is high time that the countries of Europe take a more proactive role, underpinned by a serious financial commitment to assist in Gaza’s reconstruction.”
The Elders issued a statement saying that “the situation in Gaza is unsustainable and intolerable.”
“A complete paradigm shift is essential,” the statement said.
“The shift demands the lifting of the siege. It also requires an end to Israel’s policy of separating the West Bank and Gaza.” (Jerusalem Post)

If only Carter was correct in his claims that Netanyahu opposes a Palestinian State. Besides that one line, taken out of context just before the recent elections, Bibi has been saying for years that he is in favor of the "two state solution." What he said  before the elections was that there wouldn't be a Palestinian state unless the Arabs agree to certain conditions, such as recognizing Israel's rights as a Jewish state. That proviso is/was ignored by the headline writers and simplistic antisemites like Carter. Unfortunately too many Israelis never read past the headlines and gave the Likud their votes.

Two is (are) the instigators of the very violent demonstrations by Ethiopian Jews here in Israel.

Hundreds of Israeli-Ethiopians clash with police in a protest in Jerusalem against police brutality and alleged racism.

Photo Credit: Flash 90

My gut tells me that the NIF New Israel Fund is behind it. The tension is definitely caused by the NIF which mentors the NGOs that lobby/pressure Israel to allow all of the illegal Africans to stay here as if we're supposed to be refuge (dumping ground) for any foreigner who wants a good safe life. The United States Government jails and deports anyone who tries to get in, though Obama has now loosened the gates for illegals but not for those who are trying to do it all legally and have gotten messed up by the system.

(Reuters) - A demonstration by Israeli Jews of Ethiopian origin against police brutality turned violent on Thursday, with police using water canon to keep angry crowds away from the prime minister's residence.
At least 13 people were injured and two police officers and five protesters were taken to hospital, the Magen David Adom ambulance service said.
Police fired bursts of foul smelling water from a water canon and used stun grenades to disperse the demonstrators, who threw stones and bottles at scores of police officers on hand.

Ohel Shiloh Elementary School

In my neck of the woods, Benjamin-Samaria, the Jewish immigrants olim from Ethiopia are gradually integrating into Israeli society just like any new group as their Hebrew language and education improve. Personally I think things would speed up if they'd officially adopt standard Hebrew names which would make it easier for people to relate to them. My husband and I legally changed our names within a few years of making aliyah, moving to Israel. It doesn't matter what family and old friends call me, but I think that having an easy to pronounce very Israeli name, Batya Medad, is a plus, rather than the difficult for Israelis to pronounce "Beth Winkelman."

The aim of the extreme Left NIF is to stir dissent, incite against the government. They do have some positive groups they mentor, but that's just window-dressing.

In the meantime, we're all waiting to see if Netanyahu can put together a viable, stable coalition, or we're probably off to new elections in a short time.

Shavua Tov

May This Truly be a Good Week for All!

Long Hard Road to Israel, Ethiopian Aliyah

I had first learned that there were Jews in Ethiopia before my own aliyah from New York in 1970.  Somehow there were Ethiopian Jews in New York during the 1960's, and Sybil (Kaufman) Kaplan led their Israeli dance group, Tza'ad Rishon.

Later on, years later, Ethiopian Jews finally began arriving in Israel.  My daughters all spent some of their Sherut Le'umi, National Service time helping them.  My youngest daughter even traveled to the "Compound" in Addis Adaba for two long periods of time.  The second was over Passover and she was accompanied by my middle daughter who considered the mission important enough to miss a couple of weeks of her law studies.  (That's why there are some Ethiopian souvenirs in the house.)

A few months ago, I received a book to review, On Wings of Eagles-The Secret Operation of the Ethiopian Exodus by Micha Feldmann, Publisher: Gefen Publishing House.  It took me a while to find the time to read it.  I finally read it during the Jewish Holidays, and I'm glad I did.

Feldmann has compiled (and no doubt) edited the diaries he kept during the decade he worked for Ethiopian aliyah as his Jewish Agency job and later on as part of the Israeli Embassy staff.  During parts of that time, he was living in Ethiopia, while his family stayed in Israel.  At no time was this an easy job.  Conditions were harsh.  Feldmann had to deal with horrendously difficult logistics within Ethiopia and an uncomprehending Israeli reality, too.

A few years ago I taught a group of Ethiopian high school students who all used their Ethiopian names. Those names were totally unpronounceable and forgettable for me. I tried to convince the group's coordinator that it would be much better for the girls' successful absorption in Israel if they could each choose an Israeli name.  I myself had done that.  My name "Batya" just sort of "came out" when I was introducing myself at my first Betar meeting.  My Jewish name, Baile Rochel, just didn't seem suitably Zionist; I use it for my humorous articles.  And my husband had started writing under the name "Yisrael Medad" for Betar before we had even met, so Medad was the obvious name to legally replace Winkelman, less than three years after our aliyah. 

Considering that we had legally changed our names and are happy we had done so, I didn't think my suggestion to be problematic.  But Feldmann is one of those who is in favor of the Ethiopians keeping their old names.  He explains why in the book, but I will always disagree on it.  I think that names are very important for first impressions.  One can be very creative in terms of Hebrew names, by choosing one that means something linguistically, sound-wise or Biblical character or place.  Choosing from the same "pool of names" is related to various Jewish "eidot," galut-based Jewish cultures intermarrying and melting into one people.  We must all unite as One Jewish People and not keep separate.  By perpetuating the old foreign names, we delay this important step towards Redemption.  I also don't like the Israeli Chabad custom of giving Yiddish names instead of Hebrew ones.

One of the things I do like about Feldmann's book is his honesty, the fact that he describes, admits emotions and feelings, even the negative.  It's obvious that he sincerely loves the Ethiopian Jews and was willing to do everything possible, even at the risk of his own safety to facilitate their aliyah to Israel.

For Feldmann, each of the immigrants and potential immigrants is a person, not just a number or anonymous file.  This is rare in an operation of such magnitude and difficulty.  Feldmann's story predates my daughters' experiences with Ethiopian immigrants, since he was involved with them while they attempted to get to Israel by trekking and being smuggled via the Sudan and various transit stations there and in other countries, since there wasn't any direct route feasible from their outlying villages in Ethiopia to Israel.  The percentage of Ethiopian Jews who died on the way or while waiting in transit camps was extremely, tragically high.  You can feel Feldmann's pain as he writes of it in his diary.

On Wings of Eagles-The Secret Operation of the Ethiopian Exodus by Micha Feldmann is definitely a book worth reading.