Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid Switch Hats

I AM JUST STATING FACTS

Unlike when Bibi Netanyahu had promised Benny Gantz to "switch hats" and hand over the office of Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett kept his promise to Yair Lapid and followed the coalition agreement they had made just over a year ago. Within a few hours Yair Lapid will be Prime Minister of the State of Israel, and Naftali Bennett will be at his side helping him get acquainted with his new position, again unlike Bibi's abominable behavior a year ago.

Outgoing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett

Last night Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke to the nation on television and internet, since live TV can be accessed there, too. He announced that he's taking a leave of absence from politics and does not plan to run in the next Knesset elections on November 1, after summer vacation and Jewish Holidays. I have no idea what his plans are, but I'm sure that his family will enjoy the relative quiet after this difficult year. Bennett is extremely wealthy, so he doesn't need to look for work.

Minister of the Interior Ayelet Shaked will head Yamina at this point. I'm not making any predictions nor quoting rumors. When there's real news, I'll probably blog my opinion. As I've written before, I considered the coalition to be  wonderful attempt for Israelis of all stripes to work together, and it reminds me of the Holy Ketoret.

My husband and I made aliyah in 1970 when the Labor Party and Histadrut held all power in the State of Israel. The country hadn't yet fully absorbed the broad implications of the 1967 Six Days War victory. The IDF took credit for the miracle, and then three years later on Yom Kippur the Arabs attacked, and it took a too long and too many Jewish lives to push them back. Even after that it took almost four years for Labor to lose power and the Likud to take over. Too many Israelis couldn't imagine any other party and leadership running the country... Sounds familiar; doesn't it? I see deja vu. Been there done that. Within a few years Likud as we now know it will be history or a shadow of its present self, just like Labor today...

Ketoret Government Incinerated By Political Prostitutes

No doubt some people won't like or get this title.

Ketoret Government:

The Bennett-Lapid coalition, which did manage to govern for a year and pass budgets is made of rather conflicting political parties. These parties decided to look for what they agree on for the common good. This reminds me of Ketoret:

“God said to Moses: Take fragrances such as balsam, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense, all of the same weight, as well as other fragrances. Make the mixture into incense, as compounded by a master perfumer, well-blended, pure and holy.” (Ex. 30:34-5)

Some of the ingredients of Ketoret are sweet and others bitter. There may even be some which are poisonous, but together they are holy. The Ketoret was necessary for prayer in the Mishkan Tabernacle and later in the Holy Temple. 

Watching the coalition MKs Right, Left and Center, Jews and Arabs working together reminds me of the Holy Ketoret. Honestly I would have preferred a more ideologically Right coalition, but the MKs weren't willing. Bibi and his henchmen held tight to the mafia of Likud and chareidi MKs, plus the rabble-rouser Right prefer the bullhorn to the nitty gritty of administration. 

As the Bennett-Lapid coalition was sworn in a year ago, we heard two things. The expert political pundits predicted that the coalition wouldn't last a month, and the opposition showed their true antidemocratic stripes by cursing and mocking, rather than accepting their defeat.

I have no doubt that Bibi Netanyahu could have cobbled together a viable coalition if he had wanted to, but he and his mafia had begun to enjoy the perks of office as "interim," "caretaker" government, which can't be voted out of office. They just keep calling periodic elections, no checks and balances, just POWER.

This past year Yemina MKs, not part of the strong Ketoret ideology were targeted and "urged" to break from their party. Instead of acting like moral people, they took their "seats" with them. Here in Israel there aren't personal elections. Those of us who voted Yemina got our votes stolen. If they wanted to leave, they should have resigned their Knesset seats. And because the fault of the government's demise was from them, we now have Yair Lapid as Prime Minister. Bennett didn't do any dirty trick like Netanyahu did to Gantz.

It's going to take a few more years to truly push Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu and his mafia out of power. Remember, or if you're too young- please listen, it took almost six full years after the horror of the "conceptizia" which almost caused our defeat in the Yom Kippur War for Labor to be voted out of office. Gd willing it won't take so long for Israelis to realize the dangers of the Bibi-chareidi rule. 

Praying...

Back to Elections

National Unity Government Like Biblical Ketoret, Or Do You Want More Elections?

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Nobody's quite sure who really coined these words of wisdom, but I wish that sixty-one 61 plus Knesset Members would take the words to heart and and hammer out a workable coalition agreement for the good of the State of Israel, so we don't have to uselessly vote again.

None of us are perfect, nor are our politicians. Instead of demonstrating to oust Bibi, there should be demonstrations near all the MKs' homes urging them to put away their egos and platforms. We want a viable government coalition, warts and all. 

Ketoret, a specially blended incense, was used in Temple and prior to that Mishkan, Tabernacle for prayer. 

The ketoret consisted of a special blend of herbs and balms whose precise ingredients and manner of preparation were commanded by G‑d to Moses.

Some of the herbs and balms were sweet, others bitter, and all were needed to properly make the Ketoret. 

Right now Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, whose positions concerning many issues clash, but they both believe that the State of Israel needs a national unity government. One thing for sure, both have supporters/voters/MKs not all happy with the views of the "other." Think of the bitter herb that must be included in the Ketoret.

If the MKs whom Bennett and Lapid bring into this coalition from their political parties and others come with the right attitude, the State of Israel will have a good working government, like the Ketoret needed for prayer in Biblical times. Gd willing...

...because it's truly insanity to expect election results very different from what we've had the previous four times.

Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh, Hologram of Tabernacle worship

Rosh Chodesh Iyyar At Tel Shiloh

We're continuing with our custom of celebrating Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the Jewish Month, at Tel Shiloh.

Rosh Chodesh is known as the "women's holiday," and Tel Shiloh is the perfect place to celebrate the spiritual strength of women. It was at Shiloh where Chana prayed for a son who would work for G-d and transform the troubled, tribal nation into a united kingdom. Her son, Shmuel (Samuel) anointed the first two Jewish Kings, Saul and David. We, too, pray for a leader, who like Shmuel will act only for the good of the Jewish People.

G-d willing, we will meet on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, Monday, May 5, at 9:45am at the Gallery Cafe` and then we'll walk around the Tel until we stop for our prayers, said privately.

Tel Shiloh is popular with tourists from all over the world.
The Mishkan, Tabernacle, served as the spiritual center for the Jewish Tribal Nation for 369 years. We can still sense the Shechina and Ketoret, G-d's presence.

The Tel is open to tourists and "pilgrims" any time except Shabbat and Jewish Holidays. It is also possible to arrange for groups and family events. For more information call 02-994-4019.

Celebrating The Month of Miracles

Again we went to Tel Shiloh to celebrate Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the Jewish Month.

For the past few months, my friends and I have been going to Tel Shiloh, where we can still sense the Biblical Chana's spirit and the fragrance of the finely blended Ketoret, which was used during worship in the Tabernacle.

Last month, Rosh Chodesh Adar Sheini, we were impressed by the abundance of pink almond blossoms. Today, on the first of the Jewish month of Nissan, the dominant color is green.


After the winter rains we can see the promise of fruit,


delicate butterflies and more.


We weren't alone at the Tel.


We looked at the remains of the ancient Shiloh



and wonder if we're standing where Chana stood when she prayed to G-d for a son. Alone in our prayers, we can feel G-d listening and offering comfort.


And then we go back to the "everyday" life.

Tel Shiloh is open to visitors, not only our Rosh Chodesh group. For information, call 02-994-4019. And if you want to go with us next Rosh Chodesh, we'll welcome you gladly. The first day of Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, Monday, May 5, 9:45am. We'll meet at the Tabernacle Gallery-Beit Cafe`, near Tel Shiloh.

Chodesh Nissan Tov and A Chag Pesach, Kasher v'Sameach!
Have a good Month of Nissan and a Happy and Kosher Passover