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. 

Muslims/Arabs for Israel

Davka, this week I heard two Arab Muslims, born and raised here, state unequivocally that Israeli rule is what they want.

I work with Arabs in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, which is connected to the Rami Levy Discount Supermarket chain. When I accepted the job I had no idea that I'd be working with and dealing with Arabs. I needed a job,and the manager of the branch said that she wanted me to join and work with her.  To be honest, I don't mind working with and dealing with all the Arabs who come to Sha'ar Binyamin. First of all, if they work or shop in a Jewish store, they have passed an important test as far as I'm concerned. The PA-Palestinian Authority periodically persecutes them in all sorts of ways. That's the reason the amount of Arab customers goes up and down. The Arabs who work here enjoy the salary and benefits, which are far superior to what they could get in Arab business, unless they're "on the take."

Early in the week, I attended David Bedein's Israel Advocacy Day, in which Bassam Eid gave one of his amazing talks. Click here for the video. Bassam Eid is very public about his support for Israel and assistance that Israeli sovereignty would be best for Arabs.

I view the Arabs who work and shop in places like Rami Levy/Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin (and similar businesses and shopping areas) as agreeing with Eid, voting with their "feet," or should I say wallet.

More on the customers I meet at work:

The other day a family came into the shoe store. I suddenly realized that they were speaking a mishmash of Arabic and Hebrew, except for one child who consistently stuck to very slang-filled Hebrew, like any ordinary Israeli of his age. I began to wonder if they were among those very ambitious Arab families who try to get their kids comfortable in Hebrew, so they can "pass." I had one of those a while ago; they said they live in Pisgat Zeev and pushed the kids to speak Hebrew with me. After choosing a few pairs of shoes, they relaxed and told me the story. One of the parents had a Jewish father whose deathbed wish was that they return to his people, who are kinder and better than the Arabs.
The family decided to take that advice and aren't sorry. I was told how wonderful and generous Israel has been to them. They are in the process of converting now. (Their details disguised since I didn't get permission to tell story.)

This morning I saw a related article in the Jerusalem Post about a Muslim who is in favor of Israel.

'I was the campus anti-Semite,' says reformed Muslim Zionist
Hafeez, 32, is a British Muslim of Pakistani origin whose full time job now, is working as the Outreach Coordinator for Christians United for Israel. But some ten years ago, he was busy making noise on his own campus, in the opposite direction: "If Israel even sneezed in the wrong direction we were protesting. We held events with speakers who were blatantly anti-Semitic, but we couched it by saying they were anti-Zionist. I was generally obnoxious, loud and threatening," he admits.

When it seems like the whole world is against us, against the State of Israel and Jewish Rights to our Holy Land, it is so refreshing and encouraging to see that we do have support. Things aren't s black as we think.

Today is Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av, the first day of the Jewish Month of Av, which is now a time of mourning. Chazal, our sages, tell us that when we are redeemed, when the Moshiach comes, the mourning days of this month will be days of joy. May it happen במהירה בימינו bimhaira biyameinu,  "speedily in our days..." Gd willing!

Road Improvements to Make Life Better for Those in Binyamin and Shomron

Sometimes Jerusalem seems so far away. That's when there are major traffic jams at what's known as Kikar Adam, Adam Square and junction between the roads to Jerusalem, Adam, Ramallah and Benjamin County which leads to Samaria to the north. That short couple of miles from the Pisgat Zeev neighborhood of Jerusalem to Sha'ar Binyamin, just north of Adam can take even a half hour or more instead of five minutes.

For years we have been told that there are plans to widen, modernize the junction, We've been told of tunnels and overpasses, but until a few months ago, when we noticed work being done, we didn't believe any of the officials.

Last year the traffic jams during rush hour to Jerusalem became so intolerable I began sleeping in Jerusalem Tuesday nights so I could easily get to my Wednesday morning classes in Matan. Now, it's the highlight of my week, since I get to see my Jerusalem kids and all sorts of friends, go to events, the Israel Museum and eat out.

But a few months ago, we actually noticed changes. Of course I have absolutely no idea when it will all be finished. People went into a panic when as an "April Fool's Joke" it was announced that the area of the Adam Junction would be closed for a few months and we'd have to detour far to the east and enter/exit Jerusalem from Mt. Scopus.

Here are some recent photos.

The Arabs Have Returned!

We were all wondering how long it would take, but as the local Muslim Arabs began preparing for their Ramadan Holiday, when they buy lots of nice clothes for their children and themselves and feast all night, after a long day of fasting, the prices, quality and selection in Rami Levy and Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin became too attractive to ignore.

The fears of revenge terror by Jews and the "confiscations" by the PA Police have kept many away for the past few years. That is except for this season, since according to reports by our loyal Arab customers, Arab women with fluent English from years living abroad, there is no comparison between what they can buy here in Jewish shops and what is sold even in Ramallah, the largest Arab city in the area.

In Rami Levy and Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin we experience the peaceful coexistence that the Leftists and Liberals claim to strive for. We work and shop together. But for some very fokokt reason, the Leftists and Liberals do everything in their power to sabotage it.

To make things very clear, I do not work in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin for any ideological, idyllic agenda. Actually, when I was offered the job in the store, all I could think of was making a salary, even a small one, since we desperately needed more monthly income. Adjusting to work with Arabs was a lot easier than I could have predicted. When they come to us to shop they respect the fact that we Jews own the stores. They are strict with their children and keep them in line when shopping, which not all Jews are willing to do. I'm a pragmatist, and have no doubt that if the ideologues would just butt out, life would be a lot more peaceful.

Extra Security Checks for Rami Levy, Sha'ar Binyamin

Rami Levy has set up metal detectors at the branch in Sha'ar Binyamin, and if I'm not mistaken in Gush Etzion and possibly other places. Even before that there have been guards and the place is fenced off and has security cameras all over.

You'd think that people (the Jewish shoppers) would be happy and cooperative.

But I've observed a lot of people getting nasty and refusing to go through the special gate or to let the guards touch their bags for inspections. And the guards are on edge from the rudeness. It is definitely not pleasant to witness this behavior. Oh, in case you're wondering, yes, I'm talking about the Jewish customers, not the Arabs who wouldn't dare make a fuss.

People wouldn't dare make a fuss about security anyplace else!

Yesterday, on the way to work, when we got to the Sha'ar Binyamin gate, a soldier entered the bus to check. Honestly, people on my bus aren't the problem. They really should be checking all the cars and passengers.

And don't forget that Rami Levy/Yafiz is the only store in the area with extra guards and security to get in plus plainclothes security. All other stores and malls in Sha'ar Binyamin just rely on the main gate guards. And there are other Arab workers and customers around Sha'ar Binyamin besides those in Rami Levy/Yafiz.

And to remind you that there are Arabs shopping and working all over Israel. There's hardly a mall, store or restaurant without Arab staff/customers. I've been working in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin for over five years, and I don't consider it any more dangerous than any place else.

No, I Wasn't at Work When There was an Arab Terror Attack

Tuvia Yanai Weissman, HaYa"D

The first I heard of the Arab terror attack in Rami Levy, Sha'ar Binyamin, in the same compound where I work at Yafiz, was when one of my sons called from an unfamiliar number and asked if I was home. I thought he was checking to see if he could visit or was passing by or something like that. I told him that I was home but leaving soon to go to the Raise Your Spirits all female show in Gush Etzion with most of his sisters and and nieces. He told me about the terror attack but he didn't have much information.

"Behind the News" was there and wrote a report plus photos. Some are gory, just a warning.

I must say I was really touched by all the calls, messages and facebook inquiries about my safety. I thank you all for your concern and thank Gd the young terrorist didn't do more deadly damage. I mourn with the family and friends of Tuvia Yanai Weissman, HaYa"D, the young father who had been murdered and pray that the other victim will have a full and speedy recovery. I also thank the shoppers who shot the Arab terrorists.

As you know, I work in the same compound, sharing walls and views with the iconic supermarket. I'm always on alert at work. It's not easy, though I've met many Arabs who are happy to work and shop in Israeli stores. Let those Arabs who don't want to live "in Israel" just leave. There are so many Arab Muslim countries, and I'm sure they can get a good deal on a nice hour in Syria...

Soldiers all Over and More

The other night when I was waiting for a ride home from Ofra one of the soldiers stationed at the trempiada, aka hitchhiking post just outside of Ofra heard me speak and spoke to me in English asking where I'm from. It ends up that he's from Monsey and has grandparents someplace on Long Island. He knows the street name but not the town. We didn't get to talk too much, because a neighbor pulled up and took me home.

Yes, there are soldiers stationed everywhere. Last week when I was waiting at the T Junction to Beit El aka Givat Asaf, there were a whole bunch there, too. I could hardly see them and then, after looking up, I realized that the lightbulb in the streetlight over the spot had gone out. It was awful. You couldn't see who was in the cars pulling up to offer rides. And you couldn't see what license plates that were on the cars. That's not safe at all. I'm an old hand at tremping aka hitchhiking, and I like to see who's coming. So I asked the soldiers to please report the lack of proper lighting to their superiors or whomever, which they did. But a few nights lighter when passing by I could see that it hadn't yet been repaired. (If you're from Beit El or work there, please have it fixed if it hasn't been.)

I've also seen a lot more fully equipped soldiers at Sha'ar Binyamin. Some are standing around guarding and others shopping for noshes.

No doubt they find it a lot more pleasant and convenient being stationed by Rami Levy than wandering the roads by Arab villages. The presence of all the soldiers is more a deterrence than anything. Most terrorists, like muggers, look for "easy marks" to attack.

Nowadays, many more Israelis who have licensed guns are taking their guns with them everyplace. That's what neighbors tell me. Last night at work a young family came into the shoe store, and while they had the young children trying on shoes, one of the kids began to cry:

"What happened?" asked the mother.
"Abba's (daddy's) gun scraped me." said the little girl.

Apparently when the father picked her up, his easy to draw gun or the metal I saw sticking out of his waistband got in the way. That's today's reality here. Many of the Arab terrorists of late have been immediately executed on the spot by prepared civilians like that young father. Most people are not letting the fear of Arab terrorism keep them home, but there's no Pollyanna-like ignoring of dangers.

I'm not the only one who hasn't changed routines at all. But one thing is that don't travel with earphones listening to lectures the way I once did. We have to stay alert. It's also not good to be busy reading/watching the screen when outside. And remember not to panic and stay home. The very vast majority of Israelis, towns, cities and neighborhoods will never be targeted by Arab terrorists. And about the Yafiz and Rami Levy compound in Sha'ar Binyamin, besides the soldiers there have always been extra security and a gate. Even though there are Arab employees, I think it's safer than the rest of Sha'ar Binyamin or any Israeli street and most stores.

Very Enthusiastic Arabs in Sha'ar Binyamin

The other night at work I noticed an Arab family, parents and daughter taking lots of pictures when entering Rami Levy. By the time I got my camera ready, they were finishing, so I only got one blurred shot.

Later on they came into the shoe store where I was working and got so friendly, even took more photos. I'm probably in some of them. They seemed so happy to be there in Yafiz and Rami Levy, Sha'ar Binyamin. I honestly couldn't figure out why. They aren't the first Arabs I've seen taking selfies and photos of their family/group/friends in the stores and shopping center. But I've never seen such enthusiasm.

Any guesses?

Teaching Spanish to Arabs

Since working at Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, I've gotten to know a lot of Arabs and a lot about Islam. Their Ramadan fast isn't like any of our Jewish fasts. First of all they fast for the entire month, only during daylight hours. And as soon as the sun begins to set, they can eat. They don't have to wait for darkness. And Ramadan isn't just about feasting and fasting. After Ramadan they celebrate Eid-al-Fitr with lots of food and feasting. And for Eid-al-Fitr they also need new clothes for the entire family.

Arabs shopping in Rami Levy, Sha'ar Binyamin

Over the years working in Yafiz, I've learned that this is a holiday in which only new clothes are worn, and I shouldn't try to help them be practical. They want the nicest and most fashionable for themselves and their children.

A lot of the men like a style of shirt we always sell. The problem is that the brand we have now doesn't have the usual S, M, L, XL etc to indicate sizes. Apparently, the company is from Spain or South America, although, like everything else, the shirts are "Made in China." The sizes on these shirts are P, M and G. Almost everyone finds this confusing.

Luckily, I studied Spanish in high school and used to be pretty fluent, so remembering that grande is large and pequeño is small didn't take me long.

I've been teaching our customers, and other staff members, these Spanish words for weeks already. There's a humor in this at times. Here I am with my horrendous American-accented Hebrew teaching everyone some basic Spanish words. And when I'm dealing with Arabs, we use lots of pantomime and my very limited Arabic vocabulary which consists of barely a handful of words. Among them is achbar, or something like that, which means "bigger." And we joke around and never say a word about politics. They like shopping in our store, and I enjoy selling.

This may not be what the Leftists call "peace," but it sure isn't war.

Why We Should Celebrate The Fact That Arabs Shop in Jewish Stores

As you must all know by now, I work in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin. It's a "clothing for the entire family store," which is part of Rami Levy Discount Supermarket business empire. Sha'ar Binyamin is a sprawling shopping center which reminds me a lot of the sort that sprung up in rural and suburban America in the 1950's. Besides having branches of Rami Levy and Yafiz, you'll find a toy store, pharmacy, medical clinic, book store, furniture store, camping goods, a bakery, police station and lots more.

Most of the staff and customers are Jewish from nearby communities and even Pisgat Zeev, Jerusalem. But it's no secret that many Arabs work and shop in Sha'ar Binyamin. It's even on the "must see" list for tourists from Jordan and other Arab countries, sort of like the Japanese and other tourists I've spotted in American outlet malls. When I see men in very proper conservative dark suits, they are always Arabs visiting from abroad. I frequently see them snapping pictures of our clothes and then consulting on the phone as to what to buy the family back home wherever. I've been told more than once that our selection of children's clothing is far superior, price and selection, to anything they can get in their own stores. As as their full shopping carts attest, they like the food and prices in Rami Levy, too.

Recently a friend mentioned that a friend of hers confided that she doesn't want to shop in Rami Levy and Yafiz anymore "because there are too many Arabs." This has me very upset for a very simple reason. I am very happy to see and facilitate Arab shopping in Jewish stores. For much too long, ever since the 1967 Six Days War, when the IDF for the State of Israel and the Help of Gd liberated our Historic Homeland, all of the commercial dealing have been in the other direction.

Israelis and Jews flocked to the Arab markets and stores looking for bargains and unique items. Many Israelis, even those who claim to be far to the Right on the political spectrum, hire Arabs as builders and gardeners and have them repair their cars.

Some of them are the same Israelis who avoid (we won't use the "B" word) stores like Rami Levy and Yafiz. And I've never heard of someone who won't visit a Jewish home that was built by Arab contractors and laborers.

And don't forget that the Har Nof massacre was by Arabs employed in that very Jewish neighborhood. Many stores and businesses on the pre-1967 side of the "greenline" employ Arabs. And you will find Arabs shopping all over, though they are usually dressed more western/European than those who shop in Sha'ar Binyamin. Sometimes it is only when I hear the customers speaking among themselves that I know for sure that they are Arabs.

Please think about what I'm saying. It is good that Arabs shop in Jewish stores and return some of the money they have earned from Jews. And it is also good that Arabs from foreign countries have no problems shopping in Jewish stores and also posing for selfies with Hebrew signs in the background.

Lots of Building in Sha'ar Binyamin!

Sha'ar Binyamin is the sprawling shopping center about 7 minutes north of Jerusalem between Adam and the turn-off to Tel Zion-Psagot and Kochav Ya'akov. It's in Mateh Binyamin, the Benjamin County, of which Shiloh, Ofra, Neve Tzuf, Kochav Hashachar, Eli, Kfar Adumim and lots of other communities are located.

From its beginning, the two main attractions have been the Rami Levi Discount Supermarket, a police station and the big sick fund clinic of Kupat Cholim Le'umit. In addition there a lots more stores, Yafiz-Clothing for the Whole Family (yes, where I work,)  furniture, pharmacy, Shifon Bakery, dress boutique, camping equipment, housewares, health food, books, shoes, dental clinic, events/wedding hall and more.

In many ways Sha'ar Binyamin reminds me of a 1950's suburban/rural strip mall that wasn't fully planned but keeps on getting bigger.

Wandering around yesterday, before I could sign in to work, I took these photos:

It seems that we'll be getting a bus station of sorts!

Since Support for a "Palestinian State" is More Popular in Europe and USA than Israel...

According to the latest poll, popularity for a Palestinian sic state is slipping among both Arabs and Jews here, while the Europeans, Americans etc. are more and more adamant that there should be one.

Jerusalem (AFP) - A joint Israeli-Palestinian poll published Thursday shows dwindling support on both sides for a Palestinian state alongside Israel as a solution to the conflict. (Yahoo News)

So maybe it should be established where it would be most welcome, like in Europe or the USA. There's certainly more room there than here, and there are many, many Arabs in those places who identify themselves as "Palestinians."

When I take into account all of the Arabs, from Ramallah, Shechem, nearby villages and tourists from Jordan and other Arab countries who happily work (not the tourists) and shop in Rami Levy and Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin where I work, I have no doubt that they are very happy to be part of Israel and have easy access to Jewish stores and employment opportunities.

Rami Levy Discount Supermarket, Sha'ar Binyamin, June, 2015

There are times when the vast majority of customers are Arabs. The other night right before closing, some Arabs came in, and when I told them that there was no time to shop, because we were about to close, one said:

"You have to give me some time to shop. I came all the way from Nablus (Shechem) and I can't come very often."

Yes, they are polite to us and demand proper manners from their kids when in the store.

I have no doubt that our big security problems come from the encouragement the terrorists get from the United Nations and their dangerously fokokt and inaccurate reports about what happens in Israel, like the report about last summer's war.

A former commander of British forces in Afghanistan warned on Thursday that the recent U.N. report on the 2014 Gaza war was likely to embolden terrorists and cause violence.

“It pains me greatly to see words and actions from the United Nations that can only provoke further violence and loss of life. The United Nations Human Rights Council report on last summer’s conflict in Gaza … will do just that,” wrote Col. Richard Kemp in an op-ed for the New York Times. (Algemeiner)

The pressure for a Palestinian sic state comes from abroad and not from local Arabs. And funding, both directly  and indirectly, come from foreign governments.

Among those on board [the flotilla] will be former Tunisian president Moncef Marzouki, Spanish MEP Ana Maria Miranda Paza and Arab-Israeli MK Basel Ghattas (Joint List), whose planned presence has triggered widespread controversy in Israel.
But another potentially controversial aspect of the flotilla that has been largely overlooked is the role played by European government-funded NGOs.
The Platform of French NGOs for Palestine is an umbrella organization for more than 40 anti-Israel groups, and is very active in the so-called BDS (Boycott Divestment and Sanctions) movement against Israel. Among other things, the Platform demands an end to all agreements and relations between the European Union and Israel.
It is also a regular recipient of French taxpayers' money, via the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement or AFD), a public aid agency which works on behalf of the French government to carry out "sustainable development programs" around the world. (Arutz 7)

As I've written many times, the world is against the State of Israel, and that irrational antipathy is fueled by antisemitism. There is nothing we can do to stop it, other than to defy their demands and not let them dictate to us. Only by our being strong and defiant can we get them to leave us alone. Like ally bully-victim relationship, the bully only stops when the victim stops acting like a victim.

Let those who are lobbying for a Palestinian state have it in their territory. No doubt the ideology would lose its luster even in "Medinat Tel Aviv," if Leftists would realize that they'd be losing their homes to the Arab terrorists.

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach

Have a Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat

Just as I was Praying Out-loud to Restore Jewish Worship on The Temple Mount..

We're in the midst of Sefirat Ha'Omer, the Counting of the Omer, the forty-nine days between the beginning of Passover and the Shavuot Holiday. Whenever I can I say the blessing out-loud. And I always add the following:

הָרַחֲמָן. הוּא יַחֲזִיר לָנוּ עֲבודַת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לִמְקומָהּ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ. אָמֵן סֶלָה"May The Merciful One return the worship of the Holy Temple to It's Place, Speedily in our days."

The other night I was working in the Yafiz Shoe Store, Sha'ar Binyamin. It was quiet in the store when my "Sefirat Ha'Omer Alarm" went off. There wasn't a single customer, so I quickly got my "smartphone" and "dialed" Tfilon and found the blessings and proper count for that night. I concentrated very hard on the prayers, especially for the return of Jewish Prayer in the Holiest Place in the World, the Temple Mount, Jerusalem.

A photo I took a couple of years ago
that shows Jews and Arabs shopping
together in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin

Suddenly, as I was finishing, I realized that I wasn't alone. There were Arabs in the store. I'll never know if they had any idea of what I was saying. Usually I'm so hyper-alert that nobody even walks by without my noticing.

As soon as I said the last word, my phone was away, and I returned to my official role as a salesperson who gives the same level of service to all.

It's time for Jewish-Israeli Sovereignty in all of the Land of Israel!!

Greatest Thing About These Flags and No Current Israeli Government

I photographed these in Rami Levy, Sha'ar Binyamin this week. There are two things I love about it. One is the simple beauty of all those Israeli flags flying overhead. and the other is the fact that they were hung by Arabs. Yes, it is the job of the Arab workers to do things like change light-bulbs and decorate the store for Jewish and Israeli Holidays. That includes hanging Israeli flags. Two years ago, I wrote about the worker who begged me not to take his picture doing it.

"They'll kill me" he said, "and you know who they are."

This year two Arab workers worked as a team to put up more flags than ever before. They were smiling as if having a grand old time. The past few months, ever, since last summer's war, there haven't been many Arab shoppers in Rami Levy and Yafiz, but lately they seem to have returned. It may be different on "the other side of the green sic line," but I think that the percentage of Arabs working in Rami Levy may be higher than a few years ago.

Contrary to the ideological hallucinations of the loony Left, I see that local Arabs are very happy living under Israeli rule, getting Israeli salaries, benefits, low (yes, we do charge less for many things than in Arab stores) prices and security. Everyone knows that non-Israeli Arabs, even from enemy countries, take advantage of the world-class top Israeli medical care. The Arab clans that work for Rami Levy take care not to get involved in anti-Israel terrorism, because it can endanger the employment of all the family. They do not want a change in the political status quo, since a "Palestinian State" sic would mean the end of their jobs and security.

And that's where our present lack of new coalition government comes in. Bli eyin haraa, all the while that we're without a proper government we haven't seen our representatives negotiating for a Two State Solution sic. Crafting a new and stable coalition is taking up all of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's time. Also without a stable, reliable and disciplined coalition, Netanyahu can't rely on getting Knesset approval for an agreement.

So, at this point, I'm happy. I loved watching Arabs decorating the stores for Israeli Independence Day, and I feel safer knowing that Bibi's hands are tied.

I just hope that Herzog (Tsipi Livni has been kept out of the news) sticks to his principles of not joining with Netanyahu! And if after all the time has expired to make a Likud government, and then Herzog tries and fails, we end up again with elections, so be it. Maybe the so-called Right will get it right and do the Right thing, G-d willing.

Do All Arabs Support Hamas?

As you who read my blogs probably know, I work with Arabs. I don't exist in an all Jewish ghetto or vacuum. Being part of a multicultural/national/religious environment was one of the unexpected "bonuses" or phenomena I discovered working as an ordinary salesperson in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin. I'm pretty sure my boss didn't mention it when she offered me the job.

Few people outside of Israel have an idea of how much daily mundane interaction there is between Jews and Arabs in Israel. It's not just a matter of those who hire Arab builders, cleaners and other blue-colored workers. The hospitals are full of Arab Israeli-trained medical staff, and all sorts of stores and restaurants hire Arabs. Besides that, you'll find Arab customers and bus drivers, pharmacists etc. Arabs with Israeli citizenship can enter any part of the country, even more easily than Jews can. That's because anyone who seems Jewish  isn't allowed on "Arab roads" or in "Arab buses," even in Jerusalem.

There are a few interesting things many people have noticed since this recent war between Israel and Hamas began. One is that most Arab countries are trying to keep out. Egypt, which occupied the Gaza Strip (as it was once called) until the Six Days War is promoting itself as a mediator between Israel and Hamas. Jordan which had occupied Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley from 1948-1967 has been keeping a very low profile. It has too much to lose if Hamas gets stronger. Jordan is actually the second item on Hamas's menu after Israel. So the Jordanians are hoping that Israel will keep Hamas under control.

As Israel seeks to sideline Hamas in any accord on the Gaza Strip’s future, it’s finding quiet support among Arab nations where antagonism toward the Islamist group eclipses their enmity toward the Jewish state.
Egypt, which mediated a second 72-hour halt to Gaza fighting yesterday, is now ruled by an army chief who presided over a crackdown on Hamas’s Islamist patrons. Saudi Arabia’s king didn't explicitly criticize Israel in a recent lament over civilian deaths in Gaza. The United Arab Emirates, which pledged aid to help rebuild the coastal strip, is also hostile to political Islam.  (Bloomberg News)

At work the extreme reduction in the amount of Arab shoppers is very obvious. I've been working at Yafiz, part of the Rami Levy company for close to four years, and we always had masses of Arabs shopping for holiday clothes during the latter part of Ramadan. It had always made up a very impressive percentage of our sales volume. This year it didn't happen. Hardly a single Arab customer entered the store, certainly none of the usual "shopping tours" we were used to seeing. They didn't patronize Rami Levy Discount Supermarket either.

On the other hand, Arab staff members barely missed a shift. They didn't want to lose their jobs. Minimum wage jobs with Israeli work conditions are considered as relatively "good jobs" for Arabs whether living in Jerusalem with Israeli papers or in the nearby Arab villages. When asked where the Arab customers were, they said that the village leaders had warned them all that the Jews were preparing to murder them, revenge, "tag mechir," "price tag" attacks. The fact that the Arab employees in Rami Levy and Yafiz return home from their shifts in good health doesn't seem to convince them that they are being manipulated, lied to.

It seems like just as the Americans and the so-called "free world" would like Israel to take care of Iran and destroy its nuclear weapons industry, the Arab world would be perfectly happy if Israel would take care of Hamas and destroy its terror base. That makes me wonder which country really is considered the greatest power on earth...

Listening to the Ordinary Israelis

Just like the proverbial cabdriver who gets to meet and talk to all sorts of people, I have those experiences when tremping, aka hitchhiking. Frequently I stay quiet, and I almost always wait for the driver to start the conversation.

Tonight after my friend dropped me off at Ofra, a car immediately showed up on its way to Ariel, so I asked the driver if he'd mind dropping me off at the Shiloh Junction.

"Just get in quickly" was his reply.

I don't know how the conversation started, but we covered a lot of material very quickly. I think he started by asking if I live in Shiloh, and then we just got going especially talking about the absurdity that in this war, this time in history places like Ariel and Shiloh are among the safest in the State of Israel. We have no doubt, but most Israelis still think we live in what has been called "the wild west bank."

He and I disagreed on whether or not Medinat Tel Aviv,  "the State of Tel Aviv," which is what many Israelis, especially those in the south and north who feel ignored and slighted by the slights of the Israeli elitists. The phrase may also be used by the Tel Avivians who are proud of their status. Many haven't a clue as to how ignorant they are of what happens in the rest of the country. And I don't even think they care. He thinks that the missiles that landed on/in Tel Aviv educated them to understand what other Israelis go through all the time. I don't think they were "converted." Soon they will go back to "normal" and Medinat Tel Aviv will return to its oblivian.

My driver also made fun of the name of this military campaign "Operation Protective Edge" and can't understand why it got such a strange name that shows no desire to finish off our enemies, destroy them.

An Israeli soldier flashes the "V" for victory sign from an armored personnel carrier (APC) at an army deployment area near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip on July 17, 2014 (photo credit: AFP/ Jack Guez)

Read more: Israeli troops begin land operation in Gaza to destroy Hamas tunnels | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/on-day-10-of-operation-protective-edge-truce-efforts-gather-pace-but-hamas-israel-fight-on/#ixzz37lE8eUmF
Follow us: @timesofisrael on Twitter | timesofisrael on Facebook

He liked what Putin said about what to do with Hamas. I couldn't find what he told me on the google, so it may be a "legend" among Russian immigrants in Israel. According to him Putin suggests that Israel give Hamas 24 hours to surrender and then  the next morning, hours before the deadline, call to announce that he wants an answer immediately. Time's up.

And in Sha'ar Binyamin, in Yafiz and Rami Levy Jews and Arabs continue to work and shop together, as if nothing is going on in the rest of the country. One very large change is the number of Arab customers. Arab employees want to continue to get their salaries and feel comfortable in the world where Jews and  Arab somehow work peacefully together. But there are far fewer Arabs in the stores than I've ever seen in the three and half years I've worked there.

More updates as they come.

Stop The Disproportionate War! Cease Warning Gazans!!!

Nobody from Gaza warned us in Sha'ar Binyamin before they shot a missile into the area. With G-d supervising the landings, afterwards smoke was seen coming from an Arab village.

In Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, the industrial zone cum shopping center just north of Jerusalem we were in the midst of heavy crowds shopping for Thursday bargains when suddenly we could just about hear an alarm go off. There's no shelter in Yafiz. The closest one is in the Rami Levy Discount Supermarket just next to us, but it's small and set up as their synagogue.

 Shelter cum synagogue in Rami Levy, Sha'ar Binyamin (photo by Batya Medad)

Shelter cum synagogue in Rami Levy, Sha'ar Binyamin (photo by Batya Medad)

Just a tiny fraction of the shoppers and staff in the supermarket can fit in it. There's no way that there would be room for the Yafiz customers and workers could get in if people were to take the alarm seriously. We took our cue from our customers who barely missed a beat."

"What was that?"
"An alert/alarm?"
"Oh, so what's the price of ...?"
"It couldn't be near here.'
"Did you hear anything?"
"No"
"Let them bomb all the Arabs on Har Habayit!"
"I hope they hit the gold dome."
"Do you have -- in size --?"

Those were typical reactions I heard. Actually a large portions of the reactions were wishes that the Gazan missiles would destroy the mosques on the Temple Mount. I didn't notice anyone walking out of the store, certainly nobody ran out looking for shelter.

This photo was taken about the same time the Gazan missile came close.

An Israeli Iron Dome missile intercepts a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip over Jerusalem on July 10, 2014. (photo credit: Nati Shohat/Flash90)

Read more: Rockets targeting Jerusalem hit West Bank | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/rockets-targeting-jerusalem-hit-west-bank/#ixzz377xN8uN0
Follow us: @timesofisrael on Twitter | timesofisrael on Facebook

Close doesn't count, as the saying goes. We heard reports of smoke coming out of a nearby Arab village.

At present an Arab (terrorist Gaza) surrender doesn't seem close. They certainly haven't suffered enough. Israel has this fokokt principle of warning the Gazans before shooting. That's not how you win a war! In Gaza the civilians are the enemies.

IDF Blog

May G-d give wisdom to our leaders, those wimpy politicians in power.

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach
May we all have a Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat

Feeling Rather Schizophrenic at Work

Missing yeshiva students (left to right) Gilad Shaar, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Frankel. Photo: Courtesy

I like pretty much all Israelis, Jewish ones at least, am worried sick about the three Jewish teens who had been kidnapped by Arab terrorists. But while tens or hundreds of thousands of Jews mobbed the area of the Kotel, Western Wall in a massive prayer for G-d to intercede and save the three boys, Gilad Shaar, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Frankel, I was in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, working with and selling to Arabs.

Hillel Mayer / Tazpit News Agency

Photo: Gil Yochanon

On my way to work, yesterday afternoon, I had been wondering if it would be business as usual in our strange oasis of Jewish-Arab coexistence, or would the Arabs not turn up, all claiming illness from the same epidemic or would there be terrible tension between us.

Once I got there, it actually appeared very business as usual. There was the usual polite Arab staff, who understands very well on which side their bread is buttered. I doubt if many would be working for Rami Levy if they could get such a well-paying reliable job in their own town or village. It would certainly endanger them to say that there was any other reason they are working for a Jew. Not being "pc, politically correct" in the Arab sector could easily be fatal.

The Arab customers, were also their usual self, looking for bargains and possibly looking for clothes that would make them look more Jewish. I have dealt with Arabs who come with their kids and try to force the children to speak Hebrew. One young father proudly told me that he lives in Pisgat Zeev.

And how did I feel about it all yesterday? I certainly was more suspicious than usual. It's hard to take the Arabs' smiles and polite words at face value. Politics and security, topics never breached, seemed even further away.

Our patience when Arabs tried to bargain or pretend that the signs indicating what size is on the shelf mean price was pretty thin. We did our job as well as we usually do. It's very much like the song "There's No Business Like Show Business."

There's no business like show businessLike no business I knowYou get word the show has startedThat your favorite uncle died at dawnTop of that your pa and ma have partedYou're broken hearted but you go on

Honestly, I would get another job if I could, but at my age, not many people are willing to hire me.

"Sister?" More of "My Adventures with Arabs"

I think that this should be a new periodic "series" on this blog, My "Adventures with Arabs." As many of you know, I have much more contact with Arabs than most Israelis. I work in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin where Jews and Arabs work and shop together.

The gulf between Jews and Arabs is much smaller in may world than in the world of many other Israelis, including the Extreme Left. That's especially because I meet ordinary Arabs, the relatively apolitical who shop in Yafiz and Rami Levy because of the quality goods and low prices. And this isn't a paid advertisement. 

Money does make the world go around. 

It's the nature of man to put a price on everything, whether it's barter or actual money.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has said that economic development in the Arab world is the key to peace, but unfortunately when he's in power, like now, he forgets that principle.

Recently I had another of my unforgettable meetings with an Arab customer at Yafiz. As is my norm, I first speak to the Arab customers in Hebrew and then try English if they look at me with blank uncomprehending stares. This Arab woman, with her hair and neck covered in the Muslim way was of my daughters' generation and really perked up when she heard me speak English.

"Your English is so good.  Where did you learn it?"
"America, and yours?"
"Me, too, in America." 

And then she gave me a quick summary of her life and why she is now living "nearby," which is also how I described my home location.

A Jewish Israeli man watched mesmerized by the scene of the two of us, obviously Jewish and Muslim, chatting away in such a friendly way. He just had to comment on how surprising it seemed to him. To me he spoke Hebrew, and to her he spoke Arabic, and we had this very amusing three-way, trilingual conversation. The young Arab-Muslim woman kept referring to me as her "sister."

I found this very interesting. It was obvious that this woman felt more in common with me and my Americanism than she felt with the other Arab women where she now lives. I did say that if the politicians would just leave all of us alone, we'd have peace, and she agreed with that.

True peace will develop slowly between people, like a very long pregnancy. But this sort of "pregnancy" won't require a painful birth. It will be more of a metamorphosis. Negotiations and treaties will stop or seriously delay the process. So let's send all those politicians, negotiators, mediators etc back to where they come from and let the slow process begin or continue. It will take a long time, so be patient. Our great-grandchildren or later generations will enjoy it. 

Politicians just bring war, hatred and chaos.

If There Was To Be A "Palestinian State," My Prediction

Now, I really want to make something very clear before I continue this post. I AM 100% IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY OPPOSED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COUNTRY CALLED "PALESTINE!"

Palestinian Media Watch
PA depicts a world
without Israel

Besides the certainty that the existance of another Arab country here in the Jewish Holy Land would herald, cause, facilitate the destruction of the State of Israel, because that is the declared aim of the so-called "Palestinian nationalists," I am completely certain that something else that nobody wants to talk about will happen.

For the past three plus years I've been working in Yafiz, part of the Rami Levy business empire, in Sha'ar Binyamin.  I work with Arabs and "serve" Arabs as salesperson. I certainly have more daily contact with the local Arabs than most Israelis, including Leftists.  I know Arabs of all ages and incomes, including customers who work for international "help" organizations. Arabs talk to me and ask me very interesting questions. I'm telling you this so that you understand that I'm speaking from knowledge, not from ivory tower theories and wishful thinking.

For the first time in my working life in Israel, close to four decades, I had to pass a security review to get my job in Yafiz. Everyone who works for Rami Levy or Yafiz must go through the same thing, and that of course includes the Arabs. To make it easier for non-Israelis to pass the security investigations, it ends up that most of the Arabs hired are related to those Arabs already working in the company. Getting these minimum wage jobs in Rami Levy is a great job for most of the Arabs, because the employment conditions are much worse when out of Israeli government labor laws.

Over a year ago, an Arab woman who was enjoying the fact that she could practice her English with me told me that she's an English Teacher, and when I replied that actually I am, too, she said that I could make "lots of money teaching English in Jenin or Nablus, ns4-5,000 shekels. Besides the safety factor, I was shocked, because in Israel that's minimum wage; teachers make much more. Then a couple of weeks ago, an Arab man told me that he owns a clothing store in his village and wanted to know how much I make. I didn't tell him, but he told me that he pays ns700. I asked for how much time, and he answered "a month." Nobody can live on that.

Don't forget that just a couple of months ago when the idea of a "land swap" as part of a "peace agreement" was suggested that would transfer Israeli Arab areas to "Palestinian" rule, the Israeli Arabs were outraged and refused it, because they do not want to be under Arab rule. They, even MK Tibi, want to stay Israeli!

I have a very strong suspicion that if, G-d forbid, an Arab aka Palestinian State was to be established every single Arab who could would move to Israel!