Aliyah to Har Habayit-- Temple Mount Today

Yes, today was a big celebration for me... I ascended Har Habayit-- Temple Mount today for the third time. As with the first time, I joined my neighbor Rachel Sela and a variety of women from Shiloh and further afield. It has been a few years since

Actually I was involved in an attempt to ascend Har Habayit which failed due to anti-Jewish government orders. I had forgotten about it completely until searching my blog for the links of my successful aliyot.

My second aliyah to Har Habayit was with my husband, one of our sons and his son, yes, three generations. It was very thrilling.

This week, the beginning of the Jewish Month of Elul, is a double anniversary for us, aliyah to Israel, 56 years, and aliyah to Shiloh, 45 years. So when I saw that Rachel was saying that she's going up today, I decided that I'd join.

Rachel ascends Har Habayit relatively frequently and invites women to join her. This time there were a few young ones who brought their children, even nursing babies. This was amazing to me, who took decades to make my way there, because it wasn't all that suitable aka safe at first for a young mother. Also, conditions for Jews were awful and dangerous. And then... it took me a long time.

Regulations have changed, even over the few years since my first visit.

Even though siddurim (prayer books) and Tehilim (Psalm) books are still officially forbidden, they offered us printed papers with prayers. And nobody stops anyone from praying from their phone.

We sang and danced to religious texts we knew by heart. We also got down on the holy ground facing the holiest spot praying our own private prayers silently.

There were also men in the group "supervised" by the same police officers. Yes, that's Yehuda Glick, well-known for his ascents to the Temple Mount and his miraculous recovery from an assassination attempt a number of years ago. 

This visit was more relaxed than my previous ones. At one point, the men who were assigned to our group had had enough, but we hadn't. We were allowed to stay with a newer one. The police were very accommodating. That began only in recent years, since Itamar Ben-Gvir became Minister of National Security, which includes the police on Har Habayit.  

Just to make things very clear. All of the Land of Israel, including Jerusalem and the Temple Mount have a long documented history as Jewish. Islam was invented thousands of years after Judaism, and Jerusalem isn't even in its early narrative and books. But on Har Habayit-- Temple Mount all the signs are in Arabic. Israel has failed to protect its most precious place, where both the Jewish Holy Temples were located. Thank Gd there is a bit of improvement, though we have a long, long, very long way to go.

Our group today on Har Habayit (with permission from Rachel Sela)

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

Parshat Korach, Why So Many Sins So Soon After Magnificent Mt Sinai Experience?

Korach

At my local women's Parshat Shavua, Korach, class among friends and neighbors, the classic question came up:

Why So Many Sins So Soon After Magnificent Mt Sinai Experience?

My mind began turning out ideas...

I found myself back in May-June, 1967 hearing the threats of Egypt's Nasser, unabashedly saying that he'll destroy the State of Israel, shove it into the sea...

Egypt's Nasser demanded that the United Nations remove the Peacekeeping Forces, and for all practical purposes the UN replied:

"Yesterday? At your service."

No country offered any help to Israel. They just waited around, mouthing platitudes at best, not wanting to get in the way of the bullets while Israel was being pushed into the sea. Jews, and possibly a few other good souls, prayed, and then a miracle of Biblical proportions happened. In six days, yes, just six 6 days, Israel managed to defeat three stronger better equipped armies, and in the process found itself holding more land on each of three fronts, the Golan formerly Syrian in the north, the Sinai formerly Egyptian in the south and to the east our Jewish Biblical Homeland traditionally called Judea and Samaria, though the Jordanians had referred to it as the "west bank."

And what did Israel's government do? 

• Did it declare sovereignty, like any normal self-respecting country would do? 
• Did the Jewish religious leaders declare a massive national prayer of thanks to Gd on the Temple Mount? No, 

Moshe Dayan gave the Muslims the key to the Temple Mount, reassuring them that Israel wouldn't disturb/trespass on their religious site and the political leaders made it clear to the defeated Arab countries that we'd be happy to give back most of the land in exchange for "peace."

We're still suffering the ramifications of those dangerous and foolish policies. Unfortunately, nothing's new. Human nature isn't perfect. Think of all the Jews who could have left Europe before the Holocaust.. Think of the Jewish leaders who not only opposed Zionism but condemned it.

Trump Stepped in It, "Deal?" Bleh 🤮

I can't find the post/item from early in Donald Trump's political/presidential career in which he said that there can never be an imposed peace; the parties have to negotiate themselves. But I do remember blogging about it with enthusiasm. Unfortunately for all, including Trump's eventual record as United States President, someone, or the dangerous feeling of omnipotence as POTUS, turned his head.

Donald Trump and his close staff, including his Jewish son-in-law Jared Kushner, have stepped in it for sure with their so-called "Deal of the Century." It's not a "deal." It's a dangerous proposal they want to impose on Israel and our neighbors enemies.

Even if it's better for Israel than all previous proposals, it won't give us PEACE.

The closest thing to true peace and security for the State of Israel and the Jewish People world over would be:

• The State of Israel must declare full SOVEREIGNTY over all the Land we still hold, which had been liberated in the 1967 Six Days War. 
• We must make it perfectly clear that there's nothing to negotiate. 
• All terrorists caught in the act must be executed immediately, no trial and no cushy jail time. 
• The PA-Palestine Authority must be disbanded.
• Har Habayit, the Temple Mount must be administered by Jews, full Jewish rights to worship including a suitable building until the Third Temple is complete.

Those are the basic principles. Once our enemies realize we mean business, life will be more peaceful, Gd willing.

Photo taken by me at the Shiloh Hakeduma Hologram showing worship in the Biblical Tabernacle in Shiloh

"Speedily in Our Days..." Tisha B'Av 5779, 2019

This year, this Tisha b'Av, the time we're supposed to be mourning the destruction of our Holy Temples, I find myself mourning the fact that the vast majority of the Jewish People have no plan to build the Third Holy Temple. 

As I read the words of Eicha, I began to feel that we're too accepting of our "victimhood," rather than pushing forward and living as Gd wants. Much of this feeling is the influence of the lectures I heard the other day in Michlelet Herzog (College) Tanach/Bible Program.

Only seventy 70 years passed between the destruction of the First Temple and the construction of the Second Temple. Now over two thousand years have passed since the Second one was destroyed, and  we still don't have a Holy Temple. More than seventy 70 years ago the State of Israel was established and more than fifty years since the IDF Israel Defense Forces liberated the Temple Mount in the stupendously miraculous 1967 Six Days War.

Just a few hours ago, on Shabbat we read the Torah, Dvarim:

Dvarim I

רְ֠אֵה נָתַ֨ן יְ-ה אֱלֹ-יךָ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ עֲלֵ֣ה רֵ֗שׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר יְ-ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ לָ֔ךְ אַל־תִּירָ֖א וְאַל־תֵּחָֽת׃

21- See, the LORD your God has placed the land at your disposal. Go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you. Fear not and be not dismayed.”

Nu? It's clear to me. We're supposed to be sovereign and build for the Jewish People in all of the Land of Israel, including the Holy Temple, the Beit Hamikdash on Har Habayit, the Temple Mount.

• Gd gave us this Land for a reason.
• Gd gave us the victories in 1948, 1967, 1973 and more for us to build a country for Jews.

We must not be afraid of foreign powers. They have no power over us. We the Jewish People are Gd's People.

May we accept Gd's gifts and use them properly

במהרה בימינו

Bimhaira yameinu

Speedily in Our Days

Planning The Third Temple

Tonight, as a Succot celebration here in Shiloh, I heard a talk about the Third Temple.

It took place in a neighbor's large succah.

Considering that even today, after seventy 70 years of the State of Israel, which bli eyin haraa, seems stronger and more stable and successful than ever, many Jews still have trouble accepting this reality, talk of the measurements of the Third Temple may seem a bit "premature." But as I listened I thought of how just barely a hundred and fifty years ago, the vast majority of Jews couldn't fathom the idea that there would be a Jewish State. They thought that Theodor Herzl and other early Zionists were totally daft.

I kept thinking of this famous quotation from Theodor Herzl as I listened to a very detailed explanation of dimensions of the yet unbuilt Holy Temple. Gd willing we won't need to wait much longer to liberate the Temple Mount and build the Third Temple.

If you will it, it is no dream
Theodor Herzl

Herzl

Chag Succot Sameach

ושמחת בחגך

Kotel Crumbling Sign Time to Ascend Temple Mount!

There have been lots of news reports and pictures posted of enormous rocks, boulders falling from the Kotel, Western Wall. And there are numerous theories about why this is suddenly happening.

• illegal, dangerous, unsupervised digging by the Wakf
• mini-earthquakes/tremors

The Kotel, Photo by Batya Medad

Or can we take this as a hint  that Gd is getting angry that most Jews still prefer the less holy outer wall, support wall for the Temple Mount, Har Habayit?

Is it that everytime a Jew calls the Kotel "the holiest site for the Jewish People" something cracks just a tiny bit?

The Temple Mount, Photo by Batya Medad

The Temple Mount, Photo by Batya Medad

The Temple Mount, Photo by Batya Medad

The Temple Mount, Photo by Batya Medad

The Temple Mount, Photo by Batya Medad

Of course, nothing can be proven, but let's first begin correcting our speech. The holiest site in the world for the Jewish People, Jewish Religion is The Temple Mount. Gd returned it to us in 1967 during the miraculous Six Days War, 28th of Iyyar.

Taste of Moshiach, Eating on 9th of Av

Tisha b'Av, the 9th day of the Jewish Month of Av is commemorated as the saddest and longest day of the year. It's one of the two 25 hour fasts, along with Yom Kippur. But unlike Yom Kippur it's a day of mourning, and the mourning customs continue until the following afternoon. Even the meal that breaks the fast has to be restricted to non-festive foods.

Unlike Yom Kippur, Tisha b'Av will not be a fast day forever. When the Moshiach rules and our Holy Temple is rebuilt, the 9th of Av will become a festive holiday. We pray that will be soon. It's even customary that announcement for Tisha b'Av events to be preceded with "If the Moshiach hasn't yet come..."

The meals that "bookend" Yom Kippur are festive meals, traditionally a rich chicken soup followed by meat and festive dishes, but for 9th of Av it's the opposite. The traditional prefast meal before Tisha b'Av is that of a mourner. No meat or poultry and the "Dessert" is boiled eggs rolled in ash. But not this year!

This year we ate meat and poultry and drank wine on Tisha b'Av. Many Torah observant Jews even had festive meals before the fast began. That's because this year the actual 9th of Av was on Shabbat, and we don't mourn on Shabbat. It's forbidden. The only special pre-Tisha b'Av change to Shabbat was that we were required to finish eating our festive third Shabbat meal before the sun began to set.

Gd willing next year, 5779, there will be no Fast of Tisha b'Av, neither the 9th of Av nor the 10th. Those days will be joyous holidays, and the Holy Temple will be standing, and Jews won't be forced to undergo demeaning inspections to go up to the Temple Mount.

Gd willing Tisha b'Av next year, 5779, there will be festive Jewish Prayer in the Holy Temple on the Temple Mount!

My husband, Yisrael Medad, waiting to enter the Temple Mount today

Where Were You? Liberation of Jerusalem, Kotel, Temple Mount 1967

I'll never forget spring 1967. The terrible stress and worry which predated the miraculous Six Days War. culminated in Israel's liberation of Jerusalem's Old City, including the Temple Mount and Kotel, Western Wall.

During those tumultuous weeks I was simultaneously busy with all of the things that American high school students did in their last weeks of school, being that I was about to graduate and finally leave Great Neck. As one of the very few Jewish student activists, busy with NCSY (National Conference of Synagogue Youth,) SSSJ (Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry,) Betar and all the pro-Israel activities I could find, my priorities were very clear to me.

It was hard to be "two places at once," listening to all of the news updates and attending lame duck classes, which no longer had any real purpose. The school administration made it pretty clear that they could take revenge and withhold our diplomas if we had dared to skip classes or even the "Senior Class Beach Day."  At Jones Beach, I went from student to student giving them the opportunity to donate money to Israel via the NCSY Torah Fund. And in class, my friend and I took turns sitting on a gigantic transistor radio which was tuned to a news station, so we could hear the latest from Israel.

But the television newscast I remember best found me babysitting, just across the street from my house. That was when I saw and heard the reports of the IDF liberating the Old City and the Kotel. I can't find it on youtube with the loud crying of the soldiers, which I remember so clearly to this day. As they cried, so did I.

Do you have any memories of that historic and miraculous time? If so, what are they?

Jerusalem, Jewish and Israeli For Sure

Last night my husband and I attended an enjoyable and informative event hosted by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs at the Israel Museum. The main speaker was Ambassador  Dore Gold. Gold, a former ambassador and Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs is a leading independent research institute specializing in public diplomacy and foreign policy. Founded in 1976, the Center has produced hundreds of studies and initiatives by leading experts on a wide range of strategic topics. Dr. Dore Gold, Israel’s former ambassador to the UN, has headed the Jerusalem Center since 2000.

Gold's lecture centered on debunking six false claims about Jerusalem.

As a quick summary, two important points:

Ambassador Gold proved that according to international law and precedent, there is absolutely no reason to accuse Israel of illegally occupying sic Jerusalem. Gold easily showed how even the Muslims, until very recently, had recognized Jewish ties to the Temple Mount and Jerusalem.

Gold's lecture was extremely clear, informative and entertaining. The illustrations were excellent, and I certainly hope that it will be available online/youtube.

Plugat HaKotel Museum Open to The Public, Memories

I was excited to see that the ground floor area of our first home in Israel has finally been opened to the public as the Beit Plugat Hakotel, Platoon of the Wall House. This small history museum is a gem.

We had been honored with a preview of the museum just under a year ago as part of my husband's 70th birthday/retirement party by the Menachem Begin Heritage Center.

The Menachem Begin Heritage Center chose the location and were able to get us in, because my husband's very first job as an Israeli, after we made aliyah in 1970, was there in that very same building. The rest of the building* had been renovated by World Betar to be used as a "student hostel." We were given an apartment in it to live in, and he was the "administrator," or אב בית. It took almost fifty years for the museum to be established/open.

The Plugat Hakotel Museum is in the building, because that is where the patrols were quartered in the dangerous time of the British Mandate. The British had been mandated to facilitate the establishment of a Jewish State, but they favored the Arabs. That is why there was a serious need for Jewish self-defense, and the Plugat Hakotel, Platoon of the Western Wall was so necessary. Besides providing Jewish security, brave, proud Jews who defied the British by blowing shofar at the Kotel came from that group.

Living in Maon Betar, we didn't have the usual olim chadashim, new immigrant experiences in Israel. Most of our friends spent their first months in a merkaz klita, immigrant hostel where they met other new immigrants and got lots of tips on how to use the system for their benefit. That's why we ended up buying an apartment on the private market in Bayit Vegan, rather then getting a better financial deal in Ramat Eshkol or Sanhedria Murchevet. We never really lived with other new immigrants. The guys in Maon Betar had mostly finished their army service and were starting their university studies. They were regular Israelis from all over the world. The connection was a Betar background.

Here I am in the early days of living in Maon Betar. This central internal patio was then open. A short while later, they roofed it, which kept out the rain and sun.

There were very few Jews living in the Old City at the time. We were certainly the only olim chadashim couple from America, though Rabbi Goldstein had already established the Diaspora Yeshiva on nearby Mount Zion.

During that special year when we were living in Maon Betar, we did feel ourselves as participating in Jewish History. Though nothing we did, not even my husband's attempts to ascend the Temple Mount, was on the level of those brave Jews who risked their lives defending Jews from Arabs while simultaneously challenging and defying the British. You'll find out more if you go to the Plugat Hakotel Museum.



*The rest of the building now serves as a dormitory for the Netiv Arye Yeshiva.

Timeless Truth: No People Like The Jewish People

Today's the 10th of the Jewish Month of Av, and some of the "mourning restrictions" still hold. We, the Jewish People, have spent a solid three weeks remembering and mourning past tragedies, ancient tragedies from Biblical times. Is there any people like the Jewish People?

No!

A few years ago, I had a "cousins day" in Philadelphia, PA. That's a city with great significance in American History. I was rather amused at what they call "archeology" there. The sites have histories of just a few hundred years. In my hometown of Shiloh, archaeologists are able to document and active history of thousands of years, and it's clear that there was a strong Jewish presence long before the Christians and Moslems were around.

Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh

Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh

Yesterday there was an amazing development in the modern relationship between the Jewish People and the Temple Mount, the site where both of our Holy Temples had stood. On Tisha b'Av, the 9th of the Jewish Month of Av, 5777, more Jews were lined up to ascend the Temple Mount than to pray at the Kotel. This was a revolution of sorts.

More Jews are insisting on going to the holiest spot than making do with the outer support wall aka the Kotel.

We are totally connected to our ancient past, our amazing history. We shouldn't let the politicians get us down. We are on our way to Redemption, thank the Good Lord.

9th of Av Warning

I just posted a very positive optimistic blog post about the 9th of Av on A Jewish Grandmother,  Only in Israel, 9th of Av. It's on a day like today, when I have two very contradictory messages to post that I'm very happy to have a number of blogs.

The three week period of mourning leading to the 9th of Av and the fasting we do on that day are to remind us that our Land was invaded and Holy Temples destroyed.

Here we are over two thousand years later, and thank the Good Lord we are in a Jewish State. OK, true we do have enemies who unabashedly proclaim their plans to destroy us. As the world stands silently by, rather déjà vu, we have managed to miraculously defeat them time again.

There are even Jews who consider the status quo to be sufficiently good to mandate the cancellation of the fasting and mourning. I would certainly not go that far. I think that observing the fasting and mourning from the 17th of Tammuz to the 9-10th of Av as a still very necessary warning.

The commemoration of the tragedies to to make us remember, a reminder that even a Holy Temple built of heavy stone as grand as the one Herod built can be destroyed. Just read the Torah portion and Haftara our sages chose for the 9th of Av:

Complete Tisha B'Av Service, ArtScroll 

Dvarim 4:25When you beget children and children's children, and you will be long established in the land, and you become corrupt and make a graven image, the likeness of anything, and do evil in the eyes of the Lord your God, to provoke Him to anger,		דברים ד, כהכִּי תוֹלִיד בָּנִים וּבְנֵי בָנִים וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם בָּאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁחַתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם פֶּסֶל תְּמוּנַת כֹּל וַעֲשִׂיתֶם הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְהַכְעִיסוֹ:
26I call as witness against you this very day the heaven and the earth, that you will speedily and utterly perish from the land to which you cross the Jordan, to possess; you will not prolong your days upon it, but will be utterly destroyed.		כוהַעִידֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כִּי אָבֹד תֹּאבֵדוּן מַהֵר מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ לֹא תַאֲרִיכֻן יָמִים עָלֶיהָ כִּי הִשָּׁמֵד תִּשָּׁמֵדוּן:
27And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will remain few in number among the nations to where the Lord will lead you.		כזוְהֵפִיץ יְהֹוָה אֶתְכֶם בָּעַמִּים וְנִשְׁאַרְתֶּם מְתֵי מִסְפָּר בַּגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר יְנַהֵג יְהֹוָה אֶתְכֶם שָׁמָּה:

Complete Tisha B'Av Service, ArtScroll 

I think that the true, the real lesson of the 9th of Av is only effective if we take it as a warning. We shouldn't think that because we have a Jewish State today, which is one of the most successful countries in the world, that we will all live happily ever after. Life isn't that simple.

Our Kingdom was invaded, the Temples destroyed and we were exiled twice before.

The State of Israel is a good start, but we are still far from Redemption, far from the Messianic Era. We, the Jewish People, still suffer terrible internal strife. Although there are good Jews preparing for Kohen, Priestly, Worship at the Holy Temple, we have not yet begun building the Third Temple. We do have prayers in the Hebron Cave of the Patriarchs, but there is not yet Jewish Prayer on the Temple Mount.

The State of Israel still refuses to be sovereign on not only the Temple Mount but the entire Land of Israel.

We have such a long way to go unfortunately. I do see progress. There was a time, not all that long ago, when you couldn't even hear anyone mentioning the subjects. But still we must hurry before Gd loses patience with us and decides that we are to be exiled yet again.

Next year, Gd willing, may there be feasts, not fasts on the 9th of Av. Gd willing with full Jewish Sovereignty the Third Temple will appear as the building commences, like the Red Sea parted when Nachshon stepped in.

It's up to us!

Bibi and Likud Right? No, Wrong!

I'd say double wrong.

• Wrong #1 is to label the Likud and Prime Minister Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu as promoting Right wing policies.
• Wrong #2 are their policies.

At times, like when campaigning or for the right media effect, they talk the talk. But push comes to shove, once the cameras are down and it comes to real policy, not theoretical, they don't walk the walk. In old cowboy and indian movies, they'd be described as having "forked tongues."

Reverend Fun - Untrustable Snakes

After just too many years of Likud-led coalition, I'd say that all the Likud MKs and ministers are the same. None have quit in disgust; their obvious ambition overrides their supposed principles. Coalition partner Yvette-Avigdor Lieberman may try to give the impression of being a tough fighter, but the only thing he really fights for is his own personal power. Some of his policy statements/proposals are even worse than Bibi's. 

Unfortunately, the Jewish Home, formerly NRP, is proving itself more Yosef Burg, than the principled patriotic pro-Jewish Rights and Sovereignty in the Land of Israel that most of its voters had been hoping for.

The wily Bibi Netanyahu made his coalition partners sign a contract that was more reminiscent of Dorian Gray than what their voters had voted for. 

The backtracking on security cameras for Arab Muslims is embarrassingly outrageous. Simple logic, where's the common sense? The previous policy which policed and inspected everyone but Arab Muslims entering and wandering around the Temple Mount was inexcusable. I'm sure that all of the police and soldiers and their loved ones stationed  on the Temple Mount were relieved once those metal detectors were in use. But within a couple of days, Bibi folded, melted showed the world and the Arab terrorists that he does not care about the security of the State of Israel. Each time something like this has happened, many of us expect, or pray, that the coalition will break up and that we'll see politicians with principles. 

I guess that "politicians with principles" is an oxymoron. 

What a way to enter Tisha b'Av...

• Gd willing, there will be a miracle, and we'll finally have a true, reliable Jewish Leader who fears nobody but Gd Almighty. 
• Gd willing, there will be a miracle, and we'll finally have a leader who will impose fully Israeli Sovereignty over the Entire Land of Israel. 

That is the only way we will achieve PEACE.

Tzom Kal

An Easy and Effective Fast

9th of Av Yet Again

9th of Av Yet Again is also cross-posted on Israel Blogger.

9th of Av

In another two days is the Fast of the 9th of Av, when we must endure a 25 hour fast* to commemorate/remember the invasion/conquering of Jerusalem and destruction of both our Holy Temples. This is the saddest most tragic time in the Jewish Calendar. In the heat of the summer, we
are commanded to remember.

This past year, especially the past couple of weeks, it's much too easy to see how the increased violence and dangers are caused by our sins. Yes, remember that we're all in this "boat"together. We can't say:

"I'm perfect. He's the one who got us into trouble."

Yom Kippur

In another two months it will be Yom Kippur, and on Yom Kippur we also fast 25 hours and we list "our sins" to Gd begging forgiveness. The Yom Kippur Prayers are written in plural. It is forbidden to edit the text with the excuse:

"I didn't do that."

We are One Jewish People, One Family. We have to care for and take responsibility for each other. The internal sin, which weakened us and caused our defeat and the destruction of the Jewish Kingdoms and Holy Temples came from within us.

Déjà vu

Déjà vu. It's happening yet again. We have a government that runs to foreign leaders for "advice" and "aid" rather than doing what is best for the Jewish People and State of Israel. Our government treats foreign values as gods instead of obeying the One and Only Gd Almighty. Our government worries about world opinion instead of what's best for us.

Our Israeli Government does not act as a sovereign power.

We ordinary citizens feel hopeless and powerless. We have not united to do what we know is best.

Our Israeli Government is destroying Jewish homes while permitting our enemies to build and grow stronger. It feels like the 9th of Av all the time.

I dread checking the news.

Elul, Teshuva, Repentance 

It's hard to keep in mind that there is a way out of this dangerous mess. We don't have to wait for the Month of Elul to repent. Teshuva, Repentance is accepted by Gd all year long.

• If we hurry and build homes and communities for Jews all over the Land of Israel...
• If we execute all Arab terrorists instead of offering them trials and prison services...
• If we ascend the Temple Mount with prayers and building materials...

THEN THIS TUESDAY ON THE 9TH OF AV WE WILL CELEBRATE THE MOSHIACH AND DEDICATE THE THIRD HOLY TEMPLE, SPEEDILY IN OUR DAYS, GD WILLING!

*Those with certain medical issues/conditions are supposed to drink, even eat. Fasting is only for those healthy enough and not taking even temporary medications. Check with both doctor and qualified rabbi, who understands the medical aspects.

A Guide to The Kotel and Temple Mount

A Guide to The Kotel and Temple Mount is cross-posted on Israel Blogger.

Bibi's latest, of a very long, long list, capitulation to dangerous and ridiculous Leftist pro-Arab terrorist demands was the removal of the recently set up metal detectors to the Temple Mount for Arabs. As Paula Stern aka A Soldier's Mother has complained on facebook, not only do Jews, Christians and whatevers have to undergo demeaning "inspections" to get to the Temple Mount, where we're forbidden prayers, but just to go to the Kotel we go through metal detectors and our possessions are xrayed.

For those unfamiliar with the Old City of Jerusalem, the Kotel and Temple Mount, I'll explain a bit of the "geography." The Temple Mount is in the old walled City of Jerusalem. It's an "outer section." The "outer wall" of the Temple Mount is a section of the Old City Walls. The Kotel is a "support wall" of the Temple Mount, not the ancient Jewish Holy Temple, and an inner wall in the Old City. If you look at pre-1967 Six Days War photos you won't see anything like today's large impressive plaza. It was more like a narrow street where Jews gathered to pray by that wall.

In recent decades, since the 1967 war, not only has the State of Israel removed buildings to allow for massive Jewish Prayer at the Kotel, but it installed security inspection machinery at all entrances to the plaza. Everyone goes through a personal metal detector and puts his/her bags through a special x-ray conveyor belt. That is just to get to the Kotel.

Now, if you want to ascend the Temple Mount, you go through an additional, much more extensive security inspection. Your bags will be opened, checked and frequently held by the special security staff. Tourists, Jews, Christians and anyone else who doesn't seem to be an Arab Muslim can only enter through that gate.

Muslim Arabs have other entrances to the Temple Mount which aren't from the Kotel area. That means that not only aren't they inspected before entering the Temple Mount, but they haven't gone passed through the metal detectors at the entrances to the Kotel.

Simple Arithmetic:

1 + 1 = 2 versus 0

Yes, the Arabs can bring anything they want up to the Temple Mount, whether something as safe or innocuous as food or prayer books, but also guns, knives and explosives. The Israeli soldiers/police stationed at the Arab entrances have nothing to do other than being "window dressing" to make it look like there's some security. Their only real job is to keep the non-Muslims from entering.

Back to Rules for Non-Muslims:

Non-Muslims may be able to bring food, though saying a prayer/blessing before eating may get you carted out. Prayers are forbidden, so we aren't allowed to have any prayer books with us on the Temple Mount. And of course, anything considered to be a weapon is forbidden. Remember that the bags are inspected besides personal metal detectors, rather reminiscent of airport security.

Here's another very big difference between Muslims and non-Muslims on the Temple Mount.  While Muslims can wander freely, all others are herded into groups which are supervised by "guides." These "guides" not only restrict where a visitor can go, but they constantly watch to prevent anyone from praying. Yes, I kid you not. For some totally fokokt reason, the Israeli Government has long agreed to the Wakf demand that there only be Islamic prayer on the Holiest Site for Jews.

None of this makes sense. Does it?

Why don't we have minimal Civil Rights or Religious Rights in the Holiest of Places?

It's now less than a week until the 9th of Av when for millennia the Jewish People have mourned the loss and destruction of our Holy Temples. The time has come to stop mourning and start building the Third Holy Temple. Stage one is to be fully sovereign in The Land of Israel, the City of Jerusalem and on the Temple Mount!

Bibi Melts Like Margarine on a Hot Day

Bibi Melts Like Margarine on a Hot Day is cross-posted on Israel Blogger.

A neighbor of ours when we lived in Bayit Vegan used to describe weak parents as:

"He's margarine and she's butter."

I keep thinking of that runny, awful and unhealthy margarine, because Bibi again melted at Arab threats. I wouldn't insult "butter" by comparing our weak Prime Minister to it. 

ISRAEL REMOVES TEMPLE MOUNT METAL DETECTORS THAT ENRAGED THE MUSLIM WORLD

There's a well-known saying in American politics:

"If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen."

It's clear that Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is just too weak. He can't take the heat. And the most depressing thing is that in all honesty, there isn't anyone in Israeli politics who seems any better. Nobody is willing to not only "tell the world off" for a "sound-bite," but to stick to a policy that's good for us when everyone is cursing, threatening and excusing Arab terrorism.

• A good, effective Israeli leader wouldn't rely on the "friendship" of any foreign power. 
• A good, effective Israeli leader would only consider what's best for the State of Israel. 
• A good, effective Israeli leader would not buckle/melt under Arab terrorist threats.

This is all so déjà vu. Over twenty-five years ago, on the eve of the Madrid "Peace" Conference, one of the buses traveling to the Tel Aviv demonstration to try to strengthen then Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir was shot at by Arab terrorists. Two people on the bus were murdered and a few others badly injured. Mourning my good friend, Rachella Druk, HaYa"D, I expected Shamir to stay home and say:

"I'm not going. There's nobody to speak to אין עם מי לדבר Ain im mi lidaber. The Arabs are murderers! They show no readiness to make peace."

But Shamir melted. He ignored the fact that a good Jewish bus driver and an innocent mother of seven had just been murdered by Arab terrorists.

This past Friday night, on the Eve of the Sabbath a Jewish home was invaded by an Arab terrorist who murdered three members of a family, a father and two adult children. This was just a week after Arab terrorists on the Temple Mount had murdered two Israeli policemen.

And now, the new metal detectors and security cameras at the Muslim entrances to the Temple Mount are bing removed. Prime Minister Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu can't be relied on. We're being ruled by mushy melting margarine. 

Must Keep Temple Mount Metal Detectors for Arabs

Must Keep Temple Mount Metal Detectors for Arabs is also posted on Israel Blogger.

Now to make it clear to those who don't live in Israel or visit much. Metal detectors are all over, a normal part of life here in Israel.

You go through them when entering most medical clinics, supermarkets, hospitals, universities, cinemas, theaters, malls and large stores. Men no longer use their trouser pockets as change purses, since even a few coins get the alarms ringing. Metal hairclips and even gold jewelry can do the same depending on the sensitivity setting of the security device. Jews, Arabs, tourists, yes, everyone is expected to be inspected. It's a fact of life here. We've become very skilled at effortlessly piling our bags, backpacks, phones etcetera on security tables to be opened and conveyor belts that take them for x-rays.

Until a few days ago, the biggest exception to this rule was the Muslim-only entrances to the Temple Mount. While Jews and other non-Muslim tourists put up with very intensive security checks before ascending to the holy place, Moslems could just walk in with anything. Yes, that anything included weapons.

Now, due to the murder of two Israel Policemen, davka Arab Druse, by Muslims on the Temple Mount, finally the Israeli security authorities have installed metal detectors for Arab Muslims who want to enter the Temple Mount. And of course, the Arabs are rioting and using that as yet another excuse for murderous terror attacks against innocent Jews.

There is nothing at all to negotiate here. And there is absolutely no need for any foreigners to come to help mediate. The metal detectors must remain in place, and Arabs must undergo exactly the same security inspections as anybody else!!

That's it, as far as I'm concerned. Do you agree?

Security Inspection line on Temple Mount, Photo by Batya Medad, 2014

Lack of Security Inspection on Temple Mount, Photo by Batya Medad, 2014

Metal Detectors, What's Good for The Goose...

This is also posted on Israel Blogger.

Ever since Arab terrorism had become one of the "expected" dangers of Israeli life, we've all gotten used to the fact that all public buildings, malls and some businesses require passing through metal detectors. In addition many other places of business or offices have some sort of guard screening those entering. That's besides the super-thorough security in airports all over the world, which have made wearing "money-belts" illegal. Here in Israel, most of us don't even think about it. We just automatically empty our pockets of keys, cellphone, put our pocketbooks, backpacks etc on the table for the guard to check  as we go through the metal detectors.

When I ascended the Temple Mount a few years ago, I didn't make a fuss about the awfully thorough security check my friends and I had to endure, but I was more than horrified to discover that Arabs entered freely. Not even their bags were checked. And the women could wear large tent-like robes with fabric thick enough to hide much more than their bodies. It made no sense to me. We should all be equally checked. And we should all have equal rights to worship there, but that's another point...

It was totally clear to me that the discrimination against Jews was not only immoral, but it was totally illogical. Now, after the latest rioting, metal detectors have been set up at the Arab entrances to the Temple Mount. Yes, Jews are allowed one crowded entry point, while Arabs can enter from a few different entrances. Yes, that's more anti-Jewish (and Christian) discrimination. Of course, the Arabs are protesting. I hope and pray that the State of Israel won't back down on this.

I also hope and pray that Jews will be given full religious and civil rights on The Temple Mount. It's time that we be allowed to pray in our Holiest Site in the World.

Jewish security check before entering Temple Mount

Arabs enter freely, while police talk and look at their phones

Temple Mount is The Key, Lesson of Pinchas

Contrary to the Principles I learned when taking a Life Coaching course, when it comes to the problems in security, standing and sovereignty the State of Israel is suffering, I think that the key to solving it all is to go to the biggest issue. That is the Status of the Temple Mount, Har Habayit, the location of Judaism's two Holy Temples and the Holiest Place in the World for the Jewish People.

The past two Shabbatot we read of the story of Pinchas and how he executed Kosbi and Zimra on the spot as they were sinning publicly against Gd. We must not judge his actions on modern western values/philosophy only only on Torah Law and "What's good for the Jews."

Davka, just hours before Shabbat Pinchas there was a terrible, though predictable Arab terror attack on the Temple Mount. Arab Muslim terrorists, who aren't inspected before entering the holiest of places, murdered Israeli Policemen. The State of Israel finally had the gumption to close the Temple Mount to Arabs, but just for a couple of days. It has already been reopened, although with additional security checks.

The Israeli Government should have used this tragic attack to finally take away the rule of the Wakf and allow a Jewish group to administer the area. In the process all of the restrictions on Jews and Jewish Worship must end. This is our Holiest Site, and giving it to the Moslems is a chilul Hashem, a disgraceful act insulting Gd.

Gd willing we will soon have leaders here who are worthy of Pinchas's heritage.