The Lion's Roar, 3rd of Tzvi Fishman's Tevye Series

I finished reading The Lion's Roar by Tzvi Fishman, and now I have to wait almost a year to read the next installment, Anonymous Soldiers. #1 Tevye in The Promised Land was reviewed here, as was #2 Arise and Shine.

Before I go any further, I'll get straight to the point. Buy the series for yourself, friends and family. The books suit all ages, and if you're careful about what your kids read, no problems. There's nothing to censor.

Fishman's series is also a fantastic way to learn and teach Jewish and Israeli History. The Tevye series can also be used to teach Jewish History in Jewish Schools or English in Israeli ones.

The Tevye series should be turned into movies or television shows. The plots are actual history, though characters are a combination of real historical figures with fictional ones. And as I've said before, consider Tevye of the Forrest Gump genre. The big difference is that Tevye is highly intelligent and ideologically motivated, unlike the also fictional Gump, who finds himself in real historic events by chance.

The Lion's Roar gives us an excellent view of the controversy and then break in the Zionist Revisionist movement that Zeev Jabotinsky had established. In addition, we read of the tension, competition and inside story between all of the Zionist groups, from Left to Right.

For those who are familiar with the history of the time, when Jews in the Promised Land had to decide between supporting Britain against Germany or attacking British police, because they supported Arab rights over Jewish ones, Fishman's characters and plot are well-written. It's also an enjoyable challenge for us to pick out which of his fictional characters are based on real people.

I'm anxiously awaiting further installments about Tevye and his family in the Promised Land.

Product details

• Series: Tevye in the Promised Land Series
• Paperback: 526 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 14, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1726116107
• ISBN-13: 978-1726116107
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.2 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds

"Arise and Shine," More Adventures with Tevye by Tzvi Fishman

I'm truly enjoying the adventurous Tevye in the Promised Land series by Tzvi Fishman. I've coined them the Forrest Gump genre of literature, a subgroup in historical novels. Now for the second in the series, which tells what happens to Tevye the Milkman and his growing family, once they're well settled in the Promised Land, Arise and Shine.

Life isn't simple and calm for Tevye and his clan. Like the fictional Forrest Gump, Tevye and his family not only participated in the most important and game-changing events in post World War One Mandate/Palestine, but they knew and interacted with all of the main historic figures. For me, personally, it's a sign of Fishman's writing skill that he created very realistic younger versions of some people I actually knew. The young and idealistic Moshe Segal in Fishman's books could very well be what our elderly neighbor in Jerusalem's Old City had been like a half a century before we knew him.

You can see in the cover of Arise and Shine, the fictional Tevye is flanked Zeev Jabotinsky, David Ben-Gurion, Yair Avraham Stern and Yosef Trumpeldor. That simple illustration summarizes this entire series by Tzvi Fishman. Tevye was much more than a simple milkman.

Even more than that, Fishman doesn't sweeten the story, making Tevye and his family immune from the violence and dangers of the time. In Volume #1 Tevye in the Promised Land, illness and Arab terrorists were the killers of Tevye's daughters and friends. But in Arise and Shine, Arab terror becomes the biggest danger. And to make matters worse, the British, who are supposed to be keeping the peace and facilitating the establishment of a Jewish State favor the Arabs and restrict Jews, even from self-defense.

Tevye and his family gave up on their rural, agricultural life and are living in Jerusalem, where Tevye the milkman has a milk route. Chief Rabbi Kook is the rabbi Tevye looks up to, as he has since his earliest days in the Promised Land. In the struggle for a Jewish State, most of Tevye's family find themselves firmly in the Revisionist camp. David Raziel, Uri Tzvi Greenberg, Moshe Segal and Avraham Stern are among those who visit Tevye's home.

The mix of true history and fiction Tvi Fishman cooked up in this series is a perfect blend. For those readers who aren't familiar with the history and historic characters, I highly recommend reading the books slowly and supplementing with a bit of quick research if necessary.

Again, I must say that the book could be made into a riveting television series. It's also a great book to read to children, instead of letting them watch the "screen." The book is a lot "cleaner" than what you'll find on television or in the movies.

I highly recommend Tzvi Fishman's Arise and Shine as a book for all ages. I'm now almost half way through the third volume, and I understand that there's a fourth in production, which Gd willing will be published in under a year.

Series: Tevye in the Promised Land Paperback: 458 pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (October 15, 2018) Language: English ISBN-10: 1724652672 ISBN-13: 978-1724652676

כנס שילה Kenes Shiloh #7, 2018, 5778, in Pictures

Yesterday I was lucky to have attended the seventh 7th כנס שילה Kenes Shiloh, Shiloh Conference. It certainly helps that it's conveniently located just over a mile's walk down from my house. I didn't attend the earlier event commemorating one hundred years of the Jewish Legion at the "park" across from the Shiloh Junction, which included a four kilometer hike at "high noon." I figured that it would be just too much for me.

I arrived at Shiloh Hakeduma, Ancient Shiloh, aka Tel Shiloh in time for a tour of the latest discoveries and exhibitions. That's the real highlight for me each year. Even though I get to the Tel almost every Rosh Chodesh for Women's Prayers there, we rarely get to see all the archeology and touristy exhibits.

One of the newest exhibits is the hologram. I definitely recommend getting an official tour at Shiloh Hakeduma, so you can see it along with the movie and museum.

Our guide, Yisrael Ben-Aryeh, made a point about Shiloh being the most important Biblical archeological site for experts in the field. That's because none of the other historically and theologically significant Biblical cities/locations are really in Israel's hands. Arabs have destroyed and have been given rights, autonomy, over the other important Biblical locations, such as The Temple Mount, Shechem, Hebron, Biblical Beit El etc.

Not only was Shiloh the location of the Mishkan, Tabernacle for 369 years, but there was Jewish activity there even hundreds of years later. After that Christians built churches and then Muslims came for a short period.

After the tour, there were a number of lectures about various topics, the very latest discoveries, the Prayer and significance of Biblical Chana, the Jewish Legion, Zeev Jabotinsky and other fascinating things.

The כנס שילה Kenes Shiloh, Shiloh Conference is in Hebrew, and I highly recommend attending if you understand Hebrew. Tours, visits and other events can always be arranged at  Shiloh Hakeduma in English and other languages. Our tour guide can lead tours in four languages. And there are guides  who know additional languages. Phone: 02-5789111, Fax: 02-9948011, visit@telshilo.org.il.

Here are some of the photos I took:

Parshat Shavua: "Mattot" and Jabotinsky's Yahrzeit

Biblical Tribal Map

Chazal, our sages, tell us that timing is from Gd, and today at our local Shiloh Women's Shabbat class we were talking about this week's Torah Portion of the Week, Mattot.  One of the topics/events in Parshat Mattot is the request of two of the tribes, Reuben and Gad, to receive land on the eastern bank of the Jordan River. This wasn't so simple, because the conquering/liberating of the entire Land wasn't yet complete, and priority was for the western bank of the Jordean. In the end the area east of the Jordan River was divided among Reuben, Gad and half of Menashe. Yes, the Jewish People had both sides of the Jordan.

Ze’ev Jabotinsky

"The goal of Zionism is: Eretz Yisrael as a single state on both sides of the Jordan River." 
In the first years of the British Mandate in Eretz Yisrael, Jabotinsky supported collaboration with Great Britain, assuming that the latter will implement the mandate it supported in Balfour’s declaration. However, when Britain backed out from its support in the Zionist stand, Jabotinsky warned of a possible betrayal by the government of the British Mandate and advocated to rebel against it. In 1923 he resigned from the Executive of the Zionist Movement, in protest against the policy of Chaim Weizmann, which he felt was moderate towards the anti-Zionist stand taken by the British Mandate Government. The support given to Jabotinsky by youth from east and central Europe was the basis for the future Revisionist Movement.

The Betari in me quickly made the connection. Jabotinsky's Yahrzeit, the anniversary of his death according to the Jewish Calendar is in the week of Parshat Mattot which introduces us to the concept of our sovereignty on both sides of the Jordan!

“Mandate for Palestine”

שתי גדות לירדן

Shtay Gaddot LaYarden

Two Sides of the Jordan

Jabotinsky in The 21st Century

Ze'ev Jabotinsky the founder of Betar and Revisionist Zionism was a great writer and speaker and multi-linguist. If he was alive today, he's probably adore the possibilities of the internet and social media. No doubt he'd blog in a multitude of languages. Jabo would also have a busy youtube account.

Jabotinsky would have been right next to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Paris urging all the Jews there to make aliyah. And Livni-Herzog and the other Leftist Israelis would be telling everyone not to listen to him, just like David Ben-Gurion said way back when...

Someone I know came back from Paris recently, horrified that the rabbis were telling their congregants "not to make aliyah to Israel, since the Jewish education in France is better." And I guess the cemeteries are prettier, too....

I guess it's time for Jabotinsky's Betar to come back to life, 21st Century style. And that is davka the plan:

BETAR

Betar is the world-wide Zionist youth movement that refuses to be silent, and as our founder Ze'ev Jabotinsky wrote: "Silence is despicable." Now, almost 100 years after its creation in 1923, Betar USA is taking our tradition of standing up and speaking out to a whole new level. Introducing Betar News!     Our students are putting together informational videos plus a weekly newscast by students and for students, but for adults as well. We will not just present news, but also promote Israel tourism and fight the Israel boycotters by promoting great Israeli products and technology you can use.     Thanks to one of our supports, Betar can borrow 80% of the equipment needed, including the professional camera, professional lights, a professional video editing computer and more. We do, however, need a few things to produce a quality newscast. While we are borrowing more than $20,000 in equipment, we need $3,856 of our own equipment to properly launch, and we will implement the improvements as money is donated. Right now we are using a drop-cloth as a backdrop, so our first need is a workable backdrop and stand. We also need, in order, good light stands so we don't trip and fall over flimsy lightweight stands with hot bulbs (a safety issue); a pair of matching wireless microphones so two people can be on the set at the same time; a microphone we can use overhead to ensure sound quality; microphone storage cases to protect the investment when not in use, two lighting wall mounts and two small lights to fill in shadows.     By our calculations, we need $3,856 to reach our goal getting us properly started, and that includes all shipping charges. If we are blessed by exceeding that goal, we will buy a desk for our news anchors to sit behind, build a better set than our starter hanging banner as a backdrop, buy our own camera and cables, plus a few other items so we can stand on our own. Right now though, we need your help to make the basic newscasts a reality. This new project is not yet tax deductible because we don't even have the money for the IRS paperwork, but we need to start somewhere. Please help restart Betar (www.Betar.org) USA. Please support our campaign here: http://www.gofundme.com/Betar

Are the Islamist Extremists Winning? What Would Rav Kook and Jabotinsky Say?

Dry Bones pulled out another classic.

Originally published October 27, 2003

One of the main reasons I'm not so impressed and enamored by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's latest speech at the United Nations General Assembly is that all his fine words and great performance have no real effect on any country's policies, nor on the United Nations.  Bibi is a wonderfully  skilled performer and presenter.  Probably the best since the world (and the United States especially) had Ronald Regan to admire.  The biggest difference is that Netanyahu is a writer and can produce his own material.  But, call me a jaded cynic, none of his skills and talents will really change the world.

Elder of Ziyon has summarized some of the world's reactions to Netanyahu's speech. Excerpt:

Iran Learns the Language of the West

To be sure, Rouhani’s performance at the United Nations was stellar, although he did not have much to live up to. Former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stood on the podium at the General Assembly denying the Holocaust and promoting 9/11 conspiracy theories before claiming that he’d felt “bathed in light” during his speech. Certainly not conducive to winning any PR points.
Rouhani’s UN appearance reminds me of one of the UN’s more infamous moments (of which there are too many) when, in 1974, PLO leader Yasser Arafat addressed the General Assembly stating: “Today I have come bearing an olive branch and a freedom fighter’s gun. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.”
Rouhani entered the UN with the equivalent of an atomic bomb poking out of his clothing. Yet, like Arafat before him, the crowd focused on the “olive branch” while ignoring the gun. In the subsequent years, Arafat’s gun was responsible for murdering and wounding thousands of innocents. Will Rouhani also follow suit albeit with more horrific weapons?

White House 'Understand's Israeli Skepticism on Iran'

Following the speech made by Binyamin Netanyahu to the United Nations General Assembly, White House Spokesman Jay Carney has said in a press briefing, that the US administration understands Israeli fears as it attempts a rapprochement with the Islamic regime.
“We’ve said all along, as the president has said, we understand, and it is entirely justifiable, that Israel is skeptical about Iran and Iran’s intentions,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said, "after all, this is a country whose leadership, until recently[?], was pledging to annihilate Israel.”

But the most important fact to remember is that Iran is still appointed to crucial and powerful positions in the United Nations.

Jewish Groups Express Outrage at Iran’s Appointment to Head Key UN Committee
Iran was elected Tuesday by United Nations member states to serve as the rapporteur of the UN First Committee on Disarmament and International Security. Iran, which had lobbied for the position for months, also serves as chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, the largest bloc of nations at the UN.

We must not trust or support foreign nations nor international organizations. The proof's in the pudding as the saying goes.

Honestly, besides the existence of the State of Israel, little has changed since the 1930's when Hitler came to power.  The world, the Vatican, the League of Nations, the United States and most Jewish leaders refused to recognize the dangers, either due to Pollyanna syndrome or anti-Semitism, latent or unabashed.

Recently a friend brought up the topic of Rav Abraham Yitzchak Kook, 1865-1935, and his inherent optimism which bothers her about his philosophy.  Suddenly it hit me that Rabbi Kook and Ze'ev Jabotinsky, 1880-1940, were contemporaries.  There was nothing very optimistic in Jabotinsky's view of the world, if I'm not mistaken.  Jabotinsky, who was from a secular background saw the world in black and white, while Rabbi Kook's vision was enhanced by a spiritual "light."

PM Netanyahu was greatly influenced by his father, the late Professor Benzion Netanyahu a disciple of  Jabotinsky.  Neither of the Netanyahu's have/had a comprehension of the "spiritual light" that imbued Rabbi Kook and his followers with the confidence that we will survive and flourish without the world's backing.  Our G-d is more powerful.  That is Bibi's tragic flaw and the key to the reason he has accepted the "two state solution."

At present, the Rav Kook followers and the Jabotinsky followers are together in the Israeli Government, but they haven't taken the best from either philosophy/ideology.  Today's Rav Kook followers are mamlachti'im, worshipping the State of Israel, and the Jabotinsky followers are following the Left and foreign values. They are more like the ten out of twelve tribal leaders in the time of Moses, who voted to delay entrance to the Land of Israel, because they were afraid of the physical size of those living there, the "sin of the spies."

Herein is the danger of democracy, the rule of fools.  Calev and Joshua were correct, only two out of twelve tribal elders who had been assigned the task to stake out the Land, not to decide whether or not it was feasible to enter it at the time.

G-d is in control but demands that we use our Free Will correctly. On occasion, G-d will override our mistakes and save us, but His goal is for us Jews to make the right decisions.

A Mockery of Justice, Releasing Arab Terrorist Murderers and Those Who Attempted Murder

I'm a firm believer in capital punishment, the death penalty.  Unfortunately Israel has only practiced it once when it executed Eichmann.  According to Israeli law, the death penalty is only to be used against Nazis, and the law has never been amended to include Arab terrorists who are even more dangerous.

The media, both international and Israeli, keep referring to the convicted Arab terrorists being released to encourage sic the terrorist representatives to talk to us as just innocuous, benign-sounding "prisoners."  They could be white-collar clerks caught pilfering staples or shoplifters who took too much bubblegum for all the media tells us.

I'm not in favor of comparing this illogical, dangerous act, the release of terrorist murderers with Jonathan Pollard or Jews jailed in Israel.  That's why I haven't joined any of the campaigns to free Pollard from American jail or Jewish Israelis jailed for various security breaches.  None of them are terrorists so they shouldn't be considered in parallel/similar status.

The State of Israel is making a terribly dangerous mistake in releasing the convicted Arab terrorists.  That's what they are "convicted Arab terrorists."  Keep repeating that over and over.  There's a big difference between a "prisoner" and a "convicted Arab terrorist."  One is a "prisoner" before being tried and convicted.  Quite often people are imprisoned by mistake.  These terrorists were captured, tried and convicted.  Most if not all should have had been immediately executed after conviction.

Releasing convicted Arab terrorists, no matter what Israel would get "in return" is dangerous and demonstrates that the State of Israel does not value its citizens, security, justice or sovereignty.

Photo Credit: Flash90

Two convoys left the Ayalon prison on Tuesday night at around 9 pm, carry 26 terrorists who were released as the first part of an Israeli gesture to the Palestinian Authority.
One convoy, carrying 15 terrorists traveled to the Erez junction, near Gaza, where those terrorists were released. The second convoy, carrying 11 terrorists, went to Ofer prison, and then on to the Beitunia checkpoint. The conveys reached their destinations after midnight.
Palestinian Authority Arabs have gathered to greet the terrorists upon their arrival. Over 1000 Arabs have gathered at the Muqata in Ramallah to greet the freed terrorists, and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas will be leading a welcoming ceremony.

The implied and easy to predict dangers make me wonder about the patriotism and morals of all of the politicians and government officials involved.  They are the same people who try to marginalize what they refer to as "the settlers," aka people like myself.  In the years leading up to the Nazi invasion of Europe and the Holocaust, people like Ze'ev Jabotinsky repeatedly warned European Jewry to leave and move to Israel.  Not only was he ignored and mocked in Europe, but the dominant Labor Zionists did their best to attack and marginalize him and his Revisionist followers.  In the end it was Jabotinsky whose analyses of the situation that was correct.

We're still fighting the same war, just a different battle.  G-d willing we will soon be victorious.