a comment on #121 from a veteran

A veteran Zionist activist sent me her comments on #121. She was one of the many demonstrating while Sharon was speaking. As I said in my musing, it didn't seem like the various newspapers sent reporters to really report what went on there. They just paraphrased, at best, the official press release.

So here is a first hand report:

Batya,

Let them know there are people here who really care & are willing to stand out in pouring rain. Bear in mind, please, I'm a 70 + bubby (w/arthritis and more) who has been doing this since age 12 when, along w/my Hashomer Hadati group attended any & all opportunities to rally, demonstrate, march, etc FOR a State.

For "what its worth!!"....Im among a group who travelled to NY (from Philly) on Sunday to participate in the rally when "he" spoke....

I went to Baltimore on Monday, stayed over & went w/a bus organized by W.I.G. to DC on Tuesday to stand in the pouring rain to hold signs in from of the aipac meeting..... after a while, I went to back of the convention center where delegates were loading into buses...... a woman came running over to me (her intent wasn't clear at first)...she said, "I'm wearing an orange button...lots of the delegates are w/you, but we can't speak out"......."what?", I asked...."you can't speak out?".....

some gave me (I happened to be standing on that corner alone..my sign said "STOP the forced transfer of Jews") the thumbs up sign.

Shmuel Sackett was inside and escorted out when he made some kind of commotion...he came over to speak to the group.

#121 We're Not Afraid

Musings #121
May 24, 2005
15th of Iyyar

We’re Not Afraid

Justice Minister Livni is trying to scare us, claiming that our opposition to Disengagement will cause “chaos.”
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82567 And what’s “chaos?” According to the dictionary, it’s: “a state of extreme confusion and disorder.” That’s what Ariel Sharon and his government are causing. He has abandoned all ideology and his party’s long-standing platform. He’s the Mr. Hyde after Dr. Jeckyl took the magic potion.

I just googled Sharon’s visit to New York and discovered that almost all of the articles are identical, superficial and ignored most of his speech. Apparently they were taken from a single press release, which is a timely reminder about the level of the professional journalism in our day and age. Those who did listen carefully, or read the text, discovered that he’s treating Judea and Samaria like some unwanted junk at a “garage sale.” He’s offering a “good deal” if only the Arabs would promise “a bissel” quiet, and if they don’t; it doesn’t matter. He’ll give it away anyhow. http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82495

Yes, this is confusing. Wasn’t Ariel Sharon a famous Israeli war hero and general? Wasn’t he also one of the strongest and most enthusiastic supporters of Jewish settlement in Judea, Samaria and Gaza? He’s the one who pointed to the hilltops, such as my neighborhood, and told Jews to inhabit them, like in the days of Joshua of the Bible. And now all of these thriving communities are on a silver platter to be given to our enemies, the same terrorists who murder, maim and educate their children to kill us. He’s planning on throwing good loyal Israelis from their homes and businesses and turn it all over to the same Arabs who are bombing our civilians.

Think of the chaos in refugee camps and storage depots where the government is planning on herding the homeless refugees and dumping thousands of crates of furniture, appliances, books, clothing, toys and the rest of the personal possessions of the innocent civilians deported from their homes until they get “permanent housing.”

The military experts are predicting an enormous increase in terror and more rockets and missles will be fired at Israel if Disengagement takes place. http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82097 Isn’t it “peculiar” when a government declares a policy that they know will endanger the country? Maybe “peculiar” is the wrong word. Will I be arrested for using a different word, like “sedicious?”

Those of us who don’t agree with the Disengagement policy aren’t confused at all, nor are we causing “chaos.” We’re trying to bring stability and security to Israel. We’re focused, and we’re not afraid.

Just now, as I’m writing this, I saw a news report that anti-Disengagement demonstrators blocked one of Israel’s main highway. There were no arrests. Last week the police would have arrested them for the same “crimes.” But since the demonstrators aren’t afraid of being jailed, and the police don’t have the manpower to waste on the legal bureacracy, they’re changing tactics. That’s a victory for our protest movement.

Israel’s old, veteran Etzel and Lechi (pre-state underground) fighters must feel that they’re transported back to the past, as youngsters brag about how they stuck posters on walls late at night. There are two main differences between now and then. One is that today they’re protesting against The State of Israel, and the other is that they don’t have to cook the glue.

Yes, we’ll have the last laugh, b’ezrat Hashem, with G-d’s help.

Batya Medad, Shiloh
Copyright©2005BatyaMedad, Contact me for publication permission; private distribution encouraged.
Shilohmuse@yahoo.com
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/
http://www.shilo.org.il
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA

Live, Dead and Wounded: News from Gush Katif and Jerusalem

A few years ago, we participated in a staff Shabbat in the Gush Katif Hotel. At that point it was already struggling financially and specialized in group Shabbat deals. Since then it closed down. But recently it came back to life, filling up and being repaired to provide more housing for those looking for apartments in Gush Katif.
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82532

Last night's tv news showed pictures of some new "rapid construction" of homes for the G-d forbid! refugees. Aparently these homes will be administered by Amigur.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1116901694087

Confusion reigns:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1116901694095

And an even more confusing and potentially major money waste is happening on the security front.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1116901694090

And if you haven't been in Jerusalem recently, you won't recognize the view from some areas, due to the construction of a "wall" and it's no Kotel ma'aravi! There's nothing holy about this one, and nobody but the people in the construction business seem to really like it.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1116814793522

No rest for the dead and no comfort for the bereaved:
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82581

Laura Bush, Where's Your Man?

During American First Lady Laura Bush's visit to Israel she was attacked by an Arab mob when she visited Har HaBayit (the Temple Mount.) http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82410 Israeli body guards protected her. Some of these articles are "white washes." In Israel the film clip was shown on TV, and there were more than "heckles." Bush sent his wife into the "lion's den," while he stayed safe at home.

Not much of a man!

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/05/22/laura.bush/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4570993.stm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-05-22-lbush-jerusalem_x.htm
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050522/us_nm/bush_laura_dc

unbroken, the future is strong

Our youth is great! Here are a couple of links about the kids.

One youngman's story:
http://yingele.blogspot.com/2005/05/medinat-mishtarah.html

Even after a week in jail, Israel's future is ready to do more for Eretz Yisrael.
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82496

#120 Natural Treasures

Musings #120
May 22, 2005
13th of Iyyar

“Natural Treasures”

I think that there should be a “people’s uprising” to protect our “natural treasures.” I’m not talking about Gush Katif or Disengagement, and I’m not referring to the sand dunes of Nitzanim, which Interior Minister Ophir Pines considers so valuable and precious.

“The sands of Nitzanim are a national resource," he said today, "that we must carefully preserve for our own sake and for future generations. We must now make sure to prevent any construction from creeping into the area of the sands." “…important national interest of preserving Israel's natural treasures."
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82412#responses

The “Natural Treasures” that concern me are our future generations, our children, grandchildren and theirs. They are being endangered by the same government that is trying to reverse the miracles of the Six Day War and give our enemies the Land G-d liberated for our use. This isn’t about security or health; it’s about education.

When I was a student, receiving a “D” meant failure. So it’s rather ironic that this government is known for its two D’s. D for Disengagement and D for Dovrat. Both are failures. Disengagement will destroy whatever security we have, and Dovrat will cause severe decline in Israeli Education.

Thousands of teachers have already been fired because of the Dovrat recommendations. Now, I have a very simple question. How will this improve education? Class size won’t shrink if there are fewer teachers for, bli eyin haraa, our ever increasing number of school-age children. According to Dovrat the school day should be much longer, and teachers should work the same hours as clerical staff and factory workers. Young accademics should be given financial incentives to encourage them to teach, and experienced teachers will get a reduced salary or “pink slip.” Yes, one of the key recommendations of Dovrat is a total overhaul of salaries. Don’t they realize that once they reduce the salary of veteran teachers, their new ones won’t stay very long. Anyone who becomes a teacher for the money won’t be foolish enough to stay after the incentives have expired.

Employment agencies are recruiting potential teachers to work as “scabs” if there’s a major teachers strike. Yes, I’ve heard from people who have been approached. And at best these people will be used to fill-in when schools have difficulty finding qualified teachers. No where in this “restructuring” is any talk of changes in curriculum and methodology to those with proven success.

So, where’s the rebellion? I’m not talking about teachers. I’m talking about parents. Why aren’t the country’s parents taking a good look at these Dovrat recommendations? Don’t they know what’s being planned? Don’t they care who will be supervising their kids all day, and I used the term “supervise” for a reason. The kids aren’t going to be studying all those hours.

All the Israeli school buildings that had never had gymnasiums and lunchrooms haven’t sprouted them since you last looked. When I was a young student in an over-crowded, baby-boom New York City Public School, we ate our lunch in the auditorium when it was too nasty outside to walk home. How many Israeli elementary schools have auditoriums? Lunchrooms? Gymnasiusms? And if all the teachers are supposed to be in school all day everyday, where are they supposed to plan lessons and correct exams? And when can they study for advanced degrees and take professional courses?

If teachers seem tired now, just wait. But honestly, who’s going to really suffer from this rediculous experiment? The school children. Why don’t their parents care? Increasing time in school will not raise educational standards, and remember, the teachers aren’t the sole providers of education. The chief responsibility for a child’s education lies with his or her parents.

Parents, don’t wait until the damage is already done. Prevent it! Take to the streets. Protest against Dovrat for the sake of our precious children.

Batya Medad, Shiloh
Copyright©2005BatyaMedad, Contact me for publication permission; private distribution encouraged.
Shilohmuse@yahoo.com
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/
http://www.shilo.org.il/
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA

some more news

Here are a few things worth looking at:


"Solidarity Shabbat" outside of prison
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82361

and continued demonstration
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82370

Bombardment continues on Gush Katif
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82357

Sharon to New York
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/P/FrontPage/FrontPage&cid=1002116796299

New York anti-Sharon Demonstration
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82366

Interesting article about "hilltop" communities; remember, they're "on the chopping block," too. And there's a great variety; not all are like the ones described in the article.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull%26cid=1116469380463

Civil disobedience website, in Hebrew. It has a sign up form, but no privacy insured, so it's easy for "spies."
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=82368

important link

I don't remember if I put this link up before, but it's a good one about Gush Katif.
http://www.katifund.org/katifund/eng/index.html

simple, law abiding demonstrations

each man a sign
choose your slogan
and stand by a road

suggest slogans:

against disengagement

build, don't destroy

honk
if you love
Eretz Yisrael

How dumb can I be? re:#119

The whole time we were demonstrating, I kept telling myself that I had to write about how much real support we have from the ordinary Israeli. It's a custom to honk the horn a certain tune when you pass a demonstration you agree with, and that was the background noise.

Your average Israeli is totally against Disengagement. It's the media a some politicians who are in favor, and they live in their elite little bubbles and are convinced that they are superior, and what they think is totally right. They also think that if they say something enough times as a truth, it will become one.

I'm sure that the best demonstration would be, lots of people, at various hours of the day for no more than 30 minutes on a busy road or intersection, each person alone, or at most groups of three or four should pull out a sign saying:

If you love Eretz Yisrael

HONK YOUR HORN!

#119 From the Frontlines

Musings #119
May 18, 2005
9th of Iyyar

Report From The Frontlines
Or Off the Couch!

I finally started moving myself from my comfortable office chair and onto the frontlines of the Anti-Disengagement Movement. Last week I went to the big rally in the Jerusalem Hyatt.

When I was a teen the worst insult was to call someone “an armchair liberal.” We were hypersensitive to anything that even hinted of hypocrisy. Honestly, that’s one of the reasons we made aliyah so young. How could one be “an American Zionist?” What an oxymoron! Either you’re a Zionist and live in Israel, or you’re not a Zionist. So how could two young idealists stay in America? And when we made aliyah we moved straight to the Old City of Jerusalem, which wasn’t the upper middle class neighborhood it is today. Today the building we were in is considered a convenient and desirable part of the Jewish Quarter, but then, thirty-five years ago, there was no “Jewish Quarter,” and it was surrounded by Arabs and accessible by mud paths.

I must admit that it was a bit too much, so we moved to a more conventional Jerusalem neighborhood, straight from the maternity ward, after the birth of our first child. But the yearning to live in a part of Eretz Yisrael liberated in the Six Days War of 1967 didn’t leave us. Ten years later we moved to Shiloh.

Personally, I find living in Shiloh rather effortless and am constantly amazed anew when people think that we’re doing something admirable or that visiting us would endanger their lives. When people do come here they’re amazed at the pastoral beauty and calm. Unfortunately, I haven’t made it to Gush Katif recently. No excuses.

When I got a call about the big rally over a week ago in Jerusalem, I knew that I had to attend. It was a long day, beginning with testing over twenty students in Ulpanat Ofra (girls high school) and the rally only in evening. The enormous room in the Hyatt was set up with hundreds, maybe even thousands of chairs. A half an hour after the official start, people were still milling around. Then it began.

From my vantage near front center, I didn’t notice hundreds more arrive; a short while later I turned around, and it was full. We listened to a large variety of speakers, who spoke short and to the point. There were almost no politicians, just activists. MK Arye Eldad was given a standing ovation, but I consider him an activist, not a politician. He’s one of the world’s best plastic surgeons, specializing in skin transplants for burn victims and left his profession to save our country.

The theme was totally optimistic. Various speakers, very logically, pointed out how Disengagement is losing momentum and how the government’s goals can’t be met. Nomi Ofan, wife of Neriya—the first Administrative Detainee, standing with their four children, told the crowd how proud she was of her husband and how jail isn’t a deterrent. That was definitely one of the main themes. Certificates of Honor were given to government employees who wouldn’t cooperate in the expulsion of Jews from their homes and to people who had already been arrested or detained. Arrest is seen as a way of choking the system. It’s a badge of courage against an unjust regime.

After it was over, I was determined to do more than type. So when a neighbor called asking me to speak at a local information rally Saturday night, I was surprised at his request, but agreed. I told the story of my son’s Bar Mitzvah during the Oslo nightmare. Most people have forgotten that according to the Oslo Accords, we were supposed to have been thrown out of our homes before Passover 1994. We were scheduled to be homeless refugees at the time of my son’s Bar Mitzvah. I couldn’t plan anything; for months I was paralyzed in terror. As you all know, we’re still here in Shiloh, but Disengagement is a direct descendent of Oslo. And just like our community wasn’t destroyed, G-d willing Gush Katif will continue to flourish.

And so this past Monday, I traveled with a neighbor to a major intersection to photograph and participate in one of the demonstrations. Apparently we missed the big excitement at the beginning, when some neighbors, fathers of large families, walked into the streets, hands high, tied in orange, stopped traffic and were arrested. There were people from a number of different places, not just Shiloh. The police were there in numbers, but much less than the demonstrators. The junction was very large with at least eight traffic lights, and the mostly good-natured cat-mouse choreography went on for a couple of hours. Every once in a while, there would be a shout, and everyone would run after the police who were dragging someone away. There were many photographers, including the police taking pictures of us. One demonstrator spent his time trying to talk to a policeman, convincing him to refuse to carry out immoral orders. All of us with cameras kept focusing on the tagless (those without name tags) policemen. In general, where we were the atmosphere was “civilized.”

Simultaneously there were dozens and dozens of demonstrations at various intersections all over the country. Some groups really managed to stop, rather than just slow down, the traffic, and some of the police were a lot more violent than the ones I encountered. On the whole it was a success. This was just a rehearsal, a bit of practice. In the courts, some of those arrested managed to be freed without paying or promising anything, because their lawyers were able to prove to the judges that the police had just rounded up demonstrators who weren’t doing anything illegal.

It’s sad that we have to demonstrate against the Israeli Government, but the government is made of people, and people sometimes make terrible mistakes. We must stop the Disengagement before it destroys our country.

Shabbat Shalom,

Batya Medad, Shiloh

Copyright©2005BatyaMedad, Contact me for publication permission; private distribution encouraged.
Shilohmuse@yahoo.com
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/
http://www.shilo.org.il
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA