a variety of articles

Much too Tisha B'Av

First, yes I know that I have ranting against the NY Times; it's not that they're not publishing anything about Disengagement. They've been publishing some nice features, very moving, like this sensitive one.

One of the elite pre-army yeshivot is the one in Atzmona, which was also the site of a terror attack, resulting in the murder and wounding of a number of students. I hope that this article isn't true.

Anti-Disengagement forces are working hard. This is more cheering.

This comprehensive article includes instructions from HaRav Yigal Kamentsky, Chief Rabbi of Gush Katif.

Ok, I admit that I'm a cynic. There must be lots of people trying to discover what's going on. The Jerusalem Post has a whole section, or site on Disengagement. Though I think that there's nothing that beats Arutz 7 and private blogs.

International Robbery and Calculated Editing

I was raised reading the NY Times, and this past week has been very disappointing. You can easiyl discern the calculating decisions to give an inaccrate impressing of what is happening in Israel.

The massive demonstrations, Wednesday night at the kotel and Thursday night in Tel Aviv were ignored or shrunk beyond recognition. Considering that on Wednesday night, not only was the kotel plaza totally packed and the roads and stairs leading to it full, but people couldn't even get into the gates of the city. The NY Times ignored the demonstration entirely. And the report on the one the following night was inaccurate.

They are trying to give their readers the impression that opposition is minimal, and Disengagement is accepted. Thursday morning edition had an article about the few who infiltrated to beef up numbers.

Today there is a strange difference in reports from the NY Times and Arutz 7 about the fate of the hot houses, the amazingly successful agricultural business in Gush Katif. Neither of the two mention the feelings or agreement of the business owners.
NY Times
Arutz 7
Write to the editor to complain.

Jerusalem

This is about Jerusalem, and I'm writing it for the blogburst.

Jerusalem was my first home in Israel, as a student and also as an olah chadasha and new bride.

In late summer, 1969 I arrived as a student at Machon Greenberg, a full-year's program. It's just that before getting on the plane I got engaged, so the "year was over" after only a couple of months. It was very easy to get used to living in Jerusalem, a walker's paradise. From our Baka location my friends and I could go anywhere. The kotel was our Shabbat destination, and we had no fear wandering the old city.

A year later I was back, but as a married woman. We lived in the Maon Betar on the corner of Rechov Plugat HaKotel and Rechov HaYehudim, Old City. There was no Jewish Quarter. Conditions were rough, and construction was going on around us, though our building had been renovated already. Friday nights we dovened at the kotel and in the morning at "Nachal Moriya," a religious Nachal post in the Old City. Our one Jewish neighbor was Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Segel and his wife, Rachel. We were unique in the area, the only young, American couple.

The following summer, after our first daughter was born, we moved to the Bayit V'Gan neighbvohood. I needed to be in a place with sidewalks and parks. With the exception of two years on shlichut in London, we lived there for ten years. Then we moved to Shiloh, ad hayom hazeh. Yes, we're still in Shiloh.

For us Jerusalem is the big city for major shopping and "events." Its growth is amazing. Ancient and new all mixed up.

It bothers me that their is a defacto separation, two cities. When we were oliml chadashim, we were invited to "Beit HaShiva," the House of Seven. It's a Jewish home in an Arab neighborhood. The people who first moved there, soon after the Six Days War were certain that Jerusalem would be like pre-1948, where Jews and Arabs lived side-by-side. The luxury apartment house was almost complete and the owner had fled, so they got the apartments at a good deal from the housing authority. The seven couples were mostly former Lechi (Stern Gang) veterans, not left-wing people. They didn't believe in blurring lines. Unfortunately they weren't joined by other Jews. Post war housing became totally segregated.

Now there's a wall dividing Jerusalem. It's all part of the terrible politics that Sharon has gotten us into. It won't bring peace and security.

Tisha B'Av reminds us that we have a long way to go.

anti-Disengagement Demonstration in Tel Aviv

totally enormous
orange, yes orange
people filled square and streets for blocks and blocks
everything was closed off
we walked 20 minutes to and from buses
that was one of the best parts
masses of people, with orange clothes, ribbons and flags
it was the largest demonstration
much larger than the one the left brags about

so many people oppose Disengagement

great crowd, all ages
religious and not so
well-behaved

police realized not worth fighting us
the media just plays it down
including foreign media
I wonder what will be in the press

today the NY Times
ignored the kotel prayer gathering

I took pictures, but
I'm still with film
so it'll take a while
for me to post them

past my bedtime
good night

replies

Here are some replies to letters I received
Don't give up! If you're bubbies, then you remember what it's like to give birth. The end's the hardest; the baby is out then in.

G-d willing, but it's up to us.

so send the news out, to your entire address book
since they're not getting it on the news.

guess the comments
difficult situation, keep praying and everything else

#134 DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN DAY AND NIGHT

Musings #134
August 11, 2005
The 6th of Av

“Distinguishing Between Day and Night”

In Shacharit, the Morning Prayer service, there is a blessing we say that thanks G-d for giving us the intellectual ability to distinguish between “day and night.” This week I found myself wondering about what it means.

We are in gut-wrenching suspense. Will Disengagement be cancelled or not? Will the Arabs take advantage of the government’s weakness and attack? What other dangerous plans do Sharon, Olmert and Bush have up their sleeves? Will the State of Israel survive? How can we, how will we live through it?

How can we distinguish between good and bad, day and night?

Just like, “l’havdil,” to differentiate, we are all dying; we just don’t know how and when. “Geula,” Redemption and the Moshiach are approaching; we just don’t know when, though we certainly hope that today is sooner than yesterday.

Modern educational psychology stresses the different “intelligences.” Besides the classic Academic Intelligence, there are social, emotional, artistic, musical, sport etc. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to find the good in everything and not allow oneself to get depressed or feel hopeless or helpless.

Whatever situation we find ourselves in this coming week, we have to use it to our personal, spiritual and national betterment. No matter how horrendous things may be, we can’t let them paralyze ourselves into depressing inaction. And if G-d willing Disengagement is cancelled or postponed, that isn’t the end of the struggle.

Things are never how they seem. Remember that according to Judaism, the new day starts at nightfall. It neither starts at some man-proclaimed midnight nor with the first rays of the sun.

When still slaves in Egypt, it was during the Plague of Darkness we packed, and it was during the darkness of night when we escaped. According to Chaza”l, our sages, not all of the Jewish People left Egypt. Actually the majority stayed. They only saw the darkness, just like the Egyptians. A minority distinguished light in the darkness, and they were able to flee to be free.

But that wasn’t the end of the story. Soon after leaving Egypt the Children of Israel formed a golden calf and worshipped it. For that we were punished. Then the majority of tribal representatives announced that it would be too impossible to conquer the people in the Promised Land. The majority of the Bnai Yisrael voted with the ten spies. For that we were forced to suffer forty years of wandering the desert until a new generation was ready to enter The Land. Yes, not everyone sees the light. As Shlomo HaMelech (King Solomon) repeats frequently in Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), “ain chadash,” “nothing’s new.”

We’re still wandering, but we’re getting closer, G-d willing, but it’s up to us. We have to use our G-d given abilities to distinguish between day and night and see the light in the darkness.

May we Merit the Moshiach and Geula Shleimah B’mhairah B’Yameinu!

Batya Medad, Shiloh
Copyright©2005BatyaMedad, Contact me for publication permission; private distribution encouraged.
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NY Times

I get the NY Times "highlights" via email daily. I was curious to see what they had written about last night's massive prayer gathering at the kotel and surrounding areas.

Would you believe that it wasn't mentioned?

Here's the text of my letter:


Dear Sir,

Being one of the hundreds of thousands who attended, or tried to approach, the massive prayer rally at the Western Wall, Old City of Jerusalem, I was extremely surprised to discover that it was omitted from your newspaper.

A peaceful demonstration of such massive proportions is news-worthy. Your omission is a definite sign that you don't want people to know that the Israeli citizens are against Sharon's Disengagement Plan. By omitting this news item you are interfering, because you're trying to show that the opposition is small, like the few people, you stressed were from YESHA, who have managed to move into Gush Katif. article about infiltrators

I was in New York for a family visit this month and was disappointed, even horrified at the lack of news coverage. You paint a picture far from reality.

Last night's demonstration should have been headline news! More than ten percent of all Israelis were either near the wall or trying to get in. And many who are anti-Disengagement were forced to stay home for medical and personal reasons.

You are demonstrating bad journalism by leaving out this historic gathering.

From Israel,

quick report

This will just be a quick report. Bli neder, eventually there will be pictures (on http://shilohpics.blogspot.com/) and hopefully something more thought out.
But now it's my bedtime, and I'm hitting the wrong keys, so...

I was one of the half million or more, yes, I believe that at least a half a million people, more than any at any other demonstration, ok, this was a prayer meeting. But a prayer meeting is also a protest a rally, begging G-d. Back to my sentence... I have no doubt that over half a million people tried to get to the PRAYER, but many were stuck in the Old City or the gates unable to get in at all!

My daughter and I and her husband and babies arrived early. Tzruya and I went to the old city immediately to the "Kotel Katan," the small kotel for the women's prayer service. Oren took the girls to his cousin in Ir David, just outside the ancient city walls.

At five the kotel area was far from full. When we returned an hour later it was packed. We then dovened mincha and then went to relieve Oren. The area arouond Ir David, at least the area we needed, was so full of Jews that we were told that we could walk, not needing an escort. But the guards were waiting and called down from the roof top to give us directions.

After we arrived, Oren took Hallelie. When they came back, he reported that it was so crowded that they never made it in.

I got home by tramping after they let me off in Ofra. I actually caught the bus bringing my neihbors home from the kotel.

And now I'm too exhausted....

link to transcript of interview

Here is the link to an interview with Alex Gross. Alex is the father of Aharon Gross, HaYa"D, of Kikar Aharon Gross, Chevron.

Alex was the very first National President of NCSY. He wife, Arlene Yehudit, was the very first National Financial Secretary. (I succeeded her a few years later.) Yehudit's parents are Rabbi and Rebbetzin Ginsburg, formerly of Utica, NY. "Rabbi G" worked for NCSY as Regional Director for a number of regions in the New York area in the 1960's and 1970's until he retired and they made aliyah.

Yehudit is the inspiration and strength for other bereaved parents. She helps others learn how to live after their children are killed and murdered.

women's prayer

There will be a tefilla for women at the Kotel HaKatan
beginning at 5 p.m., today
Wednesday, 5th of Av, 10th of August,
one hour before the mass tefilla at the "Big Kotel".

If you are not sure how to get there yourself,
meet at the entrance to the tunnel leading to the "Moslem" Quarter at 4: 45.

The tefilla is coordinated with the police.

Bibi, Where art thou?

For those who told me I was too "harsh" or "suspicious" or cynical about Bibi Netanyahu's resignation. Are you still waiting for him to take the mantle of leadership of the anti-Disengagement population?

Do you know where he is? Where is this great "leader?"

Is he home? in his office? supporting his troops? leading them?

Is he working hard to gather Likud support before he and Olmert have to fight it out?

Is he dropping everything to save the nation?

I wish he was and then I could apologize.

Bibi's abroad. Yes, he's fundraising. Ok, officially for Israel Bonds, and the dates were set before his resignation. But he knew about Disengagement, right? He purposely agreed to leave the country when the country needs leadership. So, if that's the case....

I'd say...
he's not a leader!