Musings #152
November 6, 2005
4th of Marcheshvan
Words, Again
The words we choose have lots of power. I admit that I wouldn’t have thought twice about a news article saying that the Vatican wants the “Coenaculum,” or the “Cenacle Shrine of the Upper Room,” if I hadn’t already learned what and where it is.
Do you know where that room is and what has been going on there for decades?
I’ll tell you. It’s on Mount Zion and for decades, it has been used by the Diaspora Yeshiva. And while I’m at it I’ll add that the Vatican wants a lot more than that room.
According to Christian tradition, it is the location of the “last supper.” Of course they claim that that fact is indisputable, and the Jewish connection is in doubt. They fail to mention that their Jesus was a practicing Jew during his lifetime, and if he chose that location to celebrate the Passover Seder, the odds are that he chose it for its Jewish significance.
A simple reminder, Judaism predates both Christianity and Islam. And just another “minor” point; since both Christianity and Islam tried to replace Judaism, claiming that their religions are a “continuation,” or “improvement,” they adopted many of our historic locations, tombs, shrines and Biblical history. That’s connected to the importance they see in trying to convert us.
I can’t even say that the media isn’t describing it quite like that, because unfortunately, the media is ignoring the entire issue. There has hardly been any mention in mainstream papers. Every time I tell someone what’s going on, I hear this gasp: “How could it be? But it wasn’t in….” And they name a newspaper.
Maybe I’ve been sounding a bit repetitive recently, but I keep hoping that others will join our small group. We’re talking about our heritage, King David. King David unified the Jewish nation and brought the capital to Israel. He did the groundwork, so that his son, Shlomo, could build the Holy Temple.
Mt. Zion has always been associated with King David. We must keep, preserve and treasure his mountain.
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://samizdatblogfree.blogspot.com/
http://shilohpics.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
Monday, November 7, 2005
Uzi Landau watch/listen
Bad news, ok more bad news for those who still have their faith in Uzi Landau as an opposition leader. What is he up to?
And as a special service for those who aren't into Spanish dancing, meaning, don't like to "click," here's the article. My emphasis in bold.
MK Landau: Our Intention is Not to Disparage the Prime Minister
10:37 Nov 07, '05 / 5 Cheshvan 5766
(IsraelNN.com) MK Uzi Landau, leader of the “Likud faithful” bloc of MK’s opposed to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s disengagement policy, said he and his supporters are not interested in disparaging the prime minister in today’s Knesset vote on new cabinet appointments.
In an interview on Israel's government-sponsored radio this morning, Landau said that if Sharon brings up the appointment of Ehud Olmert as finance minister in a separate vote, he would support the measure.
Olmert, who succeeded MK Binyamin Netanyahu as finance minister after Netanyahu resigned over implementing the disengagement, holds the post in a temporary capacity, until his appointment is approved by the Knesset. Sharon’s other two proposed appointments, Ze'ev Boim, as Minister of Absorption, and Danny Yatom, as Minister of Industry and Trade, are not expected to attain a majority in a Knesset vote scheduled for today.
And as a special service for those who aren't into Spanish dancing, meaning, don't like to "click," here's the article. My emphasis in bold.
MK Landau: Our Intention is Not to Disparage the Prime Minister
10:37 Nov 07, '05 / 5 Cheshvan 5766
(IsraelNN.com) MK Uzi Landau, leader of the “Likud faithful” bloc of MK’s opposed to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s disengagement policy, said he and his supporters are not interested in disparaging the prime minister in today’s Knesset vote on new cabinet appointments.
In an interview on Israel's government-sponsored radio this morning, Landau said that if Sharon brings up the appointment of Ehud Olmert as finance minister in a separate vote, he would support the measure.
Olmert, who succeeded MK Binyamin Netanyahu as finance minister after Netanyahu resigned over implementing the disengagement, holds the post in a temporary capacity, until his appointment is approved by the Knesset. Sharon’s other two proposed appointments, Ze'ev Boim, as Minister of Absorption, and Danny Yatom, as Minister of Industry and Trade, are not expected to attain a majority in a Knesset vote scheduled for today.
Sunday, November 6, 2005
Havel Havelim #43
Jack has done a great job with Havel Havelim #43. You'll find lots of interesting posts from lots of well-written Blogs.
Enjoy
Enjoy
#151 We're Being Robbed!
Musings #151
November 4, 2005
2nd of Marcheshvan
We’re Being Robbed!
Just as we were trying to figure out which communities in Judea and Samaria are, G-d forbid, next in line for extinction and destruction, we were shocked to discover that Mount Zion, including David’s Tomb is being offered to the descendents of the Crusaders, the same guys who brought us the Inquisition more than half a millennium ago.
If you haven’t yet heard, and Israel’s President Katzav claims to be in the dark about this scandal, even though the government is planning on using him to sign the contract. Yes, I’m calling it a contract, rather than an agreement, since it’s a business deal involving millions, tens of millions of Euros, which are worth more than dollars. Honestly, it is possible that Katzav knows nothing about it. In Israel, the president is a figurehead to be wheeled out to smile and shake hands at formal occasions.
Katzav, a “traditional Jew,” keeps a kippah handy in his pocket for religious needs, and besides a ready smile, he seems pretty robotic to me. He succeeded Ezer Weitzman, his polar opposite in personality and life-style. That’s one of the reasons, probably the main reason he was elected.
It’s strange that even though Katzav’s office professes ignorance and the mainstream newspapers are at best playing it down and even worse most are ignoring it, a group of Anglos have had little trouble discovering the details. Sharon Katz’s Voices Magazine will be running an article on the subject.
Investigations have shown that the scheme was hatched by Avraham Poraz, of the anti-religious Shinui Party, when he was the Minister of the Interior. He promised to facilitate the deal during a visit to Rome over a year ago. The Shinui Party is no longer a member of the coalition. Previous Israeli officials, such as Rabbi Benny Elon of the National Union and former Minister of Tourism did everything to veto it.
The deal to give away Mount Zion to the Catholic Church has been totally ignored by the Hebrew press. Not even the religious Jewish papers have written about it. Every time I mention it to neighbors they are in shock and can’t figure out why they have been kept in the dark.
Not a peep has been heard from the politicians. It seems like all the activity is from some bloggers and emailers in English. From the amount of letters coming in to our computer, you’d think it was the biggest issue in the country, but unfortunately it’s not true. Nobody else seems to know anything.
I can’t believe that nobody cares.
Even if the area in question hadn’t been the location of a yeshiva, The Diaspora Yeshiva, for over thirty five years, it’s still of great religious and historical importance for the Jewish People. It shouldn’t be given, sold or leased to any other religion. It‘s a travesty of justice. Why are the civil rights of Jews always ignored?
On Friday I was the demonstration outside of the President’s Residence against his signing the agreement. We were a very small group, and only one politician showed, Jerusalem City Councilwoman, Mina Fenton. She seems to be the only person in the municipality showing any interest, and she had more information, and it was bad news.
It’s like living in the Theatre of the Absurd. Giving the Catholic Church such a holy Jewish Landmark endangers our existence.
Our disengaged government is out to destroy the country, G-d forbid. Let’s get to work. We have a country to save.
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://samizdatblogfree.blogspot.com/
http://shilohpics.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
November 4, 2005
2nd of Marcheshvan
We’re Being Robbed!
Just as we were trying to figure out which communities in Judea and Samaria are, G-d forbid, next in line for extinction and destruction, we were shocked to discover that Mount Zion, including David’s Tomb is being offered to the descendents of the Crusaders, the same guys who brought us the Inquisition more than half a millennium ago.
If you haven’t yet heard, and Israel’s President Katzav claims to be in the dark about this scandal, even though the government is planning on using him to sign the contract. Yes, I’m calling it a contract, rather than an agreement, since it’s a business deal involving millions, tens of millions of Euros, which are worth more than dollars. Honestly, it is possible that Katzav knows nothing about it. In Israel, the president is a figurehead to be wheeled out to smile and shake hands at formal occasions.
Katzav, a “traditional Jew,” keeps a kippah handy in his pocket for religious needs, and besides a ready smile, he seems pretty robotic to me. He succeeded Ezer Weitzman, his polar opposite in personality and life-style. That’s one of the reasons, probably the main reason he was elected.
It’s strange that even though Katzav’s office professes ignorance and the mainstream newspapers are at best playing it down and even worse most are ignoring it, a group of Anglos have had little trouble discovering the details. Sharon Katz’s Voices Magazine will be running an article on the subject.
Investigations have shown that the scheme was hatched by Avraham Poraz, of the anti-religious Shinui Party, when he was the Minister of the Interior. He promised to facilitate the deal during a visit to Rome over a year ago. The Shinui Party is no longer a member of the coalition. Previous Israeli officials, such as Rabbi Benny Elon of the National Union and former Minister of Tourism did everything to veto it.
The deal to give away Mount Zion to the Catholic Church has been totally ignored by the Hebrew press. Not even the religious Jewish papers have written about it. Every time I mention it to neighbors they are in shock and can’t figure out why they have been kept in the dark.
Not a peep has been heard from the politicians. It seems like all the activity is from some bloggers and emailers in English. From the amount of letters coming in to our computer, you’d think it was the biggest issue in the country, but unfortunately it’s not true. Nobody else seems to know anything.
I can’t believe that nobody cares.
Even if the area in question hadn’t been the location of a yeshiva, The Diaspora Yeshiva, for over thirty five years, it’s still of great religious and historical importance for the Jewish People. It shouldn’t be given, sold or leased to any other religion. It‘s a travesty of justice. Why are the civil rights of Jews always ignored?
On Friday I was the demonstration outside of the President’s Residence against his signing the agreement. We were a very small group, and only one politician showed, Jerusalem City Councilwoman, Mina Fenton. She seems to be the only person in the municipality showing any interest, and she had more information, and it was bad news.
It’s like living in the Theatre of the Absurd. Giving the Catholic Church such a holy Jewish Landmark endangers our existence.
Our disengaged government is out to destroy the country, G-d forbid. Let’s get to work. We have a country to save.
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://samizdatblogfree.blogspot.com/
http://shilohpics.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
Friday, November 4, 2005
Government by Leaks and Bounds
It seems like we're being governed by leaks and bounds.
When the Israeli Government has an idea that may not be too popular, it's first leaked by various cooperating media figures.
Then when they see that the opposition is adamantly opposed, it's denied. Then it's leaked in a different format, and if there is still a lot of opposition, another denial. This goes on until the "polls" measure that the time is right to "bound" in, no matter what the public really wants. Because after a while most people are numb and confused.
Recently they pulled a really sophisticated, advanced version of the leak and deny method. Post Disengagement we had already heard so many times, even before the withdrawal and destruction from Gush Katif and northern Shomron that parts of Judea and Samaria were next. So that's where we were concentrating our energies, when suddenly, AMBUSH! we found out that the government is about to sign away David's Tomb, Mt. Zion to the Vatican, G-d forbid.
This must be stopped. And we need a government that will develop and strengthen the country not destroy it!
When the Israeli Government has an idea that may not be too popular, it's first leaked by various cooperating media figures.
Then when they see that the opposition is adamantly opposed, it's denied. Then it's leaked in a different format, and if there is still a lot of opposition, another denial. This goes on until the "polls" measure that the time is right to "bound" in, no matter what the public really wants. Because after a while most people are numb and confused.
Recently they pulled a really sophisticated, advanced version of the leak and deny method. Post Disengagement we had already heard so many times, even before the withdrawal and destruction from Gush Katif and northern Shomron that parts of Judea and Samaria were next. So that's where we were concentrating our energies, when suddenly, AMBUSH! we found out that the government is about to sign away David's Tomb, Mt. Zion to the Vatican, G-d forbid.
This must be stopped. And we need a government that will develop and strengthen the country not destroy it!
Thursday, November 3, 2005
Friday Demonstration Against Giving Mt. Zion to the Vatican
TOMORROW'S VIGIL
There will be a Vigil for 1 hr. Beginning at 11am
in front of President Katsav's home.
This peaceful gathering will be held at 3 Hanassi Street Jerusalem.
IMPORTANT:
We know that the President denies the deal and we also know that the Vatican is pushing the deal. So our objective in the vigil is to strengthen the President¹s resolve and get him to stick to his commitment that there is no deal. (Bring a copy of the Jpost headlines with you or paste them on a banner.)
THE MESSAGE:
PRESIDENT KATZAV, HAVE A SAFE TRIP and REMEMBER You are the President of the Jewish State and must Protect our Jewish Holy Sites
SUGGESTED PLACARDS:
PUBLIC PROTEST CAMPAIGN TO SAVE JEWISH MT. ZION SUCCEEDS
PRESIDENT DENIES HE WILL SIGN AWAY KING DAVID'S TOMB
FOR THE SAKE OF MT. ZION, I WILL NOT BE SILENT
There will be a Vigil for 1 hr. Beginning at 11am
in front of President Katsav's home.
This peaceful gathering will be held at 3 Hanassi Street Jerusalem.
IMPORTANT:
We know that the President denies the deal and we also know that the Vatican is pushing the deal. So our objective in the vigil is to strengthen the President¹s resolve and get him to stick to his commitment that there is no deal. (Bring a copy of the Jpost headlines with you or paste them on a banner.)
THE MESSAGE:
PRESIDENT KATZAV, HAVE A SAFE TRIP and REMEMBER You are the President of the Jewish State and must Protect our Jewish Holy Sites
SUGGESTED PLACARDS:
PUBLIC PROTEST CAMPAIGN TO SAVE JEWISH MT. ZION SUCCEEDS
PRESIDENT DENIES HE WILL SIGN AWAY KING DAVID'S TOMB
FOR THE SAKE OF MT. ZION, I WILL NOT BE SILENT
and more on Uzi Landau
Some of my friends are going to be very angry with me. Too many times I've heard them say that I'm
Honestly, I don't look for faults. I'm not trying to "pick on him." Really it's just too easy to find problems with him, but I decided to back off, and I haven't written anything for quite awhile, but now I have no choice.
Let's start with an easy question. Since Arik Sharon started with his dangerous and evil Disengagement Plan, which minister has been his chief supporter? The answer is Ehud Olmert. Yes, the same Ehud Olmert who managed to easily push Bibi Netanyahu out of the Number Two spot in the cabinet. The same Ehud Olmert so palsy with the big "no law is bigger than me" contractors. And the same Ehud Olmert who gave the interview, when abroad, explaining that Israelis "are tired" and prefer giving away land, like in Disengagement, rather than defending it.
IMHO, Ehud Olmert is the most dangerous politician right or left, simply because after decades of playing "right" he recently revealed that he's really post-Zionist, left wing, not interested in a strong State of Israel.
Now, what does this have to do with Uzi Landau?
Arik Sharon is trying to refill his cabinet and among the proposed ministers would be Ehud Olmert as Minister of Finance, the post Bibi Netanyahu held until his resignation this summer.
There is cross the board opposition to Sharon in the Knesset, and MK's from all parties are threatening to vote "no" to his candidates. Sharon's "sweating" as the saying goes. You'd think that Uzi Landau would be encouraged to work harder to cripple the Sharon Government and keep Olmert down.
Isn't Uzi supposed to be our "great blue and white hope?"
At the end of the Arutz 7 article about the voting for the ministers I saw this:
...too critical of Uzi.
He's such a nice guy
Isn't he the best we have from the Likud?
Why do you keep picking on him?
Honestly, I don't look for faults. I'm not trying to "pick on him." Really it's just too easy to find problems with him, but I decided to back off, and I haven't written anything for quite awhile, but now I have no choice.
Let's start with an easy question. Since Arik Sharon started with his dangerous and evil Disengagement Plan, which minister has been his chief supporter? The answer is Ehud Olmert. Yes, the same Ehud Olmert who managed to easily push Bibi Netanyahu out of the Number Two spot in the cabinet. The same Ehud Olmert so palsy with the big "no law is bigger than me" contractors. And the same Ehud Olmert who gave the interview, when abroad, explaining that Israelis "are tired" and prefer giving away land, like in Disengagement, rather than defending it.
IMHO, Ehud Olmert is the most dangerous politician right or left, simply because after decades of playing "right" he recently revealed that he's really post-Zionist, left wing, not interested in a strong State of Israel.
Now, what does this have to do with Uzi Landau?
Arik Sharon is trying to refill his cabinet and among the proposed ministers would be Ehud Olmert as Minister of Finance, the post Bibi Netanyahu held until his resignation this summer.
There is cross the board opposition to Sharon in the Knesset, and MK's from all parties are threatening to vote "no" to his candidates. Sharon's "sweating" as the saying goes. You'd think that Uzi Landau would be encouraged to work harder to cripple the Sharon Government and keep Olmert down.
Isn't Uzi supposed to be our "great blue and white hope?"
At the end of the Arutz 7 article about the voting for the ministers I saw this:
Landau said he would vote in favor of Olmert if his
appointment is on a separate vote.
Introducing--The College Zionist
ZOA launches new magazine
The College Zionist
It's a print magazine (we're giving out thousands of copies), but it's also available online.
This could become a big tool in spreading the pro-Israel message on campus.
HELP SPREAD THE WORD
contact: Adi Neuman
aneuman@zoa.org
Campus Coordinator
Zionist Organization of America
Phone: (212) 481-1500 x225
Fax: (212) 481-1515
The College Zionist
It's a print magazine (we're giving out thousands of copies), but it's also available online.
This could become a big tool in spreading the pro-Israel message on campus.
HELP SPREAD THE WORD
contact: Adi Neuman
aneuman@zoa.org
Campus Coordinator
Zionist Organization of America
Phone: (212) 481-1500 x225
Fax: (212) 481-1515
#150 We're Disengaged
Musings #150
November 2, 2005
Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan
We’re Disengaged
I’m embarrassed to admit it, but we’re going on with our lives disengaged from all those who were thrown out of their homes by the Israeli Government in the Name of Disengagement.
With very few exceptions, we haven’t done anything major, changed our routines, sacrificed anything of value for the benefit of the (choose your term; I don’t know what’s the best one):
evacuees
homeless
refugees
victims
Periodically like right now, I mount my office chair and charge ahead writing, trying to challenge the establishment, and change the world. But the rest of the time, I’m like everyone else, busy with work and family, laundry and shopping.
Even here in Shiloh, we’re busy keeping our routines going. In the early days after the soldiers and police forced people from their homes in Gush Katif and Northern Shomron, we collected gifts and freshly baked treats to send to Nitzan, the Caravilla neighborhood, the largest concentration of Disengagement victims and Ariel, where the Yishuv Netzarim were temporarily “relocated”—what a cold, technical word. Relocated, like moving a book from the shelf to the table. I can’t remember the last request I got to help.
I write; I talk to people; I write. And I even managed to make contact with an old friend who’s now living in a caravilla. But my life is going on as usual, and it’s almost embarrassing, yes it is embarrassing to admit.
We should have all stopped our routine and gone out to protest. Some of you will remind me that you did. Many good people left their homes to try to break through the barriers and make it to Gush Katif and the northern Shomron. Why that great effort failed is no longer that important.
Orange ribbons are still seen tied to bags, baby carriages and car antennas, which have gotten very black from soot. A few of us still have orange bracelets, though mine is temporarily brownish from the minerals in the spa I visited on Sunday. Last month I had donations to treat some “evacuee” women to an evening with us in the spa, but after dozens of calls I finally found some who were interested in going, and then they never showed—too depressed to get out.
The Sharon Israeli Government considers Disengagement a roaring success. He claims Security in Israel has improved at the same time that the Arab terror state shot rockets into Israel wounding civilians and an Israeli woman was stabbed by an Arab terrorist. And thousands of innocent Israel citizens are homeless and unemployed, since their homes were destroyed and they were evicted in the Name of Disengagement.
All over the world, Jews and self-proclaimed lovers of liberty and civil rights are silent.
And we used to wonder how the Holocaust could have happened.
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://samizdatblogfree.blogspot.com/
http://shilohpics.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
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
Not writer's block
True, I haven't written a proper musing since last week, but I have been posting to me-ander and Blog Free!
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
the Carnival of Liberty
Sometimes it seems like all I do is check the "carnival scene." Not true of course, but one of my aims in blogging is to get the truth out to people out of my usual circle, so I've discovered the carnivals.
They're not the type in which my elder son has won all sorts of stuffed animals for his neices, my granddaughters. He's a great sharpshooter, perfect aim. These carnivals are collections of posts (articles) found on blogs. Most are self-nominated, though the one I host (organize/edit) periodically, Havel Havelim, does include searching the Jewish blogsphere for new pearls of wisdom.
I blog to let people know the truth of what's going on in this world, at least the truth as I know and feel it. And one of the carnivals I now contribute to is The Carnival of Liberty!
Take a gander.
They're not the type in which my elder son has won all sorts of stuffed animals for his neices, my granddaughters. He's a great sharpshooter, perfect aim. These carnivals are collections of posts (articles) found on blogs. Most are self-nominated, though the one I host (organize/edit) periodically, Havel Havelim, does include searching the Jewish blogsphere for new pearls of wisdom.
I blog to let people know the truth of what's going on in this world, at least the truth as I know and feel it. And one of the carnivals I now contribute to is The Carnival of Liberty!
Take a gander.
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