Danny Danon's Big Test in The UN

Those of us on Israel's Right, pro-Jewish life and sovereignty in the Entire Land of Israel are pretty cynical already having seen our politicians morph into Leftists the minute they have a bit of power or find themselves in the spotlight. That started with Menachem Begin and more recently with Ruby Rivlin. I can't think of a single solitary politician who kept his word and ideology the minute he could make a difference.

Now our eyes and ears are on Danny Danon, who has been described in Huffington Post as:

Credit: Dan Balilty/AP

Netanyahu Appoints Opponent Of Palestinian Statehood As UN Envoy

Danny Danon, who will be Israel's next U.N. ambassador, once said "it's not too late" for Israel to annex the West Bank. (WorldPost)

That is how the world sees him.

• Will he keep to that script when representing Israel in the United Nations? 
• Will he be brave enough to call an antisemite an antisemite?
• Will he speak clearly, without polite euphemisms, about the blatant hypocrisy of the Security Council and the numerous UN organizations that consistently discriminate and undermine Israel?

This will be his greatest test so far. Danny Danon is still young. He is a good age to succeed Binyamin Netanyahu. Representing Israel in the United Nations is good training. 

After decades of disappointments, I can't give an opinion on it. What do you think Danny Danon will do?

Opposition to USA-Iran "Deal" Do Not Connect to Israel

A missile in front of a poster of the Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
World Tribune

I really don't like this Israel connection to the movement that opposes the "deal" the Obama administration made with Iran. Even though I've been in Israel more than two-thirds 2/3's of my life, I don't think that American policy should be based on Israel's needs. I consider Iranian nuclear development to be an international danger and that is what should be stressed. 

The "deal" Kerry and company came up with stinks. It has more holes than cheap lace. Swiss Cheese is much more solid and stable.

I also don't want the discussion/debate to get sullied by the always present antisemitism in the American State Department and White House. We all know that if Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu says that 2 + 2 = 4, Obama will try to prove him wrong.

I find Congressman Alcee L. Hastings's op-ed a relief in that he mentioned neither Israel nor Netanyahu.

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings,
D-Delray Beach

After careful review, I have decided that I cannot support this deal.
The goal of the recently concluded negotiations was to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The negotiators worked diligently, but in the end, the JCPOA allows Iran to remain a nuclear threshold state while simultaneously reaping the benefits of relief from international sanctions. (complete article)

The anti-"Deal" lobby should be on the issues, the details of the "deal" and how effective it would be. It should discuss how a nuclear Iran endangers world peace, and the simple fact that Iran keeps threatening the United States.

It's no secret the United States has an awful record in protecting allies and doesn't have any enemies on its borders, so as an Israeli I don't see it as a country I'd rely on. Honestly, we've done our best in wars that we fought alone, like in the 1967 Six Days War. We must stop groveling for help from the USA, because we don't need it.

The New "American Revolution," 2015/2016

Two hundred and forty 240 years after that first American Revolution, which carved out a new country populated mostly by a motley group of transplanted Europeans in an enormous continent far west of England and Europe, there's a new revolution taking place. The electoral system developed by those first revolutionaries in the 18th century didn't give too much power to ordinary citizens. Democracy as we know it did not exist then.

First of all, only men could vote. And there wasn't a direct vote for the President/Vice President ticket. And there certainly weren't primaries.  Today in the United States, the new president is inaugurated late in January, even though elections are held early November. Actually, the inauguration used to be in March. That's because each state had to vote first and then instruct its representative whom to vote for in the Electoral College. Only after the that stage was there an elected president.

The Electoral College is a process, not a place. The founding fathers established it in the Constitution as a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.
The Electoral College process consists of the selection of the electors, the meeting of the electors where they vote for President and Vice President, and the counting of the electoral votes by Congress.
The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Your state’s entitled allotment of electors equals the number of members in its Congressional delegation: one for each member in the House of Representatives plus two for your Senators. (NARA)

Nowadays, the process remains, even though it's easy to count the popular vote within hours of closing the polling stations all over the country. In theory there can be a President who received fewer votes than the other candidate, because the Electoral College system awards only full amounts per state. To me this system is unwieldy and undemocratic. I don't understand why it still exists. But a change in the electoral system isn't the true aim of this post.

Bush III aka Jeb Bush

Hillary Clinton

I see this upcoming Presidential Election as a People's Revolution in the USA. The public is showing a strong disregard for mainstream, conventional politicians. A year ago, or even six months ago, all the pundits took for granted that the candidates/nominees would be Democrat Clinton II versus Republican Bush III. You can't get more conventional than those two. And even though Hillary Clinton is biologically female, from her ill-fitting pants suits to her policies her sex is irrelevant. And I'm referring to Bush III as Bush III, because it's so clear that if he wasn't a Bush, he would never be considered "presidential material."

Granted there's still more than a year left before the 2016 elections, but I don't know if besides being the only two candidates surviving a plague that wipes out all of the others, there's a chance that Bush III aka Jeb and Hillary will develop enough popularity to win enough primaries to get nominated.

Republican Donald Trump

Democrat Bernie Sanders

The conventional political pundits are still trying to predict the falls of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Trump is no stranger to headlines and controversy, the builder is not an expert in building political machines. Sanders, on the other hand, is used to being considered on the ideological fringe as a politician and wasn't known nationally until after his campaign began gathering momentum.

The primaries system has given the American voters, the ordinary citizens, a power they never had before. And now in 2015, we see that they have rejected the political machines in both major parties.  Eight years ago, the Kennedy women anointed Barack Hussein Obama as Democratic candidate and pulled the political rug from under Hillary. That was the tipping point for Obama's success.

This year, ordinary citizens from the  the Right and Left have chosen their favorites, neither of whom have strong backing within their respective parties. And, yes, I do consider this revolutionary, The New "American Revolution," 2015/2016.

The 2016 Presidential Elections are sure fun to blog about!

"Democracy" is Not The Main Aim of the State of Israel

The State of Israel was not established to be a bastion of Democracy and "Western Ideals" sic. The State of Israel was established to be a Jewish State.

Early days of political Zionism were in the time when Europe was changing, and all sorts of nationalisms were developing. One of them was Jewish Nationalism aka Zionism. The Land of Israel had always been a magnet for Jews, although ever since the destruction of the Second Holy Temple and the defeat of the Jewish Kingdoms, independent Jewish rule seemed relegated to history books. There were thriving and active Jewish communities in all sorts of cities all over the Land of Israel during the two thousand years of the exile. Not only were there Jews in Jerusalem and Tzfat, but even those that today are empty of identifying Jews, like Gaza, had strong active communities.

Please remember that during those two thousand years, no other people rose to make an independent country in this Holy Land. It was always ruled by a foreign empire.

The early zionists of the late 19th, early 20th centuries debated the form of society and government. Among the secular, infatuated with modern ideologies more than with Judaism and traditional western ideals, socialism/communism was their ideal, not democracy.

The United States, led by its President Franklin Delano Roosevelt  sent Jewish refugees back to Germany to be murdered during the Holocaust, story of the St. Louis.

One of the overcrowded boatloads of Jewish refugees barred by Great Britain from entering the Holy Land.

When the State of Israel was finally established in 1948, the various Zionist leaders compromised on a form of parliamentary democracy and not socialism. But the signers of the Declaration of Independence knew they were doing something very important for international Jewry in establishing a Jewish State, the only one in the world. Just a few short years after the Holocaust, when Jews had no political refuge, it was clear, even to "the world" that there was a need for a Jewish State.  That's why there was a majority vote for the establishment of a Jewish state in what was then the Mandated Palestine. And please don't forget that Great Britain had been mandated, meaning instructed to establish a Jewish state here in the Land of Israel. 

Post-World War Two many countries, some brand new, like Jordan, without any historical basis. They were total inventions.

So, when the Israeli Left keeps harping that laws and legal decisions go against the principles of the State of Israel which they claim is supposed to be secular democratic, they are lying. We are not supposed to be collecting/accepting every single foreign non-Jew who wants to live here and take advantage of the relatively high standard of living and top notch medical care.

The State of Israel was established for Jews and nobody else. Non-Jews can live here if they are obeying the law and have entered legally. Others must be deported, just like is done in all other western, modern countries/democracies.

Messianic Christians to Use Catholic Declaration to Fight Anti-Semitism in Special UN Forum

Posted by JewishIsrael.com

Messianic Christians to Use Catholic Declaration to Fight Anti-Semitism in Special UN Forum

This Tuesday, August 11th, Laurie Cardoza-Moore who serves as both President of Proclaiming Justice to The Nations (PJTN) and as UN Special Envoy for the World Council of Independent Christian Churches (WCICC), will be addressing a special forum at the UN Headquarters in New York. 

The approach being taken by Cardoza-Moore in her fight against BDS and "global genocidal anti-Semitism" is decidedly theological and biblical in nature and it is important that Jewish leadership be aware and cautious of the messianic Christian angle…more

Will Trump be The Next POTUS?

Things have sure changed in American politics since I was a kid. It used to be that the nominees were chosen in the smoke-filled backrooms by experienced and jaded movers and shakers. Deals were made, and alliances forged and broken. Voters were served a package and could choose from Republicans or Democrats. Primaries didn't actually exist, certainly not in any numbers to make a difference.

Television began changing things a lot. Nixon's lack of sweat guards lost him the presidency, and a new world opened up.

Today's primaries have taken the nomination out of the hands of the politicians and turned it into a phone in Mr/Miss/Ms/Mrs America contest.

Americans have a pretty peculiar fokokt idea of issues. In the previous presidential elections things like same-sex marriage, stem cell research and getting a Black man in the white house were the voters' priorities. Forget about economics and security.

The polls keep showing that Donald Trump is the most popular of the Republicans.

Polling Data

Poll	Date	Trump	Bush	Walker	Huckabee	Carson	Cruz	Rubio	Paul	Christie	Kasich	Perry	Santorum	Fiorina	Jindal	Graham	Spread
RCP Average	7/29 - 8/2	24.3	12.5	9.5	6.8	5.8	5.5	5.3	4.5	3.5	2.8	1.8	1.5	1.3	1.3	0.5	Trump +11.8
FOX News	7/30 - 8/2	26	15	9	6	7	6	5	5	3	3	1	2	2	1	0	Trump +11
Bloomberg	7/30 - 8/2	21	10	8	7	5	4	6	5	4	4	2	2	1	1	1	Trump +11
Monmouth	7/30 - 8/2	26	12	11	6	5	6	4	4	4	3	2	1	2	1	1	Trump +14
CBS News	7/29 - 8/2	24	13	10	8	6	6	6	4	3	1	2	1	0	2	0	Trump +11

All 2016 Republican Presidential Nomination Polling Data

NBC News/SurveyMonkey

And every gaff or so called scandal gives him more popularity. It's Like the American voters are spitting in the races of traditional politics. It's just another tv show, reality tv, of course.

Things are getting more interesting in the Democratic Party, too, though they don't have a Trump. The Hillary machine is breaking down. Most of her supporters are sexists. Yes, that's what one should call voting for a person just because of the sex. Just like the Obama supporters are racist, since they chose him by color.

That's America in the 21st Century.

The Israeli Right's Double-Jointed, Fork-Tongued "Leaders"

Why is it that time after time after time, the minute that Israeli politicians from the Right make it into positions of power they suddenly bend over Leftwards, like human pretzels?

The first big shockeroo, from which we are still suffering was Menachem Begin after he broke the Left's monopoly over the Prime Minister's Office.  Instead of doing what everyone, Right, Left and Center, had expected fully annex all of Judea, Samaria, Jordan Valley, Golan and Sinai, he quickly communicated with Egypt's President Sadat and offered him the Sinai, with the added bonus of destroying all of the Jewish communities which the Leftist Labor party had established.

Destruction of Yamit

The so-called Right wing, pro-Jewish settlement in all of the Land of Israel, Menachem Begin crossed the biggest "red line" in Israeli policy. He destroyed Israeli homes and communities. In charge of "logistics" was Arik Sharon, who apparently developed a taste for that sort of blood, because he, also from Likud, proposed Disengagement which gave the Arab terrorist territory Gaza Gush Katif and destroyed the very communities which had been established as compensation for the Israeli communities which had been destroyed in the Sinai.

Destruction of Gush Katif

The irony of all this is that the Leftist Labor party and its ideological twins could never propose and activate such policies, because the Likud in opposition is always much more Right. The Oslo Accord, the most extreme Left policy that Labor ever succeeded in passing did not do a fraction of the damage done by Likud's Begin and Sharon.

Ruby Rivlin

Naftali Bennett

So now, for all who had been happy that loyal Likudnik Ruby Rivlin had been elected President and that Naftali Bennett's political power has been increasing, recent news has us in the doldrums, yet again. I wrote about Rivlin's inferiority complex in terms of the USA here, and now Naftali Bennett has tied himself in a political knot, too, by supporting the death penalty for Jewish terrorists sic, when it isn't even on the books for Arab terrorists.

We who are loyal to the Land of Israel and promote Jewish Life and Settlement in all of the Land Gd gave us are still looking for a reliable, powerful and effective leader to take us out of this mess.

עקב Ekev Following is Havel Havelim...

עקב Ekev can also be translated or understood as "resulting." So, I'll say, that as a result of the fact that so far there isn't a volunteer for next week's edition, there may not be one then. Some weeks I'm just too busy. So, if you're interested and willing to host a Havel Havelim, please let me know, either on our facebook page or by email with HH as subject, thanks.

Havel Havelim is the long-running weekly international Jewish Israeli blog carnival started well over a decade ago by Soccer Dad who no longer blogs. Is there a life after blogging? Some people my wonder how I have time for a life with blogging. But don't fear; I do. Read my blog and you will see.

Now we keep it going on our facebook page. I host it most of the time, but the aim is for it to be hosted by other bloggers, too. If you're interested, please let me know. Also send me (before Shabbat your time) a link to your favorite Jewish or Israeli blog post of the week, whether your blog or another, preferably with a line about it, shilohmuse@gmail.com with HH as subject, thanks. 

Think of Havel Havelim as an internet magazine full of articles about Judaism, Jewish Life and Israel from various blogs. Sometimes the post isn't quite in tune with the host's opinion, but as long as it neither promotes another religion or the destruction of the State of Israel, it belongs in Havel Havelim. Some of the links are sent to the host, and others are chosen by the host. And some are from the host's blog/s of course. Participating in Havel Havelim is a good way to promote your blog, and hosting is even better.

First are posts sent to me, then mine and last will be some I've found. And please don't forget that you don't have to be a blogger to read, comment and share Havel Havelim!!

On with the show!

Ben-Tzion, Fashionable Resurrections: It is a principle of Jewish faith that at some point in the future, the dead will come back to life. We have it listed as 13th of Maimonides 13 Principles of Faith: "I believe with complete faith that there will be a revival of the dead when it will rise up the will from the Creator, blessed be His Name."
Yael Shahar, Rabbi Yochanan; Resh Lakish: A lesson in interpretation, Rabbi Yochanan and Resh Lakish are two of the greatest sparring partners in the Talmud. The story of their meeting and later falling out contains an unlooked-for treasure on the subject of moral responsibility.
I've learned that it's better to stay calm, because my traveling is in Gd's Hands, Another Amazing Gd-Planned Trip.
Wealthy people, like Simon and Jana Falic, use their money to help others, True Chesed, Helping Orphans.

I have nothing against buses; honestly! Public Transportation Woes, but it sometimes seems like the buses don't like me!
Is it really important for the State of Israel to make other countries like it? Diplomatic Isolation, Good or Bad for Israel?
"Jewish terrorists?" Have they been blown up beyond reality? IMHO, Retaliation/Revenge and Terrorism are Not Equivalents

Here are a few posts I've chosen. If you'd like your posts included, please send them in, thanks.

What Makes a 19 Year Old Laugh?
Jerusalem Brewgarden: Lucky neighbors
Mein Kampf – again
Home Sweet Home: Sorting us all out
Seraphic Secret In the Land of Israel, Part II
L ‘Chaim
The fish, the diamonds, and me, here in Canada
A No Good, Very Bad Deal

And if you're sure that you could produce a better Havel Havelim, then you're very welcome to try! It's supposed to be hosted by a variety of blogs. I don't really want to host weekly. Just let me know and I'll lend you the keys.

Remember you don't need to be a blogger to read, comment and share Havel Havelim and all the posts included. Which do you think is the best?

True Chesed, Helping Orphans

Last week, I was invited to attend the very moving Scholarship Award Ceremony of the Simcha (Simon) and Chana (Jana) FALIC and BARAD FAMILIES SCHOLARSHIP AWARD of Chesed Menachem Mendel – Colel Chabad, which took place in the Yekev (Winery) Psagot, not far from Shiloh. I've already learned that Gd does the most amazing planning. I had davka found myself with nothing to do that day, so I gladly went.

Chesed is the best word for this scholarship program that helps tutor children who have lost one of both parents. Many of the parents who had died were killed by Arab terrorists.

I was only there for the ceremony and didn't stay for the meal, which looked delicious.

Simcha (Simon) and Chana (Jana) Falic are well-known generous donors to a wide variety of projects and institutions in Israel. I was very impressed by their warmth, sincerity and how they treated everyone attending, especially the families. They listened. They didn't just pose for a few pictures and run off.

There were two unexpected things that really impressed me at the ceremony. They were the praise and support for both the surviving/single parents and the tutors. I really liked the fact that the organizers of this project seemed genuinely close to the students and their families.

And as you can see from all of the photos, the recipients are not Chabadniks. And not all even appeared to be religious Jews. The students in the program are all tested every year, and those who get the best scores get this additional award.

The tutors are also mentors. And there were special mentions about them, too. The program also provides "fun days" for the families and covers the expenses of educational assessments when necessary.

An important aspect of the program is that the tutoring is not just for weak students. The Chesed Menachem Mendel – Colel Chabad also helps provide scholarships for the gifted to enjoy programs on a higher level, advanced courses, plus music, art, sports etc.

We were entertained by some of the recipients who are extremely talented musicians.

Kol Hakavod to the workers and volunteers of  Chesed Menachem Mendel – Colel Chabad!

Diplomatic Isolation, Good or Bad for Israel?

President Ruby Rivlin's recent comment about Israeli isolation shows the neurotic hypersensitivity of many Israelis.

Ruby Rivlin, Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

Israeli president warns of isolation over row with US on Iran"I am very worried by the battlefront (that has opened up) between Obama and Netanyahu and by relations between the United States and Israel," Rivlin told the Maariv daily.
"The prime minister is leading a campaign against the United States as if we were equals, and that is liable to hurt Israel," he said.
"We are to a large extent isolated in the world at the moment... I'm not a pessimist but for the first time I see that we are alone." (News-yahoo-AFP)

Remember that Labor Party head Isaac Herzog's big campaign promise was that he could get along better with Obama than Netanyahu.

Unlike Rivlin and Herzog, I was born and raised in the United States. And PM Bibi Netanyahu actually spent some very crucial years growing up there, too. I'd say that we know the USA a lot better than Rivlin and Herzog. There's actually something very troubling in what Rivlin said.

"...as if we were equals..."

It sounds very much like he has a serious inferiority complex when it comes to the United States. And like many/most Israelis, he seems to have an inflated and distorted idea of the reliability of the Americans as trusted allies and supporters of Israel.

During most of the sixty-seven years since the establishment of the State of Israel, the attitude of the American State Department was ambivalent at best. In November, 1947, it recommended voting against the United Nations resolution supporting a Jewish State. After much personal debate then President Harry Truman instructed the American delegation to the UN to vote in favor. And over the next twenty years or so, until after the 1967 Six Days War, the USA did not offer any aid to Israel.

Remember that we defeated the Egyptians, Syrians and Jordanians in 1967 without the help of any foreign country. We had no allies, and that was good! Yes, you read it correctly. I have no doubt that foreign allies would only have slowed down the Israeli victory if not preventing it completely. The so called "help" we got from the Americans during the 1973 Yom Kippur War actually made it more difficult for us to fight.

Even the greatest military experts of the second half of the twentieth century agree with me on this. There is no logical explanation for Israel's victory in 1967. The numbers just don't add up. Our Arab enemies had more military arm, power and fighters than we had. Also tactically and geographically they were much stronger. They also had allies, and the United Nations cooperated with their plans to destroy Israel by withdrawing peacekeeping forces when Egypt's Nasser demanded they do so.

All that the State of Israel had was the prayers of the Jewish People and the Help of Gd.

Since I remember that time so clearly, I do not fear "isolation." I also remember too well how contrary to our great victory in 1967, we were almost destroyed during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. And during those frightening days, instead of praying, fighting and praying, the Israeli Government kept on consulting with Nixon and Kissinger, who were planning a stalemate. They had hopes that America would be invited in to "keep the peace."

Considering the difficult history Israel has had with the USA, I just can't understand why most Israelis, including some of our highest ranking political and government officials, can still worship the myth of American friendship and superiority.

Obama Gives Iran Green Light to Attack Israel

• I don't like the United States President Barack Hussein Obama. 
• I don't think he's good for the United States of America. 
• I don't think he is the man to increase the chances of world peace. 
• I don't think that his "deal" with Iran is good for the world or the United States. 
• I don't think Obama's attitude towards Israel and its Prime Minister is that of an ally.

The speech Obama gave last night shows how he justifies Iranian aggression against Israel.

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks on a nuclear deal with Iran at American University in Washington August 5, 2015. Obama told U.S. Jewish leaders it was likely rockets would fall on Tel Aviv if the nuclear deal was blocked and military action ensued, one of them...

REUTERS/JONATHAN ERNST

As I've written a number of times before, the choice of the word "deal" is a sure sign that it isn't good. A used car salesman makes deals. He convinces the seller that the low price offered is actually high, and he convinces the buyer that the high price is really low. THAT'S A DEAL!

Diplomatic, security agreements aren't the same as quickly selling a four year old "just one minor accident" Ford or Toyota, because you can't afford to hold onto an extra car.

Obama's claiming that the world can trust the word of Iran that they will uphold the conditions of his "deal" is like trusting a used car lot that is known for tampering with the odometer.

Instead of looking at facts, Obama gets personal.

‘Look ... It’s My Name on This’: Obama Defends the Iran Nuclear Deal

And it's very clear that the Obama government trusts and likes Iran and its leaders a lot more than it likes Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Also take into consideration the experience and training and education of Obama versus Netanyahu. While Barack Hussein Obama spent his pre-political time as a "social organizer," Binyamin Netanyahu was an expert in international terrorism and before that he was in Israeli's most elite military unit. So, whose expertise would you trust?