17th of Tammuz Roundup

Interesting thing I learned yesterday:

According to many poskim, Ashkenazim can get a haircut or even get married on the evening of 17th of Tammuz...so despite getting home late yesterday from work, I managed to get a haircut at 10:30 PM at our local barber.

It's the 17th day of Tammuz -- and how did I blog it previously?

Snapshot of day 2 of the Second Lebanon War. July 13, 2006

Jerusalem Besieged, July 20th, 2008

Amazing Scale Model Project of the Second Jewish Temple

Alec Gerrard, a 78 year old from the United Kingdom, spent 3 years researching his 1:100 scale model of the Second Jewish Temple, that took him 33,000 hours to date and measures 20' x 12'. He hand painted every clay brick and tile and sculpted all of the 4,000 half inch, correctly dressed figures to populate his creation. Mr. Garrard began this project in his 40's and does not expect it to be fully completed in his lifetime (more pics here)

The Life Keeper revolutionary heart attack alert patch is probably one of the biggest scams of the century....

The many unanswered questions led Picker, a dentist and childhood friend of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, to hire the legal services of Ronel Fischer's firm, a member of which demanded that SafeSky's lawyer show the memorandum of understanding with MSI.

When SafeSky's lawyer Gabi Hyke, however, refused to show Picker such a document, the CEO announced his immediate resignation. (JPost)

EU retracts statement, declaring settlements responsible for all Palestinian woes.

The European Commission on Thursday backtracked on its unusually harsh criticism of Israeli settlements, declaring that a statement released earlier this week did not reflect the commission's position.

The contentious statement accused Israel's settlement policy of strangling the Palestinian economy and making the Palestinian government more dependent on foreign aid. (HaAretz)

Hypothesis: Why do our religious kids become secular?

Twenty percent of religious youths become secular because they find education system too strict and restricting (YNET)

Mixed Seating at Weddings...could lead to Mixed Dancing?

During a Torah lesson he delivered on Monday, the prominent national religious leader,R' Mordechai Eliyahu spoke at length about the importance of observing chastity codes. He advised soldiers to cover their ears during military ceremonies that include women singing. "It's better to go to jail than to obey the commander and hear a woman sing or play." He stated.

Eliyahu stressed that listening to a woman deliver a speech, if she did so while using hand gestures, was also forbidden: "It's very serious. One should watch out for these things."

Men and women sitting together at weddings was also banned, according to the rabbi, let alone dancing together. "Today at weddings everything is allowed – to dance, to look… a man dances with a woman he doesn't know… men swap women. This is a very serious thing!"

"Rabbis, repent!" urged Eliyahu. "Admit: Say, 'we were wrong. We won't allow mixed dancing, mixed weddings, mixed sitting'." He said that more liberal poskim (rabbis that issue halachic rulings) were favored by women, "Because a woman wants to be looked at. But men don't like them, because men know this is wrong." (YNET)

Palestinian terrorists target Jewish vehicle on Road 60 near Ofra. No injuries.

Kalman Marco, the 60 year old man who was driving near Ofra this morning when his car was shot at, says he was was miraculously saved when he managed to get to work safely. In an interview, the Nili resident said that he was unaware that the car was hit until he got out of the car in Psagot, where he works, and he saw that a bullet had hit the car. (A7)

If you're an Anglo Oleh -- you may not always recognize what your Israeli born children will be typing as their Facebook Status Messages.

Parents around the world have discovered that joining Facebook is an excellent way to keep tabs on their kids.

However, if – like me - you’re the Anglo parent of Israeli teenagers, you’re out of luck.

I should begin by noting that the quality of your Hebrew is irrelevant.

You might be perfectly fluent. You might have been first in your ulpan class. You might spend your days lecturing and communicating in Hebrew. Your accent might be impeccable, and people might sometimes mistake you for a native-born Israeli.

In fact, you might even BE a native-born Israeli.

But none of this matters.

You’re STILL not going to be able to understand your Israeli teenager’s Facebook statuses.

Read it here at Our Shiputzim.

צום קל ומועיל,

ג'מעיל

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Muqata Exclusive: Technical Plans for the "LifeKeeper" Patch

In yet another Muqata Blog exclusive, we have obtained the top secret diagrams of the technical plans for the "Billion Dollar LifeKeeper Heart Attack notification patch" -- which provides 30 minutes warning before a heart attack strikes.

These diagrams are copyright exclusive to the SkyLife company, which was only founded 2 weeks ago, and has already reportedly sold 20% of its stock to the MSI company for $360 million dollars!

While MSI is denying any knowledge of its involvement in any sale of SkyLife, SkyLife claims that they negotiated the entire deal via internet emails and faxes, and never met in person any Representative of MSI.

11:55 PM Breaking News; In what is sure to be a devastating blog to the SkyLife Company, according to Channel 10 Israel TV, CEO Gabi Picker has resigned from the helm of SkyLife.

Israel's respected "CalCalist" financial newspaper interviewed Sky Life partner Dr. Amos Buchnik about his investment in Sky Life.

No real money was invested now in SkyLife -- all the heavy investments of 5-6 million dollars was done by [convicted fraudster] Arik Klein a few years ago, said Buchnik.

Buchnik claimed the extent of his investment was to a super genius computer programmer who wrote the entire real-time embedded software program in the time span of only one week!

In exchange for his outstanding software contract abilities, the genius developer was paid the sum of 1000 dollars from Dr. Buchnik's dental clinic. [I kid you not, this is all in Buchnik's interview].

Alper Eiden, the software whiz claimed he was supposed to get 3000 dollars for his services, but only received 1000.

Forbes and Reuters reported today (before knowing of Gabi Picker's resignation):

TEL AVIV, July 8 (Reuters) - The founder of Israel's SafeSky said on Wednesday the company would make a media presentation next week after local media questioned reports a Taiwanese company would take a stake in a unit of SafeSky.

'You will all be invited next week,' SafeSky co-founder Amos Bouchnik told Reuters before declining further comment. SafeSky Chief Executive Gavriel Picker also declined comment.

His remarks came after Israeli newspapers ran stories casting doubt on their own reports earlier this week that Microstar International would pay $370 million for 37 percent of SafeSky's Life Keeper, which says it has invented a device to warn of heart attacks.

An official at Microstar in Taipei said the company had no knowledge of a deal with SafeSky, though it does have a team looking at developing a notebook PC with an add-on device that would be able to measure a person's heartbeat.

Microstar manufactures and distributes computer motherboards and interface cards.

Stay Tuned to the Muqata for your latest up to date information about the Billion Dollar Patch of the Century!

We are the #1 blog following this story, and you can check back here for the latest updates on this historic financial success story for the unbelievable SkyLife Company.

Update From Haaretz:

The entire negotiations and contacts between the Israeli side and the MSI was done by fax and e-mail, which was sent to the Internet domain MsiUK.net. The address may seem to belong to the British branch of the Taiwanese firm, but it turns out it actually belongs to no other than Aharon (Arik) Klein, one of the co-founders and 50% owners of SafeSky, the Israeli company supposedly seling the patch technology. Klein, a convicted conman who spent years in prison for multiple acts of fraud, is also the person who supposedly developed the technology. It seems that Klein bought and registered the domain name and used fictitious identities to correspond with SafeSky, and its lawyers and accountants.

How Klein planned to make money on the fraud is still not clear. As of now it seems Klein duped SafeSky's co-owner, Dr. Amos Bouchnik and its CEO, Dr. Gavriel Picker, as well as the rest of the company's officials.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

LifePatch; Racking up the Lies

The Marker reports:

Yet another lie was revealed, attributed to the Safe Sky "LifePatch" company. Yesterday, the company's founders announced to the media that they will soon be starting clinical trials with their revolutionary "Heart Attack Detection" patch at the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, and that Hadassah Hospital's General Manager, Professor Shlomo Mor Yosef has given the green light for the hospital to start a pilot with 100 of the patches.

However, Hadassah Hospital today outright rejected the story, "No one approached Professor Mor Yosef, and he did not approve any pilot", stated Ron Kromer, the manager of media communications and press interaction at Hadassah. Kromer told "The Marker", "Professor Mor Yosef doesn't even have the authority by himself to approve a clinical trial. Clinical trials are only approved after a long process of receiving approvals, providing scientific documentation, and of course, certification from the Helsinki Committee (which authorizes clinical trials on humans.)

Additionally the MSI company, which is allegedly buying 20% of SafeSky claims they have never heard of SafeSky, and they have zero intention of buying it.

Globes:

There is no evidence of SafeSky's claim that Life Keeper has FDA approval.

SafeSky was only registered as a company two weeks ago.

MSI finance department customer relations manager Jhih-Jhuang Chang told "Globes" today, "I have never heard of this company. We are considering what steps to take. The matter is being handled by our legal department.

Haaretz:

The Taiwanese company, Micro-Star International, which is supposedly paying $370 million for 37% of the Life Keeper heart monitor patch, said it knows nothing of any such deal. Its representatives never came to Israel to discuss such an agreement. The senior management of SafeSky, the Israeli firm, also never met with the Taiwanese firm, and all the contacts were conducted only via fax and e-mail.

Riiiiight. A $370 million dollar deal is conducted only through email and fax?

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

The Scammers

Ben-Gurion's historical litmus test for a "normal" Israel would be the appearance of a Jewish thief in Tel-Aviv. Based on Ben-Gurion's hypothesis, Israel is now a stunning success.

On Sunday, the Israel Police have arrested 10 residents of central Israel on suspicion of being involved in a wide-range, worldwide scam known as the “Nigerian sting”.

The suspects operated out of offices in Tel Aviv offices and allegedly defrauded elderly American citizens, who had been led to believe they had won the lottery, of millions of dollars.

You've seen these Nigerian scammer emails before -- they originate from deposed kings of third world countries, Suha Arafat, and even Ehud Olmert.

"According to the suspicions, the gang members spent the past two years contacting elderly people in the United States. They would present themselves as representatives of the US lottery’s raffles department, informing them they had won a prize consisting of $500,000.

The suspects claimed they were calling from inside the US, when in fact they were operating out of an office in Tel Aviv.

Upon every first call with a new victim, the suspects would explain that a law firm specializing in raffles taxation would be handling the “prize”.

After a while the victims would receive a second call from the gang, in which one of the suspects would pretend to be a lawyer. At this point he would explain to them that they must pay a preliminary tax on the sum of $67,000 in order to receive the prize money." (Jewkey).

Yet the biggest apparent scam of week goes to "LifeKeeper". Respected journalist David Shamah reported this week in Arutz Sheva about the "Billion Dollar Patch" that could warn of a heart attack 30 minutes before the actual heart attack would commence.

"An Israeli company has sold a one-third interest in a medical device it developed to a British-Taiwanese company for $370 million – making the total value of SafeSky's LifeKeeper Patch over $1 billion.

The deal, between SafeSky and Micro-Star International (MSI), is one of the biggest ever in relative terms for an Israeli hi-tech industry. SafeSky will retain 67% of the ownership of the patch, and MSI has an option to purchase a bigger share later on – at five times the price it paid this week.

The LifeKeeper Patch, not much bigger than a shekel coin, contains a microprocessor which can read information about the wearer's medical state – recording data such as body temperature, heart rate and rhythms, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. When the patch is worn, the information is transmitted via Bluetooth to a cell phone, where an application records the information.

The LifePatch, which was developed by SafeSky co-owner Arik Klein, is considered a revolutionary "teletherapy" device. (Read the rest of this here)"

What started out as a snowball of success on Sunday (including President Shimon Peres gushing about the success of the patch) is now hurtling out of control, as all sorts of dark clouds of suspicion are poised to rain on the LifePatch parade.

For starters, SafeSky co-owner Arik Klein is less than an honorable man. The JPost and Israel IDF radio report that "...the supposed deal appeared to have unraveled when it emerged that one of the partners in the company, Arik Klein, who has served prison time for fraud, forged e-mail correspondence in which he pretended to represent MSI in the purchase."

Haaretz reports that Klein, a convicted conman who spent years in prison for multiple acts of fraud, is also the person who supposedly developed the technology. It seems that Klein bought and registered the domain name and used fictitious identities to correspond with SafeSky, and its lawyers and accountants.

IDF Radio queried as to why there are no cardiologists on the "SafeSky" staff, and that no medical data has been published and no preliminary scientific data has been provided to back up SafeSky's claims for this "revolutionary" patch.

Adding even more intrigue to the plot, the JPost also reports as follows:

The plot thickened when it was discovered that Haggai Hadas, the former Mossad official recently appointed to head negotiations for captive IDF soldier Gilad Schalit, is a director of SafeSky, and that its CEO is Gabi Picker, a childhood friend of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

The Prime Minister's Office issued a statement on Tuesday saying that Hadas's "private affairs, including his business activity, are his personal responsibility and are carried out with his knowledge alone, and are entirely unrelated to his public role."

Is LifePatch the next best medical invention since the defibrillator, or will it go down in history as a competitor of agel?

Personally, I think this will be more similar to the fiasco in the 1980's in which Israel's energy minister announced that a world-breakthrough had been made by an Israeli scientist and would generate enough electrical power for the price of peanuts. (Still looking for a good hyperlink source on this. I believe the Minister was Dan Meridor's father). This should not be confused with Yitzchak Teshuva's adjournment today:

The natural gas reserve discovered off the shores of Haifa is approximately 25 to 30 percent richer than previously assessed, US oil operator Noble Energy Inc., said after drilling to verify the find.

The site, previously assessed to hold more than 142 billion cubic meters (BCM) of natural gas, may in fact hold as much as 180 BCM.

The potential revenue from selling gas from the offshore reserve may reach $30-35 billion. (Jpost)

HAHA! I've found it -- previous scam of the century:

The bulb to light all Ramat Gan (Hebrew: נורה שתאיר את כל רמת גן, Nura she-tair et kol Ramat Gan‎) was a political misstep in Israel of the 1980s. It took this humorous form within the collective memory of the Israeli public.

On June 28, 1981, the eve of elections to the tenth Knesset, Yaakov Meridor gave an interview to radio networks. He was one of the top candidates on the party list of Likud. He announced that a scientist working with him had invented an improvement in energy production on a chemical basis, with extraordinary efficiency and yield. As an illustration of the nature of the invention, "a global revolution that is yet to be grasped", he told to an interviewer, "It's as if you took an ordinary household light bulb and, with this lamp, you illuminated the whole city of Ramat Gan."

In March 1982, while serving as Minister of Economics and Inter-Ministry Coordination, Meridor gave publicity to the invention in a special television broadcast. For a few days he captured the top newspaper headlines. When it was revealed that the inventor might be brought up on charges, the minister was held up to ridicule, and the incident was mockingly recalled for years afterward.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

The PLO Charter

As everyone knows, Israel liberated Judea, Samaria and Gaza in 1967.

The PLO, on the other hand was formed in 1964 before there was an "Occupation" and before a single "settlement" (as they are called today).

I was reading an article in the Jerusalem Post, where the author claims that in Article 24 of the PLO Charter, the PLO explicitly renounced any claim to the West Bank, Gaza (or eastern shore of the Kinneret). I remembered no such article in their charter.

And I looked it up and still couldn't find it any such Article in the PLO charter. In fact it says:

Article 24: The Palestinian people believe in the principles of justice, freedom, sovereignty, self-determination, human dignity, and in the right of all peoples to exercise them.

So how could it be the author made such a mistake and the Jerusalem Post didn't pick up on it (no cynical remarks here please).

So I did a little more research and found out that the PLO has 2 charters. They also have their original charter which was the basis of the formation of their organization in 1964 - before Israel liberated our lands from Jordan and Egypt.

In Article 24 of the original PLO charter it states:

Article 24. This Organization does not exercise any regional sovereignty over the West Bank in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, on the Gaza Strip or the Himmah Area.

This charter was only changed in 1968, when Jordan and Egypt lost control over Judea, Samaria and Gaza.

So in fact, before 1967, the Arabs never wanted an "independent Palestinian State" in the "territories".

In fact, "Palestinians" quite happily accepted being under Jordanian and Egyptian sovereignty - and that included East Jerusalem!


Now obviously you can say that positions change over time, but consider how radical this change is.

In 1964, the PLO made no demands for sovereignty, much less a capital in Jerusalem or even "East" Jerusalem.

In 1964, the PLO renounced any claim to any of the "Occupied Territories".

The author says that until Jimmy Carter gave them the idea, they never even considered a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.

It was only in 1988 that the PLO first called for a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem.


Now fast forward to 2009.

Now they are also claiming the "Occupied Territories" and Jerusalem (and flooding the rest of Israel with refugees to change the demographic balance in their favor) for their state - sovereignty over which didn't even interest them 45 years ago.

That is a radical switch - or is it?

If you look in terms of the geographic areas, the Palestinians seem to have lost their minds. They are making claims to lands whose claims over which they completely threw away 45 years ago. Land that they didn't claim was theirs 45 years ago.

But if you look at it in terms of goals, then the picture is different.

They want whatever land the Jews are on. The Jews are now on these particular lands - including East Jerusalem - that 45 years ago didn't interest them, so now they want it.

And following that logic, if Israel withdraws from all of Judea and Samaria and East Jerusalem, (which is pretty much what Ehud Olmert offered them) they won't be satisfied, because those territories don't interest them.

They want what the Jews have.

And that's why Abu Mazen turned down Olmert's offer, and that's why they will never sign a document that the conflict with Israel is over - even if they get everything they are demand.

In terms of goals, their position hasn't changed at all - because it has nothing to do with specific geographies.

And that is why no peace plan will work - because they are all addressing the wrong issue.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Archaeology update

by Lurker

The Israel Antiquities Authority has just announced the discovery of yet another 2300-year-old stone quarry, used to produce the enormous stones used in Herod's reconstruction of the Second Temple. The quarry is located in Jerusalem's Beit Yisrael neighborhood.

This is the third such quarry found in Jerusalem in as many years -- the other two are in Sanhedria and Ramat Shlomo.

Jul 06, 2009 - Second Temple quarry discovered in Beit Yisrael, Jerusalem. (More here.)
[Click to enlarge image]

May 20, 2008 - Second Temple quarry discovered in Sanhedria, Jerusalem.

Sep 23, 2007 - Second Temple quarry discovered in Ramat Shlomo, Jerusalem. (More here.)

(It's sort of interesting that all three quarries are located in haredi neighborhoods. Not that I have any idea what significance that has...)


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Israel: Ice-cream recession predicted this summer

Unlike the USA, Israel's shopping malls are chock full this summer despite the global recession. The Eastern Kfar-Saba newly opened "G" mall is packed with shoppers on a daily basis and impatient patrons wait for empty tables at G's trendy cafes.

And yet, Dun & Bradstreet economists have the gloom and doom -- they're predicting a drop in Israel's ice cream sales for the summer of 2009.

According to estimates, ice cream sales will range between NIS 950 million (about $245 million) and NIS 1 billion ($257 million) – a slight drop in sales compared to last year.

According to sources in the ice cream industry, the recession in the economy will have an effect on the ice cream market, prompting the Israeli consumer to buy less prestigious ice cream brands and raise the demand for simpler products. (YNET)

You may not know it, but Israelis are a huge consumer of ice cream, and in the past decade, Israeli ice-cream consumption has gone up a blistering 420% -- and during summertime, Israelis consume an average of 20 million liters of ice cream.

I'd better quickly dig up some better news -- as it doesn't get more depressing than this.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Mazal Tov: MK Anastasia Michaeli Gives Birth to 8th Child

Mazal tov - congratulations to Member of Knesset Anastasia Michaeli (Yisrael Beiteinu) on the birth of her 8th child, a son, this early this morning. MK Michaeli is the first Israeli parliament member to give birth during Knesset tenure.

As opposed to less than clever Members of Knesset we've seen in the past few years, MK Michaeli holds a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering, and a BA in Business Administration.

"I feel fine. The delivery was very swift," Michaeli told Ynet. "I'll leave the hospital and then decide what maternity leave to take."

Asked about the new parliament child's name, the MK replied, "I'm having doubts about the name and consulting the rabbi."...

In the current legal situation, a Knesset member is not defined as a worker and is therefore not entitled to maternity leave.

"It's clear that the right given to any workers, which is aimed at allowing her to rest following the delivery and nurture the bond between the parent and child, should also be granted to Knesset members," the committee members stated. (YNET)

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Low hanging fruit, or fruit already in the backet?

There is a difference between going after low-hanging fruit, and going after fruit in someone else's basket (or trying to squish the fruit already in the basket).

After reports of being completely rejected by the Arab States in an attempt to get them to publicly show some gesture to Israel in exchange for a settlement freeze, Obama is widening his circle.

Obama sent a letter to Morocco's King Mohammed VI, saying He hoped Rabat would "be a leader in bridging gaps between Israel and the Arab world."

On one hand, you can say that Obama is now going after the low-hanging fruit in an attempt to find some Arab country willing to make a public gesture to Israel, or help get the other Arab state make those public gestures.

On the other hand, Israel already has a relationship with Morocco. It never ended. Israelis can visit Morocco (with a visa). We've had Foreign Ministers visit Morocco - openly. I believe Morocco even has a liaison office in Tel Aviv. We certainly openly trade with one another.

In fact, Moroccan Jews in Israel may even hold dual citizenship.

And Morocco for the most part keeps its nose out of the local conflict - and as a result it's never gotten seriously bloodied by it.

It is a carefully balanced formula that works for everyone.

Hey Obama, it's one thing to go after low-hanging fruit. It's another thing to try to grab the fruit already in our basket and try to squish it.

Maybe He'll go after Tunis next.

(See JoeSettler for other quiet Israel-Arab relations issues.)

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Israeli Independence

More than once on these pages I've said that Israel must attain financial independence from America. That loan guarantees and US military aid may look nice, but are stifling our national growth and industries and other important decision processes.

The biggest profiteers from US military aid to to Israel are US military industries which is where the money must be spent.

I've repeatedly said that Israel must develop a fighter plane, and must sell it to India, a fellow democracy, and natural ally with a similar (recent) history and similar enemies.

Turns out Israel was planning to do that.

Saab (they make great cars) asked Israel to join with it to make a fighter plane and sell it to India.

Israel would design the electronics, radar and electronic-warfare systems for the plane (ours are much better than the Americans, which is why Israel only has Israeli electronics in the fighter planes we buy from the US).



The deal was worth $12 billion dollars for 120 aircraft.

Imagine that money coming in to Israel, instead of from US military aid that goes right back to US industries.

The US imagined that too.

The Pentagon (and not for the first time) forced Israel to back out of the deal

The given excuse? They are afraid US technology might make its way to India.

Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin and Boeing (US companies) are competing to send US technology over to India.


If this keeps going on, foreign countries are going to be afraid to work with Israel, if they know the US will kill the deal - as they have already done numerous times in the past.

It's time Israel makes a decision to cut the apron strings.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Harry Potter appointed heir to Jordan

In a surprise move, Jordan's Dictator Abdullah appointed Harry Potter his son Hussein as the dictator to succeed him.



As it turns out, Hussein Jr. is half Palestinian, which means, the Palestinian State of Jordan (after all, more than 80% of its population identifies itself as Palestinian), will for the first time ever have a dictator who is at least a (half) member of their recently created ethnic group.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

MaDA Fashla

MaDA (n) Magen David Adom, organization, Israel emergency medical and rescue. 15,000 nationawide volunteers, 1000 paid employees.

fashla (n) screw up (Hebrew slang)

So my father-in-law sends me an email entitled this morning: "Chovshim, bah" (A Chovesh is an EMT).

Knowing I'm a volunteer EMT, and my 2 oldest kids are spending their summer vacation as Jr-EMTs riding on ambulances, he thought of bringing this story to my attention.

The story is all over Israel; the internet, radio, TV, newspaper.

An 84-year-old man gave emergency personnel a shock Wednesday when he came back to life after being pronounced dead by paramedics [Jameel: Actually, the MDA doctor pronounced him dead] at his Ramat Gan home.

A Magen David Adom ambulance crew was dispatched to the man's house in response to a distress call. After finding no pulse and ascertaining that he was not breathing, the man was pronounced dead.

A short time later, however, a police officer noted that "the corpse is moving his hand."

Police and emergency personnel had received a report Wednesday evening regarding an sick elderly man who lived alone in an apartment in Ramat Gan.

A nearby patrol and the medical crew who entered the home had noticed the elderly man lying motionless in the middle of the living room. They entered the apartment through the window in an attempt to resuscitate the man, who had no pulse.

Medical officials called for the coroner and a doctor, who pronounced the man dead and subsequently signed a death certificate.

After the medical crew left the premises, police began probing the circumstances of the man's death. As forensic investigators scoured the apartment for evidence, a policeman approached the motionless body, which to his amazement began moving its hands. [Haaretz]

Everyone in MDA knows that only a doctor can pronounce someone dead, unless of course, the person is decapitated -- its basic protocol. What happened here I can't tell you, but my kids were very embaressed when they heard the story.

Then again, MDA had another "fashla" in the news yesterday, when they eagerly released a news story that an unborn fetus and umbilical cord were found in a plastic bag in a Herziliya supermarket's parking lot.

After the bag and its contents were sent to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for analysis, the results were announced.

The bag contained...the remains of...


...a banana.

Oooops. A Fashla.

(Hebrew source for Fetal Banana)

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Up to $10000 in scholarships and grants

-- Advertisement --

With so many girls seminaries that have advertised here, it's about time a guy's yeshiva graced these pages.

And that Yeshiva is... Yeshivat Hamivtar in the town of Efrat, in Gush Etzion.

Hamivtar is currently advertising their one year program, for young men ages 20 to 30.

And for added incentive Hamivtar is offering up to $10,000 in grants, scholarships and loans to help you make your year in Israel possible and affordable.

Besides learning, the program includes 3 meals a day, trips, dorms, and of course the beautiful atmosphere of a very nice and established settlement.

So, if you've thought about spending the year (or half a year) growing in Torah and learning (and even in learning how to learn), then this may be your perfect opportunity.

So check out Yeshivat Hamivtar and ask them to contact you. They'll be happy to help you fill out the application form and get one of their scholarships, grants, or loans for a year of Torah study.



Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד