Jameel has expressed reservations about Gidon Sa'ar's new bill that would dock a day's pay from anybody who doesn't vote on election day. Jameel is not so comfortable with punishing non-voters, and neither am I.
There are other, more creative ways to address the problem of declining voter attendance, however: We can try using a carrot instead of a stick. How about providing free food at the polling stations? Of course, that would require funding for the food, so we've got to find a way to come up with the money. Well, how about we have the political parties provide the free food, out of their campaign budgets? They can each set up refreshment tents near the polling stations. Election day would become just like a big shul kiddush -- everyone will want to come. In fact, each party should recruit a sponsor for their Election Day "kiddush": Morris Talansky can sponsor the "kiddush" for Kadima, Ronald Lauder can sponsor it for the Likud, Octav Botner's estate for Labor...
Imagine: You could get hamin at the Shas booth, kugel at the UTJ booth, humus at the Arab parties, borsht by Lieberman, geriatric food at Gil, and sushi at Meretz. (If the Third Way was still around, I'm sure they'd serve bread in a pita, and Shinui would offer a spread of shrimp and lobster.) Kadima can offer free drinks from their mini-bars, and they'll probably promise the most "fun" food to eat (but everyone who does will develop an upset stomach by the time they get home...).
So how about it? It's a sure-fire way to boost election attendance. (Unless, of course, Jameel is serving waffles at the Muqata that day.)
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Monday, June 30, 2008
Election Day kiddush
Democracy in Action: Vote...or else.
Current Status: The National Election Day in Israel is already considered a paid vacation day (national holiday) for anyone who works.
Proposed Amendment by MK Gidon Sa'ar: Any employed person who does not vote in the national election day, will be penalized, and have their pay deducted (equivalent to one day's work).
Result: Its the equivalent of a fine if you don't vote.
Over time, the percentage of voters from the eligible voter population has been decreasing from the founding of the State (86.9% voting...and decreasing to the last election in 2006 with only 63.5%).
So, should one be "forced" to vote? While I'm in favor of voting, I'm not sure this is the best way to education people about democracy.
% Voting; Voter Pop ; Year ; Israeli Election
86.9% 506,567 1949 1
75.1% 924,885 1951 2
82.8% 1,057,795 1955 3
81.6% 1,218,483 1959 4
83.0% 1,271,285 1961 5
83.0% 1,499,709 1965 6
81.7% 1,748,710 1969 7
78.6% 2,037,478 1973 8
79.2% 2,236,293 1977 9
78.5% 2,490,014 1981 10
78.8% 2,654,613 1984 11
79.7% 2,894,267 1988 12
77.4% 3,409,015 1992 13
79.3% 3,933,250 1996 14
78.7% 4,285,428 1999 15
62.3% 4,504,769 2001 (Prime Minister elections)
68.9% 4,720,074 2003 16
63.5% 5,014,622 2006 17
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Haveil Havalim #171: The Packing for Camp Edition
The Ima has come through again with Haveil Havalim #171: The Packing for Camp Edition.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Freeing Garbage for IDF soldiers
Despite all the announcements to the families of Regev and Goldwasser, Israel's intelligence community changed it's mind over the past few weeks and their assessment is that the 2 missing IDF soldiers are dead.
In return for the 2 [dead?] soldiers, among those Israel will be releasing is the notorious Samir Kuntar. In an incredible show of personal dignity, Smadar Haran, the widow of Danny Haran (murdered by Kuntar) wrote to Israel's Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter stating she had no objections to Kuntar's release. The letter was read at today's cabinet meeting.
"The despicable, vile murderer Samir Kuntar isn’t, nor has he ever been, my private prisoner. Kuntar is a prisoner of the State, which sentenced him to five terms if life imprisonment for his vicious crimes," she wrote.To get an idea of what sort of human garbage we are talking about, this is what Smadar Haran wrote in the Washington Post in May 2003. It is must reading to appreciate her current position.
"His fate must be decided now, according to Israel's best defensive needs and moral interests, which should serve the people of Israel, now and in the future.
"I ask that my own personal pain not be taken into account when you deliberate, despite its significance and implications. I cannot overlook the pain and suffering of the Goldwasser and Regev families, or the moral debt I have to all those who have worked for my safety.
Abu Abbas, the former head of a Palestinian terrorist group who was captured in Iraq on April 15, is infamous for masterminding the 1985 hijacking of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro. But there are probably few who remember why Abbas's terrorists held the ship and its 400-plus passengers hostage for two days. It was to gain the release of a Lebanese terrorist named Samir Kuntar, who is locked up in an Israeli prison for life. Kuntar's name is all but unknown to the world. But I know it well. Because almost a quarter of a century ago, Kuntar murdered my family.And what do I think?
It was a murder of unimaginable cruelty, crueler even than the murder of Leon Klinghoffer, the American tourist who was shot on the Achille Lauro and dumped overboard in his wheelchair. Kuntar's mission against my family, which never made world headlines, was also masterminded by Abu Abbas. And my wish now is that this terrorist leader should be prosecuted in the United States, so that the world may know of all his terrorist acts, not the least of which is what he did to my family on April 22, 1979.
It had been a peaceful Sabbath day. My husband, Danny, and I had picnicked with our little girls, Einat, 4, and Yael, 2, on the beach not far from our home in Nahariya, a city on the northern coast of Israel, about six miles south of the Lebanese border. Around midnight, we were asleep in our apartment when four terrorists, sent by Abu Abbas from Lebanon, landed in a rubber boat on the beach two blocks away. Gunfire and exploding grenades awakened us as the terrorists burst into our building. They had already killed a police officer. As they charged up to the floor above ours, I opened the door to our apartment. In the moment before the hall light went off, they turned and saw me. As they moved on, our neighbor from the upper floor came running down the stairs. I grabbed her and pushed her inside our apartment and slammed the door.
Outside, we could hear the men storming about. Desperately, we sought to hide. Danny helped our neighbor climb into a crawl space above our bedroom; I went in behind her with Yael in my arms. Then Danny grabbed Einat and was dashing out the front door to take refuge in an underground shelter when the terrorists came crashing into our flat. They held Danny and Einat while they searched for me and Yael, knowing there were more people in the apartment. I will never forget the joy and the hatred in their voices as they swaggered about hunting for us, firing their guns and throwing grenades. I knew that if Yael cried out, the terrorists would toss a grenade into the crawl space and we would be killed. So I kept my hand over her mouth, hoping she could breathe. As I lay there, I remembered my mother telling me how she had hidden from the Nazis during the Holocaust. "This is just like what happened to my mother," I thought.
As police began to arrive, the terrorists took Danny and Einat down to the beach. There, according to eyewitnesses, one of them shot Danny in front of Einat so that his death would be the last sight she would ever see. Then he smashed my little girl's skull in against a rock with his rifle butt. That terrorist was Samir Kuntar.
By the time we were rescued from the crawl space, hours later, Yael, too, was dead. In trying to save all our lives, I had smothered her.
1. The State of Israel gave up thousands of terrorists over the past 15 years to support the Oslo process which has brought nothing but the deaths of thousands of Israeli civilians and soldiers. Rockets continue to pound Southern Israel from Gaza, and terror continues unabated from the West Bank. And in return for giving away thousands of Palestinian terrorists and criminals, we have received exactly nothing. If we are able to tangibly receive captured IDF soldiers (living or dead) by exchanging them for Palestinian terrorists and criminals, then we have a moral responsibility do so. If we "sacraficed" so much for the failed promises of Oslo, then the least we do is get our soldiers back.
2. IDF soldiers grow more cynical daily as they see corrupt leaders of the likes of Ehud Olmert zig-zag on every decision possible. Ensuring the return of Goldwasser and Regev will send a signal to IDF soldiers that despire the corrupt leadership, the country is still willing to "pay the price" for their release. We will not leave them behind, as we have done so often for the past 2 decades.
We owe it to our soldiers -- we ask them to fight for us. The least we can do is bring them home.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Bridging Jerusalem
I can't compete with the "Great Toothpick in the Sky" line, but here are some pics of the Jerusalem Bridge of Strings from last nights ceremony, courtesy of the Jerusalem Municipality. Quite breathtaking.
An Amazing Graduation -- Living the Dream
The "theme" of the evening was the "impending redemption" -- and the boys and girls had separate presentations (they aren't mixed in school either). The primary artistic presentation was about a class going on a forced museum trip, where they encountered different historical characters who came alive at the mention of the word "Geula" -- redemption. (The smoke machine and strobe added some cool effects).
Avraham Avinu proudly congratulated them for building up the land, and proving G-d's promise of לך אתן את הארץ הזאת -- "to you I will give this land".
The class comforted Rachel the Matriarch that her children were returning from Exile and rebuilding the land. How poignant was it that the class reminded her that some children were still missing and needed her prayers; Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser, Eldad Regev, Ron Arad... how current events mesh with our lives...and we don't even forget our missing soldiers -- even at a 6th grade graduation.
The class met a group of Jews...who were going to trash the store of "Shmuel the Shoemaker" -- because he was working on Shabbat. R' Kook arrived on the scene and told the crowd that only through "Ahavat Chinam" would the redemption come.
Yoni Netanyahu met the class as well -- one who gave his life for Ahavat Chinam -- on behalf of the Jewish people in his daring rescue mission at Entebbe.
Ben-Gurion, Naomi Shemer, and others characters met the class, all through the theme of "redemption" -- how close it is...how close it can be.
The following background painting summed it all up perfectly:
"Such is the redemption of Israel:first, it is bit by bit,
but as it goes on,
the light continues to grow..."
As the play ended, the sounds of the shofar erupted from all corners of the gymnasium.
May we merit redemption soon -- I could not be more proud of my daughter, her class, and her school.
Living the dream day by day, in Israel.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Singles in Jerusalem (continued) - סרוגים
At the age of 32, Laizy Shapira is still single. It wouldn’t be so crucial if he were a professional Tel Avivian, but Shapira is a religious man who lives in Jerusalem and leads his sentimental life there, passionately claiming that the capital is the perfect place for a religious pick-up, just like Tel Aviv is the capital of secular pick-up.Last night I was thinking; was this show just a "Jewish/Israeli" version of "Friends" or "Seinfeld"? It could have been, but isn't -- it's much more serious and introspective, and not written as a comedy. Would such a show even work in the US, based on the Upper West Side, Jewish Singles Scene -- if there wasn't a laughtrack constantly running throughout the show?
"Jerusalem for the religious is like Tel Aviv for the seculars," he explained. "A religious person over the age of 20 who has yet to marry will find himself there. Shavuot, for example, is one of the greatest bachelorhood holidays, when everyone goes on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, to the synagogues and our entertainment centers.
"In Jerusalem, by the way, you can find a larger number of girls wearing pants, you will find much more pluralism. It's really different from the image you have of it. It's just like Tel Aviv, with coffee shops, kosher bars and synagogues which are the center of our scene.
"On Fridays you can see large gatherings of people outside the fashionable synagogues, talking and flirting with each other, and a lot of sparkles in the air." (Rest available here)
This show works for Israel, but I don't know if it would for the US...even though I'm sure it would have as much (if not more) source material available...
Laizy based lots of show on the real life experiences of him and his friends.
And why shouldn't he make a TV series, if it gets him a shidduch? FrumSatire's trying to do the same thing with HIS blog."My series is the most reliable religious thing I've seen on the screen. Every time religious people are presented on the screen, the skullcap is in the wrong angle or the text doesn’t make sense. I was strict with every single detail. Even the skullcaps were knitted by my niece."
He may deny it, but Shapira created the series mainly for himself, and perhaps in order to meet new girls. The majority of the "Srugim" plot is derived directly from his daily life as a 32-year-old bachelor who has gone on dozens of dates but has yet to find the one.This may sound like a plot for another of the dating series sweeping the screen, but in Shapira's world this is a real crisis rather than romantic caprices.
"I have gone on many dates over the past decade," he says, "and after turning 30 my parents lost hope. They show a lot of support for what is happening to me now, but manage not to mention the wedding issue. They know I'm working on it."
Good Luck Laizy -- we're rooting for you!
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Dancing With Jameel
Welcome to the Muqata. I am Jack, one of the inmates that haunt this joint and I am pleased to take the helm for a moment. I have had the privilege and the pleasure of being a friend of Jameel's for a short while now.
During that time we have had all sorts of cool adventures. But the coolest and best of them all was that crazy day in Tel Aviv when we go to dance with Matt. If you click here you can watch the video. We're on at about 3:42 or so. If you look carefully you can see Joe Settler doing the cleveland clap step in the back.
It is indeed a wild and wacky world.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Srugim: (סרוגים) Rave Reviews
Normally, Israel's "artsy media" with their traditional anti-religious bias would have a field day with a TV series about religious singles, produced by a religious director. Yet the series has produced rave reviews from "Achbar Ha'ir", Maariv, NRG, and many others -- attesting that this series appeals to both Israel's religious and secular worlds.
Obviously, for the sake of the script, not every scene is typical of the Jewish "Bitza" (Swamp) Katamon singles scene, yet the familiarity allows for every scene to be believable -- and if it didn't happen to you personally, you know people that it could have happened to.
A guy's "tefillin request" sends him to the next door neighbor, where an American accented Hebrew speaking young lady offers HER tefillin to him. Shocked, he returns to his girlfriend and angrily responds that he wasn't looking for a Reform Lesbian's tefillin...but for real tefillin. His girlfriend dumps him rather quickly...and you can easily imagine the scene in Jerusalem.
Everyone says the Shabbat meal scene is slightly uncomfortable to watch, because everyone's been there. Anyone who's ever been single in Jerusalem knows about singles Shabbat meals, where everyone tries and hopes to meet their intended life partner. Sometimes awkward and clumsy, the Shabbat meal is can be a neccessary evil in the Katamon singles scene.
Here is a brief clip of one of a Shabbat meal in yesterday's episode.
Speaking to Srugim director, Laizy Shapiro today by phone, he told me that it was really an exceptional experience making the show, and that there was a special atmosphere with the secular actors when filming...and he said the show could be a bridge between the religious and secular. Judging from the favorable reactions of the newspapers, I believe he's correct.
I wonder how the singles scene in Jerusalem will feel about being reflected in this TV series.
(The whole first episode can be watched here on the YES website.)
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Israel: Reviving the Extinct
On a physical level, the deserts have bloomed and the trees of Israel have welcomed home the Jewish people with fruits, produce, and agricultural bounty after a 2000 year hiatus.
Yet the miracle continues; the Judean Date Trees, the extinct species of large, sweet dates that once populated Eretz Yisrael is carefully undergoing a miraculous rebirth as well.
Seeds found on Masada in the 1960's were carbon-dated back close to 2000 years ago, and one of the seeds has sprouted! The NY Times wrote up the story in it's science section...
Scientists in Israel have confirmed that an ancient date palm seed retrieved from the rubble of Masada and successfully germinated is about 2,000 years old. That makes it the oldest seed ever to sprout, beating the previous well-documented record holder, a lotus found in a dry lakebed in China, by about 700 years.
Assuming the date tree bears fruit, and is female** the researches hope to repopulate Israel with these trees.
The date seed was among several obtained in the 1960s by archaeologists excavating Masada, the fortress in the Judean Desert built by Herod around 35 B.C. and destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 73. In 2005, three seeds were planted by Sarah Sallon of the Louis L. Borick Natural Medicine Research Center, part of the Hadassah Medical Organization in Jerusalem.One seed germinated, and three years later, Dr. Sallon and colleagues report in Science that the resulting plant is healthy and more than three feet tall. Radiocarbon testing of shell fragments of the seed obtained when the plant was repotted at 15 months show that it dates from the time of Masada.
The researchers say that the high summer temperatures and lack of rainfall in the desert may have helped keep the seed viable for so long by reducing the generation of free radicals, which cause oxidative damage.
The Judean Dead Sea region around the first century A.D. was well known for its date palms that produced fruit of high quality, but over the centuries this line of plants was lost. Genetic analysis of the germinated seed has provided just limited information about this ancient line. The researchers say more seeds are needed for a more thorough understanding of what made those old dates so good.
We can add this to the list of amazing accomplishments of modern Israel...along with the revival of the mitzva of tekhelet.
Israel: Where the extinct is reborn.
Update from Lurker:
The revival of this once-extinct species may yield some very important information, and may lend itself to more uses than just cuisine. Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, the Jerusalem Post's medical correspondent, reports that "the date project is part of the NMRC's [Natural Medicine Research Center] Middle Eastern Medicinal Plant project aimed at conserving, developing and researching the rich legacy of medicinal plants in Israel. The extinct 'Judean date' is regarded by NMRC as having particular importance". This is because the Judean date "was renowned in ancient times as a treatment for heart disease, chest problems, the spitting of blood, weakened memory and other medical conditions, possibly even symptoms of cancer and depression."
So it is entirely possible that the anticipated revival of these dates may portend the development of new medical treatments.
The date palm represents the earliest recognized example of the dioecious condition. As early as 3500 B.C., the farmers of Mesopotamia recognized that there were male and female trees and practiced artificial pollination by bringing clusters of male flowers in contact with female flowers. The methods of bringing about fruit production in the date palm today differ little from those practiced in ancient times. Male trees to provide pollen are grown with female trees, which bear the fruit.
In Arabic lands, the cutting of male trees was practiced when war was being raged between tribes. The opposition would sneak into their enemy's palm grove and destroy the male trees. As a result no fruit would be produced. Since dates were a stable item of the diet, starvation was induced. The reason for removing only the male tree was that only a few were needed for a large palm grove. It did not require as much time or effort to remove the male trees as it would have required to remove the more numerously planted females.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Monday, June 23, 2008
The Srugim Show
Tonight on YES TV (YES STARS Channel) at 10 PM marks the debut of the "Srugim" TV series, directed by Laizy Shapiro.Focusing on the religious singles scene in the Katamon area of Jerusalem, "Srugim" tackles many situations including; joint shabbat meals, young divorced singles, being shomer negiya (or not), life as a single when friends around you are all married with children, the dating scene, Ohel Nechama, and basically every situation of day to day life for Jerusalem's religious singles.
Though the actors themselves are not religious, the director and screen writers are -- and they needed to quickly get the actors up to speed on what to do...and not do, as religious singles. The previews and behind the scenes show look promising, so this looks to be a decent show.
Of course, personally knowing the director means I'm not biased in the slightest.
If you're going to watch TV, don't waste your time with Hisardut/Israeli survivor trash shows - watch a quality series, by a talented director and graduate of Ma'aleh, Israel's religious film and art school.
Ten Tonight.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Organ Donations: A Dissenting Chareidi View
One particular issue which makes people get all queasy is that of organ donation after death. In the US, HODS (Halachik Organ Donation Society) is spearheading the effort for raising consciousness and educating people about organ donation, and halachik (Jewish religious law) options for organ donations.In Israel (as could be expected), the issue is even more controversial. The ADI organization is the exclusively approved organization responsible for cataloging potential organ donors -- and they issue cards for those willing to donate organs after death.
Till a few days ago, the final word in the Chareidi world was based on the ruling by Lithuanian chief rabbi R' Yosef Sholom Eliashiv -- who adhere's to the traditional definition of death as occurring with the cessation of cardiac activity. This limits vastly the range of organs that can remain viable for donation.
However, in what is being viewed by many as a potential earthquake to the Chareidi world, R' Zalman Nechmia Goldberg (bio in Hebrew here -- pictured above), scion of a Lithuanian Jewish family (and son-in-law of R' Shlomo Zalman Auerbach), has given a dissenting opinion that religious Jews may sign the ADI card, yet should use the check box "organs may be donated only after approval from a religious authority of the family's choosing." R' Goldberg adds that the card should be modified to include the specific Rabbi the family should consult with.
Though there are many Orthodox Rabbis who have signed up for the ADI card or through HODS (great list with pictures of Rabbis and ADI cards here), the ruling by R' Goldberg has the potential to change the current Chareidi mindset towards Organ Donations as well.
Yes, it makes me queasy to think about the topic, but I still signed up for the card.
Save a Life -- Sign up in Israel for an ADI card, here.More information about HODS in the USA, here.
List and pictures of Donors, Recipients who lives were saved by organ donations.
Israeli Bill on Organ Donations passes first reading (YNETNEWS English)
הגרז"ן הליטאי: מותר לחתום על כרטיס אדי (YNET, Hebrew)
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Adding Insult to Injury
Crossposted on JoeSettler
Yossi Shwartz is a man with nothing.
Once he was a farmer in Gush Katif (Gan Or). Yossi had a home, had land, had a job, and had employees. And then the Israeli government ripped it all away.
And now he finds himself in an even stranger situation.
A few months after the Expulsion, Yossi found himself sued by 17 of his former Arab employees. They are demanding severance pay from him.
Now while Yossi might agree that his former employees deserve severance pay, he doesn’t feel he is the right address for his former employees. After all, he wasn’t the one that shut down his farm and fired his employees. That was a decision and act of the Israeli government, and just like they still owe him fair value for what they destroyed perhaps they owe the same to his workers.
So Yossi went to Minhelet Sela (The Expulsion Authority) and demanded they provide him with legal counsel to defend himself. They of course refused. Their official response is that as an employer he was responsible for setting aside money for severance pay and he should pay them from that. (Note that he still hasn’t received from Minhelet Sela what is due to him by law).
Eventually he found his way to the organization “Ezri” which was able to provide him money for legal counsel in the form of the lawyer Neil Samulet.
The suspicion raised is that this is a trial balloon (perhaps run and financed by Israeli left-wing organizations?) to see if all the former Arab employees can start suing the former Gush Katif farmers.
The lawyer case’s is simply that the workers must sue the State not Yossi.
The case went to court and the court agreed that the Yossi is not the party that is responsible to pay their severance pay (though Yossi still had to pay, with Ezri's help, the tens of thousands of his legal defense fees).
These same Gaza Arabs are now trying to get at Yossi in another court, clearly implying that there is some serious local left-wing assistance going on here, specifically targeting the Gush Katif farmer, as they know the system so well and specifically didn't go after the government instead.
It was also recently exposed that the Israeli government property assessors received explicit orders on how much to evaluate the homes in Gush Katif. The first 100 homes were accessed properly, and when the senior government officials saw that the actual value of the homes in Gush Katif were easily hundreds of shekels higher than what they had planned for, they gave orders that all homes were to be accessed at a lower fixed rate - which is the way it was done from then on.
Hattip: Basheva and Makor Rishon
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Thursday, June 19, 2008
I live on stolen land too
A guest post by TikunOlam - - Cross-posted at Dovbear
I can’t seem to get this comment written by a commenter named Ahem out of my head. The following is what he or she said on my thread (on Dovbear) linking Rabbi Shlomo Riskin’s poignant and timely (IMO) article, “Why My Torah is Crying.”
“Please. Efrat was built on stolen land. He hears the torah crying? I hear the tears of Arabs, and others he and his fellow zionists displaced in the name of their foolish religion.”
When I think about what Ahem said, I can't help but feel terribly guilty. I live on stolen land too. The land I live on was stolen from Native Americans. The Native Americans who used to inhabit my land were very badly treated. So I have decided to do something about it. I decided to live up to my blogger name and right my wrongs. It is time to give back my land to the Native Americans.
So, I have been doing my research. It seems that, mostly likely, before my land was stolen by the colonists, who after a couple of generations sold it to me, it was inhabited by a Native American tribe called the Lenape. I have read about the Lenape. It seems that these folks were and are very good people. And some good news, there are some Lenape still living whom I can contact to offer my land! So at first I am thinking, YAY!
So here I am thinking this is going to great. I will be doing this wonderful thing. But then it gets more complicated. Of course. Why should doing the right thing ever be easy? I find out, low and behold, before the Lanape inhabited my land, the Munsees may have lived there. The Lenape may have stolen it from them for the natural resources! So what am I to do now? Who is the rightful owner? The Lenape, because they inhabited the land directly before the White Men who sold it to me, or the Munsees, who may have had their land stolen from the Lenape. And what if the Munsees killed off some other tribe in order to steal the land. My head is spinning trying to figure out who to contact here!
And to make matters worse, no sooner am I stressing over which Native American tribe to contact, when it occurs to me that there is a whole other problem that I haven't even considered. Where do I go after I give back my land? I am not even sure where I belong. I don't even know what my native land is. I mean, I know that my recent ancestors were Eastern European. I am afraid though, that when I go to Poland and knock on the door of the house that my great-grandparents once owned before it was seized by the Nazis and tell the people there to move out, they might not comply. And I figure, I know that my family must have lived somewhere before Poland anyway. Jews didn't *always* live in Poland right?
So I figure I should keep looking further back to figure out where exactly my native home is. This might take a while and some serious research. So now this is what I am afraid of. What if, at the end of all the exhausting research, I find out when I trace my ancestry all the way back to when the Hebrews entered the land of Canaan, that my family lived in a little hut in Efrat!
So basically, I am in a serious pickle and it looks like I am going to end up homeless.
Thanks to Jameel and Lurker for the warm welcome at the Muqata!
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Leadership in Action: Another Rabbi Announces their Aliya
Here are some excerpts from his letter to the Jewish Center community:
"As you know from my public and private talks, my personal connection to Israel is visceral and heartfelt. In truth, it would be difficult for any Jew with any level of historical consciousness not to be emotionally connected to Israel. Defying all historical probabilities, our people have returned to our homeland and, as such, we who live today have the duty and the privilege of playing a role in the Jewish story and advancing our people's historic destiny. This past year, living in Israel as a resident instead of visiting as a tourist, has given me new insight into the issues and challenges that Israel confronts. And there are many. But even though Israel is not always an easy place, never a simple place, certainly a complicated place, it is still our place. The rhythm of life, the face of the public square, the culture and undercurrents of society are all rooted in our tradition and heritage. Raising a family in Israel comes with a very different set of challenges than living in the Diaspora, but it also carries with it a very different set of rewards. Before The Jewish Center offered me the opportunity to spend a year of study in Israel, I mentioned to our leadership that it might be difficult for me to leave Israel. I knew that my connection to Israel would only intensify and that the opportunity to raise my children in Israel might be too difficult to let pass.
When I think of the land of our fathers and mothers, my focus naturally shifts to my sons and daughter, and my hope that they will learn to see Israel as not just their homeland but also as their home."When you read/hear the story of the spies in this week's parasha, remember the Zohar's commentary:
The Zohar asks, how could the Israelite spies from the desert, who were such great leaders of Israel, speak such slander about the promised land?The answer is frightening.
The Zohar writes that the spies realized that if Bnei Yisrael would cross the Jordan immediately after the spies' return from their mission (which was the correct game plan), then the Beit HaMikdash would be built and a king would be anointed. There would be no destruction of the Temples, no Exiles, No terrible periods of tragedy for the Jewish people -- rather we would have immediately entered the period of ultimate geula.
So what was the downside? The spies figured out that upon the anointment of a Jewish king, their leadership roles would disappear. In order to hang on to their political positions of power, they sacrificed the Jewish people for 38 more years in the desert, the destruction of 2 Temples, 2 periods of exile, and the deaths of countless Jews throughout the ages.
According to the midrash, not only did the spies make their announcement to all of Israel, but they went from tent to tent to personally spread their message of gloom and doom if Israel would enter the promised land of Eretz Yisrael.
You too can correct the misdeeds of the spies -- and help spread the positive message of Eretz Yisrael to your family and friends.
Shabbat Shalom.
--Jameel & Co.
hat-tip: David
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Taking "Kassam Shmassam" to a new level
Only a few days after Amnon Rosenberg was murdered by a Kassam missle in Kibbutz Nir Oz, Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai (Labor) has hit a new all-time low: Today, in the Knesset, he publicly insulted and denigrated the battered and besieged residents of Sderot and other western Negev communities for daring to object to the government's abandonment of them -- going so far as to as to openly belittle their pain and suffering:Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai hit back Monday in the Knesset plenum at Gaza Belt residents who bitterly complained about the government's handling of the constant rocket and mortar attacks against their communities.
"We, here in Jerusalem, suffered hundreds of casualties, hundreds. You know that very well," he said. "In bus bombings and other maniacs trying to hit Israel at its very core, in our Jerusalem. Did we ever complain about not sleeping at night? Or that we cannot do anything? Or that we have been deserted? Have I ever contemplated anything of the kind as a Jerusalemite?" he demanded.
Israelis living in the Gaza Belt have lived with barrages of literally thousands of rockets exploding in their communities on a regular basis, sometimes daily, since the year 2000.
I cannot imagine a statement that more dramatically exemplifies the obtuseness, callousness, and utter degeneracy of the Israeli government.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Popcorn and Cellphones
The videos however, are fake.
They were produced by a blue tooth headset company to scare you into using their product, to get millions of page views of their videos, and generate marketing/media buzz.
For the record, you cannot "microwave", "cook", or "nuke" popcorn via 4 cellphones, or even cook an egg with 100 cellphones!
In October 2005, the UK based Brainiac show demonstrated that it simply does not work.
So the next time you get a scary looking video or internet email...check with Snopes.
They are your friend.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
For Women Only
-- Advertisement --
Reminder: The Summer Session at the Nishmat (The Jerusalem Center for Advanced Torah Learning for Women) is starting On July 1 (that's just 2 weeks away), so if you want to attend, you must register now.
The summer session has Part-time and Full time options.
In addition there will be the following special classes:
By Popular Demand - Book of Daniel: 5-unit course with Rabbanit Chana Henkin
Beginners: One-on-One Mentorship! Learn to read siddur, Chumash, Rashi, etc.
Study Ktuvim: Shiurim for advanced students in Hebrew with top teachers from the world of Tanach
Special series for mature students ages 35 and up: How to Survive the Midlife Tug of War, with Rabbanit Henkin
Besides the Torah learning, there will be Tiyulim, Tours and Shabbtonim.
There is even a scholarship if you qualify!
So whether you are in Israel or abroad, all you women reading this blog, go check out Nishmat because this is a great opportunity to learn Torah this Summer is an exciting and stimulating environment.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Haveil Havalim #169 - Part I
In between celebrating Father's Day go check out Haveil Havalim #169 - Part I*.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Israeli Police Harasses Widow
This morning, Israeli Police forces detained Tehilla Zolden for allegedly spending this past Rosh HaShana (7 months ago) with her family at the ruins of the destroyed Chomesh settlement in the Shomron Mountains.Since the police could not detain and question Tehilla's husband, Ido, who was murdered by PA policemen in a drive-by terror attack this past November, the Israeli police detained her instead.
Why the police insist on harassing a widow and detaining her is beyond me, considering that Israel's courts have specifically ruled that there it is not illegal to go to Chomesh. (Hebrew link here)
From Wikipedia's Chomesh entry.
In August 2007, an Israeli court ruled that it was not illegal entering the ruins of Homesh.Justice David Gadol ruled that the Disengagement Law, on which the state bases its prohibition on entering the ruins of Homesh was legislated is not to be utilized for different purposes after that event. The judge also ruled that the government has not relinquished Homesh to another sovereignty and that its status and access roads remain Area 'C' which is in full control of Israel and with no restrictions on Israeli traffic, "After the evacuation of Homesh, Ganim and Kadim, unlike the evacuation of the Gaza Strip settlements, as far as I know, the areas were not transferred to what is known as the Palestinian Authority. As I recall, there were pictures of Palestinians from the area looting the property that was left behind by the evacuating forces. For this reason it is important to legally define whether this territory has area C status," Justice David Gadol stated, according to Haaretz. [2]
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Proudly Defending Eretz Yisrael on Al-Jazeera
Link to YouTube Video here in case embedding isn't working well.
YNET: It can be assumed that Al-Jazeera's top journalist Jamal Rayyan will not soon forget this year's Jerusalem Day, which was celebrated this week. Following reports of Israel's intentions to construct housing units in areas located beyond the Green Line (1967 borders), the news agency decided to hold an interview with Dr. Mordechai Keidar, a lecturer from Bar Ilan University's Department of Arabic Studies. The interview - in Arabic (and now subtitled in English) can be seen in full on youtube.
Rayyan opened with the question, "Mr. Mordechai, is this decision meant to constitute another nail in the coffin of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations?"
The journalist appeared taken aback when Keidar answered, "To tell you the truth I don't quite understand this. Must Israel ask permission from some other authority in the world? It has been our capital for 3,000 years. We have been there since the time your forefathers used to drink wine, bury their daughters alive, and pray to multiple gods."
Keidar was referring to a period Arabs call Jahiliyyah (ignorance of divine guidance), which prevailed in the Arab world before the time of the Islam. "So then," he continued, "why must we speak about this? It has been our city for 3,000 years and will be for eternity."
The stunned Rayyan refused to give up. "Excuse me Mr. Mordechai! If you would like to speak about history let's talk about the Kuran as well. You cannot deny the existence of Jerusalem in the Kuran! I ask you to refrain from making statements that offend Arabs and Muslims. Let's please stay with our topic," he said.
"Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Kuran," Keidar said.
Rayyan stated the verse that, according to Muslim belief, refers to Jerusalem, but Keidar continued to object. "Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Kuran even once."
Rayyan continued: "Let's talk politics, please. Doesn't this decision
oppose the Road Map, which determines that Israel will halt construction of the settlements in Jerusalem?"
"The Road Map does not mention Jerusalem," Keidar argued. "Jerusalem is outside of negotiations. Jerusalem belongs to the Jews, Period! We cannot discuss Jerusalem in any way. You return to this issue time and again, but Jerusalem is not referred to in the Road Map. My brother, go and read the Road Map."
"At this rate Jerusalem will soon include all of the West Bank," Rayyan countered.
"My brother, Israel does not involve itself in housing that Qatar constructs in the Qatar Peninsula," Keidar answered. "What do you want with Jerusalem? Jerusalem is ours for eternity and no one, not Al-Jazeera or anyone else, has any say in it. Jerusalem is solely a Jewish city and no one else has any connection to it."
What a pity that Israel's polticians don't have guts to negotiate this way.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Hamas "Work Accident" Destroys Gaza Street
Hamas sources told Ynet that two of the seven people killed were senior operatives from the organization: Hassan Abu-Shakfa, one of the organization's commanders in northern Gaza, and Ashraf Mushtaha, another of Hamas' senior operatives.
Despite the immediate blame from the Palestinians and usual Arab sympathizers, the IDF has stated unequivocally, that they had nothing to do with the explosion in Beit Lehia (Gaza), and that it was apparently the handiwork of Gaza's finest terror activists who failed "bomb assembly 101" (YNET)
With over 50 rockets hitting Southern Israel today, I'm rather underwhelmed by the destruction in Gaza.
Ooops. There went the neighborhood.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Submissions are Needed
Hi Folks,
This is just a reminder that submissions are needed for the next edition of Haveil Havalim, the weekly roundup of the Best of The Jewish/Israeli Blogosphere.
You can do so by using the following link.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Buying Eretz Yisrael on Shabbat
CrossPosted on JoeSettler (probably the most important Jewish blog around, that almost no one is reading!)
The Rabbi of Ofra, Rabbi Avi Gisser has granted permission to the non-Jewish laborers to work within the town ON SHABBAT to finish up the houses there as soon as possible.
He did this in response to the attacks by the Left to destroy the town by way of the Supreme Court (see my post on it here). He hopes to move the families in quickly and create facts on the ground (Please God).
According to Haaretz, Chareidi MK Rabbi Avraham Ravitz (United Torah Judaism), says that sanctioning construction on Shabbat is misguided to say the least.
"Purely from a halakhic standpoint, a Chinese laborer can work whenever he wants. If he chooses to do so on Shabbat, so long as it is not at my behest, a system of halakhic arguments can be found to permit it. I would not permit it, and in any case a rabbi should also take a long-term view: ? What will be the outcome of this? Tomorrow, someplace else, they will start allowing construction on Shabbat because perhaps some politician will wake up in the middle of the night [and call for] an armaments factory or textile plant that strengthens the state," Ravitz said.Opposing MK Rabbi Avraham Ravitz (United Torah Judaism) is the Gemorah.
In Gittin 8b it says:
[Our authority further says that] "a field bought in Syria is like one bought on the outskirts of Jerusalem". What rule of conduct can be based on this? — R. Shesheth Says: It means that a contract for selling it [to a Jew] can be drawn up even on Sabbath. What? On Sabbath? — You know the dictum of Raba, "He tells a non-Jew to do it." So here, he tells a non-Jew to draw up the contract. And although there is a Rabbinical prohibition against telling a non-Jew to do things on Sabbath [which we may not do ourselves], where it was a question of furthering the [Jewish] settlement of Eretz Israel the Rabbis did not apply the prohibition.
Hattip to Dr. J. Woolf (I was forwarded his comments on this matter).
So, let's see if we got this right.
1. The Left is trying to destroy Ofra and hand the land over to enemy.
2. The Rabbi of Ofra uses the Gemorah that states that one is not prohibited from appointing a non-Jew to do certain labors on Shabbat specifically for the purpose of furthering the settlement and acquisition of the Land of Eretz Yisrael (where Eretz Yisrael is defined as Greater Israel including Syria).
3. Meanwhile the Chareidi MKs are against it because they can't seem to differentiate between expanding the ownership and liberation of the land of Eretz Yisrael with building industries that sit on already owned and liberated lands (and seem to be unfamiliar with this Gemorah, because it doesn't seem to be that a "system of halachic arguments" needs to be found, it's pretty clear from one explicit statement).
4. The "Settler Camp" is prepared to actually live and apply Halacha to building a modern Jewish Halachic State and discover halachic solutions to National problems.
Conclusions?
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Painful Reality - The Banned Poem
Ahmed's Bunker
Ahmed's bunker has surprises galore: Grenades, rifles are hung on the wall.
Ahmed is planning another bomb! What a bunker Ahmed has, who causes daily harm. Ahmed knows how to make a bomb.
Ahmed is Ahmed, that's who he is, so don't forget to be careful of him.
We get blasted while they have a blast!
Ahmed and his friends could be wealthy and sunny, if only they wouldn't buy rockets with all their money.
The poem was written as part of a poetry competition and was included in a booklet printed by the Ness Tziyona municipality.
However, the YNET publication and Israeli Arabs found the poem racist and offensive; they claim it would lead to incitement and ill-will towards Arabs.
YNET and Arabs decided that the blame for such an offensive poem lies not at the feet of those who are in fact, creating bunkers of weapons and shooting rockets at Israelis. Instead of honestly facing the painful daily reality of Israel -- YNET condemns the poem for its accurate portrayal of reality by an innocent 10 year old Israeli. In fact, one should commend the 10 year old for his non-racist observations:
"Ahmed and his friends could be wealthy and sunny, if only they wouldn't buy rockets with all their money"
The child clearly doesn't hate Arabs and he plainly admits that they could live a much better life (and could we) if they wouldn't lob rockets at us daily. They would have plenty of fuel in the Gaza strip if they didn't try to constantly bomb the crossing terminals. They would have continuous electricity if they weren't actively trying to kidnap IDF soldiers, infiltrate into Israeli communities, smuggle thousands of weapons into Gaza from Egypt and Iran...and of course, releasing kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit wouldn't hurt.
YNET even brought this issue to the attention of Israel's Education Ministry...so who does YNET and the Israeli Arab community blame?
Ibrahim Abu-Shindi, who manages the Arab community center in Jaffa, said the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the State and its leaders. "I'm not surprised by this story because all that Jewish children know from television is the Hamas man as a terrorist and a murderer."
According to Abu-Shindi, "the Education Ministry does not invest in bringing people together at all. There used to be a department for democracy and co-existence that did much to bring Arabs and Jews together, but it was canceled. They send Jews to meet their Jewish friends from America through the 'Taglit' project, but they never get to know the Arabs that live only a few meters away."
The poem, in his opinion, creates a problematic state of events. "Placing this poem in a booklet is very serious, and encourages other children who think like this boy. If you want to bring people together you need stories about encounters and hope, otherwise you encourage hatred."
Ah yes. It's the poem that encourages children to think that Ahmed and friends are trying to kill us. You wouldn't get that idea from watching TV, listening to the radio, or G-d forbid, speaking to residents of Sederot, Ashkelon, or the surrounding Israeli communities.
In fact, kudos to this child for even being aware of the problem.
The booklet's editor and poetry competition director Marika Berkowitz was surprised at the protests. "This is the boy's creation and this is what he wanted to express. Of course there should be a limit, but I think the there is no racism here. 'Ahmed' is a general term for the enemy. These are the murmurings of an innocent child.
"There has been no intention of harming the Arab sector, but rather a specific terrorist – Ahmed. We didn't want to offend a specific population and I don't see anything out of order in this poem. We have had Arab students compete in the competition in previous years."
Of course, the best line of all comes from the Education Ministry, "the local authority that published the booklet should have guided the students in a more correct manner through the schools. The district will investigate the issue with the local authorities."
Why let reality get in the way of Yuli Tamir's Re-Education Ministry's agenda?
hat-tip: Lurker.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Sunday, June 08, 2008
The Best of the Jewish/Israeli Blogosphere Roundup
Be sure to check out Haveil Havalim #168- The Celtics Must Lose Edition!
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Shavuot: Festival of Conversion?
With these words, Ruth the Moavite joined the Jewish people.
The reasons for reading from the Book of Ruth during Shavuot are as follows;
1. Part of the book deals with the annual time period קציר השעורים "the harvest of barley", which dovetails nicely with the agricultural aspect of Shavuot.
2. King David, the great-grandson of Ruth was born and died on Shavuot.
3. The most important reason is probably that of conversion and accepting a Jewish lifestyle and responsibilities of the mitzvot. Shavuot's non-agricultural theme celebrates the acceptance of the Torah by the Jewish people, which accentuates the parallel of the Jewish people accepting the Torah, and the process of conversion to Judaism (Ruth accepting the Torah and Judaism.)
Ruth towards her Mother in Law, NaomiThe Book of Ruth not only demonstrates that converts can be accepted into Judaism, but that its a commandment to demonstrate kindness towards converts.
Boaz and the people of Beit Lechem towards the poor.
Boaz to Naomi
Boaz to Ruth
וְכִי-יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר, בְּאַרְצְכֶם--לֹא תוֹנוּ, אֹתוֹ. כְּאֶזְרָח מִכֶּם יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַגֵּר הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם, וְאָהַבְתָּ לוֹ כָּמוֹךָ--כִּי-גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם, בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם... . (ויקרא י"ט,לג-לד
The stranger that dwells with you shall be to you as the home-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the L-rd, your G-d.
(Leviticus - Vayikra 19:33)
Yet the Torah explicity states that a Moavite and Amonite may not join the Jewish people.
And yet, Israel today is embroiled in controversy over this issue. Following is a letter received by R' Harry Maryles on his blog, "HaEmtza"...
Guest PostTo top it off, CrossCurrents jumps into the fray, praising the Beit Din that is retroactively revoking all the conversions of R' Chaim Drukman.
I was forwarded the following letter from a friend. It was written by a righteous convert. It speaks for itself and requires no further commentary from me. It has been edited for brevity and somewhat for style. But I believe it captures the essence of this woman’s message. And though it is still a bit longer than my usual posts it’s message is too important to ignore. - HM
Twenty-one years ago last week I was converted through a halachic Beis Din by 3 Orthodox rabbis. Their credentials and authority to do so would not be questioned. In fact, they are considered to have some of the strictest requirements for conversion.
My desire to be a Jew was preceded and nurtured by years of study. My desire to be a Jew was not based on love for any man or for money, prestige or power. It was – and is – purely out of love for G-d and the truth and wisdom of Torah. Never, ever have I felt that it was hard to be a Jew. Quite the contrary, I cannot fathom how I would live the full, productive enriched life that I lead had I not accepted upon myself to live a life of Torah and mitzvoth which I strive to do every single day.
In the last 21 years, I have been blessed with many and varied good teachers. I have sought them out, begging and bugging them for their time and knowledge to teach me halacha, Tanach, and the many other rich sources of Jewish wisdom. I have invested heavily to do so: A large library consisting of thousands of seforim that are opened and studied; a vast tape and CD library of shiurim by various rabbis and rebbetzins; and several trips to Israel for the sole purpose of immersing myself in learning.
Speaking of children, my 13 year old daughter is and has always been enrolled in Orthodox Jewish schools. So has my 10 year old son who is currently in what would be considered a “Chareidi” track of more intense Torah learning. Both children are good students, B”H. Both children present us with report cards that speak of their middos tovos and strong derech eretz.
During our 15 years of marriage, my husband and I have supported, to the best of our ability, various Torah institutions both in N. America and in Israel, with our time as well as with our money.
In a few weeks, my family and I are moving to the West Bank where we intend to raise our children, enroll them in Chardal-oriented schools, and live out our lives as Torah observant committed Jews.
And now, for absolutely no reason, no crime committed, a group of rabbis who have never met me or my children wish to throw a dark cloud of suspicion and doubt over the legitimacy of our Jewish souls.
Why? How?
The Beis Din who converted me 21 years ago is considered Chareidi. Its Vaad HaKashruth is recognized by all major Kashruth bodies. Its conversions have never been questioned and their converts have married into mainstream Orthodox Jewish society. This Vaad initially appeared on “The List” – the list issued by Israel’s Rabbinate of Who is Recognized to Do Conversions, or some paraphrased equivalent title.
However, for various ugly reasons which have to do with one person’s desire for revenge, the Vaad who converted me 21 years ago was now removed from The List.
A discussion and meeting with Rabbi Shlomo Amar by my rabbi resulted in assurances that “they were looking into it and, in any event, all conversions prior would be retroactively recognized”.
So, according to Rabbi Amar, I’m still a Jew and so are my kids. That is – until the next rabbi comes along and decides something else.
At what point do my children and I no longer have to even think that somebody would unilaterally and arbitrarily remove the cloak of Torah and Jewish identity out of our definition? How many years – 30, 50, 100 – never?
Does this mean that if I ever speak a drop of lashon hara, or some of my hair peeks out from under my tichel, or my elbows become uncovered, or I wear my sandalim without socks, – that I must reckon with someone’s claims that this is sufficient evidence to disclaim my Jewish soul? These are not dramatic questions.
Read the rest of it here...
Orthodox rabbis have long criticized heterodox rabbis for not informing “converts” that their conversions will not be recognized by a large segment of the Jewish world, and thereby paving the way for future tragedies. And the same can be said of an Orthodox rabbi who follows a single opinion against the overwhelming weight of historical and contemporary halachic decisors.Retroactive Revocation of Jewish conversion for hundreds, if not thousands of people is to be looked at with extreme care and caution -- not callous and haste.
The High Court of Conversions would be best to carefully reread the Book of Ruth this year.
Updated Background Information:
Rabbinical Council of America Decries the psak of R' Sherman
Having reviewed the ruling of the Bet Din Elyon in detail, and being fully mindful of the respect due the rulings of duly constituted rabbinical courts in their respective jurisdictions, the RCA finds it necessary to state for the record that in our view the ruling itself, as well as the language and tone thereof, are entirely beyond the pale of acceptable halachic practice, violate numerous Torah laws regarding converts and their families, create a massive desecration of God's name, insult outstanding rabbinic leaders and halachic scholars in Israel, and are a reprehensible cause of widespread conflict and animosity within the Jewish people in Israel and beyond. The RCA is appalled that such a ruling has been issued by that court.
We have been assured by Israel's Chief Rabbi Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar, who is also the President of the Rabbinical Courts System of Israel, that in releasing this ruling the court in question directly countermanded his instructions and policies. He has confirmed that the ruling has no legal standing at this time. We commend Rav Amar for his positive role in this matter since its very inception in the Ashdod regional court.
We add our rabbinic voice to those of others who have called for a thorough review and repudiation of the actions of a select few of the Bet Din Elyon, who in this ruling as in other previous instances, have sought to undermine the Conversion Authority.
I have to say that I'm stunned (and not much stuns me anymore). PM Olmert's office decided to exploit the absence of Rav Amar to summarily fire Rav Druckman, on the pretense that he was 75 years old. This, to put it mildly, is a very lame excuse. Exceptions to the various age limitations are made all the time. One classic example, the founding conductor of the IDF orchestra was kept on the job for over thirty years after he was supposed to retire. We are a country that specializes in making exceptions.
Without sounding extreme, I can't help but think that Olmert sacrificed Rav Druckman in order to secure the support of Agudat Yisrael and Degel ha-Torah and Shas to support his survival in office. (If Olmert has already given away the Golan in order to avoid problems, what a conversion authority?) His statements against Rav Druckman, and his swipe at the National Religious community that they will soon become Reform, are not only disgusting per se, they are disingenuous. None other than Rav Ovadiah Yosef has ruled, הלכהלמעשה, that if a non-Jew converts and agrees to some sort of traditional lifestyle, the conversion is valid. I have it on the best authority that he has expressed support for Rav Druckman's efforts. So what is this? Political grandstanding on the backs of the converts.
Oh, this is too good: (From Prof. Ben-Chorin)
One of the main arguments put forward by R. Avraham Sherman against R. Druckman's conversions is that R. Druckman signed on conversions at which he was not present. This was a technical matter since it is not disputed that three dayanim were present at each of those conversions.
As they say: kol haposel bemumo posel. I am holding in my hand a document written by the Commissioner of Complaints against Judges, Tova Strassberg-Cohen, and signed by her on March 31, 2008. The document is a response to a complaint against a panel of dayanim sitting on a case involving a divorce dispute.
The whole panel seems to have been out of control: they heard testimony in the presence of only one side, neglected to keep protocols, and so on. But the main complaints involve the aforementioned R. Sherman (RAS).
First of all, RAS failed to disclose that one of the lawyers appearing before him was at the same time representing his daughter in front of another court. When this was discovered, he was asked by Rav Amar to cease hearing the case. RAS simply ignored Rav Amar's request.
Second, RAS signed the ruling despite not attending a session of the court at which testimony was heard.
You can't make this stuff up.
Posts: JPost, Rally/a7.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Anyone know this guy?
The problem is that when you sleep with dogs, you wake up with fleas.
Even with the most altruistic of motives, when leftists bands together with pro-Palestinians to protest the Israeli day parade, the blatant anti-Israel, anti-semitic and anti-American riff-raff join in.
See the above picture from this past Sunday's Salute to Israel day parade (the photographer has asked to remain anonymous, but sent me the picture personally). Neturay-Karta, Pro Palestinian Jewish Leftists, Pro-Palestinians Muslims, and many others demonstrated against the parade, and according some reports, delayed parts of the paraders from marching for up to 2 hours.
The smiling person in the red circle is holding a sign that includes a wonderfully anti-semitic caricature of a bearded, big-nosed "Jew" next to a penny, with the headline (unfortunately, cut off in the picture) "Happy 60th Birthday you Cheap, Murderous, Coward Apes" (The other pictures speak for themselves).
The photographer asked that I publicize the following message:
Have you seen this man circled in red?
He was last seen at the Salute to Israel Day Parade Sunday June 1, 2008 carrying a sign whose text on top (not seen in the picture) read "Jews are Apes and Pigs."
Presumably he lives in the tri-state (NY) area. If you see this man, please convey to him - to the greatest degree possible - your displeasure at his sign."
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
When Israel's Police Save the Day
Growing up in (what was then) SmallTown, USA, a policeman was the person you turned to for help."To Protect and Serve"
The police served the public, provided public safety and were unequivocally, the good guys. If you were lost, needed directions, or needed help -- the policeman was your answer.
Those days ebbed as I got older. Perhaps because times changed or their job got tougher or I simply cultivated adolescent cynicism.
And if it was not nearly as rosy in the USA, moving to Israel was a real eye opener. The police were unsympathetic, self-centered, and aggressive -- and it was often hard to figure out who was worse, the crooks or the cops. Yes, I know not all police officers in Israel are head-bashers, they aren't all apathetic. I even know some personally who I get along with (most of the time).
Today's story is when Israel's police do something beyond the call of duty and do the right thing.
YNET reports;
Several days ago the Nazerath Ilit police station received an arrest warrant against a 75-year-old elderly resident with no relatives to speak of. “He survives on a mere NIS 800 ($ 244) a month,” said Nazerath Illit police chief, Superintendent Lutfi Falah. “It turned out that he was NIS 4,200 ($1285) in debt to various parties, and a warrant was issued by the court's debt collection department."
After informing the man of the warrant for his detainment, police took him into custody and escorted him to the Nazareth District Court where his case was reviewed by the court registrar.
"The registrar sympathized with the man’s difficult financial situation and set his bail at NIS 200 ($61)," said Superintendent Falah, "but he only had NIS 15 ($4.5) on him. It was clear he would have to remain in custody just because he was unable to make bail."
The man was taken back to the police station, where word of his plight quickly spread throughout the department and it was promptly decided to open a collection towards his release. Opening their hearts, and pockets, the policemen soon raised the necessary sum and paid the court voucher, sending the elderly detainee back home.
"Police officers have hearts too," said Superintendent Falah, "we just couldn't keep that man under our custody given his circumstance."
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Pray For Me!
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Sometimes you hear of a great idea and you just want to kick yourself because you didn’t think to do it first.
My wife is very much into the concepts of Bitachon (faith), Prayer and to a limited extent certain Segulot when you want to ask something from God. (For some reason her Segulah always involves me going to minyan every day – I don’t know how that works for her).
Anyway, a Segulah is usually some sort of physical, spiritual, or religious act that is traditionally linked to a certain result. An example that appeared on the Muqata blog not long ago was the Shlissel Challah, another common example is that a Bracha (blessing) received from a newlywed at their wedding is expected to come true.
Other common Segulot are reading Tehillim (Psalms) or Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs) for 40 days.
Probably one of the most famous Segulot (and considered by some to be the most effective) is going to the Kotel and praying to God for your request for 40 days straight.
Now like I said, my wife is a big believer in this.
She did her 40 day prayer thing years ago, and on day 41 she met me. Proof to her of the efficiency of prayer.
She did it again when she actually wanted me to get engaged to her (that took a few rounds of 40), but as we eventually got married, that is proof enough to her that it worked yet again (that actually started to convince me too that something funny was going on behind my back).
Anyway, praying to God, and praying to God at the Kotel is always considered a very traditional and acceptable means of asking God for those extra-important requests.
Also getting others to pray for you is a very Jewish concept.
So what idea did I miss?
The founders of Western Wall Prayers realized that they could take the popular segulah of 40 Days of Prayer at the Kotel (as well as Kaddish services) and turn it into a website, making this Segulah available to all wherever you are in the world.
Their concept is quite simple (the best ones usually are). They have different Yeshiva and Kollel students and Rabbis who will go down to the Kotel for 40 days and pray for you on your behalf.
That prayer can be to ask God to help you find a spouse, improve your financial state, or anything else positive.
You’ll also be given a prayer to say every day in conjunction with your praying envoy. After all, part of the reason this Segulah is supposed to work, is because you are taking the opportunity to improve yourself spiritually.
You have here the elements of Prayer, Faith, and Tzedaka (charity) (as you are helping support Torah learning and students). All together a good mix of good deeds.
So it you want someone to pray on your behalf for 40 days at the Kotel – visit Western Wall Prayers.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Monday, June 02, 2008
Our Jerusalem - Their Delusion
When this fellow on the left dreamed of a Jewish State, musing, "if you will it, it is no dream", many thought he was an oddball. A Jewish State? A country with a Jewish army? In the land of Israel?How foolish. How delusional.
And yet, here we are. It may not be perfect, there may be still what to fix, yet Israel is a thriving homeland for the Jewish people today.
Thanks to those who dared to dream -- we are able to live the dream today.
And yet, when while we continue to dream of an Israel that encompasses our historic borders, of a Jerusalem that isn't threatened with division, of the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash, the Third Temple, of a better society than we have today -- there are those who simply say we are "delusional".
"Only delusionists can believe that in this day and age, and in the current situation, it is still possible to cling to the vision of 'Greater Israel'", announced Ehud Olmert to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee last Monday.
If anything, it was, and remains the dream for thousands of years for the Jewish people to return home to Israel.At last night's Yom Yerushalayim celebration at Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav, the Rosh Yeshiva, R' Yaakov Shapira stated that "This is a day of self introspection as to the meaning of Yerushalayim. They say about us that only the delusional can G-d forbid think about the grains of Eretz Yisrael. We don't not live by their [ideologies] and Thank G-d, we dream and we are the fighters..."
Why do so many despise the dream of Jerusalem? Treppenwitz recounts the story of a hero of Jerusalem, Moshe Rusnak in the 1948 battle for Jerusalem -- and how the Mapai government at the time ignored the dream.
Yet to reclaim that moment, let's borrow this from Trep's site, to relive history 41 years ago, as we follow the IDF soldiers, the lions who liberated Jerusalem.
Shut off your cell phone... lock the door... set out a box of tissues... close your eyes... and listen...as the dream came alive 41 years ago...English translation here.
And if you don't mind Kol-Isha, here's a video that includes a camera that followed some of those historic moments, with one of my favorite songs about the Kotel.
Happy Jerusalem Day - יום שחרור ירושלים שמח
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Sunday, June 01, 2008
JBlogosphere Salutes the Israel Day Parade!
Check out the JBlogosphere's Float -- so many bloggers were there...
(Apologies if your blog/commenter name didn't make it in this year's float. You know how these parades work...)
If you do see your name/blog here, drop a comment :-)
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Obituary: Yosef "Tommy" Lapid
Yosef "Tommy" Lapid died this morning at the age of 77, after a long fight with cancer.When I think of Lapid, 2 distinct memories come to mind:
1. Lapid was a regular panelist on the "Popolitika" (Popular politics) TV show, which was infamous for turning into yelling matches very quickly. Anything right wing or religious usually got bashed quickly, loudly.
2. The TV election commercials for Lapid's "Shinui" party included a big Shinui fist going after black hats, and knocking them away. The primary plank of the "Shinui" party platform was to remove any Chareidi or Jewish religious "coercion" (or impact) on the State of Israel.
Lapid was extremely davka (spitefully opinionated) about everything he did. He never hid his opinions and was never shut up by anyone. He had no qualms about going out to publicly eat with Aliza (wife of Ehud) Olmert on Tisha B'Av morning -- he was davka.
However, I'm not jumping up and down and cheering at the man's death.
Lapid was born in 1931 in the city of Novi Sad in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (today Serbia) to a Hungarian Jewish family. When he was 12 years old, his father, a lawyer and journalist, was taken to a concentration camp and never returned. Lapid and his mother fled to Budapest, and immigrated to Israel at the end of 1948.We can't put ourselves in the shoes of a Holocaust survivor.
He served as a technician in the Israel Defense Forces, studied law at Tel Aviv University, and began his journalistic work in a Hungarian daily. He then moved to the Maariv daily, first as editor Azriel Carlebach's personal secretary, and later as a writer and columnist.
He established the At women's monthly magazine and served as director-general of the Israel Broadcasting Authority between 1979-1984.
Until the elections for the 15th Knesset in 1999, Lapid served as a senior editor and op-ed writer in Maariv, was a member of the panel of Channel 1's "Popolitica" program, and had a weekly radio show on current affairs on Israel Radio. (YNET)
Chareidi pundit Yisrael Eichler recounts that Lapid had very little exposure to Judaism and the first time he ever saw anyone putting on tefillin was when he was in the IDF. He added that it was important for Lapid to be seen not as anti-Chareidi, but as pro-secularism.
Love him or hate him, Lapid was a "colorful" character in Israel.
Despite his pro-secularist outlook, his funeral is scheduled to include a traditional Jewish burial, and his son Yair is going to say Kaddish for him.
Update: Channel 2 Radio has reported that Tommy Lapid specifically requested that his son Yair say Kaddish for his memory, daily, in shul.
Additional Update: Despite the above report, Yair did not say Kaddish (at least not publically) at his father's funeral, however, the Chevra Kadisha did say Kaddish and Kel-Moleh after the tahara and preparation for burial (in a private setting)
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Secret Agent Tzippi Livni
"Israel's incumbent foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, was a Mossad agent and ran a series of killings against the Palestinians in Europe in the early 1980s, The Sunday Times says.I guess the PLO really wants Tzippi Livni as Prime Minister once Ehud Olmert is kicked out of office. This sort of bio will just impress Israelis even more that she's the right man for the job.
According to the daily, Livni's former colleagues have revealed that she traveled throughout Europe in the early 1980s, "taking out" Palestinians the intelligence agency had labeled as "terrorists."
Livni was on active service when Mamoun Meraish, a businessperson and a top lieutenant in the Palestine Liberation Organization, was shot dead by a Mossad hit squad in Athens on August 21, 1983.
Two young men on a motor bicycle, their faces covered by crash helmets, shot Meraish car as it waited at a traffic junction. They also wounded another Palestinian in the car and Meraish's three children, aged 4, 9 and 13.
The newspaper adds Livni was not directly involved in the killing but her role in Mossad is shrouded in mystery.
The Palestine Liberation Organization's mission in Athens at the time condemned the killing, saying it was "the work of Israeli agents and part of Israel's general policy to exterminate the people of Palestine".
Just in case you think the PLO is making this stuff up, the story first appeared in today's Sunday Times, where they add a few more salient details about Livni and her lineage.
Her career was forged in the violent creation of Israel. Both her parents were arrested for terrorist crimes in the 1940s. Her mother Sarah, who died recently aged 85, was a leader of Irgun, the militant Zionist group that operated in Palestine at the time of the British mandate and whose exploits included train robbery.Despite her Mossad career (which depending on reports, Livni runs the gamut from anywhere from office secretary to commando), her affiliation with Kadima and Olmert has led some Israeli commenters to call her "Olmert in a Skirt".
“I was disguised as a pregnant woman and robbed a train carrying £35,000,” she said in an interview shortly before she died. “Then we blew up another train en route from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.”
Livni’s father, Eitan, was sentenced to 15 years in jail for attacking a British military base. He escaped.
Livni, unlike her parents supports a Palestinian state....
I'm not quite sure what the dollar bill below is implying, but she's not on everyone's top 5 list. (Is Morris Talansky the new Lubavitcher Rebbe?)
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Bear Sterns: End of a Minyan
From the Gabbai of the Bear Stearns daily mincha minyan...
From: Savit, Robert
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 11:11 AM
To: Goldenberg, Avi
Subject: Bear Minyan - Hatzlacha vBracha
To the Bear Stearns Minyan, one last time:
After two great years at the Bear, and having been observant for about the same amount of time, I have chosen to exit galus and the world of gashmius (at least temporarily) in order to immerse myself in the ruchnius that I hope to find at Ohr Somayach in eretz Yisroel. I had been planning to go learn at some point, and despite having had a potential opportunity to go over to JPMorgan, the events that took place in mid-March made my decision that much clearer. Not only has Hashem provided me with the ability to go learn but he has blessed me with a “scholarship" care of JPM.
The Bear mincha minyan was really my first regular minyan and it provided me with much inspiration. The whole concept was foreign to me. The idea that a few dozen men at a major financial institution would take time out of their busy schedules and express their gratitude to Hashem, in a conference room within the building no less, was a big motivator for me. Moreover, nobody was talking, rarely were there any cell phone interruptions, and some were even able to achieve serious kavanah. Thank you to everyone who davened for inspiring me with your tefillah.
There is a famous story of an extraordinarily wealthy man who wrote two wills. When he passed away his children were instructed to immediately open will #1 and then 30 days later to open will #2. Will #1 indicated that the man’s last wish was to be buried in his favorite pair of socks. The chevra kadisha informed the children that this would not be possible. The children pleaded, informing them that their father was a very powerful man who had given a substantial amount of tzedakah throughout his life. They asked, “Do you know who our father is?” Still, the chevra kadisha told the children that it was not halachically permissible. They informed the children that the dead could only be buried in a white kittel. The children sadly buried their father unable to fulfill his final request. After 30 days had passed will #2 was read to the children. “By now children, you have buried me without my socks. I want you to realize that no matter how many millions of dollars you accumulate in your lifetime, you cannot even take your socks with you to the next world.”
There was once a man traveling through
These are old stories but their messages are powerful. It is of course important to make a living and support a family but it is also important to learn Torah b’yom u b’layla, to treat others with respect, to be a Kiddush Hashem and to always act l’shaem shemayim. As I have been inspired by everyone at the minyan, and certainly affected by the events that have transpired at Bear, I hope that you are all inspired by the messages that Hashem sends us on a daily basis and that you continue to strive to achieve a true closeness to the Rabbeinu shel Olam.
Nachum and I had a brief conversation with our CEO, Alan Schwartz, in the elevator on the way to Mincha yesterday. We invited him to daven with us though we conveyed our feelings that maybe our prayers for the well-being of Bear Stearns had not been received in the way that a lot of people had hoped. He had a meeting to attend but he left us with some great mussar. He said something along the lines of ‘don’t worry fellas – your prayers are being answered – we just don’t know how.’ Now I don’t know if he has been meeting with a Rabbi over the past few months or if it was just the power of the pintele Yid but I thought it was a great attitude reflecting on what has no doubt been the most tragic part of his career. Hashem sends us messages all the time and from the most unexpected places.
A big hakores hatov to Andy on behalf of the entire minyan for all his hard work and for being our shaliach mitzvah. By the way, if you have noticed that Andy hasn’t been around as much lately it is because he has been spending his mornings learning in Yeshiva. Yafeh!
If you find yourself in ir HaKodesh and are in need of someone to send out minyan e-mails (this time for a fee of course), or if you just want to take a yeshiva bucher for a decent meal, please contact me at robsavit@gmail.com. Hatzlacha vBracha!
| Robert Savit |
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| Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. | | |
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
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