"The survey found that 80% of the Jews polled defined their personal status as "very good" or "good," 90% said they think Israel is doing "very well" as a nation; and 81% said they were "very optimistic" or "optimistic" as to the nation's future.
Some 81% also said that given their choice of countries to live in, they would prefer to stay in Israel. "
(Last year's fireworks over Jerusalem)
From YNET:
...Independence Day is an opportunity; an opportunity to admit that something beautiful is being done here. That something touching has been built here. That we only become better with the passage of time. We have an ultra-Orthodox deputy health minister, a religious science minister, and a secular Knesset speaker, who holds his first tour in an Arab town.
We have camaraderie here and people help each other during times of crisis, we have a special culture and diversity of opinion, and we have quite a bit of love and spirituality around here, hiding behind the veneer of our hurried routine.
We have plenty of time during the year to look into what is still missing. Independence Day is the opportunity to admit that we already achieved most of it.Chag Sameach.
Next Year in Jerusalem!
(With Gilad Shalit and Jonathan Pollard)
PS: My good friend Benji writes about the 61 things he loves about Israel. Worth a read and a chuckle :-)
PPS: For an interesting rendition of Al HaNisim, see here. (fixed link)
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
the על הנסים link does not work.
ReplyDeletean early edition of the מחזור יום העצמעות published by קבוץ הדתי had על הנסים in שמונה עשרה and ברכת המזון
I think you need some more waffles!
ReplyDeleteWhen was the last time you ate them? With lots of maple syrup.
The 'birthday' of Israel is coming up real soon, at Mt Sinai, a re-enactment on Shavuos. I'm also very proud of her accomplishments, she is a light unto the nations, if only they'd open their eyes!
Sorry, forgot to add my contribution:
ReplyDeleteTHE 4th AND 5th OF IYAR http://habayitah.blogspot.com/2009/04/daled-iyar.html
and
THE MONTH OF SPLENDOR ... IYAR
Parts I and II
The alhanisim link should be:
ReplyDeletealhanisim.blogspot.com
Sorry my Hebrew isn't up to that Al HaNissim.
ReplyDeleteHere's one from Siddur Sim Shalom Conservative prayer book, in transliteration, for lack of an alternative, followed by English:
Al ha-nissim v'al ha-purkan, v'al ha-g'vurot, v'al ha-t'shuot, v'al ha-milchamot sheh-asita la-avoteynu ba-yamim ha-hem u-va-z'man ha-zeh.
Bi-y'mey shivat banim li-g'vulam, b'eit t'kumat am b'artzo ki-y'mey kedem, nisg'ru shaarey eretz avot biney acheynu p'liytey cherev, v'oivim ba-aretz v'shiv'ah amamim baaley vritam kamu l'hachrit am'cha Yisrael, v'atah b'rachamecha ha-rabim amad'ta lahem b'eit tzaratam, ravta et rivam, danta et dinam, chizakta et libam laamod ba-shaar, v'liftoach shaarim la-nirdafim u-l'garesh et tzivot ha-oyev min ha-aretz. Masarta rabim b'yad m'atim, u-r'shaim b'yad tzadikim, u-l'cha asita shem gadol v'kadosh b'olamecha, u-l'amcha Yisrael asita t'shuah g'dolah u-furkan k'hayom hazeh.
Translation,as given in prayer book (note that Siddur Sim Shalom's translations tend not to be necessarily literal):
"We thank You for the heroism, for the triumphs, and for the miraculous deliverance of our ancestors, in other days and in our time.
In the days when Your children were returning to their borders, at the time of a people revived in its land as in days of old, the gates to the land of our ancestors were closed before those who were fleeing the sword. When enemies from within the land together with seven neighoring nations sought to annihilate Your people, You, in Your great mercy, stood by them in time of trouble. You defended them and vindicated them. You gave them the courage to meet their foes, to open the gates to those seeking refuge, and to free the land of its armed invaders. You delivered the many into the hands of the few, the guilty into the hands of the innocent. You have wrought great victories and miraculous deliverance for Your people Israel to this day, revealing Your glory and Your holiness to all the world."
It certainly echos the original, the Al HaNissim for Chanukah.
Please excuse me if this comment doesn't respond to any others that may have been published since I started writing this--I've been working on it during breaks from a major project at the office. It's 7:54 PM, New York time, and I'm still at the office, reformatting this bleeping text.
Happy Yom HaAtzmaut, somewhat belated.
'על הניסים' - ליום תקומת ישראל
ReplyDelete(יום העצמאות)
עַל הַנִּסִּים, הַגְּבוּרוֹת, הַתְּשוּעוֹת, הַמִּלְחָמוֹת וְהַפְּדוּת שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ עִמָּנוּ וְעִם
אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה.
בִּימֵי תְקוּמָתֵנוּ, בְּקוּם עָלֵינוּ בְּנֵי עֲרָב, לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרֹג וּלְאַבֵּד אֶת הָעֹלִים
מִשְּׁבִי הַגּוֹלָה אֶל אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָּה. אָמְרוּ: לְכוּ וְנַכְחִידֵם מִגּוֹי, וְלֹא יִזָּכֵר שֵׁם
יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹד תהילים פג, ה.
וְאַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים עָמַדְתָּ לָּנוּ בְּעֵת צָרָתֵנוּ. רַבְתָּ אֶת רִיבֵנוּ, דַּנְתָּ אֶת
דִּינֵנוּ, נָקַמְתָּ אֶת נִקְמָתֵנוּ. מָסַרְתָּ רַבִּים בְּיַד מְעַטִּים, וּרְשָׁעִים בְּיַד צַדִּיקִים.
הֵמָּה כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ; וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָד תהילים כ, ט. לְךָ עָשִׂיתָ שֵׁם גָּדוֹל
בָּעוֹלָם, וּלְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל עָשִׂיתָ תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָה. וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵׁנִי בַּחֲמִשָּׁה
לַחֹדֶשׁ, פָּרַקנוּ עוֹל גּוֹיִם מֵעַל צַוָּארֵנוּ.
כְּשֵׁם שֶׁעָשִֹיתָ לָּנוּ תְּשׁוּעָה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, כָּךְ עֲשֵׂה עִמָּנוּ בָּעֵת הַזּאֹת,
וְנוֹדֶה לְשִׁמְךָ לָנֶצַח.
http://machonshilo.org/en/eng/component/content/article/34-featured/297-al-hanissim-for-yom-haassmauth-and-yom-yerushalayim