Newsflash: Shimon Peres loses bid for Knighthood

Yet another unfortunate political blunder for Israel's President, Shimon Peres.

President Peres was so overjoyed by the possibility of becoming an honorary British Knight Commander of the Order of Christians Saint Michael and Saint George, that Israeli officials breached protocol by leaking early discussions about the knighthood to the media, in an attempt to force the issue.

The UK's Daily Express Reports:

THE Queen has been drawn into an embarrassing diplomatic wrangle with Israel after Britain snubbed efforts to have the Jewish state’s President Shimon Peres knighted.

She will meet Mr Peres, the architect of several stalled Middle East peace plans, when he begins a three-day official visit to Britain on November 18.

But the Queen, on the advice of ministers, has rejected efforts by Israeli diplomats to secure an honorary knighthood for Mr Peres.

"It’s not going to happen. There is no knighthood," a British official told the Express.co.uk, only hours after Israeli diplomats indicated it was something that was still under discussion.

Reports in Israel said the Queen would make Mr Peres an honorary knight commander of the Order of St Michael and St George for his contribution to the Middle East peace process and to improve British-Israeli ties. Foreigners can be made knights but are not allowed to use the prefix Sir.

While it doesn't look like we'll be calling our President "Sir Peres" anytime in the near future, there are still openings for Knights of the Supreme Galactic Commander of the Universe, and for the Ultimate Holy Order of the Knights that say Ni.

Apparently, winning a Nobel Peace Prize with Yassir Arafat only goes so far.


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

The Onion: Obama Supporters Left with a Void

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are
Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

scathingly amusing.

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

Yizkor.com

-- Advertisement --

There is a new Free service available called Yizkor.com


As the name implies, it is all about remembering your loved ones. You can post pictures, videos, tributes and stories about anyone who's passed away.

Visitors can leave their own comments and search for people they knew.

They have a "place a stone" feature, and even make a donation to the charity of the person/family's choice - directly from the website.

Essentially it's a way to permanently memorialize the ones you love.

Yizkor.com can even video record a memorial service (in the NY metro area) for free if you contact them, and it would then be placed on the site.

The Yizkor.com motto is "Comfort. Connection. Continuity".

We should meet at only simchas, but sometimes the real world intrudes and when that happens this free serve at Yizkor.com is there.


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

ps: gaza shot over 30 rockets at israel today

Buried under the news of President elect Obama's victory, last night the IDF was required to operate inside of Gaza to destroy a tunnel which was to be used by Palestinians in an upcoming kidnapping attempt of IDF soldiers.

In the operation, 6 Palestinian terrorists were killed, 6 IDF soldiers were slightly-moderately wounded, and the tunnel was destroyed.

Unhappy with the change of plan, Palestinians have been shooting Qassam missiles at Southern Israel and Ashkelon, over 30 so far. No serious injuries have been reported. You can read more here at the JPost.

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

Cats in Israel - Gilgulim, Polite, or Rabid?

Lately, gaggles of cats have been hanging out in our neighborhood. One particular cat (ok, 2 cats) have been semi-adopted by us, and we feed it whatever would normally be thrown away (we like to think that having the cats around will keep mice away).

We found it strange that when we give one cat expired cottage cheese, instead of eating it by putting their face into the cottage cheese container, the cat places its paw in the container, scoops up the cottage cheese, and then politely licks the cheese off its paw.

Our cat-crazy-cousin think that's normal behavior for cats, but we're not so sure.

Judge for yourselves.

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

Crossroads Election: USA Turns Left?

12 PM Noon Radio Broadcast; IDF (Galei Tzahal) Radio: Announcer, Yael Dan.

"Barak Hussein Obama will be the next president of the United States. He gave the perfect victory speech last night. We'll be talking later today about satire -- with the election over, how will anyone be able to satire Obama, since he is the perfect president."

The Hebrew word she used to describe Obama was "mushlam", complete and perfect. I don't think that anyone except for radicals in the US would say that Obama is perfect. Then again, radical left is exactly how to describe Israel's media.

Popular Israeli Socialist Monetary Analyst, Sever Plocker summed up Obama's victory as follows:

Obama’s victory opens an unfamiliar chapter in the history of the US; the social-democratic chapter. We shall see greater government involvement in the American economy, more federal funds earmarked to infrastructure and development, a more vigorous nationwide struggle against poverty, and higher taxes on the income of the wealthiest individuals. Moreover, we will see an Administration willing to manage financial institutions in practice during times of need and crisis.

Obama’s election as US president will signal to the whole world that America is bidding rampant capitalism farewell and making a left turn, big time.

Had Lehman Brother's waited 6 weeks to crash, I think McCain would be the president elect today. While Plocker wishes America was making a wide left turn, I'm not so sure its going to happen.

Update -- Barak Hussein Obama will America's first Jewish president because he has a "Yiddishe Neshama"

When Abner Mikva entered the lobby of his lakeside apartment building to vote on Tuesday morning, he wasn't surprised by the long voting line stretching down the hallway.

In the 2004 elections, there was no line at all.

"People are excited," Mikva told The Jerusalem Post as he stood in line to vote. "This election has people more involved."

Mikva knows a thing or two about elections. At 82, he is an elder statesman in his Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. Sen. Barack Obama lives just up the street.

Regarding concern in Israel about an Obama presidency, Mikva said that "Barack will be the first Jewish president in the US."

"He has a yiddeshe nishama," Mikva said. "He is committed to Israel and its security concerns and understands that democratization does not happen by force but by example, and there is no better example in the Middle East than Israel."(JPOST)

OK, Now I'm worried. What Jewish spirit has been reincarnated in Obama?

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Obama denies reports on Jerusalem Split

The Lebanese al Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday that US presidential favourite Barack Obama told Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that he supports the Palestinians' right to East Jerusalem, as well as their right to a sovereign Palestinian state. The report added Obama asked Abbas to keep the remarks secret. However, Obama aides dismissed the report later in the day.

Nevertheless, the Lebanese daily added that the Palestinian Authority is hoping Obama will win, saying that Palestinian leaders believe his support for Israel during the campaign was mainly aimed at gaining the American-Jewish vote and the support of the Jewish lobby in the United States. (Albawaba)

Meanwhile, Lurker reports hearing on Reshet Bet (Israel Radio) that Ramallah Palestinians have already knighted Barack Obama with the nom de guerre, "Abu Hussein". Many Ramallah restaurants are reportedly offering a 50% sale tomorrow in case "Abu Hussein" wins the US Presidential elections.

Muqata Waffles will NOT be on sale tomorrow, regardless of who wins.

Update: WND: JERUSALEM – In a rapid response to potentially damaging Election Day news, the Obama campaign today urged Palestinian officials to deny a report that the Democratic nominee confided to Palestinian leadership that he supports their right to a capital in eastern Jerusalem, according to a senior Palestinian official.

The official, a longtime reliable source, told WND that Obama advisers have engaged in a series of intense conversations in the last few hours asking that the office of President Mahmoud Abbas issue a denial.

Abbas political adviser Namer Hamad subsequently issued a denial to reporters, but the senior official confirmed to WND that Obama said in a July trip to the region he favored a "negotiated settlement" that may grant the PA control over sections of Jerusalem.

Obama asked the Palestinians to keep the remarks secret, an official told WND in a July interview.

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

Happy Election Day

When Homer tries to vote...




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

Srugim, continued (sort of)

We have not yet written about episode 15...but that will happen soon enough.

In the meantime, Srugim still dominates discussions all over the place. At a simcha last night, the person next to me was rather surprised at all the "anti-srugim" sentiment among the Chardalim. "It's not meant to be a show about to convince anyone to become frum...its entertainment," my friend said.

The disconnect between the chardal and dati leumi worlds continues, and a recent Q&A with Rabbi Aviner announced a new prohibition: double dating.

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, whose controversial rulings on relationships and dating have sparked a series of public debates, spoke out against double dating Sunday in a Q&A section of a synagogue pamphlet.

Aviner ruled that a couple on a date should not meet with another couple, be they married or single, even if the reason for such an outing were to observe the other's behavior in a standard social environment.

"Its out of the question," he said, suggesting instead that the interested subject ask friends and teachers about the person they are dating.

In the question and answer section of a pamphlet published by a number of synagogues, the rabbi said meetings between couples was "not allowed", and added that "spending time with a girl is prohibited even if the intention is not just to have fun." YNET

You can forget fun dates completely.

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