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Philip's posts with tag: jews
_By MATTI FRIEDMAN, Associated Press Writer Tue May 6, 2:11 PM ET _JERUSALEM - As Israel celebrates its 60th birthday, Israelis have their gaze set firmly backward. In this photo released by the Government Press Office, female members of the Hagana underground.. Turn on the TV and you'll see grainy archive footage and old-timers reminiscing about desert wars and pioneering days on the kibbutz. Radio stations are busy with musical retrospectives and the hottest new CD features contemporary singers covering Israeli favorites from decades past. The love affair with the past comes at a time of unease — Israelis have much to be proud of but aren't sure what they have to look forward to. "It's no secret that in our country the present isn't great and the future is always scary, so if you want to feel good, it's more fun to look back and ignore the problems," said Shaanan Streett, frontman for the Israeli hip-hop group Hadag Nahash. The name roughly translates as "the fish is a snake." "It's just like when people turn 60," he said. "Their relatives throw a party and show slides of them when they were younger and better looking." In one typical anniversary project, a newspaper and television station decided to pay homage to photographs from Israel's history by recreating them with their original participants. One 1949 shot of soldiers jubilantly hoisting an improvised Israeli flag against a backdrop of barren hills became a color photograph of a group of elderly men around a flagpole. The new photographs — deflated, drained of traces of heroism and myth — came across to many as an unintentional tribute to the country's current state of mind. As it celebrates its 60th birthday Thursday, Israel has never been richer or stronger. It has weathered assaults that would have crippled some societies and has even thrived. But Israelis are increasingly alienated from a political system that suffers from deadlock and corruption and seems devoid of leaders able to garner the public's respect. An end to Israel's conflict with its Arab neighbors, which appeared around the corner a decade ago, is now widely seen as a naive dream. And having jettisoned its Spartan, socialist ideals, the country has yet to agree on a positive vision to replace them. "The nostalgia exists because we have an emptiness today — that's the root," said lawyer Eliad Shraga. Shraga, a reserve paratroops officer, fought in Israel's Lebanon invasion in 1982 and then in Israel's war with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon two years ago. For nearly two decades, he has headed a group called the Movement for Quality Government in Israel. "When I see what's happening with my prime minister, I miss people like David Ben-Gurion and Menachem Begin, like Golda Meir, people who lived in two-room apartments and made do with very little," Shraga said. "Even if you didn't agree with them, you knew they were ethical." Less than a week before the anniversary, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was questioned by police on corruption suspicions. The new inquiry is the fifth into Olmert's activities since he took office. Embezzlement allegations forced his finance minister to step down, and another of his political allies was convicted of sexual misconduct. And that's an abbreviated list. "When we think about ethics and leadership, it's not just our imagination — things really were different once," Shraga said. The failure of peace talks with the Palestinians in 2000 and the violence that ensued have left Israelis deeply cynical about prospects for resolving the conflict. Olmert is holding talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but polls have shown that a majority of Israelis doubt anything will come of them. "Today, most Israelis don't believe in peace anymore. This wasn't the case when the country turned 50," said historian Tom Segev. While they indulge in nostalgia, most Israelis don't really long for a return to the past, Segev says. They live better today than they ever have, he said, adding: "Anyone can leave the country if they want to, but they don't." "People don't believe in politicians, they're not interested in the news or in ideology, but in life," he said. "There isn't anything more normal than that, and that normalcy is precisely the Zionist dream." In an anniversary poll published in the daily Yediot Ahronot, 91 percent of Israelis said it was "fairly good" or "very good" to live in Israel. Those who said life in Israel was "fairly bad" or "very bad" numbered only 9 percent. The poll, carried out by the Dahaf Institute, included 500 respondents and had a 4.5 percent margin of error. Ruth Gefen-Dotan was 23 when Israel was founded, and remembers men on her kibbutz fashioning mortars out of irrigation pipes to battle Arab forces. Over the years, her son and a half-dozen members of her extended family have died in the military. Now 83, she lives at Ayelet Hashachar, a kibbutz in northern Israel. If there is something that has changed for the worse, she said, it's that "people put 'me' first instead of 'us.'" "We have to understand that things are in our hands. Everyone must give what they can," she said. But that's as nostalgic as Gefen-Dotan allows herself to be. "I look at my kibbutz — it was destroyed in the fighting in 1948, and everything here was yellow and dead. Today I'm sitting in a flowering garden full of children and young people," she said. "What am I supposed to miss?"
The importance of the creation of the State of Israel Posted on Monday 5 May 2008 It is not really possible to exaggerate why David Ben Gurion’s declaration – 60 years ago this May, of the independence of the State of Israel for the people of Israel – is one of the most important historical happenings ever to impact the world. Stan Goodenough Why was the creation of Israel on May 14, 1948 so significant? It was important on many levels for the Jews themselves, but not only for the Jews: It marked the arrival of the Jewish people at a – for them – long-feared unreachable milestone in their millennia-old history – the end of their worldwide Diaspora or dispersion. It signified the total failure of Adolf Hitler – and the myriad antisemites before him: the Vatican, the Crusaders, the Inquisition, the Cossacks, the rulers of Austria, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Belgium, Slovakia, The Netherlands, France, England, Poland, Bohemia, Russia and all the other nations that expelled their Jews – to do away with God’s Chosen People. It established a port of safety – a haven – for a nation whose people for 2000 years had been denied acceptance and lived precariously virtually wherever they sought to dwell among the gentiles. It gave a long-scattered people a single address – a home of their own in which they were reconstituted and could once again build themselves up as a nation in their own right. Within that homeland the Jews, who had been always at the mercy of their host nations, could organize their own defense and victoriously withstand, as they have often had to do, the onslaught of millions of their foes. Ask the Jew living in Israel today why the creation and existence of his or her homeland is so important to them, and you will receive these and perhaps a few other, similar, answers. Of as great significance as all these reasons and, in the thinking of millions of Bible-believing Christians around the world of even greater import, is Israel’s rebirth for the following reasons: It underscores and proclaims aloud for all the world to hear, God’s faithful keeping of His covenant and His word. It heralds the approaching end of this age, the coming of Messiah and the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. Apart from the coming of Jesus, Israel’s rebirth – an event without precedent in the history of nations – is the most dramatic fulfillment of prophecy ever to have taken place. It adds enormous weight to the veracity of the Bible. Perhaps the most important thing for Christians about Israel’s rebirth and preservation is the message it sends about the absolute and unshakeable faithfulness of God. Conversely – those Christians who will not see modern-day Israel as the fulfillment of that prophecy, and as a nation whose future is guaranteed by God, cannot themselves be very secure in their own salvation. For if God could change His mind about who should be His Chosen People, then He surely can change His mind about who is saved and who is not? Accurately speaking, what took place 60 years ago was not the creation of the Jewish nation but its resurrection in its ancient homeland, as foretold by its ancient prophets. Questioning one of those prophets concerning the future of His people, God says: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a rod of an almond tree.” Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.” (Jeremiah 1:11-12) The Land of Israel, the Bible further tells us in Deuteronomy 11:12, is “a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.” He has, indeed, been jealously guarding His Word concerning this land, and His intention to restore its people to the land, and to Himself. Although the return of the Jews to their land began in serious a little over a century ago, the restoration of the land to the Jews really only took place with any sense of certainty 60 years ago.  And during these past 60 years the Jews have continued to come back to their land from literally the four corners of the earth even as, for 60 years, the forces of hell have been working to reverse and so thwart this process of restoration.
Jerusalem Pulse Radio
Despite the incessant battle for survival and the overwhelming international prejudice against the Jewish state, in May 2008 the Jews of Israel will be able to proclaim as they sing and dance once more on the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv: “Am Yisrael chai.” (“The nation of Israel lives.”) And those of us who love Israel, who prefer Zion above our chief joy and who pray for the peace of Jerusalem, will sing and rejoice with them.
Friday, April 25, 2008 Jerusalem Institute for Justice The following is a press release issued by Jerusalem Institute for Justice co-founder Calev Meyers: In a landmark decision this week, the Supreme Court of Israel ratified a settlement between twelve Messianic Jewish believers and the State of Israel, which states that being a Messianic Jew does not prevent one from receiving citizenship in Israel under the Law of Return or the Law of Citizenship, if one is a descendent of Jews on one's father's side (and thus not Jewish according to halacha). This Supreme Court decision brought an end to a legal battle that has carried on for two and a half years. The applicants were represented by Yuval Grayevsky and Calev Myers from the offices of Yehuda Raveh & Co., and their legal costs were subsidized by the Jerusalem Institute of Justice. All twelve of the applicants were denied citizenship solely based on grounds that they belong to the Messianic Jewish community. Most of them received letters stating that they would not receive citizenship because they "commit missionary activity". One of the applicants was told by a clerk at the Ministry of Interior that because she "committed missionary activity", she is "acting against the interests of the State of Israel and against the Jewish people". These allegations are not only untrue, but they also do not constitute legal grounds to deny one's right to immigrate to Israel. This important victory paves the way for persons who have Jewish ancestry on their father's side to immigrate to Israel freely, whether or not they belong to the Messianic Jewish community. This is yet another battle won in our war to establish equality in Israel for the Messianic Jewish community just like every other legitimate stream of faith within the Jewish world.
So, How Diverse Is Israel? Posted: 15 Apr 2008 08:30 AM CDT (Hat Tip: IsRealli.org)  (Image Credit: IsRealli.org)In the US, Jews are often perceived to be mostly religious, Caucasian and wearing black hats with curls hanging from the side of their head. But when it comes to reality, Americans may find Israel to be a place of diversity that rivals (if not surpasses) New York City itself. (Haaretz.com) But there is a fairly significant paradox involved in defining the Jewish people as an ethnic group. The Zionist view of a people that includes all Jewish communities around the world (an outlook that merits trendy opposition from the left) is certainly one of the most multiethnic and multicultural national attitudes in history. When you see the Jews of Poland and the Jews of Yemen, the Jews of Germany and the Jews of Morocco as members of one people, and establish a country based on this national view, that is essentially a multiethnic and multicultural enterprise, whether or not the participants think in those terms. After being fortunate enough to visit the holy land years ago, the item that struck me most about the Jewish state was how diverse it was. While I did encounter Jewish citizens who wore both the hats and the curls, they were often a rarity, unless of course one was able to visit the Old City of Jerusalem. In Jerusalem I met Ethiopian Jews, European Jews, and yes, even Chinese Jews! This encounter helped break down my previous perception of Israel, as I noticed how friendly the people were, regardless of their national, religious and/or ethnic background. Hopefully more Americans will be able to visit Israel in the future, as it is a multicultural testament on how people from different backgrounds can live together in relative peace.
Most American Christians – regardless of their denomination and background – say they feel a "moral and biblical obligation" to support the State of Israel, according to a new survey conducted by a D.C.-based evangelical organization. Enlarge this Image  (Photo: Epicenter08.com) More than 2,000 evangelical Christians from around the world attend the "Epicenter" Conference on Thursday, April 10, 2008, at the Christian Friends of Israel Headquarters in Jerusalem. Though figures released this week by the Joshua Fund differed among Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals and non-Evangelicals, the new figures confirmed that American Christians as a whole believed that a “biblical obligation” exists behind their support for the State of Israel. According to the survey, evangelical Christians were the most supportive of Israeli causes; nearly 90 percent said they felt a “moral and biblical obligation” to back Israel, and 62 percent said that Israel alone should posses control of Jerusalem. Evangelical Christians also had the largest number of respondents who said they opposed a Palestinian state, believing it would give rise to terrorism. Non-evangelical Protestants and Catholics were also revealed to be very pro-Israel, though their support was slightly lower. Eighty-four percent of Protestants and 76 percent of Catholics said they felt a “biblical obligation” to support Israel, the survey results revealed. A majority of Protestants also said they agreed that Jerusalem should remain Israel’s undisputed capitol, while a lower but still high number of Catholics agreed. Compared to Evangelicals, a plurality of non-Evangelical Protestants said they were not opposed to an independent Palestine, believing that it would be a moderate state, with half of Catholics agreeing. Among all American Christians, however, support for Israel was high across the board, and a full two-thirds said they believed that a nuclear armed Iran would be a threat to the security of the State of Israel. The Joshua Fund released the new results to coincide with the “Epicenter 08” conference in Jerusalem, a major gathering between Christian and Jewish leaders that was held on Thursday.
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| Why Moshe Reads An Arab Newspaper
A story is told of a Jewish man who was riding on the subway reading an Arab newspaper. A friend of his, who happened to be riding in the same subway car, noticed this strange phenomenon. Very upset, he approached the newspaper reader.
"Moshe, have you lost your mind? Why are you reading an Arab newspaper?"
Moshe replied, "I used to read the Jewish newspaper, but what did I find? Jews being persecuted, Israel being attacked, Jews disappearing through assimilation and intermarriage, Jews living in poverty. So I switched to the Arab newspaper.
Now what do I find? Jews  own all the banks, Jews control the media, Jews are all rich and powerful, Jews rule the world. The news is so much better!" |
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January 16, '08
 MK Sarsur to Abbas: How Can You Shake Olmert’s Hand?
(IsraelNN.com) MK Ibrahim Sarsur (Ra’am Ta’al), the head of the southern branch of the Islamic Movement, sent a letter to Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday sharply criticizing Abbas’s willingness to meet with Israeli and United States leaders. “I do not understand how one shakes the hands of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his wife, and the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, as our people in Gaza are being slaughtered,” Sarsur wrote.
Sarsur spoke on Tuesday at a conference in Baka el-Jarbiya and discussed the situation in Gaza. The “Israeli aggression” seen in Gaza was not new, he said, “but gained a new dimension following the visit from the head of the international axis of evil, George Bush.” Bush gave Israel a “green light” to operate in Gaza and to build in Judea and Samaria, Sarsur said.
[Zionsake: That is for you Israeli democracy that allows hostile enemies of Israel to be Members of Knesset - MPs. It's of course, part of the drive towards multiculturalism vs. being a Jewish State.]
| WHAT HYPOCRISY! |
| | 14 January 2008 
Their epic is based on being liberated by God from slavery in Egypt and in modern times from the raw and cruel anti-Semitism and unbelievable degradation by the Nazis in Europe. It is therefore evil to accuse the Jewish people - now back in their own promised homeland - of apartheid and racism, as Israel's enemies maliciously try repeatedly to do. Our great Rabbi once said: "With the measure you measure you will be measured and with the judgment you judge you will be judged." The hypocrisy of the Muslim Arabs and their cohorts in leveling these false charges against the people of Israel is horrendous. If there is one nation (or 'umah' as the Islamic nation is called), which to this day considers itself superior to all other religions and people, it is the nation of ISLAM. In the countries comprising this umah, women are enslaved as the property of their husbands and, in some of them, even slavery is practiced and allowed. When this is documented by courageous politicians, filmmakers or journalists, they can end up brutally killed, as was the Dutch filmmaker Van Gogh who sought to expose the plight of many Muslim women. He was simply murdered, stabbed with Koran verses on his chest in front of his house. Neither Christians nor Jews can freely worship in Saudi Arabia; they cannot bring their Bibles or prayer books with them when they enter that country. While Muslims may freely build their mosques all over the world, Christians cannot build their churches in this land where Islam was born. Christians cannot visit Mecca or Medina, whereas Muslims can and do visit St Paul's Cathedral in London, St Peter's church in Rome and other Christian and Jewish places. This master race - the Muslims - believe they can wage jihad and terror, and impose boycotts, whenever and wherever it suits them: When the Pope makes a remark about the inherent violent character of ISLAM, or when Danish journalists publish cartoons about Mohammed, Muslims erupt in violence the world over, proving this very point. They are the Umah, the Master Race, ready and prepared to force the whole world into submission, literally by hook or by crook - by persuasion first and, if necessary, by violence, jihad and terror. And now they tell the world that it is little Israel which is the racist, dangerous apartheid state, and their shallow-minded Western friends parrot this with them! Israel, which was born out of racism and slavery; Israel, where black, brown, yellow and white are equally accepted and can live together in equality; Israel, which gives citizenship to its often disloyal Arabs, allowing them to speak and demonstrate in favor for Israel's sworn enemies, and despite this giving them permission to organize themselves in political parties that are often hostile to Israel, so obtaining seats in Israel's Parliament and even Cabinet? Who has heard of such magnanimity among the nations? And so, the Umah of ISLAM goes on conquering in the name of ISLAM, first and foremost the hated and despised Israel, and then eventually the whole world, where those who refuse to become Muslims, can live as dhimmies under the masters of ISLAM! Recently a White House correspondent explained that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice basically sees the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as comparable to the historic struggle of Blacks against the dominion of Whites. Should Barak Obama be made president of the United States, he may in essence bring this same misunderstanding from the State Department to the White House, given the close connection that already exists between his mentor and the pastor of his Trinity Church of Christ, and louis Farrakhan. It is therefore essential that the above mentioned facts are understood and widely publicized. Added to this are the amazingly true words which Simon Deng writes in The Jewish Advocate: Disappearance of Bishop Tutu
By Simon Deng
Friday November 16, 2007 Late last month, I went to hear Bishop Desmond Tutu speak at Boston's Old South Church at a conference on "Israel Apartheid." Tutu is a well respected man of God. He brought reconciliation between blacks and whites in South Africa. That he would lead a conference that damns the Jewish state is very disturbing to me.
The State of Israel is not an apartheid state. I know because I write this from Jerusalem where I have seen Arab mothers peacefully strolling with their families even though I also drove on Israeli roads protected by walls and fences from Arab bullets and stones. I know Arabs go to Israeli schools, and get the best medical care in the world. I know they vote and have elected representatives to the Israeli Parliament. I see street signs in Arabic, an official language here. None of this was true for blacks under Apartheid in Tutu's South Africa.
I also know countries that do deserve the apartheid label: My country, Sudan, is on the top of the list, but so are Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. What has happened to my people in Sudan is a thousand times worse than Apartheid in South Africa. And no matter how the Palestinians suffer, they suffer nothing compared to my people. Nothing. And most of the suffering is the fault of their leaders. Bishop Tutu, I see black Jews walking down the street here in Jerusalem. Black like us, free and proud.
Tutu said Israeli checkpoints are a nightmare. But checkpoints are there because Palestinians are sent into Israel to blow up and kill innocent women and children. Tutu wants checkpoints removed. Do you not have doors in your home, Bishop? Does that make your house an apartheid house? If someone, Heaven forbid, tried to enter with a bomb, we would want you to have security people "humiliating" your guests with searches, and we would not call you racist for doing so. We all go through checkpoints at every airport. Are the airlines being racist? No.
Yes, the Palestinians are inconvenienced at checkpoints. But why, Bishop Tutu, do you care more about that inconvenience than about Jewish lives?
Bishop, when you used to dance for Mandela's freedom, we Africans all over Africa joined in. Our support was key in your freedom. But when children in Burundi and Kinshasa, all the way to Liberia and Sierra Leone, and in particular in Sudan, cried and called for rescue, you heard but chose to be silent.
Today, black children are enslaved in Sudan, the last place in the continent of Africa where humans are owned by other humans. I was part of the movement to stop slavery in Mauritania, which just now abolished the practice. But you were not with us, Bishop Tutu.
So where is Desmond Tutu when my people call out for freedom? Slaughter and genocide and slavery are lashing Africans right now. Where are you for Sudan, Bishop Tutu? You are busy attacking the Jewish state. Why? Simon Deng, a native of the Shiluk Kingdom in southern Sudan, is an escaped jihad slave and a leading human rights activist. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT (617)428-0012 Jan Willem van der Hoeven, Director International Christian Zionist Center iczc@iczc.org.il | israelmybeloved.com |
| By ARON HELLER ABU DIS, West Bank - With the Muslim call to prayer wailing from a mosque, some 20 Palestinian students crowd into a classroom on the outskirts of Jerusalem to study the origins of the Jewish state. The Israel studies program at Al Quds University in the West Bank claims to be the first in the Arab world, drawing an eclectic mix of grizzled ex-prisoners, veiled women and top political operatives. Some seek knowledge to better fight their enemy, while others believe learning more about Israel increases the chances of peace. |  |
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| Either way, the program has become a hit, with students lining up to study courses about the Israeli economy, its army and the role of women in its society. "Different students go into it with different motivations, of course, but I think that most of the students who are engaged in the Israel studies program are people who are committed to coexistence with Israel," said the college president, Sari Nusseibeh. The two-year master's course is the brainchild of Nusseibeh, a Palestinian moderate who has long preached dialogue with Israel. The program, which has 120 students, counts among its alumni some prominent Palestinian personalities, including former Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan and his counterpart in the West Bank, Jibril Rajoub. Sameh Khader, 31, a senior civil servant, enrolled out of sheer curiosity. "Israel was a mystery to me," he said. "This is a process of discovery." He said Palestinians could learn a lot from their next-door neighbor about building a state. "There are similarities between the Israeli cause and the Palestinian cause," he said. "It's not a 'learn the enemy' thing." Such views are not often heard among the 4 million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, whose daily contact with Israelis is often limited to tense encounters with weapon-wielding soldiers. Few of the students have ever traveled into Israel. From their classroom window they can see the concrete slabs of the wall and fence Israel is building to keep out suicide bombers. But the isolation doesn't stop them from wondering what it's like. Rasha Rabaieh, a veiled 23-year-old from Bethlehem enrolled in the Israel studies program, said she wanted to "know the enemy, to understand why they came here." Her studies have dispelled some of her animosity. "I had an image of Israel as an enemy, but now I feel less hatred," she said. During a recent class on "the social structure of Israel," students heatedly debated the revival of the Hebrew language, the role of Israel's immigrant community vs. its native-born "Sabras," and whether modern Zionism is religious- or nationalist-driven. When students started bringing up Islam to explain their positions, Professor Mohammed Massalha cut them short, saying he wanted academic points of view, not ideological ones. The program's curriculum is hardly representative of mainstream Israel studies programs seen elsewhere in the world. It relies heavily on writings from the fringes of Israeli academia. Massalha's class, for instance, analyzed at length a text written by Azmi Bishara, an Israeli Arab and former lawmaker who fled the country this year amid suspicions of treason and espionage. Inside graffiti-adorned classrooms, in this Arab town once earmarked as the capital of Palestine, the students furiously talk about Israeli politics. One class focuses on the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, with Khader noting that like the Islamic militant Hamas group, Shas draws strength from the poor and marginalized. "They establish nursery schools and work in poor neighborhoods that are neglected by the government." A lot of students have a hard time separating academics from their daily frustrations. Abir Waridat, 23, from Hebron, was pushed by her family to enroll so she could become its resident "Israel expert." Seven of her brothers are in Israeli prisons, her house was once demolished and she blames Israel for the death of her father _ who had a stroke after an encounter with a soldier. She said she wants to be able to teach, and warn, the next generation of Palestinians about Israel. "It is difficult to believe that there will be peace with Israel because of their mentality," she said. "It doesn't seem that the people who believe in peace (in Israel) can beat the people who believe in war." Another student, Mohammed Ilias, said that was exactly why it was important for him to study. "I believe the conflict will last a long time and you need to know who you are working against," he said. "It is important to know their history, their thought process." Ilias, a middle-aged man who spent 15 years in an Israeli prison, said he wanted to learn how Palestinians can replicate Israel's successes. "We need to understand why we lost," he said. "That is a question that constantly passes in my mind. Why did we lose and how can we overcome them in the future?" Shlomit Keren, director of the Israel studies program at the University of Calgary, said the program's concept was positive, regardless of the students' motives. "The moment you base your world view on knowledge, that is a welcome development," said Keren. Israeli academics often visit the Abu Dis campus. But while studying Hebrew is part of the school curriculum, visiting Israelis are advised against speaking their native tongue, for fear of angering militant students. Khader, the civil servant, insisted most of his colleagues' intentions were pure. "There is no enemy in the education process," he said. "Ignorance is the main enemy." |
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| Jewish Hamburger and Fries: By Shmuel Sackett | | Manhigut Yehudit Thursday, December 13, 2007 Weekly Update 4 Tevet, 5768 Issue: 6811 ( The following is a letter to the editor of the Shiur Times.) Dear Editor,
 In your December issue you wrote about the "Burger Deli" ad that was making waves because their ad stressed that they have "Jewish workers only". This concept is actually not a new one. On June 12, 1895 Theodore Herzl wrote the following in his personal diary; "When we occupy the land, we shall try to spirit the penniless population across the border by procuring employment for it in the transit countries whilst denying it any employment in our own country." His diary continues with two more entries. When talking about property he wrote; "We shall then sell only to Jews, and all real estate will be traded only among Jews." In summary, Theodore Herzl, the father of political Zionism and founder of the World Zionist Organization, supported transferring the "natives" outside of Israel, advocated selling land only to Jews and was a full proponent of "Jewish workers only." He would have certainly been a loyal customer of Burger Deli. With Love of Israel,
Shmuel Sackett Click here for more on Manhigut Yehudit's views on Jewish labor. |
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| Fried riceDavid Wilder
October 26, 2007
A few days ago one of Hebron's least best friends, MK Yossi Beilin, introduced a bill into the Knesset calling for the expulsion of all Jews from Hebron. One of Hebron's best friends, MK Aryeh Eldad, pulled a fast one, introducing the identical bill, except that he exchanged the words, "Jewish Community of Hebron," with the words "Hebron Palestinians."
A great gimmick, which makes a point. Of course the left starting yelling and screaming about racism, to which he replied, 'what about you?" The bill, on its first reading, was defeated 47 to 11.
What bothers me is not Beilin or his friends. They are predictable. I can't say they are totally harmless, but their bark is certainly worse than their bite. What does bother me is the reaction of the present ruling Olmert clan. How did they react? Ministress Ruhama Avraham, answering in the name of the government said that 'this is a diplomatic issue which must be decided by the government, not by the opposition.'
Hearing that response, little red lights start flashing on and off in front of my eyes. My good friends at Arutz 7-Israel National News called me for a response, and this is what I told them:It is ironic that during the very weeks we are reading about Abraham, Hebron, and purchase of Ma'arat HaMachpela, the Knesset should be dealing with a bill promoting expulsion of Jews from Hebron, following in the footsteps of Nazi Mufti Haj Amin el-Hussainei and the British in 1929.
The government response also leaves much to be desired. The response should have been: Hebron, the first Jewish city in the land of Israel, home of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs, site of the 2nd holiest place to Jews in the world, is part of the eternal essence of the Jewish people, the Jewish state and Jewish heritage. It does not stand to reason that such a subject should even be broached. Hebron will remain an integral part of the State of Israel forever." So should have been the response. The fact that it was not so only strengthens the fact that this government must be toppled as soon as possible and a new government, recognizing Hebron's significance, should take power. Over 70,000 people visited Hebron from R"H Elul thru the end of Succot and tens of thousands are expected next Shabbat, when we read about the purchase of Ma'arat HaMachpela. This is our strength, this is our support and this is our future! [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/124023]
So, the question to be addressed is: why? Why didn't Ministress Avraham (name ring a bell?) say that Hebron will remain Jewish forever?
In the past, PM Olmert, talking about Ma'arat HaMachpela, exclaimed that Israel would never relinquish that holy site. However, he neglected to speak about the Jewish COMMUNITY of Hebron.
Over a half a year ago the Hebron Jewish Community completed purchase of a new, huge structure between Hebron and Kiryat Arba, called it Beit HaShalom, the Peace House, and moved in. Inevitably, due to pressure from the left, and an Arab yelling 'wolf wolf' ('forgery forgery' â which probably saved his life â otherwise he would have been tortured and killed), the case has been in court, and a final decision has yet to be made. When we bought the building and moved in, the structure was nothing more than a shell. The community installed plasterboard walls, dividing the empty halls into rooms, allowing families to move in. However, there weren't any windows installed, nor were their electric lines hooked up to the building.
Due to leftwing demands and pressures, any construction in the building must be okayed by the Israeli "Civil Administration" or the Defense ministry. A couple of months ago, in preparation for winter, the community requested permission to: install windows, tar the roof to prevent leakage, and install electric lines to allow necessary heating in the building. These requests were based solely on humanitarian needs. The answer we received, straight from the desk of Defense Minister Ehud Barak was "NO!" No electricity, no windows and yes to a leaky roof.
Why did Barak so respond? Seemingly, he wishes to apply pressure on Yesha leaders to agree to remove so-called illegal 'hill-top settlements' (ma'ahzim) without a fight. A total building freeze in Judea and Samaria, including such sanctions in Hebron is, as far as he's concerned, a step in the right (left) direction.
Yet, I'm not so sure. The government and its long, extended arms, have been giving Hebron much grief. Barak refused to reconsider the expulsion and destruction of the homes in the Shalhevet neighborhood this past summer, despite the advice of some of his closest advisors. The 'Civil Administration' has plans to destroy another apartment and a room added onto another home as soon as they get a green light from the Supreme Court. The prosecutor's office is backing the planned destruction. Other pro-Arab, dangerous to Jews measures are also planned for the near future. Where is this all leading to? What is the 'between the lines' translation of Ministress Ruhama Avraham's response concerning Hebron?
I supposed you've already guessed. The answer starts with an "A." No, it's not the regime's report card. But it very well could be Annapolis.
Olmert won't be able to make any deals with Abu-Babbu about Jerusalem; that's still too sticky an issue. He will be able to come out with a declaration about a Palestinian state â 'everyone' agrees with that. But he needs something else, an issue with meat on the bones, to prove one hundred percent that he's serious, that he means business. He needs an issue that 'all' agree is a big bone stuck in the throat of the piece process. The big bone, is, of course, the 'settlements.' Which 'settlement' is the biggest and baddest of them all? Hebron. So what could be better than an announcement in Washington, about the impending removal of those 'problematic' Jews from Hebron?!
I wish it was a far-fetched idea. Unfortunately, I'm not sure it is. I don't know, of course, but wouldn't be surprised.
Who is standing behind the pressure on Israel to make such far reaching concessions? Undoubtedly, the White House. But WHO in the White House? George W. may give his blessings, but the woman running the show, (no, not Hillary yet), is Ms. Rice. Condi, looking for a place in history, realizes that it's now or never. And the American Secretary of State has a lot of punch behind her words. And she's punching, real hard. And George W is saying a lot of Amens.
What have Ms Rice and Mr Bush forgotten? Following the expulsion from Gush Katif the Americans suffered a tremendous catastrophe in New Orleans. Tens of thousands of people were forced from their homes due to the storms and flooding waters of Katrina. That was AFTER some 10,000 people were expelled from Gush Katif and the northern Shomron.
This time lightening struck BEFORE; Just saying the words Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria (and about 80,000 people) â and some 500,000 people had to be evacuated from their houses, with over 1,500 homes destroyed.
Everyone knows that George W. is a 'born-again. And it's said that Condi is real religious herself. But it seems they've forgotten that the G-d of Israel watches over his people, and thoughts and pressures concerning Jerusalem, Hebron, and Eretz Yisrael can have serious repercussions.
According to media reports, authorities in California are looking for arsonists who intentionally set the hellish blaze. Those really responsible are planning the next cataclysm out of the White House: George W and Condi. I call them 'the burning bush' and 'fried rice.'
It should be worthwhile to keep in mind that this may have been the heavenly response to verbal expression of the expulsion from Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. G-d forbid, what might occur should it actually happen? First, the middle of the country, and now, the west coast. Where's next? Hope we never have to find out. It's preferable not to test the Almighty.
With blessings from Hebron.
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 | Category: | Books | | Genre: | History | | Author: | Tsvi Misinai |
This premise, that must be mostly true because it is based on solid scientific and factual evidence, makes the stand-off between the Jews and the Palestinians even more complex. We now don't just have a struggle between Israel and her enemies, but one between brothers. Whereas I have always regarded the Palestinians as a non-nation, fabricated to push out the Jews, it turns out that they are a nation, but a Jewish one with a long history and not a fabricated Arab one with no history or legality. It might solve the problem of who the Judah & Israel are that come together in Zechariah 9:9-10 to form the "sons of Zion" who conquer the "sons of Greece" (Hellenic or Babylonian Freemason Jews (I think). The author makes a distinction between migrant Arabs from neighboring countries and the local ex-Jewish Palestinians. Apparently most of the migrants fled in 1948 and became refugees in surrounding nations. He sees no reason why they should be allowed to return - since they are Arabs. The author does not see Islam as that much of a problem in re-uniting these Palestinians and the Jews, but he doesn't know anything about (1) the need for salvation for every person, (2) the battle between the spirits in the air, (3) that the God of Israel and Allah are different Gods and that both want to own and control the Promised Land, (4) why the God of Israel says in the Ten Commandments, "Do not have any other gods before me...". It's interesting that a lot of these "lost" Jews were believers in Yeshua who fled to the Hebron area at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they would return to Yeshua from Islam? In fact, if both Jews and ex-Palestinians would become one nation in Yeshua. It might be that Judah & Israel's coming together in Zechariah 9:9-10, could be via Yeshua? A similar situation exists in the nations in that Jews from Spain and Portugal had become Christians due to the Inquisition and have completely lost track of their Jewish past. Their number must be many millions today - like the sand of the sea or like the stars of heaven! The original document in PDF file format, can be found in HTML format at http://zionsake.tripod.com/Pal-Jews.html - converted by Zionsake Listen Now to a radio discussion or Download it. 
| Posted: 27 Sep 2007 07:32 PM CDT IsraGood
It looks as if Israel will (in the future) be ramping up their Aliyah campaign for Jews living in North America (which probably refers to Jews living in the United States and Canada, as I am not too sure what the Jewish society is like in Mexico).
A new study has recently come out highlighting that a Jew who commits Aliyah (or immigrates to Israel) may be worth up to $200,000 a piece! |  | | | (Globes Online) A study on the economic impact of immigration from North America found that the value to the Israeli economy of an immigrant from there was $200,000. This estimate is based on level of education, professional experience, participation in the labor force after immigrating, and financial assets. The study found that immigrants from North America had a 90% rate of participation in the labor force after one year in Israel.
This rate of participation is far greater than the participation rate of Israelis and of immigrants from many other areas. In addition, the average output of an immigrant from North America is $24,000 a year. Two-thirds bought a car within a year of arrival. Although there have been many reports of Jews making Aliyah from North America, this part of the word seems to be the hardest when it comes to marketing the promises of the holy land.
So my fellow Israeli (or pro-Israeli readers), how can Israel do a better job of convincing Jews from the US or Canada to cross the ocean and put their stake in American soil? | |
Link: http://www.holyland-inc.net/highways-to-jlmCreate physical/spiritual highways, pathways, escape routes from the nations to Jerusalem for immigrants and refugees, with tabernacles at starting points and along the way. List your Israel "friendly" site at Highways to Jlm. The tabernacles (tents, buildings, kiosks, storerooms, etc.) can also be used for teaching, ministering, hummanitarian aid, etc. Here is an example in what Jews want to do in east Europe: September 20, '07 Teaching Tents Against Anti-Semitism( IsraelNN.com) Jewish activists in Paris, Warsaw, and Kiev have put up tents in order to teach others about Jewish history, religion, and culture. The activists hope to combat anti-Semitism by “opening European Jewish communities.” Activists expressed satisfaction with the levels of participation in events held at the tents, saying that the communities seemed very interested in hearing about Jewish life. In Warsaw, police came to the tent to hear about an increase in anti-Semitic graffiti and vandalism in Poland.
28 Elul 5767, 9/11/2007 From Buddhist Priest to Haredi Rabbi by Tamar Yonah Yitzhak Fanger was a typical secular Israeli guy. His story though, is anything but. Yitzchak grew up in the center of the country and after graduating from high school, he went to serve in the IDF. His life took a very interesting turn a few years later, and I was interviewing him as he shared his story with me and my listeners on my radio show.  
Rav Yitzchak Fanger After finishing his army service, Yitzchak was going to make his way out in the world. He decided to learn Reiki (a Japanese technique for healing administered by ‘laying on hands’). After taking courses and excelling in his new trade, his Reiki teacher urged him to go to the Far East to learn to be a
Reiki Master and return to be the top teacher in Israel. Fanger listened to his teacher and traveled to India. There he pursued more learning and became heavily involved in Buddhism. He became a Buddhist priest and was encouraged to go for an extended stay at a type of monastery or solitary retreat for Buddhist priests up in the mountains. There, one was forbidden to speak, their task was to concentrate on mediation, yoga, and to try to reach nirvana. The only work they had to do at the retreat was gardening. Gardening was very important, as they grew their own food.  A few months went by and Yitzchak was well into his daily routine of meditation, yoga, gardening, - and not talking. One might imagine that it would be difficult not to speak for months on end, especially for a Jew from Israel. Yitzchak was getting antsy. He had an urge to talk, to hear his own voice, and the feeling was bubbling up inside him that he felt he was going to burst. The urge got so strong, that Yitzchak ran away, far from ear shot of the retreat and the other Buddhist monks. He arrived at a brook a distance away, and all of a sudden, words came pouring out of his mouth. He couldn’t stop rambling off speech. The amazing thing was, that the first words that he had spoken after months of silence, ---was his Bar Mitzvah portion from the Torah.
 Yitzchak was shocked. Why did THOSE words come out of him? He didn’t identify with his Judaism, in fact, he hated the religious people, especially those from the near by city where he grew up, Bnei Brak. Bnei Brak was full of religious Jews and he had a prejudice towards ‘them’ and that place.
Yitzchak was now 26 years old, he had carved out a path for himself, and was happy about his experiencing this new spirituality. Judaism was a long way away, and had not thought about his Bar Mitzvah since he was 13. He was stunned that the words he read from the Torah on his Bar Mitzvah should be the first words out of his mouth after his long silence. Yitzchak released the built up pressure from within him after his outburst near the brook. He headed back for camp, and decided to put the incident behind him. One evening, a few days after the occurrence at the brook, Yitzchak was ready to retire for the night and crawl into his sleeping bag in the small room he was given. But he kept having a feeling that someone or ‘something’, was in his room. It was a bad feeling, and being an Israeli, he decided to himself, “Mishane makom, mishane mazal” – “change the place you are at, and you will change your luck/destiny”. And so, Yitzchak decided to take his sleeping bag from his room, and sleep underneath the stars that night. As he reached for his sleeping bag, a scorpion jumped out from the part of the sleeping bag where his head was supposed to be. He realized then, that he could have been killed by that scorpion, and that his instinct not to sleep in his room where his bag lie, was not just a fortunate premonition, but that someone, or something, was watching over him.
 About a week later, in the evening, after practicing his meditation, the candle in Yitzchak's room went out. He went to search for more candles in his bag, when he found a card with Hebrew print on it. It was then that Yitzchak remembered that when he was at Tel Aviv’s (Lod) Ben Gurion Airport, a Hassidic Jewish man was passing out cards to people, and handed Yitzchak one as well. The card had some type of prayer, or text from the Torah on it. Yitzchak asked the man what he should do with it, and the man said, just keep it with you, it will protect you. So Yitzchak shrugged his shoulders and then stuffed it in his bag, quickly forgetting about it.
After finding the card in his bag, Yitzchak got an itchy feeling. It was then that a small still voice came from within him and said, “Why don’t you meditate on something in Hebrew, all the time you have been meditating on words in Japanese, try concentrating on the words on this card in Hebrew.”
He thought, "Ok, let's see what happens". He held the card and read one of the lines written there. “Shemah Yisrael, Hashem Elokaynu, Hashem Echad”. It was the 'Shemah' prayer (Hear oh Israel, The Lord our G-d, The Lord is One).
Meditating on this line, Yitzchak repeated it over and over again like a mantra. “Shemah Yisrael, Hashem Elokaynu, Hashem Echad”. ...Suddenly, he started to tremble, and a light bulb went off in his head. No, - it was more like an inner explosion. Yitzchak had a burst of spiritual enlightenment. He had found a treasure! “Yes, of course!” he said. “Yes, The Lord is our G-d, the Lord is one. YES! YES! YES! I want to know more about this. This is truth!"
 Yitzchak looked at his surroundings, the bare wooden hut where he had spent so many months, the foreign looking landscape and geography. It was not where he was supposed to be. No one here, not one of these monks, could teach him about G-d. He decided that the very next morning, he was going to pack his things and leave immediately for Israel. Home. After arriving in Israel and back at his parent’s house, Yitzchak was hungry to learn about Judaism and what the Torah said. He saw an advertisement in the paper that there would be a lecture given on Judaism, with ample time for questions and answers. Almost immediately after his return from India, he found himself listening to a rabbi explaining basic Jewish concepts and a little bit of Jewish mysticism. But Yitzchak’s hunger wasn’t satisfied. He went the following weekend to a Shabbat program held at a hotel, for Jews who wanted to learn more about G-d. Yitzchak was a person who needed logic and scientific explanations. He liked the way in which the rabbis were explaining and proving through intellectual discourse, the existence of G-d. The lecture schedule went from first proving that G-d existed, to the revelation at Sinai, and then to the conclusion that if A was true, and B was true, then C was also true, and that we must observe the Torah and mitzvoth (commandments) that G-d gave us. Yitzchak made a decision after that weekend, and his past quest for truth and enlightenment… that he was going to become a ‘baal tshuva’, a returnee to Judaism, a religious Jew. When he broke the news to his parents, his mother went ballistic. “You’re going to be religious and then you are going to leave me”, she cried. “How can you do this to me”, she sobbed. Yitzchak reassured her that there was no reason to cut himself off from his family just because he wanted to be religious, and that she was imagining things and should calm down. Ironically, the fact that he came off the plane in orange pajamas with a bald head didn’t seem to phase anyone, but the fact that he would start wearing a Yarmulke on his head put people into a stir. <grin> Soon after, Yitzchak rolled up his sleeves and went to work. He opened up his own Reiki center and school for Reiki. He taught students, lectured around Israel, and took in private patients. He was indeed THE rieki master of Israel, and he was doing very well financially. He bought a nice car, a beautiful home, and one day, his mother, who was doing his bookkeeping, called Yitzchak on the phone and told him that according to her latest calculations, Yitzchak was a millionaire! Things were going very well for Yitzchak. He was keeping the Sabbath, wearing a kippah, keeping more and more mitzvoth, and he was content. Things were wonderful, and his business was thriving. One day, after lecturing to a group of Haredi women about Reiki, and hoping that they would want to sign up for his courses he gave, he ran into trouble. After his presentation, one of the women from the audience came up to him and asked him if this ‘reiki’ was ‘kosher’. Yitzchak, answered her that of course it was kosher. After all, one doesn’t eat reiki. What could be wrong with it?
The woman said, just to be sure, if you want us to sign up for your courses, please go to our rabbi and ask him to give you a letter that this ‘reiki’ is kosher, then we’ll be willing to do it.
 Yitzchak did as the woman asked. He made an appointment with the well respected rabbi and asked him for a letter saying that reiki was ‘kosher’. The rabbi wanted to know exactly what reiki was. Yitzchak explained that reiki was based on the idea of an unseen "life force energy". This energy force would flow through him to his patient, as he concentrated on the word – ‘Rei’ which means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy". So Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy." The rabbi, understanding that many of the eastern and oriental healing methods were based on avodah zarah, -calling on foreign gods, and therefore 'reiki' was ‘unclean’. He told Yitzchak that he was unable to give him a letter saying that this was kosher. Yitzchak did a double take, then leaned towards the rabbi and said, “But rabbi, you don’t understand, this reiki is my profession, it’s how I make my living. You HAVE to give me a letter saying this is kosher. The rabbi repeated that he was unable to give a stamp of approval for this, as it stemmed from avodah zarah, (idol worship) and thus was not kosher. Yitzchak was floored. He was stunned beyond belief. He went home in a daze. His world was spinning out of control, and he was feeling sick to his stomach. As he opened up the door to his home, he threw himself on his couch and started to cry like a baby. He was heaving sobs from the depths of his soul. He was broken. He was bewildered, and he did not know what he was going to do. On one hand, he was the reiki master of Israel, a millionaire, and his years of learning and practicing reiki had become his identity. It was WHO HE WAS. Yitzchak was a reiki master. What would he be without it?
On the other hand, Yitzchak had a deep belief in G-d now. He had discovered the truth and he wanted to cling to G-d, Torah and the commandments. What should he do? After his sobs subsided, Yitzchak Fanger lifted his eyes towards the heaven, and said to G-d, “My G-d, I have never asked you for anything. But I am asking you for something now. I am telling you with firm conviction, I WILL GIVE UP my reiki. But I want a promise from You, that YOU WILL NOT GIVE UP on me!” With that, Yitzhcak picked up the phone, and dialed his mother. “Ima”, he said, “Right now, I want you to cancel all my appointments, cancel all my lectures, cancel all my courses, and all my patients. I am closing down my reiki center.” A scream came on from the other end of the phone. “Yitzchak, are you mad? You are a millionaire! You are so successful! You cannot mean it!” But Yitzchak stood firm. I broke into Yitzchak’s story, because I told him his mother may have been upset as well, because in essence, he was firing her. He laughed and said that everything had worked out for the best. I asked Yitzchak how he was doing now, years later. He told me, “Tamar, I am a millionaire today. I have six children, each worth more than millions to me. I have a wonderful loving wife, we live a religious life and we are so very happy. And do you know what, Tamar? My parents are very happy now as well. They see how well I treat my wife, how wonderful she treats me and the children, and they are so happy. In fact, my own children do not know that my parents are not religious. Whenever my parents come to visit us, my mother comes with her hair covered, and my father puts on a kippah. In addition, my parents had their kitchen kashered, (made their kitchen kosher) so that whenever we go to visit them, we can eat there. Yitzchak added to me as an aside, “And you know what? My beautiful wife just happens to be from Bnei Brak, the city that I had so much hatred for.” Things are looking up, and Yitzchak’s younger brother has also now returned to Torah and mitzvoth as well. His parents couldn’t be happier. Yitzchak Fanger learned much from his experiences. Today, he is a Haredi rabbi. He is now trying to develop a system that uses some of the basics of reiki, and yet does not call for concentrating on foreign names of god.
I was very impressed and touched by Yitzchak Fanger,, and how everything turned out for his family. What made the biggest impression on me was his sacrifice for his beliefs. This man, who was a self made millionaire through his expertise and hard work, gave it all up for Hashem (G-d). What strength that took, because it wasn’t only the money he gave up, but his identity, how he defined himself. What strength and commitment that took, what utter faith in G-d. And I ask myself, and ask all of you who are reading this….
What are we willing to give up for G-d? What do we have in our lives that needs changing, or giving up, to help us serve G-d better?
Are we partaking in bad habits that hurt our health and service to Him?
Are we engaged in frivolous activities that are taking us away from what we should be doing?
Should we stop smoking, kick the TV out, stop visiting the pubs and night clubs? What is it that we need to do this Rosh HaShana, from now on, to make ourselves at least as worthy as this once secular guy from Tel Aviv?  What are WE willing to give up for G-d?
Wishing you all a sweet, happy, and healthy new year!
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