tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-130872902024-03-13T23:19:57.240+02:00Israel Perspectives: Feeling 'Right' at HomePerspectives on the challenges confronting the Jewish People and State through the eyes of one who finds himself taking an active role in the compelling drama that is the life of the Jewish People in the Land of Israel.Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.comBlogger471125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-43501093140746400392008-02-14T18:48:00.001+02:002008-02-14T18:48:58.731+02:00Only Israeli Judaism is Authentic!So said Israeli author A.B. Yehoshua in May 2006, at the American Jewish Committee's (AJC) Centennial Symposium. <br /><br />He reiterated similar sentiments in the clip below. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HzBZGkUv90o&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HzBZGkUv90o&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />Unsurprisingly, many both in Israel and the world Jewish community disagreed. <br /><br />In response, the AJC complied a booklet of responses, both for and against what A.B. Yehoshua said, entitled: <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.ajc.org/atf/cf/%7B42D75369-D582-4380-8395-D25925B85EAF%7D/Yehoushua_Controversy_2006.pdf">The A. B.Yehoshua Controversy: An Israel-Diaspora Dialogue on Jewishness, Israeliness, and Identity</a></span><br /><br />It makes for a good read.<br /><br /></span>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com80tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-86462584445787095792008-02-14T09:43:00.004+02:002008-02-14T09:57:48.987+02:00Are you a Zionist?Can a Jew who doesn't live in Israel be a Zionist? <br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avi_Weiss">Rabbi Avi Weiss</a> says no.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-zJCHuDCWHM&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-zJCHuDCWHM&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />I tend to agree. <br /><br /></span>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-46256061294535674542008-02-12T16:40:00.000+02:002008-02-12T16:41:16.573+02:00There's no place like home...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/children-in-yellow-stars-791458.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/children-in-yellow-stars-791456.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/953188.html">German Jewish leader: No need for aliyah agency like Nativ here</a><br /><blockquote>German Jewish leaders told visiting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday they were not interested in Israel's offers to expand the Nativ agency's operations to Germany.<br /><br />Nativ, a semi-covert agency founded within the Prime Minister's Office in the 1950s, deals mainly with helping Jews from the former Soviet Union immigrate to Israel...<br /><br />German Jews were satisfied with the help being given to them by the Jewish Agency and other sources, and saw no reason to employ other such agencies in Germany. </blockquote> In fact, not only are Germany's Jews in no rush to leave, but Germany is the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/03/wjews03.xml">fastest growing Jewish community in the world today</a>.<br /><blockquote>"Berlin is the place to be," Rabbi Walter Homolka, the principal of the Rabbinical Seminary in the German capital, said.</blockquote> And it seems that many in Israel are <a href="http://www.kumah.org/2007/07/germany-home-sweet-home.html">expressing agreement with their feet</a>. <br /><br />It seems as if many of our Jewish brothers and sisters still prefer the free fish they ate under Egyptian bondage over Jewish freedom which only is possible in the Land of the Living - the Land of Israel. </span>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-31498595639884910672008-02-12T14:21:00.000+02:002008-02-12T14:22:27.706+02:00The Comfort of Exile...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/antisemitism_european-714746.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/antisemitism_european-714744.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1202742134805&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull">Jewish tourist booted from Belgian cafe for wearing Kippa</a><br /><blockquote>An American tourist was kicked out of a cafe in Belgium for being Jewish.<br /><br />Marcel Kalmann, a 64-year-old professor, told the Antwerp Jewish magazine Joods Actueel that he was ejected from the renowned restaurant Le Panier d'Or in Bruges after a waiter saw his yarmulke under his cap.<br /><br />"We are not serving Jews, out of here," the magazine reported.<br /><br />Kalmann also told Joods Actueel that he was mistreated at the police station where he went to file a report and was told the incident would not be considered anti-Semitic. He said he will file reports against both the restaurant and the police.<br /><br />Kalmann was born in the Auschwitz concentration camp three days before its liberation.<br /><br />The mayor of Bruges has ordered a police inquiry into the incident and apologized to Kalmann, the European Jewish Press reported.</blockquote> Speaks for itself. </span>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-7361030486255219642008-02-12T10:56:00.001+02:002008-02-14T10:26:27.038+02:00The Fine Art of Haggling...One of the things that all Americans learn upon making Aliyah, is that often times, the price given for a particular item is not final, but merely a starting point for negotiations.<br /><br />Some of us relish the opportunity to bargain in the shuk, while others find the idea to be totally inconsistent with their upbringing - the equivalent of driving on Shabbat (l'havdil).<br /><br />So, in order to help those of us who haven't yet mastered the fine art of the haggle, perhaps these two instructional videos can help.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w9SFTWme6Z0&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w9SFTWme6Z0&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">For the second video, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngMFmRHch38">click here</a>.</span> <br /><br /></span>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-31538898089852885032008-02-11T08:43:00.000+02:002008-02-12T10:33:10.364+02:00Take a (Virtual) Tour of the Temple Mount - VideoHave you ever thought about visiting the Temple Mount, but, for whatever reason, have yet to do so?<br /><br />Well, here's your chance to take a virtual tour (until you're ready for the real thing, of course). <br /><br />Below is a video preview (8+ minutes) of a tour of the Temple Mount led by Rabbi Chaim Richman of <a href="http://www.temple.org.il">The Temple Institute</a>. The tour was led in August, 2005.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sh27UWmCd7E&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sh27UWmCd7E&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">For the complete 90 minute tour, <a href="http://universaltorah.com/programming/2008/01/31/exclusive-temple-mount-footage.htm ">visit here</a>.</span> </span>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-49811117350049406932008-02-10T00:07:00.000+02:002008-02-10T00:11:25.075+02:00What's Your Jew I.Q.?<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VjTXfl2mR2E&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VjTXfl2mR2E&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> <br /><blockquote>"A nation which does not know what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do."<br /><br />--- Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States</blockquote> </span>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-40301315564370261732008-02-01T11:27:00.000+02:002008-02-01T11:47:37.465+02:00A Case of Bad Gas - Revisited<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/R6LpwZnyLgI/AAAAAAAAABs/1Bn9-Vg0Sts/s1600-h/yaalonsoldier.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/R6LpwZnyLgI/AAAAAAAAABs/1Bn9-Vg0Sts/s320/yaalonsoldier.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161945140640755202" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Back in May 2007, <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2007/05/case-of-bad-gas.html">I posted</a> about a billion dollar gas deal that Israel was contemplating entering into with the "Palestinian" Authority.<br /><br />At the time, I raised the following concerns:<br /><blockquote>1)Would anyone care to guess what the Hamas led PA will buy with $1 billion? In short, this would not be the first time that the State of Israel would be funding our enemies efforts to destroy the Jewish State (See: The Oslo Accords / "Peace Process".)<br /><br />The fact that there isn't a law forbidding such actions speaks volumes.<br /><br />2) Equally troubling is why the State of Israel, which possesses very few natural resources, would give away a gas field off it's coast worth billions of dollars? <br /></blockquote><br />It seems that I was not the only one to express such concerns. I recently came across a position paper put out nearly 6 months after my post by the <a href="http://www.jcpa.org/JCPA/index.asp">Jewish Center for Public Affairs (JCPA)</a> written by former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe (Boogie) Ya'alon, entitled: <a href="http://www.jcpa.org/JCPA/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DRIT=1&DBID=1&LNGID=1&TMID=111&FID=283&PID=0&IID=1896&TTL=Does_the_Prospective_Purchase_of_Briti"><strong>Does the Prospective Purchase of British Gas from Gaza's Coastal Waters</strong><strong> Threaten </strong><strong>Israel</strong><strong>'s National Security?</strong></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><div style="text-align: justify;">For those who don't have the time for the full article, Ya'alon's answer is yes, it does.<br /><br />Some highlights (lowlights?):<br /><blockquote>* Proceeds of a Palestinian gas sale to Israel would likely not trickle down to help an impoverished Palestinian public. Rather, based on Israel's past experience, the proceeds will likely serve to fund further terror attacks against Israel.<br /><br />* It is possible that the prospect of an Israeli gas purchase may have played a role in influencing the Olmert cabinet to avoid ordering a major IDF ground operation in Gaza, despite at least 1,000 rocket and mortar attacks against southern Israel since the Hamas takeover of Gaza in June 2007.<br /><br />* However, with Gaza currently a radical Islamic stronghold, and the West Bank in danger of becoming the next one, Israel's funneling a billion dollars into local or international bank accounts on behalf of the Palestinian Authority would be tantamount to Israel's bankrolling terror against itself. Therefore, an urgent review is required of the far-reaching security implications of an Israeli decision to purchase Gaza gas.</blockquote>I wonder how I can get myself one of these cushy fellowship positions at a think tank?<br /></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-6180955902562123292008-01-31T15:20:00.000+02:002008-01-31T16:06:50.914+02:00Israel @ 60: A Jewish & Democratic State?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/R6HNJpnyLfI/AAAAAAAAABk/UJ1NopGqU34/s1600-h/israeli_flag_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/R6HNJpnyLfI/AAAAAAAAABk/UJ1NopGqU34/s400/israeli_flag_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161632213618535922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">In preparation for the upcoming 60th anniversary of the State of Israel, I was asked to participate in a written debate surrounding the character of the State of Israel.<br /><br />I was given 300 words to comment on the section of <a href="http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/Declaration%20of%20Establishment%20of%20State%20of%20Israel">Israel's Declaration of Independence</a><br /></span> appearing below. (I will have another 200 words to respond to what one of the other participants in this exercise writes, which I will also post here).<blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;">THE STATE OF ISRAEL will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.<br /></span></blockquote> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Having suffered in Exile like no other nation, the Jewish people are sensitive to the suffering of others and expect the Jewish State of Israel to serve as a model in how a nation-state can treat its minorities fairly.<o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">It is for this reason that the founding fathers of the State of Israel took pains, in the very paragraph within Israel’s Declaration of Independence stating that the State of Israel will be open to every Jew in the world, to balance that with the assurance that despite being a Jewish state, “complete equality” will be assured to all. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">However, does this accurately reflect the vision of the prophets of <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place>?<o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">In this paragraph, two distinct values are expressed. First, that <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> should be a Jewish State, and second, that there should be “complete equality” for everyone living in the State of Israel.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Did the Jewish people, for millennia, yearn for a return to <st1:city st="on">Zion</st1:city> merely to create “the only democracy in the <st1:place st="on">Middle East</st1:place>”?</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Did they dream of granting “complete equality” to strangers, enabling them to turn the Jewish State into a state of its citizens, or decide on issues such as “Who is a Jew?” or “Land for Peace?”<o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">No.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Throughout the long Exile, the Jewish people were sustained by the “vision of the prophets” – of the eventual ingathering of the Exiles. Upon returning to their ancient Homeland the Jewish people would live as proud, strong and sovereign Jews," creating an “exemplary society” and serving as a "light unto the nations," thus sanctifying G-d’s name throughout the world. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>Any non-Jew willing to accept <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> as a Jewish State without seeking to undermine that premise would be guaranteed full individual rights. Issues concerning the national character and policy of the Jewish State would be left exclusively to the Jewish people residing in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size:100%;">Treat the stranger kindly? Certainly, but the Bible didn’t intend this to be taken to the extreme of giving the stranger the keys to our national home.</span></p></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-44266904714721668772007-06-12T14:40:00.000+03:002007-06-12T14:41:16.250+03:00A Non-Kosher Way to Think...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/PigPen2-791945.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/PigPen2-791941.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This past week, Israeli (Russian) billionaire businessman, Arkadi Gaydamak, <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/869226.html">bought the Tiv Ta'am supermarket chain</a>, which, until now, was one of the largest suppliers of pork products in Israel. <br /><br />Gadamak has declared his intent to make the Tiv Ta'am supermarket chain kosher, dramatically reducing the number of places selling pork product in Israel.<br /><br />So far so good. <br /><br />Things get a bit complicated, however, when Gaydamak explain his reasoning for turning Tiv Ta'am kosher.<span class="fullpost"><br /><blockquote>"I believe that in a Jewish state, <span style="font-weight:bold;">in which there is a large Muslim minority</span>, selling pork is a provocation."</blockquote> If Israel is a Jewish State, then why does it matter how large or small the Muslim population is?<br /><br />Simply put, what Gaydamak should have said was:<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />"I believe that in a Jewish State, selling pork is a provocation."</span><br /><br />A provocation towards Jews!<br /><br />If any animal serves as the symbol of all that is non-kosher and anti-Judaism, it is the pig.<br /><br />However, there is an additional reason why we should be troubled by Gaydamak's remarks. Namely, his remarks serve as an indictment against the Jewish People. <br /><br />Gaydamak knows that Muslims won't accept pork being sold in their community - and he is not interested in offending their sensibilities, as is made clear by his statement. <br /><br />Gaydamak doesn't seem to be overly concerned of offending the majority of Jews living in the Jewish State of Israel, and that reflects shamefully both upon Gaydamak and all Jews who call the Jewish State home.</span></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-76985868119141156892007-05-29T16:28:00.000+03:002007-05-29T16:42:36.742+03:00A Picture isn't Always Worth 1,000 Words...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/IMG_0421-754371-736034.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/IMG_0421-754371-736028.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Take a moment to answer the following question:<br /><br />When you picture Jerusalem, what is the first thing that comes to mind?<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">(Waiting...)</span><br /><br />My guess is that whatever image popped into your mind, it wasn't the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_David">Tower of David</a>.<br /><br />All around Jerusalem, one finds the logo shown in the picture above (courtesy of Jonny Stein), commemorating 40 years since the reunification of Jerusalem, during the Six Day War in 1967. <br /><br />Now, If someone asked me to suggest possible themes for a logo to commemorate 40 years since the liberation of Jerusalem, the Tower of David wouldn't appear anywhere on my list.<br /><br />The Tower of David was a fortress built be Herod, and later used by the Romans, Crusaders, Muslims... and the list goes on and on - but as far as symbolizing the reunification of Jerusalem under Jewish sovereignty after 2,000 years of Exile? <br /><br />Not quite.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />My suggestions:<br /><br />* <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Temple (Beit HaMikdash)</span> - Nothing says Jerusalem quite like the Temple.<br /><br />* <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Kotel</span> - If the Beit HaMikdash is too controversial, this could work (although, nothing says Exile quite like the Kotel - but that's for another post.)<br /><br />* <span style="font-weight:bold;">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurva_Synagogue">Hurva Synagouge</a></span> - particularly, the single remaining arch - Symbolizing the return of the Jewish People to their ancient holy sites... <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/hurva2-736254.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/hurva2-736250.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />My sense is that the Tower of David was selected precisely because, unlike any of the above suggestions, it's not overly Jewish - serving as a symbol that the Jews, Muslims and Christians of Jerusalem can all, equally, dislike. <br /><br />What a wasted opportunity.</span></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-13656118002155409202007-05-28T12:22:00.000+03:002007-05-28T15:26:24.634+03:00Why should anyone care about Sderot?<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/palmap6-730307.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/palmap6-730301.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />With no end in sight to the 6 year long rocket assault on Sderot, <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/863798.html">Ari Shavit of Ha'aretz</a> elaborates upon why those in Israel should give a damn:<br /><blockquote>It should not have been like this. Sderot is not Gush Katif. There is no debate. On the contrary: Sderot is a "Green Line" city. Sderot is a post-withdrawal city. Sderot is the righteous Israeli city after the occupation. Sderot is the future</blockquote> Which leads us to Shavit's main point. Why should Israelis care about Sderot? <span class="fullpost"><br /><blockquote>The attack on Sderot is a strategic attack on peace. It is an attack on the two-state solution. <span style="font-weight:bold;">If the attack succeeds, there will be no chance of any future withdrawal. If the attack succeeds, the occupation will be perpetuated.</span></blockquote> In Shavit's world,, one should care about Sderot, not because of the responsibility one Jew has for another - or even that of one human being for another, nor is he driven by the pursuit of justice. The sole reason one should care about Sderot is because if Sderot falls, so does the "peace process". <br /><br />While Shavit makes the distinction between Sderot and Gush Katif clear, he fails to grasp a major distinction existing between Israel and the Arab world, which serves as the root cause for the tragedy that is Sderot.<br /><br />If one looks at the "Palestinian Authority" map above, there is no green line. No distinction is made between Gush Katif and Sderot. No distinctions are needed for the simple reason that the entire Land of Israel (Palestine) belongs to them - to Islam. <br /><br />If one looks at the nobility of Israeli society, what does one find? As Shavit puts it:<br /><blockquote>Sderot should have been the apple of the eye of all those preaching withdrawal in the past, and of everyone who still believes in withdrawal. Sderot should have been the city of peace writers and peace singers and peace industrialists. A "peace now" city. A city of Israeli solidarity. A city of mutual responsibility. A city where strong Israelis stand together with Israelis who are less strong in the face of Islamic zealotry.</blockquote> Yet, what one finds amongst the vast majority of Israels elite is a group <a href="http://www.alternet.org/audits/47058/">who questions</a> the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/02/15/reviews/980215.15hertzbt.html">very right</a> of <a href="http://www.acpr.org.il/English-Nativ/issue1/Abelson-1.htm">the Jewish People</a> to a <a href="http://www.wzo.org.il/en/resources/view.asp?id=1623">Jewish State</a> in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Original-Sins-Reflections-History-Zionism/dp/1566561310">Land of Israel</a>. After all, can it be said that Gush Katif is really anymore "occupied territory" than Sderot? Certainly there's no difference in the eyes of the Arabs. Which is why, if, as Shavit puts it, Sderot is Israel's future, then it's clear that Israel's nobility has already abandoned ship. <br /><br />When Ariel Sharon said that the fate of Netzarim is that of Tel Aviv (April, 2002), he was not mistaken. Until the Jewish People recognize their absolute right to the Land of Israel and show that they are willing and able to enforce that right, there will be no peace. Not in Gush Katif. Not in Sderot. Not in Jerusalem and not in Tel Aviv.<br /><br />The time has come for us - those who still believe in this fundamental and historic truth - to assume the leadership and responsibility of this country and to do so before Sderot falls.</span></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-35583995082767043742007-05-23T23:50:00.000+03:002007-05-24T01:03:13.239+03:00A Case of Bad Gas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RlSp2-zOszI/AAAAAAAAABE/QJLBPZWe47I/s1600-h/GAZAGAS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RlSp2-zOszI/AAAAAAAAABE/QJLBPZWe47I/s400/GAZAGAS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067862242734551858" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178708664886&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull">The Jerusalem Post</a> reports that Israel is considering signing a 15-20 year contract to purchase gas from a British energy company that would earn the "Palestinians" $1 billion. The gas would be supplied from the Gaza marine field, off the coast of the Gaza strip, to which the "Palestinian Authority" has control over (as a e result of the "peace process"), thus earning them one quarter of the estimated $ billion deal.<br /><blockquote>Last month the cabinet approved continued negotiations with BG over purchase of the gas, a decision that necessitated a previous ban on buying natural gas from the PA. The change of heart, government officials said, was simply the product of economics, since buying the gas from Egypt, another option, would cost twice as much.</blockquote>Now, there are many problematic aspects to this potential deal, but here are two of them:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1)</span> Would anyone care to guess what the Hamas led PA will buy with $1 billion? In short, this would not be the first time that the State of Israel would be funding our enemies efforts to destroy the Jewish State (See: The Oslo Accords / "Peace Process".)<br /><br />The fact that there isn't a law forbidding such actions speaks volumes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2)</span> Equally troubling is why the State of Israel, which possesses very few natural resources, would give away a gas field off it's coast worth billions of dollars?<br /><br />Once again, this is not the first time Israel has made such a mistake.<br /><br />Post Six Day War, after Israel had liberated the Sinai peninsula, it was discovered that there were was enough oil reserves in the Sinai to cover 100% of Israel's energy needs for a long time to come. As part of the "peace process" with Egypt, <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2005/07/egyptian-gas-jewish-heartburn.html">Israel gave away the Sinai and all her oil fields</a>, leaving Israel with no peace and no oil.<br /><br />Those on the left often speak of how much the "settlements" have cost Israel. Well, I think the time has come to begin asking how much "peace" has cost Israel, both in dollars, and in lives.</div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-18060485681937687912007-05-21T16:04:00.000+03:002007-05-21T16:53:35.859+03:00What a PA collapse would mean for Israel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RlGdYOzOsyI/AAAAAAAAAA8/ev-NFnQQdvU/s1600-h/deal0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RlGdYOzOsyI/AAAAAAAAAA8/ev-NFnQQdvU/s320/deal0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067004095383909154" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1178708629639">What a PA collapse would mean for Israel</a>?<br /><br />Herb Keinon of the Jerusalem Post, recently offered an analysis of this question.<br /><blockquote>Faced with the possibility that the PA could collapse, Israel is essentially faced with two unattractive choices: drop the three conditions established when Hamas came into power and deal with a Hamas-led PA, under the logic that some address is better than none at all, or side with Fatah in its battle with Hamas.</blockquote>With these two options, I'm can't help but insist on seeing what's behind door #3, <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_Make_a_Deal">Let's Make a Deal</a></span> style.<br /><br />Keinon concedes that <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2006/01/sex-hamas-and-palestinian-authority.html">both Fatah and Hamas are enemies of the Jewish State</a>, however, he lacks the courage to suggest the only viable, albeit <span style="font-style: italic;">unattractive</span>, option that exists, namely, a declaration of war on the PA / PLO / Hamas.<br /><br />No, it's won't be pretty, and yes, the international community will cry out in righteous indignation, but <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Israel-Richard-Edward-Littell-Chesnoff/dp/B000NQMAXG/ref=sr_1_4/103-6203144-9903043?ie=UTF8&s=books&amp;qid=1179755454&sr=1-4">it sure beats the alternatives</a>.<br /><br />The time has come for the Jewish People to stand up for their rights and stop apologizing to the world for wanting to live as proud Jews in our Homeland.<br /><br />Enough.</div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-63619955721355733642007-05-21T11:15:00.000+03:002007-05-21T15:50:59.762+03:00Look Mom, I'm on Google!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RlFe5OzOsxI/AAAAAAAAAA0/S0rNtG09iqc/s1600-h/google_screen001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RlFe5OzOsxI/AAAAAAAAAA0/S0rNtG09iqc/s320/google_screen001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5066935393087042322" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Every now and again I like to <span style="font-style: italic;">Google</span> myself. (Yes, <span style="font-style: italic;">Google</span> can be used as both a verb <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> a noun.)<br /><br />I know. It sounds terribly egotistical. But, frankly, I have an inquiring mind, and I want to know where I stand in <span style="font-style: italic;">cyberspace</span>.<br /><br />Depending on how I spell my name (Zev, Zeev, Ze'ev...) I come across thousands of entries.<br /><br />Here are two of the more entertaining ones.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1)</span> From a comment on <a href="http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/03/say_what_you_mean.php">Matthew Yglesias</a>'s <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/">The Atlantic</a> Online blog:<br /><blockquote>The Michael Rubin policy wonk neocons know full well that they're lucky to have escaped the noose for what they've done to America's place in the world vis a vis the Iraqi debacle and are afraid to go on the record again. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Their real agendas can be found in the ravings of louche neocons Michael Freund, Caroline Glick, and Zev Orenstein.</span> In short- they want to drop thermonuclear bombs on Iran, Syria, and Mecca. This is their hot and sticky dream scenario.</blockquote>To be totally honest, I haven't a clue as to what the guy is talking about. But, I am flattered to be put in the same company as Michael Freund and Caroline Glick. My only guess is that he might be referring to <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2006/07/israel-war-attack-iran-now.html">this article</a> of mine.<br /><br />And, as far as what might constitute my <span style="font-style: italic;">hot and sticky dream scenario</span>... since this is a family oriented blog, something things are better left unsaid.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2)</span> Recently, I was asked to write a d'var Torah for one of the many weekly Parsha sheets that are distributed in shuls throughout Israel.<br /><br />Lo and behold... While I wasn't paid for doing so, it seems that I was given the title of Rabbi...<br /><blockquote><a href="http://www.yeshiva.org.il/midrash/shiur.asp?id=5761">Kashrut</a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rabbi Ze'ev Orenstein</span><br /><br />Written by the rabbi...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.yeshiva.org.il/midrash/Emidrash.asp?srch=1&orderby=356">Click here</a> for more Shiurim by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Rabbi Ze'ev Orenstein</span></blockquote><br />I wonder if this makes me the first <span style="font-style: italic;">louche, neocon Rabbi</span>?<br /><br />-----<br /><br />According to <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/">Dictionary.com</a>, louche means:<br /><ul><li>Dubious; shady; disreputable.</li><li>Of questionable taste or morality; decadent.</li></ul>And, neocon means:<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote>"Neoconservatism is the first variant of American conservatism in the past century that is in the 'American grain.' It is hopeful, not lugubrious; forward-looking, not nostalgic; and its general tone is cheerful, not grim or dyspeptic. Its 20th-century heroes tend to be TR, FDR, and Ronald Reagan. Such Republican and conservative worthies as Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower, and Barry Goldwater are politely overlooked." [Irving Kristol, "The Neoconservative Persuasion," in "The Weekly Standard," Aug. 25, 2003]</blockquote></div></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-51307423464700646592007-05-15T21:46:00.000+03:002007-05-15T22:07:45.549+03:00Jerusalem Day: Historic Video Footage of the Liberation of the Temple Mount<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RkoEZAW9RoI/AAAAAAAAAAs/TOfKgb4cUyU/s1600-h/at_the_dome.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RkoEZAW9RoI/AAAAAAAAAAs/TOfKgb4cUyU/s400/at_the_dome.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064865558571075202" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite forces within Israel on both the <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/859555.html">right</a> and to the <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=859573&contrassID=2&subContrassID=4">left</a>, who do <a href="http://www.templeinstitute.org/police_business.htm">everything</a> in their power <a href="http://www.templeinstitute.org/aliya_temple_mount.htm">to distance</a> the Jewish People from connecting to the Temple Mount and yearning for Temple Consciousness - the Jewish People <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/122425">will not be denied</a>.<br /><br />On that note, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the Temple Mount, take a moment to watch the historic video footage that captured the dramatic moment:<br /><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 0px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/wpS8z8pzQgs"></a><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wpS8z8pzQgs"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wpS8z8pzQgs" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />After you've watched the video, head on over to <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com">Israel National News</a>, where a <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/More/ActivePage.aspx/JerDay">special site</a> commemorating the 40 years since the liberation of much of the Land of Israel took place. You'll find photos, videos, audio clips, essays and many other exciting and inspiring tidbits all relating to the Six Day War.</div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-67235650316005523072007-05-10T13:42:00.000+03:002007-05-10T14:02:01.256+03:00Jewish & Israel blog Awards... I'm in the Finals!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RkL3JQW9RnI/AAAAAAAAAAk/OW832c0HHQs/s1600-h/JibBadgeFinalist.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RkL3JQW9RnI/AAAAAAAAAAk/OW832c0HHQs/s400/JibBadgeFinalist.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062880669499999858" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks to the support of many of you, my blog, Israel Perspectives, has reached the final round of the <a href="http://jibawards.com/index.php">Jewish & Israel Blog Awards</a> for 2007 (JIBs for short) - within the <a href="http://www.jibawards.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=208">Best Right-Wing Political blog</a> category.<br /><br />I'm up against some stiff competition, so I guess I need to do some campaigning in order to prove that my <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2007/03/on-being-extremist-revisted.html">right-wing credentials</a> are <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2005/12/on-being-idealist.html">second to none</a>.<br /><br />Therefore, <a href="http://www.jibawards.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=208">a vote for Israel Perspectives</a> is...:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">*</span> A vote in favor of Jewish sovereignty over the Temple Mount (<span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.templeinstitute.org/statement.htm">Temple Consciousness</a></span>)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">*</span> A vote in favor of Israel being a truly Jewish State <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">*</span> A vote in favor of all the Jewish People returning home (<span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/45132">The Aliyah Revolution</a></span>) <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">*</span> A vote against any two / three / four state solutions<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">*</span> A vote in favor of taking an active role in ensuring all of the above (<span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.neozionist.com/neozionism.html">Neo-Zionism</a></span>) <br /><br /><a href="http://www.jibawards.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=208">Voting in the final round</a> has already begun, and will be open until May 16th, 10pm, US EST.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Please take 20 seconds to <a href="http://www.jibawards.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=208">vote for my blog</a>,</span> and if you really are generous, maybe another 20 seconds to encourage some other people to vote for me as well.<br /><br />Thanks again for all your support.</div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-22246888695686092812007-05-10T10:20:00.000+03:002007-05-10T16:58:44.178+03:00A Neo-Zionist Challenge: Shmittah & The Living Torah<div style="text-align: justify;">Next year is going to a be a <span style="font-style:italic;">Shmittah</span> year - the one year in every seven, where the Land of Israel must be left to lie fallow. <br /><br />Since the destruction of the 1st Holy Temple in Jerusalem, until present times - over 2,500 years later - <span style="font-style:italic;">Shmittah</span> has been only Rabbinically mandated. However, within the next 25 years, when the <a href="http://www.jpppi.org.il/JPPPI/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DBID=1&LNGID=&TMID=111&FID=337&PID=517&IID=525">majority of the Jewish People will be living in the Land of Israel</a>, Shmittah (along with all of the other <span style="font-style:italic;">Mitzvot HaTeluyot Ba'aretz</span> - Land of Israel dependent commandments) will return to Biblically mandated status. <br /><br />Below are two article presenting differing perspectives as to how modern Israeli society should be relating to <span style="font-style:italic;">Shmittah</span> - each with their own set of pros and cons:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1)</span> <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/120570">Chief Rabbinate to Reduce Use of Special 7th-Year Dispensation</a>]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2)</span> <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3396679,00.html">The ground beneath our feet</a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Equally important as the solution that will ultimately be agreed upon and implemented is the discussion in itself.</span> <br /><br />For 2,000+ years, this discussion did not take place - could not take place - in a manner that had any practical relevance. <span style="font-weight:bold;">With the re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel the Torah of Israel has returned to life.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/english/ten-daat/eliach-1.htm">Rabbi Yotav Eliach</a> puts it best:<span class="fullpost"><br /><blockquote>The Torah sets up a constitutional blueprint for the running of a Jewish society which is anchored in a Jewish state. <span style="font-style:italic;">Parashat Mishpatim</span>, most of <span style="font-style:italic;">Vayikra</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Bemidbar</span>, and all of <span style="font-style:italic;">Sefer Devarim</span>, make this point very clear. Judaism is not merely interested in the ritualistic aspects of our lives. It is rather a framework for running a Jewish republic, one complete with a court system, government, army, welfare and tax system. Finally, this constitutional blueprint is not meant for implementation in any piece of territory in which the Jewish nation may happen to be the majority, but primarily in the one country whose boundaries are clearly outlined geographically in the Torah: The Land of Israel.<br /><br />One of the striking ways to reinforce these points is by showing that there are four basic areas of <span style="font-style:italic;">mitzvot</span> in the Torah that are dependent upon the Land of Israel in one way or another:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">a)</span> All <span style="font-style:italic;">mitzvot</span> connected to the <span style="font-style:italic;">Beit Hamikdash</span> in any shape or form;<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">b)</span> All <span style="font-style:italic;">mitzvot</span> connected to having a Sanhedrin court system functioning;<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">c)</span> All <span style="font-style:italic;">mitzvot</span> connected to the soil of Israel;<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">d)</span> All <span style="font-style:italic;">mitzvot</span> connected to the running of the government, army, and taxes.<br /><br />Taken together, these four areas make up approximately 50% of the 613 <span style="font-style:italic;">mitzvot</span>. Another graphic way to make the point of Israel's centrality to Jewish life is by looking at the <span style="font-style:italic;">Shas</span>. Two of the six <span style="font-style:italic;">sedarim</span> of <span style="font-style:italic;">Shas, Kodashim and Taharot</span>, are totally dependent upon the Land of Israel, as is <span style="font-style:italic;">Seder Zera'im</span> (with the exception of <span style="font-style:italic;">Masekhet Berakhot</span>).<br /><br />The fourth, <span style="font-style:italic;">Seder Mo'ed</span>, is also very dependent upon the Land of Israel. All the special sacrifices associated with each holiday are dependent upon the <span style="font-style:italic;">Beit Hamikdash</span> in Israel, as is <span style="font-style:italic;">aliyah la'regel, bikkurim</span>, and the bringing of the <span style="font-style:italic;">omer</span>. The fifth, <span style="font-style:italic;">Seder Nezikin</span>, is also connected, to a large extent, to the concept of a functioning Jewish legal system existing in the land of Israel, headed by the <span style="font-style:italic;">Sanhedrin</span>. Only the sixth <span style="font-style:italic;">seder - Nashim</span> - can be kept almost in its entirety (the exception being <span style="font-style:italic;">Sotah</span>) outside the boundaries of Israel. </blockquote> Thank G-d for the challenges that go along with living in the Land of Israel!</span></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-3559185188933930692007-05-09T15:25:00.000+03:002007-05-09T15:27:45.120+03:00From Temple Consciousness to Temple Consensus?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.neozionist.com/uploaded_images/temple_mount-754097.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.neozionist.com/uploaded_images/temple_mount-754091.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Ever since the <a href="http://www.templeinstitute.org/temple_mount_liberation.htm">liberation of the Temple Mount</a> 40 years ago, those who have been pushing for the Jewish People to assume a greater connection with the Mount, as well as promoting <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.neozionist.com/2007/02/raising-banner-of-temple-consciousness.html">Temple consciousness</a></span> have been in the minority. <br /><br />Until now, that is...<span class="fullpost"><br /><a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/857511.html"><br />Increasing number of rabbis are allowing Jews to enter Temple Mount</a><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">An increasing number of religious Zionist rabbis are allowing their followers to enter the Temple Mount</span>, contrary to the religious consensus on the matter.<br /><br />This weekend, the rabbis Haim Druckman and Avraham Zukerman, of the Bnei Akiva youth movement, and Tzafania Drori, chief rabbi of Kiryat Shmona, are set to join this growing group with an ad in the Orthodox media. <span style="font-weight:bold;">The rabbis, who are major figures in the religious Zionist movement, will call on Jews wishing to enter the Temple Mount "in purity, to ascend at this time to the to the places permitted for Jews to enter."</span><br /><br />The three rabbis are known for their principle support for letting Jews on to the Temple Mount. But they had not yet expressed their stand formally, because of the religious sensitivity of the issue. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Now, in honor of the 40th anniversary of Jerusalem's unification, with many right-wing movements placing the Temple Mount on their agenda, the rabbis have decided to call publicly on <a href="http://www.hamikdash.com/Aliya_English.html">Jews to go to the Mount</a>.</span><br /><br />In publishing the ad, they will be joining dozens of other rabbis of the religious Zionist stream, among them rabbis in West Bank settlements, who in recent years have allowed Jews to go to the Temple Mount <a href="http://www.templeinstitute.org/temple_mount_awakening.htm">within the bounds of Jewish law</a>. </blockquote> It's taken forty years, but perhaps the relationship of the Jewish People to the Temple Mount is beginning to change for the better.<br /><br />Additionally, let's not overlook the moral to this story. <br /><br />For many years, there have been a handful of dedicated individuals and <a href="http://www.templeinstitute.org/main.htm">organizations</a> who have devoted themselves to promoting Temple Consciousness. At first they were viewed as radicals or a fringe element, but over time, as can be seen from the above story, their efforts have begun to produce results, and their messages and ideology are slowly but surely working there way into the consensus.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.templeinstitute.org/statement.htm">Temple consciousness</a>... <a href="http://www.neozionist.com/neozionism.html">Neo-Zionism</a>... <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/45132">The Aliyah Revolution</a>... <br /><br />It's all just a matter of time.</span></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-23512552287280191402007-05-08T13:48:00.000+03:002007-05-08T13:52:12.636+03:00Is every Jew really responsible for one another? (Kol Yisrael areivim zeh la'zeh?)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3396678,00.html">Drivers ignore dying man on road</a></span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://players.mediazone.co.il/media/authors/34/playlists/17341/players/3/" width=400 height=328 marginwidth=0 marginheight=0 hspace=0 vspace=0 scrolling=no frameborder=0></iframe><br /><br />(<a href="http://players.mediazone.co.il/media/authors/34/playlists/17341/17341_static.asx">Click here</a> if video doesn't download.)<br /><br />Shocking.<br /><br />Disturbing.<br /><br />Appalling. <br /><br />These are just a few of the words that come to mind. <br /><br />Can it be that Israeli society has become so cold, unforgiving and apathetic (as <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3397221,00.html">Avi Dichter</a>, Israel's Internal Security minister, asserts)? <br /><br />Before casting blame and making sweeping judgements, it's important to place this tragic event in the proper context.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />On the morning of March 13th, 1964, 29 year old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Genovese">Kitty Genovese</a> was brutally murdered just outside her New York apartment. <br /><br />For over 30 minutes, 40 of Ms. Genovese's neighbors watched the brutal attack, doing absolutely nothing. Only 35 minutes after the attack had begun did someone finally call the police. <br /><br />In order to determine if New Yorkers were in fact cold and heartless, or, if perhaps there was another explanation as to why no one responded to Ms. Genovese's cries for help, <a href="http://www.pineforge.com/newman6study/resources/latane1.htm">a series of experiments were conducted</a>. <blockquote>The researchers consistently found that as the number of bystanders increased, the likelihood that any one of them would help decreased. </blockquote> This phenomenon is known as the "bystander effect".<blockquote>If we are by ourselves when an emergency occurs, we perceive ourselves to be 100% responsible for taking action. However, when there are 10 bystanders, we each perceive ourselves to have only a tenth of the responsibility. The higher the number of bystanders, the less obligated each individual is likely to feel to intervene.</blockquote> Another explanation given is...<blockquote>If we are unsure of our own perceptions and interpretations, or if the situation is ambiguous, we look to others for help in defining what is going on. If others appear calm, we may decide that whatever is happening doesn't require our assistance. </blockquote> When these findings are applied to Israel society, I believe that we can better understand why this tragic event occurred, and how similar occurrences can be prevented in the future..<br /><br />Frankly, over the last two decades, as corruption and deceit infected many of the seats of power within Israeli society - particularly the government - average Israelis came to feel that they were no longer able to make a difference. Israeli society was now ruled by the law of the jungle - everyone for themselves and the survival of the fittest - and whoever didn't play by those rules would come to be viewed as <span style="font-style:italic;">friers</span> / (suckers) - the absolute worst thing you can call an Israeli. <br /><br />It is not a matter of Israeli society being populated by cold and heartless individuals, quite to the contrary. However, the foreign values that have consciously been imported from abroad (courtesy of Israel's ruling elites), such as individualism and materialism have come to replace the authentic Jewish values of self-sacrifice and of caring for the needs of the community. <br /><br />We are taught in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of our Fathers, 5:22): <blockquote>Whoever possesses these three qualities belongs to the disciples of Abraham our father: a generous eye, a humble spirit, and a meek soul. <br /><br />But he who possesses the three opposite qualities--an evil eye, a proud spirit, and a haughty soul--is of the disciples of Bilam the wicked.</blockquote> So, what is the solution?<br /><br />I believe that each and every one of us needs to take upon themselves a sense of personal responsibility for making the Jewish State of Israel the best it can possibly be. <br /><br />True, there are many challenges within Israeli society, and we can't possibly overcome all of them with our limited abilities and resources, but, returning once again to Pirkei Avot, 2:21:<br /><blockquote>It is not incumbent upon you to finish the task. Yet, you are not free to desist from it. </blockquote></span></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-56669121263211150312007-03-22T15:40:00.000+02:002007-03-22T21:01:18.714+02:00Sex in the Holy City - Part 4: Sluts R' Us<div style="text-align: justify;">It's been a long time coming, but the 4th installment of "<span style="font-style: italic;">Sex in the Holy City</span>" has arrived!<br /><br />(Click for <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2006/01/sex-in-holy-city.html">Part I</a>, <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2006/01/sex-in-holy-city-part-2.html">Part II</a> and <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2006/03/sex-in-holy-city-part-3.html">Part III</a>)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173879144044&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull">Israel to put its babes forward in Maxim-um PR effort</a><br /><blockquote>The beer 'n' babes magazine Maxim will send photographers to Israel next week for an Israeli women photo shoot <span style="font-weight: bold;">that Foreign Ministry officials hope redefines what the magazine's hormone-charged readers think when they hear television reporters say "the situation in Israel is hot.</span>"<br /><br />"All the surveys we have done shows that the biggest hasbara problem that Israel has is with males from the age of 18-35," said David Saranga, the consul for media and public affairs at Israel's consulate in New York... "In order to change their perception of Israel as only a land of conflict, <span style="font-weight: bold;">we want to present to them an Israel that interests them...</span>"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />The Israeli models, Saranga said, "were a "Trojan horse" to present Israel as a modern country with nice beaches and pretty women.</span> "Many Americans don't even know we have beaches," he said. <span style="font-weight: bold;">"We want to show that we are a normal society like all others."</span> </blockquote>Is the reason why the State of Israel is hated by so many because, up until now, these people didn't realize that in Israel there are trashy looking women prancing around on our beaches?<br /><br />For arguments sake, let's imagine that this marketing campaign could in fact sway some testosterone charged 18 - 35 year old men to have a more favorable impression of Israel - it's still wrong!<br /><br />There is no goal that is so important as to merit the encouragement of young, Jewish girls in Israel to act like sluts - and all for the entire world to see, to boot.<br /><br />Where is our sense of Jewish national pride? Of Jewish national shame?<br /><br />The Jewish People, throughout our history, have never won any popularity contests, and we likely never will. However, despite all the harsh persecutions, we always maintained our self-respect and dignity, and remained true to our Heritage.<br /><br />Remember! We are the Jewish People - sons of Prophets and Kings - let's start acting like it.<br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hadar</span><br /><br />Even in poverty a Jew is a prince<br />Whether slave or tramp<br />You have been created the son of kings<br />Crowned with the diadem of David<br />Whether in light or in darkness<br />Always remember the crown<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ze%27ev_Jabotinsky"><br />Ze'ev Jabotinsky</a> - <a href="http://www.csuohio.edu/tagar/betar.htm">The Song of Betar</a> (Translated from Hebrew) </blockquote><a href="http://www.csuohio.edu/tagar/betar.htm"></a><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Israel" rel="tag">Israel</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Jewish" rel="tag">Jewish</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Judaism" rel="tag">Judaism</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Zionism" rel="tag">Zionism</a></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-64021999303355445942007-03-21T10:13:00.000+02:002007-03-21T10:18:59.224+02:00Israel Media Round-Up: Israeli Arab Edition<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RgDpXQMwUaI/AAAAAAAAAAU/78g6roWfDEI/s1600-h/newspapers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/RgDpXQMwUaI/AAAAAAAAAAU/78g6roWfDEI/s320/newspapers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044288168349684130" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Consider the following recent headlines about Israel's (loyal?) Arab citizens:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173879115253&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull">MK Sarsour calls Muslims to free J'lem</a><br /><blockquote>MK Ibrahim Sarsour (UAL-TA'AL), Speaking at the "Jerusalem First" conference in Ramallah, the lawmaker emphasized the importance of Jerusalem to Islam, and called on participants to "act together to become a torrent on the road to liberation."<br /><br />"Just as the Muslims once liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders, so must we today believe that we can liberate Jerusalem. It is not an impossible dream," he said.</blockquote><span class="fullpost"><a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/839029.html">Poll: Over 25% of Israeli Arabs say Holocaust never happened</a><br /><blockquote>In its most dramatic finding, the poll showed that 28 percent of Israeli Arabs did not believe the Holocaust happened, and that among high school and college graduates the figure was even higher - 33 percent...<br /><br />While 89 percent said they view Israel's bombing of Lebanon as a war crime, only 44 percent said they see Hezbollah's attacks on Israel as such. Hezbollah pelted northern Israel with nearly 4,000 rockets.<br /><br />Half of Israeli Arab respondents said Hezbollah's capture of Israel Defense Forces reserves soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in a cross-border raid was justified.</blockquote><a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3377681,00.html">Majadele refuses to sing national anthem</a><br /><blockquote>Israel's first Arab minister said in newspaper interview he would not sing anthem, because song was written 'only for Jews'...<br /><br />In the interview, Majadele said, "Of course I would not sing the anthem in its current form. But before we talk about symbols, I want to talk about equal education for my children. It's more important that my son would be able to buy a house, live with dignity… the Arabs are not in a mood to sing right now."</blockquote><a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173879131036&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull"><br />MK a-Sanaa calls to boycott Israel</a><br /><blockquote>United Arab List MK Taleb a-Sanaa on Tuesday called on the international community to boycott Israel, after a large group of yeshiva students moved into a Hebron home formerly owned by a Palestinian who claimed not to have sold them the house.</blockquote>The articles speak for themselves - and no, <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2007/03/jewish-establishment-and-israels-arab.html">the solution</a> is not to promote Jewish / Arab co-existence programming!)<br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Israel" rel="tag">Israel</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Jewish" rel="tag">Jewish</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Judaism" rel="tag">Judaism</a> <br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Zionism" rel="tag">Zionism</a></span></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-31743688971906954202007-03-20T13:31:00.000+02:002007-03-21T13:20:36.796+02:00Hulk Hogan Knows Best: Jews in the Exile and Keeping Kosher<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/Rf_JdgMwUZI/AAAAAAAAAAM/VvKvl5BPofA/s1600-h/Hulk+Hogan+pastamania.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LPAeBCEgz7Q/Rf_JdgMwUZI/AAAAAAAAAAM/VvKvl5BPofA/s320/Hulk+Hogan+pastamania.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043971616375067026" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">It seems like everyone has their own reality TV show these days.<br /><br />Even... <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulk_Hogan">Hulk Hogan</a>.<br /><br />Believe it or not, but <span style="font-style: italic;">VH1</span> has started a reality series about everyone's favorite professional wrestler, Hulk Hogan, entitled, <span style="font-style: italic;">Hogan Knows Best</span>, featuring the exploits of Hulk Hogan and his family. <span style="font-weight: bold;">The show has even devoted a number of episodes to Hulk Hogan (and family) learning about what it means to keep Kosher.</span><br /><br />While the episodes are quite funny, I really don't know which is sadder - Hogan's attempts at keeping Kosher - or the many observant Jews who seem to be so at home in the Exile known as Miami Beach, enjoying their chance to be <a href="http://www.geocities.com/hulkroif/hulkring.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Hulkamaniacs</span></a> (kind of like the Jews who had such a great time at Achashveirosh's party - of <span style="font-style:italic;">Purim</span> fame - celebrating the end of <span style="font-style:italic;">Am Yisra'el</span>, content to live merely as Persians of the Mosaic persuasion.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Check it out for yourself </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.vh1.com/vspot/player.jhtml?id=1545351&launchedFrom=/shows/dyn/hogan_knows_best_3/series_videos.jhtml">here</a>.<br /><br />Each episode is about two minutes in length. If you can't watch them all, I recommend episodes 3 - 6, and 8.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">WARNING</span>: There are some immodestly dressed women in these episodes (namely, Hogan's wife and daughter.)<br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Israel" rel="tag">Israel</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Jewish" rel="tag">Jewish</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Judaism" rel="tag">Judaism</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Zionism" rel="tag">Zionism</a></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-15274089292582294392007-03-20T11:53:00.000+02:002007-03-21T10:05:55.978+02:00On Helping Israel's Arabs: The Glass Half - Full Approach<div style="text-align: justify;">Over the last year, it seems that the most popular cause being championed by the <span style="font-style: italic;">Jewish Establishment</span> organizations, both in Israel and abroad, is <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/121857">the cause of equality for Israel's Arabs</a> (and <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/6945">here</a>.)<br /><br />While I have no doubt as to <a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2006/05/kindness-of-fools-part-i.html">the harmfulness of these actions to both the Jewish People and State</a>, I do believe that many of the Jews donating money to this cause (knowingly or not), are convinced that through providing financial assistance to Israel's Arab community they are strengthening the Jewish State of Israel. Well, perhaps, with a little creativity, we can help them do just that.<br /><br />The <span style="font-style: italic;">Jewish Establishment</span> has already displayed its willingness to turn to Jewish communities throughout the world and raise millions upon millions of dollars for Israel's Arabs. However, instead of this money being used to strengthen Israel's Arab communities, the money can be used to help Israel's Arabs relocate, under favorable financial terms, to a place where they can feel more at home.<br /><br />In this way, the money being raised by the Jewish Establishment will not only be helping Israel's Arabs live a better life, but at the same time will be strengthening Israel as a Jewish State.<br /><br />Of course, not all of Israel's Arabs will be interested in such an initiative, but I suspect that there will be many that will jump at the opportunity. Those Arabs that are hell-bent on remaining as a bone in the throat of the Jewish State need not look for handouts from the Jewish People - and for which other solutions will need to be developed.<br /><br />As I see it, this is a win-win situation for everyone involved.<br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Israel" rel="tag">Israel</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Jewish" rel="tag">Jewish</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Judaism" rel="tag">Judaism</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Zionism" rel="tag">Zionism</a></div>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13087290.post-37218897939590849362007-03-14T19:05:00.000+02:002007-03-15T13:45:13.539+02:00So much for being a hardcore settler...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/Ma'aleh-Adumim-construction-711951.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/Ma'aleh-Adumim-construction-711940.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Back in November 2006, <a href="http://www.peacenow.org.il/site/en/peace.asp?pi=61&fld=191&docid=2024">Peace Now came out with a report</a> which claimed, among other things, that Ma'aleh Adumim, the largest Jewish community in Judea and Samaria - just east of Jerusalem, with a population of 30,000+ (and growing), and where I happen to live, was in fact built (86%) on private "Palestinian" land. <br /><br />In all honesty, I was elated. <br /><br />Why, you might ask?<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Simply put, even though Ma'aleh Adumim is techinically over the "Green Line", as far as "settlements" go, it's kind of lame, as Ma'aleh Adumim is unquestionably a part of the Israeli consensus regarding the future borders of the State of Israel.<br /><br />However, that all changed once the Peace Now report came out, and overnight Ma'aleh Adumim went from being this nice, quiet city just outside of Jerusalem, in the hillside of the Judean desert, to being a bastion of ultra-nationalist, hardcore settlers, building their homes on the <span style="font-style:italic;">stolen land</span> of <span style="font-style:italic;">peace-loving, innocent</span> "Palestinians".<br /><br />Finally! <br /><br />Once and for all, I was able to walk with my head held high amongst my peers, many of whom are living in "<a href="http://israelperspectives.blogspot.com/2005/09/reconnecting-with-land-of-israel.html">outposts</a>", caravans, and "settlements" far more "provocative" than Ma'aleh Adumim. <br /><br />Until today, that is.<br /><br />Unsurprisingly, the aforementioned Peace Now report has been debunked.<br /><a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173823735051&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull"><br />IDF data show flaws in Peace Now report</a><br /><blockquote>In November, Peace Now claimed that 86 percent of Ma'aleh Adumim was built on private Palestinian land. After successfully petitioning the court to see the database, <span style="font-weight:bold;">the group reported Wednesday that data show that only 0.5% of the settlement is built on private land.<br /><br />"The first report they released had major mistakes,</span>" said Capt. Zidki Maman, spokesman for the Civil Administration in the West Bank.</blockquote> <br />Well, it was fun while it lasted, but it seems like I must return to being the mild-mannered, "just outside of Jerusalem," consensus Ze'ev. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Eizeh basa!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Israel" rel="tag">Israel</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Jewish" rel="tag">Jewish</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Judaism" rel="tag">Judaism</a> <br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Zionism" rel="tag">Zionism</a></div></span>Ze'evhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07991885367120305777noreply@blogger.com5