Second Thoughts

We're Moving

2011-06-12T05:26:00.001-07:00

To all my faithful followers (all 17 of you :-); For a number of reasons I'm combining all my various personal blogs into one online corner I've named "The View from my Window". I can promise you that you will only benefit from the ability to see the various different aspects of my personality/life style. In about a month this site will go "off-the-air" (as well as Second Thoughts).

Down With Hanukah

2010-12-02T07:33:00.000-08:00

[ YBA - I had to share this! I've been saying something similar since the early seventies.] Only part of the story was the Maccabees fight for getting the Greeks out of Israel, and the cleansing and dedication of the Temple. The Chanukah Story was also about a civil war amongst the Jews. Judah and the boys were fighting other Jews who had turned away from their faith by combining it with Greek/

We Owe the Jews

2010-08-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

What follows is an edited version of a speech delivered by historian Andrew Roberts to the Friends of Israel Initiative in the British House of Commons on July 19, published in the National Post · Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010 From Morocco to Afghanistan, from the Caspian Sea to Aden, the 5.25 million square miles of territory belonging to members of the Arab League is home to over 330 million people,

Anti-Zionism - facts (and ﬁctions) By Howard Jacobson

2010-07-29T00:30:00.000-07:00

[[YBA As one (as yet unpublished) writer of fiction which flirts with Jewish and Israeli issues, I found Mr. Jacobson's insight into the creation of his own novel fascinating reading. Enjoy!]] Every other Wednesday, except for festivals and High Holy-days, an anti-Zionist group called ASHamed Jews meets in an upstairs room in the Groucho Club in Soho to dissociate itself from Israel, urge

An Author's Self Respect

2010-05-30T03:26:00.000-07:00

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. Cyril Connolly

Abraham and the Freedom of Speach

2010-02-26T03:40:00.000-08:00

I remember that is was a warm sunny late spring day. The kind of day, a harbinger of long lazy summer days yet to some. It was probably a Saturday. My pleasure trip for such a day was to walk to the Wellington Park library where an impressive stone building had been built on the edge of the large tree lined park that encompassed an entire city block. I must have been around thirteen or

Why I Don't Demonstrate

2009-12-18T00:02:00.000-08:00

I used to. There isn't a demonstration connected to Eretz Israel that some representive of our family hasn't participated it, at least since our return in 1992. The reason I personally no longer participate stems from two separate reasons.The first is self evident. It is a waste of time. Over two hundred and fifty thousand people crowded around the Israeli Kenesset building on the eve of the

The Jew from Kuwait

2009-12-09T05:13:00.000-08:00

[As my dear friend Dr. Block is mentioned in a very meaningful way in this story I felt the need to post it so I can return to it from time to time. There are echos of my story and my persional relationship with Dr. Block in this story. YBA]The Jew from Kuwait by Mark HalawaMy Muslim background left me unprepared for this shocking discovery.Growing up in Kuwait, I had the best of everything. My

The Lies that Prevent PeaceThe 14 Lies Blocking Peace in the Middle East

2009-08-16T02:34:00.000-07:00

The 14 Lies Blocking Peace in the Middle East[YBA - The absolute best summary of this issue I've read anywhere!.]By: Steven PlautIsrael’s enemies around the world have poisoned the debate with their smoke and mirrors.If a Martian were suddenly to land on earth and start listening to and reading the mainstream media, he would form the impression that the entire Middle East conflict were due to

Left? Right? A Clarification

2009-02-20T01:58:00.000-08:00

Inspired by an article by Yehudit Desberg, published in Makor Rishon, 20.02.2009In my old age I no longer have the energy or the patience to philosophize for hours at a time, searching for the essence of a concept or in a futile attempt to identify the differences between two opposing views. Today I'm much more likely to read or hear someone else's moment of clarity and tap into it for the tools

Open Letter to A Critic of Israel

2009-01-08T04:47:00.000-08:00

[ YBA - I have no idea who Annie Lennox is, sounds like a SkyNews journalist. Similarly I never met the author of this letter Mr. Lipschitz, but due to the severe time restraints of my current occupation, I could never find time to write anything as clear and to-the-point as he has, so I'm sharing this with you, my readers. All emphasis has been added by myself! Enjoy!]Dear Annie, As a long

The Sternhell Travesty

2008-09-25T05:07:00.000-07:00

Israel Prize winner Professor Ze'ev Sternhell was lightly wounded after a small pipe bomb at the entrance of his home in Jerusalem exploded overnight Wednesday. He was taken to a Jerusalem hospital early Thursday. (JPost.com Sept 25, 2008)It of course is fascinating to see how the Left fights for the rights of the Arabs dedicating to destroying Israel, yet when someone supposedly attacks them,

Why I Am a Zionist

2008-05-07T02:05:00.000-07:00

The following is a powerful "I believe ..." statement by a man I only know by name, but respect and to a great extent, agree with. My Yom HaAtzmaut contribution to "Second Thoughts" this 60th Independence Day, 2008.Today, too many friends and foes define Israel, and Zionism, by the Arab world's hostility. Doing so misses Israel's everyday miracles, the millions who live and learn, laugh and play

The U.S. Congress in 1922 - Jewish Rights to the Land

2008-03-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

A moment of history from the annuals of the U.S. Congress in 1922On June 30, 1922, a joint resolution of both Houses of Congress of the United States unanimously endorsed the "Mandate for Palestine," confirming the irrevocable right of Jews to settle in the area of Palestine�anywhere between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea:"Favoring the establishment in Palestine of a national home for

La’Or : One Heart & A New Spirit

2008-02-17T09:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, so the video clip of Professor Yakov Chasdai is in Hebrew, but as a renown military historian who assisted the Granat Commission assessing the problems which led to the Yom Kippur War of 1974, I think this man's words have some weight. That the organization he heads is also pressing for a restructuring of the Israel system of government, how can I not take an interest in him and what his

Israel Matzav: Email from Sderot

2008-02-12T06:45:00.000-08:00

In response to Israel Matzav: Email from Sderot maybe its about time someone arranged for Tel Aviv / Ramat Gan / Hertzeliya to get a taste of a few kasamim?

Arabic Logic

2008-02-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

"All we want is an open border crossing," Abu Zuhri said. "Instead of making these threats against the Palestinian people, he (Aboul Gheit) should voice his anger against the Israeli occupation, which is what is closing the border crossings between Gaza and Egypt." Can some one explain to me how Israel is the reason Egypt is closing its border with Gaza?

No to a Majority Tyranny

2008-01-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

by Rabbi Dov BerkovitsThe writer is head of 'Bet Av -- Renewal and Creativity in Torah' and former director of the Pardes Institute. He's long been involved in programs for religious and secular Israelis. Berkovits's latest book, She-asani Gever -- Talmudic Discussions in the Eye of a Storm, is scheduled for publication by Yediot Aharonot in the coming months.A recent exchange of letters to the

Why Everyone Hates the Settlers

2007-12-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

by Tzvi Fishman4 Tevet 5768, 13 December 07[I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of Mr Fishman nor have I ever been an enthusiastic supporter of Rav Levinger. None the less, when a person speaks truth, I accept it from where ever it comes. In my 56 year experience, the past thirty four of them in or associated with Israel and the Jewish People, the following rings true as few other blog posts are

Israel's Dangerous Plutocracy

2007-07-06T03:24:00.000-07:00

In April of 1906, Roosevelt said, "Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of statesmanship of the day."My critics have often chided me on my "paranoia". For years

G-d In search of Man

2007-05-06T04:44:00.000-07:00

Over the many years I have worked online I have made the 'virtual acquaintance' of many people from many different beliefs. One of these correspondents is a devout Christian with whom I once agreed to agree to disagree and have maintained a loose connection with since our business dealings ended. Recently I received an interesting email from her which I have responded to in the following post.

Pulitzer Prizes?

2007-04-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

One of the topics in the Israeli Press this week has been the Pulitzer Prize to an Israeli journalist for the photograph that I personally felt captured the essence of Amona, and with it the post-Disengagement spirit of the pro-Eretz-Israel movement. The question is - how do you view the photograph?Is the religious fanatic throwing herself in a desperate attempt to thwart the forces of

Artificial Intelligence and Love

2007-01-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

For the longest time I’ve had a collection of thoughts associated with Spielberg’s movie A.I. rolling around in the back of my mind. I thought I’d take a moment to try and sort them out in print and see if they make sense.There are certain producers, like Spielberg, for whom motion picture creation is not just a way of making a living, earning a fortune or acquiring fame. It is my personal

Breaking Point - Olmart's Duplicity

2007-01-23T01:46:00.000-08:00

Secret talks handing West Bank to AbbasBy Aaron Klein © 2007 WorldNetDaily.com JERUSALEM – Israel and the Palestinians have been conducting behind-the-scene negotiations regarding handing over most of the West Bank to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas,

Wiki Eretz Israel Neeeds YOU!

2007-01-18T03:37:00.000-08:00

Not a day goes by without the world media reporting some ‘incident’ that occurs here in Israel. Just what do those Hebrew or Arabic place names mean to the average reader in France, Australia or Canada? Providing that ‘background’ information is also ‘hasbara’! Describing how those places are connected to the history of the Jewish people makes it all that much clearer why we are here, why this

Know Your (Muslim) Neighbour

2007-01-17T01:28:00.000-08:00

A powerful collection of video clips providing a clear understanding what Muslims in the UK's "moderate" mosques are being taught day after day after day.

Lessons from the Barbary Pirates (1784-1815)

2007-01-16T15:06:00.000-08:00

This is part of a much longer analysis by David Yerushalmi as to why Appeasement (clothed as "Convergence") doesn't work when either of the parties in the conflict are (irrationally) unreasonable. What makes the argument powerful is the consistent historical proofs that he brings to support it. The eye opener for me was the realization that the episode of the Barbary Pirates of 1784 to 1815 was

Israel: Apartheid State

2007-01-04T00:36:00.000-08:00

A second fantasy is that Israel is an apartheid state and that peace would be at hand if only Israel ended its apartheid ways. This fantasy is exemplified by the just released scurrilous tract Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, by Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter. Now, basic to apartheid, the legal regime in South Africa until 1994, was the denationalization of blacks because they were black

The Danger of Reform Conversions

2006-12-15T03:49:00.000-08:00

Dearest Chaviva,I normally shun these public Internet discussions as more often than not someone ends up being offend or hurt by the opinions expressed, to witness your comment:“To say, in sum, that I am part of a religion that is in no way Judaism.That I am living in a religion that is, in essence, one big fat sin.”Out of respect for your willingness to exchange understandings I ‘ll respond to

Peversions of Nationalism

2006-12-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

“Every nationalist is haunted by the belief that the past can be altered,” George Orwell wrote in his landmark 1945 essay Notes on Nationalism. “He spends part of his time in a fantasy world in which things happen as they should. It is difficult to feel that the people responsible are merely lying. More probably they feel that their own version was what happened in the sight of God, and that one

From the mouth of babes

2006-11-30T01:10:00.000-08:00

See this short video interview by Arutz 7 TV, of Hanan, Yaakov's younger son. Hanan died in a qasam attack earlier this week. http://www.inn.co.il/News/News.aspx/156651The interview is in Hebrew but even those who do not speak the language should view it.For a short summary of the interview:Hanan (who seems to be around 11 years old), says he did not imagine such a thing would happen. "Without

End of Palestinian Refugee Problem

2006-10-16T18:51:00.000-07:00

Adwan wondered how Jordan was able to contain 600,000 Iraqis but refuse to allow 280 Palestinians from staying on its territories. The People's Daily Newspaper out of Beijing in the People's Republic of China, reports that the Palestinian leadership is very upset with the Arab country of Jordan. The telling fact in the short excerpt (click the post title to read the entire article) is that Jordan

Unacceptable Conversions

2006-10-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

There is an ongoing debate in Israel over the various programs to convert the tens of thousands of non-Jews who moved to Israel over the past decade. The following are some of my thoughts on the issue: Jerusalem Talmud, Tractate of KedushimChapter 4, Halacha 1 He who converts for love, whether it be a man for a woman or a woman for a man; also converts of the kings table(1) and converts of the

Strengthened Jewish Unity? Pass GO and Collect $100,000

2006-09-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

Nominations for the 2007 Charles Bronfman Prize can be completed and submitted betweenAugust 1, 2006 and October 31, 2006Click Here To Connect to the Nomination Process & Nomination FormsThe Charles Bronfman Prize is an humanitarian award created and funded by his children -- Ellen Bronfman Hauptman and Andrew Hauptman together with Stephen Bronfman and Claudine Blondin Bronfman -- in honor of

Why The Pope was Wrong

2006-09-18T15:22:00.000-07:00

A lot of people seem to have a problem understanding why Muslims think the Pope was wrong for publicly saying what he did. Maybe the following story-in-a-story will help them understand.I once lived in Kiryat Araba - Hebron. Several times a week I would walk down to the center of the Arab city where the central bus station was located and took an Arab taxi (Sherut) to Jerusalem. As I frequently

Inherent Contradictions

2006-09-17T00:20:00.000-07:00

"Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence," [Pakistani] Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said.And what exactly did the man say?The Pope began this speech at Regensburg University with what he conceded were "brusque" words about Islam: He quoted a 14th Century Byzantine emperor as saying, ÂShow me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you

The New Amelek

2006-09-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

In the Torah there are two kinds of "enemies" the People of Israel must deal with in order to settle the Land of Israel and establish themselves as a nation. The first are the indigenous nations, in particular the "seven people" who live in the land before the arrival of the Jewish People. The Torah actually commands the complete eradication of these people, but only if they refuse to pick up and

Judaism versus Democracry

2006-09-03T01:03:00.000-07:00

I tend to be pragmatic. As a result when the question of how an "authentic" Jewish state should govern itself, I tend to seek "what will work" rather than possible unatainable "ideals". Whenever the question of how to get large number of individuals with dissimilar ideas and beliefs to cooperate, I tend to seek the common denominator and workable compromises. My purpose for this preamble is to

Commission of Inquiry Mandate

2006-09-03T00:56:00.000-07:00

I read an very interesting article in last weeks' (Parshat Shoftim 2nd of Elul 5766) 'B'Ahava uB'Emunah' published in Hebrew by Macon Meir. the writer was Rav Menachem Man, formerly of Gush Katif, and he explored the necessity of widdening the mandate of any National Committee of Inquiry that might be formed (once Olmart & co. are deposed). Whether or not the suggestions in the article are very

A Revolution in Values

2006-08-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

Protest in the Rose GardenBy Ari ShavitWhat do we need to do these days? Not much. To prevent the renewal of war in Lebanon and to win the war should it begin anew. To avoid the outbreak of war with Syria and to win a war against it should one break out. To prevent Iran from developing its nuclear capability and to deter the country should it become a nuclear power. To build the Israel Defense

We Won't Forgive Nor Forget

2006-08-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

A photo essay with background music commemorating the destruction of twenty five communities of Gush Katif and The Northern Shamron last August by the post-Zionist forces of the government of the State of Israel.

A September 11th Memorial Initiative

2006-08-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers will join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11.Each person will pay tribute to a single victim.We will honor them by remembering their lives, and not by remembering their murderers.For more information visit 2,996

Israel Security Fence

2006-08-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

It looks like I'm in the minority, but I personally do not mind living "beyond" the Security Fence. As uncomfortable as it might become, I sincerely believe that the fence is a very valuable tactical and strategic tool which will not only save Jewish lives (and indirectly the lives of others) but also contribute toward a significant decline in the non-Jewish population of Judea & Samaria. Let me

Strength of Israel

2006-08-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

In Safed, a poverty-stricken city in the best of times, one of the most impressive corps of young volunteers swooping down on the city came from an organization called "Lev Echad," One Heart. The organization formed last year to comfort the families from Gaza displaced by the unilateral withdrawal-and consisted mostly of the "orange," national religious anti-disengagement youth. Now, the

Orange Revolution : Accountability

2006-08-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

Demanding accountability from incompetent political and military leaders who led us into defeat against an enemy we could and should have beaten is not opening a civil war. It is the proper response from a responsible public that understands our leaders are incapable of defending the country.Our World: Emanuel Morano's Legacy,by Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post Aug. 22, 2006That wonderful word has

Obsession: What The War on Terror Is Really About

2006-07-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

Finally the people who produced the award winning film on the Arab-Israel Crisis turn their attention to the threat of global Radical Islam. A must see for anyone who wants to see Islamic propoganda in perspective!

Historic Refusal to Shake Hands

2006-05-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

לאחר פרעות תרפ"ט, נזדמנן המרן הראי"ה קוק זצ"ל להיפגש עם המושל האנגלי לוק, שהיה האחראי מטעם השלטון האנגלי בארץ בימי הפרעות, כממלא מקום הנציב העליון. סירב הרב ללחוץ את ידו, כי אין ידיו נקיות מדם, ואמר לו בלשוןחריפה כי עליו להסתלק מתפקידו."שיחת אבות", על מסכת אבותAfter the riots of 1929, Rav Kook was invited to meet with the HighCommissioner Harry Luke, who was the representative of the British

Cruel Canadian Immigration Policy

2006-05-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

The Israeli Supreme Court decided Israel has the right to refuse to permit Palestinian spouses of Israeli citizens from automaticly being able to move and live in Israel.Justice Minister Haim Ramon of the centrist Kadima Party defended the ruling. "No place in the world is required to admit citizens from a country or authority with which it is in a state of conflict," he said. "We have to

Ongoing War

2006-05-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

I received the following from fellow Israeli Blogger Yaakov Ben-Yehuda:Dear Fellow Bloggers, Journalists, & Activists,I received the following blog recommendation from David Frankfurfer, and would like to pass it onto you:http://www.kerenmalki.org/Ongoing_War.htmKern Malki's Blog of "Daily Events Under-reported, Unreported, and Simply Misunderstood" is both a memorial to their daughter Malki HY"D

The Virtuous Handshake

2006-05-10T21:13:00.000-07:00

The following is a translation of a talk-back to an article in Maariv Online concerning the expulsion from IDF active service, of the soldier who felt incapable of shaking the Chief of Staff's hand at a cermony in the Presidential Mansion. The soldier was to receive a Presidential Award of Excellence:"From An Old Solider : What the army doesn't seem to understand is something very simple; the

Indicators of Healthy Countries

2006-05-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

You've got to read it to believe it. A serious article in the Foreign Policy Review magazine describes what contributes to "healthy" countries, and what looks good (free elections?) but doesn't necessary mean anything. What does work?There are few quick fixes on the path to stability. Elections might give voice to the disenfranchised, but they don’t necessarily translate into effect1ive

Condi's Cultural Short Circuit?

2006-05-09T15:58:00.000-07:00

Ahmadinejad's 18-page letter to President Bush touched only indirectly on the hottest dispute between the two countries - Iran's nuclear program. Instead, it focuses on a long list of grievances against the United States and seeks to build on a shared faith in God to resolve them.Rice told The Associated Press the letter "isn't addressing the issues that we're dealing with in a concrete way."If

Daled Amos: "They Will Always Hate You"

2006-05-09T14:36:00.000-07:00

Daled Amos: "They Will Always Hate You"When the self-confessed murderers of several Jews, when tried in Israel, can expect to spend a few months or at best years in jail before Israel eventually releases them in some self-deluding attempt at "confidence building initiatives" - how do you expect Arabs to relate to us!It is clear to me that those who have "blood on their hands" should expect the

Quota's for National Religious?

2006-05-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

According to Middle East Newsline, a news service that specializes in coverage of the IDF, Stern recently revised theIDF's guidelines for recruitment. In light of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's intention to expel tens of thousands of Israelis from theirhomes in Judea and Samaria, the IDF no longer believes that soldiers from the national religious camp are trustworthy. So, according to an

Where have all the [American] Jews gone ...

2006-04-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

I've read somewhere that today there are more Jews in Israel than any other country in the world. So where have all the American Jews gone? They certainly haven't all made Aliyah! The American Jewish Committee undertook a study of the 1.5 million younger Jews, ages 18 to 39, who comprise 29 percent of the U.S. Jewish population. The study came to some interesting conclusions." ... Orthodox Jews

One faceless story ....

2006-04-17T23:21:00.000-07:00

"Philip Balhasan's relatives said he traveled to Tel Aviv with his two children, Linor and Uri, after promising to buy them CDs and computer games for Passover. The son, Uri, recounted the moment of horror: "When we heard the blast, dad wrapped his arms around me and Linor and hugged us tightly. Then he said 'grab the phone, call mom and tell her about the attack.'" Shortly thereafter, Balhasan

Israel, you have failed!

2006-03-17T06:20:00.000-08:00

In reference to an article by Aluf Benn in Haaretz "Settlers, you have failed"Mr Benn decided to do a little soul searching on behalf of the "settlers", totalling up all the ways in which the "settlers" have failed. Mr. Benn's first conclusion is:"The first failure was in achieving the ultimate goal. The settlers did not succeed in attracting enough Jews to the hilltops of Samaria and cliffs of

View from the Eye of the Storm

2006-03-15T20:14:00.000-08:00

If you have time to read only one serious in-depth article analysing current International events, this is my recommendation. "A View From the Eye of the Storm" by Haim Harari is a powerful insightful analysis of what is going on in the world as seen by a man with 200 years of family history in the Middle East.Mr. Harari is Chair of the Davidson Institute of Science Education and Past President

Electoral Alternatives

2006-03-07T03:52:00.000-08:00

As you all know, I personally believe that the future of the Jewish State of Israel is dependent upon a radical change of political process. The first step of which is making elected officals accountable to their electorate. Benyamin Natanyahu recently decided to ride this hobby horse, hopefully rightfully believing that a broad spectrum of people are interested in a significant change.He has

Back To The Future

2006-03-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

It was only a matter of time until someone figured out how to warp through the time barrier, I mean with all this cyberspace business! The result is the RepublicWorldNews.com. The site is a news site from 2036.Well, really its a great farce! A kind of promotion for a new book. The best part, the thesis of the book which the site reinforces, is the conversion of most of Europe and America to

Human Beings -A New Definition

2006-02-27T20:19:00.000-08:00

I couldn't help but read the blog post "Treat Us Like Jews" by Israel Perspectives . Here is an excerpt:"...the essence of being a human being is the belief that nothing is sacred, nothing is worth fighting for, nothing is worth sacrificing for and nothing is worth dying for. Everybody has a price. Faith, ideology, and a life lived based on belief and ideals are all admirable, but at the end of

Calling A Spade, A Spade!

2006-02-27T18:49:00.000-08:00

Natan Sharansky in an interview with the MEQ interview:"We saw the Soviet Union as a rotten, weak society, liable to fall apart quickly, if only the West stopped supporting it. The first step in the Soviet Union's demise would be the West's enunciation of the true nature of the [Soviet] state. When Ronald Reagan, the leader of the free world, called a spade a spade and defined the roots of the

if you wish it, it is!

2006-02-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

Am I going to be criticised for this .... but if it had not been an Arab that told me this story, I would never have repeated here (or elsewhere).Many years ago I lived in Kiryat Arba. Several times a week, at the same time each day, I would walk downtown to the Arab Taxi stand and catch a 'Sherut' to Jerusalem. Over several weeks and months I came to know several drivers quite well. We would

Modern Golden Calf

2006-02-21T20:27:00.000-08:00

I'm certain there are going to be those of you who read this who will scratch their heads: "What took him so long!" None-the-less I feel it is important to go on record that just today, the 23rd of Sh'vat 5766 (02/21/2006) did I finally figure out what the Jewish-Israel argument is all about.All these thirty five years that I live here in the State of Israel, it was totally understood (by me)

Sign Up for Heaven

2006-02-19T15:35:00.000-08:00

At the start of the current war of terror I sketched out several fictional scenarios as to how such a war could be waged. One idea was that of multiple suicide bombers blowing themselves at multiple locations disrupting life simultaneously in different locations, and ultimately bringing the civil and military response and health systems to a state of collapse. To accomplish such a feat would

How Could I Marry You?

2006-02-16T13:56:00.000-08:00

I just read a post by a young Ger Tzdek in the New York area that reminded of a story a friend told me when I was in-the-process or shortly afterward.A young man (non-Jewish) and a young woman (Conservadox) went to public high school together in Windsor in the forties/fifties. As her parents were not pleased they kept their friendship both on a low key and very private. After high school they

They had it coming!

2006-02-14T13:56:00.000-08:00

In the post-Osama bin Laden and suicide-belt world of our own, we shudder at these fanatical riots, convincing ourselves that perhaps the Salman Rushdies, Theo Van Goghs, and Danish cartoonists of the world had it coming. I couldn't help myself! As I read these lines from a long article by Victor Davis Hanson titled "Losing Civilization" I had a sense of deja vu. Doesn't this sound eerily similar

Deeds Speak

2006-02-13T11:17:00.000-08:00

From the York Regional Police, Toronto, Canada web site:"Our motto, "DEEDS SPEAK", is interpreted to mean "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" and serves as an appropriate bridge between a proud past and a bright future. The motto was coined during the War of 1812 by the 3rd York Militia Regiment, in which many of the Home District Constables served. The Home District included today's York Region,

Someone Else Who Gets It

2006-02-06T04:35:00.000-08:00

There is a powerful short little post on "Solomonia" titled "A Jewish State, or Just a State?" in which Avraham Shmuel Lewin quotes Aaron Klein on being a yarmulke-wearing Jew in Israel. Asked to explain the institutionalized anti-religious practices he's encountered, Aaron replies, "It's the new nature of the cultural war in Israel. The great divide used to be the so-called right wing versus the

Wildfire?

2006-02-05T06:35:00.000-08:00

Someone once said that you know a good idea when a lot of other people (independently) arrive at the same conclusion at the same time! Check out the following site to see how other people are responding to the events at Amona on February 1st 2006, the 3rd of Shevat 5766.If you agree that "something" must be done to respond, subscribe to this site's notifications and contribute your thoughts.

The One Man in Amona Who Did Not Lift a Single Stone

2006-02-02T09:42:00.000-08:00

This is a man who served night and days for years on Israel's borders, dealing with the enemies of Israel in order that the thugs that did this to him could grow up in safety & security. Why does he look like this?And if he looks like this, it means that there are many others with head and body wounds who did nothing to deserve the beatings they received from Israel's "finest".For those who do

The Ultimate Protest

2006-02-02T00:05:00.000-08:00

As I read the various articles and the many comments it is becoming clear. The ultimate protest against a society or a system that refuses to permit real representation in the political process is initially violence, and eventually total and "disengagement".People ask me: "Are you for real? Israel, the shining example of 'Democracy in the Middle East' does not permit 'real representation' in the

Illegitimaty of Olmart's Actions

2006-01-31T05:39:00.000-08:00

I just read a brief prepared (Hebrew) by a Dr. Brayman which brought up a number of interesting points. It basically challenges the legitimacy of any controversial action on the part of Arik Sharon's/Ehud Olmart's "government".What we have here is:a "transition Government" traditionally encouraged to be careful not to undertake controversial policies in the eve of an election; (Legal Opinions to

Hatred as Precondition for Civil War

2006-01-31T04:55:00.000-08:00

I just read an article by Eliakim Haetzni on the Katif.net site. Here is an excerpt from his conclusions: And what did Sharon's cronies imagine? Did they think that you can turn pioneers into refugees overnight, or the nation's best into dust without causing a severe emotional reaction? The Chief of Staff showing the same arrogance that he has shown ever since he was appointed to be the commander

Illusion of Democracy

2006-01-31T04:39:00.000-08:00

Several friends have asked me why I am so critical of "The Only Democracy in the Middle East". Over the past few years I have grown more and more critical of the "Illusion of Democracy" perpetrated here in Israel. Not to deny that it has some benefits entirely, my criticism is that "democracy" is a tool, not an "ultimate value" in and of itself.Israel's democracy is not "representative" of the

The Reality of Democracy

2006-01-31T04:21:00.000-08:00

I noticed this in a recent Toronto Star article: If Israel and the West do not accept the results of the Palestinian election, it will only validate the claim by Islamic fundamentalists that parliamentary democracy is acceptable to the West only if serves the interests of the U.S., not the Arab people.If Israel makes the election of Hamas an excuse not to engage with the Palestinians, cynics will

Be Careful What You Wish For!

2006-01-29T07:14:00.000-08:00

"The Hamas members were dancing with their flags, and they announced Sharia law will soon rule in the Palestinian territories," said a source. Today's clashes [celebrating the Hamas victory in the PA elections] were the latest in a series of reports indicating Hamas is seeking to impose Taliban-like Islamic rule on the Palestinians. A Hamas-run council in the West Bank recently barred an open-air

Getting A Little Respect

2006-01-29T06:50:00.000-08:00

Thinking about the interview in which the Hamas leader said "Israel respects us when we are strong, therefore it is likely we will have a long struggle." I couldn't help remember a story a neighbor of mine once told me back in the early seventies.S.H. was working as a civilian for the IDF and often accompanied the officer in charge of the Southern Hebron Hills area on his travels. One day they

Is Dialog Possible?

2006-01-18T04:40:00.000-08:00

In response to several apparently innocent email messages from a local Arab, I decided to offer my correspondent the opportunity to use his willingness to be open and exchange information for some greater purpose than satisfy each other's curiosity. To that end I set up a blog (tentatively) called "Between Shilo & Turmos Ayya", the names of our two communities, separated by 2 kilometres and a

Rumours & Truth

2006-01-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

I hate to admit it, I don't always agree with the man but for once, I couldn't have said it better!Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Meir Indor, who heads the Almagor Terror Victims Association, brought up the absurd legal situation when he was interviewed by Israel Radio Tuesday morning. Indor was asked how he could allow his 16-year-old daughter to join protesters in Hevron who the interviewer referred

Opposites

2006-01-16T05:16:00.000-08:00

It never ceases to amaze me how everything in the world has it's opposite, but more often than not that "opposite" is couched in the same language as the 'original'. The example that caught my eye and prompted this post was a quote from a facinating article in the Chicago Tribune, exploring the Muslim Brotherhood in America!"Leaders were told that during prayer meetings they should focus on

Irony of Oslo

2006-01-15T06:37:00.000-08:00

The "upside" of the following news item is that all those Palestinian loving Jews on the radical Left will now feel better about all the money Israel invested in "by-pass" roads during the Oslo period. They were originally created to make it possible for Israeli traffic to travel through the non-Palestinian controlled areas safely, while permitting a withdrawal of Israel security forces from

Fences Make Good Neighbours

2006-01-09T00:38:00.000-08:00

[In response to a Political Rant disguised as an Architecture Article in January 1, 2006 New York Times]Dear Sirs,There is so much I could say about your very distorted view of the Security Fence in your article on January 1st titled "A Line in the Sand". "The wall destroys the space for those who once occupied the middle ground: those who refuse to divide the world into

Between Xian & Jew

2006-01-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

When you dig down deep underneath the "sectarian theology", I'd like to believe that everyone who believes that human kind was in some fashion "created" by a "supreme being" senses the underlying oneness that unites us all. The following excerpt from an article that explores both the pros and the cons of the "commonality" between believing Jews and evangelical Christians, includes the following

The Tragedy of It All!

2006-01-05T04:20:00.000-08:00

It is truly a tragic situation when good, decent people are relieved when tragedy befalls another Jew. It is not that these normally decent good hearted people want Arik Sharon to suffer or even die. They just want him out-of-the-way! As a result of divine providence or if you'd prefer blind fate, it looks like they'll get what they want.The real tragedy is that Arik Sharon is not the problem. He

Christmas in Jerusalem

2006-01-05T01:44:00.000-08:00

Appro to my post yesterday, and an interesting conversation I had with a coworker on the same issue, coincidentally, as I was writing the post - I tumbled onto a long and detailed article decribing the Israeli crimes against the Palestinians and how there is no hope for "peace" or "normalacy". Jay Michaelson describes the aspirations of the "secular" zionist like this:"At its

Follow Up to " The Orange Ray of Hope"

2006-01-05T01:38:00.000-08:00

To My Reader in Montreal, Shalom,First of all ... thank you for your long and detailed response!I think it is also important to remember that Western democracy is far from perfect and the fact that the West maintains that their democracy is the "way" to go in the Middle East, is just not right. How can the West assume to even think that they have the market on correct forms

www.orangerevolution.net - Latest Posts

2006-01-01T08:21:00.000-08:00

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The Orange Ray of Hope

2006-01-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

I sometimes ask my wife how she feels about being Jewish. The question isn't as facile as you might think. When your Jewishness is the result of your personal decision and not an inheritance from your parents and grandaparents, the very idea of Jewishness takes on an additional flavour and import. I like to ask my wife (and somethimes my children who don't have patience for their father's

Our Youth Do Not See Democracy

2005-12-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

by Yehudit TayarThere was a time when we were excited and proud to be a part of the democratic process of elections. There was a time when we knew which party was which, and what the platform was for each candidate.The out-going government today not only stole our heritage, destroyed flourishing communities and congregations, turned heroes into refugees, and our army, police

The Time is Now

2005-08-12T01:42:00.000-07:00

We enter the period of the year where the book of "Devarim" is read in the synagogue each week. I've heard the book called "The Book of Numbers" (or have I confused it with something else?). The last few weeks has been a building crescendo of numbers: The Rally in Netivot : 50 to 70 thousandThe March to Kefar Maimon 30+ thousandThe Siege of Kefar Maimon 50+ thousandThe Rally in Shederot 70+

Justification for Replacing the Current Form of Government

2005-07-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights ... That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to

Is Israel a Fascist State?

2005-07-31T08:44:00.000-07:00

You know how it is, you start looking for something on the Internet and you end up discovering all kinds of fascinating stuff that has nothing to do with what you originally sought! Today I stumbled upon an essay by a fellow called Lawrence Britt, supposedly a political scientist but I’m still looking for where he studies/teaches or other articles written by him.None-the-less, after years of

Between Hope and Despair

2005-07-26T01:07:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to find the words to articulate my feelings after last week's amazing experience at Kefar Maimon. Perhaps the best way is to relate a conversation I had with an acquaintance on the way home last week.My acquaintance probably saw on my face the tremendous wave of confused emotions I was experiencing and sought to draw me out, in the hope that talking about it might help me cope.

Protest 29 June 2005

2005-06-29T15:25:00.000-07:00

Again the frustrated citizens of Israel expressed their opposition to their government's policies in the only fashion that seems to get the authorities attention -blocking roads from Haifa to Beer Sheva! Here is the story of one such demonstration in the center of Israel.#flickr_badge_source_txt {padding:0; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif; color:#666666;}#

Israeli vs Jew

2005-06-29T02:11:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd mention the first time I ever heard of this dichotomy between Jew and Israeli! Way back in the early 70's my wife and I lived in Maalot. There was some twenty five years ago a wave of immigrants from the then Soviet Union. The Ministry of Absorption put a group of some fifty families up in a new sub-division originally built as apartments for sale to general public, near our home

Best Thing That Ever Happened To Us ...

2005-06-29T00:52:00.000-07:00

I'd like to join in the chorus on this one. Since my arrival on the shores of this beautiful but troubled country over thirty years ago, the awareness that Israeli society was raw, immature and unstable was one of my first and lasting impressions. I remember writing to my father about the last elections won by the Labour Party after the Yom Kipur War: "The walls [of this society] are all cracked,

Stop A Moment Protest

2005-06-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

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New Beginning

2005-06-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

Yes I know, I'm impulsive and prone to let me emotions carry me away! Despite my [gradually] growing maturity (I am already 54 years old), and my conscience effort to balance my emotions with my reason, those who now me know it isn't always so easy.Maybe it's because I care so much? More likely because I never learned how to "manage" my emotions until very late in life, and hence the "tools"