Isi Leibler
November 11, 2009
http://wordfromjerusalem.com/?p=1894

Ill winds are blowing. Tensions with the Obama administration are escalating. The odious Goldstone Report has provided a massive boost to the global campaign to delegitimize and brand us all as war criminals. Its full impact has yet to emerge. Many believe that the time has now come to suspend our traditional political squabbles and create a unity government. Until now, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has succeeded even beyond the wildest expectations of his supporters. Notwithstanding his reliance on the support of small, one-dimensional parties, he achieved a broad consensus and enjoys unprecedented support from the people.

Against all odds, Netanyahu navigated a diplomatic tightrope, delicately averting a total confrontation while resisting the unreasonable American demands to impose a total construction freeze on all settlements and Jerusalem. The harsh tactics employed by the Obama administration and its repudiation of the understandings reached with the Bush administration concerning the retention of the major settlement blocks, encouraged Israelis to unite in support of their prime minister.

But storm clouds are gathering and there are no grounds for complacency. The Obama administration failed disastrously in its efforts to engage or appease rogue states. Yet, those who initiated this policy still retain the reins of power and will no doubt regroup and try again. The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to President Barack Obama will only intensify pressure on him to achieve results in the Middle East. Hitherto such efforts amounted to offering Israel as the sacrificial lamb to appease Muslim extremists.

In line with the administration's determination not to antagonize the Muslim bloc, the US failed to vigorously condemn the Goldstone Report, remaining silent during the debate at the UN General Assembly. There is not even a hint that it is reconsidering its membership in the morally compromised UN Human Rights Council. Nor does it employ its clout to make the UN aware that there are limits to US patience with an organization which systematically tramples over human rights violations and concentrates most of its efforts on demonizing and delegitimizing Israel.

Nor do the vibes from the administration following the contrived tantrums by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas bode well. Hillary Clinton's praise for Israel's "unprecedented concessions" in relation to the settlements was reversed the next day following Palestinian accusations that she had sold out to the Zionists. Obama's stalling to confirm a meeting with Netanyahu in Washington until the last moment was an additional affront which, despite reassurances to the contrary, exemplifies the deteriorating relationship.

HOWEVER, THE die in this matter is not cast and two factors are likely to influence Obama. The first is the extent to which he can intensify one-sided pressure on Israel without alienating the 80 percent of American Jews who voted for him. The other is whether he will continue to hearken to advisers who encourage him to believe that he can succeed in persuading Israelis to bring about a change of government.

Currently, Netanyahu enjoys a unique national consensus based on acceptance of a two-state policy incorporating a demilitarized Palestinian state with future concessions being dependant on reciprocity.

But the pressures will surely escalate and Netanyahu will soon be obliged to make difficult decisions in relation to the Iranian threat which shows no signs of abating. The convergence of all these factors has existential implications and has led to increasing calls for the creation of a national unity government.

The obstacle remains Kadima. Its leader Tzipi Livni was obsessed with becoming prime minister and mistakenly convinced herself that the Netanyahu government would crumble in a matter of months.

Now with Netanyahu's endorsement of a two-state policy, setting aside the eccentric policy reversal by former hard-liner Shaul Mofaz, who proposes entering negotiations with Hamas, there are no ideological barriers to a rapprochement between Likud and Kadima. The majority of Kadima's founders were not ideologues but primarily former Likud members or those who joined Ariel Sharon because they regarded the new party as a stepping stone toward personal political advancement.

Livni was a senior member of the Olmert government which launched Operation Cast Lead. Yet at this time of national crisis, instead of acting as a responsible opposition leader, she simply rails against the government, conveying personal venom and frustration.

Ironically, many Israelis would argue that Livni's description of Netanyahu as "a small time politician," only concerned "with speeches and photo ops," more accurately depicts how she is perceived since the elections. She relates to Netanyahu's commitment to a two-state policy as the "height of hypocrisy." She castigated him for his UN address which most Israelis and Jews alike supported. At one stage, she even criticized him for conceding too much to Obama's demands for a settlement freeze. Instead of offering to support the government in resisting the global demonization of the Jewish state in the wake of the Goldstone Report, she accused Netanyahu of being responsible for Abbas's turnabout in supporting a UN censure of Israel for war crimes.

The extent of Livni's bitterness and lack of judgment were exemplified by her recent Knesset speech when she ranted at Netanyahu: "You have managed to beat the president of the United States, Israel's greatest friend... you have managed to humiliate the only partner for a peace settlement Israel has... We have beaten America, humiliated the Palestinians, isolated ourselves. Raise your head from the small politics and see what has happened. See that Israel is excommunicated. Today Turkey, yesterday Britain, before that Europe."

Livni seems unaware that most of the issues she accuses Netanyahu of botching had their genesis in the former Kadima government.

In these critical days, more so than at any time since 1967, increasing numbers of Israelis believe that the time has come for politicians to suspend their differences and unite to face the real dangers threatening the Jewish state. A national unity government would not merely be a great boost to national morale, but would also enormously strengthen our relationship with the US as well as our general standing in the international arena. The question remains: Can Kadima led by Livni overcome petty partisan political considerations and act in the best interests of the state?
ileibler@netvision.net.il

This column was originally published in the Jerusalem Post
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When the economy changes drastically government officials and economists try to tell stories about it. They give us a model like a lesson in high school science class, sometimes they even give draw a diagram. A car is a good model for the economy, it has been used by senators and governors, we have a car but no fuel so we can't go anywhere. This model works great in the US, running out of fuel is a real emotional issue for Americans. There is a model of water, when it stops flowing we need to "prime the pump" (famous quote from depression era economists.) Water model is good, there are pipes and pumps, reservoirs and leaks, all kind of elements in a water system. Do we need simplified models to understand what is going on in the worlds economy? Do we need models for local economies? Why don't we deal with the economy as it is? When a bank collapses we should talk about the risk the bank investment managers took. When the US sub-prime Real Estate fiasco was going on, even Warren Buffet wrote about it in his eloquent yearly report to stock holders.

Models are good for certain things. But making an analogy for the world economy using a car and fuel is an over simplification. So is the use of water in a pump for the flow of money in any economy even a small one. Why don't we have accurate explanations from economists and government leaders on the economic situation? Why do we need to wait for a book to be written a year from now telling us how demand for durable goods (cars, refrigerators, diamond rings) goes down forcing less manufacturing of these goods to stop manufacturing, which means factories have less money for worker's salaries. Or demand for old technology like big cars running on gas goes down but there are still not enough new designs and not enough electric engine production capability to make hybrid and electric cars which would be more in demand if we had them. Or that in the last fifteen years American car companies has not produced a single low cost model so Hyundai a Korean car company or Sang Yang a Chinese company are becoming an attractive alternative? Demand, competition, trade advantages, import tariffs, these are not such hard concepts to grasp.

Israel is a small country with a few specialties. Agricultural goods, electronics and software, tourism, diamond polishing and military equipment are Israel's big economic sectors. For a small economy these are probably better than most. Here we clearly understand how a terrorist attack slows down tourism. We clearly understand how competition from India and China almost wiped out the diamond polishing industry. We clearly see how in agriculture there are trends and opportunities like the organic movement and greater variety helps an old sector in decline. So why do we get simplistic models? Some say it is the "sound bite syndrome": TV news conditioned us to digest facts 10 seconds at a time. YouTube is making the 45 minute documentary into a 20 second clip.

I think it has to do with a gap between academics or economic experts and lay people. Economists, specially the ones we see analyzing situations on TV tend to be highly academic. They built complex computer models and try to figure out where the money goes. They try to figure out how changes in trade and manufacturing affect labor demand and shifts in worker skills changes production and overall working conditions. But academic economists with their complex language and models distance themselves from our daily reality. This problem also applies in the government sector. Politicians and bureaucrats build such complex ideas that we simply don't want to listen. In today's world this gap is dangerous. The US economy has taken a fall because a few financial workers wanted to make more money and somehow bypassed the regulatory controls set up after the great depression. International financial networks have outstripped most government's ability to regulate them by decades. Here in Israel there was simply not enough money to fall into these traps, but still we see some consequences in the Real Estate sector. Israeli companies (BSR, Africe-Israel) invested heavily in large construction project in the US and Europe. Some companies are in such bad shape the projects will have to be sold at a loss (i.e. before completion.) Some Israeli banks (Bank Leumi, Mizrachi-Tfachot) also bought into the sub-prime investment schemes and held investment from American investment institutions (not just Leahman Brothers.) So our great economy like many others is tied to the losses in America and Europe.

Back to the simplified economic models for the common man (and woman.) With an ability to make good documentaries and YouTube that can host one hour videos, there is no excuse to keep explanations down to a minute or less. With all the technology we have in graphics and audio on the Internet there is no excuse to simplify presentations. But somehow the gap from "expert" to "lay man" explanation is not being addressed. The media in Israel is certainly not there. Even business papers do not have multi-page articles on serious economic topics. Once in a while we see a article series on one specific topic. The Globes and Calcalist did cover the global Real Estate bubble in longer than one article at a time fashion. But I can't recall an article which I would cut out because it had good information or in-depth explanation. Maybe it's time for the bloggers to step in? What do you think, let me know in a comment.

Jim Meyers

Attorney General Eric Holder will deliver a keynote speech at a gathering that includes an Islamic group linked to a Muslim terrorist organization. Holder will speak in Detroit on Nov. 19 at the first annual awards banquet of Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust, a coalition of law enforcement and community groups. That coalition includes the local branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Politico reported.

CAIR was an unindicted co-conspirator in the terrorism financing case against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development. Five Holy Land officers were convicted in 2008.

"During that trial, evidence was introduced that demonstrated a relationship among CAIR, individual CAIR founders...and the Palestine Committee," FBI Congressional liaison Richard Powers wrote in an April letter to Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz.

"Evidence was also introduced that demonstrated a relationship between the Palestine Committee and Hamas, which was designated as a terrorist organization in 1995. In light of that evidence the FBI suspended all formal contacts between CAIR and the FBI."

He also wrote: "Until we can resolve whether there continues to be a connection between CAIR or its executives and Hamas, the FBI does not view CAIR as an appropriate liaison partner."

However, the FBI's Special Agent-in-Charge in Detroit, Andy Arena, will serve as co-chair for the Nov. 19 dinner, according to agency spokeswoman Jennifer Burnside.

Asked about the FBI's severing of formal contacts with CAIR, Burnside told Politico: "Our policy doesn't prohibit the FBI [from] participating in meetings where CAIR is going to be involved."

Former terrorism prosecutor Andrew McCarthy said the Obama administration, and the previous administration, "determined it is more important to have what it can publicly hold out as ties to the Muslim community than it is to be careful about who you have the ties with."

CAIR officials have denied any links to terrorism, and along with two other Islamic groups named as co-conspirators in the Holy Land case, asked a federal judge to nullify the designation, Politico reported earlier.

The judge rejected the groups' motion.

In July, Holder surprised observers when he chose Arab American Institute President James Zogby to deliver the closing address at a Justice Department conference marking the 45th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Zogby is reportedly an opponent of the federal government's efforts to cut off funding for terrorist organizations.

© 2009 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
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Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति) from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that move through the entire universe.[1] Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes referred to as 'The Great Divine Mother' in Hinduism.One cannot be but proud, happy and astonished by the giant steps made in XX century by the feminist movement and the achievements of women lib in significant part of the world. Of course, there still are a lot of countries where women are oppressed and a lot to do in some other places, but the progress is undeniable.Saying this, I cannot be but cowed, speechless and overwhelmed by a case of a feminism gone a bit wild: Local government offices in a southern district of Nepal have shut down in protest after a visiting minister beat up the most senior local official. The minister, Karima Begam (Begum), slapped the man five times* - for not sending a new car to pick her up from the airport. When chief district officer Durga Prasad Bhandari protested, she struck him again, breaking his glasses.Here is the victim - Mr Bhandari, glassless after the incident:Of course, I did my best to look up Karima Begam: I still nurture a dream about traveling to Nepal, and it's prudent for a tourist to know what to avoid in a foreign place. So here we are (click to enlarge):Let's take it step by step now:This male dominated society has to come to an end and men should revere a woman for her Shakti (power) and wisdom, and understand that denying her a rightful place in the society will be a big loss to Nepal.I think that one slap on the face is quite enough Shakti spent per male. Six slaps is a bit beyond the call of duty, I would suggest.I am going to raise my voice not just for Muslim women or Madhesi women but for all the backward, deprived communities. No one will dare to object now, I am sure.The biggest challenge will be to prove our worth and competence in the development and structuring of a new state.The shiners Mr Bhandari is sporting are proof positive. Nepalese feminists can rest their case.It is high time to stop paying lip service to these issues and take some concrete and conclusive actions.This was said about a year ago. By now there is no more need for concrete or more conclusive actions. I believe that the male inhabitants of Nepal will grok now what Shakti stands for and start behaving accordingly.Or else.(*) There is a minor controversy in the media re the number of times Mr Bhandari was slapped. Some indicate that it was only four times (not counting the glasses-breaker, I guess)

From Telegraph:A trans-Atlantic pilot was arrested at Heathrow airport after he failed a breath test as he attempted to board a United Airlines plane carrying 135 people. The pilot is not quoted in the article. The Metropolitan Police, on the other hand, is:He was arrested on suspicion of being aviation staff while exceeding the proscribed alcohol limit and about to take the plane.Pot, kettle...

Earlier I published Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William J. Burns' comments on the Israel - 'Palestinian' situation. If it's at all possible, his comments on Iran were even worse. President Obama has made clear that the United States, for our part, wants to look ahead. We seek a relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran based upon mutual interest and mutual respect. We do

It is my suspicion that most Americans think of the dance of political correctness and diversity training as a harmless game for the elites to satisfy their own sense of self-righteousness with. The massacre of Fort Hood is a reminder that it can be deadly serious. I am not sure that I absolutely agree with this post, but it's a worthy reading nevertheless.

Andy Barr
November 11, 2009
Politico

Texas GOP Gov. Rick Perry accused President Barack Obama on Wednesday of “punishing” Texas and being “hell-bent” on turning the United States into a socialist country.

Speaking at a luncheon for a Midland County Republican Women’s group, Perry said that “this is an administration hell-bent toward taking American towards a socialist country. And we all don’t need to be afraid to say that because that’s what it is.” Perry praised the tea party movement to the Republican activists in attendance, crediting the grassroots groups with discouraging some Democrats in Washington from pushing for a public option in the health care bill.

“If you all think those tea parties didn’t work, then let me tell you something,” Perry said. “When they all came home in August for those town hall meetings, they got an earful. Then they went back to Washington, D.C. and the Senate voted that public option down in committee with a majority of Democrats in the Senate.”

Perry also accused the Obama administration of intentionally dumping illegal immigrants from other western states in Texas, recalling a conversation he had with local officials notifying him that illegal aliens that were caught in Nogales, Arizona were being dropped off by federal authorities in Presidio, Texas.

“Friday a week ago, I got not a phone call from Washington, not a letter from Washington and as a matter of fact, I don’t think any member of our congressional delegation was even notified. The first time we were contacted was by the superintendent of the school and the county judge of Presidio County,” Perry said.

“They said, ‘do you all know what’s fixin’ to happen?’ I said, ‘well, no. What’s going on?’ They said ‘the government has just called us and said for us to get ready for an influx of illegal aliens who were captured illegally crossing the border.’”

“It’s called the alien transfer-and-exit program,” Perry told the crowd, “trucking them from Nogales, past El Paso down to our western border in Presidio.”

The Texas governor said he sees the action as “punishing this state” and urged the assembled Republicans to “stand up” to Washington.

“I say it’s time to make tea parties twice as big as what they were,” Perry declared. “I think it’s time for us to stand up and say to Washington, D.C. that we are no longer going to accept that kind of stuff sitting down and being quiet.”
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I think this article is awesome, as is the story it tells. A couple of days ago I heard the news that George and Laura Bush paid a private visit to the wounded soldiers at Fort Hood. They specifically requested that the base commander not inform the media of their visit. They came. They comforted the wounded soldiers and the Fort Hood community for a couple of hours. And then they left. And they

Israel's tourism ministry used to run a series of commercials whose theme song was 'come to Israel, come stay with friends." Now, Israeli tourism has a new pitch: escaping the recession in the United States. Burdetsky decided to escape the dire economic situation back home, by coming to Israel on a program that offers Jews free housing, Hebrew classes, training, and work experience - all of which

Christian Evangelicals have a new mantra. Namely: Christianity is ‘judaism completed’ or ‘judaism perfected‘.Of course, this is as about as logical as stating that Islam is ‘christianity completed’. It represents a unique arrogance on the part of fundamentalist Christians; they believe that Judaism was merely the warm up act, if you will, for Christianity, [...]No related posts.

Happy Martyr Day!

Lebanese Islamic Resistance Movement enjoys a weapon better than missile arsenals and that is the will to sacrifice, a high-ranking official of the movement said on Tuesday.

Al-Minar TV network quoted Sheikh Nabil Kawooq as saying that Hezbollah enjoys martyrdom-seeking weapon which no one would be able to confront with.

Speaking at the occasion of "Martyr" day, representative of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon reiterated that the victory of Resistance is near.

He described Ahmad Qasir's martyrdom-seeking operation as one of the greatest and most significant operations during the history of combat against the Zionist regime.

Ahmad Qasir was a front runner in conducting martyrdom-seeking operations and gaining victory, Kawooq said adding Qasir opened the door to the eventual defeat of the Zionist enemy.

Ahmad Qasir conducted the first martyrdom-seeking operation in Nov. 11, 1982 against 'Israel' after driving a vehicle loaded with explosives into the Israeli military compound in the city of Soor.

Israel Resource ReviewBy David BedeinWed Nov 10 2009The days of quiet diplomacy between the government of Israel and the New York Times is over. Israel has declared an unprecedented war against the New York times, for what it calls tendentious and unfair coverage of the Jewish State.At the focus of the storm is [...]

Click on the image for the video.
Eye-opening video: An interview with Palestinian-American author and commentator, Nonie Darwish about the spread of radical Islam in America: http://www.davebrianbender.com.

Darwish is a founding member of an Arab, pro-Israel group: Arabs For Israel: http://arabsforisrael.blogspot.com.

Darwish has lived in the U.S. for three decades and is a regular speaker, and international media commentator on radical Islam.

Cross-posted by Gary Fouse
fousesquawk

Normandy

Korea

Viet Nam

Ft Hood

Humans are always striving, even if only to get to the end of the day, or from one day to the next, or to the end of the week. So much of what occupies our time is getting from one place to the next. So here's a bridge that suits my mood. It doesn't go anywhere. It doesn't cross a raging torrent, or span a deep canyon. It is just a wonderful place to sit and and stare out.

We have distorted the facts and ignored the evidence in our pathetic efforts to deny the very existence of this greater war, and to hopefully postpone that unavoidable day of reckoning.

A Veterans Day honorarium is here.

That Other War

Originally published by Political Grind - October 23, 2007

------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Our enemies are not all we need to fear, we must fear those that refuse to name them".
-- Susan Duclos (Spree)
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Western civilization is in the midst of a war for its very existence and we are losing this war.

No, I’m not talking about the ongoing wars in Afghanistan or Iraq. I'm not referring to those recent ominous clashes between the Turks and the PKK in Northern Iraq, nor even that increasingly dangerous, but seemingly inevitable confrontation with the terrorist state of Iran.

I’m talking about that other war, that larger, more deadly global conflict that nobody wants to talk about. I’m talking about that increasingly obvious and undeniable Clash of Civilizations, in which these bloody battles in the Middle East merely represent the most visible manifestations.

We have distorted the facts and ignored the evidence in our pathetic efforts to deny the very existence of this greater war, and to hopefully postpone that unavoidable day of reckoning.

While in Iraq itself some promising signs are emerging. In his creative counterinsurgency strategy (COIN), General Petraeus has found it expedient to reach out to those “moderate” Muslims in an effort to form working alliances against the insurgents and radicals, and thus far has achieved sosme remarkable success.
But can these successful tactics in the battle of Iraq be translated to that larger and more subtle battleground in that other war, that growing and already formidable Islamic onslaught against the West?
Unfortunately, no. In fact, almost the exact opposite is true.

It is estimated that within twenty years the population of Marseilles will be majority Muslim. Almost all of the liberal Western democracies are being overwhelmed by hordes of Muslim immigrants, mostly from North Africa, immigrants who bring their savage and backward culture (and their alarming birth rate) with them. The liberal Western societies have been attempting to deal with this growing menace with the pitiful weapons of tolerance and understanding. For the sake of embracing some feel-good, why-can’t-we-all-just-get-along-together concepts of multiculturalism and diversity they are in the process of losing their historical and traditional European cultures.

The industrial cities of northern England have become majority Muslim. London is fast becoming Londonistan. The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain — one by one, these European countries are awakening to the deadly peril which they have allowed into their midst. Little Switzerland, in its most recent elections, seems to be determined to fight back against this loss of its cultural identity. But is it too little too late? For some countries, the damage may have already been done.

It is a gross misrepresentation of the facts to refer to this monumental crisis that the West now faces as a War on Terror. For all of the terror that can be generated by some murderous and well-publicized attack, the most deadly threat to our existence comes, not from the terrorists, but from these ubiquitous cultural invasions, which we in the West — precisely because of our liberal and tolerant values — are woefully unprepared to counter.

The Islamic culture which is attempting, and in some cases succeeding in infiltrating and subsuming its welcoming democratic host countries is one of the most brutal cultures in history. It stands in direct opposition to everything our liberal Western culture holds valuable. It is a pitiless totalitarian theocracy which denigrates individuality and scientific progress. It is completely and utterly intolerant of any other point of view. It brutalizes and seeks to subjugate its women to the will of the superior male. It responds to criticism or dissent with a combination of intimidation and violence. Those few heroic journalists, authors and politicians who have dared to question or criticize Islam have either been forced into hiding or been murdered.

These barbaric invasions are being aided and abetted by our own liberal 'multiculturalists'. Under the dictates of multiculturalism and diversity we have been forbidden to even acknowledge the existence of these threats — let alone deal with them. We have even ceded the moral high ground to these medieval brutes, meekly acquiescing to the delusions of cultural moral equivalency — as though somehow the beheading of a Daniel Pearl equates with the embarrassment of a Britney Spears. If we even attempt to redress these issues we are immediately branded as xenophobic racists.

Consider for a moment the utter absurdity of this statement:
We are six years into this so-called War on Terror and we are still unwilling or unable to honestly identify our enemies and confront them for fear of being impolite.

Here is the hard truth and it’s time we faced it. Whether we went into Iraq or not, the war that we have had thrust upon us will continue. For it is not just about Iraq or Afghanistan; it is not just about Al-Qaeda. This war is not about what we have done or not done in the Middle East. This war that we are in is a war against a culture, the hate-driven 15th century, pride/revenge male warrior culture of the Arab/Islamic world (in which I include Iran). Whether we choose to see it this way or not, the facts remain that we are, indeed, in the midst of a Clash of Civilizations. There is nothing more dangerous in a time of war than underestimating your enemy.

For those amongst us who still wonder “why can’t we all just get along together?” I suggest that you remember once again that awful day in September. I suggest that you take out those pictures of the nineteen hijackers again and look closely at those faces. This is the enemy. They are implacable in their hatred towards us. They are willing to die to kill us. The civilized West is once again being besieged by savage barbarian hordes, driven by their brutal and uncompromising religion. And we don’t know how to fight back. All that we have learned that makes us civilized now works against us and to our enemy’s advantage.

If anyone seriously believes that we are going to defeat this ruthless, divinely-inspired enemy through gentlemanly dialogue and understanding, I suggest they remember the fate of Theo van Gogh. We will not overcome this fanatical fascist threat by attempting to find some common theological ground in the Old Testament, or by promoting some delusional multicultural vision of diversity. Our European neighbors have already tried this and failed, and their imperiled societies are suffering the consequences of their bad judgment.

Now this dreaded plague has arrived on our own shores. We can no longer afford the luxury of comforting ourselves with pleasant delusions and well-intentioned obfuscations. We will never defeat them with kindly Christian platitudes or high-minded liberal idealism.

Finally, we must dare to be impolite, we must sacrifice some of our precious civility and have the courage to recognize our enemy for what he is and deal with him accordingly or we will most certainly lose this battle of wills, this unmistakable Clash of Civilizations.

Radarsite readers, please indulge me as I mention the Veterans Day parade in my hometown and some information about the USS Oklahoma, tucked in with other honorariums, including the Mayflower Compact signed on this day 1620. Today, as well, I thank Roger Gardner for his years of service. Rog is the spirit behind Radarsite - the dynamic pen behind Radarsite's devotion to this country. Roger Garner is a true and strong voice for liberty. ~ Maggie

My hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma boasts the 5th largest Veterans Day parade in the U.S. Isn't that something for a city ranking 46th in the U.S. by population?

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Three veterans will lead today's parade in downtown Tulsa:

Parade Grand Marshall Paul Andert Parade Chief of Staff Sam Childers Parade Commander William Beal

On this day in 1918, World War I ended on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11 hour. Veterans Day honors all U.S. Military veterans who have served, and are serving, our country.

 On this day in 1921, The Tomb of the Unknowns was dedicated at Arlington Cemetary.

On this day in 1996, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund launched "The Wall that Heals." This half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial travels through communities, "Bringing the Wall Home" to communities where families and friends can visit "in the peace and comfort of familiar surroundings."

To the crew, she was affectionately know as "The Okie." A battleship was a small town gone to sea, her inhabitants mostly young and far from home.

One crewmember, USS Oklahoma survivor and author, Stephen Bower Young, wrote: "Despite the passage of time, it seems like yesterday. My mind sees clearly the shipmates I knew so well as they emerged, laughing and talking from a hatch, portside, main deck, aft, of the Oklahoma.

It is a time for morning quarters for muster, and at the urging of their petty officers, the white-uniformed sailors good-naturedly form into double ranks. They stand at ease...squaring round hats over suntanned faces...their talk is animated and they turn in my direction. Then a cloud grows darker and I see those certain few less clearly."

Veterans Day - Desert Storm - Persian Gulf Wars

Veterans Day - Iraq War   Veterans Day - Afghanistan War On this day in 1620, the Mayflower Compact was signed. The first colonists leading the way to America, as we know it today, signed a governing document for Plymouth Colony. The colonists crossed the Atlantic Ocean aboard the Mayflower. At least half of those were Christians, seeking the freedom to practice Christianity, without the tyrannical direction of the the King James. The Compact clearly established that the Colony would be free of English law. "It was devised to set up a government from within themselves and was written by those to be governed." The compact began "In the name of God, Amen." 

When creating the Mayflower Compact, the signers believed that covenants were not only to be honored between God and man, but also between each other. They had always honored covenants as part of their righteous integrity and agreed to be bound by this same principle with the Compact. John Adams and many historians have referred to the Mayflower Compact as the foundation of the U.S. Constitution written more than 150 later.  

America was indeed begun by men who honored God and set their founding principles by the words of the Bible. They lived their lives with honesty, reliability, and fairness toward establishing this country “for the sake of its survival.” A great many of America’s Founding Fathers have been quoted in regard to living by Biblical values.

Tulsa Photo courtesy Caleb Long

Photos of Tulsa Veterans Day leaders courtesy Newson6

Afghanistan soldier photo courtesy Photo/Christopher T. Sneed/U.S. Army 

This is very nice. Only in Israel!

Every so often I see something in my stats that makes me scratch my head. Here's an example (click on the pic):Who in Kuwait is interested in the kashrut of Israeli Army kitchens?Any ideas?

Great post from the superb Elder Of Ziyon, about how the US State Department is funding Palestinian Arab network Ma’an: State Department funds Palestinian Arab media I received an email from one of the commenters here that pointed out this article in Ma’an from last week:US Consul General to Jerusalem Daniel Rubinstein made a tour of [...]No related posts.

We, soldiers of the Shimshon Battalion of years past, and reserve soldiers of today, who wish to bring back the Shimshon Battalion, which is dear to us, to the days of its glory and courageousness, turn to [the commanders] to assist us in this important task...
We fought with the battalion in Gush Katif, in Netzarim, in Nisanit. We are part of the family of fighters, where everybody knew who was the enemy and how to relate to him. The occupation of Shimshon officers and its soldiers in recent months with political whims and impulses on the ruins of Chomesh in the Shomron, in outlooks and chases after Jews with war cries as if they were the greatest of terrorists - these cause us great shame.... It is no great wonder that soldiers complete basic training look with trepidation to their future in the army as they finish the course, as they are concerned their talents and skills will be used to perform politically based missions that they have no connection to security needs of the State of Israel. This causes us to take steps that are unusual, in an effort to fight against this trend.

----- soldiers of Shimshon Reserves in a letter to army commanders in support of the recent protest by Shimshon soldiers

Taken while waiting for a train from Tel Aviv to Be'ir Ya'akov. A good example of modern towers in late 2oth and early 21st century Israel. The new towers and the old Bauhaus makes for an interesting city.

I don't know what the story is with Jack Teitel. Did he do it or not? I have no idea. He was arrested for having weapons illegaly, and then it turned into charges of various murders and attempted murders of both Arabs and left-wing jews.

But did he do it? It seems it is not so clear. They have absolutely no proof that he was the murderer in any of the murders he admitted to. One might think his admission might be enough, but it might turn out to be not enough. He is starting to deny his involvement in some of the cases, claiming he lied (coerced?) under interrogation. I don't think he denied them all, but it might come to that.

Anyway, without proof they might not have much of a case. In the meantime, all they are charging him with, according to the article in todays newspaper, is bearing unregistered firearms, incitement, and threatening behavior.

As I said before, this story interests me because he was a former classmate of mine. If he doesn't get hit for the murders, he will no longer be my most infamous classmate, just the most famous.

by Reb Akiva at Mystical Paths

Though the Mishnah is relatively concise, we should never think the sages didn't get their point across...

Seder Nashim, Mishnah Nazir 1.5 -

(discussing those who take a nazirite vow, and how to clarify if it's a vow for a limited time - normally a month or a year, or a life long vow)

[One who vows] 'I am a nazir like a full house' or '[I am a nazir] like a basketful', they examine him.

...to see if he's nuts! What the heck does 'I vow to be a nazir like a full house or full basket' mean?

Ok, maybe you had to be there.

From theMystical Paths blog, stop by the source!

I don't have time to translate this right now, but the group of rabbonim met to review the shabbos elevator situation.

Bechadrei has published a document with the protocols from the meeting. The committee of rabbonim, led by Rav Efrati, as decided that most shabbos elevators can be used, and for sure when the situation is elderly people, sick people or others who would have great difficulty using the stairs.

Rav Efrati even says that Rav Elyashiv has always supported the hetter, until recently, though he does not say why Rav Elyashiv's opinion recently changed. Perhaps it is because of the issues raised by the technician that started the whole debate.

Anyway, for more details, the original Hebrew article and document can be seen here...

Show me a country with a "Students' New Agency" and I'll show you "the world's biggest prison for journalists." Here Ahmadinejad "urges Obama to confront Zionists":

Iran's President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, urged his US counterpart to confront Zionists.

Referring to US President, Barack Obama's pledges for change, Ahmadinejad said in a press conference held in Turkey that the changes must happen in practice asserting, "Iran aids the US to create fundamental changes."

"Supporting the Zionist regime and befriending regional nations are not compatible, Obama must confront Zionists," he said.

"The Zionist regime is like an out-of-date car, the more time passes the more it harms Israel because the first issue in the region is Quds," he stated.

Also saying the era to use nuclear bombs is over, he noted, "those who stock pile nuclear bombs are foolish."

by Reb Akiva at Mystical Paths

Neged - Opposing, opposite, standing against.

The Critic - The critic is a perpetual kvetch. No solutions, just nit picky complaints. However, he is fully observant (performs the mitzvot). You know the grumpy old guy in the back of the synagogue who always grumbles this event stinks, he could have done it better, but has never actually done anything to help.

Now the critic isn't always wrong. There are failings in Jewish society and balances that cry out to be corrected. There are failings in every synagogue. And the perfect rabbi or societal leader, well, not in this world.

So the critic's tendency can be used for good. He can point out a problem, rally people around it, and push to make things better...

But the Yetzer Hara (the evil inclination) usually keeps the critic firmly in the "just critical" stage.

The Karrite - The modern Karrite is a Jew who believes in the written Torah but not the oral Torah (the Mishnah, Gemora, Shulchan Aruch, etc). Often this may be due to bad experiences with rabbis and a rejection that rabbinical power or influence could possibly be kosher while not wishing to reject G-d. Other times this may be due to the seemingly simplistic or straightforward relationship with G-d demonstrated in the written Torah. In either case, he ignores the inherent contradictions of the written Torah and focuses upon the simple narrative. He tries to connect to G-d with his heart, but leaves behind his mind and the opportunity Judaism offers to elevate the physical world.

Now the karrite isn't always wrong. There are sometimes rabbinical excesses, and simple faith in G-d is a special thing. If he were able to infuse this into his mind and into mitzvot, he would truly reach a high level and be a shining light for those around him.

But the Yetzer Hara (the evil inclination) usually keeps the karrite from taking the next step.

The Rationalist - The Rationalist de-mystifies yiddishkeit. Stories of angles and demons are seen only as metaphors, as are all stories outside the realm of physical possibility as understood by modern science (except when such events are specifically described as direct actions by G-d, true miracles.) The rationalist decomposes many Jewish rituals looking for influence of kabbalah or other non-rationalist thinking - to point out what doesn't make sense. But he doesn't change his davening (praying) or performance of mitzvot, just his understanding of what's behind it.

Now the rationalist isn't always wrong. One of the defense mechanisms of Judaism is a reluctance to change, and some customs and things that have become rituals were due to local cultural influence from many generations past, or physical understandings far out of date. The rationalist could help reconcile modern science and/or the modern world with Jewish tradition.

But the Yetzer Hara (the evil inclination) usually keeps the rationalist struggling internally and makes him argumentative with the traditionalists, resulting in activating the time honored defense mechanism of Judaism to push away change.

It's surprisingly easy to become a Neged Jew, and to get involved with one. They're ALWAYS passionate about their position, and their passion attracts attention and interest. Beware the passion being focused negatively, as it's often the case.

From theMystical Paths blog, stop by the source!

This is Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren giving his speech to the General Assembly of Jewish Organizations on Nov. 9th, 2009 Here is a link to the video courtesy of Jewish Federation of North America.http://www.jewishfederations.org/page.aspx?id=210006&tr=y&auid=5570204I want to talk about the connection between Israel, about the Jewish people and its land.  I want [...]

Megan McArdle, who blogs at the Atlantic, gained some current notoriety for writing about the Fort Hood massacre "there is absolutely no political lesson to be learned from this." Now she writes a follow-up:

. . . I have since changed my mind. That's because there's growing evidence that the army and the CIA knew he was a crazy fanatic who wanted to get in touch with Al Qaeda. It sort of seems like someone could have done something about that.

"It sort of seems like someone could have done something about that"?? We need very badly to figure out why nobody did.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

A recent blog post by Jonathan Rick suggests that personal branding isn't really that important for job search or career success.He's both right and wrong.Related posts:Twitter Personal Branding Q&A #2: Twitter Usernames, Personal Brand Managers and MoreBarack Hussein Obama Junior: The...

Please continue reading this article on JobMob by clicking the above title

Here.

By Yoram GetzlerAbbas/Obama Law of Unintended ConsequencesThe developing Abbas catastrophe is another indication of the enormity of the Obama policy disaster. And/or is it an expression of the mistaken policy proposals of his advisors, principally David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel and the other “born Jews” close to his administration  along with J Street and their supporters?On [...]

 Quelle surprise. The world remains silent as the Saudis launch their own version of Operation Cast Lead. When Israel acted against terrorists at the end of last year, the media went beserk and anti Israel protestors went marching through the streets of Europe’s capitals.But when the Saudis bomb civilian areas? Silence. From AP News:Saudi Arabia has [...]No related posts.

by Reb Gutman Locks at Mystical Paths

So went one of the comments to the article, “Spiritual or Physical.” Is this correct? Are the majority of the mitzvahs that we hold so dear today only additions to the Torah, invented by the rabbis?

This is not a new argument. In fact, we find an example of it in Torah itself, when Korach challenged Moshe and Aaron.[i] “Who are you Moshe to make up these rules, appointing yourself over us? G-d did not tell you to do this. This is of your own doing.” This was the gist of Korach’s complaint.

Throughout our history, we have seen many groups of Jews come and go, making this same accusation. Perhaps the most famous are the Sadducees and the Karites which both claim that only the written Torah is from G-d, and the rest is merely rabbinical additions, i.e. invented by men.”

Is there any basis for their claim? Are tefillin a rabbinical mitzvah just like Shabbos candles? Can you prove that their point is not valid?

If the Sages were unable to convince their dissenters, I doubt that I can say anything that will change a drop of their thinking, but I can give you a defense against them.

Actually, in one way, they are right. The Torah that we have in our hands today has been given to us by the Sages. None of us received it directly from G-d, not even from Moshe. In this sense, it is all “rabbinic.” True, the Sages did not invent it. But still, who could make the least bit of sense of the written Torah without our mesorah (tradition)? If it were not for the Sages, would we even know the difference between an aleph and a beis (A and B)? Not only do we owe our understanding of the Torah to them, but the Hebrew language has been handed down from generation to generation only because of their perseverance.

There are many places where we see that the written Torah had to have had an Oral Torah accompanying it right from the beginning. And what is the Oral Torah? The Talmud, which comprises the sayings and teachings handed down from Moshe to Joshua, to the Elders, to the Prophets, to the Men of the Great Assembly, to the Sages, to the rabbis, and on to us.

From where do we know that a man is not allowed to have intimate relations with his daughter? The Torah only tells us that he is not allowed to have such a relationship with his wife’s daughter and with his granddaughter, but his daughter is not mentioned. Ah, we can say, if he is not allowed to have such a relationship with his granddaughter, then certainly he is not allowed to have one with his own daughter. True. But now you are discussing the Oral Torah, not the written Torah.

In the book of Numbers,[ii] a man is locked up and killed because he was gathering sticks on Shabbos. Where does the written Torah say that we are not allowed to gather sticks on Shabbos? It doesn’t. We learn it from the Oral Torah.

The Torah tells us that punishment must be “an eye for an eye.”[iii] Would it enter your mind that a Jewish court would ever blind someone? G-d forbid! The Oral Torah explains that “an eye for an eye” means that the punishment must be monetarily equal to the crime.

“Bind the money to your hand”[iv] certainly seems to tell us that that we are to tie that money to our hand when we come to Jerusalem to distribute a certain tithe. No. The Oral Torah explains that “bind the money to your hand” means that you are not to spend the money on the way. It must be spent only in Jerusalem.

The written Torah says, “These are the decrees, judgments and Torahs which G-d gave….”[v] What does it mean by “Torahs” here? These are the Written and Oral Torahs.

When we look at the history of the Jewish people, we see many ups and downs, many opinions, many cults and groups. We even see wars among ourselves. Who was right? Whom did G-d bless? He has blessed the ones who have survived and produced a vibrant Jewish population today. Those who veer from the Written and Oral Torah have no real reason to guard the Shabbos, so they don’t. They have no real reason not to intermarry, so they do. They have no real reason to keep their families Jewish, so in one or two generations they are gone.

The truly sad thing about this reader’s comment is that he is treating the Sages’ teachings as if they are an unnecessary burden. These teachings, when done properly, not only do not increase our burdens, they actually lighten them.

[i] Numbers 16:3
[ii] Numbers 15:32
[iii] Exodus 21:24
[iv] Deuternomy 14:25
[v] Leviticus 26:46

From theMystical Paths blog, stop by the source!

From Goldstone to Child Abuse

Every child knows that his decision to report alleged misdemeanors by his fellows in the school-ground to an adult, carries with it a risk of being labeled, and often treated, as a ratter or sneak.

Retired South African judge Richard Goldstone, who has put his name behind the deeply critical Goldstone Report about the Gaza “Cast Lead” campaign, is Jewish and even has “deep ties” to Israel. Goldstone has served as a trustee of the Hebrew University and a president emeritus of World ORT, the Jewish organization that is a leader in vocational training and education.

Goldstone describes himself as a Zionist, and says that he was motivated to head the UN Human Rights investigative committee on Gaza as means of helping Israel: “I was driven particularly because I thought the outcome might, in a small way, assist the peace process,” he told the Forward.

In the Jerusalem Post. Goldstone says: "My first wish and hope is that there would be open inquiry in Israel," and his daughter Nicole Goldstone to Israel’s Army Radiothat: he was doing the best thing for everyone, including Israel," she said. "He is honest, tells things how he sees them and wants to uncover the truth."

Meantime, on the street in Israel, Richard Goldstone is arguably the second most unpopular man on the planet, closely following Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran.

Other examples of where this moral confusion exists include corporations who dissuade staff from reporting corruption or abuse allegations to outside bodies, which have themselves initiated “whistle blowers” protection programs – where the Government can protect the reporting party against being harassed by his employer.

Universities in the US under-reported sex crimes on their campuses for decades, in order to retain better-than-deserved reputations and continue the flow of fee-paying students.

The Catholic Church systematically covered up sex-abuse by clergymen for generations, until 2003 when the tip-of-the-iceberg was revealed in Boston, setting of a domino effect of scandals throughout the Catholic world.

In the Jewish community, there is a halacha forbidding the reporting or handing-over of a Jew (“moiser”) to the non-Jewish authorities. Like many rules, this one has its exceptions.

Indeed I myself have been accused of this, in my work advocating for victims of child abuse.

In almost all circumstances where people report allegations further up the food-chain there is a moral conflict between protecting innocent parties from alleged abuse, and the requirements of loyalty to a ‘club’ – such as a community or even country (in the case of Goldstone).

In my opinion, the litmus test is to answer “What are you reporting to Who?”

When a kid reports that a fellow in the schoolyard miscalled a ball, to the leader of the in-school mafia – then the kid should expect to be unpopular.

The Jew who reported an alleged misdemeanor in the community to the Czar’s representatives, would likely be guilty of “Moiser” and the community could exact consequences.

When Goldstone accepted the position to head the UN Human Rights Council’s investigative committee into the Gaza Cast Lead operation, he was aware of the rabidly anti-Israel history of the misnamed Human Rights Council and of the biased mandate he was required to report under. Goldstone knew that any criticism he reported - particularly coming from a Jew - would be cynically used by Israel’s enemies to weaken Israel and attack it.

Goldstone is correctly despised on the streets of Israel.

However, when a kid reports that a fellow is selling drugs to other kids on the school grounds, to the school authorities, then this is an appropriate, even courageous step to take.

When an employee reports corporate corruption to external supervising bodies, this is also highly appropriate, and the employee deserves the support and protection of the authorities to enable him to do this.

And when allegations of child abuse are made within a Jewish community in Israel, the USA or any other democratic liberal society (where the system of justice is reasonable and fair), in order to protect the victims and potential victims, and to assure justice is done with the alleged perpetrator – it is appropriate and praiseworthy to report these to the social services and/or to the police.

But I leave the question open about the role of blogs – when does reporting on a blog become ratting?

Paper trail of the Fort Hood terrorist passes through - The White House transition team: "Security Priorities for the Next Administration" (original doc - pg. 29): http://www.gwumc.edu/hspi/old/PTTF_ProceedingsReport_05.19.09.pdf

(I rarely blog about politics in the United States, don't link to Atlas Shrugged, and frankly, don't particularly care for Pamela Geller's shrill blogging style or pseudo-reporting "scoops."

But this document - if valid - is a truly damning revelation about Nidal Malik Hasan, and an apparent link to President Barack Obama's White House transition team; so give credit where credit is due).

I love to photograph the Mount of Olives from above the Kotel (Western Wall). Probably the most intense boneyard on planet earth. Or maybe they never heard of it in China and India, and that's a lot of humanity. Well, we're certainly aware of the Mount of olives, and maybe to the point of obsession. And some obsessions are good, as I see it. When you figure out what is really important in life, it bodes well to be obsessed, intense, preoccupied even. No point in moping about like a damp rag in a clean-up bucket.

Live! Feel a little anguish, a little pain, yearn for something important to more than just yourself. Very good for the soul.

A remedy that lasts a lifetime, and then some.

22 of the Eighth Month 5770

Last Monday, I completed my move into a new apartment, where, as it turns out, I do not have any Internet access.

I was informed that installing a connection via ground line is not an option, since I do not have any access to a ground line (long story). The routers which occasionally pop up, when I scan for available networks taunt and tease me with password protection or by being just out of range.

I am not thrilled about signing an 18-month contract with one of the local cellphone companies to receive service through a portable modem. What if I move the week after I get such a modem, and then no longer need the service?

That should also answer the next burning question on your minds: No, I do not own a laptop, and thus cannot pick it up and go to one of the free “hot spots” available in Jerusalem, nor can I sneak around my neighborhood, scanning for available networks.

So, what to do?

Unlike those bloggers toying with the idea of taking a break, it seems like a blogging break may have been plopped into my lap.

My only solution seems to be to write at home (where everytime my refrigerator clicks on, I have to unplug and re-plug in my keyboard), carry it to work via disk-on-key, and then upload it to my blog during the one hour of access to a computer I have per week. The same goes for e-mail. Downloading background material and interesting podcasts will have to be done during this hour as well.

I can also go to Internet Cafes, like I am doing now, and hope for a fast enough service so that I do not end up spending two hours on something which should only take me 20 minutes.

My other option is to spend money, I really should be saving for a rainy day, on a laptop, as if I really want to spend a lot of time outside in the cold, or in a jam-packed Jerusalem Central Bus Station, where it is impossible to concentrate.

Now that the withdrawal symptoms are beginning to subside, I think for the time being, I will see how it goes with the “upload at work” option.

Maybe I'll learn more. Maybe I'll read more. Maybe I'll finally write that book(s) I have always wanted to write. Or maybe I'll end up watching all six Harry Potter films so many times, that I'll have them memorized in time for Purim.

Only time will tell.

In the meantime, I will miss tweeting and twoozing with you, as much as I would like.

**SIGH**

Any suggestions will be welcomed.

Israel Hadani, a well known sculptor, designed a six meter high monster, a headless woman, legs-bound, a victim if there ever was a victim, Andromeda.
Its shape reminds one of a rather unelegant doll of "Oscar" Award style, perhaps something to be placed on a car, not unlike the little sculpture on the hood of a rolls royce.

The idea is to place poor brainless, eyeless and silenced Andromeda at the entrance to the Jaffa harbour close to the rock to which the mythical beautiful princess Andromeda was bound as a tasty offer for a hungry sea monster in order to save her city, Jaffa.
According to a Greek myth, Andromeda was a princess, the daughter of the king and queen of Jaffa. Andromeda was offered by her parents to a monstrous Medusa in order to save the city of Jaffa.
She was bound to a rock at the Jaffa harbour rentreance, from which she was saved by Perseus, who killed the medusa.
The rock-formation at the harbour entrance is known until this very day as the "Andromeda Rock".
It's part of a very ancient, partially submerged, coral reef. The coral reef was important in the formation of Jaffa's natural harbour. It provided good protection for it's ships, both against the storms and enemies. You really had to know exactly how to enter the tricky harbour in the right way, between the unseen rockformations.
Part of the reef was turned, by the British, during the madate period, into a breakwater protecting the harbour.

The natural harbour is not deep enough for tall ships but still in intensive use by local fishermen, as they have been doing so for thousands of years.
At the end of the breakwater, a smallish cast iron beakon indicated the harbour entrance. Over the years, under the oxidizing influence of the saltwater waves, its iron rusted and it started to fall apart.
The 6 meter tall Hadani work is supposed to replace it. That's as tall as a two storey building. With bound legs more fitting the ambience of "the Dungeon" (a seedy S&M club in Old Jaffa) and lacking hands and a head as befitting an ultimate and totally defenceless victim.

I had the impression the Hadani sculpture had been completely cancelled as tasteless and unnecessary. But like a true Medusa, it raised its ugly torso once more and it seems they are going to pace the monster without any serious discourse on the need for it nor on its artistic value.

Frankly, there are enough headless monsters in the municipality. We don't really need another one at the harbour entrance.

The view of Jaffa from the sea is lovely and ancient. Why mess it up with yet another "wedding cake" monstrocity? Slowly but surely the fishermen are being kicked out. Our harbour is dying. Hadani's Andromeda is more than a symbol.

While on a bike tour in the Beit Shemesh area, I met a fellow American Oleh, by the name of Gila Weiss. The suicide bomber who killed 6 Israelis and injured 104 (some losing body parts, others suffering burns all over their body), and sent hundreds of pieces of shrapnel into Gila Weiss's body, at Mahane Yehuda market (The Shuk) in Jerusalem in 2002, was a 21 year old woman - made up to look as if she was pregnant. Andaleeb Taqataqah was recruited by Aksa Martyrs Brigade - controlled by Fatah, which, at the time, was controlled by Yassir Arafat. Weiss, then 31, who was living alone at the time, was so badly burned and disfigured by the blast that her roommate was able to identify her only by the nail varnish on her toenails - her feet protected, she noted, by the ''...brown leather Naot brand mini-boots that covered my feet up to right below my ankles''.
Nearly every part of Weiss's body was pierced by shrapnel - bits and pieces of metal, glass, wood, pebbles, and plastic from objects damaged or destroyed by the blast, as well as, more than likely, pieces of the suicide bomber herself. Despite the many surgeries she had to endure, the doctors weren't able to locate or remove every last piece, and, to this day, projectiles from that horrible day remain in her body. The bomb which tore through Weiss was manufactured from three tubes of plastic explosives and a battery, which were placed in a black purse to camouflage it. On the day of the attack, the terrorist was driven to Abu Dis and from there she took a taxi to Jerusalem and made her way to the Shuk. When the terrorist realized that everyone was being checked at the entrances to the market, she turned around and walked towards the nearby bus stop, opposite Hava Bakery. There, she waited a short while, until a bus arrived. When the driver opened the door, and the passengers began getting on and off the bus, she blew herself up. A number of days prior to the attack Taqataqah was videotaped dressed in black and holding a Koran.
In the introductory post for her blog (called, My Shrapnel) - which she launched shortly after the attack - Weiss speaks of the powerlessness she felt. No, there wasn't any warning before the blast. There was no time to fight back or resist her attacker. She said:

I [could] have died and never known it. There would have been no goodbyes, no final thoughts of my loved ones, nothing. Everything that was in my mind, all of my loves and hates and hopes and dreams, everything that makes up who is Me, would have been instantly and completely wiped out.

But this is too terrifying and you cannot accept it. You want to believe that, when this happens to you, you will be on notice. You will be able to fight for your life. If you see the terrorist, you can dodge. If you feel the heat of the explosion you can turn away. If you feel the shrapnel entering me, you can declare to yourself: “I will not die” and force the breath in and out of your body. Knowledge is power.

How can you possibly accept a vision of yourself as without power, as powerless?

How can you accept a picture of yourself knowing nothing, and having absolutely no option or opportunity to fight? How can you just die, without even realizing that anything hit you. One moment you exist. The next you do not.

This shakes you to the soul.

The two hours I spend bike-riding with Gila - 7 years after the attack - through often hilly and challenging terrain that afternoon seemed to suggest that she has largely recovered from her injuries and that the reconstructive facial surgeries were very successful. What most struck me about Gila's thoughts following the attack was her shock over how utterly powerless she was in the face of an enemy who strikes at Israeli civilians arbitrarily, wherever the ''opportunity'' presents itself, and without warning. From 2000 till the end of 2o04 (the period known as the 2nd Intifada) there were over a thousand innocent Israeli men, women, and children killed in such attacks and more than 7000 wounded - many of whom suffered catastrophic injuries (such as severe burns, amputated limbs, paralysis, etc.) they must deal with for the rest of their lives - a constant reminder of the attack which changed them forever, and one which they were powerless to resist.

I wanted to write to you about that ship full of Iranian arms that the Israeli navy apprehended on its way to delivering them to the Hezb’Allah terrorists last week. The FRANCOP ship was carrying hundreds of tons of Iranian weapons of various types. Israel seized the arms and let the ship proceed to Beirut.

Mister Prime Minister, I really feel that Israel behaved improperly in this matter. After all, these weapons and bombs are Iranian and belong to Iran. They are properly the property of Tehran. Israel seized things that do not belong to it!

This is why I hereby appeal to you in the name of all decent and honest Israelis. The stolen property must be returned at once to its proper and legal owners. Israel must restore the bombs to Tehran, it must return all the explosives immediately to the Ayatollahs of Iran.

At once, I insist.

From a B-2 stealth bomber above the skies of Tehran!

Thank you for listening!

Prof. Steven Plaut
University of Haifa

In-depth story on Israel's "miracle secret": starting new companies with innovative ideas

How does Israel innovate? How does Israel produce more start-ups that make it to the NASDAQ than whole of Europe? How does Israel use the technology (i.e. electronics) start-up model in agriculture, bio-tech and now clean-tech? These are questions people have been asking for as long as there has been Israel. Israelis first built guns, cannons and avionics when no one would sell them arms to defend themselves (in the 1940s.) Than came a period of building the state itself and Israel built housing, factories, roads and public buildings (in the 1950s and 60s.) If you look carefully from the air you see the famous green line, an outline of the state in green where Israelis planted trees and literally changed the landscape (and the environment - that took more than 50 years.) Now Israelis build and design Integrated Circuits for Intel and cell phones for Motorola. But more than that, Israelis build companies. Not just products and inventions. Organizations to create and compete in the world technology, bio-medical and other fields. This phenomenon is discussed in Start-Up Nation. From an Israeli perspective it seems like an old story, start-ups go back 30 plus years. Here we have lived the gradual change and every week see a new product or announcement or a company acquisition. But in reality it is a big deal. Building a company is hard enough, building a whole economy and culture to drive company building is phenomenal.

There have been lots of articles about Israel's entrepreneurial spirit. There are also lots of reasons how each company or inventor got his start. But as a whole, this is the first in-depth treatment of Israel as a country of company creation. Clearly the way things work in Israel is different than in other countries. What is clear from the book is the way the authors focused on a few "reasons" or "obvious differences" which outsiders first see in Israel. The military gets a chapter and mentioned in a few other places. Israel's military plays a big role in developing group working ethics. Israel's isolation from Arab neighboring states also plays a big part, we have to do it on our own, so we try and eventually get it done. Diversity and continuous immigration plays a big part as well. A million Russian Jews came in the 1990s and in the late 1990's and early 2000s Ethiopian Jews came and settled. In Israel cultural background, skin color and language differences are not a barrier for collaboration in work and at home. Israel also exports much of it's products. This has been the case even before the state was founded even when economic difficulties hit hard. There are plenty of good observations in Start-Up Nation. Some interesting enough even for Israelis. So get the book, use the knowledge and get your own start-up going (or just join one.) One reviewer goes as far as advising start-up CEOs to use the book as a manual for success. In my opinion, this is more of a "how Israel did it" ~ as they say in car commercials: "your millage may vary".

Video interview from CNBC:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1311023934&play=1

Book's official site:
http://www.startupnationbook.com/

Amazon.COM page:
http://www.amazon.com/Start-up-Nation-Israels-Economic-Miracle/dp/044654146X

Barns & Noble page:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Start-up-Nation/Dan-Senor/e/9780446541466/

Border's page:
http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=044654146X
Israeltomorrow.blogspot is a life in Tel Aviv account...Come check the blog, new stories every week //sam-d-man#&#AmiV

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to spend a weekend at the Everest Hotel, which had been given good publicity a couple of weeks ago in the Jerusalem Post. The conference was sponsored by the Center for Emerging Futures advertised as:

Building Grassroots Partnerships

Beyond opinions, beyond fears,
beyond simplistic solutions and beyond politics:

A meeting of Palestinians – Israelis – Internationals
A human gathering of listening and co-creation

Sounded just like what I needed. I remembered the tough time I experienced last time I was there two years ago and I hoped things would be a bit different this time.

I didn't feel like spending money on a cab to get to Beit Jala. I took the bus from Maaleh Adumim to Talpiot when I decided I would take the Arab 21 bus straight to Beit Jala. I saw an Arab woman standing by the stop and started a conversation with her in my very broken Arabic but enough that she understood that I wanted to get to the Everest Hotel. She was so pleased that I asked for her assistance, after all, it's not every day that an Israeli woman would come over to ask an Arab woman for directions. She quickly offered me some of the seeds she was eating and invited me for coffee at her house. I would have loved to go, but I was going to be an hour late already. I sat in the back of the bus, some people staring, probably wondering if I was Jewish, a journalist or just a plain ol' foreigner or all three. The bus pretty much emptied out at a stop where taxis were waiting to take people to Hebron. It took about 15 minutes to get to Beit Jala and the bus left me off quite close to the hotel.

The introduction circle had already begun. I was listening to people's share of why they came - some had never met the other before, some wanted an end to the occupation, some wanted this for their children and I said I needed this kind of gathering for my mental health, which elicited some laughter. Of course, I mentioned that I came from Maaleh Adumim, which caused some murmuring among the crowed, but I happily saw that there was another young man from my city too.

We sat in a listening circle with Raed from an area near Ariel. He was harsh. No settlements! he cried, No occupation!!! YOU move to Tel Aviv and I move to Maaleh Adumim. He glared at me.

I told him that's impossible. Although I love to visit Tel Aviv, I'm not moving from Maaleh Adumim and if he wants to move and live with me in my community, that would be fine with me. I'm obviously not thinking or caring what my other 37,000 neighbors think of my ideas. He quieted down because he actually liked the idea of "living with me" and kept on repeating "living with you?" about 20 times. But he still believed that the settlements were the only problem and if they were removed, peace would miraculously appear in the region. I said the conflict was much older and deeper than 1967. He walked away from our table only to return with some crackers shaped like fish and handed each one of us a cracker - like a peace offering of sorts. This we thought was a lovely gesture from a man so angry, and we spoke about it in the larger circle.

Other forms of "giving" were done that weekend. One young Palestinian from Hebron said he was touched when, on Friday night, he complained of a horrible stomach ache. A Jewish woman made him some mint tea.

Another said he had a terrible headache and a Jewish tai chi instructor gave him some treatment and within minutes his headache was gone.

Jewish Oud player Yair Dalal entertained us on Friday evening with young musicians from Beit Jala.

This weekend I connected more deeply with some people, especially some of the women that came with their husbands from Twane and Umm al-Kheir. My Arabic was slightly better than it was a couple of years ago and their husbands spoke good English. They were such sweet people. One came over to me after I had lit the Sabbath candles and wished me a warm "shabbat shalom". They feel tormented by the Jews who live in nearby Carmel and Maon farms. Although the settlements receive 100% water supply and electricity, they don't have electricity and running water more than 3 hours a day. I guess we can't exchange email addresses. By the end of the weekend, my partnership goal/promise was to assist the families as best as I can by them making goat cheese and milk and yogurt products, as well as olive oil products and assisting these families in selling their products to tour groups and individuals who visit the South Hebron area. They can't really produce organic or any veggies or fruits, for that matter, on a large scale basis because of the water/electrical shortages. They are just able to grow whatever they can for their own use. But I figure this might help them out just a bit.

At breakfast Saturday morning, I sat with two young women, one raven-haired Jewish beauty from Belgium, whom everyone mistook for an Arab woman, and one who recently moved from Seattle who was 23 years old, but had the compassion and maturity of a much older woman. I told her my kids, who were her age, just thought about parties, shopping, friends, etc. She told me she was born an old woman and I laughed. We then sat around and spoke about visiting one another in Tel Aviv and Ashdod and perhaps having brunch on the Tel Aviv Port one day and then the conversation abruptly stopped.

"You know 'they' can't do all these things we're just taking for granted" - we almost said in unison - looking at our Arab table mates. We were almost embarrassed by this.

Leaving my nirvana on Saturday afternoon was difficult this time. We really connected and just this week I had a call from Twane asking when I plan to come down to visit. I told them for sure later on this month. Promises made have to be kept.

After five years plus two months, I moved to another house. My new place is more quiet, and features a big tree overshadowing the nice balcony. While the distance between the two locations is merely 231 meters, it feels like a big change.

The view from the living room

My former house was on the first floor, behind a cafe and restaurant. The noise from the workers there was sometimes annoying. The house on the other side of the street is undergoing construction for a few years, and this will probably continue for several more. Since it’s an old building, from the 1920s, it has to be conserved, making construction quite complicated.

And in recent months, retreating to the bedroom didn’t help too much - also the building behind the house and near the bedroom was lucky enough to be renovated. The only quiet side of the building is a side I don’t have any window to. The neighbors live there…

On the other hand, my new establishment is on a more quiet, residential only location. Also living on the second floor (or third floor as my girlfriend argues) makes the occasional car that passes by irrelevant.

Add the tree seen in the picture, and you get a quiet place. Excellent for sleeping and working, now that I work from home (and from cafes). It’s still very close to all the hot places and now closer to the gym, giving me less excuses to stay out of shape.

Sounds perfect, right? Well, I don’t need a quiet environment. I live in the city, not at home. While the extreme conditions in my previous home might have been too much, this new nice place is somewhat too quiet, despite the central location.

The next place will be perfect!

"ויֹּאמַר: אֲדֹנָי, אִם-נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ--אַל-נָא תַעֲבֹר, מֵעַל עַבְדֶּךָ - And said: 'My lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant."
(בראשית יח:ג)

The words above form Avraham's request of God after his circumcision: please don't leave me now, even though I have to leave.

The days after a circumcision are supposed to be the most painful, with the pain at its most intense on the third day. Although the pain was great, Avraham was pre-occupied with other things; he was desperate to welcome guests into his tent, and sat watching for weary travellers he could welcome in to his abode.

But if we think about this situation over, something seems amiss. Avraham was sitting in the presence of God, and yet he was searching for people he could bring into his house. What more could he need? Surely being with Hashem is better than being with mere mortals!

The Talmud in Gemara Shabbat (127) learns from this episode that: "מכאן שגדולה הכנסת אורחים יותר מקבלת פני השכינה - from here [we know] that hosting guests is more [important] than receiving the heavenly presence." This still leaves a question, though. How did Avraham know how he should act?

In the book Mayanei HaTorah (a compilation of various teachings) a few Rabbis point out the answer to this question. We have to recognise that Avraham Avinu was a tremendous person. He devoted his life Torah and becoming close to Hashem and he had an incredible level of control over his natural desires and instincts. Avraham was so accustomed to defeating his own will and attuned to Hashem's that his body gravitated towards doing mitzvot. When there was an opportunity for performing a mitzvah, he would find that his body "wanted" to take him there. Avraham was aware that his body wanted to take him there, and so he came to the realisation that the proper conduct was in fact to leave Hashem's presence and seek out people to take into his home.

Personally, I learn a great deal from this. If ever there was an example in the whole Torah of the lengths to which we have to go to make other people happy, this is it. To Avraham, nothing in the world mattered more than being with God. Yet he understood that to become closer with God, there are times when one has to do the simple things.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom!

Great blog post from a cyclist colleague in Israel, utterly bustin' it on a week-long children's charity ride:

"I just spent a week riding through mud.

Not the kind of nice warm Dead Sea mud that tourists buy. I’m talking about freezing cold mud. It gets on your arms, your legs, in your nose, and between your teeth. Every day after the ride you take a shower wearing your riding gear to try and get some of it off. But it’s just not possible.

The mud gets on your bike chain and in your gears. It gets in your brakes and clogs your pedals. Your bike weighs a ton no matter how often you try and clean some muck off.

What an amazing week."

The rain was so thick, you could hardly see where you were going. Then it started to get cold. Yael reminded me of the article I wrote before the ride about how we should just accept the inevitable and embrace the rain.

I told her to shut up."

Read the rest.

This just in from the Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria: (Anyone taking bets on whether you'll see this in the NY Times tomorrow..?)

Transfer of Swine Flu Vaccine via Israel to the Palestinian Authority

This evening the Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria facilitated the entry of 20,000 doses of swine flu vaccine to the Palestinian Authority. This effort, which brought the vaccines to Ramallah via the Qalandiya crossing, comes a few days before Palestinians set out to the Hajj to Mecca early week and was necessary since vaccination against swine flu is a condition for entrance into Mecca, Islam's holiest city. The Civil Administration places great value on cooperation and coordination with the Palestinian Authority in the fields of health and religious expression.

Steinar Skipsness created a fake office so he could understand how to succeed in job interviews. He filmed the whole thing, and the funny results led to 20 great job interview tips that are true anywhere in the world.Related posts:How To Ace A Walk-in Panel Job InterviewAnswering 13 Common...

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19 of the Eighth Month 5770

After the umteenth person asked me whether I had ever met Ya'akov Teitel or not, I decided that it was time for me to chime in with my Esser Agaroth on the matter.

First off, no, I have never met Ya'akov Teitel, resident of Shvuth Rahel. nor does his photo look at all familiar to me. I am actually quite surprised by this, considering the hundreds of times I tremped (hitched) in and out of the town of Shiloh between 2001 to 2005. Everyone seemed to think that as a [former] resident of K'far Tapu'ah, I am supposed to know every Jew ever accused of violence. (No value judgments here.) Boy, have they got the wrong idea about [the now very mamlachti] K'farTapu'ah. Nonetheless, nope,...never met him.

While others have expressed shock or surprise, excitement or disgust, over Ya'akov Teiltel's accusations, I am not in the least bit surprised that such an incident has surfaced at this time. But, wait. Didn't I just write that I had never met him? I'll explain.

First, I will list a few components of the case in introduction:

1. We do not know what Ya'akov Teitel did or did not do.

2. We do know that he was in the custody of the Shabba"k (General Security Services) for quite some time, during which he reportedly "confessed," after having undergone God only knows what kind of "treatment."

3. The Erev Rav-controled, Israeli news media has already tried and convicted (and demonized) Ya'akov Teitel. (No surprises there.)

If nothing else, Ya'akov Teitel is being used as this year's excuse to demonize and otherwise incite against "extreme" religious nationists, "extreme" meaning having loyalty to the Torah over loyalty to the State (There is a difference between the two, you know, a big difference).

It must resort to intensifying campaign of fear mongering. Even Mafda"l/Jewish Home Party officials partly acknowledge the incitement. (They also say a number of other idiotic, non-Torah-based nonsense. Nevertheless,...)

The Israeli government's mamlachti (undying state loyalist) religious lapdogs are diminishing in number, because their rabbis' logic is increasingly unable to address the questions coming from this community's youth. Meanwhile the Torah nationalalists and haredim are increasing in number. Half of all of this year's second-graders are religious. No matter how much apologizing the mamachtim do, the Erev Rav-controled, Israeli government still sees this as the primary, impending threat to its control over Israel.

The Israeli government is desperate and running scared, and for good reason. In the [paraphrased] words of the Hesed leAvraham, ...pride will bring these treif birds down.

This, I say, is the real story. Ya'akov Teitel is only a distraction, allowing the Erev Rav to continue its anti-Torah, anti-Eretz Yisrael operations, or an excuse for incitement (wagging the dog), desperately trying to maintain its un-Jewish control. Look at it either way you choose.

I'll conclude with the some final observations:

1. The Shabba"k appear to intensify its operations before Pesah and Sukkoth. You can almost set your calendar by it.

2. The gag oorder regarding the case of Ya'akov Teitel was "coincidentally" removed around the anniversary of Yitzhaq Rabin's death, the traditional season of free for all incitement against religious nationalists.

3. Today was the anniversary of the murder of Rabbi Me'ir Kahane HY"D. Expect more fear mongering and goverment-sponsered hate speech.

But such desperate measures are all in vain. B'Ezrath HaShem, the truth will eventually win out.

Anyone who has been a parent, or who has cared for other people’s babies, knows how frustrating it can be when the baby cries…and cries…and cries…oh, my goodness, and CRIES...

An average baby cries for 2-3 HOURS each day. And 20-30% of babies cry considerably more than that.

“Stop crying! Stop it will you! Oh STOP IT!”

Add to the situation the carer's physical and emotional exhaustion, and also the exhaustion of regular baby-care techniques (feeding, changing, cuddling…you name it) - and many carers have, in desperation, shaken their baby.

Sometimes, this shaking actually seems to work – as the baby might indeed stop crying and become passive, sleepy, subdued after being shaken. So the initial shaking in anger/frustration can even become a “technique” for stopping the baby from crying.

Whether from just one shaking episode (typically even less than 20 seconds) or from several shakings, the damage to the baby’s brain can be devastating. People are literally shaking their babies to death – or to irreversible brain damage.

Shaken Baby Syndrome (which is a subcategory of Abusive Head Trauma) is estimated to be responsible for 300 deaths and 1200 cases of severe brain damage a year in the USA. According to the Israeli National Council for the Child, they estimate 15 babies die each year in Israel; the NCC is therefore currently launching a nationwide awareness campaign to reduce this human catastrophe here in Israel.

According to the The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, the medical effects of shaking babies are: "Approximately 25 percent of all SBS/AHT victims die as a result of their injuries. Of those who survive 80% suffer permanent disability such as severe brain damage, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, behavioral disorders and impaired motor and cognitive skills."

Their practical advice is: “It is important to note that SBS is preventable. Shaking occurs frequently when a frustrated care giver loses control with an inconsolable crying baby. It is important to realize just saying "don't shake a baby" is not enough. A plan of action or suggestions to deal with the situation need to be offered. Parents and other care providers need assurance that allowing a baby to cry is okay if all their needs have been met. The care provider should address their stress level and try stress management.

"Parents should share the message of the dangers of shaking with all who care for their infant or child, including spouses, their own parents, siblings, day care providers and others. Parents need to let those caring for the infant know that it is okay to call for help when needed.”

If you have a baby, or are a carer for someone else’s baby, please review: www.dontshake.org

You can also call the Israeli National Council for the Child helpline (call during regular office hours, it's not 24/7): 02-6780605.

If you are concerned about any changes in your baby’s health, including symptoms which may be Shaken Baby Syndrome – call your Pediatrician or Emergency Response service immediately.

DON’T SHAKE – GET HELP!!!

As we discussed before, according to both Talmudic and International Laws, the Land of Israel is not only promised to the Jews, but legally belongs to them.

On Wednesday, Clinton insisted ''our policy on settlement has not changed.''''We do not accept the legitimacy of settlement activity. Ending all settlement activity current and future would be preferable,'' she told reporters after talks with Mubarak. (NY Times)

Reminds me of something I learned about Manifest Destiny. You make up a political ideology, and that becomes your law. Your current belief system trumps religion, history, law and common standards of fair play.

Ask a Native American if that is always a good thing.

Invite me to Washington and I'll explain it all to you.

P.S. I only eat Kosher.

Siding with Israel over Iran does not mean that it's OK to sell out American principles on peace in the Middle East.

I don't mean to be pessimistic on a new administration. Generally it's good to give people a chance to get some experience and confidence going on their new job. Still, when the new kid on the block repeatedly foments controversy, it's hard to ignore what is going on.

Why does it seem that every time Vice President Biden and Secretary of State Clinton make a statement in favor of Israel we need to tell ourselves to wait 24 to 48 hours until there is a retraction of some kind?

There needs to be ideological consistency out the White House. You can't blame Iran for being dangerous and then turn around and support Hamas.

On the matter of Iran, as said before, if there is military action against Iran, I would hope that it were by the US not Israel -not for Israel's sake, but for the well being of our troops overseas who are easier targets than anyone in the Land of Israel is. I don't care if they are holding guns, these brave soldiers are young Americans who are potentially in harm's way. America can and should protect it's own.

The prime responsibility of an American President is as Commander in Chief of the military. Iran's current regime is a potential threat to many members of that military.

Whereas the prime goal of foreign policy is to further national interests in a way that does not harm our allies, otherwise few trusted allies we would have, indeed. The territorial dispute in Israel should have zero to do with the foreign policy we show towards a world class dangerous regime in a different part of the Middle East. Please don't confuse the two.

Every time a tough statement is made against Iran, the current practice of this White House is to make some sort of corresponding verbal slight against Israeli rights to their land. If this is a calculated choice, it would be an effort at even handedness for the sake of even handedness, in a way that is not even handed at all.

Separate these two theaters of conflict within your foreign policy to prevent one large theater of war from believed intertwining interests that never existed until some foolish speech writer linked it all into a hodgepodge of pseudo even handedness and outright untruthfulness. The goal is to avoid conflict, not hasten it.

Please consider that perhaps the unintended message of this methodology is speaking louder than the intended message. The enemies of civilization tend pick and choose that which they want to hear. Therefore the upholders of civilization must be more circumspect in their speech.