The Muqata

Breaking Security News: Ra'anana, Kfar Saba, Herziliya area.

2009-11-04T16:12:00.003+02:00

UPDATE: 4:21 PM Security forces have apprehended a suspect in the Kfar Saba...details as they become available. Traffic slowly returning to its normal rush-hour crawl.

4:00 PM IDF Radio (and many other news sources) are reporting that a Palestinian terrorist is on the loose in the Ra'anana, Kfar Saba, Herziliya region, and a massive IDF and security forces manhunt is under way.

This region (as well as the alongside, Shomron area) are now full of traffic jams and security checkpoints, as security forces are urgently hunting for the terrorist.

If you're stuck in one of those traffic jams or at a checkpoint, please be patient as the IDF is doing its best now, to keep us safe.

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IDF Naval Commandos capture Iranian weapons ship

2009-11-04T11:28:00.005+02:00

11:30 AM -- Breaking News: Minutes ago an Iranian ship loaded with weapons was brought to the Israeli naval port in Ashdod. The boat was on its way to Syria with a large shipment of weapons was intercepted by Israeli Naval Commandos, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) off the coast of Israel.

The JPost adds more:

"The elite Navy Commando unit Shayetet 13 soldiers, who didn't encounter resistance on board, found the weapons and ammunition cache hidden behind what appeared to be a civilian cargo.

According to the officials, the vessel carried advanced weaponry including missiles, and the incident was apparently similar in scope to the seizing of the Karine A ship intercepted in January 2002 off the coast of Gaza. That boat carried some 50 tons of military equipment including Katyusha rockets, antitank missiles, and high explosives."

Great work IDF, but watch your back from Goldstone -- he'll surely accuse Israel of piracy on the high seas.

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Lunar Rainbows

2009-11-04T08:58:00.000+02:00

After my interesting post on rainbows from last week, I was sent the following links to another fascinating phenomena: Lunar Rainbows (also known as moon bows)

This one was photographed on November 2, 2009 in Yorkshire, UK, by Christopher Walker. (What is it about England and rainbows? Is it that G-d is sending England a message...or is it just the abundance of rain?)

There's a whole explanation of the science here and on rainbows in general.

These rainbows appear at night, and aren't seen by anyone unless there is a powerful light source, like a full moon. If there isn't a light source, is there still a moonbow, yet non-visible? Does it need an observer to exist? Perhaps it only exists when observed...

Moonbow sources: here and here

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J-unabomber

2009-11-04T08:05:00.005+02:00

While those on the left are besmirching Jewish settlers and communities because of one man, more and more information is coming out that indicates this guy is run-of-the-mill psychopathic serial killer, who we are now dubbing the J-unabomber (alternate spelling: Jewnabomber or Junabomber - help us decide).

Police now believe he murdered 2 traffic cops in the Jordan Valley 8 months ago.

This reminds of another Israeli (Secular) serial killer a few years back (1997).

Foreign hitchhikers were murdered and injured on the road down to Eilat.

The police found the (Secular) suspect. An IDF officer, Major Daniel Okev from Even Yehuda (near Netanya). At the time it was believed he was responsible for other missing tourists, but I never heard anything more about it.

Yet no one in the (Israeli) media was condemning the IDF or the (secular) community of Even Yehuda, or Netanya which it is near, or the center of the country where he lived. (The anti-Semites on the other hand had a field day).

I mean after all, we can't blame an entire secular community or secular society or secular educational system for a few wild weeds in their garden.

And don't get me started on all the (Secular) youth club stabbings happening in Tel Aviv - again products of their neighbors, neighborhoods, communities, and educational system.

You could say that one man's serial killer is another man's battering ram.

I think I've made my point clear.

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Hamas successfully tests long range (60 km) rocket

2009-11-03T11:17:00.005+02:00

Head of IDF Military Intelligence, General Amos Yadlin reported to the Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee today that over the past few days, Hamas has successfully conducted launches of 60 kilometer range rockets.

The rocket is apparently of Iranian design, and its unclear if Hamas in Gaza has the capability to manufacture these on their own -- or they are just smuggling them in.

A 60 kilometer range rocket launched from Gaza, is capable of hitting Modiin, Beit Shemesh, Ben-Gurion airport and South Tel Aviv.

(Report from Channel B Israel Radio)

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Top secret meeting moved

2009-11-02T13:09:00.001+02:00

The top secret settler meeting has been moved to tomorrow night to the alternate location.

Keep it hush-hush.

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Here comes the rain

2009-11-02T12:16:00.003+02:00

Hopefully, Israel is in for a very rainy winter after years of drought.

We're off to a good start so far -- this past October brought the most recorded rain EVER in the history of Israel since rainfalls have been recorded.

Today's storm system is supposed to dump quite alot, and will only taper off tomorrow (Tuesday) evening. There's even a possibility of snowfall in the Northern Golan atop the Hermon mountain range.

See the best weather link for Israel, with the Muqata's endorsement: IMS, Israel's Meteorological Service.

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RabinFest Bingo

2009-11-02T11:32:00.002+02:00

What a right-winger to do?

Its a month-long festival of hatred towards anyone who disagreed with Yitzchak Rabin's political policies, and all we can do is huddle in the shadows and hope the tsunami of hate passes by quickly.

But wait! Last night, the media celebration erupted more than usual -- a" Jewish Settler Terrorist" was captured by the Shin-bet...releasing a whole new wave against the right wing/religious/settler/chareidi population of Israel.

To help cope, friend-of-the-blog, Dr. Cyrano and I have worked hard to come up with a game to help pass the time.

Its called, "RabinFest Bingo". Each player gets a card with 7 of the following slogans. Then, the players listen to a news broadcast or interview together. As each phrase is mentioned, the players mark that off on their scorecard. First one to get all of them wins. (Or surf the web and whoever finds them first...etc)

The list for your cards is as follows:

1) I don’t want to generalize about ring wingers...but...

2) You of all people should be the first to condemn this sort of behavior!

3) Why do you wait till after these terrible acts to condemn them and you do nothing before?

4) Why don't you deal with the rotten apples and wild weeds and expunge them?

5) Why don't you deal with the other 200 terrorists among you? (Avi Dichter counted them but could not find or arrest them)

6) Why are all the Jewish settler right wing extremist terrorists always Jewish right wing extremist terrorists [Even though Amir wasn't a settler and Tytel had no political activities or associations...when called out that those on the list "don't fit the category", respond that you didn't mean settlers just right wing since you are allowed to generalize about them]

7) Since everyone knew it was a settler and all settlers know everything about each other why didn't you (neighbor, friend, right wing spokesman, settler, police, shabak) do anything?

8) If the courts weren't so lenient with Jewish terrorists this wouldn't have happened.

9) If the "Jewish branch" of the police weren't so lax this wouldn't have happened.

10) If the police wasn't so busy dealing with illegal outpost construction they would have found the terrorist first.

11) Davka this week

12) How dare you say that this was anything but a coincidence that davka this week

13) Link together all the following as identical or slippery slope: Right wing, anti-oslo, Noar gvaot, against expulsions, willing to fight against soldiers who come to kick you out of your house, willing to shoot soldiers, willing to kill arabs, willing to kill left wingers, willing to kill homolesbim.

14) Ask the question of every single interviewee and in every single way " did he act alone?'" "is it really possible he acted alone" or "even if he was a lone wolf who had no friends, spoke no Hebrew and didn't even tell his wife is it really possible he acted alone?"

15) variation on 13: How it it that you (neighbor, right winger who never met him, police officer etc..) didn't see the red flags? (He was after all a settler!)

16) it was just a matter of time (by not defining "it" you increase the chance of this being true to 100% while causing feeling of responsibility and guilt for not having prevented "it")

17) Pulsa Denura (Can one even write that without getting arrested?)

18) This is the same sort of hatred seen at the Zion Square demonstration, where right wingers held picture of Rabin in a Nazi SS uniform.

19) The Rabbis were all responsible for the incitement and atmosphere that allowed this to happen.

20) A Prerequisite to be a Jewish Terrorist, is that you are right wing. [said this morning by Razi Barkay on IDF Radio...]

Feel free to add more to the list...

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Health Post - Study finds vaccinations less effective after Tylenol

2009-11-01T18:15:00.003+02:00

Special Guest Topic from Mrs. Jameela @ The Muqata

Conventional Wisdom states to give babies Tylenol/acetaminophen after vaccinations to reduce side effects and lower a resulting fever.

Yet a new study reported states that giving Tylenol to reduce the side effects after a vaccination lowers the effectiveness of the vaccination itself.

"Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Children who get Tylenol and other brands of the painkiller paracetamol after vaccination to avoid a high fever aren’t as well protected as those who don’t, a study found.
Babies who took paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, right after a shot had less fever but also showed a lower immune response, possibly because the drug reduced the inflammation that may favor interactions between immune cells, according to research published in the medical journal The Lancet.

Using the painkiller, also sold under the brands Calpol in the U.K. and Anacin in the U.S., to prevent fever after vaccination “has become routine practice and is even recommended in some countries,” wrote the researchers, led by Roman Prymula of the University of Defence in Hradec Kralove, the Czech Republic.

Prymula and his colleagues studied 459 healthy babies divided in two groups. One group received three doses of paracetamol after vaccination and the other didn’t. The researchers had two goals: to gauge how much fever the children had and how well immunized they were after the initial vaccine and the booster shot.

The children were vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis B, whooping cough, diarrhea-causing rotaviruses and Haemophilus influenzae type B, a bacterium that can cause pneumonia and meningitis.

Forty-two percent of the children who got paracetamol after the first shot had a fever of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) or above, compared with 66 percent of those who didn’t, the study showed. High fever was rare in both groups. The immune response of the painkiller group, measured by the concentration of antibodies in their blood, was “significantly lower,” the researchers wrote. (Bloomberg)

Startled by this revelation, my wife didn't give Tylenol today to our infant son, who received a routine inoculation today.

Have you heard of this before?

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18:00 Update - media blackout lifted

2009-11-01T18:04:00.002+02:00

Media Blackout lifted: Israeli arrested last month for suspected murder and for his alleged role in a string of attempted murder plots, a gag order lifted on Sunday revealed.

US Born Yaakov Teitel, 37, was is suspected of killing two Palestinians, for rigging the package bomb which left the child of a Messianic Jew seriously wounded in the city of Ariel, for a home-made firework on the door of radical left-wing Hebrew University professor Ze'ev Sternhell, and for his alleged role in a series of warning attacks against Israel Police at the time of the Gay Pride Parade.

While the Police believed he was involved in the shooting attack on the gay youth club in Tel-Aviv, there is no (known or published) evidence that he was related to that attack.

Sourced: haaretz, jpost.

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A Thoughtful Analysis of J-Street

2009-11-01T17:13:00.002+02:00

The Purple Parrot sent me this link today -- and is one of the more thoughtful pieces on J-Street, because it admits that there is a whole segment of J-Street which is blatantly anti-Israel.

The Ha'Aretz Op-Ed piece questions: Can J-Street be a synthesis of two, diametrically apposed viewpoints?

The core problem is that J Street has two main stated goals, and they don't really fit together. The first goal is to "broaden" the definition of what it means to be pro-Israel, to open up Jewish community discourse to a wider range of acceptable opinions. The second goal is to lobby for an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord that leads to a two-state solution. It became evident during the convention that you can't do both.

By advertising itself as a forum for free and open discussion of Israel, warts and all, the conference predictably attracted a contingent of Jews who are ambivalent or hostile toward Israel. They weren't on the program, but they spoke up in breakout sessions and gathered in clusters in the hallways. Some came to paint Israel as the guilty party and argue for sweeping Israeli concessions without regard for Israel's security. Some opposed the very idea of Jewish statehood. Most came to Washington expecting to help shape J Street's goals and gain political influence for their views.

...

Sounding more hawkish than he had in the past, Ben-Ami ruled out cuts in American military aid to Israel, endorsed the Law of Return, denounced the so-called "one-state solution" and repeatedly distanced himself from individuals and groups on the left that reject Zionism. Arriving at the conference two days later, the outliers - let's call them "un-Zionists" - were in an ornery mood, feeling duped and gobsmacked.

My friend Lurker and I have been discussing this quite a bit over the past few weeks. He believes that Ben-Ami is the "respectable" front for the organization (which is why he made hawkish sounding statements at the convention), allowing the door to be opened for all sorts of left wing radical positions to be heard and legitimized through J-Street's window to the world.

Ben-Ami made a point of comparing J-Street to Kadima, a "Zionist", "Legitimate" political party in Israel. However, it would seem that much of the J-Street participants last week, were closer to the anarchists who clash with the IDF on a weekly basis and violently attack IDF soldiers at the Yaalin fence construction site.

Food for thought.

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Breaking News: The Media Blackout ends at 18:00

2009-11-01T15:51:00.003+02:00

The shocking news will be revealed to all at 18:00 now...and I can say I'm disgusted on several levels.

1. That someone from the nationalist-religious community was involved in this crime.
2. That the same above someone is also a settler.
3. That the police and media clearly held onto this story for over 3 weeks...coincidentally poised to reveal it within the framework of Rabin Memorial Month.

I guarantee the politicians and media personalities will harp on the person's background over and over again, tarring the community from which he originates.

It would be unfair to paint all leftists as child killers -- like Assaf Goldring who recently murdered his 3 year old daughter. For example, the "Kikar Shabbat" website, covered the story as, "Secular Leftist Murdered His Daughter" -- you would never see a headline like that on YNET, rather only the flipside: "Religious Settler Responsible for ...." (which you'll see tonight at 18:00).

It would be wrong to say that all left-wing actors are sex criminals like Chanan Goldblatt or Gadi Saban. Not all left-winger beat their wives like Assi Dayan or have goon squads beat up their competitors, like Dudu Topaz.

Writing the following even before the latest news broke, Yitzchak Klein wrote the following Op-Ed piece in the Jerusalem Post, about "Our Day of Mourning...and Hatred"

Before the Hate had proceeded for thirty seconds, uncontrollable exclamations of rage were breaking out from half the people in the room... The horrible thing about the Two Minutes Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining in. Within thirty seconds any pretense was always unnecessary. A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces with a sledge hammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current, turning one even against one's will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic. - George Orwell, 1984
In George Orwell's dystopia, formal public ceremonies are devoted to the inculcation of hatred. The object of this hatred is the classic "enemy" that is a feature of every totalitarian society, legions of faceless and anonymous traitors who threaten society on all sides and whom it is an obligation to hate. (read it all here)

Honestly? I don't feel the slightest bit "guilty" for Rabin's murder (though I will clearly say that violence against politicians is absolutely wrong and has no place in our society). I don't feel the slightest bit guilty either, for the news announcement coming at 18:00.

Its wrong. The arrested people, if they are indeed guilty, are morons and should be locked away.

Yet I will not be intimidated into hiding and bowing my head in shame over the actions of a few individuals who don't represent me, or my values.

If you really want to know in advance of the media blackout, and your Hebrew is up to par...you can read about it here or a general search here. Just don't comment about it on this blog till after the media blackout has been rescinded.

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Where were you when Rabin was shot?

2009-10-29T23:09:00.004+02:00

The following golden oldie is back for republication. It is not criticism in anyway of the late Prime Minister Rabin, rather a reflection of Israeli society.

Where were YOU when Rabin was shot?

The Forum

Jameel Rashid: Good evening! I'm Jameel Rashid, and welcome to "The Forum". This week marks the 14th anniversary of the death of Yitzchak Rabin. I suppose every Israeli remembers where they were and what they were doing when they heard that the Prime Minister had been shot. Now, this week we have asked three Israelis, chosen completely at random, to come on the show and tell us their stories. What is your name, Sir?

Shlomi: Uh, Shlomi.

Jameel Rashid: Okay, Shlomi. Do you remember where you were when you heard that Rabin was dead?

Shlomi: I sure do, Jameel. I'll never forget it. I was a freshman at Hebrew University at the time, and I remember walking across the campus to go to class, and I heard a couple of guys talking. They were talking..

Jameel Rashid: [ interrupting ] Whoa, whoa, whoa.. hold on a second. How old are you?

Shlomi: I'm 25.

Jameel Rashid: Mmm-hmm.

Shlomi: So, anyhow, I was walking across the campus, right? And I heard these two guys..

Jameel Rashid: I..I'm sorry, Shlomi. I don't mean to interrupt you again. You were 11 years old, and you were a freshman at Hebrew University?

Shlomi: No, no, no, it was last year, I was 24. Anyhow, I was walking across campus, and I saw these two guys talking..

Jameel Rashid: Hold on, Shlomi. Again, I'm sorry. Let me get this straight - you didn't know that Yitzchak Rabin had been shot for thirteen years?

Shlomi: Well, Jameel, you know, I was never really big, you know, on current events..

Jameel Rashid: We're talking about the Prime Minister getting shot, here! I mean, Yitzchak Rabin the Historic Leader of Israel, IDF Chief of Staff, Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Founder of the Oslo Accords! How could you have missed it?

Shlomi: Well, you know.. I usually turn to the Sports page first. I like to catch that first.

Jameel Rashid: [exasperated] The Sports page?! This was one of the biggest stories of the decade!

Shlomi: Well, maybe it was a big story in Ramalla, but..

Jameel Rashid: This was not a local story! I can't believe this! Have you ever heard anything so stupid in your life?

Shlomi: [defensive] Yeah, well, I'm sure I know a lot more about sports than you do!

Jameel Rashid: Fine! Fine! [ turning to the next guest ] Uh, what's your name, please?

Anat: Anat.

Jameel Rashid: Tell me, Anat, how did you first hear that Yitzchak Rabin had been shot?

Anat: Well, Jameel, this is a little embarrassing, considering what just transpired here.. but, uh.. he told me. [points to Shlomi]

Jameel Rashid: What?!

Anat: Backstage. Just before the show.

Jameel Rashid: You mean, you didn't know about the Rabin assassination until tonight?!

Shlomi: [ laughing proudly ] What a tembel (dork), Jameel!

Jameel Rashid: Have you people been in a coma, or what?

Anat: Well, I.. I must have been watching another channel..

Jameel Rashid: [ outraged ] Another channel?! It was on all the channels! He was the Prime Minister, for God's sake! Everybody on Earth knew about it the day it happened, except for you two people sitting right here!!

Third Guest: Uh, excuse me. Are you people talking about Yitzchak Rabin?

Jameel Rashid: Yes!

Third Guest: Oh, what. Did something happen?

Anat: He's.. he's been shot.

Third Guest: Oh, no! No! No, he's been shot! [ starts weeping ]

Jameel Rashid: [ disgusted ] That's it for me. Join us next week on "The Forum", when our guest will be Shai Agassi, the founder of BetterPlace, the leader of environmentally-friendly, electric powered cars in Israel.

Shlomi: [ intrigued ] Wait a minute.. you mean, there are high tech companies…in Israel?

Jameel Rashid: [ angry ] Yes!

Shlomi: [ excited ] Alright! [ turns to Anat ] Give me five! I can't believe it! In Israel!

--end--

Postscript: I was a kid when this was first aired on Saturday Night Live in 1983, and could not forget it. It kept me laughing all night long. In the US, this was considered very funny at the time. You can be sure that there will be people in Israel who read this and will want to kill me. Oh well.

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Why the Israel Economy Is Where It Is.

2009-10-29T16:37:00.002+02:00

Why is Israel so economically successful? Dan Senor and Saul Singer go beyond stereotypes and beyond the continuing Mideast conflict to analyze this question in their new book, Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle. Senor, a former Bush-administration official in Iraq, took questions from National Review Online’s Kathryn Jean Lopez on what Israel’s done right, what stands in her way, and how we can learn a little from our ally.

A very fascinating interview with the authors. Worth a read.

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Prevent Swine Flu - Say "Asher Yatzar" (now, in ENGLISH)

2009-10-27T13:06:00.005+02:00

After posting about this flier yesterday, issued by the NYC Board of Health -- in Yiddish, my good friend, Special Ed, found it for me in English as well.

Make sure your school, shul and workplace remind people about the importance of washing their hands with soap to prevent Swine Flu infection...and don't forget to say, "Asher Yatzar" -- print it up, hang it up, and stay healthy!

Just click the image for a full sized printable version.

This has been a public health message from the NYC Board of Health....and the Muqata Blog.

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How Safe Are You: Airport and Plane Security?

2009-10-27T11:46:00.009+02:00

I recently had to fly to the UK for business. Here are some observations:

1. On my return flight to Israel, I did "online check-in", which means I printed out my boarding pass before going to London's Heathrow airport. I found it very amusing that the questions asked by security personnel at Israel's Ben-Gurion airport (did you pack the bags yourself, etc) were all "asked" by the web page I used to perform online checking.

I'm sure that terrorists are intimidated into telling the truth for this on-line check-in, and they will always truthfully answer the check-box questions accurately.

2. What I found slightly more distressing is that when you perform on-line check-in at Heathrow airport, and are not carrying any luggage, you are not asked to show your passport at any time. From the time I entered the airport till I was on the plane...in fact, all the way till I got to Israel, the only identification I had to show to anyone, was my self-printed piece of paper boarding pass.

Of course, I can forgive them. While they may not have verified who I actually was, or bothered to check my passport at any time, they did enforce the very strict rule that no more than 300 milliliters of any liquid be in my hand luggage. Why? Because liquids can be dangerous. So are nail clippers...and plastic knives (also forbidden). Needless to say, there was something far more potentially dangerous in my hand luggage, but that went through without a problem.

3. Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport security is something out of science fiction. They profile people, pre-profile people, and have security anywhere and everywhere. Rumor has it that there are over 300 cameras alone monitoring the check-in/departure area. The security people place stickers on your boarding pass and passport that look like this:

Don't even bother trying to figure out what it means -- as every single time I fly out of Israel, they check different boxes for me on the security stickers, and use different names as well that they sign or write on the stickers (even ifs the SAME SECURITY PERSON).

4. You can always spot an Israeli on a plane by the following:

Within 10 milliseconds of touchdown, the Israeli is already opening up the overhead luggage compartment, turning on their cellphone, and preparing for the mad dash off the plane.

They are already talking on their phones while the plane is taxi-ing to the terminal. This particularly annoys the airline staff.

"Sir, you'll have to turn off your cellphone till the plane's doors are open and the engines are turned off."

Why exactly? Will the cellphone cause a accident after the plane has already landed?

Think about this: if cellphones are SO dangerous as they may interfere with a plane when it's flying, why are people allowed to fly with them?!

Nail clippers are dangerous (as well all know), yet cellphones which could cause the plane to explode or crash while flying (after all, that's why we can't use them during flights) -- so why are we allowed to have them in the cabin at all while flying?

I certainly hope Al-Qaida isn't reading this blog -- because they may use this classified information as a threat -- "Fly this plane to Kabul, or I'll turn on my cellphone!"

That's enough travel and security observations for now...as JoeSettler probably has something insightful to post...

Glad to be back home.

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You may be "Pro-Israel" if...

2009-10-27T09:04:00.002+02:00

Ben-Ami, the head of JStreet said,

"We are here to redefine and expand the very concept of being pro-Israel."

You may be "Pro-Israel" if... your organization calls for boycotting products made by Israelis.

You may be "Pro-Israel" if... you believe Israel should be investigated for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

You may be "Pro-Israel" if... you are sure Israel should not have attacked Gaza after 7 years of Sederot being bombed.

You may be "Pro-Israel" if... you believe that Israel is illegally occupying the Wailing Wall in East Jerusalem.

If you believe any of those things listed above - you may be "Pro-Israel".

Please contact your local JStreet chapter, we'll be happy to teach you how to turn your personal beliefs into community-wide actions - and you'll never even have to say you are "Pro-Israel".

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"Pro-Israel"? That's just a matter of definition or exclusion.

2009-10-27T07:50:00.005+02:00

JStreet has dropped the slogan "pro-Israel" from their campus slogans to avoid alienating students. What was the slogan doing there in the first place?

Ben-Ami, the head of JStreet said,

"We are here to redefine and expand the very concept of being pro-Israel."

A statement which needn't speak for itself, as they themselves explained it quite nicely.

"We don't want to isolate people because they don't feel quite so comfortable with [JS: being] pro-Israel," said one JStreet student activist.

All this explained itself in the activist training sessions, where one student expressed surprise when the

"session shifted from the advertised topic of countering divestment, to a discussion of how to effectively call for divestment from products made in settlements without a broader call for divestment from all of Israel."

So there you go. They sound exactly like a European or British labor union. No Antisemitism there.

Bradley Burston wrote an op-ed piece how JStreet supporters are all left-wing dovish lovers of Israel.

" J Street, the new dovish lobbying organization which describes itself as pro-Israel and pro-peace."

I guess someone should tell him that JStreet is no longer "pro-Israel" and their followers no longer need risk excommunication.

Another Burston article that can go in the trash.

In related new, Peace Now in considering removing the word "Peace" from their name to avoid alienating their ~~Peace~~ Partners. It will now just be called "NOW".

JStreet recently added "Brit Tzedek V'Shalom" under their umbrella list of grassroots "Peace" organizations. We expect that negotiations with the pro-Peace ISM (and the British labor union) are underway even as we write this.

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The Rainbow from the Parsha

2009-10-26T11:16:00.012+02:00

OK, this is from last week's parashat shavua (Noach, the flood parsha) but still interesting enough for a blog post.

Josh Waxman wrote on his parsha blog in 2006 about rainbows...and found the following amazing rainbow photo on snopes (its originally from National Geographic)

He prefaced it by saying that "the keshet in parashat Noach is not a typical rainbow, but an extremely rare sort of rainbow."

THIS IS A FIRE RAINBOW — THE RAREST OF ALL NATURALLY OCCURRING ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA.

THE PICTURE WAS CAPTURED ON THE IDAHO/WASHINGTON BORDER. THE EVENT LASTED ABOUT 1 HOUR.

CLOUDS HAVE TO BE CIRRUS, AT LEAST 20K FEET IN THE AIR, WITH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ICE CRYSTALS AND THE SUN HAS TO HIT THE CLOUDS AT PRECISELY 58 DEGREES.

Josh also mentions the discussion that "there were no rainbows before the flood"

Thus, this is a real, but extremely rare phenomenon. This rainbow is beautiful. It looks like it is made of fire because it is within cirrus clouds. It looks like a celestial rainbow, from God Himself. (Thus, in the pasuk, Hashem refers to it as kashti, My Bow.)

Indeed, there is a dispute between Ramban and others (discussed in DovBear's post from 2005) whether there were rainbows before the mabul. The others maintain that it did not exist before the Flood, for God sets it as a sign with a specific import, and perhaps the simplest reading of the verse is that this is a new phenomenon. The Ramban, while admitting that this would seem to be the most straightforward meaning of the pesukim, disputes this. Based on Greek science, he states that a rainbow is a naturally occuring phenomenon, and of course there would be plenty of naturally occurring rainbows before this.

However, this past Shabbat a friend commented that the rainbow demonstrates G-d's intention not to destroy the Earth, because the bow is facing away from the ground as a sign of non-hostile intent.

Some of our common-day greetings have similar origins:

The Handshake: "The handshake is thought by some to have originated as a gesture of peace by demonstrating that the hand holds no weapon." -- wikipedia

The Salute: "When men-at-arms wore armour—a friendly approach would include holding the reins of the horse with the left hand while raising the visor of the helmet with the right, so that one would know they meant not to battle them. Another theory is that the salute, and the handshake, came from a way of showing that the right hand (the fighting hand) was not concealing a weapon. A combination of showing an empty right hand, palm outwards, which was then raised formally to a helmet to raise a visor would demonstrate non-aggressive intentions, and therefore respect." -- wikipedia

Or it could have been a friendly Vulcan wishing you to Live Long and Prosper.

So too, my friend posited, the rainbow faces away from the ground...as if it were shooting an arrow away from Earth, demonstrating non-hostile intent (or peace).

That said -- there is also a an extremely rare form of rainbow which appears in nature, and would imply that when we see one of those -- G-d is not at all happy with us...because the bow is facing towards Earth -- the inverted rainbow.

The scientific explanation:

Apparently, these have been seen in the United Kingdom a few times. I wonder what G-d has against England...

Sourced: Rainbow Pic

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NYC Health Dept: Wash Your Hands (and say "Asher Yatzar")

2009-10-26T10:27:00.007+02:00

Swine Flu (oops, I meant, the H1N1 virus) is under attack in New York City. Targeting different groups, the NYC Health Department and the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg (predominantly Satmar Ultra orthodox community) present the following "wash your hands" poster -- in Yiddish -- to encourage cleaner, disinfected hands to prevent disease transmission, and better hygiene.

Its interesting that on this NYC Health poster, step 9 is "Say Asher Yatzer" -- the blessing made after going to the bathroom.

Update: #7 is "neigel vasser" as well (what a frum poster! If this won't get Mike Bloomerg re-elected, I don't know what will)

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The Rambam's Visit to Har HaBayit

2009-10-25T14:25:00.008+02:00

UPDATE: Watch the conference live on A7.

(click image to enlarge)

Yesterday, the 6th of the Jewish month of Heshvan, marked 843 years since the Rambam -- Maimonides, went up to the Temple Mount -- Har HaBayit, in the old walled city of Jerusalem, and prayed. In 1166 C.C, the Rambam made a pilgrimage to the Temple Mount, as well as visiting other areas around Jerusalem and Hevron.

The event was so special to the Rambam, that he vowed to make a special holiday and commemorate it annually.

The Rambam (Moshe, son of Maimon, otherwise known as Maimonides) was the physician to the Sultan of Egypt in the 12th century. His most well known work is the 14 volume Mishna Torah, (literally, The Repetition of the Torah), which was the first attempt to systematically codify the entire body of Jewish law, (halachah). This work became the basis for later codifications, most notably, the Shulkhan Arukh, written by Rav Yoseph Karo in the 16th century.

In 1166 C.E. the Rambam made a pilgrimage to Israel:

"We left Acco for Jerusalem under perilous conditions. I entered into 'the great and holy house' [the term used to refer to the Holy Temple] and prayed there on the sixth day of the month of Cheshvan. And on the first day of the week, the ninth day of the month of Cheshvan, I left Jerusalem for Hebron to kiss the graves of my forefathers in the Cave of Machpela. And on that very day, I stood in the Cave and I prayed, praised be G-d for everything. And these two days, the sixth [when he prayed on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem] and the ninth of Mar-Heshvan I vowed to make as a special holiday and in which I will rejoice with prayer, food and drink. May the Lord help me to keep my vows...." (translation, courtesy of the Temple Institute)

Tonight, Sunday evening, there will be a convention at Heichal Shlomo in Jerusalem to discuss the connection of the Jewish people to Har HaBayit. (Schedule and Agenda to be posted shortly)

So far, the list of participating rabbis includes Rabbi Nachum Rabinovitch, head of the Birkat Moshe hesder yeshiva in Maaleh Adumim, Rabbis Dov Lior, Re’em HaCohen, Yuval Cherlow, Yisrael Ariel, and others. MKs Uri Ariel, Aryeh Eldad, Uri Orbach, Michael Ben-Ari and Otniel Shneller (Kadima) will also be on hand.

Meanwhile, as the Arabs refuse to acknowledge any Jewish claim to the Temple Mount, they are continuing to riot. You can watch live rioting here via the channel 2 news live feed.

Note: I have personally never gone up to Har HaBayit, but I will be attending the lecture series this evening.

Update: 7:00 PM, Heichal Shlomo.

Jewish Rights and Responsibilities on the Temple Mount

Why are Jews discriminated against on the Temple Mount?
Why are religious Jews profiled and singled out for body-searches before being allowed on the Temple Mount?
Why are religious Jews not allowed to carry prayerbooks or to pray on the Temple Mount?
Why are Jews on the Temple Mount kept in small groups and accompanied constantly by the Israeli police and hired "security agents" of the Moslem Wakf?
How come when Moslem preachers incite against Israel and the Jews, and as a result Moslems riot on the Mount and stone policeman and Jews, the Jews are prevented from entering the Mount, and some Israeli politicians blame the very Jews whose rights have been violated?
Why does the Supreme Court of Israel refuse to uphold the law and the basic human rights of Jews on the Temple Mount?

Jews have the G-d-given right and the responsibility to be on the Temple Mount. On Sunday, October 25, the 843rd anniversary of Maimonides historic ascent to the Temple Mount, Temple Mount activists will be meeting in Jerusalem to discuss these issues, and much more. The conference will take place at 7:00 PM in the Heichal Shlomo Hall. Click here to learn more.

Sourced from The Temple Institute

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What's Going on at the Temple Mount?

2009-10-25T09:35:00.003+02:00

Posted 12:20 PM, Sunday Oct 25, 2009

Starting this morning, there have been sporadic, violent Arab disturbances on Har Habayit, the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem. Police cameras detected that Arabs on the Mount were gathering rocks and oil, and started throwing rocks at a group of tourists. The police immediately responded -- shooting stun grenades at the attackers, and helping the tourists to safety.

12 Arabs were arrested.

Then, the violence erupted again -- with more rock throwing against policemen -- 3 policemen wounded and the riot continues. (12:15 PM).

Apparently, the rioters have been incited by Arab leaders in Northern Israel's Galil region and in the Eastern Part of Jerusalem -- due to the convention this evening being held in Jerusalem -- all about the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount.

I plan on attending the convention this evening to report more about it.

YNET: Another incident was recorded when Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al) tried to enter the Temple Mount but was stopped by the police. "This is extremely severe," Tibi said in response. "The police are violating the law. It's not in their authority. The al-Aqsa Mosque is not a closed military zone."

Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen told reporters while visiting the Mount, "I identify many large groups of east Jerusalem Arabs and Israeli Arabs who have arrived here following calls made by the Islamic Movement, whose leaders are here. I call on them to practice restraint and calm and not to incite.

"The Jerusalem Police will act firmly against any rioters on the Temple Mount. The inciters are the same people you know. It's impossible that the Israel Police will have to deal with the Islamic Movement every Sunday, and so we will handle this on the investigative level."

I'll report more on the convention later on today -- with details of the location, speakers, time, etc.

I urge people to attend the convention this evening to learn more about our connection with the Temple Mount.

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Is your elevator under the Badatz?

2009-10-25T09:20:00.002+02:00

I spent this Shabbat with a number of Chareidi relatives and was surprised that the conversation on Shabbat primarily centered around the Shabbat elevator - that is of course "Assur Gamur" - completely forbidden.

Apparently this is the only major topic the Hareidi newspapers have been talking about for the past few weeks.

That 3 out of the 4 Rabbis who have forbidden it in the recent ruling, have always forbidden it - and not because of technology reasons, but because it "cheapens the Shabbat" doesn't phase them.

Only Rav Elyashiv says there is a technical problem - based apparently on testimony of a local Bnei Brak elevator company.

On the other hand, Belze Chassidim say it is permitted to use a Shabbat elevator.

I'm not going to get into the technical discussion, and just make one observation, I bet that within a year there will be a Badatz certification for elevators.

The big sin here that the Askanim (the machers who have a finger in all the money pots) realized (when they created their ruckess and starting riling up their Rabbis) is that Tsiyoini institutions are making money on a "kashrut" certification, and their kashrut organizations aren't.

Call me cynical, but guaranteed that within a year, hotels in Israel will start having new Badatz certificates to satisfy their Chareidi clientelle, meanwhile their existing elevators won't require a single modification at all (other than applying the sticker).

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Refusing Illegal Orders (Early)

2009-10-23T09:51:00.005+02:00

It is probably the first time in IDF history that such an event ever happened.

Yesterday, during their graduation ceremony at the Kotel, a few soldiers from the Shimshon Unit in the Kfir Brigade held up signs saying "Shimshon will NOT evacuate Homesh".

Source: Makor Rishon

A number of parents also held up similar signs.

The brigade commander said he is considering what the future will be for the soldiers involved.

Whatever happens to these particular soldiers, one thing is clear, this new generation of post-Expulsion soldiers will not blindly follow orders to kick their fellow Jews out of their homes.

Unlike the Left-wing draft-dodging High School students, these soldiers went through months of grueling training. They have/had bright futures ahead of them serving their country in combat units and as officers. They sacrificed a lot just to reach that point to be able to stand in front of the Kotel and receive their Bibles and berets .

They clearly discussed this action in advance and the ramifications it would have - with their families and with each other. They knew the price they might pay for taking an action like this - and they are obviously willing to pay it to get the message across.

This is a wake-up call for the army and the government.

The army is getting the message (openly and quietly) that many of its soldiers will no longer follow illegal political orders to kick fellow Jews out of their homes, and that those obsessed with Peace had better find a new tool, because it won't be them.

(Some people like to say that those kind of soldiers should all be kicked out, but then the army would be bereft of most of its field combat officers and soldiers).

Obviously there will be critics of these soldiers, but I say better the army knows now they won't have internal support for such actions, because then the government learns that the army is for defending Israel, and not for attacking one's own citizens - and is incapable of fulfilling such an evil mission again.

Yes, there will be those who criticize these soldiers. Some will say they should just follow orders. Some will say they should have waited until they received the illegal orders.

I personally will not judge them. For whatever reason (perhaps they themselves were expelled from their homes during the Expulsion) they felt this was the right time for them to announce their refusal.

Update: Apparently the brigade had received numerous orders to evacuate outposts at the former site of the town of Homesh, and this was their way of protesting those orders.

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The Muqata

Breaking Security News: Ra'anana, Kfar Saba, Herziliya area.

IDF Naval Commandos capture Iranian weapons ship

Lunar Rainbows

J-unabomber

Hamas successfully tests long range (60 km) rocket

Top secret meeting moved

Here comes the rain

RabinFest Bingo

Health Post - Study finds vaccinations less effective after Tylenol

18:00 Update - media blackout lifted

A Thoughtful Analysis of J-Street

Breaking News: The Media Blackout ends at 18:00

Where were you when Rabin was shot?

Why the Israel Economy Is Where It Is.

More Post Noach thoughts.

Prevent Swine Flu - Say "Asher Yatzar" (now, in ENGLISH)

How Safe Are You: Airport and Plane Security?

You may be "Pro-Israel" if...

"Pro-Israel"? That's just a matter of definition or exclusion.

The Rainbow from the Parsha

NYC Health Dept: Wash Your Hands (and say "Asher Yatzar")

The Rambam's Visit to Har HaBayit

What's Going on at the Temple Mount?

Is your elevator under the Badatz?

Refusing Illegal Orders (Early)