Jerusalem Diaries:In Tense Times

That Empty Space...

2010-01-02T22:42:00.003+02:00

A relatively recent addition to the landscape at Har Herzl is the Monument to the Memory of the Victims of Terrorism that lies at the western edge of Israel's national cemetery.

The stark stone walls surrounding an empty plaza are marked by granite plaques listing Jews who have died in the Holy Land in terror attacks between 1860-2009. A bevvy of Israeli flags flutter over the site that boasts a magnificent view of the Jerusalem hills.

What is most remarkable is the blank wall that continues on from the 2009 plaque. It's just a given that the space will be filled--the next terror victims are walking among us today. There's no doubt that if we return a year from now, that space will be filled with the names of additional Jews. Who knows: if the Shalit-Hamas prisoner deal is struck we may need quite a bit more space on that wall.

Bethlehem: Christians Tell Mixed stories

2009-12-24T08:39:00.004+02:00

Catering to the Christian tourist market, Bethlehem.

Bethlehem was once known as the birthplace of King David and the spot where the biblical story of Ruth and Naomi took place. The Jewish matriarch Rachel is buried just outside the little town. Today there is no longer any Jewish presence in Bethlehem.

Of course, Christians revere the hilly town of Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus, marked by the Church of the Nativity, but today, as Bethlehem is part of the territory governed by the Palestine Authority, the Christian sites are preserved and protected to encourage the tourism that powers the Bethlehem economy, but the once dominant Christian population has dwindled drastically since the mid-1990s when Yasser Arafat and his merry men from Tunis swept into town and established themselves just a 10 minute drive from Jerusalem, Israel's capital.

Today, the picture you get depends on which Christians you talk to in Bethlehem. On a visit earlier this week, "official" Christians like Mayor Dr. Victor Batarsa or the dean of the Bethlehem Bible College, Rev. Alex Awad, assured visiting journalists that things are fine for Christians in Bethlehem. The mass Christian exodus from the town, they will tell you, is a result of the high unemployment rate (around 28%) and general lack of opportunity--no explanation as to why those factors don't seem to affect Moslems ths same way.

Inside the Church of the Nativity

Others, like Samir Qusieh, founder and president of the Bethlehem based Nativity TV station were more explicit about the atmosphere of discrimination and intimidation experienced by practicing Christians at the hands of their Moslem neighbors.

"Yeah, those tourists really stink!"

Meantime, tourists from all over the world, particularly from former Communist countries,flock into Manger Square in the days before Christmas.

No Mumbling Here, We're Jewish...

2009-12-13T12:16:00.007+02:00

Yeshiva student Yedidya Lerner (L) and friend visit the Temple Mount. Police officers (behind Yedidya) followed them to make sure they weren't violating the order against non-Moslems praying on the Mount.My friend David wasn't only followed, he and his daughter were detained for opening their mouths and nodding on the Temple Mount last week...

Compared with today's news about a Jerusalem man who's spending 25 days in jail because he didn't feel like paying the huge fine imposed for walking his dog without a leash, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when a good friend of mine ended up spending several hours in detention at a Jerusalem police station for opening his mouth while walking on the Temple Mount.

David, a long-time Beit Shemesh resident and father of six, has been regularly going up to Har Habayit since it became permissible for Jews to do so a few years ago. Last week, he decided to take his eldest daughter up there on the day before her wedding--you can read about the consequences here

At the wedding--a beautiful and moving affair attended by hundreds of English-speaking olim--there were a few passing mentions of the incident.

But the whole affair--not the first time a Jew has been detained for opening his mouth on the Temple Mount--should be getting far more attention, as it goes to the very heart of the issue of Israel's claims to the land based on our historic and legal rights.

Stay tuned, as David just happens to be a very articulate attorney and an accomplished op ed writer on behalf of Jewish causes.

Anti-Freeze....

2009-12-09T22:36:00.005+02:00

Tens of thousands gathered in central Jerusalem tonight for a rousing start to the anti-freeze movement. Almost everyone there was from the national religious camp and those of us who've been around for a while experienced a quiet sense of deja vu..Still, some of the newer leaders from different communities in Judea and Samaria took to the podium as well as new MKs like the popular Tzipi Hotovely.

Best sign of the demo:

Most Paranoid pre-demo info: Came from the American Consulate in Jerusalem, which disseminated the following message to US citizens in Jerusalem this morning:

According to police reports, 10,000 to 15,000 people are expected to
participate in a demonstration in West Jerusalem on Wednesday, December
9, between 6:30 P.M. and 10:30 P.M. in support of Israeli settlements in
the West Bank.

The Consulate General is directing its staff to avoid the demonstration
and any gatherings related to it and recommends the same precautions for
U.S. citizens residing in or visiting Jerusalem.

We remind U.S. citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful
can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. U.S.
citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations if
possible and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any
demonstrations. U.S. citizens should stay current with media coverage
of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.

Hasbara or no Hasbara...Israel still wins out

2009-12-04T11:22:00.004+02:00

Hasbara or no hasbara--Whatever new programs Israel's Foreign Ministry, the IDF Spokesman's Office and other well-meaning pro-Israel groups initiate, statistics continue to show that the US public sympathizes more with Israel than the Palestinians in any event. According to the latest poll by the well-respected Pew organization, 51% of Americans favor Israel, whereas only 12% express sympathy with the Pals. The biggest positive change in attitude toward Israel has taken place among those who identify as members of the Republican Party.And--surprise surprise--as of October 2009, 68% of Republicans look positively on Israel as opposed to 43% of Democrats....

Also worth bearing in mind that the millions of dollars Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries have invested in buying chairs at American colleges, sponsoring advertising supplements and cozying up to opinion-makers doesn't seem to have made much of a dent in the thinking of Joe Public.

Scroll down to "Public Remains More Sympathetic to Israelis" in the just-released study to read all the statistics.

New Beginnings...

2009-12-01T10:51:00.004+02:00

I spent yesterday in the beautiful Lachish region that lies between Kiryat Gat and Beersheva. It's a part of the country that's for some reason off the radar screens. Apart from one or two isolated moshavim and their vineyards, the rolling hills are deserted.

This is the area that hundreds of families who were thrown out of their homes in the 2005 Gaza "disengagement" have chosen to rebuild their communities. I've posted a series of pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerusalemdiaries/sets/72157622911222378/

A National Treasure Speaks His Mind..

2009-11-29T19:57:00.004+02:00

Poets in Israel have a special status--especially old poets. One such national treasure, Haim Gouri, lives in my neighborhood. Now 87, the venerable Gouri is often heard on Israel Radio or seen on TV commenting on political or social issues.

This evening, I found myself standing behind Gouri in the line at the local makolet. A makolet is the little local mom and pop grocery store where neighbors pop in to buy milk and bread and stop to exchange a few words with the friendly owners. My local makolet caters to an eclectic group of English and French immigrants, young religious singles and old-timers who bought their apartments decades ago and can still afford to live here.

Among the regular clientele is Netiva Ben Yehuda a legendary Palmach fighter who hosts a popular late night radio talk show.

Haim Gouri is also a Palmach veteran but he's best known as a poet and documentary film maker. Tonight he pulled his white sedan onto the broad sidewalk in front of the store, slowly made his way in, picked up a few items and imparted a few choice words as Oren behind the counter took his money. "Who's playing tonight?" he demanded to know. "Basketball is all I have left to enjoy, " he exclaimed.

"I don't recognize this country any more," growled the poet. " What's this Shalit deal, anyway?" and off he went into the night as rumors of Israel releasing hundreds of known Arab terrorists in exchange for the release of poor 23 year-old IDF soldier Gilad Shalit tear the country apart.

Israel & Washington?

2009-11-18T11:13:00.001+02:00

Want a gauge on the atmosphere in Washington these days on Israel? See yesterday's White House Press briefing below and read how Obama's press secretary responds and certain members of the White House press corps ask about building in Jerusalem etc...[Hat tip to Dr. Aaron Lerner at IMRA.]

QUESTION: On the peace process, Israel has approved today the construction of 900 new housing units in East Jerusalem. How do you view this approval at this specific time?

MR. KELLY: Well, I think, Michel, you’ve heard us say many times that we believe that neither party should engage in any kind of actions that could unilaterally preempt or appear to preempt negotiations. And I think that we find the Jerusalem Planning Committee’s decision to move forward on the approval of the – approval process for the expansion of Gilo in Jerusalem as dismaying.

This is at a time when we’re working to re-launch negotiations, and we believe that these actions make it more difficult for our efforts to succeed. So we object to this, and we object to other Israeli practices in Jerusalem related to housing, including the continuing pattern of evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes.

And – just to repeat what we’ve said all along, our position on Jerusalem is clear. We believe that the – that Jerusalem is a permanent status issue that must be resolved through negotiations between the two parties.

QUESTION: Can you tell us, did this come up in Ambassador Mitchell’s meetings in London yesterday? Apparently, we were told that he met an advisor to Netanyahu, asked them to not permit these new buildings, and then that request was flatly turned down.

MR. KELLY: Yeah. Andy, I just don’t want to get into the substance of these negotiations. They’re sensitive. I think you’ve seen the Israeli – some Israeli press reports that did report that this was raised in the meetings. This is – I mean, these kinds of unilateral actions are exactly the kind of actions that we think that both sides should refrain from at a time when we’re trying to start the negotiations again. But I don’t want to get into the substance of the discussions yesterday in London.

QUESTION: Would you steer us away from not believing the Israeli press reports?

MR. KELLY: I just don’t want to get into the substance. I’m not going to steer you one way or the other on it.

QUESTION: Where’s Senator Mitchell today?

QUESTION: How long is the U.S. going to continue to tolerate Israel’s violation of international law? I mean, soon it’s not even going to be possible – there’s not going to be any land left for the Palestinians to establish an independent state.

MR. KELLY: Well, again, this is a – we understand the Israeli point of view about Jerusalem. But we think that all sides right now, at this time when we’re expending such intense efforts to try and get the two sides to sit down, that we should refrain from these actions, like this decision to move forward on an approval process for more housing units in East Jerusalem.

QUESTION: But should U.S. inaction, or in response to Israel’s actions, then be interpreted as some sort of about-face in policy – the President turning his back on the promises he’s made to the Palestinians?

MR. KELLY: You’re – okay, you’re using language that I wouldn’t use. I mean, again, our focus is to get these negotiations started. We’re calling on both parties to refrain from actions, from – and from rhetoric that would impede this process. It’s a challenging time, and we just need to focus on what’s important here, and that’s --

QUESTION: Well, what actions (inaudible) the Palestinians taken recently that would impede progress?

MR. KELLY: Well, as I say, we would discourage all unilateral actions, and I think --

QUESTION: Fair enough. But the Palestinians --

MR. KELLY: We talked yesterday --

QUESTION: -- don’t appear to be taking any unilateral actions. It seems to be (inaudible).

MR. KELLY: Well, we did talk yesterday about the – and I want to make sure I get my language right here – about the – discouraging any kind of unilateral appeal for United Nations Security Council recognition of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. That would fall in that category of unilateral actions.

QUESTION: Okay. So the Palestinian call for this, which was rejected by both the EU and yourself yesterday, you’re putting that on the same level as them building – as the Israelis building --

MR. KELLY: No, I’m not saying that. You just said that, Matt. I’m not saying that. I’m just saying that --

QUESTION: Well, you’re saying you’re calling on both sides to stop doing these things.

MR. KELLY: We are.

QUESTION: Yeah. But the rhetoric from the --

MR. KELLY: I’m not saying they’re equivalent.

QUESTION: -- Palestinians is not actually constructed in a --

MR. KELLY: I’m not saying they’re equivalent. I’m just saying that we – they – we have to treat these things as sensitive issues.

QUESTION: You said a little bit earlier that we understand the Israeli point of view on Jerusalem. Can you explain what you mean by that?

MR. KELLY: Well, you have to ask – I’m not going to stand up here and characterize the Israeli point of view on --

QUESTION: No. I’m just asking you, if you understand the Israeli point of view on Jerusalem, why are you saying that this is not a good thing?

MR. KELLY: I’m not saying we support the Israeli point of view. We understand it.

QUESTION: Right. And then, last one on this, you characterized this decision by the planning commission as dismaying.

MR. KELLY: Yes.

QUESTION: You can’t come up with anything stronger than “dismaying”? I mean, this flies in the face of everything you’ve been talking about for months and months and months.

MR. KELLY: It’s dismaying.

QUESTION: Yeah, you can’t offer a condemnation of it or anything like that? (Laughter.) I mean, who is in charge of the language here.

MR. KELLY: I have said what I have said, Mr. Lee.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Would you say, though, that your own envoy has – does he have any leverage at this point, given the fact that the Israelis not only refuse, but blatantly have ignored his wishes on this?

MR. KELLY: Well, let’s take a step back and let’s also recognize that both sides agree on the goal, and that goal is a comprehensive peace. That goal is two states living side by side in peace and security and cooperation. So that is why we continue to be committed to this. That is why Special Envoy Mitchell meets with both sides at every opportunity, and why we are continuing to expend such efforts on this. So let’s remember that, that we do share a common goal.

QUESTION: Well, where’s Senator Mitchell today?

MR. KELLY: I believe Senator Mitchell is on his way back today.

QUESTION: Could you give us just a brief synopsis of the progress that Senator Mitchell has made in his months on the job?

MR. KELLY: Well, I think we have – we’ve gotten --

QUESTION: Yeah, maybe if the --

MR. KELLY: -- both sides to agree on this goal. We have gotten both sides --

QUESTION: Ian, they agreed on the goal years ago. I mean, that’s not --

MR. KELLY: Well, I think that we – this government --

QUESTION: You mean you got the Israel Government to say, yes, we’re willing to accept a Palestinian state? You got Netanyahu to say that, and that’s his big accomplishment?

MR. KELLY: That is an accomplishment.

QUESTION: But previous Israeli administration – previous Israeli governments had agreed to that already.

MR. KELLY: Okay, all right.

QUESTION: So in other words, the bottom line is that, in the list of accomplishments that Mitchell has come up with or established since he started, is zero.

MR. KELLY: I wouldn’t say zero.

QUESTION: Well, then what would you say it is?

MR. KELLY: Well, I would say that we’ve gotten both sides to commit to this goal. They have – we have – we’ve had a intensive round or rounds of negotiations, the President brought the two leaders together in New York. Look --

QUESTION: But wait, hold on. You haven’t had any intense --

MR. KELLY: Obviously --

QUESTION: There haven’t been any negotiations.

MR. KELLY: Obviously, we’re not even in the red zone yet, okay.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. KELLY: I mean, we’re not – but it’s – we are less than a year into this Administration, and I think we’ve accomplished more over the last year than the previous administration did in eight years.

QUESTION: Well, I – really, because the previous administration actually had them sitting down talking to each other. You guys can’t even get that far.

MR. KELLY: All right.

QUESTION: I’ll drop it.

MR. KELLY: Give us a chance. Thank you, Matt.

Yeah, in the back.

QUESTION: It seems Senator Mitchell is focusing in his meetings on the Israeli side. Is he – does he have any plans to talk with the Palestinians, or there is no need now for that?

MR. KELLY: Well, he, as I say, he had meetings yesterday with the Israelis. He’s coming back to the U.S. now. He always stands ready to talk to both sides. There are no plans at this moment to meet with the Palestinian side.

Yeah, in the back.

Daily Press Briefing - November 17

Sigd: The Ultimate Zionist festival

2009-11-16T20:35:00.006+02:00

The 29th of Cheshvan is not a particularly noteworthy day for most Jews in the world. But for Jews from Ethiopia, this date has long been observed as one of their main holidays, known as Sigd--a day celebrating their connection to Jerusalem and commitment to Jewish unity—the ultimate Zionist holiday.

In 2008, the Knesset finally recognized Sigd as a national holiday, and this year many more journalists and non-Ethiopian Israelis could be seen enjoying the festivities in Jerusalem.

For the 120,000 who emigrated from Ethiopia during past decades, the 29th of Cheshvan is a combination fast day, day of thanksgiving and gathering of the clan.

Dozens of kessim (Ethiopian Jewish religious leaders) make their way to the Western Wall to celebrate the day that expresses their yearning for Zion and their gratitude for the Torah. The slender figures cut an elegant path through the plaza in front of the wall. Swathed in simple white robes, tallitot draped over their narrow shoulders the kessim are accompanied by an entourage that includes an escort holding a colorful umbrella over each of their heads.

The Ethiopian women arrive separately, clothed in their distinctive white dresses adorned with colorful hand embroidered trim. Shoulders cloaked in white shawls, heads covered with colorful head scarves, the women advance shyly toward the kotel to take part in the prayer service marking Sigd here in the holy city.

Prior to their mass aliya, generations of Ethiopian Jews yearned for Zion and expressed their longing in the annual Sigd festival. Jews would walk for days to arrive at a mountaintop where thousands would join in prayer and listen to Torah readings.

Following the afternoon prayers and the blowing of the shofar, the community would descend from the mountain to partake of a festive meal. The holiday has its origins in the time of the prophet Nehemiah, when the entire Jewish community assembled in Jerusalem for a day of fasting and confession. The day also commemorates the covenant between God and the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai.

For many young Ethiopian Jews now living in Israel, the mountain top Sigd exists only as a story recounted by their parents. Children were not included in the observances in Ethiopia because of the three-day trek to get there and to preserve the solemnity of the day.

Today, Sigd is celebrated at the kotel and then at a mass gathering at the Haas/Sherover Promenade in Jerusalem's Talpiot neighborhood. From the promenade there's a clear view of the Temple Mount, and thousands of Ethiopians of all ages come together to commemorate their unique holiday. Mingling with the colorful costumes and umbrellas of the elders, are the khaki, green and white uniforms of dozens of young Ethiopian men and women serving in the Israel Defense Forces. Younger teens, largely ignoring the hours of religious chanting of the elders, are socializing and decked out in a variety of trendy clothing on this festive day with overcast skies. Ancient Geez chants make themselves heard over the gaggle of street Hebrew as the day progresses.

Rabbi David Yosef, a kes of the Ethiopian community, a diminutive man with a silver beard who wears a knitted kippa, tells visitors on the Tayelet about his extraordinary life story and explains where Sigd fits into the life of Ethiopian Jews.

Rav Yosef graphically describes how men and women would separately observe the ritual of ascending the mountain for the great Sigd gathering. He points out that the tradition of Sigd was handed down by oral tradition. "Many Jews believe that we didn't know from the oral tradition," he says. Rav Yosef carefully explains the Ethiopian Jewish engagement and wedding ceremonies and asserts that their practice conforms to the Mishnaic description in Tractate Kiddushin (part of the Oral Law) of what constitutes proper Jewish betrothal.

He finishes his story by noting that Sigd was essentially a way of remembering Jerusalem and strengthening Jews in a difficult galut (Diaspora) situation. But the holiday is just as relevant today. "We missed Jerusalem for thousands of years," Rav Yosef notes. "Today, in Jerusalem, we celebrate...but just as we say ‘Next year in Jerusalem' at the Passover seder, so too at Sigd we pray for a rebuilt Jerusalem."

Just behind him, two young men preside over a table full of information about the rebuilding of the Temple and a large picture of a dozen kessim standing in front of a reconstructed Temple.

Amongst the crowd that grows by the minute as more and more buses disgorge Ethiopians from all over the country are one or two “mixed” couples—generally non-Ethiopian men with Ethiopian women. Representatives of all the major youth movements in their signature white or blue shirts have a prominent presence and consist of many teens of Ethiopian origin who mingle comfortably with everyone.

Next week some American Jewish immigrants will gather to celebrate Thanksgiving in Israel—you can be sure it won’t be nearly as well-attended, meaningful or colorful as today’s Sigd commemoration.

Israel Provides Swine Flu Vaccine to Pal. Hajj Pilgrims

2009-11-05T23:59:00.003+02:00

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.

Yahrzeits

2009-10-29T10:04:00.004+02:00

Today is the traditionally observed yahrzeit of Rachel, one of the matriarchs of the Jewish people. Thousands flocked to her tomb just south of Jerusalem near Bethlehem last night and today to pay their respects and pray for the release of captured Israeli sodlier Gilad Shalit.

“For generations Rachel has prayed for her children to return home safely, and we hope that this year our prayers will be answered and Gilad will return home to his family,” said Rabbi Yosef Schwinger, Director of Israel’s Holy Sites Authority.

Most Israeli media outlets barely mentioned the yahrzeit of Rachel, preferring to focus hours of discussion and debate on the 14th anniversary of the murder of Yitzhak Rabin that is also marked today.

Here's Kever Rachel on a quiet day...

SDS is still Alive...not well, but alive

2009-10-29T06:52:00.006+02:00

Hat tip to Solomonia for spotting a planning session of SDS--the campus radicals who were around back in my days in college. Today they're a group of anti-Zionist Jews who are plotting to disrupt the upcoming Dore Gold/ Judge Goldstone debate at Brandeis.

From: "Jonathan M. Sussman" jsus[snip]
To: sds sds@lists.brandeis.edu
Subject: Goldstone Forum Action Planning - Wed. @ 10!
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:32:19 -0400 (EDT)

Hey!

As many of you know, Brandeis will be hosting a forum next Thursday, 11/5, to discuss the Goldstone Report, a report from the United Nations which determined that Israel used excessive force in its occupation of Gaza. Believe it or not, this was poorly received within the Zionist community.

Thus Brandeis is hosting a forum between the report's author, international jurist Richard Goldstone, and former Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Dore Gold. Full details here: http://brandeis.edu/now/2009/october/goldstonegold.html.

Many of us are concerned that this forum is inherently slanted, as it contrasts 'nuetral' international opinion with a wildly pro-Zionist message, excluding voices from the Palestinian community. In light of this, activists across campus will be meeting this Wednesday, 10/28 @ 10 PM in the Village C Lounge to discuss a possible response. Possibilities include inviting Palestinian speakers to come participate, seeding the audience with people who can disrupt the Zionist narrative, protest, and direct action.

Please come and help us coordinate a response!

Fuck the occupation,
Jon

You know what to do, people...

Israel Matzav: Live webcast of Goldstone - Gold debate

2009-10-26T08:14:00.000+02:00

Israel Matzav: Live webcast of Goldstone - Gold debate

Conferences & Politicians...

2009-10-21T06:53:00.007+02:00

Yesterday my colleague Lenny Ben David posted a must-read piece on Pajamas Media asking some tough questions of the J Street leadership.

Other concerned members of the pro-Israel community have raised enough eyebrows over the groups agenda and backers that a number of smart US politicians have backed out of attending the upcoming J Street conference in Washington.(see below for the list and what you can do...)

Meanwhile, here in Jerusalem, a very different conference, the Presidential Conference, got underway last night at Binyanei Hauma, where a star-studded audience sat through lengthy speeches by a heavily made-up Shimon Peres, the conference convenor;and PM Netanyahu, whose main points were how to reduce dependence on oil and urging Abu Mazen to lead "his people" to peace. (Not sure how many Pals. would define themselves as Abu Mazen's people these days...)

Binyanei Hauma was transformed by a savvy interior decorator who placed comfortable and attractive loveseats and chairs in cozy groupings to encourage the networking that's the prime reason for anyone to go to these conferences. Attractive young Israeli students served as polite waiters passing around nibblies and drinks, and all was well until the crowd of around 6,000 had to pass through the draconian security before entering the hall for the main event.

One obese American woman was heard loudly complaining that the elevators were out of bounds due to security concerns and she was forced to waddle up some 50 stairs to the auditorium.

A disturbing event took place during Idan Raichel's performance. A young man sitting toward the rear of the hall, suddenly gasped and clasped his head. The house lights went up and we saw the unfortunate man being led out bleeding profusely. Not sure whether something fell on him, but when I walked out some 10 minutes later, the Magen David Adom crew was only then running up the stairs to treat him. Hard to believe that with Peres, Netanyahu, Tony Blair and a host of other presidents, ambassadors etc in the audience that there wouldn't have been an on-site crew ready to spring into action.

In any event, back to J Street---Lori Lowenthal Marcus, founder of Z Street has penned the following letter> If you're a US citizen, please read and act:

Please send a fax or make a phone call (or, last choice, send an email) to your elected official if on the list below. The members of congress on this list are endorsing the J Street conference by lending their good name to an organization which claims to be "pro-peace and pro-Israel," but is nothing of the kind.

Here is my letter. Please produce your own version - it can be as few as 3 - 5 lines long.
*******
Sen/Rep. ______,

The relatively new organization J Street, is currently using what it boasts is your endorsement to promote itself as a mainstream vehicle for positive change in the Middle East. But the policies being promoted by J Street are not, as it claims, “pro-peace and, pro-Israel.” In fact, the J Street conference with which your name is linked features a speaker who blamed Israel for 9/11, and a “poet” who equates the US with the Nazi regime.

Here are details of the conference J Street claims you support.

Muslim Public Affairs Council leader Salam al-Marayati will deliver a lecture at the J Street conference being held October 25 - 28th. Al-Marayati publicly claimed that Israelattacked the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and he has also publicly praised Hezbollah, a group on the official U.S. terrorist list. Is this a “pro-peace” or “pro-Israel” organization?

The J Street conference will also feature Josh Healey, whose “poetry” equates the US with Hitler and his Final Solution plans. He says “Guantanamo is Aushwitz,” and he also compared what happened to Anne Frank to the tragedy of Matthew Shepard. Anne Frank died because of official Nazi government policy; Shepard died at the hands of malevolent individuals who were prosecuted by the US government.
J Street seeks effectively endless “negotiations” over Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, and refuses to identify a time when that tactic should be replaced with, as USSecretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for, “crippling sanctions.” Iran poses a direct and immediate threat to Israel and only later, but most assuredly, one to the US.

J Street also wants Jews banned from living in certain parts of Jerusalem, a policy that would be in flagrant violation of the Civil Rights laws if imposed in the United States.

Over the past week nearly a dozen US elected officials*, when provided with the information above, have removed their names from the list of those endorsing J Street and its October conference.

Your good name is your most important asset; don’t let that be damaged by an association with J Street’s wrong-headed policies.

Sincerely............

* Last week the following members of congress withdrew their names from the host committee for the J Street Conference Gala:

The Honorable Chuck Schumer (NY)
The Honorable Thad Cochran (MS)
The Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)
The Honorable Blanche Lincoln (AR)
The Honorable Leonard Boswell (IA-03)
The Honorable Michael Castle (DE-AL)
The Honorable Michael McCaul (TX-10)
The Honorable Mike Ross (AR-04)
The Honorable John Salazar ((CO-03)

First phone #, then fax #, then email (very limited, only those within official's jurisdiction can send an email.)

United States Senate

The Honorable Daniel Akaka (HI)

http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=contact.home

The Honorable Sherrod Brown (OH)
202-224-2315

202-228-6321

http://brown.senate.gov/contact/

The Honorable Roland Burris (IL)

202-224-2854 202-228-3333 http://burris.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

The Honorable Maria Cantwell (WA)

202-224-3441 202-228-0514 http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

The Honorable Tom Carper (DE)

202-224-2441 202-228-2190 http://carper.senate.gov/contact/

The Honorable Bob Casey (PA)

202-224-6324 202-228-0604 http://casey.senate.gov/contact/

The Honorable Chris Dodd (CT)

202-224-2823 202-224-1083 http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3128&cat=Opinion

The Honorable Byron Dorgan (ND)
202-224-2551

202-224-1193

http://dorgan.senate.gov/contact/contact_form.cfm

The Honorable Russ Feingold (WI)
202-224-5323

202-224-2725

http://feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein (CA)

202-224-3841 202-228-3954

http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe

The Honorable Kay Hagan (NC)

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Looking for a date??

2009-10-14T22:29:00.015+02:00

Maskiot's Date Palm fields

The last time I saw Ayelet and Rachel was at Shirat Hayam in Gush Katif in January 2001. They were then 22 year-old single women who had decided to help found a new community next to the sea in the Gaza Strip in reaction to the horrific bus bomb attack in nearby Kfar Darom that claimed the lives of their friends Miriam Amitai and Gabi Biton.

Today I encountered the two women again, still committed to their Zionist ideals of settling the land of Israel, despite having been ultimately turfed out of their Gush Katif community along with 9,000 others in August 2005. Now they are both married with kids and live in adjoining temporary housing in the brand new community of Maskiot in the hills overlooking the Jordan Valley.

Ayelet Chazut and daughter

When I walked into the office of the new yishuv, I recognized Rachel, but couldn't quite place her. It was only after Ayelet had served us lunch and images of the first buildings in Shirat Hayam flashed across the wall in the home she shares with her husband Yossi Chazut and their kids that it suddenly dawned on me that it was in those seaside buildings that I had met Ayelet and Rachel.

In fact,I wrote about Ayelet and Rachel in my first book Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times and a picture of the two young women together appears on P. 148.

Yossi and Ayelet and Rachel and her husband are part of a nucleus of nine young families who have chosen to take on the task of rebuilding in Maskiot for the families of Shirat Hayam who have been living in temporary housing for more than 4 years. Check out their website at www.maskiot.co.il to learn about the potential for this new community, which was given government approval just a few short months ago.

Maskiot

The passion burns in Yossi's eyes and fuels his fast-paced Hebrew explanations of how they will fulfill their desire to do something meaningful for the country after the bitter experiences of the Gaza disengagement. " This place has everything," Yossi says as he gazes over the hills that roll gracefully down to the Jordan Valley. "It's important from a security point of view--you can see Jordan from here. The area desperately needs repopulating. We're involved in agriculture already and we'll build a place that will forge good relations with the mostly secular yishuvim in the area and be an example of secular-religious cooperation," he enthuses.

Bedouin shepherd on state land near Maskiot

As he drives his visitors around the area on an ATV that kicks up an enormous amount of dust, Yossi points out the few Bedouin encampments scattered around on state land--"90 percent of the time they keep to themselves,"--but he is most excited to take us to the olive grove that bears a sign saying it was a donation of the Christian Friends of Israeli Communities group.

In addition to the thriving olive trees, we see saplings of hundreds of Argan trees that will yield oil that sells for high prices on the European market. About 40 minutes south of Maskiot, just to the east of Niran, Yossi takes us through the security barrier that separates Israel from the Jordan river bed. This is as far east as you can go in the Jordan Valley. Apart from a large army bunker with a secure underground level, there is nothing but date palms as far as the eye can see. This is Maskiot's main agricultural project. The succulent Medjool dates will be sent to markets all over Europe in a few years.

As we swat away the persistent flies, Yossi describes the process of planting and irrigating the massive area and relates how it all had to be cleared of minefields before their economic initiative could get underway. Now, as the palms are growing, the entire project is watched over by just two men whom we encounter as they show up for work.

Back at the construction area in Maskiot, we see the foundations being laid for some 20 buildings that should be completed within a few months. Plans call for 100 homes and all kinds of educational and business facilities.

There's no doubt that Maskiot bears absolutely no physical resemblance to Shirat Hayam where I had met Ayelet and Rachel nine years ago. No sparkling Mediterranean Sea in sight; no sand dunes and no supportive network of twenty like-minded communities nearby.

Still, the challenge of fulfilling the mitzva of settling the land speaks to the spirit of the former Gush Katif residents. It's taken a while, but the new version of the extraordinary communities of Gush Katif is beginning to take shape.

My Right Word: The Pals. Probably Could Be A Better Situation...

2009-10-09T13:08:00.000+02:00

My Right Word: The Pals. Probably Could Be A Better Situation...

Whoever wrote this had the same experiences I did last week in Ramallah and Shechem (Nablus) I just haven't had the chance to write them up properly yet! Scroll down a few posts to see some initial impressions and pics...

Discrimination?

2009-10-09T00:11:00.006+02:00

Seen at Neot Kedumim, the biblical landscape reserve near Modiin.

This is the only sign in the whole reserve that has Russian translation...

This is what all the other signs look like.

Rising from the Dust of Expulsion

2009-10-06T17:57:00.014+02:00

Moshe and Rachel Saperstein

I remember when I first heard about the dream community that would rise out of the dust and ashes of Neve Dekalim, the largest of the 22 Jewish communities destroyed by the Gaza "disengagement" of 2005.

It was in the cramped room occupied by Rachel and Moshe Saperstein on the 6th floor of the Jerusalem Gold Hotel. Along with hundreds of their former neighbors, the Sapersteins spent 10 months attempting to take the first steps in recreating a semblance of a normal life after they were forcibly removed from their home and the meaningful lives they had built in the Gush.

Rachel would sit on her bed in the hotel and tell anyone who would listen about the new community that would be in a place where their presence would make a difference; where ecological concerns would be paramount and all kinds of educational institutions would be developed to help preserve the values and lifestyle that marked Neve Dekalim. There would even be a hotel and spa, she assured me. By the time they finally left the Jerusalem hotel in June 2006 to go to their "temporary" pre-fab homes in Nitzan near Ashkelon, Rachel and her friends had already pinpointed the Lachish area as the place where they would put down their new roots.

Yesterday, the first step of that dream became a reality as hundreds of people joined the former Gush Katif pioneers in the laying of the cornerstone for the new community of Bnei Dekalim in the beautiful eastern Lachish area.

As the electrifying blasts of an over-sized shofar were sounded by Arik Davidov standing atop a Caterpillar earth-mover, the crowd hushed to take in the views over the rolling landscape that extend to the Hebron hills in one direction and down to Gush Katif and the Mediterranean the other way.

In the presence of a couple of Knesset members(Nissim Slomiansky and Tzipi Hotovely)a slew of rabbis and various members of the local regional councils, Minister Ariel Attias, Minister of Building and Construction told the crowd that the Gaza disengagement was a "mistake" and noted that his ministry had invested 170 million NIS in Bnei Dekalim.

Representatives of the neighboring local councils enthusiastically welcomed the development of the new yishuv and its potential to boost the local population of this sparsely populated area within the Green Line.

But it was left to Rachel Saperstein to relate in English a brief history of Lachish. Rachel explains that Lachish is generally regarded as the second most important city in the southern kingdom of Judah. It enters the biblical narrative in the battle accounts of Joshua, Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar.In fact, on the winding, scenic two-lane road that leads from the main Beersheva-Kiryat Gat highway to Bnei Dekalim, we pass the archeological site of Tel Lachish that is now surrounded by acres and acres of lush grapevines that belong to the small communities long the road.

Lachish was known as the defense center and fortress that monitored entrance into the Judean Hill Country from the west and southwest. Dating from between 598-589/88 B.C., the Lachish Letters, describing the Babylonian conquest of Judah, illustrate the kind of Hebrew used at the time of Jeremiah.

According to Walking in Their Sandals, "when Nebuchadnezzar established the Babylonian domination of Judah in 588-587 B.C., the southern outpost city of Lachish was one of the last remaining Judean cities to be taken (Jer 34:6,7). The Jews had arranged for relay communication between Lachish and Jerusalem by means of smoke signals at Azekah, fifteen miles from Jerusalem, and Lachish, thirty-five miles distant. Letter 4 of the Lachish Letters reads: "We were watching for the smoke signals of Lachish…because we do not see Azekah." This indicated that Azekah had already fallen to Nebuchadnezzar. Soon after this, Lachish would capitulate."

Rachel Saperstein closed her remarks by noting:

The Kings of Israel built glorious cities here and Bar Kochba the revolutionary found refuge here..
We, the expelled people of Gush Katif will build in this grand tradition.
What an honor. Come and join us!

There are already 60 families who will pioneer the new community. Eventually, 500 families will make Bnei Dekalim their home and become the center of the revitalized Lachish region, fulfilling the mitzvah of settling the land.

For Rachel Saperstein and her neighbors it's no longer a dream but the dawning of a new reality.

16 Ways You Know Sukkot is Coming to Israel

2009-10-01T12:57:00.010+02:00

Sukkah outside Burger King, Ben Yehuda Street, Jerusalem

1. The clang of metal poles and the sounds of hammering are practically constant as Jerusalem's apartment dwellers hurry to erect their sukkot and squeeze them into small balconies, odd-shaped gardens and otherwise derelict rooftops.

2. The tourists have landed! Overwhelmingly religious, English and French speaking, they jam the city's take-out places and restaurants, and may be seen in packs wandering up and down Emek Refaim and the glitzy Mamilla Mall talking to their friends at top volume on their cell phones.

3. Almost every non-profit group worth their salt has scheduled a fund-raising and/or familiarization event for the intermediate days of Sukkot, aimed at capturing the attention of the wealthy temporary Jerusalem residents.

4. Real estate agents are taking a deep breath before their busiest week of the year as they prepare to pitch their over-priced wares to eager foreign buyers. Each of the many luxury residential building projects around town has managed to put up billboards depicting the completed construction and inviting prospective buyers for a tour of an unfinished building site.

5. You can't get on a bus without being poked in the rear a dozen times with someone's stray lulav.

6. The sweet smell of etrogim in Jerusalem's Machane Yehuda is overpowering. Huge crowds descend on a lot on Jaffa Road near the market to vie for the most shapely lulav and etrog.

7. One enterprising bookstore is offering "Machzor rentals" for tourists who inadvertently left their holiday prayer books at home.

8. You've never seen such gaudy sukkah decorations in your life---unless you've been to WalMart on Xmas eve. Kiosks manned by bearded Haredim are selling gold, green and red tinsel hangings---exact replicas of Xmas decorations in the old country.

9. Huge piles of schach (palm fronds for the roof of the sukkah) cover major city squares, and citizens are invited to take as much as they need for free.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/109/262115749_fc37bb1e23_b.jpg

10. The usual throngs of traditional Jews are expected at the Western Wall for the thrice-yearly observance of the ancient ritual of Birkat Cohanim, the
--Blessing by the Priests--that takes place during the intermediate days of Sukkot.

11. Like Xmas tree lots back in the US, empty city lots all over Jerusalem are taken over to sell sukkot of every size and description. Some are marketed by large companies and feature the latest space-saving techno logy and hardiest material, while others are simpler affairs made of tubular piping and plastic walls. Every kosher restaurant in town has a sukka of some kind and each boasts bigger and better holiday specials to entice customers.

12. Since the entire week of Sukkot is a national holiday you'll have a tough time deciding which festival/event to take part in. There's the Festival of Vocal Music in Abu Ghosh; The Tamar music and arts fest at Ein Gedi; Herzliya's Biennial for Contemporary Art and the Sounds of Childhood Festival in Holon, to name just a few.

13. Touring the country is another favorite Sukkot activity and every political group is promoting trips to "See For Yourself." Hevron is a perennial favorite for the intermediate festival days as the Isaac Hall in the Cave of the Patriarchs that's normally off-limits to Jewish visitors is open for the holiday.

14. Not to be left out are those tenacious Christian friends of Israel--the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem (ICEJ) will bring 8,000 members from 100 nations to attend their 30th annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration. The Christian contingent dressed in costume of their country of origin will also take part in another annual Sukkot event, the Jerusalem March, where tens of thousands proudly march through several routes in the capital. Organizers claim that the Christian event will pump $10 million into the local economy, taking up 15,000 hotel room nights during their stay. Not everyone is happy about the Feast, however. A few years ago Israel's Chief Rabbinate's Committee for the Prevention of the Spread of Missionary Work in the Holy Land issued a ruling forbidding Jews from participating in the Jerusalem march organized by the ICEJ. The committee wrote in its decision, endorsed by both chief rabbis that Halacha forbids Jews to participate in any of the Christian sponsored gatherings. Still, this year, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin will host a sukka reception for the delegates at ICEJ headquarters.

15. Another prominent group of tourists set to arrive are refugees from the young American frum singles scene who make an annual migration to Jerusalem from the Upper West Side for Sukkot. Discreet meetings of earnest, well-scrubbed, modestly dressed twenty-somethings take place in all the major hotel lobbies.

16. And speaking of refugees--spare a thought for those 1,700 families expelled from their homes in Gush Katif back in August 2005. More than four years on and hardly any of them are living in permanent housing. More than 1,500 former Gush Katif residents are still unemployed. Several have died at young ages and many couples have divorced due to the economic and social pressure and the uncertain future they face. Neither they nor the Israelis in and around Sderot who despite the Gaza pullout continue to live under the threat of Hamas shelling will need to be reminded of one of the essential messages of the Sukkot holiday--the flimsiness of our physical existence and our reliance on God for sustenance and shelter.

It's not "the occupation," stupid!

2009-09-30T14:46:00.017+02:00

I spent yesterday in Shechem and Ramallah with a small group of journalists. I'm working on a few articles from the trip, but in the meantime, take a look at some of the photos (there are almost 100, so too many to post to the blog) at http://web.me.com/jbalint1/Site/Photos.html#grid

What you'll see are two cities completely controlled and patrolled by Arabs; not a Jew or IDF soldier anywhere in sight in either place. Arab police officers, armed and in full uniform are on most street corners. Building and commerce is going on at an incredible pace--we visited the 12-story Nablus Municipal Mall, complete with cinema and the Palestinian Securities Exchange office, both of which would not be out of place in California.

Despite all this, it's "the occupation" that's on everyone's lips in Shechem and Ramallah as they cite the difficulties of moving into the 21st century while somehow under Israel's thumb.

As we drove in our van with PA license plates between Shechem and Ramallah we encountered the remnants of Israel's control in Samaria--the dreaded checkpoints. Since last June, Israel has dismantled and abandoned hundreds of them, and the remaining ones are supposed to protect Israeli Jews living near their Arab neighbors from attack.

At the Tapuach checkpoint outside Shechem,the jumpy soldiers hastily called a close-down in both directions just as we approached. After about 10 minutes of uncertainty, we were summarily waved through. Later we learned that an Israeli was evacuated by helicopter to hospital after he was shot by Arab terrorists a couple of miles south of where we were, between Shvut Rachel and Kida.

While we were wandering around enjoying the sights and color of Shechem's Old City, I remembered that the terrorist responsible for the Park Hotel seder night bombing in Netanya as well as the Dolphinarium horror in Tel Aviv came from Shechem.

Nevertheless, the well-dressed officials in Ramallah and Shechem still intone the same old tired rhetoric about our desire for self-preservation somehow impeding their efforts to go about building their state.

I couldn't help recalling the slogan on the back of an Arab cab in Halhul that I saw a few months ago: "Life is Not Everything."

Approaching the Big Day...

2009-09-25T15:26:00.002+03:00

In the days before Yom Kippur, thousands of Torah observant Israelis rush to finish the ritual of kapparot, where human sins are symbolically transferred to a fowl--generally a chicken. It's a custom that does not appear anywhere in the Talmud, but whose origin seems to come courtesy of several 9th century rabbis.

In a parking lot near Jerusalem's Machane Yehuda market, dozens of live chickens are whirled above the heads of men, women and children while a pronouncement is made declaring: "This is my substitute, my vicarious offering, my atonement: This chicken will meet its fate while I will proceed to a good, long life of peace." [See my Kapparot photos from Machane Yehuda at www.Demotix.com] The chickens are then donated to the needy or redeemed with money that goes to the poor.

Meanwhile, curious secular Israelis by the hundreds take part in pre-dawn Selichot tours, where they look in on dozens of congregations where the faithful are immersed in penitential prayers chanted to ancient melodies.

In the streets later in the day, men hurry along with towels to the nearest mikveh (ritual bath). Many have already started building their sukkot (booths) in readiness for Sukkot, the one-week festival that starts the week after Yom Kippur. Sukkot structures of all kinds have sprung up on balconies, street corners and in front of cafes. The final decorations and the schach covering will be added right after the conclusion of Yom Kippur.

The busiest kiosks on the streets are those selling shoes made from fabric or plastic--to comply with the prohibition against wearing leather on Yom Kippur.

Strains of chazanut waft out of many windows, as many radio and TV stations broadcast operatic renditions of the well-known Yom Kippur prayers in a variety of styles. Almost every radio and TV channel also features a physician prescribing pre-fast measures to stave off headaches and ensure an easy fast, and advice on the best type of food with which to break the fast.

Many of the rabbis providing commentary on Yom Kippur in the Israeli media emphasize the festive nature of the day--not only the obvious solemnity. Be happy, we're told, that God grants us this grand opportunity to get a new lease on life--the possibility of teshuva (return) shows that Judaism is optimistic and forward-looking and allows for the reformulation of both our interpersonal relationships and our relationship with God. Singing and dancing are the de rigeur ways in which many congregations here, especially those at yeshivot, end the Yom Kippur day expressing joy at the soul having been uplifted.

While polls indicate that 71 percent of Israeli Jews between 18-35 will fast (Yisrael Hayom, Sept. 22, 2009)non-observant Israelis are also getting ready for Yom Kippur. As the one day in the year when TV and radio shuts down, they're looking for entertainment. A woman in a halter top and shorts stops at my local newspaper stand to buy three books of crossword puzzles. Video stores are doing brisk business, and bicycle shops are working overtime. There are virtually no motor vehicles on the streets of Israel on Yom Kippur, so it's become a traditional time for mass outings on bikes--new and old. Kids and adults enjoy the one-time freedom of movement for two-wheeled transportation.

There's also the obligatory rehash of stories from the 1973 Yom Kippur War in the press. Every year, commentators review the intelligence failures and questionable political decisions that brought Israel to the brink.

As the siren sounds marking the start of the Day of Reckoning and reports of the Iranian threat and corruption trials of former Israeli political leaders are quieted for at least 25 hours, you may be sure that our prayers will include a plea for a better year than the one before. Beyond that, who knows?

Ready or Not: The New Year Is Here

2009-09-17T13:40:00.003+03:00

Anyone venturing into the shuk or even a local supermarket in Israel this week could be forgiven for thinking that a famine was imminent. Shoppers laden with huge nylon bags of every kind of produce, fish, meat and bread may be seen staggering under the weight of their purchases, secure in the knowledge that they have sufficient provisions for the two days when stores are closed for the holiday.

Certain foods are traditional to eat on Rosh Hashana, and the markets are full of the most beautiful pomegranates, succulent dates and crisp apples. All the produce is local—pomegranate trees grow everywhere, even in private gardens; dates are from the Jordan Valley and apples from the Golan.

For some, the two-day Jerusalem shutdown of entertainment and shopping is a little much. One of my more secular neighbors informed me she's running off to a hotel in Tel Aviv for the duration. Tel Aviv's beaches are generally packed on every holy day.

Other secular Israelis, however, are intrigued by the pre-Rosh Hashana traditions, and join 3 a.m. tours of the selichot (forgiveness) services at Jerusalem synagogues in the old neighborhoods. It's mostly the Sephardic congregations that host the melodic recitation of penitential prayers in the month before Yom Kippur.

Newspaper polls report that only 47 percent of Israelis plan on attending synagogue services to pray during Rosh Hashana, but hotels all over the country report 95 percent occupancy rates. The traffic jams generated by all that coming and going are truly monumental. In the hours leading up to the leyl Rosh Hashana family dinner, it seems as if the entire country is on the roads. Roads anywhere near shopping centers have been packed for days now, so we should be used to it.

A uniquely Israeli tradition is the "haramat cosit" literally, "lifting of the glass", in honor of the New Year. Government ministries, corporations and municipal offices all host toasts where wine and good cheer flow. The fleet of diplomatic vehicles double-parked outside the official presidential residence today is an indication that President Shimon Peres is hosting the diplomatic corps for the traditional New Year bash.

No doubt, the foreign emissaries were discussing the tensions of the day, which this year include the Iranian nuclear threat and the Goldstone report on the Gaza War.

So as we prepare to sign off for a few days of introspection and stocktaking, we take this opportunity to wish Jewish readers and their families a year of health, fulfillment and success—oh yes, and peace and quiet.

What Will They Think of Next??

2009-09-16T16:22:00.006+03:00

Just received a news release from a local PR firm about yet another project foisted on Israel by well-meaning, Israel-loving Christians.

The largest flag in the world - the Jerusalem Flag - recognized by Guinness World Records, will be unfurled and raised at the Teddy Football Stadium in Jerusalem, tomorrow September 17th, 2009, at 9 am.

The historic event will unfold when the world's largest flag – the Jerusalem flag – will be unfolded at the Teddy Football Stadium, Jerusalem, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

The gigantic flag, with the largest emblem of a lion ever sewed, measures 44,404 square meters (more than 4.3 hectares), was stamped by Guinness World Records on April 11, 2009, when first unfurled in the Philippines.

This unique project was the initiative of Mrs.Grace Galindez Gupana, a 48 year old Filipino businesswoman and Founder-President of Halleluyah Kingdom of Jerusalem Foundation (HKJF).

Mrs. Gupana said that the massive project, which cost $120,000, was carried out by six people who produced the flag in 120 days. The flag weighs 9.5 tons and will travel first through Israel and later around the world.

The launch will take place tomorrow, Thursday, 17 September. The event will start at 09:00 in the presence of representatives of the Israeli government and of the municipality of Jerusalem. Hundreds of children from schools in Jerusalem, musicians and singers like David D'or and politicians will attend the ceremony, which will climax in a helicopter lifting the flag above the stadium. The colorful and exciting event will continue until 12.00. At 15.00 p.m. Mrs. Gupana will meet the Mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, at his office.

Mrs. Gupana holds seven Guinness records, for amongst others the largest stone tablets with the Ten Commandments. She emphasizes her continuing support of Israel and its people.

Palestinian Police aka former terrorists...

2009-09-15T09:43:00.009+03:00

When I was in Hebron a couple of months ago with a group of foreign journalists, we paid a visit to the Palestine Authority Security HQ. We were supposed to be briefed by the head of PA security, but he was busy and we ended up listening to the number 2 man, a dapper, 50-something man who spoke to us in Arabic via a translator.

In the Q & A I asked what he had been doing in his former pre-PA security force life. Without missing a beat, he proudly told us that he was a PLO freedom fighter with credentials from a slew of Middle East countries. Oh, a former terrorist, in other words..

From Hebron

Outside PA security HQ in Hebron.

Yesterday, the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs where I work put out a new paper by Col. (res.) Jonathan D. Halevi, who is the research director for the Orient Research Group and a research fellow of the Jerusalem Center. Halevi previously served as a senior adviser for political planning in Israel's Foreign Ministry and as head of the data and information branch in the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

Halevi writes:

After international human rights organizations accused Israel of killing innocent Palestinian "traffic policemen" during the Gaza operation, a detailed investigation shows that a decisive majority of the Palestinian "policemen" were members of the military wings of the Palestinian terror organizations and fighters who had undergone military training.

Among the 343 members of the Palestinian security forces who were killed, 286 have been identified as terror organization members (83 percent). Another 27 fighters belonging to units undergoing infantry training raises this total to 313 (91 percent).

Lumped under the rubric of the "Palestinian police" are all the security bodies that fulfilled combat and terror roles against Israel, the intelligence and preventive intelligence bodies, as well as those active in policing and maintaining order. Those serving in all of the Palestinian security apparatuses in 2007 and 2008 took part in terror activity and fighting against the IDF.

From Hebron

In the December 27, 2008, attack on an officer training course at Gaza police headquarters, 89 dead were counted. Of these, 60 (67 percent) belonged to Hamas and almost all were members of its military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades. The total number of terror activists and fighters among those killed at police headquarters was 81 (91 percent).

The human rights organizations which reported on Palestinian casualties in Gaza failed to mention the affiliation of hundreds of Palestinian security personnel who were members of terrorist organizations and who were trained fighters, thus artificially inflating the list of "civilians" killed by the IDF.

PA security personnel in Hebron.

Getting Into It

2009-09-09T07:30:00.001+03:00

One of the great things about living in Israel is how easy it is to really "feel" any upcoming holiday. Just take a walk through the shuk and the stacks of honey jars, piles of just ripe pomegranates and barrels of shiny Golan apples all make it easy to anticipate Rosh Hashanah. Radio & TV ads are full of New Year wishes and mailboxes full of heart-wrenching holiday appeals. But paradoxically, all that that can be a downside too, because it's just too damn easy to take it all for granted.

In the old country, where you had to finagle time off from classes or work and explain the intricacies of why you were living in a booth for eight days in the chilly autumn rain, getting ready for the high holidays was a more deliberate and serious endeavor. Here in Israel, it's too easy to take things for granted and can sometimes become just a matter of anticipating a week off work and deciding which tiyulim to take during chol hamoed.

That's why events like the Festival HaPiyut that opened last night at Beit AviChai in Jerusalem are just the right antidote.

It's hard to explain exactly what piyutim are. Essentially they're the poetry that adorns various prayers throughout the year. The pre-High Holyday piyutim are the verses Jews recite at this time of year to butter up God. They've evolved over the centuries and are generally sung as a community, not by the individual, and for some reason Sephardim definitely have a more developed sense of using piyutim than Ashkenazim.

I've written before about how piyutim are experiencing a revival here in Israel, with young paytanim (singers of piyutim) commanding large audiences; a website devoted to the genre as well as a wealth of scholarly research and concert halls filled with devotees.

In the delightful walled courtyard of Beit Avichai on King George Street, several hundred mostly religious people gathered for the opening of the Festival.The event was billed as encompassing three generations of paytanim from Nachlaot, the old Jerusalem neighborhood not more than 7 minutes walk away.

Indeed, the all-male performers ranged in age from 10 to 80, each one chanting one of the soulful but lively piyutim to the accompaniment of an outstanding group of musicians. To get an idea of what they sound like click here.

Many of the piyutim performed last night were from the 19th and early 20th century--mostly originating in Tunis or Egypt. The music is amazingly complex with changing rhythms and odd beats with darbuka drums, the oud and violins all playing major roles.

The two hour concert drew to a close after two veteran paytanim were honored. One, Rabbi David Raichi, who immigrated from Tunis in 1956, was a long-time piyut practitioner at the renowned Ades synagogue in nearby Nachlaot.

As Rav Raichi drew out his final notes, I couldn't help thinking of Rev. Samuel Benaroya z"tl, the chazan of my old kahal in Seattle, who was a world-renowned expert in every kind of Sephardic makam, and whose personality and ability to pass on those traditions is legendary. His special knowledge of the Ottoman style maftirim would have been an amazing addition to the evening.

Walking home with the melodies and the poetry of the piyutim still in my head, I can see that the journey toward Rosh Hashanah will no longer be so easy to take for granted.