The triple-suicide bombing in Jerusalem is unfortunately another example of the worst side of terrorism. Here I include my immediate reactions to what occurred. Read it carefully, for it means a lot to me - my next-door neighbour's daughter was one of the three teenage girls killed.
June 12, 1997
A terrible tragic event occurs and Israeli TV News makes it worse. And coupled with this piece, are my comments about the recent clash between the Ultra-Orthodox and the non-Orthodox over who can pray at the Western Wall.
It's a long piece, but worth reading. Thanks.
April 4, 1997
Lots of juicy stuff in the news these days - check out my comments on Arafat and Terror; The Conversion bill - Who Is A Jew?; and some interesting points about the Left Wing and the Right Wing -
the Rabbinate has been receiving large sums of money and not reporting it to the income tax authorities -- and the Left has been a bit 'edgy' lately - protesting in a
violent manner and using scare tatics! --
check it out.
March 24, 1997
The first set of thoughts were written by myself just minutes after the news.
The second set is from my friend David Gordon.
March 2, 1997
With the cloning of a sheep in England, the chief rabbis of Israel were asked their opinion about cloning, particularly as it relates to the possible cloning of human beings. Israel has two chief rabbis:
one for the ashkenazi community (people who descended from European roots) and one for the Sephardi community (people with origins from the Near and Middle East). It is an interesting question of Jewish Law (Halacha) - Is one permitted to clone a human?
Click here to find out!
February 4, 1997
Here is one comment - for insights to how Israel handles such a thing, click
here for additional comments Part I
and Part II.
Not much one can say about this terrible tragedy - two Air Force helicopters crashed into each other this evening, killing the 73 soldiers aboard.
What I do want to say is this:
The first political/religious
And the first political/religious
January 7, 1997
The severe lack of rain this winter (to date) has led to the saying of a special prayer in synagogues throughout the country. This prayer asks God to show favour in our eyes and allow for the appropriate seasonal activity (rain) to occur.
It only rains in Israel between Sukkot (October) and Passover (April), so if we need to get 12 months of water/rain in a 6 month period. So far this year, we have had only about 6 rain days, and no real heavy downpours. We hope and pray that we will be blessed with sufficient rain
this year. Two interesting side issues: a) when it rains, it usually snows on the Hermon Mountain in the north. Israelis love the snow, and there is even skiing on the Hermon. So, not only do our crops need the rain, the kibbutz which runs the ski resort (and all of us avid skiers) need it too! B)
Check out the story of Honi the Circle Maker in the Talmud: Ta'anit 22b in particular. Great story - go find it!
January 1997
A lot of people have asked, so I want to tell you a bit about December 25th and January 1st in the Holy Land. First, generally speaking, the dates past unnoticed in most parts of the country. (We will refer to the 'Jewish sections' in this article - obviously, in the Christian areas, December 25th is a major holiday!)
From late November through early January there is no muzak blaring 'seasonal music', no commercials about santa this or jingle that, no fake (or real) snow, etc. Schools are closed during the week of Hanukkah, but the atmosphere is not quite the 'big vacation', which is spring break - TWO weeks off before and during Passover.
To those of us who are Jewish, December 25th is just another day - schools and businesses
are open - it is a pleasure not to be bombarded with the commericalization of the holiday. Having grown up in the USA (and having just returned from there) I can tell you that, while some of the music and a lot of the spirit is quite nice, the holiday season thing, in my opinion, is way overdone. Overkill. It is a shame, but what do you expect from a country where capitalism is king? Now to January 1st. This one is a bit different. As our Talmud tells us, there are indeed many "new year's". And it is no different in modern Israel - the January - December calendar year is used for many official purposes - the
income tax authority to name one! Therefore, people are aware of the change of year, but it too, usually goes by without 'celebrating'. It too, is just another school and business day. Of course, many businesses close one day around the 1st to do a mandated year-end inventory, but that is about it. Some people to go to parties and some kids can be seen celebrating in the streets at midnight (they are just copying what they see in the movies from America).
All in all, it is a much needed quiet season, coming on the heels of the Rosh Hashana/Yom Kippur/Sukkot/Simchat Torah run a few months earlier.
December 31, 1996
In an attempt to 'force' the government to reconsider some of the
unevitable budget cuts, the Histadrut (workers union) has called for a massive nationwide strike.
The strike has already gone into effect and will continue for some time. Fortunately for the little guy, it is not a simultaneous strike, rather, they have decided to strike different parts of the workforce on different days.
The airport, the banks, the post office, government offices (who can tell if THEY are really on strike or not?), the phone company, city services - trash pickup, etc. and more.
So, why the strike? Well, the government has finally taken a very serious stand to try and curb the massive budget deficit by requesting that ALL ministries cut thier budget by certain percentages.
The potential list of cuts was published a few weeks ago, and the Histadrut went bananas. Of course, they see the story differently. They say, how can you take away jobs from so many people?
Well, folks, it is time to shape up or ship out! We can not go on with this kind of deficit spending. I am sure that there are plenty of ways to cut the budget without affecting too many people. There is such waste in the government, and it is nice to see that they want to take care of it.
Of course, realize also, that the Histadrut is a Labour organization and that the government is Likud. I told you politics gets in the way of everything here!
Bottom line: A) Do the budget cuts and fix the economy. B) Show the Histadrut who is charge of the country. C) I forgot to mention -when a sector goes on strike - there are NO penalties whatsoever attached. They don't lose pay, no sanctions. Nothing. It is time that the Supreme Court started to put some teeth into an anti-strike law.
I know it isn't easy to be unemployed (I've been that way for 6 months now).
But the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. (Bonus points to anyone who tells me where that quote is from!)
December 11, 1996
The Jerusalem Municipality has approved the building of a new (Jewish) neighbourhood between
Mt. Scopus and Ma'aleh Adumim. Of course, it happens to be in the middle of an Arab village/neighbourhood!
The 'agreement' is that the Arabs will be allowed to build as well and improve city services to the area, etc.
And you thought there was a 'problem' with the 8 inches they dug to finish that tunnel by the Kotel? You ain't seen nuthin' yet!
I do not think politics should influence policy,
but a lot of other people do. Arafat and Feisel Husseini have
already said that this new neighbourhood will cause the peace talks
(I didn't notice them talking) to explode. Arafat also hinted that something is going to happen because of this -
"the people (the Arabs) won't take this sitting down")
my take: build and try to work together and cut the rhetoric. If we 'give in' to the Arabs, particularly on this one, we lose quite a bit. This area is clearly in Israeli control and if we aren't allowed to build on it then what's next? Downtown Jerusalem?
It is clear to me that the Palestinians want Jerusalem to be
theirs and every opportunity they have to make waves within the
Holy City, they will do so.
(And the world buys it, lock, stock and barrel!) Oh well. A FOOTNOTE: it is an established fact that 'new' neighbourhoods around the country are frequently built as 'religious', 'secular', 'mixed' (religious and secular), 'jewish', etc. Can't we try to end this self-imposed segregation? I know it is tough to put Jews and Arabs together. Let's try to work it out!
December 11, 1996
First the background: Magen David Adom (the Israeli Red Star of David Medical Services) has a policy of not accepting blood donations from Ethiopian Jews, saying that they are in a high AIDS risk category. The scandal was highly publicized last year when MDA accepted donations and then turned around and trashed them without checking each donation.
Jump ahead to today:
The MDA runs an annual blood drive at the Knesset,
where most of the Knesset members come to give blood and
have their picture taken doing so. Well, guess what?
Someone forgot about a new Knesset member this time around and he's Ethiopian! He showed to give blood this morning and asked: 'What will you do with my donation?'. No one could give him a straight answer and most gave conflicting answers (no problem, problem, ok but we'll test it first, etc.) Well, he got up and left without giving.
A) I don't blame him, but I would have given the blood and then see
what they would have done. B) MDA is stupid for allowing such a
biased policy to exist - solve the problem by accepting blood from
everyone and THEN test it for AIDS - which they do anyway. Even if a high percentage of Ethiopians have the virus (which has been disputed and of course, how do you define 'high'?) there are still plenty (the vast majority) who are clean. And what about Ethiopians who NEED blood? Don't ask.
December 9, 1996
Natan Sharansky, Industry and Trade Minister and human rights hero, said yesterday (according to the Jerusalem Post, curious it was not in the Hebrew press) that he opposes any change that would disqualify Reform and Conservative conversions abroad BUT (there's always a 'but', huh?) he also opposes legitimizing such conversions in Israel.
He made some very clear points about the original framers of the Law of Return, who purposely left vague this issue, and hence, allowed the recognition of such conversions from abroad but not in Israel.
He also chastised the Reform and Conservative movements for petitioning the High Court here, forcing the court to rule against them and declaring that the Chief Rabbinate has the authority to determine status in Israel.
I'm with Natan on this one. Despite many attempts to change the
status quo with knesset legislation, it never passed. Nor will the current legislation pass, declaring overseas non-Orthodox conversions null and void.
The Reform and Conservative movements should of left well enough alone. And now, for sure, they should keep on the quiet pressure but not 'make a Federal case out of it" (as my mom used to say).
From the New York Times of Sunday December 8, 1996
I see that Tom Friedman writes a piece about McDonald's. Excellent theory and I was impressed to see it in writing.
The theory goes as follows: No two countries that both have a McDonald's have ever fought a war against each other.
Friedman goes on to point out that in the Fauklands scruffle, Argentina didn't get their first McD's until four years AFTER the war.
He also points out that now Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan have McD's but that Syria doesn't.
Go Tom! I think that this line of thinking is as predictable as any other and I wish that I had thought of it first! I hope the Saudis, Egyptians and Jordanians know the theory, and that maybe we (the Israelis) can fund a chain of McD's
for Syria and teach them the theory as well!
December 4, 1996
The news item: Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechaihas announced that Habad (the Lubovitch Hassidic ultra-Orthodox movement) will NOT be allowed on to army bases this year to distribute doughnuts for Hannukah. In the past, Habadniks were allowed on to all army bases during the course of the year, usually at holiday time, to give out holiday related items, to help the soldiers practice some of the holiday (and daily)
observances, and to teach a little Torah (Bible). Well, NO MORE! The left-wing secular political parties took their protest to the Knesset which passed a resolution (they had nothing better to do) saying that Habad can bring the doughnuts to the army bases, but may not enter to distribute them. Instead, they will be distributed by the base Rabbi and his staff. (By the way, in Israel, doughnuts fried in oil are the most common Hannukah food and not latkes - potato pancakes).
In my opinion, this is another example of absurdity gone absurd!
What's wrong with doughnuts, tefillin, a prayer or two?
As my nephew Billy and I like to say, 'We don't see anyone else out there doing it.'
In an ideal situation, Habad would simply do their thing
(as they do in the rest of the world) and go home,
but in Israel, Habad is directly connected to political influences
and the army should remain above that.
Bottom line: let 'em in, let 'em eat, let 'em pray,
and simply ask them NOT to discuss anything political -
stick to religion! UPDATE TO CHABAD AND DOUGHNUTS - December 10, 1996
The Reform Movement of Israel passed out 1000 doughnuts yesterday at army bases in the north of the country.
Good for them! The more doughnuts, the better.
It was sad to see, however, that the Army Rabbinate wouldn't let the
Reformers give the doughnuts to the base Rabbi, as Chabad is doing.
Rather, the Reformers had to go through the base 'Social Service
Directors'. The Army Rabbinate should know better, but you can see which way their powdered sugar flows! Anybody else want to pass out doughnuts? Front page of today's Jerusalem Post had an article how the army is more out of shape than ever! (I wonder why???)
Noises as the New Year approaches
this past sunday was rosh hodesh elul (the new month of elul) - and every
morning therein we blow the shofar (except the day right before rosh hashana). i
was priviledged to be the shofar blower this year for the first day of elul -
and, as it is supposed to do, it awakened in me many thoughts and feelings,
especially with rosh hashana and yom kippur only a few weeks away.
this is a time of inner reflection - to begin to take stock of your internal
inventory - throw out useless stuff and keep the good. i have done so, and am
continuing to do so - so much to sort through, but it is good to do this
personal 'spring cleaning' in the fall!
the shofar is but one noise we have heard in the last few days.
last week, the usa bombed terrorist targets in the sudan and afghanistan. that
noise also awakens in many people a variety of thoughts and feelings: to those
who hang out in those countries it is frightening. to the rest of the world, it
is a necessary and important noise to demonstrate - we will not stand idly by
while terrorists continue to flourish.
and over the last weeks, we heard other noises from the usa as well. president
clinton's words - first 'no', then 'yes'. the moral and ethical issues involved
in this episode also provoke many thoughts and feelings. i believe that the
president should be held to a high moral and ethical standard, one which will
make the country (and the rest of the free world) proud. if he can't do it,
can't abide by this standard - then he should step down. yes, i know it is
easier said than done, but i believe he needs to be held fully accountable for
his actions - both with monica and with the nation.
and lastly, last night, in israel, we heard katyusha rockets landing on our
northern cities and towns. my kids were on a trip to the north, staying at a
kibbutz (gesher achziv) near the lebanese border. they called me at about
11:00pm to tell me that they were ok, but that the noise was real.
we don't live in the north - but in jerusalem we do hear, unfortunately, the
same kind of noises from time to time. this week is the anniversary (yahrzeit)
of sivan zarka (z"l), my 13-year old neighbor who was killed last year in the
ben yehuda street bombing.
noises - they are all around us - i hope that this coming year will be one in
which we can hear more blasts from the shofar than from other sources, one in
which we can achieve personal gain, one in which morals and ethics play an
important role in our daily lives, and one in which it will be safe for our
children to play.
shana tova - a healthy and happy new year!
(and just a day after i wrote this, there was a bomb in downtown Tel Aviv - i still remain optimistic)
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