Scientists Find Proof of First Modern Humans in (Wait for it ) . . . Israel!

B"H

It always seems that scientists start out saying "HA!  The Torah isn't true!!" and, with a bit more research and time, end up saying . . . "Well, OK, maybe this ONE TIME . . . "  What is funny is how many "one time" discoveries have occurred! 

This article is just another example.  Scientists may have found proof that humanity originated in (* gasp *) Israel!

Imagine that!  That silly old story of Adam and Eve might actually have happened.

Hmmmm.  You don't suppose all that other stuff is true too, do you?  You know, all the laws and such . . . 

I wonder what type of conundrum this will put the strict evolutionists into. I can just imagine:

"No, Johnny, the Bible isn't true . . . well, except that part about how the universe was created suddenly, from nothing; how all matter was created the same moment; how all the planets were created at the same time as the rest of the universe; how light was separated from darkness because the universe was “foggy” with ionized plasma—a type of light that cannot be seen--and how, when the photons were released from that plasma, the universe become transparent as light was separated from darkness . . . well, and, of course there is this whole humanity originating in Israel thing . . . but, believe me, Johnny!  Even though there is no way the author of the Bible could have known this stuff unless the author was G-d, just remember, the Bible isn't true!!"

It seems the more scientific we get, the more we end up proving that Torah is truth--which, of course, is what Maimonides always believed.

But, back to my point.  It looks like we might have found the earliest modern humans, in Israel.

But, of course, for most of us, it was just a matter of time before the scientists caught up with what we already knew to be true.

M

Action Alert: AntiSemitic Newspaper Publishes Blood Libel Against Jews, Zionists

B"H

I don't usually become embroiled in action items, but I felt that this item was of such importance that I wanted to bring it to your attention.

Yesterday, a friend of mine received a "Google Alert" article from an Oregon on-line newspaper called the "Salem News."  I understand that the ADL and the Simon Wiesenthal Center regard this site as a "hate site," and I can understand why!

The article in question was so objectionable, so over-the-top in its Anti-Semitism and its attack on Jewish and Christian Zionists, that she contacted me so that I could get the word out.  

I agreed with her assessment.

I don't want to bring any more traffic to this rag, so I have quoted the article, in its entirety, for the purpose of bringing it to your attention.  If you are as offended as I am, then it is time to act by writing letters to their internet provider, to their advertisers, and, if you live in Europe, you may be able to complain about this site, and some of the "European Correspondents."  If anyone has any other ideas for how to deal with this site (in a legal way, of course), please leave me a comment.

The site is sponsored by Hopone.Net.  You may make a complaint to that provider at this address:  http://www.hopone.net/contacts.php

Here is a list of some of the advertisers on Salem-News, and their e-mail addresses (please leave me a comment if you can find more!):

Auction Masters   allinalldone@hotmail.com

Steels Karate   steelskarate@toast.net 

(They are an affiliate of the Japan Karate Federation of the Northwest, who should be alerted to what Steels Karate is doing.  Contact: admin@JKFNW.com)

Monte’s Auctions   coinguy@wvi.com 

Willamette Queen Sternwheeler    WQsternwheeler@aol.com

Kadels Autobody     Corporate@kadels.com

Of course, all action against this site should be civil and legal.  Please do not threaten anyone or partake in any hate speech yourself. 

M

Nazi's Promised Mufti of Jerusalem Leadership of "Palestine" after Wholesale Slaughter of 350,000 Israeli Jews

B"H

This knowledge has been hidden too long in the name of "politically correctness." It is very significant, obvious, and historically appropriate information that every person needs to know.  The Islamo-Facist-Nazi connection that began in World War II has been alive and present the whole time--even when our sociologists, historians, cultural anthropologists, politicians, and pundits wanted to look the other direction (see this excellent article about the "taboo" of discussing this issue from the Wall Street Journal.)

It starts with our own people, refusing to include this history in the US Holocaust museum and in the material provided for Holocaust education all over the world.  We can't deny a history that exists.  We can't wish it away.  We can't ignore it.  

It is there, it is present, and if we don't acknowledge this very obvious aspect of the Islamist "revolutionary" dream, we will never understand the truth behind their great wish to make Israel a Muslim country.  

Arafat wanted to realize his Uncle's dream to be the supreme ruler of Israel, and he passed that sick dream to Abbas and to Hamas and Hezbullah and all the other poor sucker arabs who call themselves "Palestinians."  They think if they control Israel, they can destroy Judiasm and the Christianity and spread Islam to every corner of the world.

This article shows how the US government has known the murderous intent of the arabs to kill all the Jewish inhabitants of Israel in World War II, and how that murderous intent has not faded in the present day.

It is high time that our own people realize this history.  Once we have acknowledged it, then we can make sure that others understand.

M

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‘Nazism, Islam shared common enemies - the Jews' 
Nazis  promised grand mufti of J'lem Haj Amin al-Husseini leadership of Palestine after slaughter of its Jews, according to US report.
By JORDANA HORN    
12/15/2010 00:54  
http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=199451


 NEW  YORK – A newly released report by the US National Archives details the close collaborative relationship between Nazi leaders and the grand mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini, indicating that Nazi authorities planned to use Husseini as their leader after their conquest of Palestine.

Jew Goes Under-Cover as Neo-Nazi, Tricks Notorious Nazi Into Giving Up Evidence for His Conviction

B"H

A big thanks to the American Jew, Mr. Mark Gould, who trapped this horrible, evil man by posing as a neo-nazi and getting the old man to admit his secrets, share his evil diaries, and provide all the evidence needed to convict.

In order to pull this off, this Jewish man of morals and character had to give up his self-respect, risk being shot, and sever ties with his own family and his traditions--all in the name of justice. May the stench of his assumed identity easily wash away, and may Mr. Gould's family know of his sacrifice throughout the generations. May Mr. Gould and those who assisted him be blessed among the Jewish people, and may he write a great book that I would love to read!!

I thought it was especially sweet that Mr. Gould was able to be present when the horrible, evil, despicable nazi, Bernhard Frank, was arrested.  I am so glad that Frank was not allowed to die in peace.  He will die knowing that every cent he made, his home, his savings, his businesses and land holdings--everything he ever touched--will be taken from him and his family forcibly by the courts.

He will die knowing that everything he ever had will be used for the benefit of Jews, and that instead of his assets going to his children and his grandchildren, it will, instead, go to the children and grandchildren of his victims.

Happy Hannukah!

M

ARSON. TERRORIST ARSON. Two Residents of Druze Village Arrested Throwing Malotov Cocktails in Carmel

B”H

I said this from the beginning, other people said it too, and now, finally, after much hemming and hawing and pretending like this was not a terrorist attack against Israel, the police have arrested two men throwing Molotov cocktails.  

I am praying that many more arrests will follow.

Oh, but, of course, it can’t be a terrorist attack, right?

No.  Just friendly arabs wanting to have a little party and forgetting to watch their cooking fire.  Yes, of course.

Pleeeeze.

Anyone from the West Coast of the US can tell you that one man with a cigarette can be a terrorist when the fire danger is high.  In Nevada, people are prosecuted for just that crime—throwing a cigarette out of your car window will get you a prison sentence, and you will be forced to pay for the cost of fighting the fires and repairing the damage.

I am praying that Israel will prosecute those responsible for this fire as the terrorists that they are.

(Which, unfortunately, means that they will be released in five or six weeks when Bibi does his next “good faith” release of dangerous terrorists in order to “make peace.”)

Sickening.  Really, really, sickening.

I think it the judge who decides what to do with these men must hand down the sentence while surrounded by the young children and babies of those lost in this fire.

M

Beit Oren, Nir Etzion Burned After Some Residents Forcibly Evacuated

Before the Fire:  Beit Oren National Forest

Before the Fire:  Nir Etzion

B”H

I know that many may say that the residents of Nir Etzion and Beit Oren should not have returned to their homes and farms against police orders and should not have had to been forcibly evacuated, but I’m sure the independent members of those towns also had very good reason to fight.

The government, by its own admission, has bungled this fire from the start, they don’t have the personnel, the money, or the equipment to fight it. There is a good chance that the people of Nir Etzion and Beit Oren would have been more resolute and more successful in fighting the fires in their community than the government.

In addition, those in Nir Etzion and Beit Oren have a severe mistrust of the government’s motives, as the government hasn’t been especially forthcoming with aid to religious Zionist communities and, frankly, may be less than willing to protect those communities.

It is so sad that, in combination with the hellishness of this fire (which I resolutely will not call a “natural disaster”--unless you think that arab terrorism is “natural”), the people of Israel must also deal with their inherit mistrust of Bibi, Peres, and their thuggish underlings.

Who is to say that the citizens of these burned-out communities won’t find themselves banned from their own property by the government and by arab squatters when they want to return?  Who is protecting these towns from looting and squatting?

After the fall of ash, comes the fallout of pain and suffering that always seems compounded by the actions of the Israeli government.
M

14 Victims Names Released, Funeral Times Set. May Hashm Comfort Their Families and Friends

B”H

As feared, the dead are young, in their late 20s and early 30s.  They had beautiful new lives, spouses, and children, and homes.

This is such a terrible tragedy.  They will need support and love and encouragement in the months and years to follow.
 




May Hashm comfort their families and friends.

M
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Names of Some of 41 Fire Victims and Funeral Times Released 
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/140977


The Carmel fire, Israel's worst natural calamity ever, is not yet under  control, despite the arrival of fire-fighting planes from Bulgaria and other countries. The fire is still threatening the Denya neighborhood in  Haifa.


A fire department spokesman announced a request for all firefighters to  come to relieve the exhausted firefighters of the north, who are refusing to leave the site, but are on the verge of collapse. He announced that the firefighting services are critically short of firefighting materials, complicated by the lack of rain and strong winds.


The names of several of the victims of the Carmel Forest tragic fire were released early on Friday morning:

12 Thousand Evacuated, 40 Dead, 4 Critically Injured in Carmel Fire

B"H

The IDF has been asked to film the fire from above in order to determine where it is heading next, but right now, it is headed toward Denya and the neighborhood is being evacuated at this time.

In addition to the information in this article, there is an update that 36 of the families of the victims have been informed of the deaths, and psychologists, clergy, and officials are meeting with them.

This tragedy has struck the Druze community especially hard, so please keep that community in your prayers as well.

There is a great suspicion that this tragedy is due to the cowardly and destructive terrorist arson of the Carmel forest.  May Hashm bring comfort to the families of those who have perished, and justice to those who perpetrated this crime.

M

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Further evacuations as result of spreading Carmel fire
Areas  of Denya neighborhood of Haifa begin evacuations; police chief orders IDF to film northern forest fire from above; 40 prison guards killed after being trapped in bus; PM to declare day of mourning.
By JPOST.COM STAFF AND YAAKOV LAPPIN  

12/03/2010 01:26
 http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=197785

Northern Israel was in a state of emergency as the worst ever fire in the country's history incinerated a bus carrying forty members of the Israel Prisons Service,  killing everyone on board, destroying thousands upon thousands of dunams of forests on the Carmel Mountain ridge and injuring dozens. Twelve thousand residents from Tirat Carmel and other surrounding communities in the area were evacuated from their homes as a result of the fire.

Police Insp.-Gen. David Cohen was overseeing rescue operations in the Carmel region. Cohen  completed an evaluation meeting and issued instructions to emergency officials for the remainder of the Thursday night and into Friday.

Continuing Coverage of Carmel Fire: More than 40 Dead, Many Injured. Greece, Cyprus Send Firefighting Aircraft

B"H

The continuing coverage of this tragedy. 

At least 40 young IPS cadets were burned alive in a bus, and there is a widespread belief that these fires are due to terrorist arson. 

Currently, Tirat Carmel, Nir Etzion, Ein Hod, Ein Hid and Beit Oren have been evacuated, and other evacultions are under way, the Haifa Chief of Police has been critically injured. 

Greece and Cyprus are sending firefighting airplanes to assist Israel because Israel doesn't have large firefighting airplanes that can drop large quantities of fire-retardant chemicals on the fire. 

Again, may G-d bring comfort to the victims and their families, and justice to the perpetrators.

M

UPDATED! Horrible Tragedy in Carmel Fire Attributed to Terrorist Arson: 40 Burned Alive in Bus

UPDATE:

B"H

Two members of Druze Village have been arrested for Arson at this time.  They apparently were throwing molotov cocktails out of their car and probably were responsible for many of the fires in the north.  The Mt. Carmel fire started from one spot, according to investigators, but they haven't determined whether it was an accident or arson. 

At least SOME of this fire can be attributed to terrorist activity.  I am certain that, when the facts are finally known, the 40 victims on this bus, those who have lost their homes, those who have lost their livelihood and their crops and their orchards are victims of this terrorist act.

Please see the developing story.

May Hashm comfort the families of those so tragically lost in this fire. They were on their way to help the prisoners, to make sure the prisoners were safe. They gave their lives for their charges.


G-d bless them.



-----
22 Confirmed Dead in Fire, Most were on Prisons Service Bus

by Gil Ronen and Hillel Fendel
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/140968

Dozens of security personnel, many from the Israel Prisons Service, are believed to have perished in the fire that has been raging on the Carmel Mountain all day Thursday. Many of them are said to be IPS cadets. Twenty two people were confirmed dead by 7:00 PM and the total number of dead is estimated at 40.

If the fire was set by Arab arsonists – a likely possibility at this point – this is the deadliest terror attack since Israel's founding.Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Thursday evening that the fire on the Carmel range is "a disaster of a scope that we are not familiar with."M

HAPPY HANUKKAH!!

Thoughts on Hanukkah

http://www.jewishideas.org/angel-shabbat/thoughts-hanukkah

By mdangel

Created 11/29/2010 - 11:25am

The Shabbat of Hanukkah was observed among Sephardim of the Ottoman Empire as "Shabbat Halbashah", the Shabbat of providing clothing for the needy.  Traditionally, the rabbi would deliver a sermon that day on the mitzvah of charity and lovingkindness. Beginning the following day, members of the community would bring clothing to the synagogue and it would be distributed among the poor on Rosh Hodesh Tebet, the sixth day of Hanukkah.

A practical reason for this custom is that Hanukkah occurs just as winter approaches. It is imperative that the community provide clothes for members who lack adequate clothing to keep them warm durning the cold season.  Moreover, Hanukkah celebrates the sense of unity that prevailed among those Jews of antiquity who fought against the Syrian-Greek oppressors, and who re-dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem.  Just as our ancestors recognized their responsibility to each other and to God, so must Jews of each generation recognize our commitment to each other and to God.

Turkey Bans Sale of Land to Israelis and Greeks--Oh, you didn't hear about it? Why am I not surprised??

B”H

Just take a moment to recognize the complete silence that has met this story, and, if you would like to enjoy the sound of silence, just keep your eye on this story.  No foreign news service, no foreign government, no one will EVER comment on this story.  

So, it is another arab country who hates Israel zzzzzzz.  Why would this be news?

However, if the reverse was true, if Israel announced that it would no longer allow the sale of Israeli land to arabs, just imagine what kind of cacophony would greet Israel!  Every news service, every foreign country, every past president would all line up at the microphones to take their turn castigating Israel, calling us everything from “Nazis” to “Racists.”

Just last week, when some rabbis in Safed issued a rabbinic ruling that it was assur to rent to arabs or migrant workers in order to protect the security and sanctity of the city, the entire world had something to say--and most of it was down right horrible.

So, where are those people now?  Why is it OK to disembowel Israel for a few rabbis saying that their flocks should not rent to arabs and foreigners, when there are many, many, many countries in the middle east that won’t allow Christians and Jews to own land at all—even Christians and Jews who are citizens of that country!!  (They also won’t let women own land, but the feminists are too busy protesting against the rabbis separation of men and women on the streets of Mer Sherim during the water-drawing festival to have any time for the rest of the middle east! )

Oh, and of course, there is the whole “arabs are killed for selling land to Jews” thing in Jerusalem, Gaza, and all over Judea and Samaria.

Seriously, I am so sick of this double-standard about Israel that I could spit!

M

Sephardic Hanouka Traditions and Halakhot by Joseph Mosseri

B"H

There are some significant differences in the halakhot of Hanoukah between Sephardim and Ashkenazim, and it is very important for all of us to keep our minhagim clear and consistent--especially when a lot of Sephardic traditions are no longer followed simply because of the ignorance of those in the society in how to follow these traditions.

These are some very important halakhot for Hanoukah, passed down through the generations and carefully recorded by one of the most caring and careful Sephardic scholars of our time, Mr. Joseph Mosseri.

He has also carefully delineated between Sephardi and Ashkenazi traditions, and clarified the customs for Sephardim.

If you need to find out the specific way to light the Hanoukah (not the Hannukiah, Mr. Mosseri points out), which prayers we say and how we say them, then there are instructions below. 

If you want to know under which source we base our traditions, Mr. Mosseri has also included that information.

Hanoukah Tov!

M

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Sephardic Halakhot for the Hagim Festivals
Some customs for the holiday of   Hanoukah
By Joseph Mosseri

1) The custom in Egypt was not to say Sidouq HaDin all 8 days of Hanoukah.

2) The custom amongst all Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities is to only use pure olive oil for the Hanoukah lights. The reason being that this is considered to be the best way to fulfill the commandment and because the holiday miracle occurred through olive oil.

The Conversion Crisis Must Be Resolved NOW!

The clock is ticking . . .

B"H

This is from the phenomenal website, Jewishideas.org where Rabbi Angel is able to share the wisdom he has gained and the knowledge he possesses about halakha.  

On this website, Rabbi Angel does not hold back, as most of the rabbis today must because of political considerations and the fear that they will be ostracized.  

Rabbi Angel's reputation is solid.  There is nothing that can be done to him.  He is a voice of independence and clarity in the craziness that Judaism has become.

M

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The Conversion Crisis Must Be Resolved NOW!

http://www.jewishideas.org/blog/conversion-crisis-must-be-resolved-now      
 By Rabbi Marc D. Angel

I wrote this article nearly a year ago (it appeared in The Forward, January 8, 2010), and the conversion crisis has only grown more serious in the ensuing months. It has been reported that the Chief Rabbinate in Israel is now calling for a review of the validity of conversions performed in Israel under the auspices of  Israel's military rabbis--going back ten years and more! 

Thousands of lives are affected by this short sighted and extreme position.  The current Hareidi dominated Orthodox rabbinate in Israel is doing a vast disservice not only to converts, but to the State of Israel and the entire Jewish people everywhere.  It is well past time when the Hareidi stranglehold over conversions should be removed, and when the loving, inclusive and compassionate views of mainstream halakha once again are put in place.)  

Rabbi Angel on Thanksgiving

Thoughts for Thanksgiving
http://www.jewishideas.org/angel-shabbat/thoughts-thanksgiving         
 By Rabbi Marc D. Angel
    
President George Washington proclaimed Thursday November 26, 1789 as a day of national thanksgiving to God "for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degreee of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us."

Is Building a "Kosher Internet" Kosher? At What Point Does a Quest for Tzniut Become an Excuse for Thought Control?

B"H

I can understand that religious people don't want to see revealing images, as there are a lot of very inappropriate images on the web. However, if they don't, they should just have a simple program that disables images, right? 

Why do they need to build a whole "kosher internet"?

I would be very suspicious of a whole organization that was deciding what I could and could not view.  I just wouldn't want to hand over my entire intellectual rights to some "minders" sitting in a drab office under the consultation of some "rabbis."

This sounds just too close to cult behavior.  

At that point, is it still Judaism?  Don't we practice a religion that encourages deep thought and intellectual curiosity about the world and provides not answers but discussions regarding how each issue should be handled?  

Isn't this the tradition that gave us the Talmud?  What is the Great Midrash, but a discussion of difficult issues and how to deal with them in a halachic way?

Isn't it a supreme oxymoron to say that one must limit knowledge in the name of Judaism?

M

Anti-Semitism Qualifies Under Title VI Protections, US Department of Education Decides (Thank You, ZOA!!)

B"H

Anti-Semitism is alive and well and living in your public school and university.  Under the new law, events like "Israel Apartheid Week" may come under the critical eye of the US Department of Education's Title VI rules.

Thank you, ZOA!  It is about time that the US Department of Education recognized that our Jewish students are not allowed to show a kippah in public at a US school because of the violent and oppressive actions of those who have been taught, mostly by their liberal professors, to hate Israel and the Jews.

I teach at a college, and I know that expressing my Zionism can cost me my job--it already did once (and, thank G-d, I had the AAUP behind me.  They helped me file suit, and we settled out-of-court for a nice sum).

I was protected by the EEOC, but my students and my children who attend school were not protected.  Those great Hillel kids, ZOA kids, JDL kids, and some just plain religious-but-I-don't-want-to-get-involved kids were not protected.  

They couldn't express their religion on campus, and they couldn't express their support of Israel on campus without being attacked by fellow students, faculty, and staff.   Most of the time the attacks were vocal, but sometimes those attacks seeped into physical attacks on our Jewish students and their clubs and organizations.  (Remember "Kick a Jew Day"??)

Now, instead of fearing for their lives, their grades, and their reputations every time they don a kippah or join a pro-Israel rally, our students have recourse when they are attacked.  

Let's see how far this goes.  Maybe my kids will even be able to say something positive about Israel in class without failing their assignment! (although I doubt that).

We have a long way to go (why do you think I blog under a pseudonym???), but this is a start!!

M

The arab death-eaters finally got Harry Potter, but the press still won't admit the truth . . .

B”H

Sleep well, dear Harry Potter.  The death-eaters finally got you.  They continue to destroy and try to take over the world and--as you know, dear Harry--the press never wants to report the truth about evil, and this allows the evil to spread.

The article of how Harry Potter's grave in Ramle has become a tourist attraction immediately raised my attention.  It isn't just that I am a rabid Harry Potter fan, it is also because of the way the article was written.

I have learned that any evil perpetrated upon humanity that might be pinned upon a Jew, always mentions that Jews are the culprit.  However, any evil perpetrated upon humanity that might be pinned upon an arab carefully avoids mentioning that the arabs are at fault.  It is glossed over with general language, usually.

So, when I came across this Associated Press article about the grave of Harry Potter in Ramle, and the article reported that Harry Potter was “killed in battle with an armed band in 1939,” I knew something was up.

Canadian PM Harper Defends His Support of Israel: "It is freedom that makes us human. Whether it leads to heroism or depravity depends on how we use it."

B"H


May every leader in the world learn from Canadian PM Harper! This man knows that Israel bashing is Jew bashing. He knows that it is easier to agree with the anti-Israel crowd, but he has a conscience and a clear understanding of the importance of the Jewish people in the world.


He says a beautiful thing in the video that is not quoted in the article below.  It is a timeless quote, a quote that should be on the tongues of every man, woman, and child in this world:


"It is freedom that makes us human.  Whether it leads to heroism or depravity depends on how we use it."


God bless PM Harper, and God bless Canada.


M
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Canadian PM Harper: A Threat to Jews Is a Threat to All of Us
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/140559

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper once again proves he is Israel’s best friend, saying that a “threat to the Jewish People is a threat to all of us.”

Speaking at an Ottawa conference on fighting anti-Semitism that is part of Holocaust Education Week, the Conservative party leader implicitly agreed with a common analysis that the United Nations recently turned down its bid for a temporary seat on the Security Council because of its solid pro-Israel stand.

You Just Won The Senate Seat For Florida, Mr. Rubio! Now What are You Going to Do? . . . "I'm Going to Israel!"

B"H

Marco Rubio says he wants to take a "private trip" to Israel, and the press jumps on its "meaning."

Interesting.  

How about this for meaning:  Israel is important, personally, to Marco Rubio.

It is important, personally, to most of the people who support her.  This is not a politically correct position, this is not a savvy move, this is a personal and very profound feeling of connection to the Holiness and the history of the Land.

There is a reason that people have fought for 5,000 years over the land of Israel, and it doesn't have anything to do with politics.  

Have a beautiful trip, Senator-Elect Rubio!  Enjoy yourself!  Stop and have some falafel, go to the Shuk and buy some kitchy things to take home for your friends and family, climb Masada, float in the Dead Sea, and wonder if the very dust under your feet was the dust under the feet of Abraham.

Love Israel.  There is no other place like it, and we know, exactly, how you feel.

M

New "Help this Jew" Site Helps Jews Help Jews Directly

B"H

There is an old story of a baker who sits in Shabbat services.  He can't understand much Hebrew, in fact, he only understands three words:  "Hashem," "Bread," and "Love."

He goes home and tells his wife, "Hashem loves Bread!"

They start making bread right after Shabbat.  He sneaks into the synagogue and puts six loaves of bread into the Ark with the Torah.

Meanwhile, the Gabbi of the synagogue is having financial problems.  "Please Hashem!" he prays, "I have six children and a sickly wife, and I don't have any money to feed them!"

The Gabbi opens the ark, and Miracle of Miracles!  There are six loaves of bread!  He takes them home to help his family.

The next morning, when the ark is opened for services, the baker sees a Miracle!  The bread is missing!  Hashem has taken the bread!

Both men rush to tell the rabbi of the miracle.  The rabbi listens to one, then he listens to the other.

He grabs the two mens' hands and puts them together, "Truly, Hashem has caused a miracle here, but this miracle, like many others, is conceived by Hashem but performed by men!

From that day on, the baker helped the Gabbi to feed his family, and the Gabbi, in turn, helped the baker to learn more Hebrew than three words.

Just as the men in the story learned that it is Jews helping Jews that is the true miracle, a new website called "Help this Jew," has be established by Reb Yanky Mayer and, thus far, endorsed by Rabbi Yerachmiel Milstein to assist Jews of every level of observance and every stream to help one another.

According to the website, "We created Help This Jew  to help any and all Jews in need, no matter what their background or affiliation.  We are dedicated to helping those who find themselves in need by providing a forum whereby they can apply directly to others for help. This site was started in order to strengthen the Jewish people and to create a feeling of unity among all Jews which has never been felt before. Please join us!"

It is truly a blessing to help your fellow, and this site will not only help those in need, but it will also help those who wish to give directly but anonymously to those who need help.

May this endeavor have the blessings of Hashem, and may many Jews be helped!

M

US Fires Missile that Kills Gaza Terrorist

B"H

Well, it is good to realize that the US has recognized the threat that Gaza terrorists pose for Israel, and the fact that a threat against Israel is usually also a threat against America.

It is time that the other nations recognized this as well.

Jews are the canary in the coal mine--when Jews are threatened, when Jews are demeaned, when Jews are hated--the world needs to be on alert because what happens to Jews will, eventually, happen to them.

Europe needs to wake up, especially.  The violence and danger posed to Jews in Europe, and largely ignored by the EU as they try to demean and delegatimize Israel, will not go unnoticed by The Master of the Universe.  

Those that bless us will be blessed.  Those that curse us will be cursed.  This is not just a Bible verse, it is a reality.  

When the world loses its moral compass, it always goes after the Jews; and when the World loses its moral compass, it is because evil doings are afoot. 

Ignoring the problem will not make it go away.

Thank you, America, for standing with Israel. It is not only noble, it is also smart.

M

"Is that player a Jew?" Ask the Jewish Sports Review! (Hey, it rhymes!)

B"H

Shel Wallman and Ephraim Moxson are doing this for the love of it.  They explain that they are both retired and don't make any money at it.

So, what makes them do it?

I have a theory that, inside every Jewish man and every Jewish woman, is a little boy or a little girl who wants to know the same things that my little ones want to know:  Is that player like me?  Do they say Shema?  Do they also have Pesach?

Thanks, Jewish Sports Review, for your dedication to the dreams and inspiration of every little Jewish boy and every little Jewish girl who every dreamed of standing on a baseball diamond--whether they are 9 or 99!

M

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Duo celebrating bar mitzvah of counting Jewish athletes
http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/10/28/2741474/jewish-review-headline
By Edmon J. Rodman

LOS ANGELES (JTA) -- Down in Texas, the Rangers have an All-Star second baseman who has added flavor and flair to the 2010 season, helping propel his team to the World Series for the first time in its history. And with a name like Ian Kinsler, he might just be ...

Rabbi Angel on Parashat Hayei Sarah

A Parable on Life's Meaning: Thoughts on Parashat Hayei Sarah

October 30, 2010

http://www.jewishideas.org/angel-shabbat/parable-lifes-meaning-thoughts-parashat-hayei-

By Rabbi Marc D. Angel

  

In this week's Torah portion, we read of the deaths of Sarah and Abraham--the founding couple of ethical monotheism and of the people of Israel.  Their lives have left a profound imprint on human history; as we ponder their lives and deaths, it would be well to ponder the meaning  of life for ourselves. A rabbinic parable offers keen perspective. (The  following is drawn from my book, "Losing the Rat Race, Winning at Life," Urim Publications, 2005.)

A rabbinic parable tells of a poor man who was struggling to support his family. He learned of a faraway land that was filled with precious jewels. A ship would soon be leaving for this land and it had room for him as a passenger. But the ship would only return after an interval of unspecified length. His wife agreed that he should make the voyage, so as to be able to obtain valuable jewels to bring back to support his family in wealth and honor.

McDonald's Restaurants Favor the Rights of Animals Over the Rights of Religious People. Shuts down Kosher Slaughter for London Jews.

B"H

Well, McDonalds has now shut down one of the only Kosher slaughter houses for London Jews.  Nice work, McDonalds!  

I would tell everyone to boycott them, but that would be a bit ridiculous, wouldn't it, being most of us couldn't eat there anyways.

What might work, though, is to write plenty of letters to McDonald's and let them know what we think and, of course, show them for what they are.

Kosher Slaughter, when done correctly, is actually LESS PAINFUL than stunning.  

According to Temple Grandlin, a well respected inspector of slaughterhouses (all types):
 

In  plants with upright restraining devices, I made further observations to determine if slaughter without stunning causes pain. If the cattle stay completely calm while kosher slaughter is performed, they flinch slightly at the beginning of the cut. There is no other movement until convulsions start when sensibility is lost. Immediately after the cut I loosened the head holder and body restraints. Most cattle looked around for 5 to 60 seconds until they collapsed. They did not seem aware that their throats were cut. Waving my hand in front of the animal’s face caused a much bigger reaction than the kosher cut (Grandin, 1994).

Why didn't McDonalds look into this research?  Why has it ignored the issues present in Kosher slaughter?

Probably because, in the EU, it is more important to side with the rights of animals than the rights of religious minorities.  What is wrong with Halal meat anyway?  Isn't it infinitely better quality stuff than the bloody treif meat anyways?  Seriously, do the gentiles really care?  It's still a cheap burger!  

Those who care about how the animal is slaughtered probably aren't eating there anyways!

Unfortunately, these days, it is much easier for a corporation to side with those who hate religious people than it is to side with the truth.

Very sad turn of events.

I hope every religious person of every religious persuasion sees McDonald's action for what it is:  anti-religious bigotry.

M

"We have reached an ugly abyss of hareidi leadership and there is nothing left but to rise up against it. This is not the Torah we know, this is not our viewpoint and these are not our leaders."--Rabbi Binyamin Lau

B"H

This is a beautiful speech, which I cannot classify as anything less than a manifesto for authentic Torah scholarship, humanity, and Jewish education.

Thank you, Rabbi Angel, for featuring it on Jewish Ideas/Ideals, and thank you, Rabbi Lau, for saying these words so courageously.

Too many rabbis are hiding in the shadows, keeping their opinions and knowledge to themselves, afraid to speak out for fear that they will be religiously and professionally lynched by an uneducated and fervent Haredi mob.

Too many are standing in judgment of our Torah scholars, hell-bent upon the anti-Jewish intellectual void that is the obsequious rabbi worship.

I fear we are heading quickly into a "Jewish Dark Ages": where learned rabbis fear to be labeled heretics, while heretics roam freely in the street spouting lies without fear.

Judaism is plunging head-first into a sea of ignorance, and our sacred knowledge is being daily replaced by a collection of superstitious mumbo jumbo in the name of "strictness."

This is a serious problem.

Mamoinides warned us that Hashm carefully delineated between Jewish worship and pagan worship by changing only small things so that we would be willing to leave our old ways and embrace the Torah.  If we deviate from the practices handed down by our matriarchs and patriarches, even a small bit, we may find ourselves, unwittingly, performing tasks as a pagan would.  This is why we are told we cannot add to or detract from the Torah--not even one letter.

Unfortunately, the Torah is being added to daily with some new chumrot, and being detracted from daily through the denial of such things as respect for Torah, avoiding Loshan Hara and Motzei Shem Ra, and protecting the stranger among us.

M

Doña Gracia (Finally) Takes Her Place In Jewish and Zionist History

 B"H

Among Sephardim, Doña Gracia is well known, but for many in the Jewish world, they do not know her.

She is a true woman of valor, a 15th Century Esther, who truly asked herself for what reason Hashm had placed her a position of power and influence.

She had, like Esther, seen the evil king and queen of Spain (may their names be forever cursed and forgotten) order the destruction, death, and exile of the Jews of Spain.  

Like Esther, Doña Gracia took the money and the influence she had, and used her place to not only save lives, but save Jewish culture and tradition by establishing synagogues and schools, and by rebuilding Tiberias into a Holy city once more.

May every Jewish child know her name, and may her legacy live, forever!

M

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The true founder of the Zionist Movement?  
Once the wealthiest woman in the world, Dona Gracia planned to establish an autonomous Jewish community in Tiberias.  
By GREER FAY CASHMAN http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=192797

She was more than 300 years ahead of Theodor Herzl  in conceiving a movement whereby Jews would once again take possession of their spiritual homeland, and way ahead of Baron Rothschild in buying property in the Land of Israel, but only now is Dona Gracia (Gracia Mendes Nasi), once the wealthiest woman in the world, being accorded her rightful place in Jewish and Israeli history.

Nazi Pope's Synod Says "Jews No Longer Chosen People," MK Danny Ayalon Charges Lebanese Head of Synod with Libel Against Jews

B"H

Well, I guess the Catholic Synod in Rome knows more than the Bible, more than G-d? 

According to them, Jews are "no longer the chosen people."  

Last I checked, G-d doesn't change His covenants, His promises, or His Word.

 

And, according to Vatican II's "DECLARATION ON THE RELATION OF THE CHURCH TO NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS--NOSTRA AETATE--PROCLAIMED BY HIS HOLINESS POPE PAUL VI ON OCTOBER 28, 1965":

As Holy Scripture testifies, Jerusalem did not recognize the time of her visitation,(9) nor did the Jews in large number, accept the Gospel; indeed not a few opposed its spreading.(10) Nevertheless, God holds the Jews most dear for the sake of their Fathers; He does not repent of the gifts He makes or of the calls He issues-such is the witness of the Apostle.(11) In company with the Prophets and the same Apostle, the Church awaits that day, known to God alone, on which all peoples will address the Lord in a single voice and "serve him shoulder to shoulder" (Soph. 3:9).(12)

Hmmm.  It seems that Vatican II clearly states that Jews DO have rights to the "gifts He makes or of the calls He issues" (i.e. our right to Israel and Jerusalem.)  It seems the Synod is busy undoing Vatican II, at least in this respect. 

Of course, they won't be undoing the Synod itself, it seems--which was also a Vatican II issue.

Interesting  how the Nazi Pope hates Jews, and suddenly everything the Jews do is wrong.  That is, even though Vatican II also says:

Furthermore, in her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.

Interesting how the Synod has completely ignored this section of Vatican II, and substituted political considerations for those promised in this document.  

I guess along with the replacement theory (supersessionism) that we thought had disappeared from the Catholic Church.

Am Ha'aretz Traitor, Uri Blau, Returns to Israel

B”H

I hope that, in addition to the obvious charges against this traitor, that the state will also charge Ha’aretz newspaper with aiding and abetting his treachery by supporting Uri Blau while he was living outside the country and was a wanted fugitive.

Not only did he harm the state, but he lied to the state of Israel, then continued to print the stories—perhaps endangering Israel’s security and the lives of our men and women in uniform.

He should be ashamed to show his face in public.

For months, I have refused to read, comment upon, or print anything appearing on the pages of Ha’aretz.  I don’t think it is right to support a newspaper that was supporting a man in avoiding the law.

Now, finally, Blau is in custody.

It is my sincere hope that the newspaper will be fined or senior members of that newspaper will be arrested in connection with Blau's actions.

M

Benoît Mandelbrot, of Blessed Memory, Mathematician, Creator of Fractal Geometry, Holocaust Survivor

An example of a fractal

B"H

Any time someone tells me that the arabs are so violent because they have been "oppressed" by Israel, I think to stories of people like Benoît Mandelbrot.

At the age of 11, he fled from his home in Warsaw to escape the Nazis, first going to Paris, and then hiding in the French countryside where he worked with horses and did farm work.

When the war was over, he enrolled in college in Paris, overcoming his lack of formal education through hard work and with a keen mind.

Soon, he would change the world with his theories.

There is no oppression like the oppression of the Jews, but there are also no greater contributors, per capita, than the Jews.  Above all, our success has been the success of the world.

We didn't blow ourselves up, we didn't murder innocent people, we simply, quietly, and with a great sense of purpose, succeeded because success, above all things, is the greatest revenge against our enemies.

M