Obama Doesn't Fool Us

Jpost reports that "Israelis not swayed by Obama":

US President Barack Obama’s efforts to reach out to the people of Israel last week – when he hosted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for a positive meeting at the White House and gave his first interview as president to an Israeli television station – were not very successful, according to a Smith Research poll for The Jerusalem Post.

After Obama’s earlier meetings with Netanyahu were portrayed as adversarial, Obama made a point of treating the prime minister with the utmost respect last week, accompanying him to his car and constantly commending him in particular and Israelis in general during his press conference with Netanyahu on Tuesday, and his interview with Channel 2 anchor Yonit Levy two days later.

But what was widely described as a “charm offensive” did not immediately sway many Israelis in his favor, the JPost/Smith poll indicates. There was only a 1 percentage point rise in Israelis who consider the US administration headed by Obama to be more pro-Israel than pro-Palestinian since the last such poll was taken in March.

When asked whether they saw Obama’s administration as more pro-Israel, more pro- Palestinian or neutral, just 10 percent of Israeli Jews said more pro-Israel, 46% said more pro-Palestinian, 34% said neutral and 10% did not express an opinion.

The poll of 515 Jewish Israelis, representing a statistical sample of the adult Jewish population, was taken on Monday through Wednesday and had a 4.4 percentage point margin of error.

No Mr. B.O., it has nothing to do with your middle name. It has everything to do with your dismal "Cairo Speech", with your moral equivalency, with your courting the despots.

I hope that America gets rid of you real soon!

Mourning Rav Eliyahu

The memory of the Rav, his Torah, good deeds, and piety, will last long after the mourning notices wither and fade away.

Rav Mordechai Eliyahu zt"l

Last night myriads of mourners packed Reines Street in Kiryat Moshe/Givat Shaul. Some of them were fortunate to be right in front of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu's synagogue. They were able to see those delivering the eulogies. I was not among them. I showed up early for the funeral, but not early enough. Reines Street was already packed with a diverse group of people that came to pay their last respects to one of the greatest rabbis of our generation.

Like I said, it was a diverse group: National religious, "Lithuanians", Hasidim, Sephardim, traditional and even secular Jews were there. The Rabbi was a not only a great Torah scholar of great piety and a wise man, he was also a unifying force in the nation, respected by all.

He loved the nation, and the nation loved him! He was accessible. Anyone who had a question could visit him in his office. You could also catch him on Fridays outside of the Mikvah building. People would wait for him there to ask him questions after his pre-Sabbath immersion. On Sabbath you could catch him on his way back from the synagogue. On such occasions he was surrounded by admirers anxious to ask a question or to hear whatever the rabbi was saying.

He stood on the front lines against the "disengagement". Despite his prayers, the Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip were destroyed and their inhabitants were forcefully expelled from their homes. He did his best to prevent what was a violation of Torah law, a colossal tactical and strategic mistake, a crime against the communities and their inhabitants, and a crime against the Jewish people as a whole.

Rabbi Eliayahu also made his voice heard with regards to another injustice: the continuing incarceration of Jonathan Pollard. Pollard found in Rabbi Eliyahu a spiritual leader and a source of hope.

Our neighborhood was blessed by three giants of Torah: HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l, HaRav Avraham Shapira zt"l and HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu zt"l. All of them were rabbinical court judges and respected authorities of Jewish law. They are gone and they have no replacement!

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu Passes Away

He was a great Rabbi, may his memory be a blessing:

Just as Jews around the country were preparing to gather to pray for Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, word of his death arrived.

Earlier in the afternoon, it was reported that his medical condition had severely deteriorated, and that prayers were sought.

Rabbi Eliyahu was the spiritual leader of much of the religious-Zionist sector. Hospitalized for nearly a year in Shaarei Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, his condition was downgraded today to "critical,” and not for the first time. Family members were called to his bedside, and were by his side when he passed away.

No word on funeral arrangements has yet been announced.

The sage was in poor and very painful condition for several months. Two weeks ago, tens of thousands of people gathered in three different locations to pray for Rabbi Eliyahu’s health, following a similar deterioration.

His son, Tzfat’s Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, told Arutz-7’s “Preparing for Redemption” radio program at that time, “The situation is not good. Ever since last Elul [August], the rabbi has been in the emergency room, and is undergoing terrible suffering. The very fact of his long hospitalization leads to a slow deterioration; sores open, close, open... things are going backward instead of forward.”

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu was born in 1929 in the Old City of Jerusalem; his mother was a granddaughter of the famed Ben Ish Chai. He served as Israel’s Chief Sephardic Rabbi - the Rishon LeTzion – from 1983 until 1993, together with the late Rabbi Avraham Shapira, and the two continued for years afterwards to lead the national-religious public in matters of Jewish Law and thought. He authored several works on both.

Leftist and Muslim Terrorists Under the Guise of "Peace Activists" Attack Israeli Soldiers

What a bunch of hypocritical lowlifes!

Some links:

Navy Prepared to Face Anarchists, Met Terrorists Instead

The Day In Israel: Monday May 31st, 2010

Anti-Shalit Flotilla Updates

A brutal ambush at sea:

It appears that the error in planning the operation was the estimate that passengers were indeed political activists and members of humanitarian groups who seek a political provocation, but would not resort to brutal violence.

Commando soldier: 'It looked like the Ramallah lynch"

Ehud Barak should resign. No Israeli lives should have been risked in order to transfer the "aid" to Gaza. Those that attempted to break the blockade should have been sent directly to their final destination, namely hell.

Save Yourself from the Singles Swamp

I just saw this really great blog post by Baruch Gordon on Arutz 7. He describes something very similar to what I went through:

In 1983 when I started going out on shidduchim [blind dates pre-arranged by a matchmaker], Rabbi Shlomo Aviner of Bet El published a book called Pirkei Ahava on dating and marriage. In the first few pages, he lays down a principle that changed my attitude towards shidduchim to the point that, coincidentally or not, I married the next girl that I dated.

I myself started a couple of years later, and did not find my wife so fast. However, Rabbi Aviner's advice was very helpful to me:

Rav Aviner explains that a person must approach the shidduch with emunah [faith]! He must have faith that if G-d has made this shidduch materialize, and

1. the girl is suitable, and
2. the girl has positive traits which are congruent with his aspirations and spiritual level and
3. there is some level of attraction,

then he should believe that this is the girl that G-d has designated for him.

Read the rest of his blog for an elaboration on the subject.

Personally, it breaks my heart to see bachelors and bachelorettes that have met many suitable men/women but just lack the faith and courage to take the plunge.

Something to Think About

Here:

At this time I do not believe that I can rise to higher levels of holiness or fulfill my mitzvot bein adam l'Makom and bein adam l'chavero to my utmost ability with a computer in my house, so I'm going to try my best to do teshuva for this and make a fresh start.

Feiglin to Announce He is Leaving Likud

That's the headline from Israel National News:

Moshe Feiglin, head of the Manhigut Yehudit oppositional faction within the Likud party, has decided to leave the Likud along with his movement, Makor Rishon reported Friday.

Feiglin has called a meeting of the central activists in Manhigut Yehudit for Sunday, in which he intends to announce his decision. He will recommend that the movement seek its political home outside Likud. On the record, Feiglin would only tell Makor Rishon that “we are in a period of internal inquiries that will last about two weeks and we are involving the activists in the dilemmas.”

Feiglin joined the Likud 10 years ago, out of a conviction that the multi-party system does not really work in Israel, and that the only way to seize leadership is through the largest party, Likud. He vied twice for party leadership and failed both times. Feiglin was in the party's 20th slot for the Knesset in the last elections, but legalistic and political maneuvers by Binyamin Netanyahu forced him out of that slot and prevented his entry into the Knesset. It should be noted that Feiglin never seemed to content himself with the goal of getting elected to a Knesset seat, but was intent from the outset on becoming the party's leader.

Personally, I admire Moshe Feiglin. I never joined the Likud, however. I remember that someone brought me the application form, which said something like, "I affirm that I believe in the ideals of the Likud". I could not bring myself to sign such a crock! The Likud, ever since it took power, has consistently proven that it has no ideals!

A Wild Beast Of A Medical Doctor

Wikipedia on MK Ahmad Tibi:

Dr. Ahmad Tibi (Arabic: أحمد الطيبي‎, Hebrew: אחמד טיבי‎, sometimes spelt Ahmed Tibi, born 19 December 1958) is an Israeli politician and leader of the Arab nationalist party in Israel, Ta'al (the Arab Movement for Change). He currently serves as Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. He was elected on a joint ticket with the United Arab List to serve in Israel's parliament, the Knesset. He describes himself as Arab-Palestinian in nationality, and Israeli in citizenship.

Tibi is also a trained physician and graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Tibi lost it today:

For the first time in memory, a Knesset Member was forcibly removed from the podium: Arab MK Ahmed Tibi.

Tibi had been allotted the normal three minutes to speak about the recent trip he organized for Arab Knesset Members to Libya, at the invitation of Libyan dictator Muammar Gadaffi. The trip has been sharply criticized, and the participants are likely not to be allowed to run for Knesset, based on a law banning visits to enemy countries.

After several minutes, the acting Speaker, Likud MK Carmel Shama, asked Tibi to conclude and descend from the podium, as his allotted time had come to an end. Tibi refused, yelling at Shama, calling him names, and saying, “Get out of here.” “You’re using terrorism against me,” Tibi also accused, to which Shama replied, “The terrorism doesn’t generally come from our side.”

Finally, after about six minutes of arguing, Shama asked the Knesset ushers to come and remove Tibi forcibly. Tibi held on to the podium with both hands, refusing to be moved and saying twice, “I just want to say this last sentence." He finally gave in, muttering "you have no shame," and allowed the ushers to escort him down, from where he returned to his seat.

See more wild beasts here.

Torah Scholars on the Front Lines

Here's an interesting article (in Hebrew) about how Rabbi Shabtai Sabato saved Rabbi Chanan Porat during the Yom Kippur War.

גילוי אריות בירושלים

HH #263

Click!!!

Anat Kam Still Not in Jail

Leftist Supreme Court Judge Ayala Procaccia strikes again:

The High Court partially rejected Wednesday an appeal by the State Prosecution against the lenient arrest conditions of accused spy Anat Kam. Judge Ayala Procaccia ruled that Kam will remain under house arrest, but under slightly stricter conditions. She will have to be under supervision of her parents, sister or aunt 24 hours a day, and she will report to the local police station once a week, accompanied by one of her supervisors.

Kam is charged with stealing hundreds of top secret documents from the Central Command Headquarters and transferring them to a journalist from Haaretz. Surprisingly, however, for a case involving such severe charges, she has not been jailed for the duration of the proceedings against her. Instead, she is under house arrest while her trial, which began three months ago, continues behind closed doors.

The Prosecution asked to place Kam under full arrest, as is the norm in cases involving serious charges. Judge Procaccia rejected the request, saying that “it is possible that she should have been placed under arrest [in jail] from the outset. However, in view of the passage of the considerable period of time in which Kam has been under house arrest, and since there is no reason to believe that she violated the conditions of her release, the High Court decided that making the conditions of the house arrest stricter will suffice.”

The court determined that the offenses Kam is charged with are particularly grave because they “could cause real damage to vital state interests, in security and military matters.”

National Union Chairman MK Yaakov Katz (Ketzaleh) reacted angrily to the decision, saying: “They are all members of the same clique: the retired [Judge Dalia] Dorner, Procaccia in the present day and if it were up to them, Kam would be sitting in the Supreme Court too.”

"Kam should have been placed in jail for the duration of the legal process against her,” he added, “but Judge Procaccia has difficulty doing this because in principle, her outlook is similar to that of Anat Kam.”

Ex-Jerusalem Mayor Lupolianski Arrested in 'Holyland' Probe

Let's hope that the allegations against former Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski are not true:

Uri Lupolianski was arrested Wednesday for allegedly receiving over three million shekels in bribes from the entrepreneurs behind the Holyland housing project in Jerusalem. He is also suspected of money laundering. His remand has been extended for five days.

Police think some of the money was paid when he served as chairman of the city's Planning and Construction Committee, and some when he was already mayor. The vast majority of the money did not go into his own pocket but to the Yad Sarah charity, which lends medical equipment to the needy and infirm, and which Lupolianski founded.

Investigators suspect that Lupolianski received 1.4 million shekels for Yad Sarah from the Holyland investors before 1999, and another 1.4 million between 2000 and 2006. In addition, they believe he received $30,000 for use by political activists who worked for him in the municipal elections campaign of 2003, which he won.

In 2005 he allegedly received 100,000 shekels as a contribution to a Torah study school for adults ('kollel') which his son managed.

Meanwhile, there is tense anticipation of the return to Israel of another former Jerusalem Mayor – Ehud Olmert – who was also a Prime Minister. Olmert is expected to arrive in Israel Wednesday night after cutting short his stay abroad in Spain. It is not known whether police intend to arrest him, but he, too, is a suspect in the Holyland affair.

The Rishon LeTzion Magistrates' Court agreed to the police's request Tuesday and extended the remand of Meir Rabin, one of six suspects in the Holyland affair, by ten days. On Wednesday, police asked to extend the remand of five other suspects by nine days.

Moshe Negbi: Anat Kam is Another Ellsberg

This is really funny:

Israel Radio's legal news correspondent, Moshe Negbi, called Tuesday for the government to amend the law, in order to exempt journalists from prosecution on leaking or publishing state secrets. Speaking at a Netanya college, Negbi said that the contention that anyone who possesses or distributes such information is a spy was “ridiculous.”

Negbi compared former IDF soldier Anat Kam, who has admitted to stealing more than 2,000 secret and top secret documents from the IDF, to The New York Times' Daniel Ellsberg, who published the Pentagon Papers, classified documents on America's involvement in the Vietnam War. Ellsberg was tried for espionage. That case was never decided, because the charges against Ellsberg were thrown out of court after it was discovered that the FBI had been illegally wiretapping Ellsberg's conversations with a former State Department employee. Ellsberg, said Negbi, had turned into a “national hero” in the United States.

So what's so funny about this, besides the ridiculous notion that Ellsberg became a national hero? Moshe Negbi was also suspected of abusing his position in the army according to an Arutz 7 News Service report from February 6, 1998:

JUDGE COMPLAINS THAT COMMENTATOR IGNORES THE FACTS

Tel Aviv District Court Justice Amnon Strashnov has submitted a sharp complaint to the Press Council against the prominent left-wing legal affairs commentator Moshe Negbi.

Strashnov says that Negbi, who provides legal commentary for the Israel Television, Voice of Israel Radio, and the Maariv newspaper, systematically ignores the facts in giving his opinions and violates the rules of journalistic etiquette.

Strashnov says that Negbi gives the impression that he barely reads the legal opinions on which he comments.

Two and a half years ago, Arutz-7 was the first to report that Negbi had been discharged from his position as Military Prosecutor in the IDF because he was suspected of having purposely destroying an important legal document.

Yes Mr. Negbi, I'm sure you really identify with Anat's plight!

As an aside, you could say about the entire Anat Kam debacle is a case of "HaGolem 'Kam' Al Yotzro"!

Haveil Havalim — Post-Pesach Edition

You can see it here.

Disgusting

Here.

Dealing With Dog Litter in Jerusalem

The Municipality wants you to clean up after your dog. If you didn't clean up, you dirtied. (It sounds better in Hebrew):



Someone set up an NPO to deal with the problem:



They even have a web site:

WE believe that by changing the environment we can change behavior. This is the application of the principle of "The Broken Window Theory" that radically and quickly improved the quality of life in New York.

To bring about these changes we are focusing on one common problem that everyone wants corrected. We chose dog litter which has polluted our streets, parks and beaches and has reached epidemic proportions. "Stepping in it" evokes such a strong response -
everyone can relate to it even our children.

We believe that dog litter is only a symptom of the problem, not the problem itself. We believe we must correct the underlying root which is a profound lack of respect for others and our land. Lack of respect destroys our environment, damages our public image, effects tourism and businesses and overall impacts our quality of life.

In my neighborhood there are almost no dogs so we really do not have this problem. However, if you go on a stroll in one of the neighborhoods that is known for its...dogs...please check your shoes before you enter my apartment.

Yellow Flowers

Wild flowers grow on a hill near Moshav Gimzu:

Aliyah LaRegel: Some Pics From the Old City

I was in the Old City of Jerusalem yesterday. Some pics, especially for those of you who are for whatever reason stuck in the Diaspora but really do yearn to be here.

The mezzuzah on the Jaffa Gate (Rashi on Deuteronomy 6:9 mentions that the gates of cities are also required to have mezzuzot):



The rebuilt Hurva synagogue. Unfortunately we could not enter as some Israeli parliamentarians were visiting:



Street musicians of all types:




And of course the Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman people:



Next year in a rebuilt Jerusalem!

Links For Passover

Browsing through the archives I found the following which may be of interest:

Pesach=Peh-Sach

Hakarat Hatov

Preparing For Passover

Blogger's Pre-Passover Guilt Trip

A New Song For the Passover Seder

Have a happy and Kosher Passover!

HH #261 is Up

Jack left my best post out! Did he vote for Obama?

The King David Hotel

The King David hotel is the hotel that celebrities and high ranking politicians stay at when they visit Jerusalem.


I was downtown and took some pics.

Here's a pic of the entrance:



The back side:



I wonder what King David would say about the hotel that uses his name.

A New Song For the Passover Seder

Are you looking for something different and exciting to say at this year's seder? Here's a song that you can recite or sing before "Chad Gadya":

On the Eve of the Fifteenth
by Cosmic X

On the eve of the fifteenth it will be so nice,
The Temple Mount free of foxes and mice.
Fine wine, unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and paschal sacrifice.

Jerusalem is being built, with its holy sites,
The prayers are soaring up to the heights,
In spite of the anti-Semites and other mental mites,

On the eve of the fifteenth...

We shall be free from B.H. Obama,
Secret sympathizer of the odious Osama,
Born in Kenya, Indonesia, Hawaii and Havana,

On the eve of the fifteenth...

We shall be free from the full of vice Joe,
Who at Sheikh Munis University put on a show,
Recieved raging applause from the arrogant low.

On the eve of the fifteenth...

We shall be free from the Secretary of Dirt,
To kiss slimy Suha herself she did exert,
Poor partner for life of the cigar wielding pervert,

On the eve of the fifteenth...

We shall be free of J Street, The New York Times and other things rotten,
Rahm your heart, your God you have forgotten,
When the they go down it is down to the bottom,

On the eve of the fifteenth...

It's time to come home, sell your houses and cars,
Leave behind your baseballs, shopping malls and bars,
Because when we go up we go up to the stars,

On the eve of the fifteenth it will be so nice,
The Temple Mount free of foxes and mice.
Fine wine, unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and paschal sacrifice.

By the way, "He who says something in the name of the one who said it brings redemption to the world"(Avot 6:6). Therefore, if you recite this at your seder, please say it in the name of "Cosmic X".

Crisis in U.S.-Israel Relations and the Jblogosphere

My fellow jbloggers have their say:

JoeSettler:

Obama is taking on a people that built an exact duplicate of 770 in Israel. Does he really think they're going to let a Cossack like him raid their neighborhood.

I think that JoeSettler owes the Cossacks an apology for comparing them with Obama.

Rafi:

On the other hand, I would not put it past Bibi to have arranged this whole crisis just in order to get the meeting delayed, after he failed in his previous attempts...

Could be!

Batya hits the nail on the head:

The more Israel apologizes and acts contrite about building in Jerusalem's Ramat Shlomo neighborhood, the more we'll be rebuked/condemned by the United States.

Soccer Dad reveals the stupidity of U.S. policy:

If the administration thought that putting pressure on Israel was the way to bring peace to the Middle East, it was terribly wrong. All it is doing is encouraging its (and Israel's) enemies.

Sultan Knish teaches us what an insult really is:

More to the point did Israeli TV air calls for a Jihad against America, as Palestinian Arab TV did? Did Israel name a square after the murderer of an American photographer, as the Palestinian Authority did? Did an Israeli Anchorman do a skit in blackface during Obama's visit, as a Turkish anchorman did during Obama's visit to Turkey? Are Israeli religious institutions issuing Fatwahs against America, as Al Azhar University, which Obama visited and spoke at, has done? Are Israeli leaders funding terrorism against America, as the Saudi King, before whom Obama bowed, does?

Akiva teaches us who our friends are:

First, if actions such as defending yourself (as humanly as possible in this world) from a rain of rockets and building in clearly Jewish areas turns away friends - then they aren't friends. Second, if these types of actions cause this level of row, then literally it's impossible to live and please such "friends".

Update(Ben Chorin):

It seems sacrilegious to discuss mundane matters when my head is elsewhere, but it's all connected. I mean, of course, this spat we're having with Obama. A few thoughts about that. First, it is becoming more and more clear that Obama is a genuine third-worlder. He has abandoned Honduras, Iranian dissidents, Poland and the Czech Republic and Israel. He has appointed (or attempted to appoint) genuine U.S.-hating wingnuts like Van Jones and Jennifer Daskal to sensitive positions. This is not Carter-style weakness. This is an administration that has embraced the vision of the anointed big-time and seeks to create a new world order in which the West is significantly weakened.

Hurva Synagogue Reopens!

Wow. I really wish that I could have been there:

An “invitation only" joyous ceremony is taking place at this moment in the Old City in Jerusalem, where the centuries-old Hurva synagogue has come back to life after having been destroyed by the Jordanians in the War for Independence in 1948.

Muslim and Palestinian Authority leaders claim that Monday’s dedication is a “provocation” and the prelude to a Jewish takeover of the Temple Mount. Security is heavy in the Old City as thousands of Arabs and Bedouin head for the capital"to defend" the Al-Aksa mosque.

“Hurva” literally means “ruin” and is located in the heart of the Old City, where a new Torah scroll was ushered into the rebuilt house of worship in Sunday. The original building stood as a landmark in the 16th century, and its well known feature in modern times was the 50-foot arch that remained standing after the Jordanian occupation. That arch now is part of the completed synagogue.

Valuable items of Judaica, such as a platinum menorah and works of silver, were stolen by the Jordanians and never returned. Jordan barred Jews from visiting the site as well as the Western Wall (Kotel) while it controlled the area.. It also prohibited Christians from visiting their holy sites, but Israel opened the gates of religious freedom when the Old City was restored to the Jewish State in the Six-Day War in 1967

The destruction in 1948 wasn’t the first time it was demolished. Muslims had lent Jews money in the 1700s to build the house of worship but destroyed it after the Jewish community, living in poverty, was unable to repay the debt.

The restored synagogue, a replica of the synagogue as it stood in the 19th century, is the result of four years of work.

Nobody sent me an invitation! :(

The truth is even if I had one, I am not sure that I would have attended. Life is pretty hectic now. Peisach is just two weeks away. There is so much to do!

So You Think You Know How to Play Guitar

Here is a version of George Gershwin's "Summertime" from the opera "Porgy and Bess". This song has served musicians for decades as a vehicle for improvisation. I think that Gershwin would be very impressed by this version:

Quote of the Day

President Shimon Peres:

Peres emphasized the importance of military service and said that those who serve become better citizens than those who don't, who "lose their way."

"If anyone is defending Israel, it's the army," he continued. "The state cannot allow the existence of gaps in recruitment, which endanger the state. Everyone must serve his country. Whoever wants to avoid war must have a strong army. Only a good and powerful army serves as a deterrent."

Excuse me Mr. Peres but:

Elder statesman of Israel's parliament, Shimon Peres, 83, falsified the biographical information on his official Knesset Web page to imply military service that he never performed, journalist David Bedein has claimed in the Philadelphia Bulletin.

Peres, branded as a perennial loser (having never won a major election) and now pulling out all the stops to mount a last-gasp campaign for president, describes his military record as follows:

"Military Service Haganah; IDF; Temporary Head of Naval Services, 1950"

But, Bedein claims, citing his biographer and official records, Peres never served in the IDF, the Israel Defense Forces, nor was he the "temporary head of Naval Services" in 1950.

In Peres' biography on his official Ministry of Foreign Affairs page, the facts are presented differently: "In Israel's War of Independence (1947-48), Peres was responsible for arms purchases and recruitment, and in 1948 was appointed head of the naval services."

Bedein reports that Peres was ridiculed early in his career for not having served in any military capacity in the war of independence for the nascent Jewish state. The official Israel Ministry of Defense Lexicon of Israeli Defense, published in 1976 when Peres was minister of Defense, identifies Peres as only holding a desk job at the new Israel Ministry of Defense, "responsible for naval matters," appointed to that position in 1949.

Peres' office, asked for a response on the misrepresentation of Peres on the official site of the Israeli Knesset, declined to comment.

His official biographer, Dr. Michael Bar Zohar, however, confirmed that Peres never served in the IDF, Bedein reported.

Once I had a conversation with the late Rechavam Ze'evi, may God avenge his blood. He told me that Peres never served in the IDF. I told him that I think that I once saw a picture of him in uniform. Ze'evi replied that the picture must have been taken on Purim!

Dubai Police Incriminate Themselves in Mabhouh "Assassination" Tapes

As time passes since the death of arch-terrorist Mahmoud Mabhouh the pronouncements of the Dubai Police get more and more pompous. Dubai's Chief of Police Lt. Gen. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim tells us that he wants to arrest Mossad chief Meir Dagan and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in connection with the assassination! This guy's chutzpah knows no boundaries.

The surveillance camera footage released by the Dubai police incriminate themselves more than anyone else. (The clips can be seen at the bottom of this post.) They unknowingly implicated themselves in a number of offenses, especially the crime of being unbearably haughty.

For instance, in the first clip at 7:17 the editors add the following caption:

"14:30 A suspect from the surveillance team arrives at another location anticipating the arrival of the victim, as he was known to frequent this hotel."

Here Dubai's law enforcement officials inform us that they knew that Mabhouh, a senior member of the Hamas terrorist group, one who is known to have murdered Jews and probably Arabs as well, was "known to frequent" a certain hotel in their jurisdiction. The Dubai police, instead of arresting this murderer, harbored him in their midst. Let's issue a warrant for police chief Tamim's arrest!

Another revelation is in the caption of the third clip at 4:55:

Possible ways of gaining entry:

- Entry by reprogramming the lock on the door to room 230, as the system shows an attempt to do this during this time.

- Kevin or Gail could have knocked on the victim's door posing as hotel staff.

The Dubai police don't know how Mabhouh's room was entered. The truth is, they don't even really know if the room was entered by anyone other than Mabhouh himself. Mabhouh's room was out of the range of the surveillance cameras, as one can see from the diagram shown in the second clip at 1:35. This gap in knowledge did not prevent the Dubai police as labeling certain people as belonging to "the execution team" (for example in the second clip at 8:41 and 9:02).

I wonder if the Dubai police tampered with these tapes. In most of the footage from the various surveillance cameras the date and time are integral part of the frame, appearing on the top or the bottom of the screen. This is not so in the footage from the Al-Bustan hotel. If the time and date were not embedded in the footage, where are the Dubai police getting the times of the events that took place there? If they were part of the original footage, why were they edited out?

If you look at the third clip at 9:44, "Gail Foliard" seems enter the frame in a very sudden fashion. It seems to me that the tape was edited here. I would be interested in what experts have to say on the matter. If the tape was indeed edited, then we know why the time was also cut out of the footage.

If the footage is authentic, the characters, with their forged passports and wigs are indeed suspicious. The Dubai police mentioned that some of the suspects were in Dubai more than once. It seems to me that if Tamim would have kept his big mouth shut, the police would had a better chance of catching the suspects.

Here are the clips:

Clip 1:



Clip 2:



Clip 3:

Happy Shushan Purim

I don't blog under the influence

Dubai Police Nab Top Israeli Spy

From the UAE AlKalb News Service:

Hours of scouring closed circuit TV tapes after the Mabhuh assassination has finally payed off for the Dubai police. They managed to capture the Mossad's chief of operations in the Persian Gulf, according to police sources.

To make matters worse for Israel, the man was traveling with a forged United State's passport under the name "Don Maxwell Adams". President Obama Barak angrily commented on the arrest saying, "The entire civilized world as well as the Arab nations condemn the use of forged passports. The State Department has been ordered to look into the matter."

Dubai police has released film of the interrogation of the spy, whose real identity is still not clear.

Here's the film. Do you know this man?



Happy Purim!!!

How the Nefariousness of the New Israel Fund Was Exposed

BeSheva has an interesting article detailing the Im Tirtzu organization's successful campaign in unmasking wickedness of the New Israel Fund.

Rabbi Motti Elon Scandal III

After the shock starts to wear off the question is, "What can we learn from this?"

Here is a lecture by Rabbi Weitzman from the Maalot Hesder Yeshiva.

Here is a lecture by Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira of the Ramat Gan Hesder Yeshiva.

Peter Elvinger's Page on Facebook

Did you know that the commander of the assassination squad that exterminated the filthy terrorist Mahmoud al Mabhouh has a page on Facebook?

Rabbi Menachem Porush z"l

He shall surely be missed:

Thousands of mourners took part in the funeral procession of Rabbi Menachem Porush, the beloved hareidi-religious politician and man of charity who passed away Sunday night at the age of 94.

His son Meir, who has been a Knesset Member ever since 1996, sobbingly eulogized his father.

In his last public appearance, less than an hour before he died, Rabbi Porush took part in the annual “Seventh of Adar” event held by the Chevra Kadisha burial societies. Rabbi Porush, who once served as president of one of Jerusalem’s Chevra Kadishas, insisted on speaking, despite his weakness, and blessed and congratulated them on their sacred work. He arrived home shortly afterwards and suffered his sudden, fatal heart attack.

Videos From Dubai of the Mabhuh Assassination

Check them out at Yeshiva World News. Whoever they are, they are pretty suave.

I have a hard time believing that Israel is behind this. They say that some of the assassination team were traveling on Irish passports. Does any out there know an Israeli that can speak English with a convincing Irish accent? :-)>

Alexander Haig, RIP

Here.

More on the Rabi Motti Elon Scandal

The parsha sheets last Shabbat were all over it. How are we to swallow this one?
Here is a link where Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira (who was on the Takana forum) an Rabbi Zalman Melamed have their say. Here Rabbi Emanuel Shiloh comments.

A Very Good Article About the Rabbi Motti Elon Scandal

Kudos to Stewart Weiss for summing the whole thing up so nicely. A snippet:

Just when we thought we had reached the pinnacle of cynicism, that we had seen it all regarding the dubious behavior of public figures, that nothing could shock us anymore, comes the dramatic allegations of sexual “impropriety and harassment” swirling around Rabbi Mordechai Elon. The “golden boy” of religious Zionism – once arguably the most popular rabbi in the State of Israel – now finds himself at the center of a scandal almost too impossible to believe.

As the revelations begin to trickle in, and clarity seeks to overcome confusion, the battle lines between the defenders and accusers are already being drawn. Soon, the public will once more be asked to choose between the tongue of gold and the feet of clay.

Just four years ago, Rav Elon seemed to be on top of the world. A scion of one religious Zionism’s most prestigious families, he was the head of arguably the most famous yeshiva in Jerusalem, the star of the crocheted-kippa generation. He attracted huge crowds of young people to his innovative classes on Torah and Talmud, held on campuses or classrooms throughout the land. A master at media, his words resonated through our TV sets, our radios and our newspapers. He was sought after as a speaker and officiating rabbi at weddings and funerals alike, and was even approached – in vain – to become the leader and savior of a struggling National Religious Party (which later disbanded and was resurrected as Habayit Hayehudi).

Alan Dershowitz Learns a Lesson About the Israeli MSM

What happens when Alan Dershowitz meets Razi Barkai?

It all began with an innocent enough request from Israel's Army Radio for an interview about the Goldstone Report and my 49-page response to it. The interview was conducted by an experienced host, Razi Barkai. Unbeknownst to me, Barkai had an agenda. He wanted to get me to say that I thought that Goldstone was a "moser."

Read the rest!

More Ignorance at Jpost.com

The people that purport to report news about Israel do not know the difference between Rabbi Avraham Shapira zt"l and Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira shlit"a. Here's an article about Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira accompanied by a pic of Rav Avrum:

Certainly Worth Reading

Some interesting links IMHO:

Yeranen Yaakov - Lamnatzei'ah Mizmor LeDavid - Musical Interlude

Torat HaRav Aviner - 10 Relationships between Maran Ha-Rav Kook and Various Gedolei Yisrael that the Yeshiva World Should Know (So far seven parts)

Life in Israel - a segula that miraculously did not work

Beyond Teshuva - What I Would Tell Every New BT

School Uniforms in Israel

The Beis Yaakov system has had this for years. Will the Israeli public accept this?

Education Minister Gideon Saar decided that starting next school year, there will be school uniforms in elementary schools and middle schools. Regarding high schools, uniforms will be recommended, but the decision will lie with the school itself.

"Where there is a uniform, this contributes to improving the climate in a school by emphasizing what is shared between the students, equality, and school pride," the Minister said after the decision.

HH 2010?

Is this really the year of Jack?

The Lion of Monsey

Digging deep into the recesses of my memory,
I do that once in a while,
Various visions of Monsey come to mind,
Faded memories that make me smile.

The rocks, the trees, the mountain air,
Bearded figures decked in black,
Yeshivos, Mikvehs, opulent domiciles,
Is there anything that they lack?

The Voice of Jacob rings out from the Lion's lair,
Cubs of the captivity these men still young,
Immersing themselves in the Holy Books,
Struggling to learn the Holy Tongue.

They strive to cling to the Divine,
Fleeing from the vulgar and crude,
Guarding their tongues and eyes,
Learning the Lion's leaflet on the laws of Yichud.

Another page, another tractate,
The cubs of the captivity grow,
After a grateful "farewell" to the lair,
Off to make faithful homes they go.

The celebrity of the Lion spreads,
Far beyond the suburban shtetle,
Speaking on the stage with nation's sages,
Oy vey! Mistakes sure can be fatal!

For something has gone awry,
Turpitude in a telephone call,
He who profanes the Name in private,
Is punished before the eyes of all.

Observing from a distance,
I see the foolish felicity,
Of those rejoicing in their enemy's downfall,
Making mirth of his calamity.

The Lion fell; he will surely toil,
Pursuing the path of penitence,
This is the way of the Torah scholar,
And the stumbling block of the dense.

New Rabbi For the IDF?

Arutz 7 reports that DM Ehud Barak decided not to renew the appointment of Rabbi Avi Ronsky as the IDF's Chief Rabbi:

Defense Minister Ehud Barak has taken the unprecedented step of not renewing the appointment of Rabbi Avi Ronsky as the IDF's Chief Rabbi. IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi accepted the Defense Minster’s decision despite his known respect for Rabbi Ronsky, military sources told Arutz 7.

The refusal to renew the appointment of a Chief Rabbi or Chief of Staff follows by four years the equally unprecedented move by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to refuse to renew the term of IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon because of his doubts over the policy of destroying Jewish communities in the Gaza area and withdrawing the military.

Who will replace Rabbi Ronsky? According to the same article:

Two probable candidates to succeed him are Rabbi Duki Ben-Artzi, a combat pilot, and Rabbi Rafi Peretz, who heads the pre-army Torah academy (mechina) in Yated, which was part of the destroyed Atzmona community in Gush Katif.

The Anti Torah Libel

Here's an abridged English version of the article I linked to last Friday.

Here you can see a video of the Hesder Rabbi Convention that was held today.

Rabbi Melamed: Standing Courageously for the Truth of Torah

1 Tevet 5770

If you have been following the controversy surrounding Ehud Barak's decision to remove the Har Bracha Yehshiva from the hesder program, you must read this article by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed. There is no substitute for a man's own words.

By the way, it is raining in Jerusalem!!!

Barak Removes Har Bracha From Hesder Program

Ehud Barak does an own goal: Barak Ousts Rabbi Melamed’s Yeshiva from ‘Hesder’ Program:

Defense Minister Ehud Barak announced Sunday night he is throwing out the Har Bracha yeshiva, headed by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, from the Hesder yeshiva program. Barak charged the rabbi with “undermining democratic principles” and “inciting” students to refuse IDF orders to expel Jews from their homes.

The Hesder yeshiva program allows young men to service in the IDF for up to two years, instead of the usual three, and to learn at yeshiva for at least three years. The organization of the Hesder yeshivas has not commented on the historic decision by the Defense Minister, who also is chairman of the Labor party.

The move harms the army, an only strengthens Rabbi Melamed's claim of corruption in the upper echelons of the army.

Jpost Lies

See how the jpost editorial lies:

Radical settler Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, of the Har Bracha hesder yeshiva pre-army academy, instructed national-religious recruits to disobey orders that run contrary to the Land of Israel ethos. Though his institution is funded by the Defense Ministry (and Diaspora donors), Melamed let it be known that government officials would have to come to his mountain if they wanted to parlay; he would not come down to them.

Of course anyone familiar with Rabbi Melamed knows that he instructs his students to disobey any order that is contrary to Jewish law. The Rabbi has explained many times that the Torah has commanded us to settle the land of Israel. What's more, destroying Jewish towns in the land of Israel is a very serious sin. The silly editors of jpost are simply not telling the truth. The issue at hand is not "Land of Israel ethos". Shame on them for lying! Shame on them for making fools out of themselves!

Even Ha'aretz had to integrity to report that we are dealing with Jewish law and not "Land of Israel ethos":

Melamed has repeatedly urged troops to refuse to obey orders during the evacuation of settlements, and he reiterated this in his book.

"A simple halakha [law] is that it is forbidden for any person, whether a soldier or an officer ... to participate in the strictly forbidden act of expelling Jews from their homes and handing over any portion of the Land of Israel to enemies," he wrote. "Those who violate this violate several commandments of the Torah ... Moreover, anyone who considers the situation realistically knows with certainty that any such action encourages those who hate us and endangers the lives of many in Israel."

In another part of the book, Melamed wrote in favor of serving in the IDF, "in order to carry out the extremely important commandment of defending the nation and the land. However, we must reiterate that an order that facilitates an expulsion must be refused."

In response to the question, "What if many soldiers refuse; will that not cause the army to collapse?" Melamed wrote: "If many refuse, no such order will be given. At most, senior commanders will have to resign. On the contrary, it would be good if this happened. The majority of the senior officers are contaminated by politics. They are not commanders who can lead the army to victory, as was shown in the Second Lebanon War."

A Public Service Message

Channuka is almost here...do you know where your Menorah is?

The Hasmoneans Ruled Gaza and the Negev

Just in time for Channuka:

Israeli archaeologists have made a stunning historical discovery: a Hasmonean king conquered Gaza and the Negev, and for decades prevented the Nabateans of 2,000 years ago from using the Incense Road.

It was the Incense Road that the Nabataeans used to transport precious spices such as myrrh and frankincense to the Mediterranean Sea and Egypt.

According to Dr. Tali Erickson-Gini of the Israel Antiquities Authority, Hasmonean King Alexander Jannaeus (Yannai) conquered Gaza in 99 BCE, and built a fortress with four towers inside an earlier Nabataean caravanserai (roadside inn). With the aid of this fortress, Yannai thus blocked all Nabataean activity along the Incense Road, and in effect forced them out of the Negev.

Alexander Yannai was the great-grandson of Matityahu, the Jewish High Priest who led the Hasmoneans in fighting for Jewish religious freedom and autonomy from the Seleucids (Syrian Greeks), as marked by the holiday of Chanukah.

IAA researchers are currently processing finds from archaeological excavations at sites located along the Incense Road that were previously exacavated by the late Dr. Rudolph Cohen of the Department of Antiquities. One such site is Horvat Ma'agurah, located on a ridge 3.4 kilometers west of Sde Boker. The site is situated at a strategic point overlooking Nahal Besor, where the Incense Road was located, connecting Petra with Gaza.

"We are talking about a revolutionary discovery that will redraw the maps of the region which describe that era and greatly increase the territory governed by the Hasmoneans," said Erickson-Gini, who serves as scientific editor of the excavation.

"Despite the evidence of the historial Josephus, according to which King Alexander Jannaeus conquered the southern coast of the Land of Israel and the harbor in Gaza -- which was of paramount importance to the Nabataeans -- and even further south, no clear archaeological proof of this has been found in the field. And it was because of this lack of proof that historians were inclined to dismiss the possibility that the Hasmoneans did indeed control the Negev," he said.

It is now clear that the Hasmoneans kept hold of the fortress located on the Incense Road -- the principal trade route of their Nabataean enemies -- until the year 66 BCE, thus blocking any enemy movement along the road between Halutza and the Northern Sinai. This cut off trade between Petra and the ports, dealing a death blow to trade throughout the Negev for decades.

The discovery also validates the claim that another Nabataean site -- Nessana, where a multitude of coins of Alexander Jannaeus were discovered -- was actually ruled by the Hasmonean king.

The Nobel Farce Prize

The Nobel farce prize: Obama Receives Nobel Peace Prize:

U.S. President Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway on Thursday after having spent less than a year on the job. "I accept this honor with gratitude and humility," Obama said at the presentation ceremony. "I have no clear solutions to conflicts around the world... What I do know is that we need to think differently and work hard. To find new ways to instill the vision of a just peace."

Many have pointed out that how ridiculous it is to receive a prize for "good intentions".

The article quotes a poll that indicates that the public doesn't buy it:

According to a survey conducted by the University of Kinifk, only 26 percent of Americans, and only 35.9 percent of Norwegians believe that Obama deserved to receive the award.

A Wild Ass of A (Wo)Man

This is what we are up against:

A Gas Chamber Named Chelsea Clinton

You've probably heard that Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of Bill and Hilary of White House fame, got engaged to a nice Jewish boy named Marc Mezvinsky:

Former U.S. president Bill Clinton and current Secretary of State Hillary are due their version of a "mazal tov" on the announcement that their only daughter, Chelsea, has become engaged to her longtime boyfriend, 31-year-old Jewish investment banker Marc Mezvinsky.

An e-mail sent following the Thanksgiving holiday confirmed reports Friday, with the interfaith pair aiming for a summer wedding.

While it does not appear that Chelsea will be converting to Judaism, she was seen accompanying Marc to Yom Kippur prayer services in September at the Conservative movement's Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. She was raised a Methodist, though her father is a Southern Baptist.

If indeed Chelsea does not convert, any children born to the couple will not be Jews. In this way Marc Mezvinsky will part with thousands of years of Jewish history and tradition. In this way Chelsea will serve as a private gas chamber for Marc. After him his family tree will be Judenrein.

Don't get me wrong. I imagine that Chelsea is a fine lady. I have nothing at all against her. I have nothing against Marc either. He probably received the kind of upbringing that "makes Bernie run". However, intermarriage is death. Yes, death! It does not matter how common it is. After all, death is also common!

Some Jews are happy that Marc is going to marry a celeb. However, this wedding is really a funeral. Funerals don't make me happy.

Azmi Bishara: There is No "Palestinian" Nation

Translation: “Well, I dont think there is a Palestinian nation at all. I think there is an Arab nation. I always thought so and I did not change my mind. I do not think there is a Palestinian nation, I think its a colonialist invention - Palestinian nation. When were there any Palestinians? Where did it come from? I think there is an Arab nation. I never turned to be a Palestinian nationalist, despite of my decisive struggle against the occupation. I think that until the end of the 19th century, Palestine was the south of Greater Syria.”

HH #244

Here!

Special Melave Malkah in Honor of Anti-Evacuation Soldiers

Last night I went to a special Melave Malka. It was in honor of the soldiers that waved the "Shimshon will not evacuate Homesh" sign. These soldiers were sentenced to 20 days in military prison. They finished serving their sentence, and a party was made for them.



Outside the hall where the party was held, a small group of demonstrators from the Labor Party. Their signs say, "On the right and on the left insubordinate people we will not tolerate", "No to insubordinate people rightists and leftists", "When protesting leave the uniform on the side", "We have one army". I guess that means that when Michael Ben Ari becomes Defense Minister they will faithfully obey orders and evacuate Arab villages. ;-)>




Inside the hall a mechitzah separated the men from the women. Cake and soft drinks were served to a crowd that I estimate numbered about 300. There was a pretty decent band and even I, with my two left feet, danced a little bit. I also took some pictures of the event. At a certain point in the evening the organizers stated that the event was closed to the press, and that they requested not to take pictures. I respected their request and even what I photographed inside the hall before they requested I am not publishing.

The first featured speaker was Rabbi Dov Lior of Kiryat Arba (Hebron). He spoke about the fact that for a Jew, the laws of the Torah supersede any other obligations that he may have. "There is no need to say that if the king decreed to negate a commandment of the Torah that we don't listen to him" (Rambam, Laws of Kings 3:9).

Rabbi Dudi Dudkewitz of Yitzhar talked about two different instances of "refusing orders" in the Torah, and what the results were. If I remember correctly one was when Shaul requested that his servants kill the Priests of Nob. The servants refused. Then Saul commanded Doeg the Edomite to kill the Priests, which he did (see 1 Samuel Chapter 22, 2 Samuel Chapter 21). The second case was when David commanded Yoav to conduct a census. Yoav tried to get out of it, but in the end he did it. In both cases the orders were fulfilled. However, in the first case, where there was a clear cut refusal, the house of Saul was held responsible and not the nation of Israel. In the second case, where Yoav kind of fudged the orders but did not refuse outright, the entire nation of Israel was held responsible and punished (see 1 Chronicles Chapter 21).

One of the soldiers that held up the sign and spent time in prison also spoke. He mentioned that many other soldiers in the unit took part in the act.

The crowd itself was interesting. It was a mix of Kachniks, Chabadniks, and Chardalim (although not of the mamlachti type). Moshe Feiglin was also there.

Pidyon HaBen in Kibbutz HaHotrim

This is very nice. Only in Israel!

From the Department of Weird Statistics

Every so often I see something in my stats that makes me scratch my head. Here's an example (click on the pic):



Who in Kuwait is interested in the kashrut of Israeli Army kitchens?
Any ideas?

HH #242: Jack takes Responsibility

Here.

Some Pics From the Kahane Memorial

Dudu Elharar was a hit:



MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari in the Knesset addressed the crowd:



Kahane books, shirts, stickers, etc. were on sale:

Dudu Elharar Tells It Like It Is

I saw this video at the Kahane memorial this evening. Dudu Elharar tells it like it is, much to the chagrin of the Israeli Left and the Israeli MSM. Enjoy!

Kahane Memorial and the Israel Press

There is something about the late Rabbi Meir Kahane that makes the journalists go nuts. Posters announcing this year's memorial inspired this amazingly pathetic sentence in jpost:

Just a day after the arrest of alleged Jewish terrorist Ya'acov Teitel, and less than a week after the anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin by a right-wing activist, Jerusalem has been plastered with posters in support of another controversial figure - the late ultra-nationalist orthodox rabbi Meir Kahane.

The journalist that wrote the sentence, or one of the editors over at jpost, just couldn't resist connecting the Kahane posters to the Rabin assassination and the alleged acts of Ya'acov Teitel. All this in the first sentence of what is supposed to be a news article.

At the end of the article there is a nice quote from MK Michael Ben-Ari:

Ben-Ari declared staunchly that Kahane "was not a racist... he loved Israel and if that means he was a racist, he was a racist... People who call him racist are the racists."

Bullseye!

In the meantime, Voice of Israel government radio proves again that they support free speech, that is as long as you are a leftist:

Voice of Israel government radio, which is part of the state-regulated Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), banned on Tuesday commercials urging attendance at memorial services for murdered former Knesset Member Rabbi Meir Kahane. His family said it will sue the government.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, a Knesset aide to MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari (National Union), warned that if the IBA does not cancel the ban, he will demand that it also prohibit commercials calling on the public to attend memorial services this week for former Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin.

The radio network yanked the ads after receiving complaints from listeners, including Peace Now, and explained its decision by saying that the issue of Rabbi Kahane is too “controversial.” The commercial featured a one-sentence statement by MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, who urged people to attend the services on the 19th anniversary of his death this Thursday. There was no reference in the ad to the history, life or political views of Rabbi Kahane.

By the way, the memorial will be on the 18th of Marcheshvan, Nov. 5th, at 6:00 PM at Heichal David Hall, 14 Oholiav Street in Jerusalem. Hope to see you there!

Settler Teens Form Yaakov Teitel Fan Club

Okay, I admit it. The headline of this post is total nonsense. But I decided that I would publish this "scoop" before Ynet, Jpost and Ha'aretz.

Another Reason to Pray for Rain

The Kinneret is low, the price of water is high and the land is thirsty. If that is not enough, here is another reason to pray for rain:

The main memorial observance for assassinated prime minister Yitzchak Rabin, which was scheduled for Saturday night at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, has been postponed for a week.

Organizers said the event was pushed off "because of weather constraints and the constant rain that is expected to fall this weekend."

Rock 'n' Roll Rabin

[From THE CHURCH OF RABIN AND PEACE]:

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We're gonna get in my supercharged Subaru,
and head down Highway 1.
Gonna go up to Mt. Herzl,
and have ourselves some fun.

Gonna light some candles for Yitzchak Rabin,
and sing a song of peace.
At night we'll go to the Russian Compound,
and drink a couple of beers.

Rock,rock, rock 'n' roll, rock 'n' roll Rabin. (4x)

Then we'll head on out to Talpiot,
and disco the night away.
Let's dance!

Rock,rock, rock 'n' roll, rock 'n' roll Rabin. (4x)

The Rabin Rap

[From THE CHURCH OF RABIN AND PEACE]:

November 4th 1995,
the last day Rabin was alive.
It was Saturday morning when the busses came
to take us to Tel Aviv.

This is the Rabin Rap, Rabin Rap, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra..........

We went to the mall to do some shopping,
man that place was really hopping.
Then we went to good old Kikar Malchei Yisrael.

This is the Rabin Rap, Rabin Rap, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra..........

You see Rabin was real low in the polls,
With his peace agreement that was full of holes.
It was a real sad situation if you know what I mean.

This is the Rabin Rap, Rabin Rap, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra..........

We needed money for the kibbutzim,
The Histadrut and Kupat Cholim.
If the government falls the well will be dry.

This is the Rabin Rap, Rabin Rap, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra..........

So we organized a demonstration,
In order to make a big sensation.
"Yes to peace, no to violence," was the motto of the day.

This is the Rabin Rap, Rabin Rap, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra..........

We sang about peace, we sang about love,
With pictures of an olive branch and a dove.
A beautiful production, Disney would have been proud.

This is the Rabin Rap, Rabin Rap, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra..........

Then that guy shot his gun,
And it was all over son,
The police and the GSS were swaying to the beat.

This is the Rabin Rap, Rabin Rap, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra..........

You might think that this sounds lame,
But the rabbis and the settlers are to blame,
Or maybe the opposition, let the brainwashing begin!

This is the Rabin Rap, Rabin Rap, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra..........

So let's talk about love and practice hate,
Start right away, please don't wait,
This is the way to power, no time to hesitate.

This is the Rabin Rap, Rabin Rap, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra..........

My Computer Has Been Wacked By The Winxp.exe Virus

I don't know how I got it. Probably from the mp3 of one of my kids. It's a nasty one.

Kapparah! God has taken his wrath out on bits and bytes.

May you all have a Gut Shabbes. Shabbat Shalom!

Obama Playing With Fire

I just saw this at The Muqata. Hilarious!

What's New in Lebanon?

Olmert is out of politics, Livni is in the opposition, but the legacy of the bungled Second Lebanon War lives on. From the IDF Spokesperson's Unit:

On October 12, 2009, there was an explosion at a Hezbollah weapons storehouse in Tayr Filsay, in southern Lebanon. This aerial footage, taken shortly after the explosion, shows Hezbollah operatives closing down the area around the warehouse, driving in two trucks and removing weaponry from the site. They then took the weapons to a known weapons storage facility in the center of the village of Dir a-Nahar about four kilometers away. Only after Hezbollah removed the weaponry did they allow UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army to enter the site of the explosion. The IDF has sumbitted the footage to UNIFIL to aid in their investigation of the incident.

(Hat tip)

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Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize became a joke ever since it was awarded to Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres and Yitzchak Rabin in 1994 for the ill fated "Oslo Agreements". The Norwegians continue to prove that they have a poor sense of humor by awarding the prize to Mr. B.O. I am not laughing.



As the Hebrew saying says, a lie doesn't have legs. Sooner or later the lie will be revealed. Obama's rhetoric is out of touch with reality. Chances are that it will bring much more bloodshed than peace.

Update: More from some jbloggers:

The Weekend Roundup - The Nobel Peace Prize Jumps the Shark

Why Obama?

This isn't a joke - Obama wins Nobel Peace Price

Declining - the prize

Kahane Was Right

I saw this on the way to work one morning. Somebody has a sense of humor, putting this sticker on the sign at the entrance to the court. I imagine that it didn't stay there too long: