Am KeLavi by Naftali Lau-Lavie

I just finished reading the book Am KeLavi by Naftali Lau-Lavi.  Naftali is Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau's older brother, and was instrumental in saving him during the holocaust.  After the war, Mr.  Lau-Lavie came to Israel.  He became a journalist who later went on the serve as a media advisor and spokesman for Moshe Dayan.  He was witness to and played a major role in some of the major events in Israeli history, such as the Camp David Accords.

The book is fascinating and well worth the read.  After reading it, one really appreciates the privilege of living here in the State of Israel.  An English version of the book is available for those of you that do not understand Hebrew.

Here are a few videos of the Lau brothers discussing their experiences during the holocaust:

Nachal Besor

The Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman Mobile

I saw this in Givat Shaul the other day:

These guys even have an entry in Wikipedia:

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman (Hebrew: נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן‎) is a Hebrew language name and song used by a subgroup of Breslover Hasidim colloquially known as the Na Nachs. The complete phrase is Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'uman. It is a kabbalistic formula based on the four Hebrew letters of the name Nachman, referring to the founder of the Breslov movement, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, along with a reference to his burial place in Uman, Ukraine.

In 1922, Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser a Breslover Hasid, claimed to have received a petek (note) addressed to him from Rebbe Nachman, although the latter had died in 1810. The seventh line of this petek is signed Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman, which became Rabbi Odesser's personal meditation and song. Before he died, he taught this phrase to a group of devotees who formed the Na Nach movement.

Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner Relieved of Command Duties

I think that Chief of Staff Gantz has made a major error here:

IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz has decided to remove Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner from his comman position following the media storm over an edited video showing him using force to restrain a protester.

Lt. Col. Eisner will not be allowed to perform any duties as a commander for two years. Military sources told Arutz Sheva that Lt. Gen. Gantz made his decision after consulting with the Central Command and the Ground Forces commander.

The IDF did not eject him from the armed forces, and his rank was not changed.

Lt. Col. Eisner was the commander of the Jordan Valley Battalion and was caught on film by International Solidarity Movement activists, who blocked the only highway linking the southern and northern communities near Israel’s border.

He shoved his rifle butt in the face of a Danish activist who had broken Eisner's finger while the activist was beating him with a stick during a two-hour confrontation, which the ISM video did not show.

Lt. Gen. Gantz’s decision was a foregone conclusion given the unprecedented media outrage over the incident, which quickly erupted into a broadside even before a thorough investigation had begun.

Does Gantz realize how much encouragement he has given to the terror supporters? Does he realize how he has demoralized his troops?

Now Shalom Eisner will have more time to learn Torah. Good for him!

Thank You Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner

Thank you Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner for years of service in the IDF.

Thank you Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner for for protecting me, my family and the rest of the country.

And thank you Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner for giving the ISM trouble maker what he deserved!

Kol HaKavod!!!

Update: Petition for to support Eisner here.

Peisach 5772 - Old City of Jerusalem

Here are some sights and sounds from Jerusalem. Be sure to click on the pics for an enlargement.

This is what I saw in front of the Jaffa Gate:

For those of you who cannot read Hebrew the sign says, "Jews Eat Matzah During Passover". The guy was distributing Matzah for free to anyone who asked, and there were many takers. Kol HaKavod!

I saw this nice mural in the Cardo:

Mincha under Wilson's Arch:

Directing traffic near the Kotel:

The klezmer sitar player with the white clothes and face painted white attracted a lot of attention:

Hear him in action:

Schalit: Free Pollard!

From jpost:

Former captive IDF soldier Gilad Schalit on Thursday joined the petition calling on President Shimon Peres to increase pressure on the US to release imprisoned Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard. Gilad's parents Noam and Aviva Schalit also signed the petition.

So far nearly 30,000 people have signed the petition, demanding that Peres act on the issue, before receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President Barack Obama in the summer.

The president's office said they were working hand in hand with the campaign for Pollard's release and that Peres intends do his utmost to bring about the release of Pollard.

"As president, I see it as very important to work determinedly to bring about Jonathan Pollard's release," Peres said a week earlier.

"We are all united in the call to release him immediately. In all my meetings with president Obama and top American government leaders I raised the request to release Pollard and I will continue to do so when I meet with Obama in June."