Passing The Site Of The Murder

I was just at the kotel. On the way home I walked through the Shuk. Near the end of the Shuk I passed the place where Shmuel Matt z"l hy"d was murdered by an Arab. Paper signs, written in Hebrew and English are posted on the wall, letting those who pass by know that they are passing the place where the detestable murder took place. A yahrzeit candle was also burning there. A young woman who was at the site asked us if I wanted to say Tehillim for Shmuel's soul, and pointed to a a stack of Tehillim. Of course I said yes.

The Generation After

I have no doubt that the Israelis that settled in the Gaza Strip will be remembered by future generations of Jews as heroes. They followed in the footsteps of the Vilna Gaon's students, settling the land of Israel with great personal sacrifice (mesirut nefesh).

On the other hand I have a feeling that future generations will attach the "shem resha'im yirkav" or even the "yimach shmo" suffix to the names of those who surrendered to Arab terrorism and decided to make the Gaza Strip judenrein. These Jews will be lumped together in the collective national consciousness with the biblical spies that rejected the land of Israel. In some repects they are much worse than the spies.

That's just my humble opinion.

So Much To Blog And So Little Time

I really have a lot to say about what has been happening in Israel, but it is vacation time! The X family is trying to enjoy itself in spite of the terrible tragedy that has befallen the country. The destruction of the Jewish communitees in the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria is an immense tragedy, a tragedy not only for those that were expelled from their homes but for the entire country and the Jewish people as a whole. The fact that many do not realize this only adds to the dimensions of the tragedy. "Dead flesh does not feel the cutting of the scalpel." Apparently it will take time for many Israelis to awake from their slumber.

Shavua Tov everybody! We will not fall prey to depression and mourning. We will redouble our efforts to serve G-d with joy, to build and to be built in the land of Israel.

We Are Still Orange

The orange strips are still attached to our car. I thought of removing them, but Moshe X convinced me to leave them where they are. The settlements may have been destroyed, but we remain orange.

Giving A Prize To Terror

From last Thursday's protest at the entrance of Jerusalem. The sign says, "Sharon the dictator is giving a prize to terror".




And this is only part of what is wrong with the destruction of the Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria.

A Good Question

Here's a picture from last Thursday's protest at the entrance to Jerusalem. The protester asks an interesting question:

"What happened to land for peace
now - land for terrorism?!?"

I do not think that he will receive a reasonable answer soon!

The Sunset Of Kfar Darom

Moshe X returned to Jerusalem last Thursday after being expelled from Kfar Darom. I asked him to put into writing his experiences, so perhaps I can post them in the future.

He also took some pictures. Here's one of the last sunsets in Kfar Darom before the expulsion of its residents:

Shalom Kfar Darom! We shall return!

A Terrible Crime Against The Entire Jewish People

From The Israel Reporter:

I went on the bus ride from hell today, which I will describe in greater detail with photographs tomorrow. At this time, I have had one 6-hour stretch of sleep in 4 nights, and I am frankly having trouble making this post. In summary fashion, being escorted by your own army (and if not dragged or carried) from your home (because you are Jewish) is a terrible crime against the entire Jewish people.

I couldn't have said it better.

Moshe X In Kfar Darom

I called my son last night. He said that Kfar Darom is beautiful. The people are wonderful and the air is nice.

This morning he called me and told me that he is in the synagogue and that the troops have entered the town.

Update 12:00 noon: My son is on the roof of the synagogue. He told me that the Chief of Staff has arrived in Kfar Darom.

Update 14:50: My mother-in-law reports that she saw Moshe X on Israeli television. The expulsion of the residents of Kfar Darom has begun. According to Israeli television those currently in the synagogue will be the last to be forcibly expelled.

Update 15:50: I talked to my son on the telephone. He is inside the synagogue. He is under the impression that the troops will come to expel them shortly.

Please Stop!

Enough is enough! Please stop these senseless killings! Also, please find better ways to protest.

Thanks.

Update: See Me-ander for background on the Shilo attack.

Photo Essay: JEWS EXPEL JEWS

Winners and Losers

The Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip are being destroyed one by one. Israel's corrupt government, acting against the will of the electorate, with the support of the Israeli media, is perpetrating an act of evil. Yes, this is evil. Comfortings words, hugs, apologies, and a sea of crocodile tears from the perpetrators will not wash away this fact.

These are the acts of Jews that have forsaken G-d, that have forsaken Torah. Their love of the land of Israel has been transformed into a pathological hatred. The result is the devastation of thriving Jewish communitees, the ability to throw brave, patriotic, pioneering families out of their homes, and to give them over to barbaric murderers. Rabbi Kook zt"l warned us about the danger posed by these people.

The losers in the "battle" raging in Gush Katif are not the settlers being thrown out of their houses or the "illegal residents" who may be thrown into jail. The losers are the "destroyers and monsters", the committers of this evil, from the highest echelons of the government until the lowest ranking soldier.

"When the wicked spring up as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they may be destroyed for ever." (Psalms 92:8)

Read The Black Blog

Biur Chametz, who went from orange to black, confronts Sharon's disengagement from common sense, and examines Sharon's latest speech to the nation.

Pics From Yesterday's Protest At The Entrance To Jerusalem

A policeman with peyos. Only in Israel!

The sign says, "I will never join the Israeli Expulsion Army."

The sign says, "Commander! I am not able!"

Ubiquitous Lubavitcher Rebbe pictures:

Protesting The Expulsion

From Arutz 7:

The Joint Committee Against the Expulsion is calling upon everyone who is unable to travel southward toward Gush Katif to gather groups of activists and take to the streets at 7 PM.

"It is unconscionable that life will go on as normal in Israel on the day the government of Israel prepares to uproot Jews," read a statement from the group, an amalgamation of extra-parliamentary groups opposed to the expulsion. "As long as Jews remain in Gush Katif, the struggle is not lost and everyone is drafted to take part."

The call is for people to take to major intersections and thoroughfares to protest, pray and block roads - according to their ability and preference.

A Conversation With My Cousin

My cousin (we'll call him Dr. Y) is one of Israel's leading doctors. He's a typical secular Ashkenazi Israeli who lives in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, what Israelis call Gush Dan. Dr. Y. is a very nice, intelligent guy who almost never votes in Israel's elections. This always struck me as strange, for two reasons:

1) My American upbringing caused me to associate lack of participation in the democratic process with the lower socioeconomic classes and

2) The percentage of Israelis that vote is usually high

The other day I called him to see how he was doing. He asked about the family and I told him that my eldest son is currently in Kfar Darom. He said that he is not surprised knowing our family's history and political orientation. I actually detected a little admiration in his voice. I then mentioned my disappointment with Israel's political system, law enforcement and media. I told him that the checks and balances that were supposed to protect us from corruption failed. He said that among his patients are Knesset members, and he proceeded to rattle off some names. "I know many of them personally," he added. Then Dr. Y. switched to English, as Israelis do when they want to emphasize something.

"Nobody there (in the Knesset) cares about us," he said.

Have You Met Joe Settler?

Here's a new blog: JoeSettler. I discovered him while visiting The Muqata, where he is guest blogging. Here writes good stuff, very good stuff. Highly recommended!

The Pillory Of Shame

'People, who operate the "Disengagement" are human beings, family men, high positions bearers. They are adults who are thoroughly knowledgeable of the implications of the felony they are committing by carrying out the uprooting and expulsion of their fellowmen. And yet they are willing to execute these commands, consciously and cold-bloodedly, for the sake of their promotion, false honor, publicity, and greed, or - "just" to preserve their breadwinning or else even out of blind, robotic obedience. Their aspirations for selfish welfare and career come at the expense of the safety and existence of the whole nation - in addition to the blood, the shattered dreams and the suffering, not mentioning the soundness and healthiness of their brothers and sisters.'

This is a quote from The Pillory Of Shame web site, which is documenting those who are behind the crime of destroying Gaza's Jewish communittees and those who are implementing the destruction. If you understand Hebrew, be sure to visit the Hebrew site as it contains information that the English site lacks.

It Was Awesome!

Yesterday's prayer at the Western Wall was a very special, unforgetable experience.

The prayers started on time at 6:00. Surprise! Hello, am I in Israel? After Minchah, the special prayers started. There were special booklets available containing the special prayers to be said, one of which I held in my hand. After the fact it turns out that some of the prayers said were not in the booklet, and some of the prayers in the booklet were not said. The plaza is full of people, but not packed tight like sardines.

Different people rabbis led the prayers at different points in time. The reknowned cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot was particularly impressive with his piercing tenor voice. When the crowd chanted the 13 midot together with the sounding of trumpets and ram's horns, I felt like my entire body was electified. Another memorable point was when Rabbi Ovadyah Yosef blessed the entire crowd.

During the prayers I could see that the entire plaza was full. What I did not know is that all of the streets and alleyways leading to the Kotel were also packed with people that were prevented by the police from going any further. Unlike a previous prayer rally, this time my promptness payed off. After Maariv, it took me perhaps an hour just to get out of the Old City. The crowd was well behaved, and as far as I know nobody got trampled.

This was an impressive event, reminiscent of the 1999 prayer/protest against Israel's Supreme Court. But in my mind, the location of yesterday's prayer made yesterday's event more special. It gave us all a taste of what aliyah laregel will be like, speedily and in our days, Amen.

Mazuz Denies Israeli Leftist Tenet

AG Mazuz denied one of the tenets of the Israeli Left:

Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz said on Wednesday that there was "no proof" that the killer of Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 was driven to commit the murder because of incitement against the prime minister, and that the death was a direct result of the failure of his security guards to protect him.

These are obvious and simple truths as far as I am concerned, but for the leftists this is the denial of an article of faith.

Update: Check out what Am Echad has to say about this.

Update: Also this at Israel Perspectives.

Update: Rabin lackey Eitan Haber has a hard time dealing with the truth.