Here are my thoughts on today’s situation in Israel
The So-called Reality
First of all, I’m totally against a Palestinian state and it disturbs me greatly to hear that the leader of the Likud party, Arik Sharon, no less, is now talking about an eventual State for our terrorist supporting cousins. However, if a so-called terrorist State is inevitable, I much prefer the Likud to work towards that agreement than the Labor and Left, who have proven themselves to be way past delusional.
That’s what I have to say with regards to how “other” people interpret the “reality of the situation”.
The Truth About Reality
Now I want to awaken people to the true reality of today’s situation. The Arab world in general, and the Palestinians in particular have showed us, in no uncertain terms, that they want to rid Israel of the Jewish people and they want to get rid of Israel. That is the painful reality, and whoever denies this well proved fact, is himself/herself in denial.
The Conclusion
Therefore, any State given over to the Arabs as a prize for their terror is and will be a prelude to a continued and prolonged fight to destroy the State of Israel. Any “realist” who denies this is in deep, deep denial and I feel very bad for them.
Any signed papers of security agreements that try to ensure the security of the State of Israel from a State of terrorists, will be disregarded, as all other signed agreements we have made so far with the terrorists. (Another reality that “realists” tend to forget when promoting dialogue with/a State for the terrorists.)
This Part Hurts The Most
Now I will turn to the topic that hurts me the most about this whole issue. As a G-d fearing Jew, I try to limit my thoughts concerned with “the reality of a situation”. I have come to believe that any argument that the word “reality” is used, is a tool of the rationalists in this world to convince the rest of us that our beliefs are wrong. Before WWII, “reality” did not convince the world that a Holocaust was about to occur. During WWII, “reality” didn’t convince the world that a Holocaust was occurring. During and after WWII , “reality” didn’t convince the world to help Jews get to the land of Palestine. After WWII, “reality” didn’t convince the Jews that they the UN would declare the State of Israel. During the pogroms of Europe “reality” didn’t convince the Jews that one day they would have a State of their own. During the Golden Age of Spain “reality” didn’t convince the Jews that they were about to be force to convert or leave Spain. Etc. etc. etc……………..
There is A Greater Power Our There That We Are Supposed to Believe In
The argument of “reality” and rationalizing ones thoughts with rational reasoning regarding world events has been proved wrong again and again. And we the Jews know this the best. We know there is a greater power out there that guides the ways of the world, whether we like the results or not. We are SUPPOSED to believe that that greater power guides the ways of the world, regardless of what “the reality of the situation” is.
The Lesson
The personal lesson I learn from all this is that we, as G-d fearing Jews, are supposed to act according to our beliefs of what we believe is true and how we believe things should be and not according to the “reality of the situation”. Otherwise, we would not be Torah abiding Jews, making sure we abide by, sometimes, meticulous, Mitzvot that go against the rational explanation of human nature. Therefore, every G-d fearing Jew should be in total shock at today’s situation when he/she hears that a nationalistic leader of Israel might establish a State for terrorists.
The Clincher
According to our beliefs we are supposed to return to the Land of Israel and be
.לתקן עולם במלכות ש-די
This will only happen sooner rather than later, and I repeat, only happen (And I will explain why) if we do not help establish a State for Terrorists. Only by holding onto to the whole State of Israel will we be showing ourselves and the world that we stand up for our Jewish beliefs, which would be a gateway to establishing ourselves as an אור לגויים in every other capacity possible.
However, by giving into “reality”, the rationalists among us, the World and the Arabs into creating a State for terrorists on the Land of Israel, we will be showing the world and the Arabs that we lost our beliefs and we ourselves will be prolonging the conflict even longer until we will finally be able to be
.לתקן עולם במלכות ש-די
We Must Believe in God, Not in Reality
God works in strange ways and we must believe in G-d, not reality. That’s my motto, and I just wish other people would take upon that motto instead of the motto that says “rationalism” must be right because logic says so. Haven’t we lived long enough to know that that is just plain stupid?!!!
When will we G-d fearing Jews have the strength to stand by our beliefs and not let the rationalists of the world convince us otherwise? As we say in the Israli Army ….עד מתי??
Don’t Even try to Rebut
I already know the response I will receive to these thought – How can I say that we should ignore reality when the Rabbis themselves proved that we must take reality into account when they asked the Romans for Yavneh at the price of the destruction of Yerushalayim.
My answer to you is simple – there is no comparison. Israel today is in a very different position then it was then. And the geopolitical situation is very different. No comparison, so don’t even try.
The bottom line is not that we should ignore “reality”, rather that we should stand up for our beliefs, and not give up on them, while dealing with “reality”. There are plenty of forces out there in the world today who would stand by us if we stood up for ourselves based on our beliefs against a State for the terrorists. But why should they stand up for us when we ourselves sit back quietly and accept what the “rationalists” dictate to us? Why should they if we ourselves don’t?
Avi
Here is a fascinating article that appeared in the Jerusalem Post last week, READ IT…………
Truth for peace
Nov. 14, 2002
The only hope for peace is to compel the Arab world to give up its illegitimate weapons: terrorism and the denial of resettlement to Palestinian refugees
The United States, American presidents often remind us, is Israel's greatest friend in the world. This is certainly true, and the contrast between American sympathy and European hostility has only become clearer during the current conflict. But if the US is serious about promoting peace in the wake of the expected war in Iraq, it has to start doing something simple: the US must tell some basic truths that it knows, but does not state out of deference to Arab opinion.
Until now, America has been giving Israel protection from international pressure without challenging the false premises on which that pressure is based. By doing this, the US encourages Israel's enemies to hope that someday the US will stop protecting Israel. They can believe that the US support for Israel results from the "Jewish lobby" or other political considerations and contradicts the requirements of justice and peace, or international security.
West Europeans, Arabs, and Meretz regularly call on the US to become more involved in reaching a "solution" to the Israel-Arab conflict. They assume that if the US is more involved it will force Israel to accept an agreement more favorable to the Palestinians than the offers Israel made at Camp David and Taba. Presumably they believe that such an agreement would satisfy the Palestinians' just demands and preserve Israel's security as a democratic Jewish sovereign and therefore solve the conflict.
It is natural to assume, based on the traditional diplomatic discussion, that a major US peace effort would involve pressure on Israel to go beyond its previous offers. But that standard discussion is far removed from reality and cannot lead to peace.
A major component of a new approach that the US requires is to speak the truth to Arab governments - instead of diplomatically avoiding the truth in order to avoid offending them. There are two reasons for the US to switch to a revolutionary truth-telling policy: It is the best way to pursue peace. And it meets the needs of the current US fight against militant Islam.
The truths that the US have not been willing to say clearly to Arab governments include: Israel is a legitimate state based on law and justice.
The Jewish people have ancient roots in Palestine
The League of Nations established the international authority for a Jewish homeland in Palestine - and its decision was formally endorsed by the US and never superseded by the UN.
UN Security Council Resolution 242 does not require that Israel relinquish all territory acquired in 1967. Since 1967 Israel has stood ready to negotiate a division of the West Bank and Gaza as envisaged by Resolution 242.
Israel is not occupying Palestinian land. It is occupying disputed territory to which it has a substantial claim and which was never under Palestinian sovereignty, while trying in good faith to negotiate about the disposition of that land as required by Resolution 242.
Israeli neighborhoods and settlements in Jerusalem and the disputed territories are not illegal. Nor are they in violation of any Israeli agreement or understanding with the Palestinians (unlike many Palestinian "settlements" in the territories).
There are arguments for and against the separate position that new settlements, even though legal, made it more difficult to make peace. It is not clear whether the positions the US has taken against settlements represent a genuine judgment on the question or merely a diplomatic decision that disagreeing with the Arabs on this issue will hurt either US interests or the cause of peace.
Palestinian refugees do not have a "right of return." The Arab interpretation of UN General Assembly Resolution 194, which is the supposed source of this "right," is incorrect. They must be resettled like all other refugees in the world. Most Palestinian refugees should be on their way to permanent resettlement in Arab countries as a prelude to realistic peace negotiations.
Jerusalem as a city is central to Israel and to Judaism; it is primarily a negative concern for Muslims. Israel should not be expected to agree to any arrangement for Jerusalem that threatens its ability to continue to be a successful working city as it is today and the capital of Israel.
The claims and interests of Palestinians and Israel in Jerusalem are profoundly asymmetric; therefore reasonable agreements between the parties should not be expected to provide equality or symmetry between the rights of Israel and the rights of Palestine in Jerusalem. This does not speak to the question of whether there can or should be a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem, nor to the question of protection of Muslim interests in holy places.
The deliberate killings of innocent Israelis is terrorism. The Palestinian/Arab position that anything done to "resist occupation" is not terrorism cannot be accepted. This definition undercuts the fight against international terrorism.
The PLO is an organization that supports and harbors terrorists. Therefore although it also does other things, it is a terrorist organization.
Israel has been exercising its right to self-defense with remarkable restraint. There certainly are a large number of cases where Israelis made deadly mistakes or deliberately inflicted more harm on the Palestinians than necessary to pursue Israel's security requirements. But in comparison to the way any other Western democracy would act in response to such attacks, Israel has shown great concern, and taken great risks to avoid civilian casualties on the Palestinian side.
THE CURRENT approach is to attempt to achieve peace without publicly establishing any of these truths, which American diplomats would privately not deny, as a basis for diplomacy. The current approach cannot work, because it is based on an attempt to satisfy the Arab world, without confronting the Arab belief that Israel's very existence is unjust and essentially illegal.
If the Arab world succeeds in fooling or pressuring the US and Europe to impose an agreement on Israel, there will not be peace, because they will believe that they can use the same measures to take the next step to destroying Israel. (Just as Hizbullah's success in inducing Israel to leave southern Lebanon convinced Yasser Arafat that similar measures would induce Israel to leave the West Bank and Gaza.)
The result of an imposed agreement will be more war, in more difficult circumstances for Israel, quite possibly requiring Israel to be less constrained than it is today.
The only hope of peace is to go in the opposite direction: to help the Arabs to recognize that Israel cannot be removed, and compel them to give up their main weapons, which are terrorism and the cruel denial of resettlement opportunity to Palestinian refugees, because both weapons are illegitimate and stand in the way of peace.
Fundamental peace obviously requires that the Arab states and the Palestinians accept Israel's presence as a Jewish state in the region. This suggests that a policy intended to achieve peace should be designed to induce the Arab states to change their current position. And a big step in this direction is for the US to state the facts that Israel's enemies refuse to recognize.
Instead, the US has been following the theory that either the Arab states really do accept Israel now, or that they would do so if Israel only retreated to the 1967 borders and made an accommodation on Arab refugees that would save face for the PLO and the Arab countries.
While perhaps there was some chance in 1992 that this policy might have worked - although even then there was much evidence that this was wishful thinking - it is now clear that playing along with the pretenses of Arafat and some Arab states set back the cause of peace. But this failed policy had the "advantage" of allowing the US to avoid challenges to the assumptions of the Arab states and their supporters, including much Western European diplomacy and opinion.
Now the "advantage" of avoiding the need to contradict Arab governments has become a disadvantage, because now the US needs to demonstrate its power over the Arab countries and the hopelessness of violent Muslim challenges to US power. To fight international terror, the US must show that it cannot be fooled or pressured into accepting false or illegitimate Arab positions. In particular, the US has to demonstrate that it is willing to confront Arab governments that use lies or special definitions to deny that they harbor or support terrorists.
Until Saddam Hussein is removed there is no way that the US can convince Arab governments that they have to pay attention to US unhappiness with their continuing support for terrorists. If Saddam can get away with what he does they can get away with diddling the US about terrorists.
When Saddam is removed there will be a new page in regional political calculations and the US will have a chance to show that it will do what must be done to protect itself and others from international terrorism.
The argument will be made - by the US State Department among others - that after its show of power in Iraq, the US should balance its strong demands on Arab countries to stop harboring terrorists by continuing to accommodate their views on Israel. Some may even argue that to make up for the insult of overthrowing Saddam, the US should avoid pushing too strongly against continued Arab protection of terrorist organizations.
These arguments should be rejected because they misunderstand Arab politics and society. Telling the Arabs the truth about their conflict with Israel will be a twofer. It is the beginning of a realistic pursuit of peace, and it shows that the US has the understanding and the will to eliminate governmental support for international terrorists.
The writer is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies of Bar-Ilan University.
Monday, November 25, 2002
My Thoughts on Today's Reality
The So-called Reality
First of all, I’m totally against a Palestinian state and it disturbs me greatly to hear that the leader of the Likud party, Arik Sharon, no less, is now talking about an eventual State for our terrorist supporting cousins. However, if a so-called terrorist State is inevitable, I much prefer the Likud to work towards that agreement than the Labor and Left, who have proven themselves to be way past delusional.
That’s what I have to say with regards to how “other” people interpret the “reality of the situation”.
The Truth About Reality
Now I want to awaken people to the true reality of today’s situation. The Arab world in general, and the Palestinians in particular have showed us, in no uncertain terms, that they want to rid Israel of the Jewish people and they want to get rid of Israel. That is the painful reality, and whoever denies this well proved fact, is himself/herself in denial.
The Conclusion
Therefore, any State given over to the Arabs as a prize for their terror is and will be a prelude to a continued and prolonged fight to destroy the State of Israel. Any “realist” who denies this is in deep, deep denial and I feel very bad for them.
Any signed papers of security agreements that try to ensure the security of the State of Israel from a State of terrorists, will be disregarded, as all other signed agreements we have made so far with the terrorists. (Another reality that “realists” tend to forget when promoting dialogue with/a State for the terrorists.)
This Part Hurts The Most
Now I will turn to the topic that hurts me the most about this whole issue. As a G-d fearing Jew, I try to limit my thoughts concerned with “the reality of a situation”. I have come to believe that any argument that the word “reality” is used, is a tool of the rationalists in this world to convince the rest of us that our beliefs are wrong. Before WWII, “reality” did not convince the world that a Holocaust was about to occur. During WWII, “reality” didn’t convince the world that a Holocaust was occurring. During and after WWII , “reality” didn’t convince the world to help Jews get to the land of Palestine. After WWII, “reality” didn’t convince the Jews that they the UN would declare the State of Israel. During the pogroms of Europe “reality” didn’t convince the Jews that one day they would have a State of their own. During the Golden Age of Spain “reality” didn’t convince the Jews that they were about to be force to convert or leave Spain. Etc. etc. etc……………..
There is A Greater Power Our There That We Are Supposed to Believe In
The argument of “reality” and rationalizing ones thoughts with rational reasoning regarding world events has been proved wrong again and again. And we the Jews know this the best. We know there is a greater power out there that guides the ways of the world, whether we like the results or not. We are SUPPOSED to believe that that greater power guides the ways of the world, regardless of what “the reality of the situation” is.
The Lesson
The personal lesson I learn from all this is that we, as G-d fearing Jews, are supposed to act according to our beliefs of what we believe is true and how we believe things should be and not according to the “reality of the situation”. Otherwise, we would not be Torah abiding Jews, making sure we abide by, sometimes, meticulous, Mitzvot that go against the rational explanation of human nature. Therefore, every G-d fearing Jew should be in total shock at today’s situation when he/she hears that a nationalistic leader of Israel might establish a State for terrorists.
The Clincher
According to our beliefs we are supposed to return to the Land of Israel and be
.לתקן עולם במלכות ש-די
This will only happen sooner rather than later, and I repeat, only happen (And I will explain why) if we do not help establish a State for Terrorists. Only by holding onto to the whole State of Israel will we be showing ourselves and the world that we stand up for our Jewish beliefs, which would be a gateway to establishing ourselves as an אור לגויים in every other capacity possible.
However, by giving into “reality”, the rationalists among us, the World and the Arabs into creating a State for terrorists on the Land of Israel, we will be showing the world and the Arabs that we lost our beliefs and we ourselves will be prolonging the conflict even longer until we will finally be able to be
.לתקן עולם במלכות ש-די
We Must Believe in God, Not in Reality
God works in strange ways and we must believe in G-d, not reality. That’s my motto, and I just wish other people would take upon that motto instead of the motto that says “rationalism” must be right because logic says so. Haven’t we lived long enough to know that that is just plain stupid?!!!
When will we G-d fearing Jews have the strength to stand by our beliefs and not let the rationalists of the world convince us otherwise? As we say in the Israli Army ….עד מתי??
Don’t Even try to Rebut
I already know the response I will receive to these thought – How can I say that we should ignore reality when the Rabbis themselves proved that we must take reality into account when they asked the Romans for Yavneh at the price of the destruction of Yerushalayim.
My answer to you is simple – there is no comparison. Israel today is in a very different position then it was then. And the geopolitical situation is very different. No comparison, so don’t even try.
The bottom line is not that we should ignore “reality”, rather that we should stand up for our beliefs, and not give up on them, while dealing with “reality”. There are plenty of forces out there in the world today who would stand by us if we stood up for ourselves based on our beliefs against a State for the terrorists. But why should they stand up for us when we ourselves sit back quietly and accept what the “rationalists” dictate to us? Why should they if we ourselves don’t?
Avi
The So-called Reality
First of all, I’m totally against a Palestinian state and it disturbs me greatly to hear that the leader of the Likud party, Arik Sharon, no less, is now talking about an eventual State for our terrorist supporting cousins. However, if a so-called terrorist State is inevitable, I much prefer the Likud to work towards that agreement than the Labor and Left, who have proven themselves to be way past delusional.
That’s what I have to say with regards to how “other” people interpret the “reality of the situation”.
The Truth About Reality
Now I want to awaken people to the true reality of today’s situation. The Arab world in general, and the Palestinians in particular have showed us, in no uncertain terms, that they want to rid Israel of the Jewish people and they want to get rid of Israel. That is the painful reality, and whoever denies this well proved fact, is himself/herself in denial.
The Conclusion
Therefore, any State given over to the Arabs as a prize for their terror is and will be a prelude to a continued and prolonged fight to destroy the State of Israel. Any “realist” who denies this is in deep, deep denial and I feel very bad for them.
Any signed papers of security agreements that try to ensure the security of the State of Israel from a State of terrorists, will be disregarded, as all other signed agreements we have made so far with the terrorists. (Another reality that “realists” tend to forget when promoting dialogue with/a State for the terrorists.)
This Part Hurts The Most
Now I will turn to the topic that hurts me the most about this whole issue. As a G-d fearing Jew, I try to limit my thoughts concerned with “the reality of a situation”. I have come to believe that any argument that the word “reality” is used, is a tool of the rationalists in this world to convince the rest of us that our beliefs are wrong. Before WWII, “reality” did not convince the world that a Holocaust was about to occur. During WWII, “reality” didn’t convince the world that a Holocaust was occurring. During and after WWII , “reality” didn’t convince the world to help Jews get to the land of Palestine. After WWII, “reality” didn’t convince the Jews that they the UN would declare the State of Israel. During the pogroms of Europe “reality” didn’t convince the Jews that one day they would have a State of their own. During the Golden Age of Spain “reality” didn’t convince the Jews that they were about to be force to convert or leave Spain. Etc. etc. etc……………..
There is A Greater Power Our There That We Are Supposed to Believe In
The argument of “reality” and rationalizing ones thoughts with rational reasoning regarding world events has been proved wrong again and again. And we the Jews know this the best. We know there is a greater power out there that guides the ways of the world, whether we like the results or not. We are SUPPOSED to believe that that greater power guides the ways of the world, regardless of what “the reality of the situation” is.
The Lesson
The personal lesson I learn from all this is that we, as G-d fearing Jews, are supposed to act according to our beliefs of what we believe is true and how we believe things should be and not according to the “reality of the situation”. Otherwise, we would not be Torah abiding Jews, making sure we abide by, sometimes, meticulous, Mitzvot that go against the rational explanation of human nature. Therefore, every G-d fearing Jew should be in total shock at today’s situation when he/she hears that a nationalistic leader of Israel might establish a State for terrorists.
The Clincher
According to our beliefs we are supposed to return to the Land of Israel and be
.לתקן עולם במלכות ש-די
This will only happen sooner rather than later, and I repeat, only happen (And I will explain why) if we do not help establish a State for Terrorists. Only by holding onto to the whole State of Israel will we be showing ourselves and the world that we stand up for our Jewish beliefs, which would be a gateway to establishing ourselves as an אור לגויים in every other capacity possible.
However, by giving into “reality”, the rationalists among us, the World and the Arabs into creating a State for terrorists on the Land of Israel, we will be showing the world and the Arabs that we lost our beliefs and we ourselves will be prolonging the conflict even longer until we will finally be able to be
.לתקן עולם במלכות ש-די
We Must Believe in God, Not in Reality
God works in strange ways and we must believe in G-d, not reality. That’s my motto, and I just wish other people would take upon that motto instead of the motto that says “rationalism” must be right because logic says so. Haven’t we lived long enough to know that that is just plain stupid?!!!
When will we G-d fearing Jews have the strength to stand by our beliefs and not let the rationalists of the world convince us otherwise? As we say in the Israli Army ….עד מתי??
Don’t Even try to Rebut
I already know the response I will receive to these thought – How can I say that we should ignore reality when the Rabbis themselves proved that we must take reality into account when they asked the Romans for Yavneh at the price of the destruction of Yerushalayim.
My answer to you is simple – there is no comparison. Israel today is in a very different position then it was then. And the geopolitical situation is very different. No comparison, so don’t even try.
The bottom line is not that we should ignore “reality”, rather that we should stand up for our beliefs, and not give up on them, while dealing with “reality”. There are plenty of forces out there in the world today who would stand by us if we stood up for ourselves based on our beliefs against a State for the terrorists. But why should they stand up for us when we ourselves sit back quietly and accept what the “rationalists” dictate to us? Why should they if we ourselves don’t?
Avi
Thursday, November 14, 2002
Chanukah Update
Chanukuh is just around the corner and we are now in Israel for almost 8 months!! It is unbelievable how time flys by so quickly.
Thank God we are all doing well. Rachel has already participated in 8 (I think) performances of Esther, with more on the way. She has been great with a lot of rave reviews. Check out this link to see pictures from the performances http://www.theesthershow.com/images.asp?Action=View
As for Yakir, he is unbelievable. I was lucky enough to have lots of time lately to spend with him. THis past week I was home sick for two days, so I had a lot of play time with him (I wasn't contagious). And last month I was in miluyim. Although it sounds like a paradox to have lots of time with him while I was in miluyim, what I mean is that during miluyim (that lasted the whole month of October) I had two leaves home each for 3 days and during those days that I was home I had a lot of play time with Yakir. I cherish those moments greatly, because when I'm at work, I really only get to see him on Friday and Shabbat, unfortunately. Anyway, he is really doing wonderfully. This past Friday he was "The Abba shel Shabat" for the shabbat party in Gan. He came home with this big sticker on his shirt that said "Abba shel Shabbat", it was very cute.
As for miluyim, B"H my whole unit returned home safely. I have to admit that even though there were some scary moments, over all I'm glad that I was able to partake in miluyim again. First of all, I have the opportunity to reconnect with a lot of old Israeli friends of mine who I served in the army with. But more than that, I got to feel that I was doing my part for Israel in today's ludicruis situation........
Talking about ludicruis situations, we are now in election season in Israel!! All I have to say about that is 'Hakol biday Shamyim chutz m'yirat Shamayim'. In the end we will elect whomever we will elect and regardless of who it is (Likud too) the sham peace process will somehow continue. However, I firmly believe that with all the idiotic geopolitics and anti-semitism, we will somehow come out on top. In today's new world of global terrorism, I have a hard time believing any sham "peace agreement" will ever happen. But, that won't stop our Israei politicians and the good intentioned White House with pressure from the misdirected State Department from pushing for it in anycase.
All we need is to hold on to a little emunah, and one day, I don't know when, but one day, this matzav i nIsrael will be over, B"H.
But, with it all, there is no place like Israel. This Chanukah will be our first family Chanukah in Israel, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world to celebrate.
Chodesh Tov,
Avi
Chanukuh is just around the corner and we are now in Israel for almost 8 months!! It is unbelievable how time flys by so quickly.
Thank God we are all doing well. Rachel has already participated in 8 (I think) performances of Esther, with more on the way. She has been great with a lot of rave reviews. Check out this link to see pictures from the performances http://www.theesthershow.com/images.asp?Action=View
As for Yakir, he is unbelievable. I was lucky enough to have lots of time lately to spend with him. THis past week I was home sick for two days, so I had a lot of play time with him (I wasn't contagious). And last month I was in miluyim. Although it sounds like a paradox to have lots of time with him while I was in miluyim, what I mean is that during miluyim (that lasted the whole month of October) I had two leaves home each for 3 days and during those days that I was home I had a lot of play time with Yakir. I cherish those moments greatly, because when I'm at work, I really only get to see him on Friday and Shabbat, unfortunately. Anyway, he is really doing wonderfully. This past Friday he was "The Abba shel Shabat" for the shabbat party in Gan. He came home with this big sticker on his shirt that said "Abba shel Shabbat", it was very cute.
As for miluyim, B"H my whole unit returned home safely. I have to admit that even though there were some scary moments, over all I'm glad that I was able to partake in miluyim again. First of all, I have the opportunity to reconnect with a lot of old Israeli friends of mine who I served in the army with. But more than that, I got to feel that I was doing my part for Israel in today's ludicruis situation........
Talking about ludicruis situations, we are now in election season in Israel!! All I have to say about that is 'Hakol biday Shamyim chutz m'yirat Shamayim'. In the end we will elect whomever we will elect and regardless of who it is (Likud too) the sham peace process will somehow continue. However, I firmly believe that with all the idiotic geopolitics and anti-semitism, we will somehow come out on top. In today's new world of global terrorism, I have a hard time believing any sham "peace agreement" will ever happen. But, that won't stop our Israei politicians and the good intentioned White House with pressure from the misdirected State Department from pushing for it in anycase.
All we need is to hold on to a little emunah, and one day, I don't know when, but one day, this matzav i nIsrael will be over, B"H.
But, with it all, there is no place like Israel. This Chanukah will be our first family Chanukah in Israel, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world to celebrate.
Chodesh Tov,
Avi
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
Israel Today - Pre-elections
I do not agree with many things that Sharon has done to handle the current situation, actually it is more that I do not agree with many things he hasn't done or hasn't done enough of. However,I do believe he has done a good job changing the way the public discourse and expectations should be with the "Matzav", and he has done a fantastic job at almost destroying Arafat and the PA, but it still is not enough, not by far, (hence the almost). For all his retoric that the Oslo accords are dead, he is still playing the diplomatic game according to the 'spirit' of the Oslo accords, thanks to his own weak spine in not standing up enough to Bush, the most sympathetic President to Israel in this Middle East crisis.
However, I do not want him to be the next Prime Mininster of Isreal come election time, even though he probably will be. Why? Because, even with his history of championing the right, he is still a Mapainik, who will sell Israel short in a phony peace deal in the next few years.
Now, where does that leave me, the Israeli voter, someone who is just as right wing as you? Who do I vote for in the next elections?
Sharon is the most successful right wing prime minister, and the most accepted by the Nation, yet I already voiced my concern with him. Netanyahu is a proven failure as a Prime Minister, proven to be a leader without a spine to stand up to pressure. At least Sharon has stood up to pressure, unlike Bibi. That's it, those are the two options for the next Prime Minister of Israel, and neither of them will stand up to the world against a Palestinian State.
So how do we behave? How are we supposed to hold onto the optimistic thought that the Palestinians won't destroy us, that they won't get a State, that we won't have to evacuate Yesha?
How are we supposed to act knowing that no current Israeli political leader will be able to stand up to the world and the US in not allowing the Palestinians to get a State of their own on our land? Honestly, I ask you, how?
First of all, I have a deep belief that Hashem works in strange ways, and the above scenarios won't end up coming to fruition, against all the efforts of world leaders, including the efforts of Bush, and all Israeli leaders. Just look at what's going on today in the Middle East and the world. World terrorism is growing, whether at the hands of Al Qaida or others. A war with Iraq is almost definate, and a war between Israel and Lebanon/Hizballah/Syria/Iran (if not others) is almost definite (due to the water issue), just postponed due to the Iraq issue. Basically, if you ask me, the Middle East and the world is a powder keg that is waiting to burst in many places, not just in the Middle East. Even though the Palestinian issue is big news today, and probably will stay big, with the culmination of all the above issues, it will suddenly lose some of its importance and some of its world support. I therefore think, due to natural/godly occurences, a Palestinian state will not come about.
However, I do not rely on this belief alone. I'm a firm believer that G-d helps those that help themselvs, and faith alone is not enough, it needs action to back it up.
I therefore come to the biggest problem of all in Israel - the political system and the polticians. I'm a big follower of Moshe Fieglin's Manhigut Yehudit faction within the Likud, because it's aim is to infuse the Israeli political system with people who will lead Israel based on the belief that Israel is not a nation like any other, but rather a nation that is proud to be different, not better, but different. In a nutshell its aim is to transform israel with a true Jewish leadership that makes policies based on Jewish values, and not based on pure political greed, self-interest groups and pressure.
Change takes time. A revolution takes longer. I believe that with Manhigut Yehudit will succeed in revolutionizing the Israeli polical system, but it will take time.
Currently, the biggest enemy of Israel is the fabricated story of the Israel/Palestinain conflict that is accepted by the world and perpetuated by the media.
Until that version is changed, and the true facts are perpetuated by the political leaders and the media, I have to fight using arguments that they can accept. I therefore I sent out the article below. Even though I totally agree with your thoughts below. May the day come soon when people will laugh at such an article as superfluous, as it should be.
Kol Tuv,
Avi Abelow
I do not agree with many things that Sharon has done to handle the current situation, actually it is more that I do not agree with many things he hasn't done or hasn't done enough of. However,I do believe he has done a good job changing the way the public discourse and expectations should be with the "Matzav", and he has done a fantastic job at almost destroying Arafat and the PA, but it still is not enough, not by far, (hence the almost). For all his retoric that the Oslo accords are dead, he is still playing the diplomatic game according to the 'spirit' of the Oslo accords, thanks to his own weak spine in not standing up enough to Bush, the most sympathetic President to Israel in this Middle East crisis.
However, I do not want him to be the next Prime Mininster of Isreal come election time, even though he probably will be. Why? Because, even with his history of championing the right, he is still a Mapainik, who will sell Israel short in a phony peace deal in the next few years.
Now, where does that leave me, the Israeli voter, someone who is just as right wing as you? Who do I vote for in the next elections?
Sharon is the most successful right wing prime minister, and the most accepted by the Nation, yet I already voiced my concern with him. Netanyahu is a proven failure as a Prime Minister, proven to be a leader without a spine to stand up to pressure. At least Sharon has stood up to pressure, unlike Bibi. That's it, those are the two options for the next Prime Minister of Israel, and neither of them will stand up to the world against a Palestinian State.
So how do we behave? How are we supposed to hold onto the optimistic thought that the Palestinians won't destroy us, that they won't get a State, that we won't have to evacuate Yesha?
How are we supposed to act knowing that no current Israeli political leader will be able to stand up to the world and the US in not allowing the Palestinians to get a State of their own on our land? Honestly, I ask you, how?
First of all, I have a deep belief that Hashem works in strange ways, and the above scenarios won't end up coming to fruition, against all the efforts of world leaders, including the efforts of Bush, and all Israeli leaders. Just look at what's going on today in the Middle East and the world. World terrorism is growing, whether at the hands of Al Qaida or others. A war with Iraq is almost definate, and a war between Israel and Lebanon/Hizballah/Syria/Iran (if not others) is almost definite (due to the water issue), just postponed due to the Iraq issue. Basically, if you ask me, the Middle East and the world is a powder keg that is waiting to burst in many places, not just in the Middle East. Even though the Palestinian issue is big news today, and probably will stay big, with the culmination of all the above issues, it will suddenly lose some of its importance and some of its world support. I therefore think, due to natural/godly occurences, a Palestinian state will not come about.
However, I do not rely on this belief alone. I'm a firm believer that G-d helps those that help themselvs, and faith alone is not enough, it needs action to back it up.
I therefore come to the biggest problem of all in Israel - the political system and the polticians. I'm a big follower of Moshe Fieglin's Manhigut Yehudit faction within the Likud, because it's aim is to infuse the Israeli political system with people who will lead Israel based on the belief that Israel is not a nation like any other, but rather a nation that is proud to be different, not better, but different. In a nutshell its aim is to transform israel with a true Jewish leadership that makes policies based on Jewish values, and not based on pure political greed, self-interest groups and pressure.
Change takes time. A revolution takes longer. I believe that with Manhigut Yehudit will succeed in revolutionizing the Israeli polical system, but it will take time.
Currently, the biggest enemy of Israel is the fabricated story of the Israel/Palestinain conflict that is accepted by the world and perpetuated by the media.
Until that version is changed, and the true facts are perpetuated by the political leaders and the media, I have to fight using arguments that they can accept. I therefore I sent out the article below. Even though I totally agree with your thoughts below. May the day come soon when people will laugh at such an article as superfluous, as it should be.
Kol Tuv,
Avi Abelow
Tuesday, September 17, 2002
A Tribute to JJ
I went to a funeral today, the funeral of JJ Greenberg.
Many of you might not have known JJ. I actually didn’t know JJ well, but the amazing thing about JJ is that one only had to meet him once, for a second to feel a bond with him and know how much of aspecial person he was. He was just that type of person, not one comes by too often. As his sister mentioned at the hesped, JJ was a a really cool Jew, who felt 100% comfortable who he was, and proud of it. More than that, JJ was a person who sucked the marrow out of life. There are many things I can learn from JJ, and I hope I put some of those lessons into practice.
For now I just wanted to pay tribute to JJ, and everyone else whose life was taken from them, whether by road accidents, terrorism or anything. My tribute to them all is to love life and to love living. I try to live by that and I’m sure JJ would agree with me.
Gemar Tov to all,
Avi
I went to a funeral today, the funeral of JJ Greenberg.
Many of you might not have known JJ. I actually didn’t know JJ well, but the amazing thing about JJ is that one only had to meet him once, for a second to feel a bond with him and know how much of aspecial person he was. He was just that type of person, not one comes by too often. As his sister mentioned at the hesped, JJ was a a really cool Jew, who felt 100% comfortable who he was, and proud of it. More than that, JJ was a person who sucked the marrow out of life. There are many things I can learn from JJ, and I hope I put some of those lessons into practice.
For now I just wanted to pay tribute to JJ, and everyone else whose life was taken from them, whether by road accidents, terrorism or anything. My tribute to them all is to love life and to love living. I try to live by that and I’m sure JJ would agree with me.
Gemar Tov to all,
Avi
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
How Much Longer
As you all know by now, more Jews were killed today for being Jews. More Jewish children had their lives taken away from them..... because people in the world today are STUPID!!!
Stupid for thinking that logical, rational thinking will solve our problems with Palestinian terrorists.
Stupid for STILL thinking that any concession Israel would make would help bring peace to our region.
Stupid for thinking that the Palestinians deserve a state (even though they use terrorist actions and despite historical facts vs. myths of teh Middle East)
Stupid for thinking that terror and terrorists can be appeased.
Stupid for denying that what's going on today in Israel is due to pure hatred, hatred and more hatred, and has nothing to do with territorial claims! (hence, a hint to what the soluition should and should not be)
Stupid for swallowing hook, line and sinker the Arab propoganda that has become fact in today's international media and political circles.
How many more Jews have to die until world Jews and non-Jews alike awake from their slumbering stupidity???
I ask you HOW MUCH LONGER????
As we wait, here is a worthy article for all to read, especailly President Bush, Colin Powell and the whole American administration (because they are about to show us how much they take our cousin's opinions into consideration, even though many of them know what's really going on and what really should happen).
When will all people (jews, non-Jews et al) call a spade a spade, stand up to the hypocrisy of today's Western doplomacy with Arab countries and let us Jews in Israel live in peace and quiet (with or without a stupid piece of paper that says "peace", that will eventually be broken anyway by our cousins) without having to make everyone else happy by causing our own self-destruction?? I know the answer is never, but I at least have to scream about this hypocrisy once in a while because many of us still don't get it, unfortunately. When will logical, rational people realize that logic won't solve the problems of Israel and the Arabs?
With faith for a better future,
Avi
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20020617-68280324.htm
Ramallah rabble-rouser
Clifford D. May
Twenty-one years ago, Karam Zohdy, leader of the Islamic Group, Egypt's largest terrorist organization, ordered the assassination of then-president Anwar Sadat. From his prison cell, Zohdy recently explained to Ben Barber, a reporter for The Washington Times, why he did it.
"We made the decision because some Islamists were arrested, and he made peace with Israel. We were young and frustrated."
Chances are that Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat doesn't have a subscription to The Times. But chances are he has long known why Mr. Sadat was gunned down and by whom.
And so the question should arise: Why would Mr. Arafat seriously attempt to arrest Islamic terrorists? Why would he make peace with Israel?
After all, there are still quite a few "young and frustrated" Islamists hanging around Ramallah, the Middle East and the world at large. Mr. Arafat may encourage Palestinian adolescents to become suicide terrorists. His wife may tell reporters taking tea at her Paris home that if she had a son, she'd be proud to have him detonate his explosives belt amid a crowd of Israeli children. But Mr. Arafat has always been very keen on his own survival and, therefore, we should expect him to avoid carefully following in Mr. Sadat's footsteps.
Understanding this, it really doesn't make sense for European and American diplomats to continue to recommend that Mr. Arafat be given another chance to do as Mr. Sadat did. Understanding this, it doesn't make sense — as former CIA agent Reuel Marc Gerecht has pointed out — for George Tenet, the director of central intelligence, to be again helping Mr. Arafat improve the skills of his intelligence and security apparatus, an apparatus that has itself been involved with terrorism.
But, you say, doesn't that make the situation hopeless? After all, if the instinct for self-preservation is among the factors preventing Mr. Arafat from eliminating the terrorists from the West Bank and Gaza, if fear of the Islamists is among the reasons Mr. Arafat will not consider seriously abiding by agreements with infidel Jews, what possible way is there to settle the conflict in the Middle East?
The answer requires turning conventional wisdom on its head: Instead of assuming that we can only win the war on global terrorism after settling the decades-long conflict over Israel/Palestine, it's time to recognize that we can only settle the Israel-Palestine question after we win the war against global terrorism.
What's more, it is time to acknowledge — as CNN's Lou Dobbs boldly did the other day — that the war against terrorism is really a war against Islamism, the ideology principally responsible for terrorist acts in the world today. It is the Islamists who have — in both word and deed — declared war on Jews, Christians, moderate Muslims (such as Mr. Sadat) and other infidels.
The next step will be to demonstrate that societies that support terrorism and militant Islam will inevitably go the way of the Taliban. Once it is apparent that Islamism hasn't the strength to annihilate Judeo-Christian civilization and hasn't a chance of restoring lost Islamic glory, the base of support for terrorism and Islamism will shrink to insignificance.
It is doubtful that, when this occurs, Mr. Arafat will still be in his crumbling compound in Ramallah. But whoever is leading the Palestinians at that point will understand that the world has changed — that the greatest threat to his survival no longer comes from his "young and frustrated" brothers but rather from the democratic societies of the world that, it turns out, do indeed have the will to defend themselves. And at that point, the prospect of sitting down with Israelis to negotiate a lasting peace will seem like a reasonable option.
Clifford D. May, a former foreign correspondent for the New York Times, is the president of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
As you all know by now, more Jews were killed today for being Jews. More Jewish children had their lives taken away from them..... because people in the world today are STUPID!!!
Stupid for thinking that logical, rational thinking will solve our problems with Palestinian terrorists.
Stupid for STILL thinking that any concession Israel would make would help bring peace to our region.
Stupid for thinking that the Palestinians deserve a state (even though they use terrorist actions and despite historical facts vs. myths of teh Middle East)
Stupid for thinking that terror and terrorists can be appeased.
Stupid for denying that what's going on today in Israel is due to pure hatred, hatred and more hatred, and has nothing to do with territorial claims! (hence, a hint to what the soluition should and should not be)
Stupid for swallowing hook, line and sinker the Arab propoganda that has become fact in today's international media and political circles.
How many more Jews have to die until world Jews and non-Jews alike awake from their slumbering stupidity???
I ask you HOW MUCH LONGER????
As we wait, here is a worthy article for all to read, especailly President Bush, Colin Powell and the whole American administration (because they are about to show us how much they take our cousin's opinions into consideration, even though many of them know what's really going on and what really should happen).
When will all people (jews, non-Jews et al) call a spade a spade, stand up to the hypocrisy of today's Western doplomacy with Arab countries and let us Jews in Israel live in peace and quiet (with or without a stupid piece of paper that says "peace", that will eventually be broken anyway by our cousins) without having to make everyone else happy by causing our own self-destruction?? I know the answer is never, but I at least have to scream about this hypocrisy once in a while because many of us still don't get it, unfortunately. When will logical, rational people realize that logic won't solve the problems of Israel and the Arabs?
With faith for a better future,
Avi
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20020617-68280324.htm
Ramallah rabble-rouser
Clifford D. May
Twenty-one years ago, Karam Zohdy, leader of the Islamic Group, Egypt's largest terrorist organization, ordered the assassination of then-president Anwar Sadat. From his prison cell, Zohdy recently explained to Ben Barber, a reporter for The Washington Times, why he did it.
"We made the decision because some Islamists were arrested, and he made peace with Israel. We were young and frustrated."
Chances are that Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat doesn't have a subscription to The Times. But chances are he has long known why Mr. Sadat was gunned down and by whom.
And so the question should arise: Why would Mr. Arafat seriously attempt to arrest Islamic terrorists? Why would he make peace with Israel?
After all, there are still quite a few "young and frustrated" Islamists hanging around Ramallah, the Middle East and the world at large. Mr. Arafat may encourage Palestinian adolescents to become suicide terrorists. His wife may tell reporters taking tea at her Paris home that if she had a son, she'd be proud to have him detonate his explosives belt amid a crowd of Israeli children. But Mr. Arafat has always been very keen on his own survival and, therefore, we should expect him to avoid carefully following in Mr. Sadat's footsteps.
Understanding this, it really doesn't make sense for European and American diplomats to continue to recommend that Mr. Arafat be given another chance to do as Mr. Sadat did. Understanding this, it doesn't make sense — as former CIA agent Reuel Marc Gerecht has pointed out — for George Tenet, the director of central intelligence, to be again helping Mr. Arafat improve the skills of his intelligence and security apparatus, an apparatus that has itself been involved with terrorism.
But, you say, doesn't that make the situation hopeless? After all, if the instinct for self-preservation is among the factors preventing Mr. Arafat from eliminating the terrorists from the West Bank and Gaza, if fear of the Islamists is among the reasons Mr. Arafat will not consider seriously abiding by agreements with infidel Jews, what possible way is there to settle the conflict in the Middle East?
The answer requires turning conventional wisdom on its head: Instead of assuming that we can only win the war on global terrorism after settling the decades-long conflict over Israel/Palestine, it's time to recognize that we can only settle the Israel-Palestine question after we win the war against global terrorism.
What's more, it is time to acknowledge — as CNN's Lou Dobbs boldly did the other day — that the war against terrorism is really a war against Islamism, the ideology principally responsible for terrorist acts in the world today. It is the Islamists who have — in both word and deed — declared war on Jews, Christians, moderate Muslims (such as Mr. Sadat) and other infidels.
The next step will be to demonstrate that societies that support terrorism and militant Islam will inevitably go the way of the Taliban. Once it is apparent that Islamism hasn't the strength to annihilate Judeo-Christian civilization and hasn't a chance of restoring lost Islamic glory, the base of support for terrorism and Islamism will shrink to insignificance.
It is doubtful that, when this occurs, Mr. Arafat will still be in his crumbling compound in Ramallah. But whoever is leading the Palestinians at that point will understand that the world has changed — that the greatest threat to his survival no longer comes from his "young and frustrated" brothers but rather from the democratic societies of the world that, it turns out, do indeed have the will to defend themselves. And at that point, the prospect of sitting down with Israelis to negotiate a lasting peace will seem like a reasonable option.
Clifford D. May, a former foreign correspondent for the New York Times, is the president of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
Aliyah Update
Chag Sameach everybody!
We are so lucky to have our own homeland, so lucky. Rav Soloveichik was profound when he wrote that the establishment of the state of Israel was the process of six miraculous occasions done together by Hashem (For more detail on this look up his essay “Kol Dodi Dofek” – “My beloved is calling”). It is mamish a miracle from Hashem, with the Jewish people’s partnership, that the state of Israel came into existence in 1948 and each day is miraculous that we have the opportunity to live here and defend ourselves. Sometimes Jews in Israel and overseas don’t realize how much the existence of the state of Israel has influenced how easy life has become for Jews all over the world. The soldiers of the Israeli army are today’s heroes for all of Am Yisrael, not just for the Jews living in Israel.
Yom Haatzmaut Update
We just spent our first Yom Haatzmaut here in Israel as an Israeli family and it was great!
Last night we saw three different fireworks shows that took place in the Gush Etzion region. First we saw the Elazar fireworks show, then we saw the Alon Shvut fireworks show and finally, last but not least, we saw the Efrat fireworks show (all seen from standing in one place in Efrat). We attended the celebration here in Efrat and it was so nice to be celebrating the chag while being here in Israel.
This years celebration has really been internalized by by and large all the citizens of the country, since Zionism is now IN because the Arabs have reminded us that they don’t want us here. Everywhere you look you see Israeli flags waving in the wind; from cars, houses, apartments, lampposts etc. My brother, Dani, was in Tel Aviv last night and he said that he was pleasantly surprised to see Tel Aviv filled with flying Israeli flags as well (an unusual occurrence in the past). It is such a sad state of affairs that we need others to remind us of what’s important to us, but so it is.
Aliyah Update
We were able to finish all of our bureaucratic, Government office errands before and right after Pesach. B”H, it all went well without much hassle. Our lift came in after Pesach and we were one of the lucky one of eight families to have been chosen by the Israeli tax authority for our lift to have been opened up by them. They were sweet enough to open up half of our boxes and make sure that we were honest in declaring the goods that we brought into the country! After their thorough search, the lift was delivered to our rented apartment in Efrat. We have since been busy unpacking our boxes and arranging everything in our new true bayit neeman B’yisrael! It has been very exciting trying to figure out how to arrange all of our furniture into our new apartment. Little by little everything is coming together.
Unfortunately, we still have not moved into our apartment. We would have moved into our apartment right after Pesach, but we only got electricity in the apartment this past Sunday! B”H we have family here that we have been able to stay with. Our latest challenge is getting our appliances hooked up. Now that we finally have electrolyte we have found out that the company that we have a service contract with won’t come out to Efrat to install everything! But, we hope to be in our apartment by the end of the week.
We heard about the amazing rally in Washington. It really didn’t get much press here in Israel because it was Yom Hazikaron, but hopefully the American administration got the message. We have heard that the press in America has been good. Is that true? In any case, it is so good to hear that American Jewry, as a community, is finally waking up and smelling the coffee! Kol Hakavod to all of you for doing your part for Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael.
May we all be together in Israel soon.
Chag Sameach.
Avi, Rachel and Yakir
Chag Sameach everybody!
We are so lucky to have our own homeland, so lucky. Rav Soloveichik was profound when he wrote that the establishment of the state of Israel was the process of six miraculous occasions done together by Hashem (For more detail on this look up his essay “Kol Dodi Dofek” – “My beloved is calling”). It is mamish a miracle from Hashem, with the Jewish people’s partnership, that the state of Israel came into existence in 1948 and each day is miraculous that we have the opportunity to live here and defend ourselves. Sometimes Jews in Israel and overseas don’t realize how much the existence of the state of Israel has influenced how easy life has become for Jews all over the world. The soldiers of the Israeli army are today’s heroes for all of Am Yisrael, not just for the Jews living in Israel.
Yom Haatzmaut Update
We just spent our first Yom Haatzmaut here in Israel as an Israeli family and it was great!
Last night we saw three different fireworks shows that took place in the Gush Etzion region. First we saw the Elazar fireworks show, then we saw the Alon Shvut fireworks show and finally, last but not least, we saw the Efrat fireworks show (all seen from standing in one place in Efrat). We attended the celebration here in Efrat and it was so nice to be celebrating the chag while being here in Israel.
This years celebration has really been internalized by by and large all the citizens of the country, since Zionism is now IN because the Arabs have reminded us that they don’t want us here. Everywhere you look you see Israeli flags waving in the wind; from cars, houses, apartments, lampposts etc. My brother, Dani, was in Tel Aviv last night and he said that he was pleasantly surprised to see Tel Aviv filled with flying Israeli flags as well (an unusual occurrence in the past). It is such a sad state of affairs that we need others to remind us of what’s important to us, but so it is.
Aliyah Update
We were able to finish all of our bureaucratic, Government office errands before and right after Pesach. B”H, it all went well without much hassle. Our lift came in after Pesach and we were one of the lucky one of eight families to have been chosen by the Israeli tax authority for our lift to have been opened up by them. They were sweet enough to open up half of our boxes and make sure that we were honest in declaring the goods that we brought into the country! After their thorough search, the lift was delivered to our rented apartment in Efrat. We have since been busy unpacking our boxes and arranging everything in our new true bayit neeman B’yisrael! It has been very exciting trying to figure out how to arrange all of our furniture into our new apartment. Little by little everything is coming together.
Unfortunately, we still have not moved into our apartment. We would have moved into our apartment right after Pesach, but we only got electricity in the apartment this past Sunday! B”H we have family here that we have been able to stay with. Our latest challenge is getting our appliances hooked up. Now that we finally have electrolyte we have found out that the company that we have a service contract with won’t come out to Efrat to install everything! But, we hope to be in our apartment by the end of the week.
We heard about the amazing rally in Washington. It really didn’t get much press here in Israel because it was Yom Hazikaron, but hopefully the American administration got the message. We have heard that the press in America has been good. Is that true? In any case, it is so good to hear that American Jewry, as a community, is finally waking up and smelling the coffee! Kol Hakavod to all of you for doing your part for Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael.
May we all be together in Israel soon.
Chag Sameach.
Avi, Rachel and Yakir
Tuesday, March 26, 2002
We Have Finally Returned Home!!
Chag Kasher V'sameach to all!!
This is our first email from Israel since we arrived last Monday. Baruch Hashem everything is going well. We have spent the past week taking care of all the beaurocratic stuff necesaary in the aliyah process, but I must admit, things have gone much more smoothly than they used to (at least compared to my last aliyah experience in 1990). Of couse there have been a few nuisances, but overall we really can't complain, things have gone pretty smoothly. The most interesting observation that we have made during our rounds to all the government offices is that most off all the government employees in these offices are Russian! It is really unbelievable. Every office has Russian workers, Russian signs, Russian publications, and it seems that the Russians have a lot of assistance in all their government dealings. it really has impressed me, thinking how different life in Israel might be if hundreds of thousands of American Olim came to live here too. What a difference such a large mass of people would be able to make on the makeup of Israeli society for the good. Chaval, most American Jews decide to stay in the States with their talents instead of coming here on mass to really make a difference (100 families a year from America doesn't have the same impact on a society as tens of thousands a year).
So, I'm sure everybody wants to here how we have adjusted to living in Israel, and especially Efrat, during these hard times. I have to admit that it is hard to get used to walking through the streets of Jerusalem with a sense of fear that something might happen, but we did. Since we came a week ago, we have strolled through Jerusalem's center of town many times. We were actually on Rechov Hamelech George a half hour before the horrible piguah last Thursday. Realizing that was a big shock. But it has not stopped us from stolling down Rechov Hamelch George or other areas of Jerusalem. It is not easy getting used to this reality, but on the other hand, life goes on, and we, like everybbody else, have adjusted to doing what we need to do, going where we need to go, regardless of the fear in the back of our minds.
But, with it all, we are so happy to be here. It is so great being back in Israel. So far we have spent a Shabbat up north, we have taken a train ride on the beautiful new double decker train from Tel Aviv to the north, we have been to an english speaking play production of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, and we have had a great time seeing friends and family. Life is great, life goes on and Beezrat hashem the matzav will come to an end soon.
Last night we heard a shiur from Rabbi Avraham Twersky (the famous psychologist). There is one thing he mentioned that I wanted to repeat for all of you. he mentioned that there is one aspect of teh seder that still puzzles him; he has still found no answer to the question why we dip a vegetable into salt water? After years of learning, he still has no answer to the question. The paradox is that the Rabbis tell us that we do it in order that the children will ask why we do it, even though we then tell them 'in order for you to ask why we do it'! Go figure! However, Rabbi Twersy said that that is exactly the point, there is no answer to that question and when children ask why we do it it is not only ok, but it is imperitive for the parent to answer 'I don't know why we do it, but we do it in order for you to ask why'. So too in life, we are always required to ask why things happen, but sometimes there are no answers to our questions, and that is the lesson itself. In today's times, we have no way to explain why Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael is going through such traumatic times, but yet we still have to ask why, and even though we have no answer, that is ok. We have to feel sad on the one hand for what we are going through, but happiness on the other hand, because even though we don't know why, God's hand is behind it all. Am Yisrael chai, and we will get through these harsh times as well. May this Nisan really bring the geulah and may we see all of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael soon (whether the mashiach comes or not).
Chag Kashem V'sameach.
Avi, Rachel and Yakir
Chag Kasher V'sameach to all!!
This is our first email from Israel since we arrived last Monday. Baruch Hashem everything is going well. We have spent the past week taking care of all the beaurocratic stuff necesaary in the aliyah process, but I must admit, things have gone much more smoothly than they used to (at least compared to my last aliyah experience in 1990). Of couse there have been a few nuisances, but overall we really can't complain, things have gone pretty smoothly. The most interesting observation that we have made during our rounds to all the government offices is that most off all the government employees in these offices are Russian! It is really unbelievable. Every office has Russian workers, Russian signs, Russian publications, and it seems that the Russians have a lot of assistance in all their government dealings. it really has impressed me, thinking how different life in Israel might be if hundreds of thousands of American Olim came to live here too. What a difference such a large mass of people would be able to make on the makeup of Israeli society for the good. Chaval, most American Jews decide to stay in the States with their talents instead of coming here on mass to really make a difference (100 families a year from America doesn't have the same impact on a society as tens of thousands a year).
So, I'm sure everybody wants to here how we have adjusted to living in Israel, and especially Efrat, during these hard times. I have to admit that it is hard to get used to walking through the streets of Jerusalem with a sense of fear that something might happen, but we did. Since we came a week ago, we have strolled through Jerusalem's center of town many times. We were actually on Rechov Hamelech George a half hour before the horrible piguah last Thursday. Realizing that was a big shock. But it has not stopped us from stolling down Rechov Hamelch George or other areas of Jerusalem. It is not easy getting used to this reality, but on the other hand, life goes on, and we, like everybbody else, have adjusted to doing what we need to do, going where we need to go, regardless of the fear in the back of our minds.
But, with it all, we are so happy to be here. It is so great being back in Israel. So far we have spent a Shabbat up north, we have taken a train ride on the beautiful new double decker train from Tel Aviv to the north, we have been to an english speaking play production of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, and we have had a great time seeing friends and family. Life is great, life goes on and Beezrat hashem the matzav will come to an end soon.
Last night we heard a shiur from Rabbi Avraham Twersky (the famous psychologist). There is one thing he mentioned that I wanted to repeat for all of you. he mentioned that there is one aspect of teh seder that still puzzles him; he has still found no answer to the question why we dip a vegetable into salt water? After years of learning, he still has no answer to the question. The paradox is that the Rabbis tell us that we do it in order that the children will ask why we do it, even though we then tell them 'in order for you to ask why we do it'! Go figure! However, Rabbi Twersy said that that is exactly the point, there is no answer to that question and when children ask why we do it it is not only ok, but it is imperitive for the parent to answer 'I don't know why we do it, but we do it in order for you to ask why'. So too in life, we are always required to ask why things happen, but sometimes there are no answers to our questions, and that is the lesson itself. In today's times, we have no way to explain why Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael is going through such traumatic times, but yet we still have to ask why, and even though we have no answer, that is ok. We have to feel sad on the one hand for what we are going through, but happiness on the other hand, because even though we don't know why, God's hand is behind it all. Am Yisrael chai, and we will get through these harsh times as well. May this Nisan really bring the geulah and may we see all of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael soon (whether the mashiach comes or not).
Chag Kashem V'sameach.
Avi, Rachel and Yakir
Thursday, March 07, 2002
Aliyah Update
Shalom to all,
I just wanted to let everybody know that Rachel, Yakir and I are flying to Israel for our aliyah flight on March 17th. We will miss all of you from the States but we look forward to welcoming you to our home in Israel, whether you come on vacation or for a more permanant stay.
The following thoughts were mostly written for my own benefit, to finally put into words abstract thoughts that I have been having about our aliyah plans. If anyone has any fedback, please let me know.
I have to admit that going to Israel today, with everything that is going on, is a scary thing. Obviously, I hoped that our return to Israel would be during peaceful times, but HKB"H had other plans. Even though I would rather not admit it, I'm also scared about moving to Efrat in today's climate. I wouldn't be as scared if it was just me, but now I'm a responsible father and husband and I'm always second guessing myself whether I'm really doing the right thing by moving my family to a place that most consider to be more dangerous than other places.
Even though I have these thoughts, I still believe that moving to Israel today, and moving to Efrat today, is the right thing to do. It might not be the most rational, the most logical or the "sure thing", but I do believe that it is the right thing.
I feel this way because I ask myself 'who really is assured that they will wake up the next day breathing? Who is secure that they won't be hit by a car while crossing the street?' I always answer myself that the answer is nobody. Nobody is secure that nothing bad will happen to them. People might not realize it or just not pay attention to it, but no matter where one lives or what one does, things can happen to anybody at any time. We all want to feel safe and secure, but in truth we feel secure even though we really aren't.
So I then start thinking about what we are really supposed to feel scure about? And I realize that the only thing we can feel secure about is who we are, how we act adn what we do. That is really the only things we can feel secure about, those things that we control. Many of us feel physically secure with an abstract feeling that our surroundings are safe or that our neighbors are harmless. But that really does not address our needs of security. Our one and only security is our emunah in Hashem. It is that belief in HKB"H that can help make a person feel physically secure, because one realizes that whatever they have control over is the right thing to do, regardless of what may happen that is out of their control. It is the belief in God that allows us to feel secure in who we are, what we do, and how we act. It is that security that makes sure that regardless of what happens to us (injury, death etc.) that we make sure to live fulfilling and meaningfull lives.
That is why I know, that even though I'm scared, I'm doing the right thing by moving to Israel and to Efrat. It is a scary feeling to place my sense of security in my belief in Hashem, but I think that is better than falsely believing I'm safe from harm because I live in X place.
People can then argue with me that halachikly one shouldn't place themselves in a place of danger. I'm not a rabbi and I'm not a posek, so I won't even try to deal with that question in a halachik framework. But I do know that my blood is no redder than anybody else who lives today in Efrat or Yesha. And I do know that if people wouldn't live there, then no Jew would be able to live in those areas or visit those areas for a very long time. Yes I think that not enough is being done to defend all the Jews in Israel, especailly in Yesha, but that is not stopping me from rightfully joining those Jews in creating and maintaining thriving Jewish communities in the one place in the world Jews should not be barred from living.
Yes, it is dangerous in Israel today and I'm not going to Israel with a aflse sense of reality. But I believe that unless we live there, stay there and support those who currently live there (by visiting them, staying in contact with them, and, most importantly, by joining them) Israel might not exist tommorrow.
Avi
Shalom to all,
I just wanted to let everybody know that Rachel, Yakir and I are flying to Israel for our aliyah flight on March 17th. We will miss all of you from the States but we look forward to welcoming you to our home in Israel, whether you come on vacation or for a more permanant stay.
The following thoughts were mostly written for my own benefit, to finally put into words abstract thoughts that I have been having about our aliyah plans. If anyone has any fedback, please let me know.
I have to admit that going to Israel today, with everything that is going on, is a scary thing. Obviously, I hoped that our return to Israel would be during peaceful times, but HKB"H had other plans. Even though I would rather not admit it, I'm also scared about moving to Efrat in today's climate. I wouldn't be as scared if it was just me, but now I'm a responsible father and husband and I'm always second guessing myself whether I'm really doing the right thing by moving my family to a place that most consider to be more dangerous than other places.
Even though I have these thoughts, I still believe that moving to Israel today, and moving to Efrat today, is the right thing to do. It might not be the most rational, the most logical or the "sure thing", but I do believe that it is the right thing.
I feel this way because I ask myself 'who really is assured that they will wake up the next day breathing? Who is secure that they won't be hit by a car while crossing the street?' I always answer myself that the answer is nobody. Nobody is secure that nothing bad will happen to them. People might not realize it or just not pay attention to it, but no matter where one lives or what one does, things can happen to anybody at any time. We all want to feel safe and secure, but in truth we feel secure even though we really aren't.
So I then start thinking about what we are really supposed to feel scure about? And I realize that the only thing we can feel secure about is who we are, how we act adn what we do. That is really the only things we can feel secure about, those things that we control. Many of us feel physically secure with an abstract feeling that our surroundings are safe or that our neighbors are harmless. But that really does not address our needs of security. Our one and only security is our emunah in Hashem. It is that belief in HKB"H that can help make a person feel physically secure, because one realizes that whatever they have control over is the right thing to do, regardless of what may happen that is out of their control. It is the belief in God that allows us to feel secure in who we are, what we do, and how we act. It is that security that makes sure that regardless of what happens to us (injury, death etc.) that we make sure to live fulfilling and meaningfull lives.
That is why I know, that even though I'm scared, I'm doing the right thing by moving to Israel and to Efrat. It is a scary feeling to place my sense of security in my belief in Hashem, but I think that is better than falsely believing I'm safe from harm because I live in X place.
People can then argue with me that halachikly one shouldn't place themselves in a place of danger. I'm not a rabbi and I'm not a posek, so I won't even try to deal with that question in a halachik framework. But I do know that my blood is no redder than anybody else who lives today in Efrat or Yesha. And I do know that if people wouldn't live there, then no Jew would be able to live in those areas or visit those areas for a very long time. Yes I think that not enough is being done to defend all the Jews in Israel, especailly in Yesha, but that is not stopping me from rightfully joining those Jews in creating and maintaining thriving Jewish communities in the one place in the world Jews should not be barred from living.
Yes, it is dangerous in Israel today and I'm not going to Israel with a aflse sense of reality. But I believe that unless we live there, stay there and support those who currently live there (by visiting them, staying in contact with them, and, most importantly, by joining them) Israel might not exist tommorrow.
Avi
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