Nowadays it is fashionable to be anti-Semitic. What used to be whispered, and said in low voices, has now been allowed to be openly and publicly stated. The Arab and Muslim world have had tremendous success with their incessant propaganda in this regard. In view of the tremendous positive contributions Jews and Judaism have made to mankind and to Western Civilization throughout the ages, this is not to be understood. One can only marvel as to why these unwarranted and false accusations have gained prominence and are so widely repeated.
The facts are that this relatively tiny and gifted people have had a tremendous impact on this world of ours. Especially is this true with regard to religion, but in many other fields as well. Mankind is better off today because there are Jews. The spiritual concept of One G-d is Jewish in origin, and of course the Jewish Prophets have had an impact on whatever morality that exists in the world today. The Old Testament Bible is still hallowed as a major source of religious belief. Many people, both Christians and Jews, live by its precepts.
Despite the recent Holocaust that decimated the Jewish People, they have returned to their ancient Homeland, and miraculously rebuilt it. They made the wasteland they came to into a democratic land of milk and honey, excelling in science, technology, and agriculture. They freely gave these contributions to the world. Due to Arab continued hostility, they have had to relearn the art of military warfare, and of necessity, to excel in it.
All out of proportion to their numbers, they have continually won Nobel Prizes in health, science ,technology, and in many other fields of endeavor. The benefits to mankind down through the ages have been quite phenomenal. Nevertheless, anti-Semitism persists and is spreading. Jews and Israel, in recent European polls, are claimed to represent a threat to world peace. In the light of their magnificent contributions to mankind, this type of nonsense makes no sense whatsoever.
To be a Jew in a hostile world is not easy. Yet, any Jew can take enormous pride in the accomplishments of His People to make this a better and safer world. Israel is in the forefront of this endeavor, and should be encouraged and supported by America and many other nations. Unfortunately, in this imperfect world, that is not the case. The absurd Arab funded propaganda directed against the Jews and Israel is being widely believed. That Arab campaign has no foundation in fact or truth and will, if followed, eventually only cause great harm and damage to all of mankind.
Jerusalem, November 22, 2003
Ruth and Nadia Matar
Women in Green
Sunday, November 23, 2003
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Life in Israel now
Naomi Ragen writes:
Friends,
The Washington Post published a piece by Richard Cohen in which the writer speaks to an American oleh who says he left Israel because his business went under, and he's afraid for his family, etc. etc. In short, Israel is losing the war.
Well, that's one point of view. But I live among many, many Israelis with American passports. Not one person I know has picked up and left. Not one.
The Cohen article also veers off long enough to tell us that all of Israel's problems would be solved if they just left "the occupied territories..." Hello? Look at a map. Look at Israel, and then look at who surrounds her. Occupied territories? If we jumped into the sea maybe. Then we'd have a nice, long, quiet rest. Just like they arranged for us in Europe 60 years ago. Then no Americans would be leaving Israel, except, perhaps, in a box.
No thanks. I'll stay here. Along with every, single other American oleh I've met in the last 30 years.
Below is an article from an American-Israeli who says it all.
All the best,
Naomi
Not the Israel I Know
By Joseph M. Hochstein
Monday, October 20, 2003; Page A23
TEL AVIV -- In his Oct. 7 column Richard Cohen writes about an American who lived in Israel for more than 20 years ["Israel Is Losing," op-ed]. This person has left Israel, probably permanently, Cohen writes, "because he cannot take life there any longer. . . . His business had gone to hell, his life was always in danger and he simply could not take it any longer."
Cohen calls this American "a nonstatistic -- a living victim of terrorism." Cohen adds, "In the perpetual war against Israel, its enemies are winning."
I doubt Cohen's conclusion, but that is not my purpose in writing. Like Cohen's unidentified American, I have lived in Israel for more than 20 years. I arrived from Washington, where I published the Jewish Week newspaper for 18 years.
The Israel in which I live does not match Cohen's description. Cohen says despair is palpable in the Israeli press. But bad news is only part of the story. Recent survey research found more than 80 percent of Israelis happy with their lives, despite all hardships. The economy is in deep trouble, but the country remains a dynamic place culturally, technologically, commercially, even politically. The Hebrew press covers this, too, by the way.
Cohen reports that he rode a bus in Israel and found it "gut-wrenching." He is not the first columnist to confess to uneasiness at visiting Israel. But his is a subjective, outsider's reaction. Ordinary Israelis have to get to work or to school five or six days a week, and the country's buses carry 1 million riders every workday. Tel Aviv's central bus station is said to be the largest in the world.
We in Israel continue going out to cafes, restaurants, theaters, sports events, concerts and public festivals. The motto "life must go on" has achieved the status of an unofficial national slogan, uttered even by a child interviewed on television the other day after a 10-year-old classmate's death in a suicide bombing.
Here is a personal note. To borrow Cohen's words, I am a living victim of terrorism. A suicide bomber from the Islamic Jihad sent me to a hospital -- and nearly killed me -- a few years ago. Other, worse things happened over the years. One of my sons, a paratrooper, was killed in a Hezbollah ambush. Yet, in my view, life in Israel remains desirable.
I live in Tel Aviv, not far from where my mother was born in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. My surviving son and daughter live in walking distance and are pursuing challenging, creative careers that feed their families. I have five grandchildren, aged one year to 12. I spend time with intelligent, stimulating and decent people. Most of us are part of an Israeli majority that, according to the polls, supports efforts to achieve peace but doesn't expect miracles any time soon.
I worry about the family's safety now and also about prospects of my grandchildren's army service in a few years. In weighing the danger, I cannot escape the thought that my immediate family and I, despite whatever hardship we have suffered, are more fortunate than our numerous relatives in France, Russia and Lithuania who were murdered in the Nazi era and who had no army to protect them. I entertain similar thoughts about our extended family in Israel, wondering what their fates might have been had they stayed in Austria, Poland, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran.
I am hopeful. The clash between Arabs and Jews is often violent, but it is relatively recent in origin. I and other Israeli volunteers work to bridge the political and doctrinal arguments that divide Arabs and Jews, in hope that future generations can coexist without bloodshed.
Cohen says his unidentified American lost hope. Hope is part of the Israeli character. It's the title of the national anthem, "Hatikva," which means "the hope." Without hope, it could be impossible to make it here.
Fear and hope are highly subjective and personal, of course. An objective reality that U.S. journalists generally ignore is that Israel's terrorism death toll -- measured in fatalities per 100,000 residents -- is much lower than the homicide rate in the District of Columbia and dozens of other U.S. cities. But that's another story.
The writer is former editor-publisher of Jewish Week (now known as Washington Jewish Week) and a former managing editor of Congressional Quarterly.
© 2003 The Washington Post Company
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To subscribe, send a blank message to this address.
Friends,
The Washington Post published a piece by Richard Cohen in which the writer speaks to an American oleh who says he left Israel because his business went under, and he's afraid for his family, etc. etc. In short, Israel is losing the war.
Well, that's one point of view. But I live among many, many Israelis with American passports. Not one person I know has picked up and left. Not one.
The Cohen article also veers off long enough to tell us that all of Israel's problems would be solved if they just left "the occupied territories..." Hello? Look at a map. Look at Israel, and then look at who surrounds her. Occupied territories? If we jumped into the sea maybe. Then we'd have a nice, long, quiet rest. Just like they arranged for us in Europe 60 years ago. Then no Americans would be leaving Israel, except, perhaps, in a box.
No thanks. I'll stay here. Along with every, single other American oleh I've met in the last 30 years.
Below is an article from an American-Israeli who says it all.
All the best,
Naomi
Not the Israel I Know
By Joseph M. Hochstein
Monday, October 20, 2003; Page A23
TEL AVIV -- In his Oct. 7 column Richard Cohen writes about an American who lived in Israel for more than 20 years ["Israel Is Losing," op-ed]. This person has left Israel, probably permanently, Cohen writes, "because he cannot take life there any longer. . . . His business had gone to hell, his life was always in danger and he simply could not take it any longer."
Cohen calls this American "a nonstatistic -- a living victim of terrorism." Cohen adds, "In the perpetual war against Israel, its enemies are winning."
I doubt Cohen's conclusion, but that is not my purpose in writing. Like Cohen's unidentified American, I have lived in Israel for more than 20 years. I arrived from Washington, where I published the Jewish Week newspaper for 18 years.
The Israel in which I live does not match Cohen's description. Cohen says despair is palpable in the Israeli press. But bad news is only part of the story. Recent survey research found more than 80 percent of Israelis happy with their lives, despite all hardships. The economy is in deep trouble, but the country remains a dynamic place culturally, technologically, commercially, even politically. The Hebrew press covers this, too, by the way.
Cohen reports that he rode a bus in Israel and found it "gut-wrenching." He is not the first columnist to confess to uneasiness at visiting Israel. But his is a subjective, outsider's reaction. Ordinary Israelis have to get to work or to school five or six days a week, and the country's buses carry 1 million riders every workday. Tel Aviv's central bus station is said to be the largest in the world.
We in Israel continue going out to cafes, restaurants, theaters, sports events, concerts and public festivals. The motto "life must go on" has achieved the status of an unofficial national slogan, uttered even by a child interviewed on television the other day after a 10-year-old classmate's death in a suicide bombing.
Here is a personal note. To borrow Cohen's words, I am a living victim of terrorism. A suicide bomber from the Islamic Jihad sent me to a hospital -- and nearly killed me -- a few years ago. Other, worse things happened over the years. One of my sons, a paratrooper, was killed in a Hezbollah ambush. Yet, in my view, life in Israel remains desirable.
I live in Tel Aviv, not far from where my mother was born in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. My surviving son and daughter live in walking distance and are pursuing challenging, creative careers that feed their families. I have five grandchildren, aged one year to 12. I spend time with intelligent, stimulating and decent people. Most of us are part of an Israeli majority that, according to the polls, supports efforts to achieve peace but doesn't expect miracles any time soon.
I worry about the family's safety now and also about prospects of my grandchildren's army service in a few years. In weighing the danger, I cannot escape the thought that my immediate family and I, despite whatever hardship we have suffered, are more fortunate than our numerous relatives in France, Russia and Lithuania who were murdered in the Nazi era and who had no army to protect them. I entertain similar thoughts about our extended family in Israel, wondering what their fates might have been had they stayed in Austria, Poland, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran.
I am hopeful. The clash between Arabs and Jews is often violent, but it is relatively recent in origin. I and other Israeli volunteers work to bridge the political and doctrinal arguments that divide Arabs and Jews, in hope that future generations can coexist without bloodshed.
Cohen says his unidentified American lost hope. Hope is part of the Israeli character. It's the title of the national anthem, "Hatikva," which means "the hope." Without hope, it could be impossible to make it here.
Fear and hope are highly subjective and personal, of course. An objective reality that U.S. journalists generally ignore is that Israel's terrorism death toll -- measured in fatalities per 100,000 residents -- is much lower than the homicide rate in the District of Columbia and dozens of other U.S. cities. But that's another story.
The writer is former editor-publisher of Jewish Week (now known as Washington Jewish Week) and a former managing editor of Congressional Quarterly.
© 2003 The Washington Post Company
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To subscribe, send a blank message to this address.
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
Steyn in JPost: Palestinian death cult
The Perceptive Mark Steyn hits the nail on the head again:> "Palestinian" society is perverted and horribly sick. Read this article.
Monday, October 06, 2003
JPost: The Military Solution Works
Evelyn Gordon's article in the Jerusalem Post shows that military responses to terrorism reduce terrorism. I don't find this surprising; do you?
Special Report from Gary Bauer: Carnage Again
To: Friends and Supporters of the Campaign for Working Families
From: Gary L. Bauer, Chairman
Date: Monday, October 6, 2003
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon in the Israeli port city of Haifa on the Jewish Sabbath before Yom Kippur when evil struck again. In a split second, a crazed female jihadist exploded her deadly cargo and 20 people died instantly, while dozens more were gravely wounded. The site of the blast was a popular restaurant, Maxim's, jointly owned by Israeli Arab Christians and Jews. Three generations of one family were destroyed as they sat at their table breaking bread. At least five Israeli children were among the dead.
Later that day, I received a phone call at home from a prominent American- born Israeli, who was beside himself with grief and anger. He was angry at the jihadists who continue to break all the rules of civilization in their obsession to kill Jews. And he was angry at the U.S. government that continues to browbeat Israel into restraining itself. "Israelis love America," he said. "We don't want to irritate or anger the White House. But what are we supposed to do?"
Coincidentally, on Saturday morning the Washington Post featured Colin Powell on the front page making it clear in an interview that the U.S. was looking for ways to punish Israel because plans for the security fence were going forward. This follows our warnings to Israel last week to not touch a hair on the head of chief terrorist Yasser Arafat. This morning several papers are reporting that the President called Prime Minister Sharon to express condolences, but also urged him not to further heighten tensions. I pray those reports are inaccurate. Instead of telling our friend and ally to hold back while fresh graves are being dug for their children, we should be telling them that we now realize the folly of asking them to do what we would never do - bargain with terrorists in the vain hope it will bring peace.
Late last night, the media had managed to track down the family of the homicidal bomber. What that family said should be a slap in the face of reality to every State Department bureaucrat. There was no grief expressed - only joy. "This is a day as happy as her day of marriage would have been," said one man. Get it? Killing Jews was the greatest accomplishment of her life. It was a joyous occasion to be compared to marriage! It was the fulfillment of her jihad Islamic responsibilities.
Does anyone in the U.S. government know whether this incredibly warped evil mindset is embraced by a thousand, ten thousand, or a million Palestinians? Polling shows it is a worldview broadly embraced in the West Bank. So where are "road maps" to peace supposed to end anywhere else but in hell if these are the inhabitants of the Palestinian state that is supposed to live side-by-side in peace with Israel?
Syria ran to the United Nations yesterday to get a resolution to condemn the Israeli response, a 3:00 AM attack on an empty terrorist camp in Syria that resulted in two people being wounded. In a functioning U.N., Syria - with blood dripping from its hands - would have been run out of the chamber by the civilized world. The U.S. threatened to veto any resolution that condemned Israel unless it also condemned homicide bombers. Every member of the Security Council passionately condemned the air strike - the same countries that shrugged 24 hours before when the bodies of broken families were being removed from the restaurant.
There will be no peace for Israel or for America or for any of the civilized world until this jihadism is defeated. It can't be bribed, reasoned with or controlled by diplomatic maneuverings. It must be rooted out and destroyed, just as Nazism was after a long struggle at great cost. Our enemies are betting that neither America nor Israel will have the staying power to do what has to be done. G-d help us if they are right.
Please feel free to pass on this "End of Day" update to interested friends and family members.
If you would like to receive this update by e-mail or fax, you can sign up online at http://www.cwfpac.com/cwf_eod_request.htm.
If you would like to support our work, please click on the following link: http://www.cwfpac.com/join_campaign.htm.
Campaign for Working Families
2800 Shirlington Road Suite 605
Arlington, VA 22206
Phone:703-671-8800
Fax: 703-671-8899
Web: www.cwfpac.com
From: Gary L. Bauer, Chairman
Date: Monday, October 6, 2003
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon in the Israeli port city of Haifa on the Jewish Sabbath before Yom Kippur when evil struck again. In a split second, a crazed female jihadist exploded her deadly cargo and 20 people died instantly, while dozens more were gravely wounded. The site of the blast was a popular restaurant, Maxim's, jointly owned by Israeli Arab Christians and Jews. Three generations of one family were destroyed as they sat at their table breaking bread. At least five Israeli children were among the dead.
Later that day, I received a phone call at home from a prominent American- born Israeli, who was beside himself with grief and anger. He was angry at the jihadists who continue to break all the rules of civilization in their obsession to kill Jews. And he was angry at the U.S. government that continues to browbeat Israel into restraining itself. "Israelis love America," he said. "We don't want to irritate or anger the White House. But what are we supposed to do?"
Coincidentally, on Saturday morning the Washington Post featured Colin Powell on the front page making it clear in an interview that the U.S. was looking for ways to punish Israel because plans for the security fence were going forward. This follows our warnings to Israel last week to not touch a hair on the head of chief terrorist Yasser Arafat. This morning several papers are reporting that the President called Prime Minister Sharon to express condolences, but also urged him not to further heighten tensions. I pray those reports are inaccurate. Instead of telling our friend and ally to hold back while fresh graves are being dug for their children, we should be telling them that we now realize the folly of asking them to do what we would never do - bargain with terrorists in the vain hope it will bring peace.
Late last night, the media had managed to track down the family of the homicidal bomber. What that family said should be a slap in the face of reality to every State Department bureaucrat. There was no grief expressed - only joy. "This is a day as happy as her day of marriage would have been," said one man. Get it? Killing Jews was the greatest accomplishment of her life. It was a joyous occasion to be compared to marriage! It was the fulfillment of her jihad Islamic responsibilities.
Does anyone in the U.S. government know whether this incredibly warped evil mindset is embraced by a thousand, ten thousand, or a million Palestinians? Polling shows it is a worldview broadly embraced in the West Bank. So where are "road maps" to peace supposed to end anywhere else but in hell if these are the inhabitants of the Palestinian state that is supposed to live side-by-side in peace with Israel?
Syria ran to the United Nations yesterday to get a resolution to condemn the Israeli response, a 3:00 AM attack on an empty terrorist camp in Syria that resulted in two people being wounded. In a functioning U.N., Syria - with blood dripping from its hands - would have been run out of the chamber by the civilized world. The U.S. threatened to veto any resolution that condemned Israel unless it also condemned homicide bombers. Every member of the Security Council passionately condemned the air strike - the same countries that shrugged 24 hours before when the bodies of broken families were being removed from the restaurant.
There will be no peace for Israel or for America or for any of the civilized world until this jihadism is defeated. It can't be bribed, reasoned with or controlled by diplomatic maneuverings. It must be rooted out and destroyed, just as Nazism was after a long struggle at great cost. Our enemies are betting that neither America nor Israel will have the staying power to do what has to be done. G-d help us if they are right.
Please feel free to pass on this "End of Day" update to interested friends and family members.
If you would like to receive this update by e-mail or fax, you can sign up online at http://www.cwfpac.com/cwf_eod_request.htm.
If you would like to support our work, please click on the following link: http://www.cwfpac.com/join_campaign.htm.
Campaign for Working Families
2800 Shirlington Road Suite 605
Arlington, VA 22206
Phone:703-671-8800
Fax: 703-671-8899
Web: www.cwfpac.com
Saturday, October 04, 2003
JPost: Day of reconciliations
In this beautiful article, Stewart Weiss discusses the meaning of Yom Hakippurim.
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Ruth Matar: IS ISRAEL AMERICA'S BANANA REPUBLIC?
LETTER FROM RUTH MATAR (WOMEN IN GREEN)
JERUSALEM
Thursday, October 2, 2003
Dear Friends,
On September 26, on the eve of Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year, an Arab terrorist broke into a home in Negohot, A Jewish Community near Hebron, and shot dead baby girl Shaked Avraham in her rocker, and also murdered a 27 year old man, Eyal Yerberbaum. Arab terrorists have been particularly fond of staging infiltration into Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria on Sabbath and Jewish Holidays. Since the beginning of the current conflict three years ago a total of 39 Israelis were killed and over 60 wounded in such attacks. Shaked is at least the seventh baby under one year of age, to be deliberately murdered in the ongoing Oslo war of terrorism against Israel.
On September 9, a 19 year old alleged Hamas member, Ihab Abed Qadaer Abu Salim, exploded himself outside a hitchhiking stop near Tel Aviv, taking eight Israelis with him. Five and a half hours later, his cousin and neighbor, 22 year old Ramez Simi Izzedin Abu Salim, blew himself up in Jerusalem, killing seven.
What do these Arab murderers have in common? ALL THREE OF THEM WERE RELEASED FROM JAIL TWO MONTHS AGO BY THE SHARON GOVERNMENT, AFTER STRONG PRESSURE FROM THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. This was supposed to be a confidence building measure to benefit then Prime Minister Abu Mazen and then Security Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan. Did President Bush ever insist on Al Queda terrorists being released as a confidence building measure towards Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein?
The United States has invested more than 100 million this year in the Palestinian security agencies, under the premise that these funds would be allocated to former PA Prime Minister Abu Mazen, and former Security Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan, neither of whom are any longer in power. The funds have now been diverted to forces loyal to Yasser Arafat. THAT LEAVES US SECURITY PERSONNEL IN A POSITION OF TRAINING AND ADVISING PLO ARMED FORCES, WHO NOW COORDINATE TERROR ATTACKS THROUGHOUT ISRAEL.
The question is:
WHY does the Bush Administration continue to bestow large financial grants WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT to the Palestinian Authority and Arafat, the career terrorist, who are the prime movers in this Arab terror? (The International Monitory Fund has reported that Arafat has diverted $900 million to his special account.)
WHY does Israel comply with American dictates NOT to remove Arafat, even though the Israeli Cabinet has decided that this must be done?
WHY does Israel comply when President Bush compels it not to include Ariel, a city of 22,000 inhabitants, behind the so-called security fence? Why does Ariel have to have a separate security fence with a large OPENING? So as not to annoy the Arabs? So as to make it easier for terrorists to enter?
Did you know that the United States has built a high fence, 60 miles long, with plans to add another 260 miles, to more effectively seal its border with Mexico? The U.S. thus has a formidable security barrier at the Mexican border, even though there are no Mexican terrorists intent on exploding bombs on buses in America.
WHY does Israel comply with American dictates with regard to Jews living and building in Judea and Samaria, in their own Biblical Homeland? Why does Israel cave in when the U.S. threatens to deduct any settlement spending from the total amount of U.S. loan guarantees?
In this regard, I found a very interesting article written by Israel Harel, the former Chairman of the Council that represents Jews living in Judea and Samaria, entitled "LET JEWS LIVE ON HOMELANDS". Interestingly enough, USA TODAY published this article on September 21. I think we should express our appreciation to the editor of USA TODAY at editor@usatoday.com, for having the moral courage to publish the truth.
LET JEWS LIVE ON HOMELANDS
By Israel Harel
The term Judenrein means an area cleansed of Jews. In the past, this German concept was applied throughout Europe. Now we hear American and other liberals saying that Jewish communities on the biblical land of Judea and Samaria, the cradle of the Jewish nation, must be emptied of all their inhabitants, so that even in a Jewish homeland there can be Judenrein areas. The expulsion of the Jews from Europe, which reached its height during World War II, was a manifestly barbaric and inhumane act. But there, at least, the Jews were unwelcome guests, having lived in that area for merely a thousand years or so. However, to drive out the Jewish community of Hebron, where the matriarchs and patriarchs of the Jewish people are buried and King David first ruled 3,000 years ago, is unthinkable.
The United States is dotted with towns named for biblical cities in Israel: Hebron, Shilo, Bethlehem. But according to the terminology of many in the U.S. press, the Israeli Shilo, the original one, is a "settlement," and consequently must be cleansed of Jews.
If someone decided to expel Jews from Shiloh, Ohio, or Hebron, Neb., USA TODAY might be among the first to come out against what it would likely term racism. Why then does it support the expulsion of Jews from the original Shilo - the Jewish one? Why are Jews living in their own homeland considered "an obstacle to peace"?
Why is the only place in the world where Jews cannot live - according to liberals - the very place where the Jewish faith was born, where it developed monotheism, where the Judeo-Christian civilization took shape - and where the Jewish people returned after 2,000 years of exile?
It is not the presence of Jews in the settlements that is a provocation to Palestinians; it is the presence of Jews anywhere in Israel on either side of the Green Line, the 1949 armistice line.
So, if you support the expulsion of Jews from Europe, America or anywhere else, you're a racist. But if you advocate the expulsion of Jews from the heart of their homeland, you're a liberal.
Liberals' demand to drive Jews off their own land to create a Judenrein area, in the land of the Jews, of all places, is the height of hypocrisy by those who claim to be fair-minded advocates of justice in the world.
* * *
Indeed, Israel has become a virtual Banana Republic of the United States. I do blame the Bush Administration for its heavy handed interference in Israeli affairs. But I do put even more blame on the Sharon Government. It is the responsibility of any government, above all, to protect the lives of its own citizens and its own national interest. The Sharon Government has failed miserably on both counts.
The key question, unfortunately, that guides the Sharon Government, is not whether the benefit of any particular action -- be it protecting its citizens from terror or holding on to its own Biblical Homeland, Judea and Samaria -- is worth the price of annoying or distancing the United States. In truth, Israel has become America's Banana Republic.
Is this relationship with Israel beneficial for the United States? Absolutely not, neither diplomatically, nor in terms of America's war against terrorism. The United States has declared a global war against terrorism, but like it or not, Israel is on the same globe as America, and thus cannot be made an exception in the fight against terror.
Why are there daily murders of American soldiers in Iraq? Where did all the foreign terrorist fighters against American soldiers in Iraq come from? The United States has admitted that many are Palestinian Arabs, making their way to Iraq through surrounding Arab countries. Where did all these suicide bombers in Iraq come from? They took their lead from Palestinian terrorism - the main source of inspiration for terrorism around the world. The Palestinian Arabs boast already well over 100 suicide attacks - and what did the United States do? It granted them the largest possible prize - a State! Unfortunately, to their own detriment, the Americans are proving that terrorism pays off!
Dear friends: If we close our eyes to this dangerous situation, we share in the guilt of not preventing a future holocaust. Get in touch with your Congressman and your Senators and most importantly, with President Bush, and express your strong feelings against:
* Using American tax payer's money to support Arafat's terrorist organizations, including Fatah, Al Aqsa Martyrs, Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
* Interfering in Israeli Government decisions intended to protect its citizens from terror.
* Collaborating in making the Jewish Homeland Judenrein.
For your information I am including President Bush's phone number which is 202-456-1414. His fax number is 202-456-2461. His email address is president@whitehouse.gov and his snail mail address is President George W. Bush, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500. To get information about how to reach your Senators and Congressman, call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Don't delay! The present relationship between the United States and Israel may well turn out to be tragic, not only for Israel, but for the United States as well.
With Blessings and Love for Israel,
Ruth Matar
=============================================
Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
JERUSALEM
Thursday, October 2, 2003
Dear Friends,
On September 26, on the eve of Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year, an Arab terrorist broke into a home in Negohot, A Jewish Community near Hebron, and shot dead baby girl Shaked Avraham in her rocker, and also murdered a 27 year old man, Eyal Yerberbaum. Arab terrorists have been particularly fond of staging infiltration into Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria on Sabbath and Jewish Holidays. Since the beginning of the current conflict three years ago a total of 39 Israelis were killed and over 60 wounded in such attacks. Shaked is at least the seventh baby under one year of age, to be deliberately murdered in the ongoing Oslo war of terrorism against Israel.
On September 9, a 19 year old alleged Hamas member, Ihab Abed Qadaer Abu Salim, exploded himself outside a hitchhiking stop near Tel Aviv, taking eight Israelis with him. Five and a half hours later, his cousin and neighbor, 22 year old Ramez Simi Izzedin Abu Salim, blew himself up in Jerusalem, killing seven.
What do these Arab murderers have in common? ALL THREE OF THEM WERE RELEASED FROM JAIL TWO MONTHS AGO BY THE SHARON GOVERNMENT, AFTER STRONG PRESSURE FROM THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. This was supposed to be a confidence building measure to benefit then Prime Minister Abu Mazen and then Security Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan. Did President Bush ever insist on Al Queda terrorists being released as a confidence building measure towards Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein?
The United States has invested more than 100 million this year in the Palestinian security agencies, under the premise that these funds would be allocated to former PA Prime Minister Abu Mazen, and former Security Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan, neither of whom are any longer in power. The funds have now been diverted to forces loyal to Yasser Arafat. THAT LEAVES US SECURITY PERSONNEL IN A POSITION OF TRAINING AND ADVISING PLO ARMED FORCES, WHO NOW COORDINATE TERROR ATTACKS THROUGHOUT ISRAEL.
The question is:
WHY does the Bush Administration continue to bestow large financial grants WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT to the Palestinian Authority and Arafat, the career terrorist, who are the prime movers in this Arab terror? (The International Monitory Fund has reported that Arafat has diverted $900 million to his special account.)
WHY does Israel comply with American dictates NOT to remove Arafat, even though the Israeli Cabinet has decided that this must be done?
WHY does Israel comply when President Bush compels it not to include Ariel, a city of 22,000 inhabitants, behind the so-called security fence? Why does Ariel have to have a separate security fence with a large OPENING? So as not to annoy the Arabs? So as to make it easier for terrorists to enter?
Did you know that the United States has built a high fence, 60 miles long, with plans to add another 260 miles, to more effectively seal its border with Mexico? The U.S. thus has a formidable security barrier at the Mexican border, even though there are no Mexican terrorists intent on exploding bombs on buses in America.
WHY does Israel comply with American dictates with regard to Jews living and building in Judea and Samaria, in their own Biblical Homeland? Why does Israel cave in when the U.S. threatens to deduct any settlement spending from the total amount of U.S. loan guarantees?
In this regard, I found a very interesting article written by Israel Harel, the former Chairman of the Council that represents Jews living in Judea and Samaria, entitled "LET JEWS LIVE ON HOMELANDS". Interestingly enough, USA TODAY published this article on September 21. I think we should express our appreciation to the editor of USA TODAY at editor@usatoday.com, for having the moral courage to publish the truth.
LET JEWS LIVE ON HOMELANDS
By Israel Harel
The term Judenrein means an area cleansed of Jews. In the past, this German concept was applied throughout Europe. Now we hear American and other liberals saying that Jewish communities on the biblical land of Judea and Samaria, the cradle of the Jewish nation, must be emptied of all their inhabitants, so that even in a Jewish homeland there can be Judenrein areas. The expulsion of the Jews from Europe, which reached its height during World War II, was a manifestly barbaric and inhumane act. But there, at least, the Jews were unwelcome guests, having lived in that area for merely a thousand years or so. However, to drive out the Jewish community of Hebron, where the matriarchs and patriarchs of the Jewish people are buried and King David first ruled 3,000 years ago, is unthinkable.
The United States is dotted with towns named for biblical cities in Israel: Hebron, Shilo, Bethlehem. But according to the terminology of many in the U.S. press, the Israeli Shilo, the original one, is a "settlement," and consequently must be cleansed of Jews.
If someone decided to expel Jews from Shiloh, Ohio, or Hebron, Neb., USA TODAY might be among the first to come out against what it would likely term racism. Why then does it support the expulsion of Jews from the original Shilo - the Jewish one? Why are Jews living in their own homeland considered "an obstacle to peace"?
Why is the only place in the world where Jews cannot live - according to liberals - the very place where the Jewish faith was born, where it developed monotheism, where the Judeo-Christian civilization took shape - and where the Jewish people returned after 2,000 years of exile?
It is not the presence of Jews in the settlements that is a provocation to Palestinians; it is the presence of Jews anywhere in Israel on either side of the Green Line, the 1949 armistice line.
So, if you support the expulsion of Jews from Europe, America or anywhere else, you're a racist. But if you advocate the expulsion of Jews from the heart of their homeland, you're a liberal.
Liberals' demand to drive Jews off their own land to create a Judenrein area, in the land of the Jews, of all places, is the height of hypocrisy by those who claim to be fair-minded advocates of justice in the world.
* * *
Indeed, Israel has become a virtual Banana Republic of the United States. I do blame the Bush Administration for its heavy handed interference in Israeli affairs. But I do put even more blame on the Sharon Government. It is the responsibility of any government, above all, to protect the lives of its own citizens and its own national interest. The Sharon Government has failed miserably on both counts.
The key question, unfortunately, that guides the Sharon Government, is not whether the benefit of any particular action -- be it protecting its citizens from terror or holding on to its own Biblical Homeland, Judea and Samaria -- is worth the price of annoying or distancing the United States. In truth, Israel has become America's Banana Republic.
Is this relationship with Israel beneficial for the United States? Absolutely not, neither diplomatically, nor in terms of America's war against terrorism. The United States has declared a global war against terrorism, but like it or not, Israel is on the same globe as America, and thus cannot be made an exception in the fight against terror.
Why are there daily murders of American soldiers in Iraq? Where did all the foreign terrorist fighters against American soldiers in Iraq come from? The United States has admitted that many are Palestinian Arabs, making their way to Iraq through surrounding Arab countries. Where did all these suicide bombers in Iraq come from? They took their lead from Palestinian terrorism - the main source of inspiration for terrorism around the world. The Palestinian Arabs boast already well over 100 suicide attacks - and what did the United States do? It granted them the largest possible prize - a State! Unfortunately, to their own detriment, the Americans are proving that terrorism pays off!
Dear friends: If we close our eyes to this dangerous situation, we share in the guilt of not preventing a future holocaust. Get in touch with your Congressman and your Senators and most importantly, with President Bush, and express your strong feelings against:
* Using American tax payer's money to support Arafat's terrorist organizations, including Fatah, Al Aqsa Martyrs, Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
* Interfering in Israeli Government decisions intended to protect its citizens from terror.
* Collaborating in making the Jewish Homeland Judenrein.
For your information I am including President Bush's phone number which is 202-456-1414. His fax number is 202-456-2461. His email address is president@whitehouse.gov and his snail mail address is President George W. Bush, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500. To get information about how to reach your Senators and Congressman, call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Don't delay! The present relationship between the United States and Israel may well turn out to be tragic, not only for Israel, but for the United States as well.
With Blessings and Love for Israel,
Ruth Matar
=============================================
Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
StillThreatening Israel
Gary Bauer: With our Iraq policy under attack and our security at Guantanamo Bay compromised, you would think the State Department would have plenty on its plate dealing with America's enemies. But once again this morning a top State Department official, William Burns, is threatening our friend and ally Israel with financial penalties if it insists on completing a security fence that protects all Israeli communities from terrorist thugs. Burns says the fence is inconsistent with President Bush's vision of a Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel in 2005.
Does the crowd at State still not understand that such a "vision" has become a nightmare? It resulted in more dead Jews and the wasting of millions of U.S. dollars for a Palestinian leader who is no longer in power. A sovereign democracy has a right to defend itself. That is precisely what Israel is doing. I recommend we start getting tough with Saudi Arabia instead of our friends!
Please feel free to pass on this "End of Day" update to interested friends and family members.
If you would like to receive this update by e-mail or fax, you can sign up online at http://www.cwfpac.com/cwf_eod_request.htm.
Campaign for Working Families
2800 Shirlington Road
Suite 605
Arlington, VA 22206
Phone:703-671-8800
Fax: 703-671-8899
Web:
Does the crowd at State still not understand that such a "vision" has become a nightmare? It resulted in more dead Jews and the wasting of millions of U.S. dollars for a Palestinian leader who is no longer in power. A sovereign democracy has a right to defend itself. That is precisely what Israel is doing. I recommend we start getting tough with Saudi Arabia instead of our friends!
Please feel free to pass on this "End of Day" update to interested friends and family members.
If you would like to receive this update by e-mail or fax, you can sign up online at http://www.cwfpac.com/cwf_eod_request.htm.
Campaign for Working Families
2800 Shirlington Road
Suite 605
Arlington, VA 22206
Phone:703-671-8800
Fax: 703-671-8899
Web:
Monday, September 29, 2003
The late Edward Said - a fake!
Who hadn't heard of the late Professor Edward Said of Columbia University? The great, angry prophet of Palestinian injustice, he railed against the "occupier," mourning his "beautiful" house in Jerusalem from which his family was supposedly thrown out in '48, and his poor father impoverished. All because of the brutal Israeli Jews....
Oh, the terrible injustice! And how all his intellectual and academic friends rallied around him: Salman Rushdie, Christopher Hitchens, Alan Cockburn....
Only one problem: Said grew up in Cairo, the son of an American father who owned a very lucrative office supply company. He was driven around with chauffeurs, attended the best private schools. He never even set foot in Jerusalem his entire childhood....
His family did undergo hard times though. When Nasser came to power and nationalized his father's business, the family fled to [his father's native] America.
You'd think Columbia University would have investigated this professor of consummate lies, instead of backing up his "intellectual freedoms," at every turn.
Professor Rene Beres was instrumental in exposing Said.
The complete version of the research on Edward Said (with 141 footnotes, two charts, and a photograph) is available at http://www.commentarymagazine.com/9909/weiner.html.
See also letters and responses on the article in Commentary (January 2000). Author Justus R. Weiner is an international human rights lawyer and a member of both the Israel and the New York Bar Associations. He is currently a Scholar in Residence at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, and an adjunct lecturer at Hebrew and Tel Aviv Universities.
The author wishes to express his appreciation to Judy Shulewitz and Zev Kanter for their assistance.
=======================================
Naomi Ragen
http://www.NaomiRagen.com
Oh, the terrible injustice! And how all his intellectual and academic friends rallied around him: Salman Rushdie, Christopher Hitchens, Alan Cockburn....
Only one problem: Said grew up in Cairo, the son of an American father who owned a very lucrative office supply company. He was driven around with chauffeurs, attended the best private schools. He never even set foot in Jerusalem his entire childhood....
His family did undergo hard times though. When Nasser came to power and nationalized his father's business, the family fled to [his father's native] America.
You'd think Columbia University would have investigated this professor of consummate lies, instead of backing up his "intellectual freedoms," at every turn.
Professor Rene Beres was instrumental in exposing Said.
The complete version of the research on Edward Said (with 141 footnotes, two charts, and a photograph) is available at http://www.commentarymagazine.com/9909/weiner.html.
See also letters and responses on the article in Commentary (January 2000). Author Justus R. Weiner is an international human rights lawyer and a member of both the Israel and the New York Bar Associations. He is currently a Scholar in Residence at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, and an adjunct lecturer at Hebrew and Tel Aviv Universities.
The author wishes to express his appreciation to Judy Shulewitz and Zev Kanter for their assistance.
=======================================
Naomi Ragen
http://www.NaomiRagen.com
Woolsey: We are all Jews
In this JPost piece, former CIA director Woolsey shares a profound truth: The secret of Israel's 'graduation,' thousands of years ago, from a collection of tribes to a nation - the law.
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Friday, September 26, 2003
Women in Green: Criminals of Oslo
Women in Green's Nadia Matar:
Yes, Indeed - Peres and His Friends are the Criminals of Oslo
How would the English have reacted, if Chamberlain, in the midst of England’s war with Germany, had held a celebration of his 1938 Munich Accords with Hitler? If Chamberlain then had said that the Munich agreements were not a mistake. If Chamberlain had claimed “Hitler had been democratically elected by his People”. That it was still possible to make “peace” with Hitler. If Chamberlain had claimed that the way to peace was to give Hitler more weapons and ammunition, and more parts of Europe.
These questions are merely hypothetical, since Chamberlain finally realized he had made a mistake in dealing with Hitler. He painstakingly came to the conclusion that Hitler was not someone to make peace with.
Unlike Chamberlain, Shimon Peres remains unrepentant. He is still proud of his illegally conceived Oslo Accords. Peres deems it irrelevant that Oslo went against the will of the majority of the Jewish People. It was Peres who gave them guns under Oslo, and also large parts of Israel’s Biblical Homeland. Moreover, Peres still believes, as he stated in a recent interview with the Hebrew daily Maariv, that Arafat deserved his Noble Peace Prize.
Ten years after Oslo, there have been 1,200 Jews murdered and thousands maimed for life. Jews have similarly been burned by Arab suicide bombers in buses, like they were burned and gassed in the crematoria of Hitler. Arabs kill Jews not because they live in Yesha, but because they are alive.
If Shimon Peres and the other Oslo architects had admitted they were wrong nobody would have called them criminals. Perhaps naive fools but not criminals. But they continue to still want Israel to shake hands and hug Arafat. They still want to give him large parts of the Jewish Homeland. That is why they have crossed the redline and have turned from being naive fools to Oslo criminals. They call upon Israel to negotiate with their evil Arab enemy, Arafat. They want to uproot Jews from their Homeland. They consider the Jews of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip to being “an obstacle to peace”.
Peres and his friends would liquidate the Jewish Community of Hebron, where the Matriarchs and Patriarchs of the Jews are buried, and where King David first ruled 3,000 years ago. The attitude of Peres and his friends with regard to Jews living in Judea, Samaria, Hebron and Gaza, is unquestionably racism in its clearest form. Yet Peres and his liberal friends will overlook basic democratic principles for the sake of seeking an illusory “peace”.
The criminal message of Oslo is that the Jewish People have no historical, moral, Biblical, or legal right to exist as a Jewish State in the Land of Israel. Oslo has turned truth and the moral values of Western Civilization upside-down. The vicious Arab aggressor is now being portrayed by Peres and his liberal friends as “the victim”. The Jew who has lived in his Promised Land for over 3,000 years, has been turned into the “occupying aggressor”. George Orwell could not have done a better job than Peres and his friends. All this is a direct result of the Oslo mentality.
If we want Israel to survive as a Jewish State, we must, once and for all, eradicate Oslo. The “Road Map” is merely a disastrous continuation of Oslo and that too must be abandoned by Israel. Whatever good deeds Shimon Peres may have done in the past, they do not atone for his criminal Oslo actions, and his continual disloyalty to Israel, both in the media and to many foreign Governments, both here and abroad.
Therefore, Women in Green will continue to call for the indictments of the Oslo criminals. More than 50 years ago Moshe Sharet, a former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Israel, made this astute prognosis:
“I totally and utterly reject Shimon Peres and consider his rise to prominence, a malignant, immoral disgrace. I will rend my clothes in mourning for the State of Israel, if I see him become a Minister in the Israeli Government.”
Sadly, Shimon Peres indeed has risen to prominence. His recent 80th birthday celebration caused Israel to expend enormous sums of money to provide security for his international guests. This selfish egoistic act is inexcusable, at a time when Israel’s economy is severely strained, forcing its military budget to be significantly reduced.
Unfortunately, the left controlled media did not objectively allow to be reported any negative aspects of Peres. Moreover, the thousands who viewed the participation of Sharon and Katzav in Peres’ birthday celebration, interpreted their action as if they approved of Peres’ continuous disloyalty to Israel.
In accordance with what Sharet said about Peres many years ago, thousands of Jews have already torn their clothes in mourning. Jews should moreover, continue to mourn that Peres is still held in high esteem by some Jews in Israel and America, and by many enemies of Israel. It should be remembered however, that Peres’ views are not held by the great majority of Jews in Israel. The Jewish People everywhere remain loyal to the Land of Israel, and to the Torah of Israel.
Nadia Matar
============================================= Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green) POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
Yes, Indeed - Peres and His Friends are the Criminals of Oslo
How would the English have reacted, if Chamberlain, in the midst of England’s war with Germany, had held a celebration of his 1938 Munich Accords with Hitler? If Chamberlain then had said that the Munich agreements were not a mistake. If Chamberlain had claimed “Hitler had been democratically elected by his People”. That it was still possible to make “peace” with Hitler. If Chamberlain had claimed that the way to peace was to give Hitler more weapons and ammunition, and more parts of Europe.
These questions are merely hypothetical, since Chamberlain finally realized he had made a mistake in dealing with Hitler. He painstakingly came to the conclusion that Hitler was not someone to make peace with.
Unlike Chamberlain, Shimon Peres remains unrepentant. He is still proud of his illegally conceived Oslo Accords. Peres deems it irrelevant that Oslo went against the will of the majority of the Jewish People. It was Peres who gave them guns under Oslo, and also large parts of Israel’s Biblical Homeland. Moreover, Peres still believes, as he stated in a recent interview with the Hebrew daily Maariv, that Arafat deserved his Noble Peace Prize.
Ten years after Oslo, there have been 1,200 Jews murdered and thousands maimed for life. Jews have similarly been burned by Arab suicide bombers in buses, like they were burned and gassed in the crematoria of Hitler. Arabs kill Jews not because they live in Yesha, but because they are alive.
If Shimon Peres and the other Oslo architects had admitted they were wrong nobody would have called them criminals. Perhaps naive fools but not criminals. But they continue to still want Israel to shake hands and hug Arafat. They still want to give him large parts of the Jewish Homeland. That is why they have crossed the redline and have turned from being naive fools to Oslo criminals. They call upon Israel to negotiate with their evil Arab enemy, Arafat. They want to uproot Jews from their Homeland. They consider the Jews of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip to being “an obstacle to peace”.
Peres and his friends would liquidate the Jewish Community of Hebron, where the Matriarchs and Patriarchs of the Jews are buried, and where King David first ruled 3,000 years ago. The attitude of Peres and his friends with regard to Jews living in Judea, Samaria, Hebron and Gaza, is unquestionably racism in its clearest form. Yet Peres and his liberal friends will overlook basic democratic principles for the sake of seeking an illusory “peace”.
The criminal message of Oslo is that the Jewish People have no historical, moral, Biblical, or legal right to exist as a Jewish State in the Land of Israel. Oslo has turned truth and the moral values of Western Civilization upside-down. The vicious Arab aggressor is now being portrayed by Peres and his liberal friends as “the victim”. The Jew who has lived in his Promised Land for over 3,000 years, has been turned into the “occupying aggressor”. George Orwell could not have done a better job than Peres and his friends. All this is a direct result of the Oslo mentality.
If we want Israel to survive as a Jewish State, we must, once and for all, eradicate Oslo. The “Road Map” is merely a disastrous continuation of Oslo and that too must be abandoned by Israel. Whatever good deeds Shimon Peres may have done in the past, they do not atone for his criminal Oslo actions, and his continual disloyalty to Israel, both in the media and to many foreign Governments, both here and abroad.
Therefore, Women in Green will continue to call for the indictments of the Oslo criminals. More than 50 years ago Moshe Sharet, a former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Israel, made this astute prognosis:
“I totally and utterly reject Shimon Peres and consider his rise to prominence, a malignant, immoral disgrace. I will rend my clothes in mourning for the State of Israel, if I see him become a Minister in the Israeli Government.”
Sadly, Shimon Peres indeed has risen to prominence. His recent 80th birthday celebration caused Israel to expend enormous sums of money to provide security for his international guests. This selfish egoistic act is inexcusable, at a time when Israel’s economy is severely strained, forcing its military budget to be significantly reduced.
Unfortunately, the left controlled media did not objectively allow to be reported any negative aspects of Peres. Moreover, the thousands who viewed the participation of Sharon and Katzav in Peres’ birthday celebration, interpreted their action as if they approved of Peres’ continuous disloyalty to Israel.
In accordance with what Sharet said about Peres many years ago, thousands of Jews have already torn their clothes in mourning. Jews should moreover, continue to mourn that Peres is still held in high esteem by some Jews in Israel and America, and by many enemies of Israel. It should be remembered however, that Peres’ views are not held by the great majority of Jews in Israel. The Jewish People everywhere remain loyal to the Land of Israel, and to the Torah of Israel.
Nadia Matar
============================================= Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green) POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
TEN YEARS OF OSLO
LETTER FROM RUTH AND NADIA MATAR (WOMEN IN GREEN) JERUSALEM
Dear Friends,
Naomi Ragen, the well-known author, sent out the following email on September 19, two days before Peres' birthday celebration. She listed her subject as: Let's wish Mr. Peres the birthday he deserves.
"Well, I'm back. The terrible events that took place while I was away touched me
in far off places, because wherever our bodies are, our hearts are always in Jerusalem.
"I understand Shimon Peres is going to have a big, state-sponsored 80th birthday this Sunday, with invited guests including such friends of Israel as Bill Clinton....
"I'd like to wish Mr. Peres a happy birthday, and to thank him for his continuing contributions to the people of Israel:
"Thank you, Mr. Peres, for bringing back Yasir Arafat from Tunis, and for writing your book The New Middle East, to convince the Israeli public to put their lives into Arafat's hands.
"Thank you, Mr. Peres, for again, and again, and again, backing up Yasir Arafat each time a terrorist attack killed our people, helping to convince Israelis, and the world, that Arafat wasn't responsible.
"Thank you, for contributing more than any other person, to the ability of terrorist organizations to evade responsibility, to set up shop in Israel, causing the death of over eight hundred men, women and children, and the injury of thousands more.
"Thank you, Mr. Peres, for paying Roed Larson, over $100,000, a prize from the Peres Center for Peace, for helping you to get a Nobel Prize. Before, during and after getting his prize, Mr. Larsen was notorious for his wonderful contributions to our area, including non-stop incitement against the Israeli people, government and armed forces.
"Thank you, Mr. Peres, for being a true quisling, in a nation that has many; for never visiting a terror victim, for never taking responsibility for Oslo's disasters, for preening and congratulating yourself on your many achievements at the expense of our lives.
"Because of you, thousands in Israel will never reach the age of eighty. Because of you many families will never be able to celebrate a loved one's birthday.
"Those who would like to express their appreciation and good wishes to Mr. Peres, can join the following demonstration opposite his party in Tel Aviv, on Sunday, September 21 organized by Women in Green (who were right all along...)"
Naomi
We have been criticized by quite a number of people, especially in the leftist media, for holding a protest Rally where Peres' birthday party was held, and thus "raining on his parade". However, we felt that, as Shakespeare had Mark Anthony say in the famous funeral oration in "Julius Caesar":
"The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones." Whatever good Shimon Peres has done, pales in comparison with the tragedy he has brought upon the Jewish People.
Over a thousand people took part in a very meaningful Rally outside the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv on Sunday night. Shimon Peres had a dazzling birthday party inside - with all the rich and famous and powerful lauding him for his great "Achievements of Oslo". We, on the other hand, stood outside and mourned the 1,200 murdered and many thousands maimed for life, all because Shimon Peres secretly made agreements with an enemy organization bent on Israel's destruction. There were no cocktails served at our gathering. Nor was there any festive music. Only the Prayer "El Male Rachamim" (G-d full of Mercy) and pre-Rosh HaShana Shofar blowing, which is meant to "wake us from our slumber" and take time to get into the mode of introspection and reviewing our actions of the past year; and to repent both as individuals and as a nation.
We had thirty speakers in all. We deliberately did not invite politicians but only leaders of grass roots groups opposed to giving away the Land. We also asked some family members of terror victims to speak.
There was not a dry eye amongst us, when the father of 16 year old David Boim, who was murdered on his way home from school, said with tears in his eyes: "Parents should never have to bury their own children." The daughter of Rabbi Ra'anan spoke movingly about her father, who was murdered in Hebron by an Arab terrorist, who broke into their home while they were sleeping.
Each speaker, after a very short address, read some of the names of the people murdered. After each name was read, all of us said in unison: "May Hashem avenge his blood".
The demonstration was powerful and moving, but in no way depressing or hopeless, because we knew that we, outside the Mann Auditorium, represented the majority of the Jewish People, those who love their Land, their Heritage, and their People.
Peres, after loosing the 1996 election to Binyamin Netanyahu, answered questions the day after in an interview with Ha'aretz:
Interviewer: What happened in these elections?
Peres: We lost.
Interviewer: Who is we?
Peres: We, that is the Israelis.
Interviewer: And who won?
Peres: All those who do not have an Israeli mentality.
Interviewer: And who are they?
Peres: Call it the Jews.
We are the "Jews" Peres spoke about. We're proud not to have the Peres mentality!
In the name of all those who were killed and maimed, and all those who are alive and well and want to see Israel as a strong Jewish State - we vowed to make sure that the Jews will always have the upper hand and we vowed to save our country from Shimon Peres and the other Oslo criminals. That is why the singing of Hatikva at the end of our demo was loud, clear and strong. Hatikva, Israel's national anthem, means hope!
We know that our message "The Land of Israel, belongs to the People of Israel, based on the Torah of Israel" is the only hope for the survival of Israel as a Jewish state. And we know that in the end, with God's help, this Jewish message is the one that will prevail.
Shana Tova!
With Blessings and Love for Israel,
Ruth and Nadia Matar
=============================================
Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
Dear Friends,
Naomi Ragen, the well-known author, sent out the following email on September 19, two days before Peres' birthday celebration. She listed her subject as: Let's wish Mr. Peres the birthday he deserves.
"Well, I'm back. The terrible events that took place while I was away touched me
in far off places, because wherever our bodies are, our hearts are always in Jerusalem.
"I understand Shimon Peres is going to have a big, state-sponsored 80th birthday this Sunday, with invited guests including such friends of Israel as Bill Clinton....
"I'd like to wish Mr. Peres a happy birthday, and to thank him for his continuing contributions to the people of Israel:
"Thank you, Mr. Peres, for bringing back Yasir Arafat from Tunis, and for writing your book The New Middle East, to convince the Israeli public to put their lives into Arafat's hands.
"Thank you, Mr. Peres, for again, and again, and again, backing up Yasir Arafat each time a terrorist attack killed our people, helping to convince Israelis, and the world, that Arafat wasn't responsible.
"Thank you, for contributing more than any other person, to the ability of terrorist organizations to evade responsibility, to set up shop in Israel, causing the death of over eight hundred men, women and children, and the injury of thousands more.
"Thank you, Mr. Peres, for paying Roed Larson, over $100,000, a prize from the Peres Center for Peace, for helping you to get a Nobel Prize. Before, during and after getting his prize, Mr. Larsen was notorious for his wonderful contributions to our area, including non-stop incitement against the Israeli people, government and armed forces.
"Thank you, Mr. Peres, for being a true quisling, in a nation that has many; for never visiting a terror victim, for never taking responsibility for Oslo's disasters, for preening and congratulating yourself on your many achievements at the expense of our lives.
"Because of you, thousands in Israel will never reach the age of eighty. Because of you many families will never be able to celebrate a loved one's birthday.
"Those who would like to express their appreciation and good wishes to Mr. Peres, can join the following demonstration opposite his party in Tel Aviv, on Sunday, September 21 organized by Women in Green (who were right all along...)"
Naomi
We have been criticized by quite a number of people, especially in the leftist media, for holding a protest Rally where Peres' birthday party was held, and thus "raining on his parade". However, we felt that, as Shakespeare had Mark Anthony say in the famous funeral oration in "Julius Caesar":
"The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones." Whatever good Shimon Peres has done, pales in comparison with the tragedy he has brought upon the Jewish People.
Over a thousand people took part in a very meaningful Rally outside the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv on Sunday night. Shimon Peres had a dazzling birthday party inside - with all the rich and famous and powerful lauding him for his great "Achievements of Oslo". We, on the other hand, stood outside and mourned the 1,200 murdered and many thousands maimed for life, all because Shimon Peres secretly made agreements with an enemy organization bent on Israel's destruction. There were no cocktails served at our gathering. Nor was there any festive music. Only the Prayer "El Male Rachamim" (G-d full of Mercy) and pre-Rosh HaShana Shofar blowing, which is meant to "wake us from our slumber" and take time to get into the mode of introspection and reviewing our actions of the past year; and to repent both as individuals and as a nation.
We had thirty speakers in all. We deliberately did not invite politicians but only leaders of grass roots groups opposed to giving away the Land. We also asked some family members of terror victims to speak.
There was not a dry eye amongst us, when the father of 16 year old David Boim, who was murdered on his way home from school, said with tears in his eyes: "Parents should never have to bury their own children." The daughter of Rabbi Ra'anan spoke movingly about her father, who was murdered in Hebron by an Arab terrorist, who broke into their home while they were sleeping.
Each speaker, after a very short address, read some of the names of the people murdered. After each name was read, all of us said in unison: "May Hashem avenge his blood".
The demonstration was powerful and moving, but in no way depressing or hopeless, because we knew that we, outside the Mann Auditorium, represented the majority of the Jewish People, those who love their Land, their Heritage, and their People.
Peres, after loosing the 1996 election to Binyamin Netanyahu, answered questions the day after in an interview with Ha'aretz:
Interviewer: What happened in these elections?
Peres: We lost.
Interviewer: Who is we?
Peres: We, that is the Israelis.
Interviewer: And who won?
Peres: All those who do not have an Israeli mentality.
Interviewer: And who are they?
Peres: Call it the Jews.
We are the "Jews" Peres spoke about. We're proud not to have the Peres mentality!
In the name of all those who were killed and maimed, and all those who are alive and well and want to see Israel as a strong Jewish State - we vowed to make sure that the Jews will always have the upper hand and we vowed to save our country from Shimon Peres and the other Oslo criminals. That is why the singing of Hatikva at the end of our demo was loud, clear and strong. Hatikva, Israel's national anthem, means hope!
We know that our message "The Land of Israel, belongs to the People of Israel, based on the Torah of Israel" is the only hope for the survival of Israel as a Jewish state. And we know that in the end, with God's help, this Jewish message is the one that will prevail.
Shana Tova!
With Blessings and Love for Israel,
Ruth and Nadia Matar
=============================================
Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
Monday, September 22, 2003
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
Happy Independence Day!
Speaker of the Knesset at Mt. Herzl
Speech for the Eve of Independence Day 5763/2003
Happy Independence Day, my brothers and sisters of Israel:
Our flag has just been raised to full mast, and once again it is flying proudly over our Holy City, on the mount of memorial and heroism, as though it were natural and self-evident; as though it were always so.
But the "Yizkor" [memorial] prayer, and the sad trumpet fanfare still echoing in our ears, and the distress of Memorial day still in our hearts--these remind us, today, as they do each year, how far all this is from self-evident.
At this time, during this ongoing war against terrorism, we are not, unfortunately, in need of any reminder.
For this year, like last year, we remember well, on each and every day, the terrible price of our freedom.
This freedom, on whose altar were offered up such heroes as the soldier of the 51st Golan Battalion, 1st Class Sergeant Matanya Robinson, of blessed memory, who fell in the battle of Jenin, only a year ago; and Master Sergeant Tiran Arazi, of blessed memory, from the Nachshon Battalion of the Fifth Infantry Brigade, who fell the following day, on Holocaust Day last year, together with twelve other heroes, in that terrible alley of death in the Jenin Refugee Camp.
May God avenge their blood.
Yardena, the twelve-year-old sister of Matanya (who was twenty two when he fell), and Mor, the eleven-year old daughter of Tiran (who was thirty three when he fell), may they live long, good lives, are standing here at my side, as we close the gates of tears and sanctify the festival of our resurrection, the Day of Independence. They are honouring us with their presence and will participate in the ceremony.
In every generation, each person must feel as though he himself came from slavery to redemption, to freedom, to independence.
Each year, as the flag is raised here, I remember several historical flag raisings, that have been branded in our memory, in Israel's collective memory.
I recall the raising of the official flag of the young State of Israel in front of the United Nations building in full view of the whole world, when Israel proudly joined the family of nations; I remember the improvised "Ink Flag", the flag of excited fighters that was flown at Um Rash Rash, now Eilat....
I remember the flag that was flown at the end of the battle, on the top of the Mt. Hermon outpost, by the members of the Golani Brigade, when they conquered "the Eyes of the State," after having lost dozens of their comrades; and I remember the flag flown at the official ceremony, in the center of Cairo, by Israel's first ambassador to Egypt.
But this flying of our flag on high, in the open, in full view, is not so s elf-evident. So much meaning is encompassed in this simple act. There is no symbol more pure to express our resurrection from the ashes, from the piles of ruins, from the blood.
This raising of our flag expresses hope and determination, optimism and power, pride and even a small amount of protest against the whole world: "Look and see: We are here! This is our place, and here we will stay"!
Today too, even as we celebrate fifty-five years of our independence, as a sovereign nation sure of itself, we still feel the need to wave our flag in full view, just to show them all, in a very Israeli way.
Perhaps this is because today, after our great and true dream--of peace, of a little tranquility--has burst over our heads, and has been proved a terrible illusion, after the great sobering up,
It seems that we are all returning to take a stronger grasp on our old and good Eretz Yisrael [Land of Israel], of the songs, the culture, the symbols, and, of course, our blue and white flag.
And it's true, everyone can feel it: We are once again gathering around our group bonfire; we are removing our robe of cynicism; we are returning closer to our Israeliness, in a sort of protest: against the situation, against the terrorism, against the broken dream of peace.
Independence Day, despite the situation, or perhaps just because of it, has become again a day of popular, real, and simple rejoicing, shared by us all; a day when we are not ashamed to express our love--as we once did--for this Land, for our own State.
And despite the situation, and perhaps just because of the situation--just because we once again understand that nothing here is self-evident--we are filled with pride, with joy and with gratitude for what we have achieved here in fifty five years.
True, we had not expected to meet our fifty fifth Independence Day like this, still in the midst of a war against horrific terrorism.
If only I could truly stand here this evening, at the beginning of our Independence Day, and make a promise to all of us that everything will be fine; that the longed-for peace - is just outside our walls; and that tomorrow a new, a promising dawn will break through the skies of this wounded and bleeding land.
Instead we can, all of us, look reality in the eyes, and promise ourselves and our children, that as always, as we have done throughout the past fifty five years, even if sometimes we must grit our teeth, together we shall continue to dream and to try to make it happen; together we shall continue to hope and to build; and together we shall wave the flag.
Happy Independence Day, Israel!
Speech for the Eve of Independence Day 5763/2003
Happy Independence Day, my brothers and sisters of Israel:
Our flag has just been raised to full mast, and once again it is flying proudly over our Holy City, on the mount of memorial and heroism, as though it were natural and self-evident; as though it were always so.
But the "Yizkor" [memorial] prayer, and the sad trumpet fanfare still echoing in our ears, and the distress of Memorial day still in our hearts--these remind us, today, as they do each year, how far all this is from self-evident.
At this time, during this ongoing war against terrorism, we are not, unfortunately, in need of any reminder.
For this year, like last year, we remember well, on each and every day, the terrible price of our freedom.
This freedom, on whose altar were offered up such heroes as the soldier of the 51st Golan Battalion, 1st Class Sergeant Matanya Robinson, of blessed memory, who fell in the battle of Jenin, only a year ago; and Master Sergeant Tiran Arazi, of blessed memory, from the Nachshon Battalion of the Fifth Infantry Brigade, who fell the following day, on Holocaust Day last year, together with twelve other heroes, in that terrible alley of death in the Jenin Refugee Camp.
May God avenge their blood.
Yardena, the twelve-year-old sister of Matanya (who was twenty two when he fell), and Mor, the eleven-year old daughter of Tiran (who was thirty three when he fell), may they live long, good lives, are standing here at my side, as we close the gates of tears and sanctify the festival of our resurrection, the Day of Independence. They are honouring us with their presence and will participate in the ceremony.
In every generation, each person must feel as though he himself came from slavery to redemption, to freedom, to independence.
Each year, as the flag is raised here, I remember several historical flag raisings, that have been branded in our memory, in Israel's collective memory.
I recall the raising of the official flag of the young State of Israel in front of the United Nations building in full view of the whole world, when Israel proudly joined the family of nations; I remember the improvised "Ink Flag", the flag of excited fighters that was flown at Um Rash Rash, now Eilat....
I remember the flag that was flown at the end of the battle, on the top of the Mt. Hermon outpost, by the members of the Golani Brigade, when they conquered "the Eyes of the State," after having lost dozens of their comrades; and I remember the flag flown at the official ceremony, in the center of Cairo, by Israel's first ambassador to Egypt.
But this flying of our flag on high, in the open, in full view, is not so s elf-evident. So much meaning is encompassed in this simple act. There is no symbol more pure to express our resurrection from the ashes, from the piles of ruins, from the blood.
This raising of our flag expresses hope and determination, optimism and power, pride and even a small amount of protest against the whole world: "Look and see: We are here! This is our place, and here we will stay"!
Today too, even as we celebrate fifty-five years of our independence, as a sovereign nation sure of itself, we still feel the need to wave our flag in full view, just to show them all, in a very Israeli way.
Perhaps this is because today, after our great and true dream--of peace, of a little tranquility--has burst over our heads, and has been proved a terrible illusion, after the great sobering up,
It seems that we are all returning to take a stronger grasp on our old and good Eretz Yisrael [Land of Israel], of the songs, the culture, the symbols, and, of course, our blue and white flag.
And it's true, everyone can feel it: We are once again gathering around our group bonfire; we are removing our robe of cynicism; we are returning closer to our Israeliness, in a sort of protest: against the situation, against the terrorism, against the broken dream of peace.
Independence Day, despite the situation, or perhaps just because of it, has become again a day of popular, real, and simple rejoicing, shared by us all; a day when we are not ashamed to express our love--as we once did--for this Land, for our own State.
And despite the situation, and perhaps just because of the situation--just because we once again understand that nothing here is self-evident--we are filled with pride, with joy and with gratitude for what we have achieved here in fifty five years.
True, we had not expected to meet our fifty fifth Independence Day like this, still in the midst of a war against horrific terrorism.
If only I could truly stand here this evening, at the beginning of our Independence Day, and make a promise to all of us that everything will be fine; that the longed-for peace - is just outside our walls; and that tomorrow a new, a promising dawn will break through the skies of this wounded and bleeding land.
Instead we can, all of us, look reality in the eyes, and promise ourselves and our children, that as always, as we have done throughout the past fifty five years, even if sometimes we must grit our teeth, together we shall continue to dream and to try to make it happen; together we shall continue to hope and to build; and together we shall wave the flag.
Happy Independence Day, Israel!
Monday, May 05, 2003
Yom HaZikaron - Remembrance Day
Soldiers and security personnel who have fallen since the War of Independence: 19,914
Total number fallen (including the pre-State period: 21,540
(This number includes disabled IDF veterans who later died from their wounds and non-IDF personnel who fell in the line of duty).
Number of soldiers killed since Remembrance Day last year 254
-------------------------------------------------
The Parade of The Fallen
Hayim Hefer
They come from the mountains,
from the valley, from the desert,
They come - names, faces, eyes -
and they stand for the parade.
They come in a masculine step,
strong and sun-tanned,
They emerge from the shattered planes
and from the burnt tanks;
They rise from behind the rocks, from across
the dunes, from connecting ditches,
Brave as lions, tough as tigers, swift as eagles,
And they pass one by one
beween two rows of angels,
Who feed them candy and place flowers
around their necks;
And I look at them, and all of them are happy.
These are my brothers my friends, these are my brothers.
And they meet one another,
black eyes and blue and brown,
And they remind each other of names,
of weapons, and of places,
And they pour each other cups of coffee and tea
And burst out suddenly together shouting: "Huzza! Hurra!"
And they meet in the large assemblage,
friends and comrades,
And officers slap the privates' shoulders
and the privates shake the officers' hands,
And they burst out in song and clap their hands
And all the dwellers of heaven listen to them
awe struck,
And the get-together lasts day and night,
and night and day,
Because such a bunch has not yet been seen above!
And then suddenly they hear familiar voices crying,
And they look homeward at father and mother,
at their wives, their children and their brothers,
And their faces are silent
and they stand ill at ease
And then someone quickly whispers:
Forgive us, but we had to!
We won the battles and now we are resting.
These are my brothers my friends, these are my brothers.
And so they stand, the light bright on their faces,
And only the Lord Himself passes among them,
With tears in His eyes He kisses their wounds
And He says in a trembling voice
to the white angels:
These are my sons my friends,
these are my sons!
Hebrew lyrics: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG00490
-------------------------------------------------
Yom Hazikaron, the day of remembrance for those who fell in the struggle for the establishment of the State of Israel and in its defense, is marked during the 24 hours preceding Yom Ha'atsma'ut (Israel's Independence Day). On YomHazikaron the entire nation remembers its debt and expresses eternal gratitude to its sons and daughters who gave their lives for the achievement of the country's independence and its continued existence.
Yom Hazikaron is a day of collective and personal anguish mingled with awe and honor for the fallen. It is a day on which the living rededicate themselves to the State of Israel, so that they may be worthy of the sacrifice of those who died for its survival.
In Israel, Yom Hazikaron commences countrywide with the sound of sirens proclaiming a two-minute silence during which all activity and traffic cease. Flags are flown at half mast and memorial ceremonies are held all over the country. Ending at sundown, the somber, reflective mood of Yom Hazikaron gives way to the celebration of Yom Ha'atsma'ut, a transition which emphasizes the lasting tie between the sacrifice of the country's fallen and the continued existence of a vibrant and dynamic State of Israel.
Lighting the Remembrance Torch
We light this remembrance torch as a symbol, to honor all the heroes and heroines of our generation; the partisan groups, the ghetto fighters and the underground defenders, the innocent victims of terror attacks, and those who fought in the wars to defend the State of Israel since its establishment.
Every home in Israel traditionaly lights its own 24 hour candle, allowing the flicker to remind us every moment of the sacrifice of the few on behalf of the many.
(Communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
----------------------------------------------------
Selected Readings for Remembrance Day
(Communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
The Paratroopers Cry
Hayim Hefer
This wall has heard many prayers
This wall has seen the fall of many other walls
This wall has felt the touch of mourning women
This wall has felt petitions lodged between its stones.
This wall saw Rabbi Yehuda Halevi trampled before it
This wall has seen Caesars rise and fall
But this wall had never seen paratroopers cry.
This wall saw them tired and wrung out
This wall saw them wounded, mutilated
Running to it with excitement, cries and silence.
And creeping as torn creatures in the alleys of the
Old City
And they are covered with dust and with parched lips
They whisper, "If I forget thee, if I forget thee Jerusalem"
They are swift as eagles and strong as lions
And their tanks - the fiery chariot of Elijah the Prophet
They pass by with noise
They pass by a stream
They remember the 2,000 awful years
In which we had not even a wall to place our tears
before –
And here they stand before it and breathe in dust
Here they look at it with sweet pain
And tears run down and they look at one another perplexed
How does it happen that paratroopers cry?
How does it happen that they touch this wall
with great emotion?
How does it happen that their weeping
changes to song?
Perhaps because these boys of 19,
born at the same time as the state,
carry on their shoulders - 2,000 years.
Hebrew lyrics: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG004a0
-------------------------------------------
Yizkor
May God remember the valiant men and women who braved mortal danger in the days of struggle prior to the establishment of the State of Israel and the soldiers who fell in the wars of Israel.
May the people of Israel cherish them in their memory; let them mourn the splendor of youth, the altruism of valor, the dedication of will and the dignity of self-sacrifice which came to an end on the battlefield.
May the loyal and courageous heroes of freedom and victory be sealed forever within the hearts of all Israel, in this generation and forevermore.
Hebrew text: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG005l0
-------------------------------------------------
Memorial Service for Members of the Israel Defense Forces
O God, full of mercy, Who dwells on high, grant proper rest in the wings of the Divine Presence – in the lofty level of the holy and the pure ones, who shine like the glow of the firmament – for the souls of the men and women of the Israel Defense Forces who met their deaths in the wars of Israel, in action of defense, retaliation and security, while fulfilling their missions and during their service, and to the souls of all the fighters of the underground organizations and the fighting units in the nation's battles, and all the men and women of the intelligence community and the security and police forces who gave their lives in the sanctification of God's Name and, with the help of the God of the armies of Israel, brought about the rebirth of the nation and the state and the redemption of the Land and the City of God, as well as all those who were murdered, in Israel and abroad, by murderers of the terrorist organizations, by virtue of our prayers for the ascent of their souls.
May the Merciful One therefore shelter them in the shelter of his wings for eternity; and may He bind their souls in the Bond of Life. The Lord is their heritage, Eden their place of rest. May they repose in peace in their resting places, may their merit reflect on all of Israel, and may they meet their destiny in the End of Days.
Now let us all respond: Amen.
Hebrew text: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG005m0
-------------------------------------------------------
The Silver Platter
Nathan Altermam
"A State is not handed to a people on a silver platter" -
Chaim Weizmann, first president of Israel
The Earth grows still.
The lurid sky slowly pales
Over smoking borders.
Heartsick, but still living, a people stand by
To greet the uniqueness
of the miracle.
Readied, they wait beneath the moon,
Wrapped in awesome joy, before the light.
-- Then, soon,
A girl and boy step forward,
And slowly walk before the waiting nation;
In work garb and heavy-shod
They climb
In stillness.
Wearing yet the dress of battle, the grime
Of aching day and fire-filled night
Unwashed, weary unto death, not knowing rest,
But wearing youth like dewdrops in their hair.
-- Silently the two approach
And stand.
Are they of the quick or of the dead?
Through wondering tears, the people stare.
"Who are you, the silent two?"
And they reply: "We are the silver platter
Upon which the Jewish State was served to you."
And speaking, fall in shadow at the nation's feet.
Let the rest in Israel's chronicles be told.
Hebrew lyrics: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG005p0
---------------------------------------------------
And my Brother Said Nothing
Amir Gilboa
My brother came back from the field
dressed in gray. And I was afraid that
my dream might prove false, so at once
I began to count his wounds.
And my brother said nothing
Then I rummaged in the pockets of the trench-coat
and found a field-dressing, stained and dry.
And on a frayed postcard, her name -
beneath a picture of poppies.
And my brother said nothing.
Then I undid the pack
and took out his belongings, memory by memory.
Hurrah, my brother, my brother, the hero,
now I've found your decorations!
Hurrah, my brother, my brother, the hero,
I shall proudly hymn your name!
And my brother said nothing.
And my brother said nothing.
And his blood was crying out from the ground.
Hebrew lyrics: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG00460
---------------------------------------------------
Those who Live by their Virtue Will Say
Uri Zvi Greenberg
They were the chosen... They sang... Now their voices are silent.
The true sons of the race of David that fell with their sword in
their hand.
Simple and lovely like young David of the Shepherd Clan...
And they shall praise Thee, O Lord, from the dust they've returned
to!
The dust Thou created them from is the dust of death...
This kind of dust whereof Thou createth primeval man.
The Temple Mount and the Rock -
From that dust they'll praise Thee...Immortal are they!
There is no truth, there is no glory but them.
And we, in this world, do live by their virtue.
And by their splendor we prosper.
Whoever looks unto their graves will ne'er be enslaved any longer.
Hebrew lyrics: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG00470
-------------------------------------------------------
The Third Mother
Nathan Alterman
Mothers are singing. Mothers are singing.
A fist of thunder bangs down. Strong silence.
Red-bearded lamps are marching
in the empty streets in rows.
Autumn mortally ill, weary,
inconsolable autumn,
rain without beginning or end.
No candle in the window, no light in the world,
three mothers sing.
I hear one of them say:
"He was here but yesterday.
I shall kiss his every fingernail and finger.
I see a tall ship in a calm bay,
and my son from the topmast hanging."
And the second one says:
"My son is tall and quiet.
I am sewing a holiday shirt for my dear.
He's walking in the fields. He will soon be here.
And he holds in his heart a lead bullet."
And the third mother says with her wandering eyes:
"No one was dearer or kinder...
Who shall weep when he comes if I cannot see?
I do not know where he finds him."
And she bathed her eyelashes with weeping.
Perhaps he is only resting. Perhaps
in foreign places he measures
the paths of Your world, O God,
(Like a wandering monk) with kisses.
-------------------------------------------
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Speech at the Yad-Lebanim Gathering on the Eve of Remembrance Day
(05/05/2003)
Dear Families,
Night is falling on the eve of Remembrance Day for the Fallen Soldiers. The State flag has been lowered, and soon a siren will sound. From thousands of pasts, from all battlefields, it is as though a convoy of shadows is winding its way to Jerusalem. It is a convoy which is over one hundred years old, comprising the protectors of the people who marked the path of revival and victory with blood and glory the convoy of Israels freedom.
On Remembrance Day, as is customary in Israel, memorial candles will be lit in every home, and in every heart the flame of memory for a fallen warrior will be kindled a precious family member or beloved friend who is gone. For there is not one person in Israel who has not lost someone close or familiar over the years, nor is there anyone in Israel who does not remember.
It is you, the families, who will forever preserve their memory. It is the shadow which follows you during the day and the light which illuminates your nights. It is a painting engraved deep within your souls, and fragments of life which will never be forgotten.
I share your pain, because in my heart, I also feel that constant sorrow for the absence of my brothers-in-arms companions with whom I went into battle, and only blind fate decided who would be buried and who would fight the next battle. Most of my life, I shouldered the heavy and unavoidable burden of responsibility as an IDF commander, as a member of the government and as Prime Minister the responsibility of sending young fighters to the front line. Only one who has experienced this can understand and appreciate the awesome burden of this decision, which often involves the inevitable loss of life in war, retaliatory operations and both covert and overt missions which are unavoidable in these times.
Thus, I have made the following commitment and vow: I shall do my utmost to bring about a breakthrough towards peace. There is hope in the air this spring, a hope rooted in constant and persistent combat; the battle of IDF soldiers, Israeli Police and the security services, who include in their ranks many good and courageous people who dedicated their lives to repelling and defeating terror; a hope which has recently been raised by the decisive victory of the Allies in Iraq, and from the inspiration and determination that some of the leaders of the free world, headed by the President of the United States, demonstrated against the evil regimes in our region. If indeed this hope is realized, and conditions evolve depending, first and foremost, on the actions of the new Palestinian Government this opportunity must not be missed. I also take into account the painful sacrifice, which, I admit, will be very difficult for me to make. However, I will not be deterred if I know that this is the time to end war and bloodshed and to bring peace for generations. I have only one condition, firm and unshakable: the security of Israel will in no way, and under no circumstances, be compromised.
Night is falling, and when memories are rising in our hearts we will cherish our fallen. And you, the bereaved families, shall be enveloped with love. My personal wish is expressed in the following lines by the poet from the revival and freedom generation, Nathan Alterman:
I have one wish: that your extinguished hearts
Will be illuminated by only one light tonight.
It is the light of brotherhood and the radiance of angels
Who see us with a thousand eyes.
May the memory of those who fell in battle and while fulfilling
their duties be forever bound to the Jewish People and the State of
Israel.
(Communicated by the Office of the Prime Minister)
-----------------------------------------------
"The Ambassadors of Peace Shall Weep Bitterly..." (Isaiah 33:7)
In memory of those who have fallen while on duty in the Israeli foreign service
Every year, as the State of Israel remembers those who fell in the struggle for its establishment and defense, the Israel Foreign Ministry commemorates the men and women of the Foreign Service, who lost their lives while serving as Israel's representatives to the nations of the world.
Edna Peer
4 May 1970, Asuncion
Efraim Elrom
23 May 1971, Istanbul
Dr. Ami Shehori
19 September 1972, London
Giora Raviv
29 April 1975, Johannesburg
Ety Tal-Orr
19 March 1986, Cairo
Ehud Sadan
7 March 1992, Ankara
David Ben-Rafael
17 March 1992, Buenos Aires
March 2002: 10th Anniversary of the terror attack on the Israeli
embassy in Buenos Aires
Eli Ben-Zeev
17 March 1992, Buenos Aires
Eliora Carmon
17 March 1992, Buenos Aires
Shira Arnon
2 January 1995, Lagos
Aviv Cohen
27 September 1996, Santo Domingo
Sorek Gefen
2 March 1999, Amman
Azi-Elazar Brosh
3 August 2001, Bishkek
Orit Ozerov
March 9, 2002, Jerusalem
David Diego Ladowski
July 31, 2002, Jerusalem
Shlomo Argov
February 23, 2003
(Communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Total number fallen (including the pre-State period: 21,540
(This number includes disabled IDF veterans who later died from their wounds and non-IDF personnel who fell in the line of duty).
Number of soldiers killed since Remembrance Day last year 254
-------------------------------------------------
The Parade of The Fallen
Hayim Hefer
They come from the mountains,
from the valley, from the desert,
They come - names, faces, eyes -
and they stand for the parade.
They come in a masculine step,
strong and sun-tanned,
They emerge from the shattered planes
and from the burnt tanks;
They rise from behind the rocks, from across
the dunes, from connecting ditches,
Brave as lions, tough as tigers, swift as eagles,
And they pass one by one
beween two rows of angels,
Who feed them candy and place flowers
around their necks;
And I look at them, and all of them are happy.
These are my brothers my friends, these are my brothers.
And they meet one another,
black eyes and blue and brown,
And they remind each other of names,
of weapons, and of places,
And they pour each other cups of coffee and tea
And burst out suddenly together shouting: "Huzza! Hurra!"
And they meet in the large assemblage,
friends and comrades,
And officers slap the privates' shoulders
and the privates shake the officers' hands,
And they burst out in song and clap their hands
And all the dwellers of heaven listen to them
awe struck,
And the get-together lasts day and night,
and night and day,
Because such a bunch has not yet been seen above!
And then suddenly they hear familiar voices crying,
And they look homeward at father and mother,
at their wives, their children and their brothers,
And their faces are silent
and they stand ill at ease
And then someone quickly whispers:
Forgive us, but we had to!
We won the battles and now we are resting.
These are my brothers my friends, these are my brothers.
And so they stand, the light bright on their faces,
And only the Lord Himself passes among them,
With tears in His eyes He kisses their wounds
And He says in a trembling voice
to the white angels:
These are my sons my friends,
these are my sons!
Hebrew lyrics: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG00490
-------------------------------------------------
Yom Hazikaron, the day of remembrance for those who fell in the struggle for the establishment of the State of Israel and in its defense, is marked during the 24 hours preceding Yom Ha'atsma'ut (Israel's Independence Day). On YomHazikaron the entire nation remembers its debt and expresses eternal gratitude to its sons and daughters who gave their lives for the achievement of the country's independence and its continued existence.
Yom Hazikaron is a day of collective and personal anguish mingled with awe and honor for the fallen. It is a day on which the living rededicate themselves to the State of Israel, so that they may be worthy of the sacrifice of those who died for its survival.
In Israel, Yom Hazikaron commences countrywide with the sound of sirens proclaiming a two-minute silence during which all activity and traffic cease. Flags are flown at half mast and memorial ceremonies are held all over the country. Ending at sundown, the somber, reflective mood of Yom Hazikaron gives way to the celebration of Yom Ha'atsma'ut, a transition which emphasizes the lasting tie between the sacrifice of the country's fallen and the continued existence of a vibrant and dynamic State of Israel.
Lighting the Remembrance Torch
We light this remembrance torch as a symbol, to honor all the heroes and heroines of our generation; the partisan groups, the ghetto fighters and the underground defenders, the innocent victims of terror attacks, and those who fought in the wars to defend the State of Israel since its establishment.
Every home in Israel traditionaly lights its own 24 hour candle, allowing the flicker to remind us every moment of the sacrifice of the few on behalf of the many.
(Communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
----------------------------------------------------
Selected Readings for Remembrance Day
(Communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
The Paratroopers Cry
Hayim Hefer
This wall has heard many prayers
This wall has seen the fall of many other walls
This wall has felt the touch of mourning women
This wall has felt petitions lodged between its stones.
This wall saw Rabbi Yehuda Halevi trampled before it
This wall has seen Caesars rise and fall
But this wall had never seen paratroopers cry.
This wall saw them tired and wrung out
This wall saw them wounded, mutilated
Running to it with excitement, cries and silence.
And creeping as torn creatures in the alleys of the
Old City
And they are covered with dust and with parched lips
They whisper, "If I forget thee, if I forget thee Jerusalem"
They are swift as eagles and strong as lions
And their tanks - the fiery chariot of Elijah the Prophet
They pass by with noise
They pass by a stream
They remember the 2,000 awful years
In which we had not even a wall to place our tears
before –
And here they stand before it and breathe in dust
Here they look at it with sweet pain
And tears run down and they look at one another perplexed
How does it happen that paratroopers cry?
How does it happen that they touch this wall
with great emotion?
How does it happen that their weeping
changes to song?
Perhaps because these boys of 19,
born at the same time as the state,
carry on their shoulders - 2,000 years.
Hebrew lyrics: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG004a0
-------------------------------------------
Yizkor
May God remember the valiant men and women who braved mortal danger in the days of struggle prior to the establishment of the State of Israel and the soldiers who fell in the wars of Israel.
May the people of Israel cherish them in their memory; let them mourn the splendor of youth, the altruism of valor, the dedication of will and the dignity of self-sacrifice which came to an end on the battlefield.
May the loyal and courageous heroes of freedom and victory be sealed forever within the hearts of all Israel, in this generation and forevermore.
Hebrew text: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG005l0
-------------------------------------------------
Memorial Service for Members of the Israel Defense Forces
O God, full of mercy, Who dwells on high, grant proper rest in the wings of the Divine Presence – in the lofty level of the holy and the pure ones, who shine like the glow of the firmament – for the souls of the men and women of the Israel Defense Forces who met their deaths in the wars of Israel, in action of defense, retaliation and security, while fulfilling their missions and during their service, and to the souls of all the fighters of the underground organizations and the fighting units in the nation's battles, and all the men and women of the intelligence community and the security and police forces who gave their lives in the sanctification of God's Name and, with the help of the God of the armies of Israel, brought about the rebirth of the nation and the state and the redemption of the Land and the City of God, as well as all those who were murdered, in Israel and abroad, by murderers of the terrorist organizations, by virtue of our prayers for the ascent of their souls.
May the Merciful One therefore shelter them in the shelter of his wings for eternity; and may He bind their souls in the Bond of Life. The Lord is their heritage, Eden their place of rest. May they repose in peace in their resting places, may their merit reflect on all of Israel, and may they meet their destiny in the End of Days.
Now let us all respond: Amen.
Hebrew text: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG005m0
-------------------------------------------------------
The Silver Platter
Nathan Altermam
"A State is not handed to a people on a silver platter" -
Chaim Weizmann, first president of Israel
The Earth grows still.
The lurid sky slowly pales
Over smoking borders.
Heartsick, but still living, a people stand by
To greet the uniqueness
of the miracle.
Readied, they wait beneath the moon,
Wrapped in awesome joy, before the light.
-- Then, soon,
A girl and boy step forward,
And slowly walk before the waiting nation;
In work garb and heavy-shod
They climb
In stillness.
Wearing yet the dress of battle, the grime
Of aching day and fire-filled night
Unwashed, weary unto death, not knowing rest,
But wearing youth like dewdrops in their hair.
-- Silently the two approach
And stand.
Are they of the quick or of the dead?
Through wondering tears, the people stare.
"Who are you, the silent two?"
And they reply: "We are the silver platter
Upon which the Jewish State was served to you."
And speaking, fall in shadow at the nation's feet.
Let the rest in Israel's chronicles be told.
Hebrew lyrics: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG005p0
---------------------------------------------------
And my Brother Said Nothing
Amir Gilboa
My brother came back from the field
dressed in gray. And I was afraid that
my dream might prove false, so at once
I began to count his wounds.
And my brother said nothing
Then I rummaged in the pockets of the trench-coat
and found a field-dressing, stained and dry.
And on a frayed postcard, her name -
beneath a picture of poppies.
And my brother said nothing.
Then I undid the pack
and took out his belongings, memory by memory.
Hurrah, my brother, my brother, the hero,
now I've found your decorations!
Hurrah, my brother, my brother, the hero,
I shall proudly hymn your name!
And my brother said nothing.
And my brother said nothing.
And his blood was crying out from the ground.
Hebrew lyrics: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG00460
---------------------------------------------------
Those who Live by their Virtue Will Say
Uri Zvi Greenberg
They were the chosen... They sang... Now their voices are silent.
The true sons of the race of David that fell with their sword in
their hand.
Simple and lovely like young David of the Shepherd Clan...
And they shall praise Thee, O Lord, from the dust they've returned
to!
The dust Thou created them from is the dust of death...
This kind of dust whereof Thou createth primeval man.
The Temple Mount and the Rock -
From that dust they'll praise Thee...Immortal are they!
There is no truth, there is no glory but them.
And we, in this world, do live by their virtue.
And by their splendor we prosper.
Whoever looks unto their graves will ne'er be enslaved any longer.
Hebrew lyrics: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAG00470
-------------------------------------------------------
The Third Mother
Nathan Alterman
Mothers are singing. Mothers are singing.
A fist of thunder bangs down. Strong silence.
Red-bearded lamps are marching
in the empty streets in rows.
Autumn mortally ill, weary,
inconsolable autumn,
rain without beginning or end.
No candle in the window, no light in the world,
three mothers sing.
I hear one of them say:
"He was here but yesterday.
I shall kiss his every fingernail and finger.
I see a tall ship in a calm bay,
and my son from the topmast hanging."
And the second one says:
"My son is tall and quiet.
I am sewing a holiday shirt for my dear.
He's walking in the fields. He will soon be here.
And he holds in his heart a lead bullet."
And the third mother says with her wandering eyes:
"No one was dearer or kinder...
Who shall weep when he comes if I cannot see?
I do not know where he finds him."
And she bathed her eyelashes with weeping.
Perhaps he is only resting. Perhaps
in foreign places he measures
the paths of Your world, O God,
(Like a wandering monk) with kisses.
-------------------------------------------
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Speech at the Yad-Lebanim Gathering on the Eve of Remembrance Day
(05/05/2003)
Dear Families,
Night is falling on the eve of Remembrance Day for the Fallen Soldiers. The State flag has been lowered, and soon a siren will sound. From thousands of pasts, from all battlefields, it is as though a convoy of shadows is winding its way to Jerusalem. It is a convoy which is over one hundred years old, comprising the protectors of the people who marked the path of revival and victory with blood and glory the convoy of Israels freedom.
On Remembrance Day, as is customary in Israel, memorial candles will be lit in every home, and in every heart the flame of memory for a fallen warrior will be kindled a precious family member or beloved friend who is gone. For there is not one person in Israel who has not lost someone close or familiar over the years, nor is there anyone in Israel who does not remember.
It is you, the families, who will forever preserve their memory. It is the shadow which follows you during the day and the light which illuminates your nights. It is a painting engraved deep within your souls, and fragments of life which will never be forgotten.
I share your pain, because in my heart, I also feel that constant sorrow for the absence of my brothers-in-arms companions with whom I went into battle, and only blind fate decided who would be buried and who would fight the next battle. Most of my life, I shouldered the heavy and unavoidable burden of responsibility as an IDF commander, as a member of the government and as Prime Minister the responsibility of sending young fighters to the front line. Only one who has experienced this can understand and appreciate the awesome burden of this decision, which often involves the inevitable loss of life in war, retaliatory operations and both covert and overt missions which are unavoidable in these times.
Thus, I have made the following commitment and vow: I shall do my utmost to bring about a breakthrough towards peace. There is hope in the air this spring, a hope rooted in constant and persistent combat; the battle of IDF soldiers, Israeli Police and the security services, who include in their ranks many good and courageous people who dedicated their lives to repelling and defeating terror; a hope which has recently been raised by the decisive victory of the Allies in Iraq, and from the inspiration and determination that some of the leaders of the free world, headed by the President of the United States, demonstrated against the evil regimes in our region. If indeed this hope is realized, and conditions evolve depending, first and foremost, on the actions of the new Palestinian Government this opportunity must not be missed. I also take into account the painful sacrifice, which, I admit, will be very difficult for me to make. However, I will not be deterred if I know that this is the time to end war and bloodshed and to bring peace for generations. I have only one condition, firm and unshakable: the security of Israel will in no way, and under no circumstances, be compromised.
Night is falling, and when memories are rising in our hearts we will cherish our fallen. And you, the bereaved families, shall be enveloped with love. My personal wish is expressed in the following lines by the poet from the revival and freedom generation, Nathan Alterman:
I have one wish: that your extinguished hearts
Will be illuminated by only one light tonight.
It is the light of brotherhood and the radiance of angels
Who see us with a thousand eyes.
May the memory of those who fell in battle and while fulfilling
their duties be forever bound to the Jewish People and the State of
Israel.
(Communicated by the Office of the Prime Minister)
-----------------------------------------------
"The Ambassadors of Peace Shall Weep Bitterly..." (Isaiah 33:7)
In memory of those who have fallen while on duty in the Israeli foreign service
Every year, as the State of Israel remembers those who fell in the struggle for its establishment and defense, the Israel Foreign Ministry commemorates the men and women of the Foreign Service, who lost their lives while serving as Israel's representatives to the nations of the world.
Edna Peer
4 May 1970, Asuncion
Efraim Elrom
23 May 1971, Istanbul
Dr. Ami Shehori
19 September 1972, London
Giora Raviv
29 April 1975, Johannesburg
Ety Tal-Orr
19 March 1986, Cairo
Ehud Sadan
7 March 1992, Ankara
David Ben-Rafael
17 March 1992, Buenos Aires
March 2002: 10th Anniversary of the terror attack on the Israeli
embassy in Buenos Aires
Eli Ben-Zeev
17 March 1992, Buenos Aires
Eliora Carmon
17 March 1992, Buenos Aires
Shira Arnon
2 January 1995, Lagos
Aviv Cohen
27 September 1996, Santo Domingo
Sorek Gefen
2 March 1999, Amman
Azi-Elazar Brosh
3 August 2001, Bishkek
Orit Ozerov
March 9, 2002, Jerusalem
David Diego Ladowski
July 31, 2002, Jerusalem
Shlomo Argov
February 23, 2003
(Communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Monday, April 21, 2003
Lies, More Lies, and CNN's Lies
Exclusive commentary to Naomi Ragen's mail list
by Marc J. Rauch
Apr 17, 2003
As I opined in a recent essay, the first lesson that has hopefully been learned from the Iraq War is that the treacherous and cowardly acts perpetrated by Saddam Hussein and his goons are the same nefarious tactics that Israel has had to contend with for the past hundred years in order to defend themselves and build a homeland.
The second lesson that should be learned from the war is the extent to which lies have been told to protect the Arab governments and regimes.
Over the years, the world has heard from an incredible coterie of fraudulent Arab leaders and spokespersons who seem to grossly distort every fact and event related to the history of their people; not to defend themselves and their homelands against an aggressor that doesn't exist, but to defend their unjustified aggression against the Jewish State, as well as the atrocities that they commit each and every day against their own Muslim brothers and sisters.
On the leader side of the liar-ledger there was Haj Amin al-Husseini, Gamel Abdel Nasser, Hafez al-Assad, and there still is Yasser Arafat and Saddam Hussein (although whether Hussein is a is or was is still in question). Al-Husseini, by the way, was the notorious Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and disciple of Josef Goebbels.
For charlatan spokespersons, we've had to endure Saeb Erakat, Hasan Abded Rahman, Hanan Ashwari, and Diana Buttu (all representing the Palestinian Arab position). Twelve years ago, on behalf of the preposterous Iraqi position that took us into the Gulf War, the free world came to know and loathe Tariq Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq (who is also now a questionable is or was).
Previously, these people were able to hide behind the cloak of time and distance in order to make their distortions sound plausible.* Communications technology was such that no immediate comparison between live reality and political commentary could be made. In many instances days and weeks would go by before any news of an event was reported to the public. And those reports would often be subject to the time and space limitations of the particular media that was disseminating the information. Arab propagandists relied upon abridged and time-dulled testimony, or information stemming from subsequent unrelated events, to color, diffuse, and obfuscate the facts and truth. When confronted with substantive contrary evidence, he or she often excused their prevarications from criticism by arguing that there are no objective facts, only subjective points of view.
However, as any sane person knows, there are indeed objective facts and truths. And over the last couple of weeks, thanks to the inadvertent efforts of one man, the historic pattern of Islamic propaganda tap dancing was exposed for the sham that it has always been. That man is Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, Iraq's Minister of Information.
Al-Sahhaf (or as the media like to call him, Baghdad Bob) is as skilled a liar as any of the above mentioned people. One might even say that Baghdad Bob is the epitome of all Arab propagandists, the would-be poster boy for Liars Anonymous. What set Baghdad Bob apart from the other liars are his comical visage and the use of live split-screen television. With humorous, almost humane eyes, ample rounded nose, and a beret jauntily perched upon his head, Baghdad Bob instantly brought back memories of live television's other great comedic liar, Jon Lovitz' hilarious Pathological Liar from SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
On a daily basis, Baghdad Bob point-blankly insisted to the world that Saddam Hussein and his regime were peaceful, God-fearing people. He railed against the atrocities that he claimed America, Britain, and its Zionist-handlers were committing against Islamic peoples. Bob fervently assured the global audience that Iraq would be victorious, cut the heads of the American invaders, and kick the soldiers in their asses as they ran away.
During the opening hours of the war, who could forget the humorous sight of Baghdad Bob and his cronies trying to conduct a serious press conference while ignoring the sounds of American bombing and the shaking of the studio's cloth backdrop from the resultant explosions? This was something straight from a Johnny Carson Tonight Show skit.
Then there was the bit with Baghdad Bob rejecting the notion that Saddam International Airport had been captured, while on the other side of the screen we saw footage of American troops walking through the airport's shopping concourse. The piece de resistance (excuse my French-no really, excuse my use of anything French) was his dogged denial that American tanks were parked along the Tigris River in downtown Baghdad. As a viewer, I felt certain that in any moment a U.S. soldier would walk up behind Bob, tap him on the shoulder, Bob would turn the opposite way, peer off into the distance, and then turn back to the camera and say, "Where? I don't see any American tanks. The only thing missing from Baghdad Bob's diatribes to truly make them classic comic masterpieces was a tag line to equal Lovitz' "Yeah, that's the ticket."
Humor aside, what these episodes with Baghdad Bob prove is that even in the face of undeniable, incontrovertible evidence, these people will lie at any cost, rather than to admit a truth that is unfavorable to their position.
Fortunately for Yasser Arafat, last year when he was screaming on live television about a massacre occurring in Jenin, that CNN didn't do a live split-screen feed to show what was really happening. But there may be a reason why CNN didn't supply a live split-screen feed that would have exposed Arafat's lies, and the reason is much deeper than just the obvious. This brings up my final point in the lessons to be learned from the Iraq War. It is also the most disturbing revelation of all.
While we may not have yet discovered the so-called smoking gun in Saddam Hussein's arsenal of Weapons of Mass Destruction, we do now have the smoking gun in the Arab's arsenal of Weapons of Mass Disinformation. And that smoking gun is CNN, the cable television network headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. On Friday, April 11, in a letter to the New York Times, CNN's senior news executive Eason Jordan confessed that for the past dozen years they have been hiding the truth about what has been happening in the Middle East, and that they were pressured into reporting stories that were favorable to the Iraqi regime. Jordan cited several situations in which the Iraqi government threatened, tortured, and murdered members of the press. And Jordan admitted that in order to retain their press office in Iraq that he and CNN had to cover up information about these situations and more.
For years, like many others, I watched in horror as CNN broadcast stories that defended the vicious acts being committed by the Arab governments, their leaders, and many of their people against Jews, Christians, and even other Muslims. Story after story portrayed the perpetrators as the victims. Time and again, the deaths of Jewish women and children were overshadowed by the heart-wrenching stories of the perpetrators' families-not the victims' families mind you, the perpetrators' families.
When questioned about this bias, CNN reporters and executives would deny it existed. And with all the vigor of a Baghdad Bob they would insist that they were merely presenting both sides of the story. When reminded that there was no way to balance the story of the bombing of a Jewish family religious dinner with the posthumous celebration of the bomber's family, CNN resorted to the same kind of perverted moral-equivalency rationale used by Islam's worst dictators when defending their atrocities: there's no objective facts, only subjective points of view. In other words, CNN claimed the bomber's family was suffering, too.
There is no moral-equivalency between the two. It's an insane, irrational position. For a while, I figured it was just a remnant of Ted Turner's legacy as CNN's founder. After all, Turner's mouth has often made him appear as insane and irrational as any dictator, and he even has the moustache to go with it. However, the situation is far worse than simply being influenced by a possibly demented founder, it involves having sick, self-absorbed news executives and reporters who think that their jobs are more important than the truth and people's lives.
Eason Jordan says he covered up the truth to protect lives, but whose lives was he referring to: only the people that worked for him. At any point, Jordan and CNN could have pulled their people and from the Middle East, and then told the truth. In doing so, perhaps they could have helped saved the lives of people that didn't work for him, you know, ordinary people. But then, that would require integrity, and sadly corporate integrity can be as much of an oxymoron as Yasser Arafat winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
There's a significant connection to CNN's confession and the events in Israel. Saddam Hussein paid millions of dollars to the families of the Palestinian Arab bombers that killed or maimed innocent Jews. Hussein also supported Arafat and the other Palestinian Arab terrorist groups. Portraying those connections solely as evil, and portraying the suicide bombings solely as being evil would have been damaging to Saddam Hussein's reputation. Hussein and his thugs had access to CNN; they had the ability to watch and hear everything that was said about them.
Moreover, like all the other similarities that exist between the despotic Arab regimes, Yasser Arafat and the PLO employ the exact same fear tactics. They kill and torture anyone they can get their hands on that disseminates a dissenting opinion. It's impossible to think that CNN hasn't received additional threats from Arafat, and that CNN isn't also caving into this pressure to protect their precious network, by covering up more truths.
I believe that CNN's actions have been as damaging to democracy and the free world as any of the vilest propaganda ever spread by Josef Goebbels, Josef Stalin, the Grand Mufti, Yasser Arafat, or Saddam Hussein. For twelve years CNN hid the truth, covered-up facts, and fabricated ridiculous moral-equivalency scenarios. Millions of people around the world have been influenced by these lies and deceptions. We have almost an entire generation of people who have heard that it's justified to blow up school buses; that there's honor to be gained in doing so. Is there any wonder why there are thousands of students willing to create civil disobedience to protest the war? They don't know Saddam Hussein was a maniac-by his own admission, Eason Jordan refused to tell this to the world. They don't know that Yasser Arafat is a murderer; thanks to CNN they think he's the George Washington of the Palestinian Arabs. They watch CNN; they get to see CNN propaganda on their televisions at school. If there's a positive spin that could be put on Jordan's revelation I guess it's that we should be grateful that CNN wasn't more successful in brainwashing our children.
The television network that calls itself the most THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS is a fraud. It's been nothing more than a public relations outlet for dictatorial Islamic regimes. Eason Jordan titled his letter to the Times, "The News We Keep To Ourselves." I submit that we would be better off not getting any news, than only getting news that cover-ups the truth and spreads lies. I wish Eason Jordan and his news staff well in their next career, far, far away from any media outlet.
*Ironically, some of the men even hid behind the cloak of women's clothing in order to deceive their adversaries.
_____
Marc J. Rauch was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1952, and lived in the metropolitan area until "emigrating" to the West Coast in the early 80s. He is a multi-award winning TV/film writer, producer, and director, and has been a broadcasting and marketing executive since the 1975. Marc lectures on various subjects concerning broadcasting, new media, and the Middle East at conferences and seminars throughout the U.S. and Europe. In 1994, he authored a book on advertising and has had several business and industry articles published in a variety of related magazines. His political commentaries are regularly published in several print and online publications.
=======================================
Naomi Ragen
Please visit my Web page at: http://www.NaomiRagen.com and subscribe to my mailing list by sending an empty email to: naomiragen-on@mail-list.com email:Naomi@NaomiRagen.com
Saturday, March 15, 2003
PALESTINE FOR SALE FOR 5,000 STERLING!
The Coming Storm
By Solly Ganor
One doesn’t have to be a great strategist to see the storm approaching our shores, and I am not referring to the weather. While President Bush in his speech today left enough space for us to breath in, Tony Blair held a press conference that was only dedicated to the Palestinian Israeli conflict. “Wait and see, the Palestinian State is under way, and no one is going to stop us from establishing it, and Israel better get used to the idea.” That is my summary of what he said. In other words, the usual Jewish scapegoat comes in handy once more, to pacify the Arabs. It is interesting that Tony Blair is the prime ministeer of the same government, that after World War One sold two-thirds of Palestine to prince Abdulla for five thousand pounds sterling, while at the same time declaring in their famous Balfour declaration, Palestine as the home for the Jewish poeple.
On the way from Los Angeles to Israel I picked up from the rack a British magazine, 'The Economist'. I think it was a September issue. I found there a two-page article about Palestine and Israel. The writer describes nonchalantly how the British, after capturing the area from the Turks, decided to carve up the land. Given the authority by the Versailles treaty, they simple took two thirds of Eastern Palestine, and gave it to the deserving Sharif of Meca's family. It was Churchill himself who gave it its name. "Let's call it Jordan", he declared. Just like that! G-d was an Englishman and divided the land of Israel as per his whim. Except, he didn’t quite give it away, he sold the land for 5,000 pounds sterling to prince Abdulla!
Tom Segev, in his book, 'One Palestine Complete', writes on page 158, as a footnote: "The Versailles peace conference had decided to carve a state, Transjordan, out of the Ottoman territory-and include a large area of Eastern Palestine-to give to the Sharif of Mecca's family in an effort to satisfy its territorial claims. Prince Abdullah, brother of Faisal and son of the Sharif, had agreed to the arrangement in exchange for five thousand pounds. Thus the Arabs received independence, the French received Syria, and the Jews received Palestine. But no one in Palestine was happy; the Arabs felt that the country was torn away from Syria. The Zionist were bitter because Transjordan had been torn away from Palestine."
You don't have to be an extremist to realise what an enormous 'hutzpa' they had to do so. None of the Arab nations had any objections, including the Arabs living here. The world thinks it is all right for the British to give away two-thirds of Palestine to one ruling family from Mecca! Imagine, one family was given two-thirds of Palestine, a family that had nothing to do with this part of the world. Speaking of justice and what belongs to whom in this region!!
If Jordan is part of Eastern Palestine, and 70% of its population are Palestinians, then it should be declared as the Palestinian state. Like the British who relinquished the mandate in 1948, so the Hashemites should relinquish their rule.
The British should give back the five thousand pounds sterling they received from prince Abdulla plus interest, and this should be the future Palestinian state. There is lots of uninhabited land in Jordan and if the international community wishes to solve the Middle East conflict, they should help in reshaping and resettling the refugees who are one of the main obstacles for a peace settlement. The kingdom of Jordan is not a holy cow that can not be touched. It should be obvious that Israel will never accept the millions of self-described 'refugees' dreaming to come back here.
Anyone who listened to the recent speech by Arafat, echoed by Mobarak, probably noted that they both said something which we should pay close attention to. They both said that Israel should leave Arab land. They didn’t say Palestinian, they said Arab! One wonders why they said that. What actually is Arab land? Surely Arab land is the major part of the Middle East.. They effectively are telling us, that actually it isn’t Palestine they want us to get out of, but from Arab land. Curiously, the student that I met at Sidni Ally, expressed the same political ideas. He too spoke of 300 million Arab facing us. The truth of the matter, is that they are all Arabs. When it suits them, they are Arabs, part of the greater Arab nations, when it suits them otherwise, they become Palestinians.
The only possible solution to the problem is making the Kingdom of Jordan part of the solution. We accepted a million Jewish refugees from the Arab countries, who had to flee for their lives, leaving everything behind. There is no earthly reason why the Arabs can’t reciprocate in order to solve the problem.
SOLLY GANOR
HERZELIA PITUACH, ISRAEL
March 13, 2003
If you wish confirmation on the above subject, it comes from the grandson of Sir Winston Churchill himself.
The Wall Street Journal
COMMENTARY
'My Grandfather Invented Iraq'
By WINSTON S. CHURCHILL
HOUSTON -- As thunderclouds gather over the Middle East, America and Britain stand once again shoulder to shoulder preparing to draw the sword in defense of freedom, democracy and human rights. A line has been drawn in the sands of the Arabian desert. By this week, we will have deployed some 200,000 American troops, together with more than 40,000 British, who will shortly be committed to battle.
Meanwhile, I have a confession to make: It was my grandfather, Winston Churchill, who invented Iraq and laid the foundation for much of the modern Middle East. In 1921, as British colonial secretary, Churchill was responsible for creating Jordan and Iraq and for placing the Hashemite rulers, Abdullah and Feisal, on their respective thrones in Amman and Baghdad. Furthermore, he delineated for the first time the political boundaries of Biblical Palestine. Eighty years later, it falls to us to liberate Iraq from the scourge of one of the most ruthless dictators in history. As we stand poised on the brink of war, my grandfather's experience has lessons for us.
By Solly Ganor
One doesn’t have to be a great strategist to see the storm approaching our shores, and I am not referring to the weather. While President Bush in his speech today left enough space for us to breath in, Tony Blair held a press conference that was only dedicated to the Palestinian Israeli conflict. “Wait and see, the Palestinian State is under way, and no one is going to stop us from establishing it, and Israel better get used to the idea.” That is my summary of what he said. In other words, the usual Jewish scapegoat comes in handy once more, to pacify the Arabs. It is interesting that Tony Blair is the prime ministeer of the same government, that after World War One sold two-thirds of Palestine to prince Abdulla for five thousand pounds sterling, while at the same time declaring in their famous Balfour declaration, Palestine as the home for the Jewish poeple.
On the way from Los Angeles to Israel I picked up from the rack a British magazine, 'The Economist'. I think it was a September issue. I found there a two-page article about Palestine and Israel. The writer describes nonchalantly how the British, after capturing the area from the Turks, decided to carve up the land. Given the authority by the Versailles treaty, they simple took two thirds of Eastern Palestine, and gave it to the deserving Sharif of Meca's family. It was Churchill himself who gave it its name. "Let's call it Jordan", he declared. Just like that! G-d was an Englishman and divided the land of Israel as per his whim. Except, he didn’t quite give it away, he sold the land for 5,000 pounds sterling to prince Abdulla!
Tom Segev, in his book, 'One Palestine Complete', writes on page 158, as a footnote: "The Versailles peace conference had decided to carve a state, Transjordan, out of the Ottoman territory-and include a large area of Eastern Palestine-to give to the Sharif of Mecca's family in an effort to satisfy its territorial claims. Prince Abdullah, brother of Faisal and son of the Sharif, had agreed to the arrangement in exchange for five thousand pounds. Thus the Arabs received independence, the French received Syria, and the Jews received Palestine. But no one in Palestine was happy; the Arabs felt that the country was torn away from Syria. The Zionist were bitter because Transjordan had been torn away from Palestine."
You don't have to be an extremist to realise what an enormous 'hutzpa' they had to do so. None of the Arab nations had any objections, including the Arabs living here. The world thinks it is all right for the British to give away two-thirds of Palestine to one ruling family from Mecca! Imagine, one family was given two-thirds of Palestine, a family that had nothing to do with this part of the world. Speaking of justice and what belongs to whom in this region!!
If Jordan is part of Eastern Palestine, and 70% of its population are Palestinians, then it should be declared as the Palestinian state. Like the British who relinquished the mandate in 1948, so the Hashemites should relinquish their rule.
The British should give back the five thousand pounds sterling they received from prince Abdulla plus interest, and this should be the future Palestinian state. There is lots of uninhabited land in Jordan and if the international community wishes to solve the Middle East conflict, they should help in reshaping and resettling the refugees who are one of the main obstacles for a peace settlement. The kingdom of Jordan is not a holy cow that can not be touched. It should be obvious that Israel will never accept the millions of self-described 'refugees' dreaming to come back here.
Anyone who listened to the recent speech by Arafat, echoed by Mobarak, probably noted that they both said something which we should pay close attention to. They both said that Israel should leave Arab land. They didn’t say Palestinian, they said Arab! One wonders why they said that. What actually is Arab land? Surely Arab land is the major part of the Middle East.. They effectively are telling us, that actually it isn’t Palestine they want us to get out of, but from Arab land. Curiously, the student that I met at Sidni Ally, expressed the same political ideas. He too spoke of 300 million Arab facing us. The truth of the matter, is that they are all Arabs. When it suits them, they are Arabs, part of the greater Arab nations, when it suits them otherwise, they become Palestinians.
The only possible solution to the problem is making the Kingdom of Jordan part of the solution. We accepted a million Jewish refugees from the Arab countries, who had to flee for their lives, leaving everything behind. There is no earthly reason why the Arabs can’t reciprocate in order to solve the problem.
SOLLY GANOR
HERZELIA PITUACH, ISRAEL
March 13, 2003
If you wish confirmation on the above subject, it comes from the grandson of Sir Winston Churchill himself.
The Wall Street Journal
COMMENTARY
'My Grandfather Invented Iraq'
By WINSTON S. CHURCHILL
HOUSTON -- As thunderclouds gather over the Middle East, America and Britain stand once again shoulder to shoulder preparing to draw the sword in defense of freedom, democracy and human rights. A line has been drawn in the sands of the Arabian desert. By this week, we will have deployed some 200,000 American troops, together with more than 40,000 British, who will shortly be committed to battle.
Meanwhile, I have a confession to make: It was my grandfather, Winston Churchill, who invented Iraq and laid the foundation for much of the modern Middle East. In 1921, as British colonial secretary, Churchill was responsible for creating Jordan and Iraq and for placing the Hashemite rulers, Abdullah and Feisal, on their respective thrones in Amman and Baghdad. Furthermore, he delineated for the first time the political boundaries of Biblical Palestine. Eighty years later, it falls to us to liberate Iraq from the scourge of one of the most ruthless dictators in history. As we stand poised on the brink of war, my grandfather's experience has lessons for us.
PURIM IN DACHAU
By Solly Ganor
They arrived from Auschwitz in several groups. Each group counted about twenty people. Of course, they didn’t look like people. They looked more like walking skeletons. They had triangular faces with pointed chins, and sunken cheeks. Even the lips had shrunken to thin blue lines. The only prominent feature were their eyes; they were unusually large and with a strange sheen, almost luminous. They were known in concentration camp slang, as ‘Muselman’. That was usually the last stage before death. They spoke Yiddish with an accent, which to us Lithuanian Jews, sounded strange.
They told us that they came from the ghetto of Lodz through Auschwitz, before they were sent to our camp. Our camp was known as the ‘Outer camp of Dachau, number 10’ and it was situated near the picturesque town of Utting, by lake Amersee. Our camp was sitting in the middle of a small forest with surrounding green meadows and beautiful landscapes. I remember the day when we were brought there, I thought to myself, ‘How can anything bad happen to us among all this beauty?’
I soon found out that the beauty was in the landscape only. the Germans in charge of us were sadists and murderers. The Lodz people fell into the same deceptive trap. They thought that after Auschwitz, our camp looked like paradise. Most of them died soon after their arrival, from hard labour, beatings and starvation, still they preferred to die here than in the gas chambers of Auschwitz. It was from them that we heard the incredible stories of gas chambers, and crematoriums, where thousands of our people were murdered every day. Some of them told us that they were standing naked before the gas chambers when they were suddenly ordered to get dressed and were sent to us .
Around March 1945, there were only a few of them left alive. One of them was known as the ‘Chaim the Rabbi’. We never found out whether he was actually a rabbi, but he always washed his hands and made a bracha before eating. He knew the dates of the Jewish calendar, and also knew all the prayers by heart. From time to time when the Germans were not looking, he would invite us to participate in the evening prayers,. Our Jewish camp commander, Burgin, heard about him and tried to get him easier jobs. Most people died when they had to carry a hundred pounds of cement sacks on their backs, or other chores of heavy labour. He wouldn’t have lasted a day on a job like this. He once told me that if he would survive he would get married and have at least a dozen children.
Around the middle of March, we were given a day off. It was a Sunday. The camp was covered with snow, but here and there the first signs of spring was in the air. We heard vague rumours of the American break through into Germany and a glimmer of hope was kindled in our hearts. After breakfast, consisting of a slice of mouldy bread, a tiny piece of margarine, and brown water, known as ‘Ersatz Coffee’, we returned to our barrack to get some extra sleep.
Suddenly we noticed ‘Chaim the Rabbi’ standing in the snow and shouting “ Haman to the gallows! Haman to the gallows!” On his head he had a paper crown made of a cement sack, and he was draped in a blanket which had cut out stars from the same paper attached to it. We stood like petrified before this strange apparition, barely able to trust our eyes, while he performed a dance in the snow, singing: “I am Achashwerosch, Achashwerosh, the king of the Persians.” Then he stood still straightened himself out, chin pointed to the sky, his right arm extended in an imperial gesture and shouted: “Haman to the gallows! Haman to the gallows! And when I say Haman to the gallows, we all know which Hamman we are talking about!”
We were sure that he has lost his wits, as so many did in these impossible times. By now there was about fifty of us standing gaping at the “Rabbi”, when he said: “Yiddn wos iz mit ajch! Haint is Purim, lomir shpilen a purim shpil!” “Fellow Jews, what is the matter with you?! today is Purim, let us play a Purim Shpil!” Then it dawned on us that back home, a million years ago, this was the time of the year when we children were dressing up for Purim, playing draidlach, and eating ‘Hommen Taschen’.
It took the ‘Rabbi’ to remember the exact date by the Jewish calendar when Purim was. We hardly knew what day it was. He then divided the roles of Ester Hamalka, Mordechai, Vashti and Hamman among the onlookers.. I was honoured to receive the role of Mordechai, and we all ended up dancing in the snow. And so we had our Purim Shpil in Dachau.
But that was not the end of the story. The “Rabbi” promised us that we will get today our ‘Shalach Manot’, and we thought that it was hardly likely to happen. But, miracle of miracles, the same afternoon, a delegation of the International Red Cross, came to the camp. It was the first time that they bothered about us. Still, we welcomed them with open arms, because they brought us the “Shalach Manot” the ‘Rabbi’ promised. Each one of us received a parcel, containing, a tin of sweet condensed milk, a small bar of chocolate, a box of sugar cubes, and a pack of cigarettes. It is impossible to describe our joy! Here we were starving to death as suddenly on Purim, we received these heavenly gifts.
Since then we never doubted the ‘Rabbi’ anymore. His prediction also came true. Two months later ‘Haman-Hitler’ went to the gallows, and shot himself in Berlin, while we, those of us who were still alive, were rescued by the American army, on May 2, 1945.
I lost track of the ‘Rabbi’ on our ‘Death March’, from Dachau to Tyrol, but I hope that he survived and had many children as he always wanted. I always remember him when Purim comes around, for the unforgettable ‘Purim Shpil’ in Dachau.
Solly Ganor
Herzelia Pituach, Israel
Purim
Yud Daled, HadarMarch 16, 2003
They arrived from Auschwitz in several groups. Each group counted about twenty people. Of course, they didn’t look like people. They looked more like walking skeletons. They had triangular faces with pointed chins, and sunken cheeks. Even the lips had shrunken to thin blue lines. The only prominent feature were their eyes; they were unusually large and with a strange sheen, almost luminous. They were known in concentration camp slang, as ‘Muselman’. That was usually the last stage before death. They spoke Yiddish with an accent, which to us Lithuanian Jews, sounded strange.
They told us that they came from the ghetto of Lodz through Auschwitz, before they were sent to our camp. Our camp was known as the ‘Outer camp of Dachau, number 10’ and it was situated near the picturesque town of Utting, by lake Amersee. Our camp was sitting in the middle of a small forest with surrounding green meadows and beautiful landscapes. I remember the day when we were brought there, I thought to myself, ‘How can anything bad happen to us among all this beauty?’
I soon found out that the beauty was in the landscape only. the Germans in charge of us were sadists and murderers. The Lodz people fell into the same deceptive trap. They thought that after Auschwitz, our camp looked like paradise. Most of them died soon after their arrival, from hard labour, beatings and starvation, still they preferred to die here than in the gas chambers of Auschwitz. It was from them that we heard the incredible stories of gas chambers, and crematoriums, where thousands of our people were murdered every day. Some of them told us that they were standing naked before the gas chambers when they were suddenly ordered to get dressed and were sent to us .
Around March 1945, there were only a few of them left alive. One of them was known as the ‘Chaim the Rabbi’. We never found out whether he was actually a rabbi, but he always washed his hands and made a bracha before eating. He knew the dates of the Jewish calendar, and also knew all the prayers by heart. From time to time when the Germans were not looking, he would invite us to participate in the evening prayers,. Our Jewish camp commander, Burgin, heard about him and tried to get him easier jobs. Most people died when they had to carry a hundred pounds of cement sacks on their backs, or other chores of heavy labour. He wouldn’t have lasted a day on a job like this. He once told me that if he would survive he would get married and have at least a dozen children.
Around the middle of March, we were given a day off. It was a Sunday. The camp was covered with snow, but here and there the first signs of spring was in the air. We heard vague rumours of the American break through into Germany and a glimmer of hope was kindled in our hearts. After breakfast, consisting of a slice of mouldy bread, a tiny piece of margarine, and brown water, known as ‘Ersatz Coffee’, we returned to our barrack to get some extra sleep.
Suddenly we noticed ‘Chaim the Rabbi’ standing in the snow and shouting “ Haman to the gallows! Haman to the gallows!” On his head he had a paper crown made of a cement sack, and he was draped in a blanket which had cut out stars from the same paper attached to it. We stood like petrified before this strange apparition, barely able to trust our eyes, while he performed a dance in the snow, singing: “I am Achashwerosch, Achashwerosh, the king of the Persians.” Then he stood still straightened himself out, chin pointed to the sky, his right arm extended in an imperial gesture and shouted: “Haman to the gallows! Haman to the gallows! And when I say Haman to the gallows, we all know which Hamman we are talking about!”
We were sure that he has lost his wits, as so many did in these impossible times. By now there was about fifty of us standing gaping at the “Rabbi”, when he said: “Yiddn wos iz mit ajch! Haint is Purim, lomir shpilen a purim shpil!” “Fellow Jews, what is the matter with you?! today is Purim, let us play a Purim Shpil!” Then it dawned on us that back home, a million years ago, this was the time of the year when we children were dressing up for Purim, playing draidlach, and eating ‘Hommen Taschen’.
It took the ‘Rabbi’ to remember the exact date by the Jewish calendar when Purim was. We hardly knew what day it was. He then divided the roles of Ester Hamalka, Mordechai, Vashti and Hamman among the onlookers.. I was honoured to receive the role of Mordechai, and we all ended up dancing in the snow. And so we had our Purim Shpil in Dachau.
But that was not the end of the story. The “Rabbi” promised us that we will get today our ‘Shalach Manot’, and we thought that it was hardly likely to happen. But, miracle of miracles, the same afternoon, a delegation of the International Red Cross, came to the camp. It was the first time that they bothered about us. Still, we welcomed them with open arms, because they brought us the “Shalach Manot” the ‘Rabbi’ promised. Each one of us received a parcel, containing, a tin of sweet condensed milk, a small bar of chocolate, a box of sugar cubes, and a pack of cigarettes. It is impossible to describe our joy! Here we were starving to death as suddenly on Purim, we received these heavenly gifts.
Since then we never doubted the ‘Rabbi’ anymore. His prediction also came true. Two months later ‘Haman-Hitler’ went to the gallows, and shot himself in Berlin, while we, those of us who were still alive, were rescued by the American army, on May 2, 1945.
I lost track of the ‘Rabbi’ on our ‘Death March’, from Dachau to Tyrol, but I hope that he survived and had many children as he always wanted. I always remember him when Purim comes around, for the unforgettable ‘Purim Shpil’ in Dachau.
Solly Ganor
Herzelia Pituach, Israel
Purim
Yud Daled, HadarMarch 16, 2003
Monday, March 10, 2003
Death of my teacher
By Elisheva Harrow
"Elisheva, come see what I did...it took me hours, but I finally organized all the hundreds of pictures we've taken over the last couple of years and put together an album...there's some pictures of your graduation, and a great one of you hugging Ha'Mora (the teacher) Dina...”
Regular, every day conversation. Life goes on. Small sentences like a roulette wheel...
Fast forward to the next morning.
On my way into synagogue, I see my brother outside with a friend of his. Serious faces mean bad news. "A pigua (terrorist attack) last night, in Kiryat Arba... an older couple was murdered in their home-apartment 35."
That's all they know. Kiryat Arba is where I went to high school...Quick search through memory...older couples, older couples. No one comes to mind. No point in getting all worried now anyway, there's no way to find out until after Shabbat.
After synagogue. Back at home, playing a game before lunch. Relaxing, fun, laughter… my Mom comes in. "...Do you know a Horowitz, from Kiryat Arba…?" The name sparks in my brain. Cards lowered, I already understand, want to ignore, ignore… "Yes, Dina Horowitz- my teacher." "Dina? Is her husband a Rabbi? " "Yes..." We look at each other, already knowing, denying..."but there are a bunch of Horowitzes there...maybe..." I say the final words:
"They said apartment 35..." My mom goes for the phonebook. flipping through pages...in a second we'll know. Cards forgotten...my heart pounding, brain screaming...already knowing, already KNOWING. Feelings familiar, so familiar, too familiar. We already recognize this darkest of shadows; horror and evil left in its wake, greatest destroyer of light and love.
And she looks at me. Her face says it all.
I can't move, can't speak. Words so trite, tears so common. How to grieve in first moments of shock. Why, why them, why like this. Futile questions searing through every heartbeat. It seems that being amazing condemns you to an early grave...
I don't know how many of you have been taught by an amazing person before. How many had the privilege of knowing a real, passionate, gentle, loving teacher. In Hebrew, the word "Morah" means teacher and guide- someone who shows you the way, who gives you love and encouragement, helping you make your own way in this complicated world. A Morah is someone who gives you the tools to deal with whatever should happen along your path. Such a person was Dina. She was my Morah. She loved all her students so very much, always believed in us and in our abilities. She never gave up on us, always tried to listen and to do her best to help...
The Shabbat queen takes her leave. The phone calls start. So many people to tell…our class once again united in grief… and the need- "we have to do something"… A "melaveh malka" (post-Sabbath get together) is quickly organized at someone's house…"bring a guitar"... Girls come, we sit around the table and sing the songs that she loved, the soft melodies put to verses, to psalms. And we talk, comforting each other, expressing how much we all loved her back, each in our own way. Stories...we smile at the small things, cry at the big ones.
She loved the Torah (Bible) with such passion, really reliving, breathing it each time she gave a class on the subject. It was so real and vibrant to her...but her passion was mostly wasted in class; we wanted to just learn the material needed for the next test, not get into torah philosophy. My friend and I kept telling her that she should go teach in a midrasha (yeshiva for girls), because there there are no tests, girls learn for the sake of learning. At the end of 12th grade she announced to my class that that's precisely what she was planning on doing the following year. She thanked my friend and me for all of our support and 'nagging' on the matter... At the Melave Malka tonight a friend told me she had just spoken to Dina a few weeks ago, and Dina had said that she was so happy, so happy to be teaching in a midrasha. She mentioned me and my friend, expressing her gratitude at our insistence once again. So strange. One of my greatest teachers thanking me for helping her along her way..
A friend and I recalled a D'var Torah (sermon) we heard Dina say once, about the greatness of women. It was at the beginning of this whole intifada, people were being killed every day, we were feeling so helpless, we didn't want to be sitting in class, studying as usual, we were scared, confused, hurting.. Dina listened, smiled in that gentle way she had and told us the following: It says in the book of Shmot (Exodus) that after the miracle of the splitting of the sea Miriam (Moshe’s sister) led the women of Israel in song and dance, in God's honor. I quote: "And Miriam...took the timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances..." Shmot, 15,20. But where did they get the musical instruments from? Rashi (a known commentator) answers: "The righteous women in that generation were confident that God would perform miracles for them and they accordingly had brought timbrels with them from Egypt." Here you see the immense strength of these women- they could see past all the horror and slavery to a better time, a time of peace, when our enemies would be vanquished and we could walk as a free people without fear. A vision they had no recollection of, but were so sure in their faith that they knew the ending would be great. (Note: until today the tambourine is called a "tof miriam" in Hebrew- literally meaning "Miriam's timbrel").
Today, again, we are facing hardships. We, our families, friends, neighbours, relatives, are being targeted and killed. Young and old, armed or unarmed, it makes no difference to our enemy. We're scared, we're angry, we're frustrated. We try, but many times it's very hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Yet we have to learn from those amazing women, from our ancestors whose blood flows in our veins and whose stubbornness and tenacity has kept us going for almost 4,000 years... This was so very much Dina's way of comforting- getting us to focus on the bigger picture, identify with our predecessors, strengthen our faith in the master plan. And so we were comforted, so much so that today, a day after her death- "al Kiddush Hashem" (in sanctifying Gods' name), these powerful words of hers are what we call upon to comfort us once again. Dina died for what she so strongly believed in, for Israel and the whole Jewish people. I could go on and on about the Zionism that lived in the core of her very being, about her personal sacrifices for the whole including making aliyah from the US and taking an active part in the horrible "Yamit" evacuation in the early 80s. (Yamit was a beautiful Jewish town in the Sinai desert that was dismantled by force when we gave the entire Sinai over to Egypt).
But how do you really explain a person? How do you capture an essence, an entire being on a blank screen? Her kindness, her gentleness, her dedication...She will live forever in the minds and hearts of those who knew and loved her.
Dina, The light you were, you still are...but now you've just moved to the end of the tunnel, accumulating with the millions of lights already there. You're now burning ever more brightly for us- the ones still down here, the ones trying to catch a glimpse.
I'll start working on my "tof Miriam", Dina. With the memory of your words, cited from the book you so loved and lived by I'll see past all this horror, envision the better time that you taught me to look for, a time of true peace.
In closing, I want to share with all of you a beautiful vision from the book of Isaiah. The prophet writes about the future, of days yet to come: "…And Death will be abolished forever, and the Lord God will wipe every tear from every face, and the humiliation of his people will be eliminated from this earth, for God has spoken." (Isaiah, 25,8)
And in the meantime, life goes on.
I love you, my Morah Dina. Shalom.
Elisheva
Elisheva Harrow, age 21, is a resident of Efrat. She wrote the following after hearing of the murder of Rabbi Eli and Dina Horowitz at their Shabbat table Friday night in Kiryat Arba. After graduating the Ulpana High School in Kiryat Arba 2 years ago, Elisheva studied for a year in Midreshet Nov, and is now completing the first of 2 years of her National Service with Livnot Ve'Lehibanot, based in Tzfat and Jerusalem.
This article was originally posted by The Israel Resource Center.
=======================================
Naomi Ragen
Please visit my Web page at: http://www.NaomiRagen.com and subscribe to my mailing list by sending an empty email to: naomiragen-on@mail-list.com
My email:Naomi@NaomiRagen.com
"Elisheva, come see what I did...it took me hours, but I finally organized all the hundreds of pictures we've taken over the last couple of years and put together an album...there's some pictures of your graduation, and a great one of you hugging Ha'Mora (the teacher) Dina...”
Regular, every day conversation. Life goes on. Small sentences like a roulette wheel...
Fast forward to the next morning.
On my way into synagogue, I see my brother outside with a friend of his. Serious faces mean bad news. "A pigua (terrorist attack) last night, in Kiryat Arba... an older couple was murdered in their home-apartment 35."
That's all they know. Kiryat Arba is where I went to high school...Quick search through memory...older couples, older couples. No one comes to mind. No point in getting all worried now anyway, there's no way to find out until after Shabbat.
After synagogue. Back at home, playing a game before lunch. Relaxing, fun, laughter… my Mom comes in. "...Do you know a Horowitz, from Kiryat Arba…?" The name sparks in my brain. Cards lowered, I already understand, want to ignore, ignore… "Yes, Dina Horowitz- my teacher." "Dina? Is her husband a Rabbi? " "Yes..." We look at each other, already knowing, denying..."but there are a bunch of Horowitzes there...maybe..." I say the final words:
"They said apartment 35..." My mom goes for the phonebook. flipping through pages...in a second we'll know. Cards forgotten...my heart pounding, brain screaming...already knowing, already KNOWING. Feelings familiar, so familiar, too familiar. We already recognize this darkest of shadows; horror and evil left in its wake, greatest destroyer of light and love.
And she looks at me. Her face says it all.
I can't move, can't speak. Words so trite, tears so common. How to grieve in first moments of shock. Why, why them, why like this. Futile questions searing through every heartbeat. It seems that being amazing condemns you to an early grave...
I don't know how many of you have been taught by an amazing person before. How many had the privilege of knowing a real, passionate, gentle, loving teacher. In Hebrew, the word "Morah" means teacher and guide- someone who shows you the way, who gives you love and encouragement, helping you make your own way in this complicated world. A Morah is someone who gives you the tools to deal with whatever should happen along your path. Such a person was Dina. She was my Morah. She loved all her students so very much, always believed in us and in our abilities. She never gave up on us, always tried to listen and to do her best to help...
The Shabbat queen takes her leave. The phone calls start. So many people to tell…our class once again united in grief… and the need- "we have to do something"… A "melaveh malka" (post-Sabbath get together) is quickly organized at someone's house…"bring a guitar"... Girls come, we sit around the table and sing the songs that she loved, the soft melodies put to verses, to psalms. And we talk, comforting each other, expressing how much we all loved her back, each in our own way. Stories...we smile at the small things, cry at the big ones.
She loved the Torah (Bible) with such passion, really reliving, breathing it each time she gave a class on the subject. It was so real and vibrant to her...but her passion was mostly wasted in class; we wanted to just learn the material needed for the next test, not get into torah philosophy. My friend and I kept telling her that she should go teach in a midrasha (yeshiva for girls), because there there are no tests, girls learn for the sake of learning. At the end of 12th grade she announced to my class that that's precisely what she was planning on doing the following year. She thanked my friend and me for all of our support and 'nagging' on the matter... At the Melave Malka tonight a friend told me she had just spoken to Dina a few weeks ago, and Dina had said that she was so happy, so happy to be teaching in a midrasha. She mentioned me and my friend, expressing her gratitude at our insistence once again. So strange. One of my greatest teachers thanking me for helping her along her way..
A friend and I recalled a D'var Torah (sermon) we heard Dina say once, about the greatness of women. It was at the beginning of this whole intifada, people were being killed every day, we were feeling so helpless, we didn't want to be sitting in class, studying as usual, we were scared, confused, hurting.. Dina listened, smiled in that gentle way she had and told us the following: It says in the book of Shmot (Exodus) that after the miracle of the splitting of the sea Miriam (Moshe’s sister) led the women of Israel in song and dance, in God's honor. I quote: "And Miriam...took the timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances..." Shmot, 15,20. But where did they get the musical instruments from? Rashi (a known commentator) answers: "The righteous women in that generation were confident that God would perform miracles for them and they accordingly had brought timbrels with them from Egypt." Here you see the immense strength of these women- they could see past all the horror and slavery to a better time, a time of peace, when our enemies would be vanquished and we could walk as a free people without fear. A vision they had no recollection of, but were so sure in their faith that they knew the ending would be great. (Note: until today the tambourine is called a "tof miriam" in Hebrew- literally meaning "Miriam's timbrel").
Today, again, we are facing hardships. We, our families, friends, neighbours, relatives, are being targeted and killed. Young and old, armed or unarmed, it makes no difference to our enemy. We're scared, we're angry, we're frustrated. We try, but many times it's very hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Yet we have to learn from those amazing women, from our ancestors whose blood flows in our veins and whose stubbornness and tenacity has kept us going for almost 4,000 years... This was so very much Dina's way of comforting- getting us to focus on the bigger picture, identify with our predecessors, strengthen our faith in the master plan. And so we were comforted, so much so that today, a day after her death- "al Kiddush Hashem" (in sanctifying Gods' name), these powerful words of hers are what we call upon to comfort us once again. Dina died for what she so strongly believed in, for Israel and the whole Jewish people. I could go on and on about the Zionism that lived in the core of her very being, about her personal sacrifices for the whole including making aliyah from the US and taking an active part in the horrible "Yamit" evacuation in the early 80s. (Yamit was a beautiful Jewish town in the Sinai desert that was dismantled by force when we gave the entire Sinai over to Egypt).
But how do you really explain a person? How do you capture an essence, an entire being on a blank screen? Her kindness, her gentleness, her dedication...She will live forever in the minds and hearts of those who knew and loved her.
Dina, The light you were, you still are...but now you've just moved to the end of the tunnel, accumulating with the millions of lights already there. You're now burning ever more brightly for us- the ones still down here, the ones trying to catch a glimpse.
I'll start working on my "tof Miriam", Dina. With the memory of your words, cited from the book you so loved and lived by I'll see past all this horror, envision the better time that you taught me to look for, a time of true peace.
In closing, I want to share with all of you a beautiful vision from the book of Isaiah. The prophet writes about the future, of days yet to come: "…And Death will be abolished forever, and the Lord God will wipe every tear from every face, and the humiliation of his people will be eliminated from this earth, for God has spoken." (Isaiah, 25,8)
And in the meantime, life goes on.
I love you, my Morah Dina. Shalom.
Elisheva
Elisheva Harrow, age 21, is a resident of Efrat. She wrote the following after hearing of the murder of Rabbi Eli and Dina Horowitz at their Shabbat table Friday night in Kiryat Arba. After graduating the Ulpana High School in Kiryat Arba 2 years ago, Elisheva studied for a year in Midreshet Nov, and is now completing the first of 2 years of her National Service with Livnot Ve'Lehibanot, based in Tzfat and Jerusalem.
This article was originally posted by The Israel Resource Center.
=======================================
Naomi Ragen
Please visit my Web page at: http://www.NaomiRagen.com and subscribe to my mailing list by sending an empty email to: naomiragen-on@mail-list.com
My email:Naomi@NaomiRagen.com
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