tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569010200488965562024-03-13T08:06:50.012+02:00Baruch's BreezeA refreshing and optimistic view on Israel, Torah and events.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-71424105973972263052015-01-12T23:20:00.001+02:002015-01-13T23:59:57.329+02:00למי אצביע בבית היהודי ולמה<div style="direction: rtl;">
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שלום למתפקד התורני,</div>
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להנחיות איפה ואיך להצביע (כולל סרט ברור): <a href="http://www.go2vote.co.il/" target="_blank">http://www.go2vote.co.il/</a></div>
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לא הספקת לברר לגבי המעומדים לבית היהודי? להלן תוצאות הבירור שלי. אם תמצא משהו לתועלת, שמחתי. הדברים הם דעתי האישית בלבד ולא מייצגים שום גוף או ארגון. הם המלצות שלי ולא של אחר. לגבי חלק מהרשימה, התיעצתי עם כמה רבנים, ח"כים, עוזרים פרלמנטרים ופעילים שאמרו לי את דעתם בתנאי שלא אפרסם בשמם.<br />
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למעשה אצביע כך:</div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">מקום ראשון (2 נקודות):</span> הרב אלי בן דהן</span></span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">מקום שני (2 נקודות)</span>: ד"ר ענת רוט</span></span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">מקום שלישי </span></span></span><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">(2 נקודות)</span></span></span>:<span style="color: red;"> </span> </span>ניסן סלומינסקי </span></span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">מקום </span></span></span></span></span></span><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">רביעי: </span></span></span><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">מוטי יוגב </span></span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span>מקום חמישי: <span style="color: red;">יוסי פוקס</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">מקום שישי:</span> שרה אליאש</span></span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">מקום שביעי: </span>יגאל דילמוני, אביחי בוארון או </span></span><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;">הרב משה סולומון</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">הערה: </span></span></span><span style="color: red;">יש להתחלק במשפחה שאחד מבני המשפחה יצביע עבור איילת שקד</span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">עוד "מתמודדים חמים," טובים ותורניים: <span style="color: red;">שמעון ריקלין, </span></span></span></span><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;">אבי וורצמן, חני לוז, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">יהודית שילת, </span></span><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;">ושולי מועלם. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">במסמך זה:</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">1) מדוע חייבים להצביע בעד נשים?</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">2) למי להצביע ולמה?</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">1) מדוע להצביע בעד נשים</span></div>
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גם אם אתה סבור כמו הרב אבינר ורבנים אחרים שהכנסת אינה מקום ראוי לפעילותן של נשים, תפנים היטב את הנתון הבא:</div>
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לאחר כל השריונים, אנחנו - ציבור המתפקדים - בוחרים סך הכל 7 מקומות מתוך 17 מקומות ראשונים לכנסת. <span style="color: red;"><b>4 מקומות מתוך ה7 שמורים לנשים כדלהלן</b></span>:</div>
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<span lang="HE" style="color: red; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">מקום 4 –
אשה</span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">מקום 5 – פתוח</span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">מקום 7 – פתוח</span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="color: red; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">מקום 8 – אשה</span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="color: red; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">מקום 12 –
אשה</span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">מקום 13 – פתוח</span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="color: red; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">מקום 17 –
אשה</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.inn.co.il/News/News.aspx/290730" target="_blank">על מנת לראות את המקומות המשורינים, לחץ כאן</a>. </div>
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נשים
תכנסנה למקומות השמורים בכל מקרה! לכן, גם אם אתה מאוד תורני עם זקן ארוך,
פאות ויראת שמיים אמיתית, ועקרונית אינך תומך בשליחת נשים לכנסת, אם תסמן
פתק עם גברים בלבד, במו ידיך אתה מפקיר 4 מתוך 7 מקומות לציבור לא תורני
להכריע! לכן, מחובתינו לבחור לפחות 2 נשים. </div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">2) למי להצביע ולמה?</span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">מקום ראשון: הרב אלי
בן דהן</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">חובה להכניס את הרב אלי בן דהן כי:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">במשך 11 שנים, לא היה אף מינוי
של רב בהתיישבות העובדת (מושבים וקיבוצים). בשנה האחרונה שהרב אלי כיהן כסגן שר
לשירותי דת (הדתות), השיגו 71 (!) תקנים לרבנים בהתישבות העובדת - מהפכה בחינוך וברבנות!</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><br /></span></li>
<li><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">שלוש-עשרה רבנים מגוש קטיף הסתובבו 9
שנים ללא משרות. לפני חודשיים,
הרב אלי הישג 13 תקנים מהמדינה לכל אחד מהם. לראשונה מאז הגירוש, שכרם יהיה
קבוע.</span></li>
<li><span lang="HE" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">ב</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">עשור האחרון, רב עיר אחד בלבד מונה מהציונות הדתית: הרב מיכה הלוי מפתח תקוה. בזמן כהונתו הקצרה של הרב אלי, מונו 4 רבני ערים מהציונות הדתית: בנתניה, קרית עקרון, ירוחם, וירושלים (כולל הרב הספרדי).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">הרב
בן דהן מסכם: "המשרד לשירותי דת (הדתות) הוא המשרד שקובע את פניה היהודיות
של מדינת ישראל, והבית היהודי לא יוותר עליו לחרדים בשום אופן. ב4 השנים
הבאות, נמשיך לעשות מהפכה פי 4 ויותר במשרד הזה.</span></li>
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">מקום שני: ד"ר ענת רוט </span></b></div>
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<li>יש לה סיפור חיים מדהים עם
רקורד של פעילית ציבורית בשלום עכשיו והשמאל. היתה עוזרת פרלמנטרית של אהוד
ברק ומתן וילנאי, כך שהיא מכירה את הכנסת וגם את השמאל מבפנים. המהפך שלה
החל בהתנתקות, וכבר 7 שנים היא שומרת מצוות בצורה מלאה ומזדהה עם דרכו של
הרב דרוקמן - היא אשה תורנית.</li>
<li>כאשר שרת החינוך יולי תמיר ביקשה
לבטל את תקציב המדרשות לבנות, ענת - במסגרת תפקידה כמנכ"ל איגוד
המרכזים להעמקת הזהות היהודית - ניהלה מאבק נגד השרה וניצחה ובכך הצילה את
המדרשות.</li>
<li>היום היא עובדת ב<a href="http://www.megalim.org.il/" target="_blank">מכון מגלי"ם</a>
בעיר דוד. שוחחתי עם מנהלה הישיר אהרון הורוביץ. הוא העיד עליה שהיא לוחמת, מאורגנת ומסודרת להפליא - אידיאליסטית וישרה.</li>
<li>ענת
קיבלה "ציון לשבח" מאשת שלום עכשיו חגית עופרן שאמרה שענת מהווה את "הסכנה
הכי גדולה לשלום ולמדינת ישראל, יותר מאשר בית אל ועפרה." עופרן התכוונה
לפעילותה החינוכית במכון מגלי"ם שבה היא מאהיבה את עיר דוד ומזרח ירושלים
על הקהל הישראלי החילוני. </li>
<li>הרושם המתקבל הוא שענת תהיה איילת שקד ב' מבחינת כשרונותיה ופעילותה הנמרצת בכנסת.</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">מקום שלישי: ניסן סלומינסקי</span></b> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslZGX7PLoSwwKoMLvrLRvVsUc0nn2x14GHOlszZ4CU25x5EQ8etDuA7NP1qwTLEL48S36wlQnvupFKVxQXlfADZ8nRQg1BJKKxyZ707JnHVjHuFUT-fizETiRJzst8-ErCOgqyXlg4nTb/s1600/nisan+slomianski.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslZGX7PLoSwwKoMLvrLRvVsUc0nn2x14GHOlszZ4CU25x5EQ8etDuA7NP1qwTLEL48S36wlQnvupFKVxQXlfADZ8nRQg1BJKKxyZ707JnHVjHuFUT-fizETiRJzst8-ErCOgqyXlg4nTb/s1600/nisan+slomianski.png" /></a></div>
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חובה להכניס את ניסן כי:</div>
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<li>ניסן מכהן כראש וועדת הכספים ופעל לקדם התיישבות ובטחון ביש"ע, העצמת הגרעינים התורניים, קידום מוסדות חינוך, וכו'.</li>
<li>ניסן
ניצל את מעמדו כיו"ר וועדת הכספים והזמין מחקר ממרכז המחקר של הכנסת
"ניתוח השלכות האפשריות של חרם כלכלי על ישראל." המחקר מפריך מכל וכל את
טענות השמאל שהמשך ריבונות על יו"ש יפגע בכלכלה. <a href="http://nissans.co.il/%D7%94%D7%97%D7%A8%D7%9D-%D7%94%D7%9B%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%9C%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%90-%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%92%D7%A2-%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%9E%D7%94-%D7%94%D7%9B%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%AA/" target="_blank">לחץ כאן על מנת לעיין בסיכום קצר של המחקר (או המחקר במלואו).</a></li>
<li>תלמיד חכם, איש מעשה וגורם תורני בסיעה. זכה במקום ראשון בפריימריס הקודמים.</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">מקום רביעי: מוטי יוגב</span></b></div>
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חובה להכניס את מוטי יוגב כי:</div>
<ol>
<li>מוטי הוא בוגר מרכז הרב, בוגר סיירת מטכ"ל ושירת 30 שנה בצבא. פעל רבות למען הבטחון ולמען תקציבים ביו"ש, וכן בנושאים חברתיים. </li>
<li>בדו"ח
ארגון מטות ערים, מוטי זכה במקום ראשון בין חברי הכנסת עם הכי
הרבה הישגים למחנה הלאומי.</li>
<li>השיג תקציבים עבור מיגון כלי רכב ותחבורה, ועבור תוספת פריסה סלולרית ביו"ש. השיג 100 מליון ש"ח עבור בטחון בישובי קו העימות.</li>
<li>נחשב
גורם תורני מובהק בסיעת הבית היהודי פנימה, ששומר נאמנות להחלטות הסיעה,
ואחדות כלפי חוץ. שמעתי מבפנים שמוטי עומד איתן לעיתים מול בנט בנושאים שחשובים לציבור התורני.</li>
<li>במהלך
מבצע צוק איתן, מוטי התראיין כמה פעמים בזכות היותו מפקד עזה לשעבר, ונימק
בנחרצות את הצורך להכריע מבחינה צבאית את הטרור.</li>
</ol>
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">מקום חמישי: יוסי פוקס</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwa38RKbXa973x5TLoSevtSFdeG_xVPJ92E4Rnb-pvavL2ax_nTlwxHnylqgel0wmBlKInxWw-_gLAI5O846WDtVDU081svE8Dic83UiO7RnADe7rJqqSShN80jFAcXrwKOt6Ew6-JGbr/s1600/yosi+Fuchs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwa38RKbXa973x5TLoSevtSFdeG_xVPJ92E4Rnb-pvavL2ax_nTlwxHnylqgel0wmBlKInxWw-_gLAI5O846WDtVDU081svE8Dic83UiO7RnADe7rJqqSShN80jFAcXrwKOt6Ew6-JGbr/s1600/yosi+Fuchs.png" /></a></span></b></div>
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אני מתרשם לטובה מיוסי פוקס כי:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>הוא ראש הפורום המשפטי למען ארץ ישראל ומשפטן דגול שפעל נגד הסמכות שבג"ץ נטל לעצמו לפסול חוקים של המחנה הלאומי. </li>
<li>כ"טיפול
שורש" בסמכות שבג"ץ נטל לעצמו, פוקס יפעל לחקיקת חוקי יסוד שימנעו מהבג"ץ
לנהל את המדינה ויחזירו את הבג"ץ למקומו הראוי - לפרש חוקים. </li>
<li>נושא
שני של פוקס הוא הסדרת ההתיישבות ביהודה ושומרון. הפסיקה האחרונה של בג"ץ
להחריב את עמונה יכולה לקרות גם בבית אל, עפרה, ועוד ישובים רבים. עד שלא
נפתור את הבעיה מהשורש בחקיקה, שוב ושוב יהיו עתירות של השמאל והחלטות בג"ץ
להחריב שכונות.</li>
<li>יתמקד בקביעת דו"ח אדמונד לוי כגישה יסודית של המדינה לשטחי יו"ש ובכך יכריז שזאת הארץ שלנו גם מבחינה משפטית. </li>
<li>כל
מפלגה שחפצה להיות מפלגת שלטון צריכה לפחות חבר כנסת אחד שהוא מחוקק
במקצועו. בליכוד יש את יריב לוין, וכן הלאה. פוקס בא למלא את וואקום בבית
היהודי. </li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>מקום שישי: שרה אליאש</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXsoMfcv_LNQ5Y54GPKb9ddg-R_6gjYu6ww7J8Oqchn2Wqjtp0gyS4WoMKSAHWSA_Zdz4HSV3fxLCd4rHaGhAc755PATM8ecuStxsUDj8XXKg0yMeBrqNXJ3ReArRr86n4B0xT3Ad7a7Y/s1600/sarah+eliash.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXsoMfcv_LNQ5Y54GPKb9ddg-R_6gjYu6ww7J8Oqchn2Wqjtp0gyS4WoMKSAHWSA_Zdz4HSV3fxLCd4rHaGhAc755PATM8ecuStxsUDj8XXKg0yMeBrqNXJ3ReArRr86n4B0xT3Ad7a7Y/s1600/sarah+eliash.png" /></a></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><b>שרה אליאש </b>לוחמת על זכויות נשים בצורה מאוזנת בנוסף למאבק על ארץ ישראל. אשה תורנית שעמדה בראש אולפנה. </span></span></li>
<li><b>איילת שקד - </b>הרב דרוקמן אמר בכנס של ראשי ישיבות הסדר ש<b>איילת שקד פעלה יותר מכל ח"כ אחר למען הישיבות.</b> איילת מתייעצת עם הרב ומבצעת כל מה שהוא אומר. אבל... איילת תכנס גם בלי תמיכה מסיבית מהציבור התורני. <span style="color: red;">לכן יש להתחלק במשפחה שאחד מבני המשפחה יצביע
עבור איילת שקד על מנת: 1) להבטיח שתכנס, 2) שהיא תראה שמעריכים את עבודתה.</span></li>
<li><b>שולי מועלם - חזקה </b>בנושא ארץ ישראל. מומלצת על ידי כצל'ה ואחרים</li>
<li><b>חני לוז </b>- מסמנת את התקשורת השמאלינית כמטרה ולקידום ענין זה הקימה את תדמית. מדברת בבהירות ולענין.</li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: red;"><b><span style="color: black;"><b><b><span style="font-size: medium;">מקום שביעי:</span></b></b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;">אביחי בוארון או יגאל דילמוני </span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFeixJM04z0LdxQgzjwUc4eQzgwLUG2h_FD387oq7DkLAjqcFSYEXgzk9eRGMQ0VbFPjT008TKx-JZ6MEoFLHwnFTpNer_L_GF4LYEEUr-dCUbxOJiTyaAk9x9RMCg37Htp8If4S4mr3Qu/s1600/avihai+boharon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFeixJM04z0LdxQgzjwUc4eQzgwLUG2h_FD387oq7DkLAjqcFSYEXgzk9eRGMQ0VbFPjT008TKx-JZ6MEoFLHwnFTpNer_L_GF4LYEEUr-dCUbxOJiTyaAk9x9RMCg37Htp8If4S4mr3Qu/s1600/avihai+boharon.png" /></a></span></span></b></span></div>
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<div>
<ol>
<li><span style="color: black;"><b>אביחי בוארון </b>-
ניהל מאבק בחוזקה בעמונה נגד דעתו של פנחס וולרשטין. התנגדות זאת, יש
אומרים, הרתיע את הממשלה מלבצע עוד מהלכים דומים. איש תורני, עומד בראש
ארגון הפצת התורה מעייני ישועה. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"><b>יגאל דילמוני</b> - איש מעשה מובהק, מדבר בבהירות ולענין, עובר מסך, איש ארגון שעשה עבודה נפלאה במועצת יש"ע בהסברה. <br />קשה לי להכריע בינו לבין אביחי. אולי כדאי שוב להתחלק במשפחה.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"><b>הרב משה סולומון </b>(מוסמך לרבנות!) - עולה מאיתיופיה, שירת כמג"ד בצבא. ימשוך הרבה קולות מיוצאי איתיופיה. שמעתי על רבים שיתמכו בו וטוב הם עושים. ממש מעומד מעולה<br /> </span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: black;">וכן <b>שמעון ריקלין</b> - איש מעשה שיודע לעבוד.</span><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-28733131565819711062013-10-07T23:31:00.002+03:002013-10-18T09:21:03.034+03:00Amazing Story About Rav Ovadiah That I Heard at His FuneralIn 1995, I attended the funeral of the great Torah sage of Israel Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. An estimated 300,000 attended. I thought there would never be another funeral like it.<br />
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Tonight, I participated in the funeral of the great Sephardic Torah sage Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef. Police estimate that 600,000-850,000 people attended. Can you imagine one tenth of the population of a country attending a funeral? One tenth of Israel’s Jews made their way to Jerusalem to pay respects to one of the greatest Torah sages of the generation.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6u7AjSy2TpiI5Isf83rzvxtF4K4xp1twYZc6qFb4Qaugu1jnUL40egZiMq-jR4Q4d-xVmX_RvrCpSAHwbP26CqBmUwU908TJXtu4Lj6QwwJr6niacVSSlAx8o7UtOmJjs_HDZYqwXIqZ/s1600/Ovadya_Yosef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6u7AjSy2TpiI5Isf83rzvxtF4K4xp1twYZc6qFb4Qaugu1jnUL40egZiMq-jR4Q4d-xVmX_RvrCpSAHwbP26CqBmUwU908TJXtu4Lj6QwwJr6niacVSSlAx8o7UtOmJjs_HDZYqwXIqZ/s1600/Ovadya_Yosef.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, of blessed memory</td></tr>
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Rabbi Auerbach was a Rabbi of yeshivas, of learners of Torah. Rabbi Ovadiah touched the common man - the working class. While his Torah writings and halachic decisions are studied in every yeshiva in the world, he spoke to “amcha” – the people on the street.</div>
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That’s why amcha came out this evening to attend his funeral alongside all the yeshivas which emptied out to honor Rabbi Ovadiah’s last journey to his final place of rest.</div>
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One of his sons told the following story:</div>
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“When Abba (Dad) was 79-years-old, he suffered his first heart attack. We rushed him to the hospital and, upon arrival, the doctors determined that he needed urgent bypass surgery. Abba asked to first go home for three hours, and then do the surgery. We pleaded with him, ‘Abba, don’t postpone it. What possible reason could there be to justify postponing an urgent bypass operation?’ </div>
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“Abba answered that he was in the middle of writing a response to permit an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agunah" target="_blank">agunah to re-marry</a>. He said, ‘When I go into the hospital for heart surgery, I don’t know how and when I will come out. But if I don’t grant this agunah a permit to marry, who will do so in my place? Who will guarantee that she will be set free? Who will care for her situation?”</div>
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To the doctors utter shock, the Rabbi returned home for three hours to sum up in his responsa all the Jewish legal reasons that this women is no longer bound to her husband. Only then did he return to the hospital and undergo surgery.</div>
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I think that is the most insane story I have heard about love of a fellow Jew.</div>
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I know many readers harbor strong sentiments of political disagreement with Rabbi Ovadiah. But at this hour, his towering Torah erudition and dedication to Am Yisrael stand out above all.<br />
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May his memory be for a blessing.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-30208168244292454352013-09-02T17:58:00.002+03:002013-09-03T12:06:48.851+03:00Bet El High Holiday MP3 Songs GiveawayYou heard correctly. As a token of appreciation to all of our friends and readers, Bet El Institutions is simply giving away 3 moving, mp3 songs from its new, professionally-produced, Rosh HaShana/Yom Kippur song disc.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5FRE4JL_eWpGNYC4n1Ge3D19h0OEyvn1PUhI3rMqxpOhhKPKAMvJEbACmhco8cIjOPfyRkqbJxf26-2fqahSt568y3wNDtIhxBO7ZGBuYb3bw7tgJYj4jbiZ4WKVP9uash9kHrtJYUqm/s1600/gift+-+royaltee+free+sxc.hu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5FRE4JL_eWpGNYC4n1Ge3D19h0OEyvn1PUhI3rMqxpOhhKPKAMvJEbACmhco8cIjOPfyRkqbJxf26-2fqahSt568y3wNDtIhxBO7ZGBuYb3bw7tgJYj4jbiZ4WKVP9uash9kHrtJYUqm/s320/gift+-+royaltee+free+sxc.hu.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A musical gift for our friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The new disc features songs sung in the Yeshiva on Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7KHY8xxtm_Ybkd2SmpYSWZVTU0&usp=sharing" target="_blank">Click here for the 3 free mp3 songs</a>.(Download instructions below)<br />
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After you make your donation, you'll receive the download instructions in the payment confirmation email sent to you.<br />
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Download instructions:<br />
On <a href="https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7KHY8xxtm_Ybkd2SmpYSWZVTU0&usp=sharing" target="_blank">this page</a>, click on the song(s) you wish to download and then click "Download" on the bottom right of the black screen.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-36027631370643137552013-08-29T13:16:00.001+03:002013-08-29T13:20:36.648+03:00Facts & Figures at the Opening of the School Year<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The 2013-2014 school year began this week throughout the Jewish State. In Judea and Samaria, over 100,000 students are back on the school benches in hundreds of kindergartens, schools, yeshiva high schools for boys, and ulpana high schools for girls.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWpyGbdkKr8E4IQtKLsf-2mMFjNx32kTDhVKX3rFTE9-EqB5eyL7BO7kRS6Vj_MKUjtbPMwEN8nEd3SEgF9q3wtKb0ohqabIPyyIrHOrbfo8VA7yWOEg52GBEiZiTEtMg8uY-heA69im2/s1600/kids+on+swing-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWpyGbdkKr8E4IQtKLsf-2mMFjNx32kTDhVKX3rFTE9-EqB5eyL7BO7kRS6Vj_MKUjtbPMwEN8nEd3SEgF9q3wtKb0ohqabIPyyIrHOrbfo8VA7yWOEg52GBEiZiTEtMg8uY-heA69im2/s320/kids+on+swing-small.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A short swing-stop on their way to school...</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Based on figures from regional councils in Judea and Samaria, this year marks once again a significant rise in the number of students. The rise is parallel to the general increase in population in Judea and Samaria. So reports the Yesha Newsletter.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Here are a few snapshots:</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In the southern Hevron Hills Region, for example, four new kindergartens were opened.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In Kedumim (Western Samaria), the student population rose by 10%.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In Gush Etziyon, there are 142 more first-grade students than last year.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In the Binyamin region, no less than 8,800 children are off to grade school.</span></li>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">While Tzipi Livni and Netanyahu’s advisors are busy negotiating away chunks of historic Israel, the Jewish population in the same regions continues to thrive and blossom.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Shana tova!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-86320796317121159582013-07-16T15:32:00.001+03:002013-07-16T15:32:31.118+03:00Feel the Tisha B'Av Fast Day with this Brief Video<div style="text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-76690018785619624542013-06-21T01:05:00.003+03:002013-06-21T01:09:56.431+03:00Access the Free Israel Job Market ReportThank you for submitting your email.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-82517226608408843362013-06-12T19:02:00.002+03:002013-10-03T07:37:53.888+03:00Peace Now Right On Target Again<div style="text-align: start;">
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I recently posted a <a href="http://baruchsbreeze.blogspot.co.il/2013/05/peace-now-said-it-best.html" target="_blank">Peace Now press release</a> which took the words out of my mouth.<br />
<br />
Peace Now has done it again. They sent out this week an alert with the cataclysmic news of record-breaking construction in the Jewish towns of Judea and Samaria (AKA West Bank).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlg7CDa-9-nBidEDOlmaPMlgICRxV0AlW-OuDrHp5J47PjTGg-LZ3AwsYDLmbBcciG6N2IGONefkHLYhqCFcQ7XPUs1e3DGcgNr6kMO2bpE773V08opMJxTNho87Lc_vlN1MLEunOjI0N/s1600/peace+now++war+later.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlg7CDa-9-nBidEDOlmaPMlgICRxV0AlW-OuDrHp5J47PjTGg-LZ3AwsYDLmbBcciG6N2IGONefkHLYhqCFcQ7XPUs1e3DGcgNr6kMO2bpE773V08opMJxTNho87Lc_vlN1MLEunOjI0N/s320/peace+now++war+later.png" width="247" /></a></div>
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I found much joy in reading the "cataclysmic" news release below and share it with you to bring tranquility and relief to you - the supporters of a free, dignified Israel, struggling to stand up to the pressures by Western imperialist powers and multi-billion dollar corporations who dictate concessions.<br />
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Peace Now Release<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4287c7; font-family: arial; font-size: 28px; font-weight: bold;">Construction Starts in Settlements Reach 7 Year High</span>9/June/13</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
According to recent Israel <a href="http://cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201304147" target="_blank">Central Bureau of Statistics data</a>, construction starts in the West Bank skyrocketed during the first quarter of 2013. Despite the fabled 'settlement freeze' or 'restraint', construction continued uninterrupted. Between January 2013 and March 2013 construction of 865 new housing units began. This is three times as many construction starts compared to the same quarter last year (January-March 2012). If compared to the final quarter of last year (October-December 2012), this is an astonishing 355% increase... </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The CBS statistics does not provide a breakdown of all construction starts by location so it is unclear exactly how many units were begun in each location. However, the CBS data does note that many of the units are located in Modiin Illit (241 units) and Beitar Illit (265 units). According to our research construction is taking place in many settlements east and west of the separation barrier.<br />
END </blockquote>
Dear Peace Now,<br />
<br />
Eight hundred and sixty-five building starts in Judea and Samaria is really nothing to get worked up about. It is a <b>continuation of the policy of restraint</b> being dictated to Israel by the US State Department and European Union which funds Peace Now and serves foreign interests. This restraint in building is hurting Israel, and I prove that below.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilb7gMGvc1HdOgcxA9x83ayYFtonlJZXJO0O1VuyqbJvqdIJyoxPhHm_7zLA5u1dS1H-J-ENbB9FxPTdXubc1jrEMZJfB3GDjjEOFeppr21El4bTAPVylNoJ_0W8l-_szNHR3ZGwPd6Cpw/s1600/housing+prices+graph+-+madlan.co.il.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilb7gMGvc1HdOgcxA9x83ayYFtonlJZXJO0O1VuyqbJvqdIJyoxPhHm_7zLA5u1dS1H-J-ENbB9FxPTdXubc1jrEMZJfB3GDjjEOFeppr21El4bTAPVylNoJ_0W8l-_szNHR3ZGwPd6Cpw/s400/housing+prices+graph+-+madlan.co.il.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graph of housing prices - <a href="http://www.madlan.co.il/survey/areFlatPricesAlwaysRising" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">madlan.co.il</a></td></tr>
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Note the headline of the Peace Now release - "7 Year High." The reason that the first quarter of 2013 has the most housing starts in 7 years is that up until 7 years ago, all governments built much more in Judea and Samaria in accordance with the demand. Before Netanyahu's time, there was never a Prime Minister who limited housing so drastically in Judea and Samaria. Even during the Olmert/Livni government, there was much more building.<br />
<br />
Note in the graph above that exactly 7 years ago, housing prices started to skyrocket and usher in the current housing crisis.<br />
<br />
In other words, limiting building in Judea and Samaria has facilitated the housing crisis that Israeli society is trying extract itself from. It is hurting Israeli citizens. As per former senior adviser in the Housing Ministry Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz, some 60,000 units must be built per year throughout Israel in order to bring down the prices of apartments and make them affordable to young couples. That translates to approximately 7,000-10,000 units per year in Judea and Samaria (where land is more available and much cheaper).<br />
<br />
The Jerusalem area lacks some 20,000 units. Jerusalem and its satellite communities (e.g. Efrat, Tekoa, Nokdim, the southern Binyamin region) must construct 7-10 thousands units annually to maintain normalcy in housing. Every year, 10,000 citizens leave Jerusalem primarily because there is nowhere to live.<br />
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<br />
Instead of launching much-needed mass building, Netanyahu authorizes a few hundred units here and there in the eastern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, at which time Peace Now and its patrons in Europe scream. The result is that our Prime Minister succumbs to foreign pressures further escalating an already severe internal Israeli housing crisis.<br />
<br />
Israel's drastically limiting the number of housing starts in Judea and Samaria to 865 per quarter simply doesn't supply the demand. Israel must do what it needs to do to solve its housing woes, and not listen the dictates of the foreign superpowers and corporatacracies and their local agents like you, Peace Now.<br />
<br />
This government seems to be taking some steps to drastically change warped realities in Israel for the better. Let's hope for Israel's sake, that they will step up housing starts to the tune of 10,000 per annum in Judea and Samaria, alongside some 50,000 throughout little Israel.<br />
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Coming soon on this site: A One of Its Kind Report on Demands in the Israeli Job Market. Check back soon. Postscript: <a href="http://youtu.be/3D_EhRIUPJ4" target="_blank">It came out. Click here.</a><br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-81348408935935810752013-05-27T20:27:00.000+03:002013-05-28T00:31:15.173+03:00I Have Factories, Family - Aliyah Is Not For Me<br />
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<span style="line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;">Baruch Duvdevani served as the Executive Director of the Jewish Agency's</span><span style="line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"> </span><i style="line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;">Aliyah</i><span style="line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;">department. He recounted this frightful story:</span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">
It was the winter of 5716 (1956), immediately following the Sinai Campaign. Poland and the USSR had just signed a treaty allowing all Polish citizens who had fled to Russia during World War II to return to Poland. Jewish or not, they had the right to return, as long as they were Polish citizens on September 1, 1939, the day the War broke out. As a result of this treaty, thousands of Jews throughout Russia returned to Poland, and the majority of them subsequently immigrated to Israel.</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">
I was privileged to spend that year, and the next, in Poland, helping organize this mass <i>aliyah</i> to Israel.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">
One December morning, when the temperature in Warsaw reached 19 degrees below zero (Celsius), I arrived at the Israeli embassy where we were stationed for our immigration work. The courtyard was filled with scores of people who had come from Russia to immigrate to <i>Eretz</i> <i>Yisrael</i>. I stopped and talked to each and every one of them at length. Our hearts were so filled with joy that we did not feel the cold.<br />
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I noticed an old Jew standing in the corner of the courtyard. He was bone-thin, with practically no flesh on his body. His dim eyes lacked any spark of life; his cheekbones protruded profusely; and his clothes were tattered and torn, despite the bitter cold. I realized immediately that the man wanted to speak with me and that he was simply waiting for me to finish talking to the others.</div>
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When I finished, the man approached me and asked if I was from Jerusalem. I told him that I was, and then he asked me if I knew Rav Kook, of blessed memory. I answered that I had been privileged to benefit from his exalted Torah and inspiring discourses. At that moment, the man burst into tears and said, "<i>What a shame! What a shame that I did not listen to him.</i>" </div>
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He continued to sob for a while, and when he finally calmed down a bit, he told me his story:</div>
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In the early 1920's, I was a big manufacturer in one of Poland's famous industrial cities. One day, I decided to take a trip to <i>Eretz </i><i>Yisrael</i> and spend Passover there. Being a religious Jew, I visited Rav Kook zt"l immediately upon my arrival. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook</td></tr>
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He welcomed me warmly and encouraged me to seek out the good of the Land and consider settling there. After a few weeks of touring, I returned to the Rav and asked him, among other things, what I should do regarding the second day of <i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">Yom</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">Tov</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">, seeing that I was a tourist.</span></div>
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The Rav answered with a smile: 'Decide right now to bring your family here and to build a factory in the Land. Then, you can keep one day of <i>Yom</i> <i>Tov</i> already this Passover, like all inhabitants of <i>Eretz</i> <i>Yisrael</i>.'</div>
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I took his answer jovially, and since the holiday was still a few weeks away, I decided to return at a later date and pose the question again, when it was more practical.</div>
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A few days before Passover, I went to Rav Kook and asked him the question once more. This time, the Rav answered sternly: 'I already told you that you should move here; then you may keep one day of <i>Yom</i> <i>Tov</i> starting now, even if you must return to Poland after Passover to settle your affairs.'</div>
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I said to him: 'Excuse me, dear rabbi, I have thought about it at great length; but in the end, <i>da'ati</i> <i>lachazor</i> — my intention is to return to the Diaspora. How, then, can I celebrate like the residents of <i>Eretz</i> <i>Yisrael</i>?'</div>
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The Rav banged his hand on the table and said with great emotion: 'Your <i>da'at</i> [intention] is to return? That is nothing but lack of <i>da'at </i>[sense]!'<br />
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The man continued in a broken voice: 'I did not listen to the Rav. I returned to the Diaspora and remained there. I lost my wife, my children, and my grandchildren in the Holocaust, and here I am today, lonely and desolate. I have come back here with nothing, after wandering for years through Russia. And I constantly recall Rav Kook's prophetic words: "<i>That is nothing but lack of da'at!</i>" </div>
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(Originally appeared in the book <a href="http://www.alljudaica.com/An-Angel-Among-Men-Impressions-From-the-Life-p/5154.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'An Angel Among Men' by R. Simcha Raz</a>, p. 257)<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-38361673295751568022013-05-16T18:05:00.001+03:002013-05-16T19:36:12.068+03:00Peace Now Said It the Best<div style="text-align: start;">
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Folks, I wanted to write a blog post to relay the great news about the Defense Ministry's response to a Peace Now petition in which Peace Now urges the court to demolish 6 start-up neighborhoods in Judea and Samaria. When I saw the Peace Now press release on the topic, I realized that I couldn't have written it better (except for their trigger happiness in using the word "illegal.") So here's the news in their words. Enjoy.<br />
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Below the press release, see my comment about Givat Assaf.<br />
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The Government Announces 4 New Settlements in the West Bank</h1>
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16/May/2013<br />
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On Tuesday, the Government submitted <a href="http://www.blogger.com/eng/sites/default/files/StateResponse140513.pdf">a formal response</a> to <a href="http://peacenow.org.il/eng/node/290">Peace Now's Supreme Court petition against six illegal outposts</a>. In the response the government declares its intention to legalize four outposts, in isolated areas. <br />
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The Civil Administration has been instructed to begin a process of legalizing the outposts of Ma'ale Rehavam, Haroeh, Givat Assaf, and Mitzpe Lachshish. The former government had previously promised to remove the illegal construction built on private land, but had not declared its intention to legalize the outposts.<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=856901020048896556" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=856901020048896556" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>The Supreme Court will hold a hearing on the petition on Wednesday, May 22nd.<br />
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Peace Now: <em>“The intention to legalize outposts as new settlements is no less than a slap in the face of Secretary Kerry's new process and is blatant reassurance to settler interests. The new Government is indicating it is not committed to peace and to two state solution. The decision to retroactively legalize settler movements gives free reign to illegal settler activities, which continue to establish strategic facts on the ground and harm the chances for peace. </em><br />
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<a href="http://peacenow.org.il/eng/sites/default/files/StateResponse140513.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download the State response (in Hebrew)</a><br />
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<a href="http://peacenow.org.il/eng/sites/default/files/News/2013/GivatAssaf.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://peacenow.org.il/eng/sites/default/files/News/2013/GivatAssaf.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Givat Assaf outpost (near Bet El)</div>
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<strong>The Outposts to be legalized according to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/eng/sites/default/files/StateResponse140513.pdf">the State response</a>:</strong><br />
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1. Ma’ale Rehavam (East of Bethlehem) – The Minister of Defense instructed the Civil Administration to prepare options to legalize all of the construction in the outpost situated on “State Land”.<br />
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2. Haroeh (North of Ramallah) – The Minister of Defense instructed the Civil Administration to launch a survey procedure meant to declare the lands of the outpost as “State Land”, as part of preparing the possibility to legalize the outpost.<br />
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3. Givat Assaf (East of Ramallah) – The Government instructed the Civil Administration to explore the possibilities to legalize the outpost, based on claims by settlers that they have purchased parts of the land. According to the response given to the court, over the past few months the settlers managed to buy three parcels of land on which ¾ of the outpost's structures are built.<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=856901020048896556" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=856901020048896556" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
4. Mitzpe Lachish (South West of Hebron) – The previous Government had informed the court its wish to legalize the outpost, however, because of the elections the decision was left to the new Government. In the response to the court the Government declares, “a decision to include the outpost in the Negohot settlement land, should be taken soon”. This translates into an intention to legalize the outpost, by calling it a “neighborhood” of the settlement of Negohot.<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=856901020048896556" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=856901020048896556" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
As for the two remaining outposts on the petition, Mitzpe Yizhar (South of Nablus) and Ramat Gilad (East of Qalqilya), the Government states that most of the structures that were built on private land were removed, but does not say anything about the future of the outposts themselves.<br />
END PRESS RELEASE<br />
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My son Yehuda and I had the privilege to be in Givat Assaf on the first Shabbat after it was established in 2001. They were looking for some people to be there over Shabbat. It was just after the funeral of Assaf Hershkowitz who was murdered by Arabs nearby and who the town is named after.<br />
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Here's a short video about Givat Assaf, which is an extension neighborhood of Bet El.<br />
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<!--footerr -->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-61918918902628944842013-05-14T13:26:00.002+03:002013-05-14T13:32:36.540+03:00Why Stay Up and Learn All Night on Shavuot?<br />
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<b>by <a href="http://www.yeshiva.co/ask/?srch=1&orderby=2&q=david+samson&cat=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rabbi David Samson</a> </b><br />
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<b>Question:</b><br />
On the holiday of Shavuot, is the practice of learning Torah all night long a commandment or a just a custom?<br />
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<b>Answer:</b><br />
The practice of staying up all night to study Torah on the holiday of Shavuot is a custom and not a commandment.[1] However that does not mean that a person should snuggle into bed thinking that he is not missing anything by not joining in with the rest of the Jewish people on this exalted night. On Shavuot night, a person who longs to come closer to G-d can do so in the study hall, rather than sleeping off his holiday meal in bed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The House of Study in Kerem B'Yavneh packed with students</td></tr>
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The festival of Shavuot commemorates G-d the giving the Torah to the Jewish nation on Mt. Sinai. The Midrash teaches that the Jewish people at Sinai slept all night instead of waiting anxiously for the giving of the Torah.[2] By staying up the whole night and studying, we rectify the slighting this caused to the honor of the Torah.<br />
<br />
The Zohar states that the early sages would learn Torah all night to insure that the blessing of Torah would be passed on to their children. A person who learns Torah with joy on Shavuot night is insured the blessing of life in this world and the world to come.[3] The Arizal emphasizes that a person should stay awake all night and be rapturously involved in the study of Torah. This pious behavior guarantees that the person will not die in the coming year. He states that the holiness of Shavuot night is so exalted that a person should take special care to say only words of Torah and not to utter a single unnecessary comment.[4]<br />
<br />
For these reasons, many synagogues hold lectures all through the night on Shavuot, in order to provide a festive environment for people who have trouble staying up all night learning alone at home.<br />
<br />
In the holy writings of the “Shelah,” Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz, a kaballist who lived in Safed several hundred years ago, an interesting story is told about Shavuot night in the study hall of Rabbi Yosef Caro, the author of the Shulchan Oruch. The Rabbi and his students were living in Turkey at the time and as was their habit, they spent the evening diligently studying the Tikun of Shavuot Night, a special order of holy texts established by the sages of the Zohar. In the middle of their learning, they heard a supernatural voice emerging from the mouth of their revered Rabbi. All of the neighbors heard the booming voice of the Divine Presence, which, with the exile of the Jewish People, had fallen from its throne. All those in attendance fell upon their faces, unable to look at the holy sight of the great Rabbi as the awe-inspiring voice sounded from his lips. Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Elkabetz, author of the song “Lecha Dodi” and one of the students present, documented the scene in a letter quoted by the Shelah.[5]<br />
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“Listen my most devoted and beloved friends,” the Voice said. ‘Happy are you and those who gave birth to you, how fortunate you are in this world and the next, you who took it upon yourselves to honor me with the crown of your learning this evening. For it is now many years that my crown has fallen and there are none to console me. And I am cast into the dust, and now you have returned my glory of old.’”<br />
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“Be strengthened, friends and loved ones, know that you are the lofty chosen few, for you have merited to enter the palace of the King, for all of your learning and the breath of your mouths have come before G-d and pierced many heavens until your voices ascended to the reaches of the angels. All of the Celestial Host stand hearing your words of Torah to listen to your voices. And behold, here I am, …I have come to speak with you and praise you, how fortunate you are my beloved, for keeping sleep from your eyes, for through you I have been magnified this evening….”<br />
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“You are not like those who are lying on their ivory beds in sleep, which is like a tiny portion of death. You have cleaved to G-d and He rejoices with you… Therefore my children be strong and brave. Be joyous in the study of Torah and in attaining the fear of G-d, my friends. Do not cease from your learning, for a cord of loving kindness is wrapped around you, and your Torah learning is cherished by G-d.”<br />
<br />
“Hearing these words, we stood on our feet. Then the Voice returned and said, ‘Do not ceaseyour studies for a moment, and now come to the Land of Israel, for not all times are equal and G-d does not require legions to bring salvation, for you shall eat from the exalted goodness of the Land. And if you take heed and listen to these the words, surely the goodness of the Land you shall eat. Therefore, be quick to come to the Land of Israel for it is I who supports you. And you shall dwell in peace, and peace shall be upon your households and all that you own will enjoy shalom. G-d grants valor to His nation; G-d will bless His nation with peace.’”[5]<br />
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For people who don’t feel up to a rousing Shavuot experience like this, or if someone is afraid that he will be too tired to pray the morning service properly if he stays up all night, then he should not feel bad about retiring early.<br />
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Those who do stay up all night should try to hear the morning blessings from someone who slept and then simply answer Amen.[1]<br />
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In the words of Rabbi Elkabetz at the close of his epistle, this Shavuot “May the merciful G-d instill within your hearts to have mercy upon yourselves, and may we merit to be united in the Holy Land to worship G-d in unison.”<br />
<br />
Hag sameach and lashana haba b’Yerushalayim habinouyah.<br />
<a href="http://www.yeshiva.co/ask/?srch=1&orderby=2&q=david+samson&cat=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">More Q&A by Rabbi David Samson</a><br />
_____________________<br />
1. Mishna Berurah, Orach Chaim, 494:1.<br />
2. Pirkei d’Rebbe Eliezer, Chapter 41.<br />
3. Zohar, Emor, Folio 98A. Also, Introduction to Zohar, Part One, Folio 8A.<br />
4. Gateway to Meditaton, Page 89A. Also “Pri Etz Chadash,” Gate 23:1.<br />
5. Shelah HaKodosh, on Shavuot, Pg. 30.<br />
<br />
Rabbi David Samson is one of the leading English-speaking Torah scholars in the Religious-Zionist movement in Israel. He has co-authored four books on the writings of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook and Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook. Rabbi Samson learned for twelve years under the tutelage of Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook. He served as Rabbi of the Kehillat Dati Leumi Synagogue in Har Nof, Jerusalem, and teaches Jewish Studies at Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva Institutions.<br />
Tzvi Fishman was a successful Hollywood screenwriter before making Aliyah to Israel in 1984. He has co-authored several Torah works with Rabbi David Samson and written several books on Jewish/Israel topics.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-23143184283629641222013-05-14T12:53:00.002+03:002013-05-14T13:43:09.229+03:00Induction Ceremony of Yonatan Gordon into the IDF Tank Corps<br />
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This past Thursday, my wife, Anat, and I attended the induction ceremony of our son Yonatan into the IDF Tank Corps. It was simply a rush of pride, nachas, and great joy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great day in Gordon Family history</td></tr>
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In this video (view it widescreen), I tried to capture the spirit of the ceremony which I think you will really enjoy. Join in our simcha by watching:<br />
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<span id="goog_1239659127"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-21823570093067255652013-05-06T16:20:00.001+03:002013-05-06T16:20:56.175+03:00Selections from a Diary of Jerusalem's Liberationby Rabbi Shlomo Goren, IDF Chief Rabbi in the Six-Day War<br />
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<span class="Head1"><b>First to the Wailing Wall</b></span><br />In a private conversation, I told division commander Motta Gur that I had managed to secured a guarantee through operational documents that when we conquer the Old City of Jerusalem, I would be the first to reach the Wailing Wall. To this Motta Gur replied, "If you want to be the first to reach the Wailing Wall, you will have to be on good terms with me."<br /><br />"Why with you?" I asked.<br /><br />"Because," he replied, "I am going to be the one who conquers the Old City."<br /><br />I said to him, "If you promise me that you will conquer the Old City and allow me to be the first person by the Western Wall, I promise to keep on good terms with you."<br />
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<br />We shook hands as a sign of accord and commitment. There were two other officers present who heard our discussion. This took place in 1961. Thereafter, Motta Gur changed positions until he finally became commander of 55 Parachute Brigade.<br /><br />Noontime . . . the armored vehicle came and took me to the museum. There, I found division commander Motta Gur and late deputy brigade commander Moshe Peles. I congratulated them on the task they had been given and on the historic privilege that had fallen into their hands - the conquest of the Old City and the liberation of the Temple Mount and Western Wall. I reminded Motta Gur of our agreement six years earlier regarding my entrance to the Western Wall.<br /><br />Motta was very depressed. He informed me that he had received orders not to enter the Old City but rather to surround it from all sides. Under no circumstances was he to enter the city. He added that apparently the policy was to leave the Old City in the hands of the city's Arab population without conquering it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.yeshiva.co/midrash/shiur.asp?id=5909" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Click here to read the continuation...</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-38743540215292392742013-05-05T17:08:00.000+03:002013-05-08T18:06:46.555+03:00High Hopes for Peace Smashed – Tel Aviv Journalist Returns From Dialogue with Arabs<div style="text-align: center;">
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Lital Shemesh is a 29-year-old successful, female, Israeli journalist
who recently participated in a seminar with other young Israelis and Arabs in
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzbqMfqLfzJe4HamzV-Sk1cF-CMnEneZZrJCgB3cB5gU2GrH4ijreY9o7QnMEAgxXquwmOKIrjLlsvkTzCO9OXAF0RPrXIh5ewdMRb4SZww9xnrMwYwqE3TxBYHn9iE3kXA3CF8xVhmbh/s1600/lital+shemesh+with+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzbqMfqLfzJe4HamzV-Sk1cF-CMnEneZZrJCgB3cB5gU2GrH4ijreY9o7QnMEAgxXquwmOKIrjLlsvkTzCO9OXAF0RPrXIh5ewdMRb4SZww9xnrMwYwqE3TxBYHn9iE3kXA3CF8xVhmbh/s320/lital+shemesh+with+kids.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lital Shemesh as Editor of Israeli's largest youth magazine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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She is a rising star in the Israeli media who openly expresses
her political aspirations to reach the Knesset. She worked as Editor-in-Chief for the
Yedioth Youth Magazines, reported for the Israel Broadcasting Authority and the
Hot CableTV News channel, and is CEO and Founder of a web-based girls magazine “Pinkish
– Everything that Girls Love.”</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In her first video blog in English two years ago, she says, “I
really want… a peaceful quiet country to live in, and I really want peace to
come.” </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xvE8vWKauP0?list=UU9HthTKMUpqBSjGV2cqj8bw" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
"I really want peace to come" - 1:09 minute mark.</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
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But her conclusions from the peace seminar reflect a strong trend in Israeli
society: Israelis are realizing that the negotiations with the Arabs are
destined to fail from the outset, so why waste the time? As is apparent from
the February election results, further talks with the Arabs simply no longer
interest many people. It is an issue that has been sidelined and tabled to “maybe
the next generation.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Her summary (below) of her experience at the peace seminar will
help readers better understand Israeli society of 2013. A must read. Her report
appeared this past Thursday (May 2, 2013) <a href="http://news.walla.co.il/?w=%2F2952%2F2638853" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on the Walla news site</a>: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Peace? From the Palestinian Standpoint, There is a Past,
No Future<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<b>by Lital Shemesh</b></div>
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I participated in the Dialogue for Peace Project for young
Israelis and Palestinians who are politically involved in various frameworks. The
project’s objective was to identify tomorrow’s leaders and bring them closer today,
with the aim of bringing peace at some future time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The project involved meetings every few weeks and a concluding
seminar in Turkey. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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On the third day of the seminar after we had become acquainted,
had removed barriers, and split helpings of <i>rachat Lukum</i> [a halva-like
almond Arab delicacy] as though there was never a partition wall between us, we
began to touch upon many subjects which were painful for both sides. The Palestinians
spoke of roadblocks and the IDF soldiers in the territories, while the Israeli
side spoke of constant fear, murderous terrorist attacks, and rockets from
Gaza.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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The Israeli side, which included representatives from right
and left, tried to understand the Palestinians’ vision of the end of the strife–
“Let’s talk business.” The Israelis delved to understand how we can end the age-old,
painful conflict. What red lines are they willing to be flexible on? What
resolution will satisfy their aspirations? Where do they envision the future borders
of the Palestinian State which they so crave?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We were shocked to discover that not a single one of them
spoke of a Palestinian State, or to be more precise, of a two-state solution. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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They spoke of one state – their state. They spoke of ruling
Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Akko, Haifa, and the pain of the Nakba [lit. the tragedy – the
establishment of the State of Israel]. There was no future for them. Only the
past. “There is no legitimacy for Jews to live next to us” – this was their
main message. “Firs t, let them pay for what they perpetrated.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In the course of a dialogue which escalated to shouts, the
Palestinians asked us not to refer to suicide bombers as “terrorists” because
they don’t consider them so. “So how do you call someone who dons a vest and
blows himself up in a Tel Aviv shopping mall with the stated purpose of killing
innocent civilians,” I asked one of the participants. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“I have a 4-year-old at home,” answered Samach from Abu Dis
(near Jerusalem). “If G-d forbid something should happen to him, I will go and
burn an entire Israeli city, if I can.” All the other Palestinian participants
nodded their heads in agreement to his harsh words. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“Three weeks ago, we gave birth to a son,” answered Amichai,
a religious, Jewish student from Jerusalem. “If G-d forbid something should
happen to him, I would find no comfort whatsoever in deaths of more people.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Israelis from the full gamut of political parties
participated in the seminar: Likud, Labor, Kadima, Meretz, and Hadash (combined
Jewish/Arab socialist party). All of them reached the understanding that the
beautiful scenarios of Israeli-Palestinian peace that they had formulated for
themselves simply don’t correspond with reality. It’s just that most Israelis
don’t have the opportunity to sit and really converse with Palestinians, to
hear what they really think. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our feed of information
comes from Abu Mazen’s declarations to the international press, which he consistently
contradicts when he is interviewed by Al Jazeera, where he paints a completely
different picture.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I arrived at the seminar
with high hopes, and I return home with difficult feelings and despair.
Something about the narrative of the two sides is different from the core. How
can we return to the negotiating table when the Israeli side speaks of two
states and the Palestinian side speaks of liberating Palestine from the Jordan River
to the Mediterranean Sea? How can peace ever take root in a platform which
grants legitimacy to terrorism?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Translated by Baruch Gordon</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-57125613835134457372013-05-02T12:53:00.001+03:002013-05-02T12:53:03.804+03:00A Man That Has No Equal<br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://baruchsbreeze.blogspot.com/2012/04/bet-el-rocks-newsletter-sign-up.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQoiVKaiOCtH8Pc6zudGZeVXq4It7HlFJVzM3JAhQaPLbbv0FdsmHOxyOzkht44nZ_eLHeLDLc3lqJMHAXpdA0jvdQtULAcfvY99N5dQ6xHGFO7ieHTp2U2_IvjVRN86xOpTInOA18lhm/s1600/Subscribe_icon1-140+width.jpg" /></a></span></span></span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;">to Bet El's newsletter for more exclusive content</span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><em><span style="font-family: Calibri;">unavailable anywhere else in English on the web</span></em></em></div>
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<br />
<br />
A man passes away in the 1st Century, CE.<br />
<br />
Two thousand years later, a half a million people come to pay respects at his tomb on the anniversary of his passing.<br />
<br />
Is there another person like this in the world?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApV5w7sjLzETfc6j2W5WE-e4fOdkaic6VTN0f1z4KbLAZ7t3dtdkXXx7shy1xXpePBWypbop781o-0psSvx0I9pO8w38A4HXPctkgR9OYzwLDWNj9LsO27uKF94JXkQZM-1tIrIWuDaHu/s1600/rashbi_inpage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApV5w7sjLzETfc6j2W5WE-e4fOdkaic6VTN0f1z4KbLAZ7t3dtdkXXx7shy1xXpePBWypbop781o-0psSvx0I9pO8w38A4HXPctkgR9OYzwLDWNj9LsO27uKF94JXkQZM-1tIrIWuDaHu/s1600/rashbi_inpage.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I am speaking of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the author of the Kabbalistic centerpiece - the Zohar - and the 4th most-mentioned Jewish sage in the Mishna (the basis of Jewish Law).<br />
<br />
Last Sunday, I took my wife and kids for our wedding anniversary to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon in the Galilee. Everyone was rejoicing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LAz-pWrNFHC0lMVqN4t-GZ6PCcSaQqZvKo22ChrHRd-77V5fp06w9vB7B4iOsRaYv7gdQb1XLKhLcy_TBYGh_9P0yLfPon_LAvmD-gd_dM6aJl73MLHbn2L5mNG4b6JTr9peK-UI79up/s1600/IMG_3115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LAz-pWrNFHC0lMVqN4t-GZ6PCcSaQqZvKo22ChrHRd-77V5fp06w9vB7B4iOsRaYv7gdQb1XLKhLcy_TBYGh_9P0yLfPon_LAvmD-gd_dM6aJl73MLHbn2L5mNG4b6JTr9peK-UI79up/s320/IMG_3115.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNs_p5j4e8I2N2tUI3F8POkR4hWjsLNKE0pAB7J1FEvdIfpuZEUImLGIBnWt7bzFaWQhpR44xVcrkt9eojSNL9pRZH_OY5OW3XZAfJss-jZBWRny6FwhrwKki8FmpW13Z416f-awa_Vw8/s1600/IMG_3120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNs_p5j4e8I2N2tUI3F8POkR4hWjsLNKE0pAB7J1FEvdIfpuZEUImLGIBnWt7bzFaWQhpR44xVcrkt9eojSNL9pRZH_OY5OW3XZAfJss-jZBWRny6FwhrwKki8FmpW13Z416f-awa_Vw8/s320/IMG_3120.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Our tradition says that Rabbi Shimon from his resting place blesses personally each person who comes.<br />
<br />
Enjoy a 60-second video clip of the joy at Rabbi Shimon's Tomb:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_2CeJpzP1KQ/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_2CeJpzP1KQ?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_2CeJpzP1KQ?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-52482101654489022212013-04-14T17:22:00.001+03:002013-04-14T17:22:42.668+03:0012 Good Reasons Why Secular Israelis Reject Haredim<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Friends,</span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">This is an excellent article by <a href="http://www.jewishpress.com/blogs/yoris-news-clips/" target="_blank">Yori Yanover</a> who quotes extensively a hareidi Rabbi asking questions about his own community. It's a must read. Yori is an old time Arutz Sheva guy from the late 1980's, who has continued on to other media outlets.</span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">At your service,</span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Baruch</span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<br /></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, Myriad Pro, Myriad, Trebuchet MS, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">12 Good Reasons Why Secular Israelis Reject Haredim</span></span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, Myriad Pro, Myriad, Trebuchet MS, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">by <a href="http://www.jewishpress.com/blogs/yoris-news-clips/" target="_blank">Yori Yanover</a></span></span></div>
<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Rabbi Dovid Bloch is the official spokesman for the Nahal Haredi, the Netzah Yehuda IDF battalion, was among its founders, and is the spiritual guide (mashgiach ruchani) of its recruits. This part of his record is impeccable, as far as secular Israelis are concerned. Rabbi Bloch studied at Yeshivat Ponivez and for many years served as Rosh Yeshiva of the Midrashia in Pardes Hanah. He currently is a Ram (Rosh Metivta) in Nahora Yeshiva High School and a Rosh Kollel in Jerusalem. That makes his record impeccable for Haredim. This means that his opinion carries a great deal of weight in both camps, and that should give all of us reason to hope for a good resolution of the Equal Burden issue which has been troubling coalition talks these past three weeks.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Now, I ask the reader not to take away from the following text the position that the Haredim are the only ones to blame for the severe gap on so many levels between the two societies inside Israel. But it's refreshing to read a respected Haredi source with a clear eyed view of the Haredi contribution to the problem.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">In an article titled "Maybe the Secular Are Right?" that was published this winter in the Haredi Kikar Hashabbat, Rabbi Bloch asks: "Why is it so common for Haredi pundits and public figures to pin the motives for secular hatred against Haredim only on the formers' bad qualities, their emptiness, anti-Semitism and the ignorant man's hatred for the scholar? And another question we should ask ourselves is whether, in some cases, the value benefits from this conduct or another are worth the consequent heavy price of hilul Hashem (desecration of the Holy Name).</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Rabbi Bloch then poses 12 questions which he encourages his Haredi readers to ponder.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">1. We've chosen, for understandable educational reasons, to withdraw and live in exclusively Haredi cities and neighborhoods, avoiding as much as possible any social contact with the secular.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This is legitimate and understandable, but as a result they don't really know us, amd so they naturally view us as bizarre, in our manner of dress, our behavior, and our language. This creates aversion and alienation. Why, then, we are angry at them for treating us this way?</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">2. We chose, for educational reasons—although some of us really believe it—to teach our children that all secular Israelis are sinners, vacuous, with no values, and corrupt.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This could possibly be a legitimate view, but, then, why are we shocked when the secular, in return, teach their own children that the Haredim are all primitive, with outdated and despicable values?</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">3. We have chosen, for the sake of the preservation of Torah in Israel, to prevent our sons from participating in carrying the heavy burden of security, and instead tasked them with learning Torah.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Of course we could not give that up, but why are we outraged and offended when the secular, who do not recognize nor understand this need—or rather most of them are familiar with the issue, but argue that there should be quotas—see us as immoral, and some despise us as a result?</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">4. We chose for our sons who do not belong, by their personal inclination or learning skills to the group of Torah scholars (Yeshiva bums and worse), to also evade enlistment—including into perfectly kosher army units. And when it comes to the individuals who have joined the Haredi Nahal, we do not praise them, but despise them instead, and we certainly show them no gratitude, while the Haredi press ignores them—in the best case.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Why, then, are we outraged when the secular don't believe our argument, that the purpose of keeping yeshiva students from enlisting, is to maintain Torah study and not simply the Haredim's unwillingness to bear the burden?</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">5. We chose to teach our children not to work for a living, and to devote all their time to Torah study. Clear enough, but, then, why are we shocked when the secular—who do not consider Torah study an all encompassing value—feel that we are an economic burden on their necks, as a mere 38% of us take part in the labor force, and they hate us for it.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">6. We chose not to teach our children any labor skills, and we condemn those who do pursue a profession. As a result our kolelim include all of those who do not belong among the scholars and still prefer not to work for a living.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Why, then, do we complain when the secular feel, and say so with an increasing volume, that we are parasites, living off of their efforts?</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">7. We chose (for educational considerations?) not to educate our children to show gratitude to the soldiers who risked their lives and were killed or injured for our sake, too. So we do not mention them in any way by any special day or prayer or special Mishna learning that's dedicated to their memory. Moreover, not a single Mashgiach or Rosh Yeshiva ever talks about it in a Mussar Schmooze, and you'll find no mention of it in the Haredi press.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Why, then, are we surprised that the secular feel that we are ungrateful and despicable, and that the reason for our not enlisting is simply because we are parasites, living off the sacrifices of others in society?</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">8. When extremist, delusional groups behave in ways that besmirch the name of God—e.g. the spitting in Beit Shemesh, dancing during the memorial siren, burning the national flag—our rabbis chose not to condemn them, clearly and consistently ( except for a few faint statements here and there). Why, then, are we explaining away the fact that the secular believe we all support those terrible acts? Why do we insist that their hostility stems from their hatred of the scholars?</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">9. We've opted to allow our public officials and pundits to curse out all the secular all the time. Why, then, when the secular media treat us the same way, are we offended and cry out that they're persecuting us?</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">10. The Haredi press will never offer any praise of or express support for secular Israelis who perform good deeds. Why, then, do we jump up and down when we are rewarded equally? And, in fact, while Haredi spokespersons rarely point anything positive about secular society, the secular media often gives positive coverage to Haredi organizations like Yad Sara, Hatzala, Zaka, etc.</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">11. We would not agree, under any condition, that secular Israelis turn up in our schools to teach our children heresy, and we would have kept them from putting up stands with books of heresy in our areas. Why, then, do we not understand when the secular do not agree that we seduce her children into denying their parents' heresy?</span><br style="font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffffee; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">12. We do not agree—in my view, rightfully so—that secular people move into Haredi neighborhoods. So where do we get the arrogance and audacity to call anti-Semites those secular who don't agree that Haredim move near their homes, in secular neighborhoods?</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">In my view, this is the strongest and most introspective comment on Haredi interaction with the state I've read. The pundit Menachem Rahat, who mentioned Rabbi Bloch's writing in this Shabbat's Matzav Haruach magazine, also cites a rarely discussed ruling of Maimonides, Hayad Hachazakah, Hilchot Talomud Tora, 3:10:</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><blockquote style="background-color: #ffffee; border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 150, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(102, 150, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 20px; padding: 4px 10px;">
Anyone who decides to be engaged in Torah study and not work, and instead to be supported by charity – this person desecrates God's name (Chillel et Hashem), degrades the Torah, extinguishes the light of our faith, brings evil upon himself and forfeits life in the world to come; since it is forbidden to derive benefit from the words of Torah in this world. The Rabbis said (Avot 4:5): Anyone who derives benefit from the words of Torah in this world, forfeits his life in the world to come. They further commanded and said: (Avot 4:5) Do not make the words of Torah a crown to increase your own importance, or an axe with which to chop. They further commanded, saying: (Avot 1:10) Love work and despise positions of power (Rabbanut). And: (Avot 2:2) Any Torah which is not accompanied by work will eventually be nullified and will lead to sin. Ultimately, such a person will end up stealing from others.</blockquote>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Are Haredi politicians, public figures and spiritual leaders familiar with this Rambam? Well, people often quote the Chazon Ish who, reportedly, said that after the Holocaust, there should be two generations in which Haredi society devote itself entirely to a resurrection both in demographic and institutional terms. Well, if we count a generation as 30 years, we are well into the third generation of free Jews in the land of Israel, with stunning growth on both desired counts. Is it time for Haredi society to come out for air?</span><br />
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End of Yori's article. <a href="http://www.jewishpress.com/blogs/yoris-news-clips/12-good-reasons-why-secular-israelis-reject-haredim/2013/02/16/0/" target="_blank">Originally appeared here.</a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Calibri, 'Myriad Pro', Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Hat tip to David Novick of the upper West Side for bringing this is my attention.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-65874995507242192802013-03-20T16:15:00.001+02:002013-03-21T14:55:48.968+02:00Evoking Divine Blessing Through Pre-Passover Giving<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"Like" </span><span style="font-size: large;">this article to spread the word</span></div>
Hi,<br />
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It’s Baruch and my wife Anat, in a different kind of post today.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The holiday commemorating the exodus from Egypt is one of Judaism's most beautiful yet most expensive holidays. For poor Jewish families, it is a crisis.<br />
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At the behest of some friends from the US who were anxious to contribute their pre-Passover giving to the poor of Israel and asked which of the many good organizations they should donate to, Anat and I rolled up our sleeves to investigate.<br />
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For starters, the Torah itself singles out the poor of the Land of Israel for giving: "If there be among you a needy man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates, in your land which the Lord your G-d gives you..." (Deut. 15:7).<br />
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Several verses later, the G-d of Israel promises <a href="http://wizevents.com/register/register_add.php?sessid=3296&id=1974" target="_blank">great reward to anyone who gives to the needy of Israel</a>: "the Lord your G-d will bestow blessing upon you, in all of your deeds and in your livelihood (Deut. 15:10).”<br />
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This verse has motivated Jews and Gentiles throughout history <a href="http://wizevents.com/register/register_add.php?sessid=3296&id=1974" target="_blank">who seek Divine blessing to send their alms to the poor of Israel</a>.<br />
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We found one organization, Mekimi, which has a radical, innovative approach to giving money to Israel's poor. The
more we investigated Mekimi, the more we fell in love with it and made it the
main recipient of our charity for the needy. Here's why:</div>
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[Scroll down to
<a href="http://wizevents.com/register/register_add.php?sessid=3296&id=1974" target="_blank">donate</a>]<o:p></o:p></div>
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For starters, just look at their office location in this “panorama”
photo:<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQCMKTCJ-xCRyUzPKhzLwBcIZEeeYe-DoLKefGJhfWHJBcKJOiv3E4xYkZ1KI-XfRzkIzU2ZMYlUnzeFgXBD7YMUdlQYkbrtB9Gu3neWuyV3sIKwqUaMi7w-nok4e7xy2PhhWEHU6x8cL/s1600/photo+(25).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQCMKTCJ-xCRyUzPKhzLwBcIZEeeYe-DoLKefGJhfWHJBcKJOiv3E4xYkZ1KI-XfRzkIzU2ZMYlUnzeFgXBD7YMUdlQYkbrtB9Gu3neWuyV3sIKwqUaMi7w-nok4e7xy2PhhWEHU6x8cL/s640/photo+(25).JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">To save money, they located their offices in a parking garage!</span></td></tr>
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Moreover:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">The most outstanding feature
of this organization is that they don’t just throw the money into the
bottomless pit of debt of a needy family (which IS a worthy mitzvah). Rather,
they extend a rope to the family to pull them out, and guide them to financial
independence!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Mekimi meets with husband
and wife together and opens all the family finances (bank and credit card statements,
salary slips, and all other income and expenses) and devises a program of
reaching self-sustainment which often includes sacrificing the car and
more. Mekimi teaches the family to live according to their means, and does
job placement when necessary. The family must adhere strictly to the
program, and prove so via documentation in follow up meetings with Mekimi.
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<li class="MsoNormal">As the family learns to
adhere to its new budget, Mekimi patiently engages each creditor to negotiate down (sometimes
to even 50%) on behalf of the family.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Mekimi turns to relatives and
friends of the family, explains the family’s progress without causing embarrassment,
and asks (for what is likely to be the last time) to pitch in to bail them
out. Mekimi covers the rest.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">The people behind Mekimi are true idealists; the director, Yisrael Livman, is a personal friend from Bet El of impeccable character - a quiet, modest mountain-mover.</li>
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What Anat and I also like about Mekimi is that most of the
families are from Judea and Samaria, though often they help modern-Orthodox families in other parts of the country.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This YouTube video sums up their work and introduces you to Yisrael Livman:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yvqCy-crl8Q?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<a href="http://wizevents.com/register/register_add.php?sessid=3296&id=1974" target="_blank">Donate to Mekimi</a></div>
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Both new families who are drowning in debt and families who’ve
learned to account for every shekel turn to Mekimi for assistance before the
holidays because of the extraordinary costs. Mekimi answers their need.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anat and I recommend hands down without hesitation to
channel your Maos Hittim money to the cause which we believe in most: Mekimi. <o:p></o:p></div>
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They don’t have 501c3 USA non-profit status so Bet El is providing
receipts for <a href="http://wizevents.com/register/register_add.php?sessid=3296&id=1974" target="_blank">dollar donations</a>. We worked out a system for <b>immediate</b> (!) use of the money by
Mekimi, even on Erev Chag.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://wizevents.com/register/register_add.php?sessid=3296&id=1974" target="_blank">Donate to Mekimi’s Maos Hittim campaign </a>and know that your
support is really making a difference. After our research, we concluded that Mekimi
is the single most effective and prudently-run tzedaka organization for the
poor in Israel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">bmgisrael @ gmail.com</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-6226939955769531232013-03-19T15:57:00.003+02:002013-03-19T20:08:58.874+02:00Torah Study or Profession - Should Yeshiva Students Go to Work?<div style="text-align: start;">
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<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;">[<b>Note to readers</b>: </span></em>In a few days, I'll be posting my wife's and my personal recommendation for the most effective and worthy <i>Maos Hittim</i> (Passover needs for the poor) project in the Land of Israel. The real thing - totally legitimate - executed in the most ingenious way. You'll see and judge for yourself. Check back.]<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;">The 2013 Israel elections were the first in decades to focus on societal issues, instead of the Arab-Israel conflict. And the primary issue that Yair Lapid's brand new party rode to reach a stunning 19 Knesset seats was "Should Yeshiva Students Learn Full Time or Be Integrated Into the Work Force and the IDF?"</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;">Don't be content with just your gut feelings on the matter. Read the following article by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed to be knowledgeable on the topic. Enjoy the read.</span><br />
<br />
The 2013 Israel elections were the first to focus on societal issues, and not the Arab-Israel conflict. The primary issue that Yair Lapid's new party rode to reach a stunning 19 Knesset seats was "Should Yeshiva Students Learn Full Time or Be Integrated Into the Work Force and the IDF?"<br />
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Don't suffice with just your feelings on this issue. Read the following article by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, Chief Rabbi of the Shomron town Har Bracha and son of Bet El's Rosh Yeshiva, to be knowledgeable on the topic. Enjoy the read (and if you opt to comment below, be nice).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz53nPdO5ZxtcRDGHiquRaU-2ma-WeZafOTTKTKhJvXMo-tAvywU9pTEHl6HT4NocW0gxWElTQb1RCC34SOqdxkp6aXfBnaUjwFsXPaUcEifOhdaF4fsFP9UhXZiZ7Lfm-BJdePIPmUQRe/s1600/Rabbi+Eliezer+Melamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz53nPdO5ZxtcRDGHiquRaU-2ma-WeZafOTTKTKhJvXMo-tAvywU9pTEHl6HT4NocW0gxWElTQb1RCC34SOqdxkp6aXfBnaUjwFsXPaUcEifOhdaF4fsFP9UhXZiZ7Lfm-BJdePIPmUQRe/s200/Rabbi+Eliezer+Melamed.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbi Eliezer Melamed<br />
Chief Rabbi of Har Bracha</td></tr>
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<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Torah Study or Profession?</span></b><br />
by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">“A Spade With Which To Dig”</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">The
Mishnah (Avot 4:6) begins by
teaching us the desired intention when studying Torah:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: FrankRuehl; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“If one learns [Torah] in order to teach, he
is given the means to learn and to teach; if one learns in order to do, he is
given the means to learn, to teach, to observe, and to do.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">The
Mishnah continues:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: FrankRuehl; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">“Rabbi
Tzaddok says, 'Do not make the teachings of the Torah into a crown with which
to adorn (i.e., be proud of) yourself, nor like a spade with which to dig
(i.e., earn a living).' Hillel would say, 'One who makes use of his crown
passes away.' From here we see that whoever derives benefits from his Torah
knowledge removes himself from the world.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">The Practice of the Talmudic Sages<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Working to make a living alongside Torah study was indeed the practice of the great Torah scholars from the Talmudic era. No
less an authority than Hillel the Elder, before being appointed to the position
of president of the Great Sanhedrin, would earn a meager salary as a
woodcutter. When he took his position as president, however, the community
bestowed great wealth upon him. This was the rule. Whoever was appointed to a
position of authority, such as president of the Sanhedrin or deputy to the
president, would be made wealthy by the community. The practice of enriching
community leaders was carried out because having rich and distinguished leaders
brought honor to the community, for wealth caused their leaders' words to carry
more weight. It is told of R' Abba of Acco that he was poor, and R' Abahu went
out of his way to have him appointed to an important position so that he should
be granted wealth (Sotah 40a).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">However,
other Torah scholars who did not hold positions of authority did not live at
the expense of the community - even very great Torah scholars. R' Shimon
HaPakuli used to make cotton; R' Yochanan the Cobbler used to earn his living
though shoe repair; R' Meir supported himself by performing scribal work; R'
Pappa used to plant trees; etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">In
those days, people used to assist the rabbis in their work and business. Rabbis
were thus able to earn what they needed in a short period of time, while
dedicating most of their time to Torah study.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Rambam's Position<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">In
his commentary to the Mishna, Rambam comes out strongly against those who study
Torah and demand that the community support them. He brings numerous examples
of leading Torah authorities from the period of the Mishnah who would earn
their own living and never even considered having the community support them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Accordingly,
Rambam rules, “One who decides that instead of working he will occupy himself
with Torah study and live from charity, profanes God's name, disgraces the
Torah, extinguishes the light of the law, brings harm upon himself, and removes
himself from the World to Come, for it is forbidden to derive benefit from the
Torah in this world. Hence, the sages teach: 'Whoever derives benefit from his
Torah knowledge removes himself from the world'; they have also commanded us,
saying: 'Do not make them (the teachings of the Torah) into a crown with which
to adorn yourself, nor like an spade with which to dig'; they have also
commanded us, saying: 'Love labor and despise status'; and, “Any Torah that is
not accompanied by labor is destined to be nullified and to lead to
transgression, and such a person will end up robbing other people.'”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">The Tribes of Zevulun and Yissachar<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">On
the other hand, it is well known that the tribe of Zevulun occupied itself with
commerce and supported the Torah
scholars from the tribe of Yissachar, and in this regard the sages taught,</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: FrankRuehl; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: FrankRuehl; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“When Moses came to bless the tribes of
Israel, he blessed Zevulun before Yissachar, in accordance with the verse: 'It
is a Tree of Life for those who cling to it, and those who support it are
content'” (Bereshit Rabba 72:5, 99:9).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpOdmCA3XzpkMsIXFdiDEpiAGJKeqTMMvKXDYQLH5IMQTcLzqwMr0VDhx5Mrc5JiJwzGH6XfsXM0JUFl7EBGUoQt24xk4k8Cte-UsQgtGcQ3RxdB9nknY8YHEICzh4sDu7EmoZoyVCLH4/s1600/Yissachar-Zevulun+Shagal+windows.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpOdmCA3XzpkMsIXFdiDEpiAGJKeqTMMvKXDYQLH5IMQTcLzqwMr0VDhx5Mrc5JiJwzGH6XfsXM0JUFl7EBGUoQt24xk4k8Cte-UsQgtGcQ3RxdB9nknY8YHEICzh4sDu7EmoZoyVCLH4/s400/Yissachar-Zevulun+Shagal+windows.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shagal Windows of Yissachar (right) & Zevulun (left)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Rambam Approves of Such an Approach<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Rambam,
of course, approves of the practice of Zevulun and Yissachar. And while he
holds that earning a living through the sweat of one's brow is praiseworthy and
pious behavior (According to Rambam [Hilkhot Tamud Torah 3:11],</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: FrankRuehl; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: FrankRuehl; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“One who earns a living through his own labors
possesses a great virtue, and such was the custom of the early pietists, and
one who behaves in this manner merits all honor and goodness in this world and
attains the World to Come, as the verse states, 'When you eat the labor of your
hands, you shall be happy and it shall be well with you.'”</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">), <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">a
person is not obligated to adopt such a pious practice. In fact, sometimes, in
order to disseminate Torah amongst the Jewish people, it is preferable to forgo
such piety. Indeed, for years Rambam himself studied Torah diligently while
being supported by his brother David who dealt in commerce. Only after his
brother drowned at sea was Rambam forced to go into medicine in order to
support his family and the family of his brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Do not make yourself dependent upon the
community<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">We
find, then, that the difference between the prohibition of supporting oneself
through the Torah on the one hand, and the practice of Yissachar on the other,
is in two areas: (a) the pure intention of the student, and (b) that it be done
respectfully, not disgracefully. Members of the tribe of Yissachar did not
study Torah in order to earn a living. They no doubt had fields and were
accustomed to working them. Rather, members of the tribe of Zevulun, possessing
as they did great wealth, approached the tribe of Yissachar and encouraged them
to spend more time studying Torah. To this end the tribe of Zevulun would be
willing to support them financially. It never occurred, though, to the tribe of
Yissachar to approach the tribe of Zevulun in order to ask for such support.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">The Dissenters from Rambam's Opinion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Many
early Torah authorities disagree with Rambam on this issue. They argue that if
Torah scholars were to refrain from receiving money from the community, the
light of Torah would be extinguished from the midst of Israel, and there would
be no one to teach the people Torah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Even
those who disagree with Rambam admit that to eschew the financial support of
the community is a pious attribute and that, in the days of the Talmud, Torah
scholars indeed worked to support themselves while at the same time
establishing many students. However, say these authorities, over the course of
time there was a decline in Torah greatness, and it is no longer possible to
occupy oneself with earning a living while studying and teaching Torah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">In
the age of the Mishnah and the Talmud most emphasis was placed on depth of
understanding, for the quantity of Mishnayot and Baraithot was not so great,
and study was, for the most part, aimed at deepening the Torah foundations. It
would appear that their labor did not prevent them from continuing to deepen their
Torah contemplation as they worked. However, with the passing of time, the
number of opinions and interpretations multiplied and the learning material
grew immensely, and students of Torah were forced to spend many more hours
studying in depth and memorizing the Talmud, the Geonim, and the works of the
early authorities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Rabbi
Shimon ben Tzemach, in his work Hatashbetz (vol. 1, pp. 142-148), agrees with
the above opinion and cites many supporting sources. The great later
authorities, the more important of which being R' Yosef Karo (Kesef Mishneh,
Beit Yosef 246) and R' Moshe Isserles (Yoreh Heah 246:21), ruled likewise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Dispensation for Yeshivah Students Who Plan
To Teach<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">In
addition to everything we have said so far, because of the gradual decline in
Torah scholarship and the great increase in books, it goes without saying that
it is impossible to produce even moderate Torah scholars unless they study
Torah on a full time basis. And if the community does not finance the study of
these Yeshiva students, there will not arise any Torah scholars who will be
able to teach and guide the next generation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Hence,
though according to the letter of the law it would be best if those who learn
Torah would earn their income through the labor of their own hands, over the
course of time it has become necessary to change the original custom and to
support Torah students in order that the Torah continue to thrive in Israel's
midst. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">This,
moreover, is the desire of the community. The community wants to foster Torah
scholarship in order to assure that Torah scholars will arise who will be able
to teach Torah and render rulings on questions of Jewish law. And since the
only way to realize such a goal is by allowing students to dedicate themselves
to Torah study on a full time basis, the community donates funds in order to
support Talmudic academies in which Torah students and educators learn. This
position is taken by Maharashal and Shakh (Yoreh Deah 246:20), as well as R'
Chaim ben Attar (Rishon LeTziyon 246:21).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">An Additional Dispensation for Our Generation<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">An
additional problem has arisen in our own generation, namely, that many youths
are slow to reach a level of knowledge that allows them to live in accordance
with the Torah. Therefore, because there is a commandment to educate children
so that they know the Torah and are able to live according to its laws, parents
must continue to finance their children's studies for another few years in the
Yeshiva in order that they succeed in acquiring a firm Torah substructure. And
because there are parents who are not able to pay for their children's
education (and there are even some parents who do not want to pay), the
community as a whole must take this responsibility. Therefore, it is necessary
to gather donations in order to support Yeshivas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Students Who Are Not Suited To Teach<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">However,
after a student has studied for a number of years in a Yeshiva and has received
a firm Torah foundation, it is best to direct him according to his talent and
ambition – whether in the field of Torah, viz., education or Rabbinate, or
towards some practical occupation which suits his character, such as, for
example, business management.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">As
far as our present inquiry is concerned, if a person finds that he is not
suited to be a teacher or to serve in the Rabbinate, he is no longer permitted
to study Torah on a full time basis and to be supported by the community or
from charity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 49.95pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">This is the path which we follow at the Har Bracha
Yeshiva [Baruch's note: and a similar approach with slight variations is generally adopted by the entire religious-Zionist movement in Israel]. Upon completion of the standard course of study, which lasts five
years (and includes military service), each student chooses the path in life
that he feels truly suits him – whether in religious or secular vocations. The
Yeshiva, for its part, encourages each student to be true to his unique
character. In this manner, many of our students go on to learn a profession,
and they do this on the most prestigious level that they possibly can according
to their ability. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">At the same time, they continue to set fixed times for Torah
study each day, internalizing values of self-sacrifice and love for the Torah
and its study and for the scrupulous performance of the commandments. They also
strive to practice much charity and kindness, to aid in the development of the
Land of Israel, and to sanctify God's sacred name.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[article courtesy of: <a href="http://www.yeshiva.co/">http://www.yeshiva.co/</a> ]</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: #00FF; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-63527397901311411502013-03-17T14:44:00.001+02:002013-03-19T20:09:46.119+02:00Why No Coffee Shops in Bnai Brak?<div style="text-align: start;">
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<em style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">[<b>Note to readers</b>: </span></em><span style="text-align: left;">In a few days, I'll be posting my wife's and my personal recommendation for the most effective and worthy </span><i style="text-align: left;">Maos Hittim</i><span style="text-align: left;"> (Passover needs for the poor) project in the Land of Israel. The real thing - totally legitimate - executed in the most ingenious way. You'll see and judge for yourself. Check back.]</span><br />
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<br />
I rolled out of bed at 3:30 Friday morning to take my 16-year-old son to the 5:45am grand launch of the 2013 Tel Aviv Marathon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ByxrzEVVgDo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br />
After he disappeared into the distance with tens of thousands of dedicated runners, I drove to Rabbi Akiva Street in Bnai Brak, the main hareidi-religious (black hat) hub in the Tel Aviv area, where you are sure to find a quorum for the morning prayers. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbi Akiva St. - the main drag of Bnai Brak</td></tr>
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Everybody knows that Rabbi Akiva street represents the cutting edge of the hareidi community with the latest men's and women's fashions, shopping and commerce. After igniting my soul with the morning prayer and pleading that my son finish the 21-kilometer run in good health, I sought out a coffee shop to ignite my body's engine room and sit with my computer.<br />
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After entering several bakeries and establishments that advertised coffee, I realized the trend: on Rabbi Akiva street, you can buy coffee to go, but no sit-down coffee shops. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdp5GXcXf9-QLh4iTllYKHARrS8c5bOsZb6ZfMgNEDniboEOC4xR1yLE8WXhvl-JrOd5Hj-KGZjLIpQT_a2U0rii__3D0nd1vSbjsnT37dmQIPd5sKStRwjc4oAHjH8pB_y6MTwiV4L1CI/s1600/no+sit+down+coffee+shop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdp5GXcXf9-QLh4iTllYKHARrS8c5bOsZb6ZfMgNEDniboEOC4xR1yLE8WXhvl-JrOd5Hj-KGZjLIpQT_a2U0rii__3D0nd1vSbjsnT37dmQIPd5sKStRwjc4oAHjH8pB_y6MTwiV4L1CI/s400/no+sit+down+coffee+shop.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baruch holding his tefillin: "No coffee shops in Bnai Brak?"</td></tr>
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I stopped several hareidi gentlemen on the street telling them that if they want to become rich, they should open the first coffee shop in Bnai Brak. This ingenious, innovative idea is bound to be a hit.<br />
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One guy told me that there was a coffee shop, but it closed. When I asked another guy why no coffee shops, his immediate and natural response was: "Why sit in a coffee shop when you can take the coffee to the beis midrash (house of study)?"<br />
<br />
His come-back blew me away. The only thing that he associates coffee with is sitting in the beis midrash and studying. The culture of lounging in a coffee shop to chatter is not a money-maker in these parts. Ladies and gents, that dude is a serious, diligent Torah scholar.<br />
<br />
I really admire hareidi men like him. True, I can't stand those who promenade in full black garb, but are fakes inside. But this guy was the real thing. I sensed it through our brief encounter.<br />
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So I thought to myself, if only all the students of the Torah were like this guy - grinding away multiple hours a day immersed in vigorous study of our ancient holy texts without much else on their minds.<br />
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If all the hareidim were the real thing, what a force that would be. I bet Yair Lapid himself would try on a black suit and hat. Watch and see for yourself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUHrqeTOAuEHuwkqa6cvrv7oD4YVhgaZ_v0Hnrv0TmtHGrInsvkQG7OpNjGq5an50cRRlhOCf66atStPlULCGCPSlVWSiBfhmjPayAuSQc5xbqb0s0HLRIwJ2ngcukN5V1YWUS2L6ldMg/s1600/hareidi+from+behind.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUHrqeTOAuEHuwkqa6cvrv7oD4YVhgaZ_v0Hnrv0TmtHGrInsvkQG7OpNjGq5an50cRRlhOCf66atStPlULCGCPSlVWSiBfhmjPayAuSQc5xbqb0s0HLRIwJ2ngcukN5V1YWUS2L6ldMg/s400/hareidi+from+behind.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breaking News Photo 2014: Yair Lapid goes hareidi (Lapid wouldn't let me photograph his face, but there he is)</td></tr>
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By the way, my son Amitai ran the whole 21 kilometers (13 miles). Good for you, Amitai!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-52653745966680811792013-03-06T21:12:00.000+02:002013-03-19T20:10:04.617+02:00Playboy Makes Aliyah to Israel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I thought that I would never in my life wish upon any fellow Jew that he stay away from Israel. That's how I feel today regarding Daniel Pomerantz who made aliyah (immigrated) from Chicago with a low-tech business initiative: Playboy magazine in Hebrew. You can't get much lower.<br />
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Jewish genius from overseas alongside savvy investors bring so many bright ideas and funding to the great Jewish brain hub known as the State of Israel. Israeli and overseas Jewish entrepreneurs join together to upgrade planet earth and make money in the process.<br />
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Your idea, Daniel, is nurtured from the gutter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-3ZuhlTjh_DWrM5E6vp8pI496qb5zo_tekF7-LwVrUryBqBwq0bCkgcIXFEtOFbSgbUrFp16t4yqmqcMaCHupJTqagXy57GbOWALrCBftvDbmcBGBko3w3Ma9nkfkCR3EL1Y05Xi3vBE/s1600/gutter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-3ZuhlTjh_DWrM5E6vp8pI496qb5zo_tekF7-LwVrUryBqBwq0bCkgcIXFEtOFbSgbUrFp16t4yqmqcMaCHupJTqagXy57GbOWALrCBftvDbmcBGBko3w3Ma9nkfkCR3EL1Y05Xi3vBE/s320/gutter.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daniel, you should have left this idea where it belongs.</td></tr>
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At your Tuesday, March 5, 2013 launch, you said: "Our target is men who want a taste of the good life.<span style="color: #413f43; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"</span></span><br />
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Huh? This reminds me of my high school fraternity pledge master's mother who tried to convince my Mom of the virtues of renting a tuxedo for the end-of-the-year prom: "When I see my son walking down the red carpet wearing a tuxedo, it is the proudest moment in my life," she said. My mother felt pity for this woman whose <i>nachas</i> (pride in her children) wasn't to be found in her son's character, but rather in his clothing.<br />
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And so with you Daniel: gazing at naked women is "a taste of the good life?"<br />
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The good life is only to be found when a man focuses all of his sexual drive towards one single goal: his wife. He brings to her all of his robustness and fortitude, and she feels the force and totality of her husband's passion for her. The lust for the opposite sex serves to cement the marriage relationship; it becomes a platform for increased love and mutual respect. It creates a haven of warmth in the home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcr_l5Yxni6ilApCC5RBLlErgmypnT126pxgspbZHjh55O7u5V_TxfPY7HwYUcbhCJ-rHw5LGjyA-kTZ0oT925V_0Jcx3wuUYJWZ3TrGJsGkl76Z4BgAcnIDgcrh7oh1t06RvuK7R9avK7/s1600/marriage+love+relationship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcr_l5Yxni6ilApCC5RBLlErgmypnT126pxgspbZHjh55O7u5V_TxfPY7HwYUcbhCJ-rHw5LGjyA-kTZ0oT925V_0Jcx3wuUYJWZ3TrGJsGkl76Z4BgAcnIDgcrh7oh1t06RvuK7R9avK7/s320/marriage+love+relationship.jpg" width="194" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Babe, I missed you today!"</td></tr>
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When a loyal, pornography-free husband greets his wife at the end of the day, she is gorgeous in his eyes. He is crazy about her and can't wait to smother her with hugs, kisses and whispers of how much he loves her. The wife's inner antennas detect the husband's overflowing passion and respect for her. It empowers her. The home becomes a heaven on earth for the whole family.<br />
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But when a husband wastes his sexual energies in other directions like pornography, he presents his wife in the evening with the leftovers. After a sizzling-hot encounter with the gorgeous women in your magazine, the husband comes through the front door with only a lukewarm reception for his own wife. The lesser dosage of passion breeds disappointment, unhappiness and tension in the home which eats away at the marriage relationship and ultimately wrecks the children's upbringing. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_u71VGPn1ajDFl6byTvfTaeO1ezt_xCjqiC4TZQWjAH9T6NuUfd0qwsbBxbR8OlM5Pu5GZHaUtaz3YxvyUFlwQ8Q0EbFWyu2kmhCoBhihPcbgdf8RoDyN1IgelQWbhY-6M1tU9HTvuSX9/s1600/bad+marriage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_u71VGPn1ajDFl6byTvfTaeO1ezt_xCjqiC4TZQWjAH9T6NuUfd0qwsbBxbR8OlM5Pu5GZHaUtaz3YxvyUFlwQ8Q0EbFWyu2kmhCoBhihPcbgdf8RoDyN1IgelQWbhY-6M1tU9HTvuSX9/s320/bad+marriage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"He loves me? He loves me not."</td></tr>
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<br />
Is that the "good life" that you were referring to? Your magazine is a momentary rush of lust, which leaves depression and havoc in its wake.<br />
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The only good life is a pornography-free husband-wife relationship. It is so, so sweet.<br />
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Your rival magazine Penthouse tried a Hebrew edition back in 1989. It quickly flopped. Your initiative will too. Just get it over quickly so we can return the vomit bags to the seat backs in front of us.<br />
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Daniel, you had the wherewithal and talent to put the Hebrew Playboy initiative together. In a million lost dollars from now, stick around Israel and find a constructive outlet to contribute your energies and money.<br />
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I close Daniel by referring you to the best site for porn addiction: <a href="http://jewishsexuality.com/" target="_blank">JewishSexuality.com</a> . Start with the Questions and Answers section and then progress to the longer essays and books posted there.<br />
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Good luck in closing your business quickly.<br />
<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-52668853665482177642013-03-01T19:10:00.000+02:002014-02-12T18:37:14.755+02:00Herby's Bake Shop Secret Challah Recipe Cracked!<div>
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Anyone who has spent a Shabbat in the Jerusalem area has very possibly experienced the bliss of sinking his teeth into a Challah (bread baked for the Sabbath) from <a href="http://www.herbysbakeshop.com/about.htm" target="_blank">Herby's Bake Shop</a>, located in my home town Bet El.<br />
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The recipe is obviously a trademark secret, but read on.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIohCY7mVAlfnbTqVanslAkp2-MeteB6ZA7vo0tbEcqphS4YLmHbiVGzYJcbCTRyhrprm2UsxQfve2yAAjpnacWMX_Nvxk8yICplS9nRRWIdqcL6_uRo6QmxiapLwO-enwmSUtQROsKiwJ/s1600/herby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIohCY7mVAlfnbTqVanslAkp2-MeteB6ZA7vo0tbEcqphS4YLmHbiVGzYJcbCTRyhrprm2UsxQfve2yAAjpnacWMX_Nvxk8yICplS9nRRWIdqcL6_uRo6QmxiapLwO-enwmSUtQROsKiwJ/s1600/herby.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herby carefully guards the challahs from the camera's eye lest the secret be revealed</td></tr>
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I am currently visiting in my former home town Memphis and coming out of the Anshei Sephard synagogue this morning, I sparked up conversation with longtime Memphians Phillip Evans and Rick Baer. When Phillip heard that I am from Bet El, he started telling tales about Herby, the master Challah Baker also from Memphis. I share with you these brief anecdotes because they reveal the struggle of a young Jew determined to guard Jewish tradition in a hic town in the 1960's, and they also reveal a lead towards the much-sought-after culinary code of the challahs.<br />
<br />
Phillip and Herby studied together at University of Tennessee in Knoxville, a town that has about as many Jews as a small bowling alley has bowling balls. Back in those days, it was against university protocol to have any type of stove in the dorms, but Herby, being the only Kashrut stringent student, struggled to get special privileges to have a closet where he could keep a hot plate and some kosher food.<br />
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It was difficult, but he was willing to do whatever it takes to learn at university and keep kosher.<br />
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When Shabbat came around, Herby wanted to get to synagogue, but the house of prayer was a hefty 3.5 miles away! And so, Herby would often walk the walk, in order to attend services.<br />
<br />
And now, ladies and gentlemen, we take a leap closer to the secret. There was only one family that was really shomer Shabbat (observant of the laws of Shabbat) in town, and the two students would occasionally be invited to their home for a meal. The family, the Goodsteins, served a mean challah, home-baked by the Mrs.<br />
<br />
In this little hic hub, in the only religious home, history was made: Herby asked for the recipe from Mrs. Goodstein and began baking his own challahs.<br />
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Upon his return to Memphis, friends and neighbors at his Mom's home expressed interest in the delicious challahs, and Herby's Mom's kitchen became a makeshift bakery to supply the demand.<br />
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When Herby finished college and the challah orders were increasing, he soon placed his law degree on a back burner and became a Baker at Law, opening a shop on Bethel street in Memphis.<br />
<br />
In the late 1980's after Herby had made aliyah, I went to his son's bris in the absorption center in Mevasseret Zion, just outside of Jerusalem, where Herby's family had been absorbed. They were looking for where to take up permanent residence, and I invited them to check out Bet El, enthusiastically telling about the fine town folk there.<br />
<br />
The Herby Dan family indeed moved the Bet El, and the Goodstein challahs found a new venue for dissemination until this day.<br />
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I have never met or even heard about Mrs. Goodstein until this morning, but anyone who takes the trouble to track her down and copy the challah recipe, will own a document that could be auctioned on eBay for millions. In the meantime, check out Herby's site: http://www.herbysbakeshop.com<br />
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Now when Herby reads this article, I will post his confirmation or denial of the above tales right below, so:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">Y'all come back now!</span></div>
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Good luck and Shabbat Shalom!<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-56538218440247240442013-02-22T06:13:00.001+02:002013-02-22T07:27:34.873+02:00Purim News: Jewish Home Party Concerned - Ayelet Shaked is Becoming Observant<div>
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<br />
Ayelet Shaked, the young, Tel-Aviv-born, secularist who was strategically placed high up in the Jewish Home party list in order to draw votes from the non-religious public, is becoming observant. Party leaders are worried.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRkDQgq9iiFvHVYc-_uAwBkjKw_4PlTAz0aS2Chk0k4G_MJrFaFAHs4pBUgATNdcItmIf3UxT6NaW2pv5kXvT7H8yVSzofNEsm2IV6hv3nRP2RKjpxRxtK23zgzXWNu1j4DYs6cOKIYEq/s1600/shaked+and+Ronski1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRkDQgq9iiFvHVYc-_uAwBkjKw_4PlTAz0aS2Chk0k4G_MJrFaFAHs4pBUgATNdcItmIf3UxT6NaW2pv5kXvT7H8yVSzofNEsm2IV6hv3nRP2RKjpxRxtK23zgzXWNu1j4DYs6cOKIYEq/s400/shaked+and+Ronski1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ayelet Shaked to Rabbi Ronsky: "When I become fully religious, <br />
I hope to have a beard like yours."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
"If this trend continues," said an unnamed party leader, "we will have to ask some of the religious Knesset members in our party to remove their yarmulkes and discontinue public Jewish observance."<br />
<br />
The news first broke when Shaked's neighbors reported that her car didn't move from her driveway for the entirety of the Shabbat for the third week straight. Following that, a Shaked garbologist found in the family's trash the wrappings of a package of "cholent meat" and "kishke."<br />
<br />
The evidence climaxed when this young Chabad boy asked his Rabbi if it was OK that he helped Shaked don tefillin at the Kotel:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpOajh_yncBRenmWxk9AssGhEER9WgRLrcGvBhcG4RgWJQleBSkbdtFW_FwtP8m_PhrIIRRD0IqBw6p-_EDyu5avyXke8ypn5PTXM-p7f9zT5Hl_xw2KDuM8v8oifSbKKVfK2oCWSAaaI/s1600/chabad+tefilliln.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpOajh_yncBRenmWxk9AssGhEER9WgRLrcGvBhcG4RgWJQleBSkbdtFW_FwtP8m_PhrIIRRD0IqBw6p-_EDyu5avyXke8ypn5PTXM-p7f9zT5Hl_xw2KDuM8v8oifSbKKVfK2oCWSAaaI/s400/chabad+tefilliln.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"It was the first time a woman approached me. I didn't know what to do. <br />
My Rabbi's cellular phone was busy." Photo: Chabad.info</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After the party convened an urgent session to deliberate the issue, activists purchased for the Shaked family season tickets to the HaPoel Tel Aviv soccer games (held on Shabbat). Furthermore, at the induction ceremony to the Knesset, the party presented her with a gift of the complete writings of <span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span>Friedrich Nietzsche. A party leader explained, "We are confident that we can be <i>mechazek</i> her in her secular convictions in order to safeguard her like a prize <i>etrog</i>. We are in consultation with a Chabad Rabbi regarding special <i>mivtzaim</i> aimed at the Shaked family."<br />
<br />
Rabbi Rick Jacobs blessed the party leaders:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdawyqXTBOYDaaedGWjnLT2VCuWJ5Fl3aDGZGE-L6TdKdfr_VKeq3EEVNctQ39hmWbfuWLK_ggFBf_hcE2_F7XjX_s2xs5YHVSxfSBJtqUvFmdERgbsW8DUZnT53KFNhxbLmoAQMbEUZPo/s1600/rabbi+rick+jacobs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdawyqXTBOYDaaedGWjnLT2VCuWJ5Fl3aDGZGE-L6TdKdfr_VKeq3EEVNctQ39hmWbfuWLK_ggFBf_hcE2_F7XjX_s2xs5YHVSxfSBJtqUvFmdERgbsW8DUZnT53KFNhxbLmoAQMbEUZPo/s1600/rabbi+rick+jacobs.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacobs to Bennett: "You should be <i>matzliach</i> in the merit of the <i>mitzvah</i>: <br /><i>kol hamekayem nefesh achas m'yisroel ... k'ilu kiyem olam maleh</i>!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<i>The idea for this blogpost was stolen in broad daylight from the Purim issue of Besheva Magazine, 2013 by confessed thief Baruch Gordon.</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-83408996687904968192013-02-17T19:05:00.004+02:002013-02-22T06:17:58.889+02:00Sick and Tired of Dating...<br />
<br />
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<br />
The years passed and Yisca was unsuccessful in finding her match. Propositions continued to flow in from various directions, but she felt she was growing sick and tired of the dating scene. She meets a new guy with high hopes, but after a rendez-vous or two, the energy dissipates: either she or he is not interested, or both.<br />
<br />
Yisca felt she needed divine intervention, without which she couldn't continue much longer.<br />
<br />
She began a period of intensive prayer. She filled her <i>shemonah esrei </i>(silent devotion) with lengthy personal inserts, meditated alone for hours, and visited the tombs of <i>tzadikim</i> (righteous saints) all over Israel, especially the tomb of Yonatan Ben Uziel, whose grave site is, according to tradition, imbued with special powers to help one find his/her spouse.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00Ju6YsLNrmuR9sydKURP0aa_SCL-zMs88hWUWmu9QqotGTxqrYNgwnYiBJKgt1ba16emw5RmKVlQhfEeV_bYn5VibRKBaa8U8ZIrdKogVO_OZdgsGZkq_dbKnwaPxobQXshFFvSVWAC6/s1600/amuka+-+wiki+commons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00Ju6YsLNrmuR9sydKURP0aa_SCL-zMs88hWUWmu9QqotGTxqrYNgwnYiBJKgt1ba16emw5RmKVlQhfEeV_bYn5VibRKBaa8U8ZIrdKogVO_OZdgsGZkq_dbKnwaPxobQXshFFvSVWAC6/s400/amuka+-+wiki+commons.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amuka - the tomb of Yonatan Ben Uziel in the north</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The new guys kept coming and going.<br />
<br />
Yisca lost hope and didn't know what to do. All her efforts brought no results, and her multitude of prayers didn't deliver the prince on a white horse. "What more can I do, Master of the Universe, that I haven't already done," she asked.<br />
<br />
One Shabbat morning, Yisca felt that she had reached the end. She was broken. "How much more can I suffer? What can I do to convince <i>Hashem</i> (G-d) that I have no strength left for another date," she thought to herself.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
The answer suddenly came to her: "I will hold a demonstration in front of <i>Hashem</i> like protesters do in front of the Prime Minister's residence!" But where does one hold such a protest? Yisca figured that the best place to demonstrate would be in front of the remnants of <i>Hashem's</i> official residence - the Western Wall in Jerusalem.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwr0NBhsG8P83lFrsJdWuGKQY58P1Ox1fUmZnUXzKr-UjCMFpA1gRdrRtactJP9zJHdWKXiooAuSL74y8iR9Lyxa8E3am5YIhiTrEUiDfFEOXqXa-Mp79bkWxlv4p-VOWtuHhHc2d9cwTO/s1600/husband+now.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwr0NBhsG8P83lFrsJdWuGKQY58P1Ox1fUmZnUXzKr-UjCMFpA1gRdrRtactJP9zJHdWKXiooAuSL74y8iR9Lyxa8E3am5YIhiTrEUiDfFEOXqXa-Mp79bkWxlv4p-VOWtuHhHc2d9cwTO/s400/husband+now.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
"I am coming to demonstrate against you at the Western Wall," Yisca declared to Hashem. "You must understand that I have no strength left. I will not leave until you deliver me my match - the true one meant for me. Until what age can I live with my parents, and watch their sorrow and pain?" A tear formed on her cheek, as she reviewed the reasons for the protest.<br />
<br />
After the Shabbat morning meal, Yisca informed her mother that she was walking to the Western Wall to pray there.<br />
<br />
"Are you out of your mind," shrieked the alarmed mother, "to walk from Mevasseret Tziyon to the Western Wall? Do you know how far it is? It's over 9 miles (15 kilometers)!"<br />
<br />
"I don't care mother," Yisca responded forcefully. "I am going to pray that I get married soon."<br />
<br />
"OK, that's fine to pray at the Western Wall, but wait until the end of Shabbat on Saturday night when you can take the first bus," the mother reasoned.<br />
<br />
"No!" insisted the daughter. "I want <i>Hashem</i> to see that I am broken. I have already prayed at the Western Wall numerous times, and I still don't have a ring on my finger."<br />
<br />
"But there is a heat wave today. You may faint," the mother said hoping to register with her daughter's common sense.<br />
<br />
"Don't worry, mother. I'll be OK."<br />
<br />
The mother's plea fell on deaf ears, and Yisca was on her way. She started walking along the highway past Motza towards Jerusalem. The uphill was intense, and she felt the heat. She paused to drink from her water bottle, and continued completely determined to reach the entrance to Jerusalem, cross town on Jaffe Street to the Old City, and finally make the descent to the Western Wall - the gates of prayer to heaven.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxJ2siurhzdJR1D8ZfAjGcI1iLaowbFFF7V2zHbdk-8gC7LvZTSuRqLLE11qQEXLJYD262fBg42uwhS2fzaRbIKS-d2JfSFEKwBgaYHgXXkH1WnAsNcNXT3BVFaXhneb7HLSYRuBGHiob/s1600/women+praying+western+wall+kotel+-+ministry+of+tourism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxJ2siurhzdJR1D8ZfAjGcI1iLaowbFFF7V2zHbdk-8gC7LvZTSuRqLLE11qQEXLJYD262fBg42uwhS2fzaRbIKS-d2JfSFEKwBgaYHgXXkH1WnAsNcNXT3BVFaXhneb7HLSYRuBGHiob/s400/women+praying+western+wall+kotel+-+ministry+of+tourism.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
"I will convince You <i>Hashem</i> that my time has come to get married," she muttered to herself adding, "This time I won't budge until you answer me."<br />
<br />
The uphill climb combined with the heat was debilitating. Yisca's water bottle was empty. She closed her eyes and began to feel dizzy. Before she understood what was happening to her, she lost consciousness and keeled over on the side of the Jerusalem Highway. A driver saw her on the ground and called for an ambulance which arrived in minutes.<br />
<br />
A Magen David volunteer named Ariel began treating the unconscious young woman and raised her, together with a colleague, on a stretcher and into the ambulance. On the way to hospital, she opened her eyes and began coming back to herself. Ariel gave her cold water to drink.<br />
<br />
"May I ask what you were doing walking to Jerusalem," Ariel inquired. Yisca didn't know what to answer, and after a moment of silence, told him the truth: "I was on my way to the Western Wall to pray."<br />
<br />
"But what was so urgent? Why on Shabbat," asked the young volunteer who was wearing a knitted yarmulka on his head.<br />
<br />
Bewildered, Yisca smiled and didn't answer.<br />
<br />
Her determination impressed the young man, and he engaged her in conversation until their arrival at the hospital. Ariel escorted her inside and saw to it that she receive immediate treatment. He returned to the Magen David base to await further emergency calls.<br />
<br />
A few days passed, and Yisca's cellular phone rang. A girl on the other end introduced herself as Ariel's cousin and asked in his name if Yisca would agree to go out with him on a date. "Yes, yes, absolutely," Yisca answered without a moment's hesitation.<br />
<br />
A few months later, Ariel and Yisca stood together under the chuppah (wedding canopy) in Jerusalem.<br />
<br />
[See also: <a href="http://baruchsbreeze.blogspot.co.il/2011/11/save-yourself-from-singles-swamp.html" target="_blank">Save Yourself From the Singles Swamp</a>]<br />
<br />
<i>The above story was published in the Feb. 14, 2013 edition of Besheva Newspaper, published by the Arutz Sheva group.</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-45337486629866467772013-02-10T16:49:00.001+02:002013-02-17T15:47:22.008+02:00What Jewish Town Had Highest Voter Turnout in Jan. 2013 Elections?<br />
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What Jewish town had the highest voter turnout in Israel's January 2013 elections? Or asked differently, what town's population gives a damn about what happens in the State of Israel more than any other, and was most motivated to influence the national course of events by bothering to vote? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The Jewish town with the highest voter turnout in the
January 2013 Israel elections was Bet El, located just north of Jerusalem. </div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMzcFxBdX3-Op_vxvPrSMR-NtIcHsUALqe5LbVtBE2icphz_GthELqiSaJ98E8Px0VwbLljIQCLqdv19to6oQdxjg3OSRXeIRLsYgOpVauddBFznJCStjy1YZFwyDs92TE98xhq-REynj/s1600/Avraham+Ohavi+synagogue+in+Bet+El.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMzcFxBdX3-Op_vxvPrSMR-NtIcHsUALqe5LbVtBE2icphz_GthELqiSaJ98E8Px0VwbLljIQCLqdv19to6oQdxjg3OSRXeIRLsYgOpVauddBFznJCStjy1YZFwyDs92TE98xhq-REynj/s400/Avraham+Ohavi+synagogue+in+Bet+El.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Avraham Ohavi Synagogue in Bet El</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Eighty-six percent of Bet El residents went to polling
stations to make their voices count.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In comparison, voter
turnout in Jerusalem was 61.6%, Tel Aviv 59%, Bnei Brak 72.4%, and Um El Fahm (Arab
town in Galilee) 59%. The overall national voter turnout was 66.6%.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In Tel Aviv, the party
which won the most votes was Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid (20.73%). In Jerusalem, the party which won the most
votes was the religious-hareidi Yahadut HaTorah (22%).<o:p></o:p></div>
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In another important statistic, the IDF recently announced
that Bet El has the highest percentage of draftees who join combat units – also
86%!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PwtX4iqvCGKBJK15sCnjtg4DYXkBP4MhUcgyQKmHYih7ocOsusIs6oGoXxnbXq07R8MYgRb-c9Ngm_ce7GggWtBOw8en8qJlDVMb5RupsEUM3KEVLbAPjLxp3PHLoEyCMhpvfBwkJ9Ol/s1600/kids+on+swing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PwtX4iqvCGKBJK15sCnjtg4DYXkBP4MhUcgyQKmHYih7ocOsusIs6oGoXxnbXq07R8MYgRb-c9Ngm_ce7GggWtBOw8en8qJlDVMb5RupsEUM3KEVLbAPjLxp3PHLoEyCMhpvfBwkJ9Ol/s400/kids+on+swing.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Future combat soldiers in Bet El</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The families of Bet El are rock solid! Bet El is also home to the renowned Bet El Institutions and the
<a href="http://www.mehina.org/117516/English-site" target="_blank">IDF Preparatory Academy</a> which educate their students to national responsibility and
readiness to sacrifice for the Jewish People.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-67947969450333948292013-01-22T00:01:00.003+02:002013-01-22T19:51:41.146+02:00Naftali Bennett's Policies in One Page<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When Israel's two religious-Zionist parties united in November
2012, they comprised 5 Knesset seats (two others formed a break-away party). Recent
polls predict some 15 seats for the combined Jewish Home – National Union
faction. </div>
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How did the religious-Zionist public triple their representation?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Meet Naftali Bennett.<o:p></o:p></div>
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His credentials are impressive:<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">He is a major in the
reserves in Israel’s most elite IDF unit: Matkal<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">He founded a hi-tech
company, and the partners sold it for $145 million<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">PM Netanyahu’s Chief of
Staff in 2006-7<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Director of the Council of
Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria from Jan. 2010 </li>
</ul>
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Bennett is a rising star who through his many media
appearances is positioning a proud and uncompromising claim to our land and our
Jewish values as mainstream.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What are Bennett’s policies that are so convincing? Here’s a
brief summary.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Bennett’s Position on a Two-State Solution</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Summed up in one word: No. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Hear Bennett in his own words on this topic (in fluent
English!) at the 5:35 minute mark in the video below. He successfully conveys a
refreshing new message that saying “no” to a two-state solution is the logical
and compulsory conclusion of recent Israeli policy. Watch the whole 7-minute video
to hear his vision for Israel in the year 2040.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ltlKU-lCMI8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Bennett’s Next Step In Dealing with the Arabs</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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In the 1990’s, the Labor Party governments of Rabin and
Peres imported tens of thousands of Arab soldiers from Tunis and handed tens of
thousands of assault rifles to members of the world’s premier terrorist organization
– the PLO – in order to facilitate peace in Israel. (I know that sounds like
madness but leave it for another article.) The Labor Party leaders thereby established
Arab autonomy over much of the region known as the West Bank. The map of this
region was divided by the Labor Party into three areas: <o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Area A - large
Arab-populated cities like Ramallah, Shechem, Hevron<b> with Arab military
control </b>(20% of the land);<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Area B - Smaller Arab towns
<b>with municipal but not military control </b>(20% of the land);<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Area C – the Jewish towns
and tracts of open state-owned land (60% of the land incl. Judean Desert).<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
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Bennett formulated a practical plan which takes a step
forward towards Israeli sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria. He advocates
extending Israeli sovereignty over Area C, while leaving Areas A and B under the
status quo. Extending Israeli rule over
areas A and B would involve an all-out military clash and violent confiscation
of weapons. But, annexing Area C – the Jewish towns – is picking the
easy-reachable low-hanging fruit.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here is the plan (English subtitles):<o:p></o:p></div>
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/n1oFOEY_6lM/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n1oFOEY_6lM&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n1oFOEY_6lM&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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Bennett presents the same plan in this English video:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/QGS4EY0ddP0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Bennett’s Economic Agenda</span></b></div>
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In the video below (starting at the 5:00-minute mark),
Bennett explains the three groups and institutions which are strangling the Israel
market:<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">The ruling elite tycoons <o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">The Defense Ministry which
has more than doubled its budget in ten years. The reason? The terms and
pensions for the employees of the Ministry and IDF have become inflated<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">The labor unions which promote
excellent terms for 250,000 workers, but this is done at the expense of
the weak sectors. <o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/oZ05oF7SZ-I?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<o:p>( English subtitles)</o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lowering Tuition Costs</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"Giving=Receiving" is Bennett’s new
policy regarding lowering tuition costs for those who serve in the</span> <span style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">IDF<span style="color: #333333;">.</span> He sought to reward people who serve in the IDF <b><i><u>without
increasing the military budget</u></i></b>. But how? Here is his simple,
brilliant idea.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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State universities and state-subsidized colleges cost the
Israeli student (whether Jew or Arab) approximately 10,000 NIS ($2600)/year.
The private colleges cost 30,000 NIS ($8,000). That means that the state is, in
essence, subsidizing every Jewish or Arab student at state schools with a 20,000
NIS ($5400) subsidy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In order to encourage service in the IDF and reserves,
Bennett’s plan raises the subsidy for students who enlisted (including
minorities) and lowering the subsidy for students who didn’t contribute to the
country (be they Hareidi-religious or Arab or anyone else). <o:p></o:p></div>
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Regarding tuition for the state schools, he says:<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">IDF Reservists - pay only
5,000 NIS instead of current 10,000 NIS<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Others – pay 20,000 NIS
instead of current 10,000 NIS.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
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Here is the college tuition plan in Hebrew (no subtitles)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/oSwCtvH9838?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Bennett on CNN On Gaza Warfare (in English)</span></b></div>
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Excellent job in presenting Israel’s case </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/W2E1dhe_Z5k/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/W2E1dhe_Z5k&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/W2E1dhe_Z5k&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A Relaxed Interview With Bennett at His Home </span>(English
Subtitles)</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/PvYXChV8-T0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Finally, here is the Jewish Home Party's USA-born immigrant stating in
clear English the party’s platform<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6nFzqAEyzgI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235802077928485895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-856901020048896556.post-78907168290236894642013-01-20T20:51:00.001+02:002013-01-20T20:59:09.466+02:00Flyer for January 29 Miami Speech<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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