The Threat Israel Cannot Defeat Alone

 

If Israel has a mortal weakness, it is that she cares too much for the protection of innocents even if those innocents are trying to destroy her. That is the most serious threat she currently refuses to face and which will do everything to destroy Israel if only to prove they are correct. The current cases are the numerous NGO’s and the Left wing American Jews who support these insidious organizations working to destroy Israel. The leftists within Israel are also contributing to this situation and the potential of ending the Jewish homelands. Part of the attack comes at the religious in Israel who are also the main answer to allowing Israel to defeat the demographic threats. One of the demands made by many on the left is that Israel must forsake Traditional Orthodox Judaism and instead become a purely secular democracy which favors no religion and allows that all peoples of all religions, and particularly no religion, to live within in harmony. The proof Israel can provide for accepting these demands are to first accept the Two State Solution giving over to the Palestinians all the lands beyond the Green Line and secondly permit those Palestinians in refugee camps permission to return to their homes even if those homes are theoretically within the Green Line and would lead to the Jews being outnumbered by Arab Muslims. When Israelis claim that would be the end of Israel, they are told that this is an unfair accusation as how can Israelis claim that this Arab population cannot also operate within a multicultural democracy if they have not given them any opportunity to do so? They do not accept Gaza as having been a fair example and demand Israel again make the sacrifices and accept their promises that the Arabs will work with the Jews in harmony. When asked what happens if this proves to not be the case, their response is that the Jews can come to the United States or they simply reprimand such as naysayers who have no faith in the powers of Democracy. This is especially true of those on the farthest leftist Jews, even more so those residing in the United States.

 

There are many things which separate the American leftist Jews and their brethren in Israel and much of that have led to numerous misunderstandings. The leftist Jews believe that because Israeli mainstream Judaism is a collection of different Traditional Orthodox forms of Judaism including many Haredi and Hasidic branches, Chabad, numerous Traditional Orthodox congregations and, this may shake any number of American Jews so we advise you be seated, numerous Conservative, Reform and other nonconventional congregations of Jews as well as a fair number of purely secular people of Jewish extraction. The main Rabbinate is selected from the majority and several forms of Orthodox Judaism. There is a reason behind having the Orthodoxy as the prevalent form of Judaism in Israel, and that is because it follows the traditional laws and all the Commandments of Torah, the exact ideas and ideals that even the socialist Zionist founders foresaw as the true future for the State of Israel mixed with Socialism. Israel, politically, still has too much socialism practiced by the government but that is slowly evolving to a more functioning entrepreneurial nation based on the start-up concept allowing for investments to spur the movement of capital and thus leading to a stronger economy and providing higher wages in the future. But the religious base will remain Traditional Orthodox while permitting every other form but retaining the controlling religious administration with the Traditional Orthodox. This is why all marriages and conversions are required to meet the strict Rabbinate restrictions. These religious restrictions are actually sensible in many ways which become more readily obvious once you come and actually live in Israel.

 

First off, a confession, at least one of us is a long time Zionist but spent much of their life completely divorced of any practicing of Judaism. Even when returning to Judaism after a tragedy in the family, still attempted first to join a Reform Synagogue but there were personality differences with the Rabbi so we tried the other Synagogue which was Conservative and that Rabbi was wonderful. What was curious was that the Conservative was very similar services wise to the Reform services remembered from childhood. If questions had been thrown at us back in the United States, we would have been just as confounded by the insistence on only the Orthodoxy having the main levers of power within Israel and been somewhat upset about many of these demands. So, the question is what do we now feel?

 

 

Since moving to our little corner in Israel we have found how much easier it is to be completely Jewish in Israel. Keeping Kosher is as easy as shopping at the food store and only a couple in town needs to be avoided. Many of the restaurants are certified Kosher. Services are easier to attend as there is almost a guarantee that you will discover one within four or five blocks, if not several. With this all taken care of, being Orthodox, Traditional Orthodox, becomes fairly simple requiring even less effort than being any kind of semi-observant Jews in the United States. Given another few generations and while Traditional and other forms of Orthodox Judaism will be prevalent in Israel, other than Orthodox Judaism, mostly Hasidic and Haredi, one will be hard pressed to find other congregations in the vast majority of the United States and all but gone from Europe. This will be due to the rampant intermarriage which will quicken the exodus of Jews from their religious upbringing, assuming they ever received a Jewish upbringing. One quick way of determining the accuracy of our dire prediction would be to simply ask the few Jews you may know who are not Orthodox whether they attended and partook of a Passover Seder and whether it was held in English or Hebrew. Do not be surprised if the answer shows a lack of Jewish participation. Then ask them what does Seder mean and pray they do not say dinner or story or other wrong answer. When they surrender, the actual translation of the Hebrew word Seder is Order, as in structured or delineated. The main defining part of the service is the reliving of the leading events to the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt and the initial part of the years in the wilderness.

 

Becoming a practicing Jew and following as much of the laws as possible, as we are still learning some of the rules as we go along, and some are likely obscure and will become obvious with time. One thing about Judaism is that everyone and everything is a work in progress, and some are going to take more time than others.

 

Finally, it is with sadness that we realize that once again so many of our brothers and sisters will become lost to us just as during the Exodus when it was claimed that a mere one-fourth, if that many, of the Jews from Egypt made the trip while the majority decided that they preferred remaining in relative safety and a life, though harsh, still did not require what the new life promised, challenges and the hard work of building a new land. Slavery was a hard life but the Egyptians provided for their food, shelter and other necessary needs. That is what life in the United States will promise, a land of plenty that is easy and there are very few threats in life while Israel is more of a challenge. Getting a job is more of a difficulty in Israel and as an American one need learn Hebrew, not the easiest language to learn. For the youth, there is IDF service which most American Jews would find as a threatening requirement. One of us did serve in the United States military in combat arms but very few of the Jewish kids we grew up with ever gave such the smallest consideration. Serve in the military, that was outside consideration and why so many Jews went to college. Yes, when drafted, they served and what is actually surprising is that Jews have almost always outperformed other peoples in their service in the military in the major wars in history. But the latest generation, such is not considered something a good Jewish boy or girl would want to do. So, having to move to Israel and face military service frightens many. Thankfully, and these youths are treasured and respected in Israel, there are Jewish kids from America who come to Israel with the intent of serving in the IDF and most desire to be placed into Combat Arms. These Zionist youths are a treasure.

 

Back to how to allow Israel to defeat their foes is easy. Step one; stop demanding that Israel surrender, conflicts are not won by the surrendering side. Israel must be permitted to be victorious and defeat every challenge and danger facing her and her people. Stop pretending that Israel need be more like the United States as Israel does not have Canada and Mexico as neighbors. Illegal immigrants in Israel are more likely to be terrorists aiming to murder Israelis than people seeking to make a better life and almost none are actual refugees. Step two; when Israel is forced to defend herself, kindly support her just as she supports the United States efforts in such conflicts. Finally, try to remember and understand that in Israel Judaism is not so much a religion as a way of life and Israel is the Jewish homelands where the religion, the people and society try to operate as one. Israel is also the only place where the Jewish people will be protected and cared for without question should any disaster or threat raise its ugly head threatening our fellow Jews. Israel is the Jewish safety fuse which will trip and give the Jewish People a home forever into the future. That should be sufficient reason for any Jew to do anything required to protect their safety valve. Lastly, whether they realize it or not, Israel is the homeland of the Jews and has been the Promised Land from over three-thousand years back and that only gets us back to King David, Abraham and Sarah were close to another thousand years further back. That is something which will never change.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

Two Tons Rocket Parts Headed for Gaza Reconstruction

 

Palestinian terrorists this week tried to smuggle two tons of rocket-making material into Gaza. Of course they were not exactly labelled honestly; they were labelled as building supplies. They were intercepted by Israeli security, something which due to international pressures Israel has not been able to prevent tons of concrete from entering Gaza. The Europeans guaranteed they would monitor all concrete usage in Gaza. Well, we have some unfortunate news, not so much for Europeans but for Israelis, most of their guaranteed indivertible concrete has somehow ended up lining the walls of the latest rebuilt tunnels. There is no need to take it from me, take the word from the Gaza branch of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade from their newly reconstructed three and a half kilometer, border crossing, infiltration tunnel in the video below. We do not blame the Europeans for not exactly following through on their promises to inspect the usage in Gaza of concrete, we blame the Israeli leadership for believing that when Europeans promise to inspect and assure things crossing into Gaza will meet the intended uses as they had a perfect example of European and world promises when Israeli leaders allowed their promises to monitor the Gaza crossings after Israel disengaged from Gaza. The Europeans promised to monitor the crossings between Gaza and Egypt and they almost lasted a week before permanently retreating to their hotels rooms in Tel Aviv and there were rumors they may have actually glanced in the general direction of the crossings during their afternoon drinks at the coffee and tea café across the street from their hotel. Soon they hatched a brilliant plan about the Gaza-Egypt border and put it in to effect the next day at Ben Gurion International Airport when they flew home and allowed open crossing of terrorists and terror supplies crossing freely. As strange as it might sound, the Gaza-Egypt border is better guarded by the Egyptians under President Sisi, even if it is to keep his own soldiers safe from Gaza terror strikes into the Sinai Peninsula. It is always better to trust things to those who have a reason to assist and not those who simply promise in order to end a temporary discomfort, especially if you are one of the parties to their discomfort.

 

 

 

 

The provisions in question were the same type of fiberglass as used by Hamas to make the long range rockets Hamas fired into Israel last year during Operation Protective Edge. These were the larger and heavier rockets with more destructive warheads many of which launched from deep within Gaza City and which landed between the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Ashdod. It was very likely that this exact variety of rocket which took the life of a four-year-old Israeli boy who did not have sufficient time from the Code Red alarm sounded to make it to a shelter. These rockets also caused damage, serious damage to some structures which were outside of Iron Dome coverage. Granted the coverage of Operation Protective Edge spent most of the time speaking of Gazan deaths and often asking why so few Israelis had died despite the seemingly ineffective rocket fire from Gaza. We will not bore you with the facts that Israel invested billions in research and with assistance from the United States were able to make nine such batteries, which were not as free as many believe as Raytheon was given schematics, software and all other necessities so the United States could incorporate such effective technologies into their systems, a small price. Instead we will simply repeat what Hamas has prided themselves in saying repeatedly and with great pride, and we are proud of their pronouncement about our beliefs as they portray them. Who would have ever thought that we Israelis would be proud of those things Hamas would accuse us. But their words have weight and explain much about the two societies and they have framed and explained the disparity in casualties succinctly. Hamas has often stated, “They worship life and we worship death.” We will not be so presumptuous to speak for Hamas, who may very well speak for the residents of Gaza, but we in Israel do love life, worship might be a bit strong as we worship Hashem and through Hashem we love and possibly worship life.

 

Where this shipment of rocket body material was intercepted, how many others were missed and will return raining onto Israel and if not intercepted possibly taking another young child’s life, the greatest loss possible. But we will do what is possible to make our children safe and if only our neighbors would learn the preciousness of a child’s life and spend their efforts on peaceably raising their precious children and allow us to raise ours and that would produce peace. The Europeans are always asking what it might take for Israel to make peace with the Arab Palestinians. Well, a good first step might be for those who worship and celebrate death to try life for them and allow us the same and that would produce a lasting peace and all sides would gain and be blessed with peace. Now if the rest of the world would also allow the Jews to live in peace it might be a better place for all.

 

In the Outremont area of Montreal a Hasidic man was severely beaten after leaving a bank around 7:15 Friday night. According to witnesses the attacker was a white male in his twenties. The witnesses told police that when they exited the bank the attacker was sitting on the bench outside the door holding a water bottle in his hands. They said there was something cold and sinister about the man who gave them an uneasy feeling. They had gotten to the corner when they heard a commotion and turned in time to chase the attacker off. The suspect pouring a liquid all over the victim and ran when the witnesses started towards him and the Hasidic man who was lying on the ground. One witness who preferred to remain anonymous, “It reeked of gasoline. I’m 100 percent sure, there was no car close by, it’s whatever he poured on him that smelled like gasoline.” The victim was bleeding heavily from the side of his head. Reports from the hospital said there were signs the man had been severely choked and had other abrasions. Initial reports said there were no signs that the Hasidic man had been robbed and police say they are waiting for the victim to recover consciousness in order to gather more information on his attacker. The police stated that they had insufficient information to determine if this was a hate crime and the man had been attacked because he was Jewish. We can answer that question for them and from what we read and a general agreement and collation of hunches says that it definitely was a hate crime and the Hasidic man was attacked for being Jewish. But just in case, we will wait for further reports though we doubt it will make the news here half way around the globe.

 

Then there is a report from London of anti-Semitic vandals desecrated the Jewish memorial in Whitechapel to the memory of Edward VII. The memorial has an inscription reading, “In grateful and loyal memory of Edward VII, Rex et Imperator, erected by subscriptions raised by Jewish inhabitants of East London, 1911.” King Edward VII ruled United Kingdom (UK) from 1901-1910. This was a horrific and startling act of hatred against King, Country and Jews whose dedication and loyalty to the Crown and Country were on display for all to see for time immemorial. The statue was desecrated with a pig and pig parts and blood as can be seen in the image below, a picture well documented on Twitter soon after the crime was reported. Local resident Lauren Justice discovered the defilement and immediately contacted the authorities and then posted images taken of the memorial’s statues, one holding a pig carcass and pig parts and blood strewn over the other statue, to her twitter account. She was quoted commenting on the atrocity, “I just think it is disgusting. It is a memorial. I do not know if they think it is funny or what, but it cannot be allowed to stay up like that. I find it offensive.” The Tower Hamlets Council stated that it was investigating the incident. Anti-Semitic acts have been steadily rising within the United Kingdom with them increasing with their numbers in the first six months rising from two-hundred-twenty-three acts in 2013 to three-hundred-nine in 2014 to four-hundred-seventy-three acts in 2015. The increase from 2013 to 2014 was 38.5% while the increase from 2014 to 2015 was 53.0% which is a definitive ramping with the increase rate of change of over 37.5%, a vigorous rate of climb which is just as frightening as it is sizeable. The rest of Europe has figures increasing in similar rates as in the United Kingdom and are beginning to show trending within the United States, Canada and other places around the world, even in places where the Jews are such a minor percentage of the populations that it makes one wonder where the people in such locations even come by their experiences with Jews that one would expect was necessary for anti-Semitism to even be perceptible, let alone grow. Such is most definitely troubling to say the least, very troubling.

 

 

Anti-Semitic Vandals Desecrated the Jewish Memorial in Whitechapel to the Memory of Edward VII, Rex et Imperator. This Memorial was Erected by Jewish Inhabitants of East London in 1911. This was a horrific and startling act of hatred against King, Country and Jews Whose Dedication, Respect and Loyalty to the Crown and Country were on Display for all to see for Time Immemorial. The Memorial Stands in Direct Contrast to the Craven Hatred Displayed with the Smearing of Pig Parts, Blood and a Carcass Strewn in Offense to All Britain and her Peoples.

 

 

Beyond the Cusp