170728
28TH
OF July 2017
Shabbat
Shalom dear friends. I know you were expecting a mid-week update but I decided
to wait until I was able to understand the insanity of what has happened over
the last two weeks.
Perhaps
it is easier to gain perspective if we look at the time frame of this
particular set of incidents
1.
3 young Israeli Moslems from Umm
el Fahem took knives into the Old City on their way to the Temple Mount,
shooting three Israelis, two of whom were policemen. The policemen, may their brave
souls rest in peace, were both Druze.
2.
The three terrorists were neutralized
– that means dead.
3.
Northern Moslems attacked the Druze
village of one of the dead policemen
4.
Israeli police and secret service
searched the Temple Mount, having closed it to all comers, and found an arms
cache. It must be noted that although the Temple Mount is officially under the control
of Jordan it is actually the Moslem Brotherhood.
5.
In a decision taken with caution it
was decided to place metal detectors at the entrances to the Temple Mount, to
protect all comers.
6.
The Mufti of Jerusalem aided and
abetted by Sheikh Ra'eed Salah of Umm el Fahem, Mahmoud Abbas, Erdogan of
Turkey, successfully convinced willing Moslems that Israel was defiling the
Temple Mount and they refused to enter, praying beside the Lions Gate among
others.
7.
A young Arab, Omar el-Abed went
looking for Jews on Friday night, convinced that Jews were endangering Al Aqsa.
He found a break in the security fence of the village of Halamish where the
Saloman family was celebrating not only Shabbat but the birth of a new
grandchild. He knocked at the door and when he went in he began a rampage of
butchery that does not bear imagining. He killed the grandfather Yosef, and Yosef's
children Chaya and Elad and almost succeeded in killing Tova the grandmother.
With great courage Elads wife grabbed the children and rushed them upstairs.
The unimaginable horror continued until a neighbour's son home from the IDF for
Shabbat, shot and injured the perpetrator who is being treated for his injuries
in an Israeli hospital. El-Abeds family will receive over $3,000 a month from
the PA.
8.
The incitement continues, the
celebrations at the killing of the family, and the demand to "return to
the Status quo" on the Temple Mount joins the screams to kill all the
Jews. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUNeFkR1GeM
9.
The outside world intervenes – the United
States President and the Saudi Arabian King bring in the services of Trump
advisor Jason Greenblatt who consulted with King Abdullah of Jordan who
although demanding that the metal detectors be removed, the security cameras
too, the incitement must stop and the conditions accepted. It may appear that
Israel capitulated but the undercurrents show a different picture. The Moslem
Brotherhood excluded and Erdogan is piqued because he was not given any part of
the decision making because yet again he chose the wrong side – Qatar and the
Moslem Brotherhood. In the past the British Foreign Office called the Ottoman (Turkish)
Sultan "The sick man of the Bosphorus". History does repeat itself. Although
it appears the Israel lost this battle in fact we retained the right to
security on the Temple Mount – hardly capitulation.
10.
Moslems within Israel and in the PA
dance with joy at their victory and the 3 terrorists bodies are returned to
their families for burial (thanks to the Israeli Supreme court) and Umm el
Fahem erupts into one joyous celebration of sheer joy declaring themselves the
victors.
11.
Al Jazeera, since the Qatar fiasco,
continued their incitement with added gusto and risk being thrown out of
Jerusalem. Hope so – their staff will have to go to Arab countries now – no more
freedom!!!
12.
The incitement in the Arab street was
well honed. The full might of their lying manipulation by their leaders, religious
and governmental, invoked and now they smell blood, Jewish blood and the riots will
continue. Yesterday their elation at "winning" against the Jews
spilled over into violence on and around the Temple Mount. Today all women and
men over 50 went through the Lions Gate onto the Temple Mount and all others
are praying at the Damascus Gate. I simply pray for the safety of our amazing
police and border guards who have shown incredible restraint in controlling the
"celebrations".
13.
Hanin Zoabi, Member of Knesset with
full freedom of speech was screaming that the Temple Mount should be Jew-free
(Judenrein, heard that before!) and was banned entry to Al Aqsa. She who has
full human rights in Israel bites the very democratic hand which feeds her. http://www.timesofisrael.com/hanin-zoabi-temple-mount-should-be-jew-free/?fb_comment_id=918125304938185_918488948235154
Perhaps
this video of Prof. Alan Dershowitz responding to a young "Palestinian"
questioner best explains it all. I call it "Get over it" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nE8_0uhojQ
So
you thought it all started with the State of Israel, settlers and
occupation did you? Well apart from the Egyptians, Romans, Greeks etc, and of
course our own "Sinat Hinam" which brought about many disasters the
Babylonians (Iraq) had their day too. Days before the Tisha B'Av fast, excavations unearth artifacts from
First Temple period, Which include evidence of city's destruction at the hands
of the Babylonians. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Evidence-of-Babylonian-destruction-of-Jerusalem-unearthed-in-City-of-David-500786
Tisha
b'Av
is a fast of enormous importance, misunderstood by the secular and adhered to
but equally misunderstood by the religious. It is the date of many Jewish disasters,
the destruction of both Temples, plague and political downfall. As to whether
contemplation or action is the response – prayer alone and inactivity no longer
works. Read Rabbi Jeremy Rosen on the subject http://jeremyrosen.com/2017/07/fasting-on-the-9th-of-av.html
This
has been a relatively quiet week, yes we do have them on occasion! Poor Zvi
damaged his knee and we have been trying to find a solution. So far healing
(thank you to Igor and Lila), concoctions, rest and positive thinking haven't
worked so we went to a specialist who impressed me with his manner and
knowledge. MRI and then we decide what to do. One thing for sure, he is not
entering for the Jerusalem Marathon!!!!
On
Monday we met with Robert Croiterescu and his excellent team, Anabella and Oscar
Jaroslawsky in Kfar Maccabiah. Born in a Concentration Camp, Robi Croiterescu
learned from birth that you don't give in without one helluva fight. Robi had a
brilliant idea to form an organisation which fights back by ensuring everyone
who loves Israel has the tools to fight back. Dissemination of essential
information is the key. Ha Tsad ha Sheni (the Other Side) reaches out to all Spanish
speaking countries, Jew and non-Jew, so that they have the authentic
information at their fingertips when challenged. http://hatzadhasheni.com/
I
work on instinct and
my instinct told me to get these amazing people together with Michael
Dickson, the Israeli Director of Standwithus https://standwithus.co.il/
. After convincing both sides that this was a good thing, that they should
meet, that their aims ran parallel and could benefit both, we met in the
Standwithus offices on King David Street. As we walked in I was very excited to
meet Yahya Mahamed, a marvellous young Israeli Arab from Umm el Fahem.
Yahya is an absolute star!!! He travels the English speaking world for
Standwithus and for Israel. Michael was, as always a gracious host, hiding the
fact that I had nagged him relentlessly to meet them – then it happened – the magic
between Robi and Michael created a magical discourse and total agreement
to work together. That's what it is all about. We can fight each other for who
is top dog – or consolidate our resources and fight anti-Semitism by its new
name, anti-Israel. BDS is the new Kristallnacht, the smashing of Jewish
businesses, the tip of the evil iceberg of anti-Semitism. I love it when two
good men of positive action get together!!!
This
will be a quiet Shabbat and in a short while Zvi and I are going to a special
preview tour of the new Aquarium at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Aquarium-showcasing-local-fauna-comes-to-Jerusalems-Biblical-Zoo-497373
I just hope that Zvi will be able to walk around. It is really strange that I
need to worry about him walking when it has been the other way around for 25
years!!!!!
I am
very happy that we have a couple of quiet days because after Shabbat Leor is
bringing his 3 little girls to stay and then hopefully on Sunday Rachel's 2 girls
will join them and stay over too. I went out and bought a large amount of handicraft
components so that they can make something beautiful to take home. The vast
majority of Israeli women work in addition to keeping a family together – which
is why most Israeli men are adept at taking their part in the cleaning,
cooking, child care and general running of the homes. This generation of
Israelis is very lucky, unlike our generation, they have parents and
grandparents who play an enormous part in the children's lives.
The
weather has been a strange cross between muggy, hot, steaming and ………… no
relief in the evenings!!! It feels as if we haven't had a break from this soupy
humidity for weeks, even in Jerusalem. I suddenly became a fan of air
conditioning!!!
Music!
Music! Music!
In
honour of the 9 days and Tisha B'Av the music will be appropriate…………………
The
prayer for the State of Israel sung by IDF Cantor Shai Abrahamson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP40Bl24PE0&t=195s
May we find our strengths and stop the internecine fighting that brought us
down on Tisha b'Av
Vehi
She'amda – a song that plays in my mind at all times – the song and the words,
Yaacov Shwekey, Shlomi Shabbat to honour our soldiers
He who stood for our
patriarchs *
He who stood for our
patriarchs and for us
Not just one person
stood against us to kill us.
They want to be rid of us.
And G-D saves us from their hands. G-D saves us from their
hands.
Aesop,
the famous philosopher and author of fables is oft cited "United we stand
divided we fall". We must remember to keep our fights as family fights and
present a united front against our ever increasing enemies. Remember – do you
want to be right or do you want to stay alive?
Shabbat
Shalom from beautiful Jerusalem, so exquisite, so spiritual that all faiths
have fought over her, Empires have risen and fallen around her but above all, she
represents the very best in us, in the Jewish people; this city, this symbol. We
prayed to return to her walls and mountains for 2,000 years of dispersion.
Let's make sure we don't screw it up.
I want
to leave you with a request. Please sing along with this the song that
represents Israel, Jerusalem, more than every other song. Al Kol Eleh – above all
this; of the honey and the sting - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbw2FTYHCTg
Sing loud and strong and absorb the
words. Yihyeh beseder – it will be OK – it has to be.
With
love
Sheila
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