Category Archives: Israel

Politics, culture, people, life, religion and general info on Israel.

Remembering Rabin z"l

Israel, , ,

It is hard for me to believe that it has been 13 years since Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was brutally assassinated.  The irony of the context of the murder hits me every time I go to Kikar Rabin in Tel Aviv. [He was killed at the end of an enormous peace rally, during which Rabin z”l sang “Shir L’shalom” a peace song from the 70s.]  News of the assassination shocked me as I tried to balance my own coping and serving my community.

Last week Rabin’s assasin (I am consciously choosing not to say his name) was back in the news when he managed to boost his ego by getting news interviews recorded against the rules of the prison.  Shameful. It shows me that he didn’t do this for the people or for the rabbis who told him to, but for his own ego.  Disgusting.

Tonight I join many in remembering Rabin the warrior, the leader, the hero, the peacemaker. May his courage, hope and strength be an example to all.

Another Vehicle Terror Attack in Jerusalem

Israel, Terrorism, , , , , ,

It has happened again, a terrorist using a vehicle as a weapon of terror.  As I type this the news is just breaking.  Keep watching for updates.  The attack was at Tzahal Square (very close to Jaffa Gate of the Old City), the means was driving the car into a crowd of people.  Reports list between 10 and 15 injured. Fortunately no one listed as killed (I hope that doesn’t change).

I pray for a day when people love themselves and their children more than they hate others (to paraphrase Golda Meir).

News sites on the attack: Jerusalem Post, Ha’aretz, Y-Net (Hebrew).

Ha’aretz is also reporting about an IDF soldier who was blinded by a Palestinian (UPDATE: woman) throwing acid in the soldier’s eyes.

Praying for a peaceful tomorrow.

Update – Look at pictures from both of today’s attacks posted by J. Richman

Sarah Palin & Jews for Jesus

American Politics, Israel, , , , , ,

On August 17, 2008, David Brickner (director of Jews for Jesus) spoke at Sarah Palin’s family church in Wasilla, Alaska.  Govenor Palin was in attendance. Mr. Brickner spoke extensively of his organization’s mission in Israel (they also do extensive work in America – especially with college students) to convert Jews to Christianity.  They call themselves Jews for Jesus, but the religion the practice is Evangelical Christianity.

In his sermon (download/read the entire sermon on the Wasilla Assembly Church website) Brickner details Jews for Jesus’s missions in Israel (and his son’s work in India). He describes the difficulty of converting Jews in Israel and highlights the important work that his group is doing there.

Following the sermon, the Pastor of the church, Pastor Larry Koon, offered a special version of the congregation’s closing prayer. This prayer likely encapsulated the day and focused Koon & Brickner’s messages.  Here is the prayer

Our Father in heaven, We stand before You as a people who’ve experienced Your grace, and we acknowledge that that grace was first extended to our people through Your people, the Jews; that there is not a one here in this room who would know Jesus and serve Him if there had not been a Jew, generations ago, that spoke Jesus’ name to our people.  Father, that comes full circle and we wish to extend Your grace back to Your people.  And we pray and we ask that as a result of this time here, and as a result of this offering, there will be people among the Jews today who come to say the name “Jesus” with faith. In His glorious name we pray, amen.

Governor Palin was there.  Her church advocates for the active conversion of Jews.  Not because the Jewish people are seeking such conversion (we are not), but because her church believes that is what they (good Christians) must do. In the time that she has been known as the nominee, Palin has often spoken of her faith but has never clarified that she differs with her church on this matter.  Even after this sermon got a small bit of press on Politico.com, she did not see a need to say that her views are different from Brickner. All people need to seriously think about whether we really want to vote for someone who believes that Jews need to be converted.  We already know that she doesn’t find any validity in Evolution, believes in (and promotes in her state) abstinence only education – both of which are closely linked to ideologies in the Assembly church movement.  Since she acted on these issues in her state, why would she act differently about Jews being allowed to be Jews as Vice President?  Why not?  Will the Constitution really contain her? The GOP stance on religion in American life is clear – more of it.  The walls separating church/state are already very very low with faith based social services receiving government money.  Jews cannot vote for her without giving serious thought to this issue.

But, you may be thinking, isn’t she okay on Israel?  We don’t really know.  Let’s look to the sermon from her own church, the central focus of her life and her family’s life.  Maybe Brickner’s sermon will give us a clue.  Here is what he says about Israel.

But what we see in Israel, the conflict that is spilled out throughout the Middle East, really which is all about Jerusalem, is an ongoing reflection of the fact that there is judgment.  There is judgment that is going on in the land, and that’s the other part of this Jerusalem Dilemma.

Brickner is blaming the Jews for the terrorist violence and war in Israel.  Why is Israel being judged in his statement above?  As you can see clearly in the full sermon – it is because Jews don’t believe in Jesus.  Really.  Is this the kind of Israel support that Jews need?

I went to the McCain Palin website to research this post and search for any statement put out by the campaign about Palin and her beliefs, her faith, and the role she sees it having in their administration.  I searched “Palin” and “faith” and received an error message for an invalid search.  (Guess McCain’s “I don’t use a computer” is also impacting the usability of their website.  Either that or they don’t want people to know what Palin believes. Hmmm)

Governor Palin supports open, pressured conversion of Jews.  She has said not one word to clarify, distance herself from, nor disagree with Mr. Brickner.  The Israel that some Jews think she supports is one where the violence is destined because Jews believe wrong.

I ask you again, is this the Israel support that the Jews need?

Updated:

How much does faith inform her decisions?  Take a look at video of Gov. Palin preaching in her church in Wasilla on G-d’s plan for War (since we know that G-d “loves” war – not).

Two other blog posts on this issue: The Israel Situation, Blogs of Zion

A Heartfelt Account from Udi's (z"l) funeral

Israel

Through a list-serve I receive I got the following note from an attendeed of Ehud (Udi) Goldwasser’s (z”l) funeral.  I found the words so moving that I wanted to share it with you even though the post is a bit dated. (By the way, the person from whom I shared it said “please share.”)

From: Lisa Preiss
Sent: Friday, July 18th, 8:35 am
Subject:  Goldwasser funeral

Yesterday I drove up the western coast of Israel to  Nahariyah, just below the Lebanese border, in order to attend the somber funeral  of Ehud Goldwasser. Just 24 hours earlier his fate was revealed to his family,  all Israel and the world in front of television cameras: in a travesty of a  spectacle a Hezbollah spokesman, acting like an amateur magician, pointed the  cameras to a darkened car declaring in Arabic “and now we will learn the fate of  the two soldiers!” His people fumbled about as they removed two black coffins  from the car, proving to all of us at that very moment that Ehud and Eldad were not alive. A cry went out in homes around the country as we thought of the Goldwassers and Regevs getting this final heartbreaking news in such an inhumane  manner.

The sight of the parents, Micki and Shlomo Goldwasser,  their two boys and the majestic widow, Karnit, following Ehud’s coffin, arm in  arm, as they walked towards the cemetery on the beach will be etched in my mind  forever. The irony of the burial spot was lost on no one: 29 years ago on this  same beach, Samir Kuntar killed 4 Israelis, including 4 year-old Einat Haran  after she witnessed her father being shot. Her mother, Smadar, was with us at  Ehud’s funeral. She has been a stalwart supporter of the families of the  kidnapped soldiers, determined that her pain should not keep them from being  reunited with their loved ones. Samir Kuntar was one of the five live prisoners  exchanged for Ehud and Eldad.

Thousands stood together overlooking the  sea as Ehud was buried to words of love and longing. I have met the Goldwassers on numerous occasions over the past two years, accompanying Angelinos on our Federation’s missions who wanted to meet and support the families in their  struggle. They are strong and upstanding people. The LA Federation, along with  other federations, financially supported the families of the kidnapped soldiers  over the past two years so that they could travel wherever they needed and bring  attention to their plight. We produced dog-tags of the soldiers as part of the  LA-wide campaign we led. When a group of our Geller Fellows presented Karnit  Goldwasser with a sample of the tags, she replied without missing a beat, “I  will give these to Ehud when I see him.”

In another such meeting I  learned from Micki that when Ehud was born she stopped working in order to take  him daily to this same beach until he began nursery school at the age of  three.  Despite the stifling heat, the crowd remained quiet and respectful  throughout the funeral.

In Beirut an entirely different event was  unfolding: now a pawn of the Hezbollah and stuffed into one of their uniforms,  Samir Kuntar broke through cardboard jail bars in front of tens of thousands of  cheering Lebanese. It seemed that the remains of 199 Lebanese returned that  morning were given little thought or limelight.

Much was made of the  difference in the character of the events occurring in Israel and Lebanon  yesterday. I remember what Shlomo Goldwasser said on his way to be reunited with  his son’s remains just the day before: that he felt sad for the Lebanese who  were celebrating the return of a child-murderer.

Yesterday I was proud to  belong to the nation that was mourning its dead, its sons returned to its  borders the nation which lives by the words of Psalm 34: “Mi ha’ish  hahefetz chaim, Bakesh shalom v’rodfehu”

I was proud to belong to the  nation that holds life most precious, along with the quest for peace.

Lisa Preiss-Fried
Assistant Director
LA Jewish Federation Israel Office Jerusalem

Sharing a Post about King David Street and Tractor Terror #2

Israel, Judaism,

King David Street is a familiar location in Jerusalem. Many people have lodged, studied, shoped and lived along this famous street once on the boarder between Israel and Jordan.

This past Thursday Rabbi Michael Marmur reflected on the street, its visitors and its recent terror attack. He wrote a post for the Jerusalem Post Blog.  His words resonated with me for many reasons, and so I want to link it here for you. Read his entire post.

More on the loss of Eldad & Udi

Israel, ,

Today the Jewish world continued to mourn the deaths of Eldad and Udi.  I hope that more than the Jewish world care and are thinking of them.

This is one of the days when I accutely feel far away from Israel.  I wish my aliyah was already complete and I could have been there today.  Reading accounts of the funerals helps, yet doing so increases my saddness.

Some links:

– Ha’aretz on the funerals including some quotes from the eulogies and families

– JPost on the funerals

– JPost story, including a heartbreaking story about how Udi was nearly released from his miluyim (reserve duty).

Heartbroken

Israel, Terrorism, , ,

Udi & Eldad are dead.  My heart breaks.  I can’t get Karnit Goldwasser (Udi’s [z”l] wife) out of my mind.  It seems like yesterday that she asked me and a room full of people to raise awareness, write letters and pray for her husband, for Eldad and for Gilad along with all of Israel’s kidnapped soldiers. Since the day that I met Karnit I wore a dogtag with the names of the 3 missing soldiers on it.  I rarely took it off.  She asked us to wear it until her husband came home.  When I woke up yesterday morning, the chain had broken.  How symbolic.

[A few links about the return of their bodies: Ha’aretz,  JPost story with reactions from the families, blogger Aussie Dave]

Update: I’ve been listening to Galgalatz all day today (thank you Israel Radio Toolbar!) with the sad songs resonating through me, pulling at my heart strings and raising tears.

More blogs (with varying viewpoints) on this sad sad day:

Gila’s Big Adventure Treppenwitz, Expat Egghead,  Not a Fish, Simply Jews, Aliyah! Step-by-Step: Making a Life in Israel,

Another Israeli Hero

Israel, Social Justice/Tezedek, ,

Here is another bit of good news about Israel on a difficult day.  An Israeli medic travelling in  Morocco saved the life of a Moroccan girl injured in a jeep accident.

An excerpt from the story:

“He found a pair of jeeps, one upright and the second crumpled off the side of a nearly indiscernible path. Huddled in the minimal shade provided by the mangled jeep were three young children. One of the children’s legs was at an awkward angle, and her clothing was soaked with blood.

The Israeli medic quickly diagnosed an open fracture at the femur complicated by a rupture of the femoral artery. He staunched the bleeding, stabilized the fracture and, with the young girl not yet out of danger, advised the frantic father on how to maintain pressure on the artery and avoid moving the leg for the four-hour ride to the nearest hospital.”

Find out what happened to the girl when you read the full story by the Jerusalem Post.