Featured Post

Free The Hostages! Bring Them Home!

(this is a featured post and will stay at the top for the foreseeable future.. scroll down for new posts) -------------------------------...

Feb 28, 2015

Rebbi-Talmid Niggun // Rav Ari Waxman, R' Dovid'l Weinberg, R' Ari Yablok & R' Shlomo Katz )הןגקם(







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Feb 27, 2015

Shlomo Katz Nigun of the Week (video)








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Feb 26, 2015

Facebook Status of the Day





Aryeh Deri is talking about what he is fighting against. He points as an example to the City of Tel Aviv that just awarded 14 women with the title of "Yekirat Ha'Ir" - valued resident, or something of the sort. Among the 14 women selected, in the second largest city in Israel, not a single one of them is mizrachi (sefardi). Deri goes on to say that they are transparent, and when you are transparent you get responses like "there were no worthy candidates" (which was the response of the head of the selection committee). Deri goes on to say how upsetting it is, and that he is going to submit a law guaranteeing full equality to mizrachim, etc. etc.

Deri may be right. I don't know what happened in this selection. Maybe no worthy mizrachiyot happened to be nominated this time. Maybe last year there were mizrachiyot awarded. Maybe it is discrimination. I don't know. Deri might be right.

But is this really a fight for Deri to wage. Are there women, mizrachi or otherwise, in his own party? Were women selected to lead Shas? Could no worthy women be found? In his own party it is a halachic or social problem but in Tel Aviv it is ok? Can Deri really talk about the mizrachi women who might have been slighted, when he slights the mizrachi women on a daily basis?


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influencing Israeli elections

The White House claims to have been against Netanyahu's trip to speak in front of Congress because of not wanting to interfere with foreign elections. Even after the trip was set and it was clear it was not being changed, Obama said he won't meet with Netanyahu, so as not to influence the Israeli elections..

The issue of not influencing the elections hasn't stopped Oabam and his people from publicly saying all sorts of nasty things about Netanyahu in the past few days. Yesterday John Kerry said Netanyahu has poor judgement on the Iran issue. Now they are saying that Netanyahu is the greatest threat to a possible deal with Iran.

What happened to avoiding influencing the Israeli elections?

Or maybe that was not really the reason....


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Book Review: Touching History, by Rabbi Sholom Gold

NOTE: I was not paid to review this book. It is an unbiased and objective review. If you have a book with Jewish or Israel related content and would like me to write a review, contact me for details of where to send me a review copy of the book.

Book Review: Touching History, by Rabbi Sholom Gold


I am honored to having been given the opportunity to write a book review for Touching History by Rabbi Sholom Gold, though I don't know how I can possibly do the book justice with my review.

Touching History is perfectly named. This book is history. It is the history of Rabbi Gold and his family, and it is the history of Judaism in North America - Canada and the United States of America, and of Israel during the second half of the 20th century and early 21st century.

Rabbi Sholom Gold is one of those rare people who has the skill to tell a story and keep you captivated, and enchanted. Rabbi Gold is one of those rare people who were perfectly positioned to witness history in the making and recognize the significance of events as he witnessed them.

I don't know if he kept a detailed log every time he experienced events throughout all his years, even as a young man, or if he just has a phenomenal memory and remembers his life so vividly. Either way, Rabbi Sholom Gold lived through the most fascinating of times, and was aware enough, cognizant enough of what he was seeing and what he was part of, and retells it masterfully.

I have had the opportunity, more than once, to meet Rabbi Gold, and more often to hear him speak in public, whether in his shul or elsewhere. Rabbi Gold is passionate - about his shul and his congregants, about life, about his family, about Judaism, and needless to say, about Eretz Yisrael. That is true in real life, and it comes through perfectly in his book, Touching History. The book reads as if he is talking. I was able to close my eyes and hear his voice, hear his passion.

Touching History should be read by all. Rabbi Gold retells the most amazing experiences, of Eretz Yisrael in the early days from when he spent some time learning in yeshiva, of growing up in Jewish New York - Williamsburg, of his connections and experiences with the greatest of the rabbonim of America, and of Israel, and other leaders. He had the opportunity to meet, and have relationships with, Rav Kaminetsky, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Brisker Rav, various Chassidic Rebbes, Rav Ruderman, Menachem Begin, Rabbi Yosef Mendelovitz, Rav Herzog, Rav Elyashiv, Rav Pam, Rav Feinstein, Bibi Netanyahu, Mike Tress, and many many more.

Rabbi Gold was part of major experiences of Jewish life - he went to Russia to meet with refuseniks, as a spy. Rabbi Gold was arrested in Israel during protests against giving land away in peace deals. Rabbi Gold went to Oslo to protest the outside the Nobel Prize ceremony. Rabbi Gold went to the wilderness and founded yeshivot and shuls where they didn't exist, and then grew them where they did, and created Torah programming for adults.

Touching History is a fascinating, and mesmerizing at times, look at recent Jewish history.

In the book Rabbi Gold retells many stories that he experienced in his life. Some of them are humorous, some historic, some full of insight, some sad.. every emotion is played out while reading this book. I think the two that impacted me the most were:
1. when he was debating the timing of making aliyah and was unsure what to do. Rabbi Gold retells how he came to his decision. His decision was influenced by a dog. You'll have to read it to get the story.
2. Rabbi Gold muses about the role of the community rabbi, and what he does for his community. In a beautiful tribute to the community rabbi, Rabbi Gold recalls that back in the day, in the earlier portion of his career in the rabbinate, the rabbinate in the USA was dominated by rabbis that were all clean-shaven, with American names, "like Harry, Steven, Robert, or George". He describes how these men, these rabbis, went out across America and built day schools and mikvaot, and taught and did what they could to ensure the continuity and growth of the Jewish people. They were persistent, and they were passionate. And today's Judaism that we live is largely due to the valiant efforts of those "more American" rabbis. Today's rabbis, who are almost all bearded and have names like Moshe, Chaim and Yankel, are all functioning based on the efforts and successes of those earlier rabbis. Rabbi Gold writes beautifully "how much reward will be waiting for these unsung heroes who built shuls, day schools, and mikvaos across America."

Those are two pieces that impacted me more than the others, but the others, the entire book, all the experiences related, are all captivating.

Rabbi Gold brings modern Jewish history to life. At times in the book I thought to myself how fortunate he was to experience all that, and to recognize the magnitude of what he was experiencing, and to be so passionate about it for so long. And how fortunate those around him were, to be around such passion and verve.

buy Touching History on Gefen Publishing

buy Touching History on Amazon.com



NOTE: I was not paid to review this book. It is an unbiased and objective review. If you have a book with Jewish or Israel related content and would like me to write a review, contact me for details of where to send me a review copy of the book.



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Arab Head of Opposition

An interesting scenario popped into my head after seeing the latest poll results published.

It seems from the latest polls that Hamachane Hatzioni is projected to win 24 seats, Likud 23, the United Arab Party 13, Habayit Hayehudi 12, etc..

In the event that this would be the final results on March 18, and if, as some suspect, it is highly likely the elections will bring about a national unity government of some sort, it is theoretically possible that the Arab party could end up as the largest party in the opposition. Being the largest party in the opposition gives it the right of appointing its leader as head of the opposition.

Head of the opposition is a position that comes with status, privileges, and responsibility. For example, Head of the opposition gets briefed on security issues more, and on a higher level, than any other MK, more similar to the Prime Minister.

So, if the head of the United Arab Party, Aimen Udah, would become the Head of the Opposition, I'd like to see how Israel treats him. Will the Knesset, the Shabak, or whoever, trust him with state secrets and the regular high-level security updates?Would they find a way to ensure that this does not happen? or would they allow Udah to take this lofty position that he earned and give him the updates as defined by the job?

I wonder.




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should Israeli expats be allowed to vote absentee?


Here is a news report about an organization run by, and for, Israeli expats. The organization is in the process of being formed and their goal is to liaise with the State of Israel on behalf of Israeli expats, help them keep a connection to the State, get fundnig for educational programs to keep the kids connected, etc.

I enjoyed watching how the new report tried to focus on one issue - the possibility of absentee voting for Israelis abroad.

Currently, Israelis residing abroad cannot vote in their host countries, except for a few exceptions of those living abroad in service of the State. Any random Israeli that wants to vote in Israeli elections must travel to Israel to do so.

According to the report, this organization is supposedly demanding, or pushing for, a change in the law to allow Israeli expats to vote absentee. The reporters keep asking about it even though the representatives say they have never requested such a thing, and the organization has, at this time, no opinion on the matter - the members are as of now divided on the issue.



Personally, I think there should be no absentee voting. They chose not to live here, even though they do remian somewhat connected to the State, and they don't pay taxes to the State of Israel. Why should they have the right to affect the lives of those of us living here? If they want to, they can travel to Israel for the elections. If they are willing to pay the cost of a visit, they are citizens and can vote. I assume the cost of a trip will deter many of them. Voting just is not that important for most people.

I do vote absentee in US elections. USA expats have to file taxes in the USA, so we are affected, but that is not why I vote. I vote absentee because the law allows me to. I happen to think the law should probably be changed, but as long as the law allows it, I have no problem voting.


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election campaign broadcasts (video)

first some non-party election videos, before we get to the latest party videos..

Voice of Israel asks Jerusalemites: Who Will Be the Next Prime Minister?




MKs sing "Kulam bKalfi"


and now for the party videos...

Yahadut HaTorah
jingle


no housing solutions for the Haredi community


Defending our Children (anti-Porn party)
we've abandoned the place our children live


Otzma Yehudit (Yachad - Ha'Am Itanu)
putting an end to Tibi and Zoabi



Yesh Atid
Gvira and Erez's story


Meretz
Uri Ariel is not undecided


a good chance for legalization (they are taking a page of of Aleh Yarok's book)


Habayit Hayehudi
Rav Eli Ben Dahan isn't apologizing


V15
Do you remember that I love you? (they are campaigning even though they aren't officially part of any specific party)


Hamachane Hatzioni
Yachimovich and Cabel spoof Glamin and Netanyahu


Kulanu Kahlon
if housing prices had gone up 16% under my watch...


Generals for the security of Israel
also not a party, just campaigning against Netanyahu


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a brief 24 hours in the army (video)








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President Rivlin welcomes Apple CEO Tim Cook at the President’s Residence (video)








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The green Judean desert by Amir Aloni (video)

Judean Desert after the recent rains

stunning

The green desert by Amir Aloni from Amir Aloni on Vimeo.




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Purimalocity Party (video)


kol isha..





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Feb 25, 2015

Time To Stop The Madness

The new "minhag" of not allowing womens images to appear in print, in books, magazines and advertisements, has spread. As ridiculous and demeaning as it was before, it has gotten way out of control, with even the word "woman" being censored, let alone pictures of anything that might make a person think the image is symbolic of a woman...

A group of people, in Bet Shemesh, has started to try to oppose this behavior and reverse the trend. The following ad is their first in what they promise to be a continued campaign. They will be going up around town, along with other messages to this effect, soon.






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The OU and Mehadrin Marijuana

Rabbi Moshe Elefant of the Orthodox Union has reportedly said that the OU has been holding preliminary discussions with several companies that produce medical marijuana. It seems that the OU would be open to provide a hechsher for pot.

I don't think marijuana should need a hechsher. It is a plant that grows in the ground. What about that requires kashrut supervision? Maybe they will certify it as bug free, for those who won't be smoking it but making hash brownies? It seems to be a marketing ploy, similar to putting a hechsher on bleach or laundry detergent.

But that's ok. That's business. I don't like creating chumras out of people's ignorance for the sake of business and making money, but that's life.

The good part of this is that if we are in a position where the OU is willing to put its stamp of approval, if the companies are at the point where they are looking to market their product with the OU, it might indicate that we are on the cusp of a big breakout for marijuana.

Is a hechsher really needed for medical marijuana, if it is needed for marijuana at all? Is there a single person who has required medical marijuana, for medical purposes, that has refused to take it because it did not have a hechsher? Suddenly it needs a hechsher? Will this open them up to new markets? The patients buying it still have to get the necessary medical approvals, and  if they qualify they would have bought it with or without the OU. They seem, to me, to be angling, for when the marijuana becomes legal for more than just medical purposes but for general use. The companies might be positioning themselves for expansion to non-medical use, where the consumers might ask for the hechsher, and the OU might be positioning themselves for that expansion as well.

And that I like  - even though it seems the hechsher isn't needed for that purpose either, but I like what it indicates about the market...



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election campaign broadcasts (video)

Habayit Hayehudi
Mr. Herzog, come to the US against Iran


Yisrael Beyteynu
death penalty for terrorists


V15
defeating the fear
I am not sure where to put this, as V15 seems to be an independent campaigner and not part of a specific party.



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Bennet: we are in a historic move connecting the nation to religious zionism (video)








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Prosor at UNSC: "And the Oscar goes to...." (video)








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Hanoch Daum, The Settler, hangs out with Zahava Galon of Meretz (video)

this is hilarious. I am surprised, and impressed, they let him go through the entire thing and don't throw him out early on...






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"Shushan Funk" - Rosenblum Shaloch-E-Manos - Purim 2015 (video)








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Feb 24, 2015

Quote of the Day

the right in general, and specifically the religious parties, do not have a monopoly on Judaism. The Jewish culture belongs to all Israelis, with no difference as to their political worldview.

  -- MK Ruth Calderon (Yesh Atid)

 I happen to agree. But that doesn't mean every Jew or Israeli who promotes some idiotic idea against Judaism is also defining Jewish culture



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Picture of the Day



and another angle..



now, for the crazies, in Bet Shemesh again, even the word "woman", with no picture, is not considered tzanua..

Stop the madness

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Headline of the Day

Qurei to Livni: "I'd vote for you"


  -- Al Jazeera

Ahmed Qurie is the former Palestinian Prime Minister

considering how the article goes on to describe how Livni gave in so little to the Palestinians in negotiations, and so little progress was made in the peace process, I don't understand why they support Livni.

That being said, if that is who the Palestinians want, I would presume it is because they think they have the upper hand with her. Maybe they think her alliance with Herzog would now make her more flexible than in her previous incarnations. Whatever the reason they think they are better off with Livni, it makes me think our interests are better served with Livni's opponent.


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election campaign broadcasts (video)

Meretz
who puts together the goverment? dont ask Livni


Hamachane Hatzioni
soldiers of unit 8200 talk about Herzog


touring the north, bringing back security


Aleh Yarok
but it is dangerous to drive!


Yachad - Ha'Am Itanu
rally song


Yesh Atid
Eyal and Zohar





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The Glazov Gang-Left-Wing Jews (video)







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Bennet on Meet The Press:Palestinian State by 2017 (video)








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Miri egev on Gav Hauma (video)

pretty funny






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Gute Gute - Nigun Rikud (video)








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Feb 23, 2015

Interesting Psak:Dress up like Barak Obama

I admit from the start that I misunderstood the headline when I saw it, before I read the article.

I saw the headline, dress up like Barak Obama, and assumed it was using Obama as a symbol of a modern-day Amalek, or something like that.

Turns out, it isn't.

Rav Efraim Zalminovitz, rav of Mazkeret Batya, called on the masses to dress up for Purim like US President Barak Obama.

Rav Zalminovitz explained that Obama is a person who attempts to bring peace to the world. It would be a tremendous possitive message to have many thousands of students around the country dressed up in costume like the American president, and it would send a positive message to the US and to the world that we are looking for peace, that we love our closest friend, the USA, so much.

Rav Zalminovitz explains that such imagery would be worth so much more than a thousand words. He says this would improve the "hasbara" of Israel and convince the world that we are a people who desire a life of peace and security. Rav Zalminovitz adds that even if it were to require giving away land, parts of Eretz Yisrael that were promised to Avraham our forefather, we would show the world that we have the words of the Ramban that require us to accept the permission of the nations of the world to return to Zion.

Rav Zalminovitz explains that it is worthy to dress up in costumes with positive messages, such as a good gentile who seeks peace
source: Kipa

ok then. I'm not quite sure why he had to talk about giving away land in this message. Also, we already returned to Zion, with the permission of the nations. If they would take away that permission now, after the fact, would we have to leave, according to the Ramban?

get your Barak Obama face masks from amazon :-)






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Headline of the Day

Jerusalem gets Its First Haredi Bar


  -- Ynetnews

is there dancing? separate hours or days for men and women?

I am impressed it has not yet been torched..


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Don't mess with our mayor!

Nir Barkat, mayor of Jerusalem, can basically do whatever he wants right now. he has achieved such popularity by his actions yesterday that he has already won reelection for mayor, if he would run again. If he wanted to run for prime minister he'd probably win that in a landslide.

What other mayor would act like Batman and save his citizens from terror attacks. Who else in a position similar to hi would choose to attack the terrorist rather than sit safely ensconced in his secure car and let the security guards take care of it or be satisfied with calling the police/army? What other mayor can say he has put his own life on the line to save people in his city?

Don't mess with our mayor! People should move to Jerusalem just to be able to vote for him! Barkat's heroic efforts seem to have given the people a bit of a swell in the chest, pride, bravado.

And Barkat did not just show himself as a brave hero. The injured victim thanked Barkat for being sensitive and placing upon him, while injured on the ground, his coat to keep him warm. Barkat said he realized the ground was icy and cold and put the coat on him. Not only is he a hero and courageous, but sensitive as well!

In a moment of humor I suggested the headline for the report on the Associated Press.. I would suggest a headline like:
Jerusalem mayor attacks Palestinian man with a knife near East Jerusalem border





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election campaign broadcasts (video)

the housing crisis and expense played a big part in yesterday's videos... I'll do this slightly different, at least for the first few videos...

Yair Lapid started off the day talking about the housing crisis, and taking credit for building so much that he was on the path to solving it..


Naftali Bennet then responded giving Lapid a crash course in understanding how housing prices go up or down


in the meantime, Uri Ariel does not apologize for his role in the construction of the 50,000 houses around Israel


Wait - was it Yair Lapid or Uri Ariel that was responsible for the 50,000 new homes?

Hamachane Hatzioni
Yitzchak Herzog interview on CNN



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Mesuravot Get (video)

an Israeli documentary looking at the situation of women who are stuck with husbands who refuse to divorce them unless they pay a lot of money..






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Rabbi Daniel Friedman: If You Don’t Make Aliyah (video)

his suit is so ill-fitting it makes him look creepy.. but his talk is interesting...






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Israeli American Council

Pro-Palestinian activists disrupt a New York City Council meeting. It was council member's David Greenfield reaction that left us speechless!





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Hakol Haba (the next voice in Jewish music): S1E4 (video)








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Feb 22, 2015

Quote of the Day

I was with Maran [Rav Ovadia] for 60 years. He had nothing else besides for Torah...At the coronation of the rav [Yitzchak Nissim as chief rabbi in 1955] we sat together, side by side. at the conclusion of the coronation of Yitzchak Nissim they started to sing "Kol Od BaLeivav" (Hatikva) and I thought - they are crazy. I did not stand. The Rav stood... I asked him why he stood. Rav Ovadia said "I said Aleinu" - he did not want that stupid song to have an effect on him.

  -- Shas Rabbinical leader Rav Shalom Cohen

Rav Cohen said this at some election rally, and people are upset he called Hatikvah stupid. Shas is coming to his defense saying he has the right to think it is stupid, he grew up within the walls of Jerusalem and nobody can teach him what is zionism and about love for eretz yisrael.

I happen to agree. He has the right to think Hatikvah, or anything else is stupid. he clearly did not learn the lesson from Rav Ovadia who was sitting right next to him. Rav Ovadia stood up when they sang it. He might have thought it was stupid or might have seen no purpose to it, or might have loved it - we dont know. But even if he thought it was stupid, he respected that others found importance in it, and he stood up. So he said aleinu quietly. He still made sure not to insult anybody else over it. Rav Cohen, missing that lesson, seems to excel in casting insults.

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the "Shabus"

Shabus! Shabus!

Sounds like the classic protest scream from Bar ilan street in Jerusalem, from Mea Shearim or many other places where chilul shabbos takes place and some people go to protest.

That is actually "Shabbes! Shabbes!". "Shabus" is almost the exact opposite.

The Shabus is a new initiative of some Jerusaleem residents to have a private "bus" on Shabbos. Sha-bus. The Shabbos bus. It would be a series of private vans driving around between the different neighborhoods and entertainment and recreation centers.

Their complaint has been that while places around town are open on Shabbos, people do not have the ability to get to any of them unless they have their own car. There is no public transportation on Shabbos.

Hence the creation of the Shabus.


This really is not much different than people driving their private cars, which is legal even in Jerusalem. Obviously it is against halacha, but the issue for them is the law. The law does not allow for public transportation, which sticks them in a bad place. This is private transportation. There probably isn't anything anybody can do about it to stop it, unless it fails as a business initiative, if there is not enough business to keep them afloat financially.

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surprise about Yachad

I recently asked somebody I know who has until now been "saruf" on Shas, i.e. was totally sold on Shas and completely dedicated to Shas, about voting in the coming elections.

He surprised me with his answer. He told me he might not vote at all - he might look for the Satmar headquarters that pays people to deposit their identity cards in exchange for $100.

That actually was not the surprising part. A lot of people are fed up; fed up with both the fact that we have elections and fed up with the parties that seem to just bicker and fight and not actually try to improve anything.

The surprising thing was the next part of what he said.

He said that if he votes at all he would vote for Eli Yishai's party, Yachad.

I was surprised and asked him to explain. I said I like Yishai's new party, and if I had to vote for a religious party, they probably would get that vote, but I know you, I said to him, and your family have been dedicated Shasniks - Rav Ovadia, Aryeh Deri, etc. I am shocked that you would vote for Eli Yishai.

He smiled and responded that he was dedicated to Shas when it was Rav Ovadia. Now that Rav Ovadia isnt alive, and Shas is Aryeh Deri - Deri is crooked and I won't vote for him.

I was surprised. Somebody I had no question about that he and his family would be Shas supporters have given that up and would vote for Yishai.

I know it is just one person, but if such a dedicated Shas-supporter would change like this because of the current situation in Shas, there must be many more, and maybe Yishai is really doing good work drawing support. He put together a good campaign on his message of unity of different sects of religious Judaism...

The one thing I am unsure of with Eli Yishai is that I have this suspicion that once he gets in on this ticket of unity of different Jews, he will end up voting in line perfectly, or almost so, with the Haredi position on issues n the Knesset. He will have taken his message of unity and turned it into just another Haredi party made up of voters from other communities (since there is no direct representation he does not really have anyone to answer to).

It is just my suspicion, but when I hear him talk on the radio, besides for his message of unity he talks about "bringing more votes from other communities"...and that makes me suspect he is either playing the public as if he isn't really a Haredi party or he just can't break the shackles and is doing it naturally while his partners don't realize this.


The latest campaign video for Yachad:






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the Torah that fell

For the first time in my life I witnessed a sefer torah fall to the floor this past shabbos.

It was a shocking, and horrifying, experience for everyone present.

The torah was not dropped by anybody, but the table it was standing on (it was a sefardi sefer torah) collapsed, sending the torah to the floor.

The rabbi at the minyan, an ad hoc minyan arranged as part of the celebration of a simcha, announced that each person should pick a day this week and fast that one day. Those who can't fast should give tzedaka.

The rabbi also spoke about taking a message from the sefer falling and committing to improve decorum in the shul. He specifically suggested people put an end to the custom, as he did in his own shul, of throwing candy. The rabbi said that even though throwing candy at a chosson has very good and old sources, it often leads to a breakdown in decorum as some people then have fun and throw candy at other people in shul besides for the chosson.




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Facebook Status of the Day

yes, Bet Shemesh had snow...



this year is our year!


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election campaign broadcasts (video)

Likud
would we be here if Ben Gurion wouldn't have done the right thing?


Habayit Hayehudi
mishenichnas adar marbin bslicha


Kulanu Kahlon
who are you to step on Yair Lapid?


meet Arele from the bank


a waste of the rainforests


the elderly's consumer ban of Givat Olga


Aleh Yarok
not sure because of the threshold?


the power is in our hands


ringtone


Meretz
dont repeat the same mistake 3 times


Hamachane Hatzioni
from the desk of MK erel Margalit


MK Stav Shafir's unforgettable address to the Knesset


Kulanu Na Nach




some ideas


psychological mutations



Yachad - Ha'Am Itanu
together, all the kippot, all the streams..



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Israel's Moshe Ya'alon on Iran's Nukes (Oct. 20, 2014) | Charlie Rose (video)








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Inspirational Wounded US War Vet Volunteers With IDF (video)







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Rubio To Colleagues: Don't Boycott Netanyahu Speech, Israel Deserves Our Support (video)







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A Bissel of Food (video)







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Feb 19, 2015

Arab paramedic on Adelle Biton and his take-away (video)

Here is a paramedic speaking about Adelle Biton, the little girl who just died as a result of a terror attack 2 years ago.

This paramedic is an Arab, Mawaya Kabba (spelling?) and he talks about how he has gotten close to the family, and how he gets close to the families of many of the victims he treats, rather than just treat them and move on. He talks about the difficulty with everything around it, and the importance of seeing people as people and against baseless hatred.






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Interesting Psak: iPhone owner as witness to a wedding

Bechadrei is reporting on an interesting psak from Rav Shteinman.

Truth is, the psak is not really new, though it might be new from Rav Shteinman as a source for it. What is interesting about it is not the psak itself but how he explained it. To me it raises the possibility of an interesting discussion, or questions.

Rav Shteinman was asked about the validity of using someone who owns an iPhone for witnessing a wedding.

Supposedly, his answer was, that there are two different types of prohibitions one can violate that might invalidate him from being a witness; a prohibition that has the punishment of malkus, lashes, attached to it, and a prohibition that does not have lashes as a punishment.

A prohibition with lashes would invalidate the person from being a witness at a "d'oraisa" level, while a prohibition without lashes would invalidate him but only at a rabbinic level..

Rav Shteinman said that having an iPhone does not qualify one for lashes, so it only invalidates the bearer at a rabbinic level from being a witness.

Rav Shteinman also supposedly said two other points, and that is what I find most interesting.
1. while it is common for the rabbi officiating at a wedding to tell the witnesses to do tshuva right then in order to ensure they are kosher witnesses (in case they had done anything wrong in the past that might invalidate them), Rav Shteinman said they often do not actually do tshuva. Using such witnesses is a problem.
2. He commented on the expense of the iPhone, when they told him how much it costs. He compared it to an esrog and said in wonderment that it costs more than an esrog, and also expressed his surprise or anguish that people would pay so much money in order to sin! It is expensive to sin, but people will pay the price for that ability!

Regarding #1, it brings into question the entire practice of telling the witnesses to do tshuva. If they aren't doing it anyway, and we know that (or presume it), what's the point? And if we know they don't do tshuva anyway, how can we allow them to witness the wedding?

I guess in a situation where we, or he himself, are not actually aware of any specific violation that would invalidate, it is a "just in case" situation, so we can proceed even without tshuva. If he owns an iPhone, or if we know specifically about a different violation, it is no longer "just in case" and we would require actual tshuva.

Regarding #2, it is an interesting way to put it. The difference is that the esrog is for just a week, and for only a short amount of time each day during that week, while the iPhone you pay a lot of money for because you want it to be enough quality that it will last you a year or two or three, and survive your nearly constant usage for many hours of each day during that time. Many things cost a lot of money, more than an esrog, and there are reasons why they cost a lot (supply and demand, the costs of development and marketing, etc) and why people will pay those prices.

Also, most people are not buying the iPhone in order to sin. They are buying it in order to use as a communication device, and the sinning is inadvertent (if you say the iPhone itself is a sin, or else in the way he uses it afterwards). So saying for an averia someone will pay x while for a mitzva he will only pay y, is like comparing apples and oranges, or iphones and esrogs.

Regarding the actual psak, the interesting point is how he explains it as an issur with no lashes, thus it only invalidates him at a rabbinic level. I'd like to hear how it is determined that this is an issur at all, and how it is one with no lashes. Do rabbis today have the ability to create a new "issur drabanan"? Are they defining an ancient issur derabanan to include the iphone as a form of application of an existing issur?





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PSA: Chaim Dovid & The Mevaser Tov Band in RBS this Motzash!

משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה!

Please join us for a fun-filled, inspiring night of Music & Ruach for the whole family with
Chaim Dovid & The Mevaser Tov Band

This Motzai Shabbos (3 Adar/ Feb 21
8:30pm, at Yeshivat Lev HaTorah, RBS
20 NIS per person / 50 shekel max for family 
(Free of charge for Moriyah Families)
Bruchim HaBa'im!
Pls share with anyone who may be interested... Thank you!




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election campaign broadcasts (video)

Meretz
is anybody still not sure?



Yesh Atid
Dovid's story - fighting for "shivyon bnetel"


Kulanu Kahlon
what do the party leaders not talk about


the video that is 1000 times more anti-viral, about what Yesh Atid did in knesset


Eli Alaluf on the new poor


Habayit Hayehudi
Minister Uri Ariel under investigation for his "tochnit garin"


we need Habayit Hayehdui big and strong


Likud
Tzippi is a danger to the State


Hamachane Hatzioni
Stav Shafir: where is the money?


who we are



Green Leaf
marijuana use during pregnancy and while nursing



Kulanu Na Nach







Yachad - Ha'Am Itanu
jingle






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Child Sexual Abuse - A Message from your Rabbis (video)







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Beneath the Helmet - Outtakes & Blooper Reel (video)








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In The Syrian Civil War, The IDF Assists Wounded Civilians (video)








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Watch: Huckabee Dancing w/ Jewish Music Singer (video)






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Feb 18, 2015

election campaign broadcasts (video)

Yesh Atid
Shmuel Chaim Peppenheim's story (according to a comment last night, this was an unauthorized use and he claims to not have shot this film for Yesh Atid but was part of a different video he was involved in regarding Haredim and the workforce. if true, in my opinion, he should sue)


Habayit Hayehudi
Israel - fighting for your freedom


Hamachane Hatzioni
you failed, go home


collecting for a family in distress with housing problems (I think this was the best video of the day, especially filming in front of a bottle recycling cage, until Likud released their Pizza Bujie video)


Bujie's voice (and this is the silliest and most pointless video of the day),, if I understood the point, people are unsure because of Bujie's voice, so he changed it, at least in the video


Likud
Pizza Bujie, with a Tzippi extra (this is the best of the day)


how Tzippi Livni is trying to get to the prime ministerial seat


Yisrael Beyteynu
we succeeded in invalidating Hanin Zoabi



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Muhammad Zoabi. The Arab Teenager. The Zionist Activist. The Human Being (video)








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The Plight of the Palestinian Refugees (video)

Different narratives shape different memories of the 1948 War for Israelis and Palestinians. In Israel and among most Jewish communities, the war of 1948 is best known as the War of Independence - it is a day filled with joy, pride and celebration. In the Arab world, and particularly among Palestinians, the war of 1948 is known as al-Nakba (the catastrophe) - it is a day filled with sadness, humiliation and longing. This film tells the story of the war, reveals how so many people became refugees, and speculates on what is perpetuating their suffering today.




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Bennet interviews.. won't apologize and is a realist (video)








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"The Settler" - Hanoch Daum spends the day with Eli Yishai (video)








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Gilad Erdan responds regarding the Comptrollers report about the PM's residence spending (video)







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Feb 17, 2015

do not waste votes on a small party

I am not one who pays too much attention to polls prior to elections.. I find them interesting for the indication of trends, but I normally do not put too much weight on the details they proffer.

The latest polls made me laugh just enough to make me decide it is worth a comment..

The interesting part of the latest polls is that Shas, in the polls, is standing tall at winning just 4 seats. That is barely scraping the top of the minimum threshold.

I think it is worth a comment - of how the tables have turned.

Shas, as well as others especially in the Haredi (but not limited to) electoral community, has made a big deal about not voting for small parties that are a risk of not passing the threshold. Tens of thousands of votes that might be thrown right into the garbage.

So, the tables have now turned. Based on the latest polls, I'd like to hear Shas and UTJ, and others, make a big announcement about not supporting small parties that are at risk of not passing the threshold. They should announce that it is assur to vote Shas for that very reason. Shas should show some responsibility and backbone and withdraw from the race so as not to be responsible for tens of thousands of potentially wasted votes.

It is not going to happen, and I am pretty sure they will get more than 4 seats, but seeing the polls made me laugh and think of that.


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Israel's economic growth

I am no economist but news like this seems pretty good...

From Reuters:
Israel's economy is poised to rebound further in 2015 from the effects of last summer's Gaza war after a strong recovery in the final three months of 2014 led to the fastest quarterly growth in nearly eight years.
The fourth quarter of 2014 saw gross domestic product grow an annualized 7.2 percent expansion, a rebound similar to late 2006 and early 2007, when war in Lebanon was followed by a surge in growth.
Fourth-quarter GDP had been forecast to grow an annualized 3.3 percent, according to a Reuters poll.
The Gaza war in July and August held back third-quarter growth as factory output slowed, consumers stayed home and tourists canceled in droves. The economy expanded just 0.6 percent, versus an earlier estimate of 0.4 percent and an initial reading of a 0.4 percent contraction.
A more accurate picture of the economy, analysts believe, would come from comparing the annualized 2.6 percent growth in the second half with the 2.7 percent growth in the first half.
"It's still impressive to keep the same level of growth in a country where for more than a month people were in shelters," Daphna Aviram-Nitzan, the head of economic research at the Manufacturers' Association, said on Monday.
Part of the rebound in the final three months of 2014 also stemmed from a sharp depreciation in the shekel versus the dollar, That boosted industrial exports -- mainly high-tech ones that benefited from a recovery in U.S. growth.
"The growth rate in industry as a whole and industrial exports will be much better this year than last year," Aviram-Nitzan said.
The fourth-quarter economy was also boosted by heavy government spending, mainly on defense, and a change in a tax regime that fueled a car-buying spree before the end of the year.
Growth is forecast at 3.2 percent this year, up from a revised 2.9 percent rate in 2014.
"An 7.2 percent increase in the fourth quarter does not represent the state of the economy," said Alex Zabezhinsky, chief economist at brokerage Meitav Dash. "But the economy is certainly not in a slowdown or recession and is growing at quite a high rate of 3 percent -- a pace that could be the envy of many countries."
Policymakers cited an apparent spurt in fourth-quarter growth when they left short-term interest rates unchanged for a fifth straight month in late January. That pointed to a "relatively good" state of the economy, they said, although they agreed the rebound was partly of correction after the war.
The next rate decision is due on Feb. 23.
Exports, which account for some 40 percent of economic activity, rose 7.3 percent in the fourth quarter, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Private spending, another driver, grew 6.8 percent. Investment in fixed assets gained 8.7 percent, after declines the previous three quarters.
Government spending jumped 12.2 percent. The business sector GDP grew 8.8 percent in the fourth quarter.

I imagine both Yair Lapid, former Minister of Finance, and Naftali Bennet, Minister of Commerce and Trade, probably deserve at least some of the credit for this. In addition, obviously Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister. And probably also Yuval Steinitz, the Finance Minister of the previous government.

If Netanyahu's governments can have our economy in such a good state, even though it is far from perfect and here are problems, this should serve him well in the coming elections. Why would anyone want to mess with such awesome economic growth?


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an unexpected campaigner for Yesh Atid

I was going to save this video for tomorrow's roundup of newest election campaign broadcasts, but I have decided that it deserves its own post now (and maybe I will also include it tomorrow in the roundup as well).

the latest from Yesh Atid:


Shmuel Chaim Peppenheim is unique in many ways. It surely took a lot of courage for him to be willing to make a campaign video for Yesh Atid.

And the funniest part of it is - Shmuel Chaim Peppenheim does not even vote in the elections.


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Headline of the Day

Largest stockpile of gold coins discovered in Cesaria


  -- INN

the discovery was surely in Netanyahu's other house, in Cesaria, after opening his Jerusalem house to publicity via a famous interior designer, and showing its state of disrepair. It turns out he sent everything to his home in Cesaria in advance..
(humor)


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What has impressed me since Uri Orbach's death

Yesterday, as I am sure by now you all know, a minister of Israel died of a rare blood disease. Uri Orbach of Habayit Hayehudi.

I had no personal connection to him, and will not eulogize him, but I would like to point out one thing.

Since his death, actually even before it as he was in the hospital and asking people to pray for him but much more so after death, it has come to light how well-liked he was, how good of a person he was.

What I find impressive is not that he was a good person, BH we have plenty of those. Not even that he was a good person in the Knesset - we have some of those as well.

He was just a good person. He was a mentsch. What impressed me is how everybody, from right to left, from religious to not religious to anti-religious, from every type of news media on the spectrum in both print media and on the airwaves, they all talk about how good he was, how much of a mentsch, how despite their differences in ideology and belief he gave everyone respect, had a smile, a kind word, a witty comment, a way to make them smile and laugh.

Bar none.

I have not seen any news media, and I explicitly heard from reps all the way to Meretz and Labor, and on the far right, and from the haredim, and everyone else, how they felt connected to him, how good he was.

Someone who can make such a strong impression - not by being aggressive or pushy or looking for ways to "lick up" to others, but just by being nice and respectful.. we need more people like that.


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Censorship that is only relevant 15 years ago


head of the Central Electoral Committee made a decision yesterday that was relevant perhaps 15 years ago, maybe more.

Justice Salim Jubril decided that Netanyahu's speech before the House of Representatives would be allowed to be broadcast in Israel, but only with a 5-minute delay. The 5-minute delay would allow them to view it and edit out any election propaganda, if Netanyahu should try to take advantage of the opportunity.

Today, with the internet, and live feeds of streaming video, this decision is supremely irrelevant. If I cannot watch it unedited on IBA or Channel 10 or whatever other channel there is in Israel I will go to the Fox News website or MSNBC or CNN or any of a hundred other websites and pull up the live feed. The only people who will be affected by this decision are the handful of people who do not have Internet access and are interested enough to try to watch the broadcast live on television.

The days of censorship are long over in a free and democratic country/ In a place like China or Dubai perhaps they can block the streams and prevent any given speech from being broadcast before they edit it out. In a developed country like Israel, they'd be better putting their efforts to better use no other issues and not waste their time any longer on this type of pointless narishkeit.

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