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July 28, 2014

The Matsav - Israel Saved by Eyal, Naftali and Gilad

Analysis of the Situation: The State of Israel was facing an existential threat for the first time since the War of Independence.
By their deaths, the three youths saved the State of Israel.

The dozens of tunnels that had been dug from Gaza to the southern cities of Israel were not tunnels for the purpose of terrorism – they were the infrastructure for the occupation of the Land of Israel. If we had not surprised ourselves with the severe response to the kidnap and murder of these boys (of blessed memory), Hamas, at a time that would suit them, would have sent thousands of soldiers through the tunnels to occupy cities and military posts; thousands of soldiers wearing the uniform of IDF soldiers, to kill, to conquer and to kidnap, and the IDF would have had no time to organize, and protect the nation. At the same time, Hamas would have fired off barrages of hundreds and thousands of missiles at the center of the country, paralyzing Israel’s organizational ability to defend itself against invasion. What were they waiting for? Maybe a rainy day? Or, most likely,  the recovery of Hezbollah, in order to coordinate an integrated attack of missiles from the north. . . and possibly tunnels dug towards the northern cities too. . .

In Israel, in such a situation, there could be tens of thousands of deaths, the complete breakdown of national systems, and the need to build protection at the neighborhood and street levels. This, on the presumption  that the Arabs of Judea & Samaria, and some Israeli Arabs, would not join in the fray. Of course, IAF counter-attacks would be futile when the enemy was well entrenched underground and laughing all the way to Jerusalem! The best case scenario - international forces would come in to disarm the country, take our nuclear capabilities, and the dream of the Jewish State would crumble for another thousand years.

We were saved thanks to two things they did not believe would happen, because we also did not believe it: we did not believe that the abduction of the three boys would unite the nation in such a way that it would lead to massive air assault, the return of political prisoners to jail, and preparation for a ground offensive into the wasps’ nest they had built. And we had not believed that the Iron Dome would work. In other words - all of us, those to the right and those to the left, had disdained the Islamic-psychopathic rhetoric calling for the conquest of Jerusalem, had ignored the determination of the psychopaths in Iraq and Syria, and did not want to comprehend that they had built a smart, strong and - in fact - quite an excellent military system with almost no flaws, which was capable of crushing the State of Israel. We had all seen how ten fighting men had exited a tunnel in just a few minutes. What would have prevented two hundred soldiers from exiting a tunnel on any given day, and many thousands altogether from all of the tunnels - including hundreds of commandos landing on the beaches at the same time, and missiles landing in the heart of the country? The truth is that if, now, there were not tens of thousands of Israeli troops in the south, nothing could have prevented the next step in realizing the Islamic dream - the destruction of the Zionist nation, and marching into Jerusalem.

Eyal,  Naftali  and Gilad - by dying, they saved our country, our freedom and our lives.
Danny Gold - who developed the Iron Dome – may you live a long and healthy life.

And to all of the soldiers – we love you and embrace you. Muster courage and be brave! All the Jewish people, the whole world - and most of all, many of the Arab countries and the sane Muslims - are praying for the craziness to be overcome. Yes, even Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). Thanks to those poor boys, we caught them with their pants down, when the timing and the conditions don’t suit them. Our State has survived and now is the time to settle accounts with the murderers, to the very last man.

And a word to citizens on the home front – when you hear the sirens, go into the shelter or your safe room and smile! When you hear the "boom" – laugh!  These noises are the screams of frustration of the psychopaths in Gaza, whose ingenious plan to crush Israel was prematurely exposed. All of the damage that we are suffering now is nothing compared to what they had been planning.

July 25, 2014

Unethical to Endanger IDF Soldiers in order to Protect Gazans - Feiglin

Moshe Feiglin: Unethical to Endanger IDF Soldiers in order to Protect Gazans

The residents of Gaza were not occupied by the Hamas; they voted for the terror organization in democratic elections, by a huge majority, by virtue of its uncompromising struggle against Israel.
For this reason, the separation between the armed Hamas terrorists and those ‘not involved’ or ‘innocents’ is false. The Gazans are now paying for the choices they have made.
It is enough for the IDF to make one announcement for residents to evacuate a given area, giving them reasonable time to get away.
Any other measure taken to protect the population against the results of its choices – at the expense of the IDF soldiers – is unethical.

July 20, 2014

HAMAS - by Paul Eidelberg

You may be interested in knowing the following about Hamas, extracted from Haim Shore, Coincidences in the Bible and in Biblical Hebrew (249)

● Hamas (Harakat Muqawama Islamiyya—the Islamic Resistance Movement) was founded on December 14, 1987. The Hamas Covenant plainly declares: “There is no other solution for the Palestinian problem other than jihad.  All the initiatives and international conferences are a waste of time and a futile game.” [The equivalent is stated in the Covenant of the PLO-Palestinian Authority. (PE)]

● In the democratic elections that took place in January 2006, Hamas had won a majority in the parliament [of the Palestinian Authority], and thus became the dominant faction of in the Palestinian political arena.

●  What is the Hebrew meaning of Hamas (Chamas in Hebrew and in Arabic)?

Chamas = act of seizing somebody else’s proper (plundering, extortion, property seized unjustly)

—The first mentioning of the word chamas in the Bible is at the opening paragraph describing why God brought the deluge:  “The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with chamas ….”

[By the way, the root of the word Philistine (Palestinian) in Hebrew means to invade, to trespass, to go to the extreme of injustice. (PE)]

Isaiah - Professor Paul Eidelberg

A. Background
1.  Isaiah was a prophet-statesman active during the years 740-700 BCE. Though connected with the royal family, he never held any office.  He was consulted and gave advice to his king on foreign policy, which advice was more often ignored than heeded.  But unlike other prophets, who preached lofty ideals, Isaiah also sought to embody Jewish ideas and values in the nation's public policies.
2.  He prophesied in Judah, the southern Kingdom.  He witnessed the destruction of the northern kingdom by Assyria.  He warned what would happen to Judah and Jerusalem.
3.  A native of Jerusalem, he so loved Jerusalem so much that he called it “the daughter of Zion.”  Isaiah 2: 3:  From Zion, of course, the Torah, the Truth, would go forth and enlighten mankind.  But Isaiah was profoundly saddened to see Jerusalem – its government -- filled with so many vices and evils that would lead to Israel’s ruin.
        4.  Israel was caught in a whirlpool of international politics; Assyria to the north, Egypt to the south, and various small nations on the east.  The problem was: what should Judah do to maintain her independence and find security.

5.  Isaiah advised a policy of keeping free of alliances with foreign powers.  Alliances would bring foreign religions and gentile ways into the life of Jerusalem.  He warned King Ahaz against accepting help from Assyria; it would make Judah its vassal, a play thing, a toy.

6.  Only children play with toys.  So Isaiah says:

3:4. "I will give children to be your rulers."
3:5. "The child will behave insolently toward the aged."

What does Isaiah mean?  We have to consult the Talmud, Hagigah 14a:

B. The Talmud

1.  Rabbi Dimi said that eighteen curses did Isaiah pronounce upon Israel, yet his mind did not cool until he pronounced this curse:  “The child shall behave insolently against the aged, and the base against the honorable.”  What were the eighteen curses?

2.  It is written:  “For behold, God will take away from Jerusalem and from Judah stay [support] and staff, every stay of bread, and every stay of water; the mighty man, and the man of war; the judge, and the prophet, and the diviner, and the elder, [and the captain of fifty], and the man of rank, and the counselor, and the wise charmer, and the skilful enchanter.  And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.”

a. Stay – this means the masters of the Tanach
b. Staff – this the masters of the Mishna
c. Every stay of bread – this means the masters of the Talmud (Gemara)
d. Every stay of water – this means the master of the Aggada
e. The mighty man -- this means the masters of tradition [having great breadth of learning]
f. The man of war – this means one distinguished for his reasoning power and who knows how to dispute in controversies over the Torah
g. The judge – this means a judge who passes judgment in strictest accord with truth
h. The prophet –according to the literal meaning of the word [a spokesman of G-d]
i. A diviner [majesty] – this means the King
[j. The Elder – this means one who is worthy to sit as a counselor]
[k. The captain of fifty – means one who knows how to argue in the five books of Torah]
[l. A man of rank – means one for whose sake favor is shown to his generation]
[m. The counselor – means one who know how to determine the intercalation of years and the fixation of months – a master of the calendar]
n. The wise man –this means a disciple who makes his teachers wise
o. The Charmer – at the moment he begins a Torah discourse, people are dumb-founded
[p. The skilful man – means one who know how to distinguish even between similar things]
q. The enchanter – this one who is worthy to be given secrets of the Torah

3.  “And I will give children to be their princes” – means persons who are empty [m’noarim] of Torah and mitzvot.  “And babes shall rule over them,” a second generation of foxes [meaning, cunning people who are nonetheless cunning like children, who think only of their own pleasure].

4. So Isaiah warns: "Woe unto then that call evil good and good evil" (5:20).  This is analogous to the moral equivalence prevalent in democracies.
5.  This egalitarianism destroys family values: wisdom, modesty, friendship, community spirit, and leads to moral insensibility.  Israel’s greatness is exalted by her awareness of God’s infinite wisdom, power, and graciousness.  "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is filled with His glory" (6:3).  You must try to put yourself in Isaiah’s place to understand this.  You have to love HaShem God as he loved HaShem to appreciate Isaiah's bitterness – which bitterness, however, did not destroy his vision of Israel's Redemption.

6.  It was heart-rending to this extraordinary man to see how the hearts of Jews had grown fat, lacking moral sensitivity or even a sense of shame. "Then said I: 'HaShem, how long?' And He answered: 'Until cities be waste, without inhabitant, and houses without men ..,. (6:10).

C.  The Covenant of Death (Isaiah, 28:14-18, partly paraphrased):

Hear these words, you scorners who rule in Jerusalem:  Your covenant with Israel's enemies is but a covenant with death and an agreement with the devil [translated by the Targum as a "covenant with terrorists"].  You believe that this covenant will spare you from an overflowing scourge.  But you have only made lies your refuge, and under falsehood have you hid yourselves.  "Therefore, saith HaShem:  Behold ... the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies ... Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with the devil shall not stand.  When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, you shall be trodden down by it."

Rashi explains the "overflowing scourge" as on-going violence.  It were as if the Prophet and his commentator were saying:  "You believe you have nothing to worry about because you have a signed an agreement with the messenger of the devil."  The Malbim explains that the devil's messenger is always barking "hav! hav!" (meaning "give-give"); he will never be satisfied.  (After getting Gaza he will bark “hav! hav!” for Jerusalem, etc., etc.)

Notice that the wrath of the Prophet is focused not the people but on their leaders.

Arab Zombies Death March

Rarely does international politics present a moment of such moral clarity.

Yet we routinely hear this Israel-Gaza fighting described as a morally
equivalent "cycle of violence." This is absurd. What possible interest can
Israel have in cross-border fighting? Everyone knows Hamas set off this
mini-war. And everyone knows the proudly self-declared raison d'etre of
Hamas: the eradication of Israel and its Jews.

Apologists for Hamas attribute the blood lust to the Israeli occupation and
blockade. Occupation? Does no one remember anything? It was less than 10
years ago that worldwide television showed the Israeli army pulling die-hard
settlers off synagogue roofs in Gaza as Israel uprooted its settlements,
expelled its citizens, withdrew its military and turned every inch of Gaza
over to the Palestinians. There was not a soldier, not a settler, not a
single Israeli left in Gaza.

And there was no blockade. On the contrary. Israel wanted this new
Palestinian state to succeed. To help the Gaza economy, Israel gave the
Palestinians its 3,000 greenhouses that had produced fruit and flowers for
export. It opened border crossings and encouraged commerce.

And how did the Gaza Palestinians react to being granted by the Israelis
what no previous ruler, neither Egyptian, nor British, nor Turkish, had ever
given them - an independent territory? First, they demolished the
greenhouses. Then they elected Hamas. Then, instead of building a state with
its attendant political and economic institutions, they spent the better
part of a decade turning Gaza into a massive military base, brimming with
terror weapons, to make ceaseless war on Israel.

Where are the roads and rail, the industry and infrastructure of the new
Palestinian state? Nowhere. Instead, they built mile upon mile of
underground tunnels to hide their weapons and, when the going gets tough,
their military commanders. They spent millions importing and producing
rockets, launchers, mortars, small arms, even drones. They deliberately
placed them in schools, hospitals, mosques and private homes to better
expose their own civilians. (Just Thursday, the U.N. announced that it found
20 rockets in a Gaza school.) And from which they fire rockets at Jerusalem
and Tel Aviv.

Why? The rockets can't even inflict serious damage, being almost uniformly
intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system. Even West Bank leader
Mahmoud Abbas has asked: "What are you trying to achieve by sending
It makes no sense. Unless you understand, as Tuesday's Post editorial
explained, that the whole point is to draw Israeli counterfire.
This produces dead Palestinians for international television. Which is why
Hamas perversely urges its own people not to seek safety when Israel drops
leaflets warning of an imminent attack.

To deliberately wage war so that your own people can be telegenically killed
is indeed moral and tactical insanity. But it rests on a very rational
premise: Given the Orwellian state of the world's treatment of Israel (see:
the U.N.'s grotesque Human Rights Council), fueled by a mix of classic
anti-Semitism, near-total historical ignorance and reflexive sympathy for
the ostensible Third World underdog, these eruptions featuring Palestinian
casualties ultimately undermine support for Israel's legitimacy and right to

In a world of such Kafkaesque ethical inversions, the depravity of Hamas
begins to make sense. This is a world in which the Munich massacre is a
movie and the murder of Klinghoffer is an opera - both deeply sympathetic to
the killers. This is a world in which the U.N. ignores humanity's worst war
criminals while incessantly condemning Israel, a state warred upon for 66
years that nonetheless goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid harming the
very innocents its enemies use as shields.

It's to the Israelis' credit that amid all this madness they haven't lost
their moral scruples. Or their nerve. Those outside the region have the
minimum obligation, therefore, to expose the madness and speak the truth.
Rarely has it been so blindingly clear.

July 18, 2014

Moshe Feiglin: Return to Gaza and Declare Israeli Sovereignty

Moshe Feiglin: Return to Gaza and Declare Israeli Sovereignty

Historically, Gaza is an Israeli, Jewish city. The fact that Israel has mentally disengaged from Gaza does not change the facts. We must conquer Gaza, expel the Hamas and all those who wish to harm us. When Israel ruled over Gaza from 1967 until Oslo, almost zero terror emanated from there. We are frightening ourselves when we say that we cannot rule there anymore. It is not right to be colonialists in Gaza. We must return to Gaza as children who are coming home.

Last week a poll on ynet showed that 80% of Gaza’s residents would like to emigrate. Israel would have to invest just a fraction of what it has spent on security to help them emigrate with a generous sum of money in their pockets.

We have no choice. For twenty years, we have tried Oslo. It doesn’t work. We have to try the solution of those who warned against Oslo and exactly what it would cause.

Solution for Gaza: By Moshe Feiglin

My Outline for a Solution for Gaza: By Moshe Feiglin

  1. Ultimatum – One warning from the Prime Minister of Israel to the enemy population, in which he announces that Israel is about to attack military targets in their area and urges those who are not involved and do not wish to be harmed to leave immediately. Sinai is not far from Gaza and they can leave. This will be the limit of Israel’s humanitarian efforts. Hamas may unconditionally surrender and prevent the attack.
  2. Attack – Attack of the entire ‘target bank’ throughout the Gaza Strip with the IDF’s maximum force (and not a tiny fraction of it) with all the conventional means at its disposal. All the military and infrastructural targets will be attacked with no consideration for ‘human shields’ or ‘environmental damage’. It is enough that we are hitting exact targets and that we gave them advance warning.
  3. Siege – Parallel to the above, a total siege on Gaza. Nothing will enter the Strip. Israel, however, will allow exit from Gaza. (Civilians may go to Sinai, fighters may surrender to IDF forces).
  4. Defense – Any place from which Israel or Israel’s forces were attacked will be immediately attacked with full force and no consideration for ‘human shields’ or ‘environmental damage’.
  5. Conquer – After the IDF will complete the softening of the targets with its aerial and long distance fire-power, it will send in infantry to conquer the entire Gaza Strip, using all the means necessary to minimize any harm to our soldiers, with no other considerations.
  6. Elimination- The GSS and IDF will thoroughly eliminate all armed enemies from Gaza. The enemy population that is innocent of wrong-doing and separated itself from the armed terrorists will be treated in accordance with international law and will be allowed to leave. Israel will generously aid those who wish to leave.
  7. Sovereignty – Gaza is part of our Land and we will remain there forever. Liberation of parts of our land       forever is the only thing that justifies endangering our soldiers in battle to capture land. Subsequent to the elimination of terror from Gaza, it will become part of sovereign Israel and will be populated by Jews. This will also serve to ease the housing crisis in Israel. The coastal train line will be extended, as soon as possible, to reach the length of the Gaza Strip. According to polls, most of the Arabs in Gaza wish to leave. Those who were not involved in anti-Israel activity will be offered a generous international emigration package. Those who choose to remain will receive permanent resident status. After a number of years of living in Israel and becoming accustomed to it, contingent on appropriate legislation in the Knesset and the authorization of the Minister of Interior on a case by case basis, those who personally accept upon themselves Israel’s rule, substance and way of life of the Jewish State in its Land, will be offered Israeli citizenship.

July 16, 2014

Proof of Israels Genocide in Gaza...(NOT)

Proof of Israels Genocide in Gaza...

The population is...oh no GROWING!!

Embedded image permalink

Do a mitzvah in the name of an IDF soldier!

Shmira - What is it and who's doing it?

Hebrew word "shmira" (pronounced shmeerah) means "guarding" or "protecting". In modern Hebrew, shmira also means guard duty. The Shmira Project is an ongoing, grassroots program that pairs IDF combat soldiers with Jews around the world who do acts of kindness, prayer or Torah learning to increase the soldier’s spiritual merit and protection.

Person to person

The Shmira Project is a person to person match that everyone can do. It follows the ancient practice of pairing physical effort with spiritual effort. The families of soldiers and the soldiers themselves enjoy the reassurance of spiritual support. Participants enjoy knowing that they bring about unity and connectedness. There are absolutely no fees.

Who supports this?

This project originated with Rav Simcha HaCohen Kook, Chief Rabbi Rechovot & The Hurva Synagogue with the Bostoner Rebbe, zt”l in 2009 during the Gaza Operation Cast Lead. It has the support of people across the world and across all denominations.  It's being organized in its present format by the mother of a former IDF paratrooper.

Hamas’s (and Iran’s) Fail-Safe Strategy

What is Hamas doing? Hamas isn’t going to defeat Israel.

It isn’t going to gain any territory. Israel isn’t going to withdraw from Ashkelon or Sderot under a hail of rockets.

So if Hamas can’t win, why is it fighting? Why rain down destruction and misery on millions of Israelis with your Iranian missiles and your Syrian rockets and invite a counter-assault on your headquarters and weapons warehouses, which you have conveniently placed in the middle of the Palestinian people on whose behalf you are allegedly fighting? Hamas is in a precarious position. When the terror group took over Gaza seven years ago, things were different.

It had a relatively friendly regime in Cairo that was willing to turn a blind eye to all the missiles Iran, Syria and Hezbollah were sending over to Gaza through Sinai.

Hamas’s leaders were comfortably ensconced in Damascus and enjoyed warm relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran.

International funds flowed freely into Hamas bank accounts from Fatah’s donor-financed Palestinian Authority budget, through the Arab Bank, headquartered in Jordan, through the UN, and when necessary through suitcases of cash transferred to Gaza by couriers from Egypt.

Hamas used these conditions to build up the arsenal of a terror state, and to keep the trains running on time. Schools were open. Government employees were paid. Israel was bombed. All was good.

Today, Hamas, the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, faces an Egyptian regime that is locked into a life-and-death struggle with the Brotherhood. To harm Hamas, for the past year the Egyptians have been blocking Hamas’s land-based weapons shipments and destroying its smuggling-dependent economy by sealing off the cross-border tunnels.

Syria and Hamas parted ways at the outset of the Syrian civil war when Hamas, a Sunni jihadist group, was unable to openly support Bashar Assad’s massacre of Sunnis.

Fatah has lately been refusing to transfer payments to Hamas due to congressional pressure to cut off the now-illegal flow of aid to the joint Fatah-Hamas unity government.

As for Hamas’s banker, stung by terror victim lawsuits, the Arab Bank now refuses to transfer monies to Hamas from third parties. The UN is also hard-pressed to finance the terror group’s bureaucracy.

In Gaza itself, al-Qaida affiliates including ISIS (now renamed the Islamic State) have seeded themselves along with the Iranian proxy Islamic Jihad. These groups challenge Hamas’s claim to power. Lacking the ability to pay government employee salaries, Hamas is hard-pressed to keep its rivals down.

Given these circumstances, it was just a matter of time before Hamas opened a full-on assault against Israel.

MK Moshe Feiglin: Don't Enter Gaza, Cut Off Electricity, Supplies

Moshe Feiglin: Why is Israel Still Supplying Electricity, Water and Food to Gaza?

Why is Israel still supplying electricity, water and food to Gaza?
Our enemy is not only the Hamas. It is the entire population that supports the terror organization, proudly displays three fingers to celebrate the kidnapping of our boys and gives out candies when they are murdered.

As long as we continue to bury our heads in the sand and do not exact a price from the populace that calls for Israel’s destruction, we will continue to live under a constant threat to our existence. Not one Israeli soldier has to step foot in Gaza! We do not even have to bomb empty homes and lots. All we have to do is turn off their electricity, water, food and medical supplies until they are down on their knees. Until they dismantle all their missiles and weapons. We can also provide an outlet for all those Gazans who wish to leave for a different country. But those who insist on providing civilian support for the missiles raining down on Israel can pay the price.

Israel must make it clear to the residents of Gaza and the entire world that the key to their basic necessities is with us – but dependent on them.

If there are no missiles in Gaza – they will have food and electricity.
If there are missiles in Gaza and calls for Israel’s destruction – no food, no electricity.

Pictured: Israeli trucks crossing into Gaza with supplies

Gaza functions as a terror state due to Israel’s benevolence. Its population deserves no special privileges.

The demand for the dismantling of all the weapons in Gaza is legitimate and practical – if Israel decides that it really wants to triumph.

Don’t Cancel Your Trip to Israel: By Shmuel Sackett

Everyone is talking about the amazing miracles that Hashem has – and continues – to perform for the Jews in Israel during this recent war.

 Thousands of missiles and rockets have landed in populated Israeli cities including Tel Aviv, Rishon Le’Tzion, Ashdod, Holon, Bet Shemesh and much more yet the injuries have been few and far between. While we definitely need to thank and praise Hashem for His protective shield, it has not been perfect. As I type these words one teenage boy from Ashkelon, Yarin Levi (16) is in serious condition and is currently in a coma, with injuries sustained from a missile attack. I have told people many times that this is the reason why we are not allowed to rely on miracles. Hashem protects us and guards us from harm but we must not rely on that alone. We must also do our efforts to protect ourselves as well. This is why when the siren is sounded, I take my family and go directly into the bomb shelter. A Jew must not rely ONLY on Hashem. He must take all precautions necessary to protect himself and his family and listen to the instructions of the security personnel. This has become our way of life for the past few weeks.

Based on what I just wrote, you will be completely surprised to read the following sentence: If you made plans to come to Israel this summer – do not cancel them! Come to Israel and enjoy this beautiful country, especially now! Wait a second, what happened to the line about not relying on miracles and taking precautions to protect the family? Sounds like a major contradiction, right? Wrong – and please read why:

Danger exists all around. When I lived in Queens I took the subway every day to and from Manhattan. I don’t need to tell you how dangerous the subway was back in the 80’s. Yet, I went to school in Manhattan (Touro College) and worked in midtown and then Wall Street until my Aliyah in 1990. How about today? Do you know the #1 most dangerous place in all of America these days? SCHOOLS!! Since Jan 1, 2000 there have been 143 school shootings in the USA resulting in the tragic death of 193 innocent people. Yet, we go to school, send our kids to school and get all excited when our little ones reach the milestone of first grade. Need I go into the dangers of shopping malls and movie theaters? Spend a few minutes surfing the internet and you will be stunned as to how many young people are gunned down in cold blood doing every day chores or activities. It is mind boggling!

What about 9/11? Did you stop working in Manhattan after that day? Did you stop air travel? I could go on and on but I think you get my point. Danger is all around us but we continue living. We don’t hide under our beds or lock ourselves in our homes. We live our lives, being as happy as possible while simultaneously taking precautions and being “alert, aware and awake” (my wife always says that to the kids!). The day we stop sending our kids to schools because of the lunatics who shoot, stop flying to visit friends in Chicago because we’re afraid that the guy next to us has a bomb… the day that happens we lost. We lost everything. We lost our freedom and we lost life itself.

You may tell me that the reason you don’t stop the things I listed above is because that is who you are. Your job is in Manhattan so, despite the craziness on the subway, you have no choice but to go to work. Your kids study in universities so, despite the fact that there seems to be a shooting every week on some campus, you have no choice but to continue with their education. However, going to Israel is not “a must”. It is a vacation and something that can be postponed. With a few clicks on the computer you can easily change your reservations from August 2014 to April 2015, so what’s the big deal?

Here is where I have a lot to say but allow me to limit it to a few paragraphs. Travelling to Israel is not a vacation, it is your Jewish obligation! Actually, you really should be living here because that was the plan for every Jew. Life outside the land is a punishment and this is the main thing we will cry about on Tisha B’av in just over two weeks. While the destruction of the Bet Ha’Mikdash was horrific, it was merely a building of bricks and mortar that can easily be rebuilt.  The real tragedy of “The Three Weeks” is the fact that millions of Jews were expelled from the land and now – thousands of years later – voluntarily remain outside the land! That is the biggest tragedy of all!

I hate to break it to you but the galus is over… if we only choose to end it. America served us well for many years and we owe that country a tremendous “Hakaros Ha’Tov” but the party is over. For 2,000 years we were not a nation, we were simply Jewish communities scattered all over the world. When the Bet Ha’Mikdash went up in flames, so did our national identity. We were exiled and over the next 2,000 years we ended up in Poland, Morocco, Russia, Ethiopia, Turkey, France, Egypt, Spain, Germany and much more. Each place had its own community, its own customs and its own Rav. Those were very difficult times for Jews and Baruch Hashem we had those communities! They kept the flame of Torah alive! They held us together during extreme times of pogroms, inquisitions and holocausts. But then it ended. It ended in 1948 when, after 2,000 long and blood-drenched years, Hashem returned us to our land – the one and only! No longer were we scattered across the globe. Jews could now return home and with their return would come the revival of the Jewish Nation! Incredible indeed!

Yet, “al ay-leh ani bo’chiya” (over this do I weep…) a direct quote from Eicha chapter 1, passuk 16. I weep over the fact that for the first time in Jewish history, millions of Jews voluntarily live outside the land. The gates of emigration are open and it is not a 10 month journey by sea and camel yet millions of Princes and Princesses choose to remain outside the palace. What would their grandparents have done had they had that same opportunity? The Jewish nation is calling but Jews prefer to live in communities. The only thing that happened in 1948 was that the communities in Poland, Hungary and Yemen ended and the ones in Kew Gardens Hills, Teaneck and Skokie began.

This is why I wrote that if you already made plans to come to Israel, even for just a few weeks in the summer, don’t cancel them! This is what you have to do and just like other things that must be done such as work and school, you will not cancel! You will live your life – your Jewish National life – and you will not let the thugs of Hamas stop you! Yes, take precautions such as going to places that have the proper protection and shelter and listen to the instructions given by security personnel, but NO, do not stop living your life as a Jew must.

Come to Israel and enjoy your summer!

How To Destroy Palestine Propaganda CHEAT SHEET! (or if you just want to know the truth)

How To Destroy Palestine Propaganda CHEAT SHEET! (or if you just want to know the truth)

When I started IsraelShield, I had one goal in mind; fight anti-Israel propaganda. Over the past several years, I have had more than a few debates with pro Palestine or anti Israel people and the truth is, I have NEVER lost a debate or turned to foul language or lost my temper. See, when you have the truth, you don't need vulgarity.

To make it easier for those who are actually looking for the truth or those who would like to defend Israel, here are two  of the most commonly used propaganda and lies against Israel.

A. Israel Occupied Palestine

For a more detailed post on the history of Palestine click here

LIE The Jews came in and occupied Arab Palestine that was a vibrant and peaceful country

FACT : There never was an Arab Palestine State, Country, National movement or attempt to create a State before 1967.

 The next time someone pulls the occupation card out, just ask: "show me when an Arab Palestine State ever existed and in what year was it occupied by Israel"

They will show you maps from the Ottoman Empire, the British Mandate and even as far back as the Roman Empire. On these maps you will find a geographical area called Palestine but that wasn't the question! The question was,
Was There EVER an Arab State or Country called Palestine?
We know Palestine existed, the Romans coined that name after they took it from the Jews and destroyed our temple! It just was never an Arab State or country and was NEVER occupied.
Here are some of the pictures you might see.
The map above looks quite convincing but all it really took was basic graphic skills and the ability to color inside the lines and write the word PALESTINE. In the map below I will show you the loss of SMURFLAND!

Life with Bullet Proof Vest

I never thought I could live in Israel during times of war. I underestimated myself and the country.
by Yael Mermelstein
Life with Bullet Proof Vest
I never thought I could live in Israel during times of war. I underestimated myself and the country.
When I was 16 years old, the Gulf War broke out in Israel during my high school’s winter break.
I loved Israel. I loved the bronze desert hills of the Negev and the verdant greenery of the Golan Heights. I loved the fragrant zaatar sold at the shuk with its squawking vendors, the parched earth littered with sunflower seed shells. I loved everything about it.
Except for the wars.
I only wanted to visit Israel when there was peace. I wanted to ride the busses and listen to the guttural Moroccan-accented Hebrew of the elderly passengers. But I didn’t want to worry about suicide bombers. I wanted to hike Israel’s rivers and valleys. But I didn’t want to crouch in fear every time a siren blared.
I was Israel’s fair-weather friend.
When the Gulf War broke out, thousands of missiles were trained on the land I loved so dearly. My friend Jennifer was in Israel at the time, visiting for winter break. Oh how I pitied her. I shivered to think of her, huddled in a shelter, wearing a gas mask. I couldn’t peel my eyes from the news. I mourned for a country so dear to me, yet I embraced the freedom of living in the wonderful United States of America.
I could never ever do what Jennifer did, even for a few weeks’ time.
My Bullet Proof Vest
Fast forward a decade or so. My husband and I came to Israel for a year as newlyweds. He was finishing his studies; I was expecting our first child. I was once again in love with my country.
When an opportunity arose to buy an apartment in Israel, we were convinced that it was the right thing for us. The Gulf War was a distant memory. Times were relatively peaceful. I would stay home when public places became risky. It would be fine. We would build our family in the holy land.
Two months after moving into our new home in Israel, the second intifada erupted. The roads I took to my teaching job in Jerusalem were suddenly being shot at by terrorists. My place of work issued bullet proof vests.
I was petrified.
“I want to go home!” I told my husband.
But where was home? The question itself confused me. Was home the country that I grew up in - a country that had granted me freedom, contentedness and tranquility? Or was home this variegated homeland of mine with its political tug and pull?
I will never forget the evening when, eight months pregnant, I pulled my 40-pound bulletproof vest tight over my belly and drove to work.
“How do you do it?” my friends in the U.S. asked me. “I’d never be able to do that?
She didn’t understand that I’d never be able to do that either!
“Would you like to come home?” my parents asked me.
I’d love to say that I never entertained the thought - that I rode my Israeli horse into the sunset without ever looking back. But that wouldn’t be true. How could I not reconsider when I looked at my precious, innocent children? How could I not fantasize about the unencumbered life I’d led back in the United States?
Ultimately though, we chose to stay. Why? Because Israel is a land fraught with intensity, highs and lows, push and pull – it is the axis upon which the Divine presence rotates – so how could it be otherwise? In Israel, I felt that my life was even more precious than it had ever been in the United States, even as it precariously teetered. I wanted to live a life that mattered. I wanted my children to feel that they were links in the luminous chain of our heritage.
This was a decision that I reconsidered many times, according to the ebb and flow of the conflict here. Each time the artillery hummed, I wondered if I was doing the right thing. I imagined myself carrying oversized bags from Target instead of oversized boxes containing gas masks to work.
But ultimately, this amazing country sucked me in.
It is the land that was promised to us by God, which means that it was promised to me and to my family. It is the land that holds the last remnant of the holy Temple. It is a land where brothers cry for their brother’s tragedies and whoop with delight at their ecstasies.
And this past week, as I sat in my shelter with my children numerous times, I’ve come to reconsider what I’m capable of. I’ve heard the swelling of the siren outside my window. I’ve shuddered at the sound of explosions as the missiles hit the earth outside. And now I am Jennifer, only I’m not only here on vacation.
People ask me, “I don’t understand how you do it. I’d never be able to.” And all I can say to them is, “Don’t underestimate the power of this country. Don’t miscalculate the power of God’s awesome presence which is so palpably felt in every crevice of every home. Don’t undervalue the feeling of treading the same paths that were paved here by our forefathers.”
The land of Israel has forged a true friend out of a fair-weather one.

Remember a Man who only did GOOD

Update From the Front Lines

Dror Chanin
Tuesday, July 15, 2014: with heavy hearts we acknowledge today’s Israeli casualty during Operation Protective Edge – a man who was courageously delivering food and strength to Israel Defense Soldiers on the front lines. We pray that his family will be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Hamas has turned down any hope of a ceasefire and instead has viciously increased its assault of rockets on Israel. In light of these developments, Chabad Terror Victims Project is re-doubling our efforts throughout Israel.
Our Situations Room is being manned around the clock, organizing teams to reach children and their families in the bomb shelters, and the soldiers on the front lines protecting them. We are fanning across the country to reach every single area under siege.

World War Three?

 Dry Bones cartoon, kirschen, Israel, Gaza, Hamas, missiles, terrorism, terror, double standard, iron dome, rockets, Islamism, anti Israel, bias, Europe, WWII,  gaza,

The Jew isn’t held to an unfair standard - Rabbi Lazar

The Jew isn’t held to an unfair standard, the Jew is simply reviled- is, was and always will be.

As the Jewish word recoils over the murder of three Jewish teenagers in Israel, Jews the world over are shocked by news of a Palestinian youth’s murder in Jerusalem. But with the shock comes deep disappointment at the response of world leaders, who condemned Jews for this murder even before the investigation was concluded.

Of particular disappointment was the response of the EU, who took five days to condemn the abduction of the Jewish teenagers, and when the condemnation finally arrived it was with the corollary that Israel was equally guilty of killing civilians in Gaza, yet, were quick to offer sweeping condemnation of Jews for the murder of the Palestinian youth never mentioning the possibility that Jews were innocent. The response of the White House, who was also quick to condemn Jews for this murder, was particularly galling considering the friendship between the two nations. Calls were issued for Israelis to act reasonably, but no corollary was issued when Palestinians responded with riots all across Israel.
Personally, I am surprised that Jews are still surprised by such things. After four thousand years of Jewish history, anti-Semitism still surprises us? The Jew isn’t held to an unfair standard, the Jew is simply reviled; ss, was and always will be. The particulars of the case are irrelevant. Whether it is our control of the banks and media or our “occupation” of Palestinian lands, they condemn us because they hate us.

A hundred years ago we would never have expressed surprise at anti-Semitism. We would have taken it for granted and moved on. This generation expends too much energy fighting it – hoping each time for a different result, yet encountering frustration again and again. Albert Einstein is reputed to have said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Are we insane?

No. We are mistaken. Our error began with the nineteenth century movement for Jewish Enlightenment. The goal was to normalize relations with the community of nations. It was believed that if we shed the archaic trappings of religion, if we looked and talked like “normal people,” we would be accepted. This grand experiment ended in failure, when it was set ablaze in the Holocaust inferno.
Undeterred, the Jewish community plowed on with Zionism, its second iteration. This time it was hoped that once a Jewish State was established, Jews would be accepted as a legitimate member of the international community. Once again, these hopes were dashed. Over the last six decades, the Jewish nation has been vilified by the media and nations for trivialities over which others are never slighted.

The official response of the Jewish community has been to complain bitterly and vociferously about the double standard. Pages have been filled, articles published and interviews broadcast about this terrible injustice. We continue to hope that if we demonstrate the injustice perpetrated against us, the discrimination will end. I don’t know how long we will cling to this fallacy, but suffice to say that it was never meant to end. The Jew was designed by G-d to stand alone.
In the Torah we read about the ancient nation Midian, who made peace with Moab, its sworn enemy, to unite against the Jew. The Jews were merely passing through and had no quarrel with either nation, but when the Jews arrived, Midian sought to attack. In the words of our sages, “That Esau hates Jacob is incontrovertible fact.” This is the way it always was and how it will always be. The only question is why.

In answer, we present a fascinating discussion between the Lubavitcher Rebbe of blessed memory, whose twentieth Yhartzeit was marked just last week and Mr. Yitzchak Rabin of blessed memory, former prime minister of the state of Israel.
In the Spring of 1972, Rabin served as ambassador to the United States and he visited the Rebbe to pay his respects on the occasion of the Rebbe’s seventieth birthday.

The Rebbe asked Rabin if he ever felt lonely as Israel’s sole ambassador among a hundred-and-twenty nations represented in Washington. The Rebbe quoted Balaam, the one gentile prophet in the whole of the Bible, who described Jews as “a people that shall dwell alone and shall not be counted among the nations.” The Rebbe asked, “What caused the people of Israel [to remain] always a little bit alone, was it choice or outside pressure i.e. rejection?"
The Rebbe said that it was a combination of both. First, it is our choice to be what we are, to abide by the Torah, the faith and tradition of our people for two-thousand years. Without a state, despite inquisitions, expulsions, pogroms and the holocaust, we remained faithful to our religion and tradition. We survived; unlike any other people, anywhere in the world. We proved successful. We never lost the dream, the hope, to return to Zion, Jerusalem and the land of Israel.

But pressures from the outside also helped us avoid assimilation. The combination of the positive and the negative ensured that we would always walk alone in the world. As a part of history, but in pursuit of our own narrative. The Rebbe said one does not need to be a mystic to acknowledge that this is the historic reality of the Jewish people throughout the whole of its chronicles. We have always dwelled alone and always will. The State of Israel will not change this Divine reality.

Mr. Yehudah Avner, who was present at that discussion, recalled that Rabin was fascinated, even beguiled. For the very first time, Rabin was exposed to a conceptualization of Israel’s place within the family of Nations. Rabin was raised on the Socialist / Zionist principle of normalization - the hope that the establishment of a Jewish state would cause anti-Semitism to wither. Yet, here the Rebbe was saying that the natural state of the Jewish people in history is to be abnormal.

The Prophet Isaiah wrote that Israel is to be, “a light unto the nations.” To succeed at this task, the Jew must be in the world, but not of the world. We must live among the nations and foster warm relations with all peoples, but we must also stand alone. We are the people of the Holy Book, the men and women who received an exclusive mandate at Sinai.

We often neglect this duty. The social experiment of Enlightenment and Zionism endeavored to jettison this responsibility and reject our status as an exceptional nation, as G-d’s chosen nation. It was hoped that we would be embraced as one of them. Yet, the nations refused to comply. Their continued rejection and criticism, be it anti-Semitism or anti Zionism, cements our courage and standing as G-d’s lonely ambassadors to the historical family of nations.
The next time you encounter discrimination or the famous double standard, don’t act surprised. Anti-Semitism is incontrovertible and it isn’t going away. We reel under its burden, but it also plays a crucial role. Throughout history it has preserved our uniqueness. It has distinguished us and has lifted us up.

July 11, 2014

The Chosen Land - Kahane

OUR CHALLENGE  -   THE CHOSEN LAND (Excerpts) - Written 1974

It is time for the Jew in Israel to throw away those negative attitudes that he retains from the Galut, the Exile.  Chief among these is an unwillingness to look at bitter reality.  We may not enjoy hearing it, but the truth is that for many years at least there will not be sincere de jure peace with the Arabs.  It may affect the tender souls of the more spiritually intellectual among us, but one can never attain either peace or security by “compromise” with bitter enemies who have no intentions of compromising with you.  Those in Judea, Samaria and Gaza who do sit down with you because they have no choice, do so only in the hope of getting rid of you as soon as possible.  Our enemy, in the long run, is weariness.  It is against this enemy that we must struggle.  We must grid ourselves with tenacity and determination never to tire of what appears to be a never-ending struggle.  For that is what it might very well become: a struggle for Jewish existence and a Jewish state that will never cease to be a struggle; a realization that between us and the Arabs stands a massive barrier that may never be reached; a determination by two peoples to live in a land that at least one will never compromise on.  There will grow the weariness of having to send our children to the army without stop.  There will grow the weariness of having to leave each year for reserve duty.  There will grow the weariness of terrorist attacks on the borders or at the Lod airport or at the Tel-Aviv bus terminal.  There will, perhaps, again grow the weariness – and the heartbreak – of victims of a new war of attribution.  There will grow the weariness of all this, rising to a crescendo with the frustrating cry:  “When will it finally end?”

Only the weak succumb to such frustrations; only the weak surrender to time.  A strong and tenacious people know that there may never be an end to the struggle and the sacrifice.  But they also look about them and see what their refusal to surrender has accomplished: a state, and today a big one, in much of our Eretz Yisroel; a Jewish state with nearly three million souls [now 6 million]  and many more to come; the creation of a new and proud Jew.  None of these things would have come about had we listened to the intellectual precursors of our modern-day intellectuals and doves.  In the name of “peace” there would be no Jewish state; in the name of “morality” there would be no free Jewish nation.

If we hope to survive in the literal sense of the word, let us not succumb to the siren call of easy answers and the tempting promise of “peace.”  Above all, let us, please, have no illusions.  The Arabs intend to wipe us out; we must be strong enough to stop them.  The Arabs who live with us in Eretz Yisroel, both those who have done so for twenty-five years and those for just five, do not love us and never will – and one cannot blame them.  Let us not play games with them or with ourselves.  We give them civil rights and political freedom, but what Jew will ever agree that they should become a majority?  What Jew will ever agree to allow Arabs to come in on the same terms as Jews do today under the Law of Return?  Israel was formed as a Jewish state.  Arabs may have social, economic, and much political equality but, in the end, it is not their state.  For the individual Arab we offer much, but for the Arab nation, Israel offers nothing.  It is not an Arab state, it is a Jewish state.  It came into being because Jews knew that for them there was no hope in a world that thirsted for their bodies and souls.  It came into being under the realization that neither king nor Republican nor Marxist had the solution to the Jewish problem.  That in the end it was the words of the rabbis that proved to be eternally true: “It is a law, it is known that Esau hates Jacob.”

And so, Eretz Yisroel, the land of the Jewish people, exists.  It can never be anything but that and both we and the Arabs know it.  Such a fact allows for few illusions over peace.  Perhaps peace will come some day; I for one, doubt it.  Until it doesn’t let us not listen to the delusions that float down to us daily from the ivory tower or from the self-hating Left.
Strength and tenacity – they and they alone assure Jewish survival.

July 4, 2014

Caroline Glick & Mark Levin: The Israeli Solution -- A One-State

A young girl from a New Orleans University speaks (BDS)

Very well stated!

July 3, 2014

FBI Releases Documents proving Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun fled to Argentina in a Submarine

 Newly declassified FBI documents prove that the government knew Hitler was alive and well, and living in the Andes Mountains long after World War II.
On April 30 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his underground bunker. His body was later discovered and identified by the Soviets before being rushed back to Russia. Is it really possible that the Soviets have been lying all this time, and that history has purposely been rewritten?
No one thought so until the release of the FBI documents. It seems that it is possible that the most hated man in history escaped war torn Germany and lived a bucolic and peaceful life in the beautiful foothills of the Andes Mountains.
The Intelligence Community Knew.
Recently released FBI documents are beginning to show that not only was Hitler and Eva Braun’s suicide faked, the infamous pair might have had help from the director of the OSS himself, Allen Dulles.

In one FBI document from Los Angles, it is revealed that the agency was well aware of a mysterious submarine making its way up the Argentinian coast dropping off high level Nazi officials. What is even more astonishing is the fact that the FBI knew he was in fact living in the foothills of the Andes.
Who is the Mysterious Informant?
In a Los Angeles letter to the Bureau in August of 1945, an unidentified informant agreed to exchange information for political asylum. What he told agents was stunning.
The informant not only knew Hitler was in Argentina, he was one of the confirmed four men who had met the German submarine. Apparently, two submarines had landed on the Argentinian coast, and Hitler with Eva Braun was on board the second.
The Argentinian government not only welcomed the former German dictator, but also aided in his hiding. The informant went on to not only give detailed directions to the villages that Hitler and his party had passed through, but also credible physical details concerning Hitler.
While for obvious reasons the informant is never named in the FBI papers, he was credible enough to be believed by some agents.
The FBI Tried to Hide Hitler’s Whereabouts.
Even with a detailed physical description and directions the FBI still did not follow up on these new leads. Even with evidence placing the German sub U-530 on the Argentinian coast shortly before finally surrounding, and plenty of eye witness accounts of German official being dropped off, no one investigated.

UCLA Must End Harassment and Bullying of Jewish Students

UCLA Must End Harassment and Bullying of Jewish Students

Zionist Organization of America
New Release
UCLA Must End Harassment and Bullying of Jewish Students

In an attempt to target, harass and intimidate pro-Israel Jewish students at UCLA, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) recently demanded that candidates for student government positions sign a statement pledging they will not go on any trip to Israel sponsored by three Jewish organizations.
Notably, SJP has targeted only Israel and three Jewish organizations that sponsor trips to Israel. Not a single church or mosque that pays for or sponsors Israel trips was singled out.

This is an outrageous and impermissible violation of students' right to free expression, their right to free association, and their fundamental right to travel and move freely. SJP cannot be permitted to infringe on any student's personal liberties and freedoms, or to bully students into not associating with certain Jewish groups that are dedicated to building love and support for Israel.

SJP's motive is clear: to stack the deck with anti-Israel activists. Last February, SJP tried to get the student government to endorse an anti-Israel divestment resolution. The effort failed. SJP is now trying a different way to achieve the same goal, by manipulating the composition of the student government so that it is filled with anti-Israel activists who support SJP's hateful agenda.

Since the student government rejected SJP's divestment resolution, members of SJP have engaged in what a UCLA student leader has described in the UCLA newspaper as "hate speech against the Jewish community" and a campaign of "cyberbullying toward both the Jewish community and council members that voted against the resolution."

Students who opposed the anti-Israel divestment resolution reported feeling uncomfortable even walking on campus because of the hate mail they received. This is outrageous. Students must feel safe on campus.

SJP is the only university-funded student organization at UCLA whose very mission targets an ethnic minority for hatred and vilification and whose activities routinely harass, intimidate, threaten and seek to silence members of that ethnic minority on campus.

SJP's discrimination tactics and attempts to prevent pro-Israel Jewish students from having equal access to positions in student government violate both the UCLA Principles of Community and itsStudent Conduct Code.

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and President Janet Napolitano recently expressed concern about SJP's tactics, without mentioning the group by name. That is a significant first step, but more must be done.

First, the UCLA leadership should publicly condemn the SJP by name and strongly denounce the group's effort to delegitimize educational trips to Israel by some organizations but not others, so that pro-Israel Jewish students will be excluded from the student government and a pro-Israel viewpoint will be eliminated from discussions.

Second, UCLA should severely sanction the SJP for violating UCLA's rules against harassment and discrimination. The sanction should include a requirement that the SJP publicly apologize to fellow students, particularly pro-Israel Jewish students, for targeting, disrespecting and hurting them.
Anti-Jewish harassment, intimidation and bullying are the hallmark of SJP. This group needs to finally get the message that their misconduct will no longer be tolerated, and there will be tangible consequences when they violate university rules and harm fellow students.

When Vassar's SJP chapter published a vile Nazi cartoon, Vassar President Catharine Hill condemned it as "racist" and "anti-Semitic," committed to a full university investigation and a review of SJP's status on campus, and demanded the SJP take responsibility for its actions.

When SJP at Northeastern University slipped mock eviction notices under hundreds of dorm rooms earlier this spring, the group was immediately suspended.

The UC Board of Regents, President Napolitano and Chancellor Block must likewise act swiftly and decisively to show the entire UC community that student freedom, safety and well-being are their number one priority.

Tammi Rossman-Benjamin is a lecturer at the University of California, Santa Cruz and the co-founder of AMCHA Initiative, an organization that combats antisemitism at institutions of higher education.


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Passover? There’s an App for That

The exodus from Egypt must be retold each year, but the retelling varies from family to family, generation to generation. Some cling to the Maxwell House Haggadah and all the memories wrapped within those pages while others continually update their own family Seder.

Now, the Haggadah has entered the age of technology. Enter the Haggadah app for the iPad as well as an e-book version entitled, “Sharing the Journey: The Haggadah for the Contemporary Family” and so many more.

If not a complete app, some families plan to find relevant passages and discussion points and download them onto their smartphone, e-book or computer for use at their Seder table.

“I think this is wonderful,” said Rabbi Charles Simon, executive director of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs. “Siddurim have been changing for thousands of years. That’s why we have so many of them.”

Whatever can be done to enrich the Seder is a positive development, Simon noted. He called the move toward using apps “a natural evolution” and said that if the Seder leader is talented, technology can be a welcome addition.

But not everyone views the addition of technology as optimistically as Simon. “As a traditional Jew, I struggle with anything electronic at the Seder or on any holiday,” said Erica Brown, scholar-in-residence for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.

However, she stated in an email, “I believe that there are some great educational innovations and Jewish learning opportunities online that make many classic resources seem outdated. I’d personally love to see people download material in advance of the Seder.”

That way, no one will be tempted to quick check their emails, text someone or play Candy Crush during the service.

“They may be smartphones, but they are not smart enough to turn themselves off and put themselves away,” said Brown. “We have so much screen time already that makes us lose eye contact with each other.

“Respect the dignity of the meal and the story, and put the phones away,” she added. “There is nothing more important than the human connection with each other, and that is what we most need to achieve when we are at the Seder. That’s what creates continuity from one generation to the next.”

While Brown said she understood the desire to get information quickly off the Internet, “providing new recipes or great graphics and jokes for the Seder is not the same thing as helping people become fabulous storytellers of a remarkable story. Educators have a lot of work to do. It is sacred work.”

Eitan Gutin, director of Lifelong Learning at Tifereth Israel Congregation in D.C., said that while electronic devices are not something he would use during a holiday, family members have taken photographs during holidays, which he considers wonderful additions to his family’s heirlooms.

However, said Gutin, if the people at the Seder table are comfortable with the use of electronic devices, he could see how conversations would be enhanced. Perhaps only one shared device, rather than everyone using their own, would be a good compromise, he said.

One good way to use technology might be when the leader refers to his previously gathered discussion notes for help in keeping the conversation going, said Gutin. “It is not inherently positive or negative” as long as boundaries are set.

Rabbi Andrew Busch at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation said that while no one has ever asked him how he felt about the use of apps at the Seder, “My general position is we shouldn’t be scared of the technology. It’s a growing trend in everything. I am not at all surprised that people are using it.”

Erev Rosh Hashanah, his synagogue conducts an outside service in a park that attracts a lot of people. Apps and projection screens are utilized to make sure everyone can participate.

“It enables lots of people to come and see what we are doing,” he said.

Rabbi Jessica Lott, associate director for Jewish Life and Learning at University of Maryland’s Hillel, agreed with the view that the Haggadah continues to change, and apps offer more examples of that trend.

“I think for those of us who use technology on the holidays,” the addition of apps and information right at your fingertips is “exciting and interesting,” said Lott, adding that she knows people who use Skype to include family members who can’t make it home for the holiday.

When information or answers to questions can be obtained so quickly and so easily by just typing into a phone or other device, she wondered, why not use the Internet? “We jokingly say, ‘Ask Rabbi Google.’ ”

  1. Janet says

    Here’s another Passover app from Jewish Boston:

    This contemporary Haggadah takes about 45 minutes and features discussion questions and modern takes on classic seder elements, plus a detailed Leader’s Guide to help you host a seder. Along with lyrics to several classic Passover songs, you’ll see music notes that indicate interactive song features, which you can find in the free Haggadah mobile app.

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Jerusalem Sacred Music Festival 2015

The Jerusalem Sacred Music Festival ended last week with an epicly scenic and soulful final prayer at the Tower of David featuring a performance by Shaanan Streett (Hadag Nchash), Saz and special guest, Matisyahu. The Festival features artists from a diverse range of faiths performing spiritually tinged music within the confines of Jerusalem’s Old City, a site sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The organizers released a final statement:

Dear friends,
The Jerusalem Sacred Music Festival ended on Friday after a week in which utopia was offered the chance to burst through the city’s daily reality. It was amazing! Magical! Sacred! A huge thank you to all the believers who participated, from near and far. To all those who observed, listened and ensured that all the performances were filled to capacity. To all the production staff who made it possible. To Jerusalem which shakes us up and offers us both sweetness and a sting, inspires us and convinces us that despite all the challenges and the background noise, there can be harmony. To ensure that this song, which we sang with power and humility, continues to resonate from the city and the surrounding hills, we present the final prayer of the festival as sung by Shaanan Streett, Saz and special guest, Matisyahu.
Please share, it’s good for the soul!

Check out more JSMF videos on their YouTube page.

About The Author

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text:
Studies about pop culture are important because television helps to influence what we perceive as "normal" in our society. Today, the Parents Television Council reports an increase in depicted violence against women on television - which carry real life implications.

According to the Associated Press:

The Parents Television Council released its report Wednesday. It says it counted more than 400 violent acts against women in prime time on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox shows in February and May this year. There were just under 200 during those months in 2004.

The council notes that acts against women are a small percentage of violence in prime time.

The report shows there were more than 3,900 violent acts not specifically aimed at women during those two months.

Worse still:

The study noted that depiction of violence overall has changed little over the years — up 2 percent from 2004. Depiction of violence against women, however, was up 120 percent.

It said 29 percent of the incidents were beatings, 18 percent credible threats of violence, 11 perdent were shootings, 8 percent were rapes, 6 percent stabbings and 2 percent torture — but that in 92 percent of the incidents, graphic violence against women was depicted, not just implied.

Why is it suddenly more permissible to show violence against women on television? Just thinking of a few of my favorite shows, TrueBlood features a lot of psychopaths and demonic possession, so that may explain the reliance on violence; Weeds also features depictions of violence, particularly in Nancy's relationship with Esteban - but I've only casually watched since season three. And then there's Mad Men (screengrab above). But beyond those, I'm having problems trying to remember what shows feature violence - and I wonder if I'm starting to become desensitized since I can't remember.

Group Worries About Violence Against Women On TV [AP]
Study: TV Violence Against Women Up 120% [The Wrap]


text:
Charlie Sheen might have won over a few of his critics last night when he presented at the Emmy Awards, but if his interview this morning with Wendy Williams is any indication, he's not really going to win over any women. Sheen was relaxed enough to open up about his very public relationships, and we did not like what we heard. Not that we expected emotional prose, but this was worse than what we expected.

On Kelly Preston:
"Maybe she was trying to commit suicide to get out of [our] relationship."

On his Goddesses:
"It kind of ran its course. It was really an experiment, just seeing if you could keep two women together peacefully under the same roof. It's really hard. Unless they're lesbians, you know?"

On Denise Richards:
"[She could stand] to get her hair trimmed. Get rid of all those split ends."

On Brooke Mueller:
"Ah, you don't want to know about that crap. We're not back together."

On marriage, in general:
"Why would I [get married]? To ordain it with a piece of paper just makes things worse, just for me, personally. Because those relationships, I wanna say were pretty good before the marriage — and then something happens."

Something, yes.


text:
Sunday, June 28, 2009

With darling Dell...

With Izuria love!!!!

Loves of my life, these are my true true bestfriends that you guys dont normally see on the blog (apart from Baby, coz she's always on my blog), because we jarang jumpa/especially me (around 1-4 times a year kut...) Anna, Mimye & Lyanna... the one that is missing from the picture? IFA!!!
I absolutely love Anna, Mimye, Lyanna & Ifa, coz we went through a lot during our Masscomm diploma days, going on/off busses to sec 2/stadium/, walking a lot and moaning/wishing we had cars. Late night sleeps at the hostel. Fights during group work. Sleepless nights at the cc's in sec2. Going to sec2 at night just to buy nasi lemak, then masuk UiTM balik... Each others 'bank' when one of us is dry. Sharing baju, bags to shoes. They are my 911 (apart from my Mum & Kay) Everything, all the susah payah bersama-sama. *Guys, eventhough Im always and forever too busy to lepak, I love you!!!

Visit the newly launch KL Street Syle bog HERE (Thanks for the pictures girls..)

Wearing: TOPSHOP UK floral cardie, OLD BLOSSOM polka dot top, VINTAGE scarf, MANGO jeans, TOPSHOP floral necklace, OLD BLOSSOM skinny blue belt and GUESS wedges.

With Shea... Finally dapat jumpa... Hahahahha... Thank you dear, it was a nice surprise tau, and it was nice to have finally met you too... (Pictures from Shea via Facebook)

Hello, Happy Sunday... Thank you for yesterday! Even though it's hot! hot! hot! I had a blast!!! Thanks for all your warm "Hello's", and taking pictures with me.... Tag me in Facebook, so that I could post it here! Sorry if I seemed 'comot', it was soo hot, and I was wearing a couple of layers (so hope you peeps could understand... hahahhahaha), it was so so nice to meet everyone.. behind the SMS-es, emails and Facebook. Thank you lagi....... and thanks for buying/shopping at the booth, hoped you guys loved your buys....

Tonight, as usual updates at OLD BLOSSOM BOX, at 8PM.... Only a few pieces though, from accessories to clothes, Im adding a few rare items, and things Ive kept for special updates, and because Im super happy, and with the super encouragement from *Carol Love*, Im releasing some today.... I was having mixed feeling if I should update or not, coz Im super tired... but she gave me a good push... Thanks Carol... And I feel bad for postponing, coz I've written it on the blog already... Well, lets hope you guys will love it...


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Monday, September 30, 2013

Rule Busters: Romance Genre

Ever read a book about the craft of fiction writing? I've read (and own) many! I'm grateful for talented authors who share their hard-earned knowledge with the rest of us. Advice about the writing craft tends to focus on the same concepts, such as plot, structure, dialogue, action, and narrative, but some of the "rules" need to be tamed for the genre you write.

Romance novels have been my favorite genre to read since I was a teenager. Naturally, I write romance novels, too! But I went overboard on the advice when I started writing, and my books suffered for it. Here are three "rules" to be cautious about when writing romance.

1. Conflict

Have you ever started reading a romance novel and been turned off at the hostility between the hero and heroine? I know. It's confusing. You've bought the book with the hopes of reading a love story only to be flung into a war--one you don't want to continue reading. What's romantic about that?

Romance novels need a compelling romantic conflict--a reason the hero and heroine can't fall in love and live happily-ever-after. The book would be B.O.R.I.N.G without it. But writers can go overboard on the conflict, creating unlikable characters whom the reader can't root for or extreme circumstances no couple can realistically recover from.

If you have a hero and heroine at war with each other, show us the backstory. Let us in on why they are at each other's throats. Don't make them mean just to make a point. And give them downtime where they call a truce and begin to understand each other. Whatever your romantic conflict, make sure neither character is coming across as petty, immature, or spiteful. I can't fall in love with those traits, and most other romance readers can't either.

2. Character Growth

Another rule romance writers can take to the extreme is character growth. Character growth doesn't mean giving characters terrible personality traits to overcome. Readers will toss the book or Kindle across the room rather than continue reading about a spoiled, jerky, or mean main character. Character growth should be about making a character stronger in some way.

3. Action/Introspection

Romance is character-based. We want to feel what the heroine is feeling. We need to understand why the hero reacts the way he does. And more than anything, we want to experience the rush of falling in love.

Mainstream fiction rules talk about action, pacing, and dialogue, and they typically say to minimize introspection. Obviously, all writers need to strike a balance. But romance writers shouldn't skimp on introspection or deep point-of-view. Remember, romance readers crave an emotional read. If your characters are running from one crisis to another without any time to reflect, the romance gets lost.

What is your favorite genre to read? Any pet-peeves when reading it?

Happy Monday!

Friday, September 27, 2013

Three Tips for Managing Your Day

I've been reading about time management, routines, creativity, and schedules. This week I altered my daily schedule, and, what do you know, I accomplished more than usual. Felt better too!

So what did I do differently? Nothing much, but it made all the difference.

Here are three things you can do to take charge of your day.

1. Get centered.

For me, getting centered means inviting the Lord into my life.

After my family heads out the door, I read two chapters of the Bible (one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament) followed by a prayer session. God wants us to come to Him. He loves it when we pray, when we rely on Him, when we study His word. This practice is vital to me. It sets the tone and keeps needless anxieties from taking over.

2. Write down one to three tasks that will move you closer to your goal.

I'm a writer. My goals usually revolve around my books. A sample of tasks I've tackled in the last six months includes:

Write two scenes.
Revise chapter thirteen.
Read chapters six through ten out loud.
Create two pages for mobile website.
Write Friday's blog post.
Email so-and-so about guest post.
Brainstorm possible turning points for upcoming book.

You might only be able to cross one of these tasks off your list. That's okay. Just move the other tasks to tomorrow's calendar. The important thing is creating movement in your project.

3. Set limits on your time wasters.

My time wasters are all Internet related. Facebook, in particular, can suck me in for way too long! All week I've been diligent about logging off in 10-15 minutes. Mission accomplished. I'm getting more done and feeling better about it!

These three steps give me a sense of control over my day. I feel better overall because I've placed my time into God's hands. I feel better at night because I made progress toward my goals. And I feel better about myself because I'm not turning to the Internet to fill a void in my life.

**For fun, head to Scott Belsky's website and check out his Clever Tip Jar Collection. I love the idea of clever tips--cash or ideas!**

What's your best tip for managing your day?

Have a terrific weekend!!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Handbag Hoopla! Guest Post by Jenny Sulpizio

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Jenny Sulpizio, author of Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe: On a Mission to Save Sanity, One Mom at a Time. I loved Jenny's book! Funny, faith-filled, with tons of tips--it's perfect for Christian moms. (My review is listed later in the post.) Jenny agreed to share an excerpt. So grab a cup of coffee and enjoy Jenny's advice about handbags!

Handbag Hoopla

(An excerpt from “Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe: On a Mission to Save Sanity, One Mom at a Time.”)

Gosh. If there’s one thing we moms have a lot of these days, it’s got to be an overabundance of stuff.  It fills up our cars, homes…and especially those handbags we’re forced to carry. Indeed, our purses have become magnets for lost trinkets, unexplained junk, and loads of other useless items that can’t help but make us wonder how they even got there in the first place.

Chances are, if you’re a purse-toting mom like me, you’ve found yourself bombarded by the overwhelming contents of your oversized handbag on more than one occasion. And with all this junk taking up valuable space within our purse(s), it’s no wonder we can’t locate important items when we need to.

So what are moms like us supposed to do?

In an effort to get our satchels under control, and avoid being swallowed (whole) by the contents within them, check out these tips to get that purse of yours clean, organized, and functional:

1. Go smaller: As we’ve already learned, bigger isn’t always better…especially when it comes to our purses. Think small after all.

2. Clean your clutch: Often and all the time. Rid yourself of old receipts, used tissues (ew!), and the likes. Make it sparkle!

3. Stock it: Stock your purse with only the essentials you’ll need. We’re talking a wallet, cell phone, a feminine hygiene item or two, some antibacterial goo, and that’s it. No more, no less.

4. Pick pocket: Designate specific areas in your purse for holding important items. For example, always place your wallet, cell phone, and keys in their assigned areas. Major sanity-saver here, girls!

5. Go new: If your purse has been to war and has the battle scars to prove it, it may be time to invest in a new one. Or, if your current handbag just isn’t doing the job, looks like it’s time to go shopping. Remember friends--finding a purse that will work for you and your needs is of utmost importance. Don’t be afraid to spend a little bit of money in this area. You’ll be happy you did.

Jenny Lee Sulpizio is a wife and mother of three who enjoys writing about anything and everything under the sun, but especially loves to instruct, motivate, and guide other moms with practical advice, tips, and a whole lot of comic relief in the process. Jenny is a contributing writer for The MOB Society and Moms Together, and is the author of the recently released guide for all mamas titled, “Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe: On a Mission to Save Sanity, One Mom at a Time.” To find out more about Jenny or to follow her blog, visit Connect with Jenny on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

My review of Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe: FIVE STARS!!

The breezy style and solid advice in this self-help book for Christian moms had me laughing, nodding, and taking notes. Ms. Sulpizio shares her struggles, her hard-earned wisdom, and all of her tricks in this lovely book. Moms of small children will appreciate the chapters on finding time for themselves, and moms of all ages can pick up tips about taking care of ourselves, organizing, and saving money.

I appreciated the resources included--websites to help us figure out our body shape, lists of must-haves in the car, etc...

Prayer is a major theme--just as it is in my life. We can't be perfect, but we can take our struggles to God.

Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe is a must-read for Christian moms!

(I received an advanced reader copy with no obligation to review this book. All opinions are my own.)

Alright, so let’s have some fun. Tell me the first three items you find after reaching into your handbag right now (include your email address) and get entered to win a copy of “Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe.” Ready? Go!
**Must be a U.S. citizen and 18 years or older to enter. Winner will be randomly selected from qualifying entries.**

Thank you, Jenny, for being such a fun guest!
Have a terrific day!!

Monday, September 23, 2013

Autumn Thoughts in Hot Weather

Hmm... Notice anything strange lately? It's past mid-September, and it's still pretty warm in my neck of the woods! Usually I would be wearing jeans and a long-sleeve tee. Maybe a hoodie. But right now I'm hot. Humid hot. I'm wearing shorts every day and not even thinking about packing my flip-flops away. What is this strange phenomenon?

The unusually warm weather has not stopped me from dreaming of autumn. Colorful leaves, crisp air, apple orchards, hot cocoa, curling up with a good book and a blanket--I anticipate them all. Yes, I love fall!

Tons of swoon-worthy reading spots have popped up in Pinterest lately. Cozy, overstuffed chairs next to a fireplace get me every time. Or the table settings with pumpkins and lit candles--yes, I'll take one of those. Pie recipes, chili recipes, and biscuit recipes have me drooling.

Magazine covers beg me to buy them. Halloween candy beckons at the supermarket. Let's not forget about harvest festivals and trick-or-treating. Football is in full swing, and I make a lot (A LOT) of nachos in October and November. Why not?

The only thing I get a bit sad about is the waning sunlight. Our days grow really short around here. Gone are my long walks outdoors. Hello, moon, at 6pm!

This morning Sophie, my mini-dachshund, trotted into the living room with a brown leaf in her mouth. Then she proceeded to shred it to bits. Even she loves fall! And I have a feeling the cooler weather is right around the corner...

What do you love about autumn? What don't you love?

Have a terrific day!

Friday, September 20, 2013

Do You Produce or Fritter?

I'm reading a fascinating book, Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus & Sharpen Your Creative Mind, edited by Jocelyn K. Glei. It's a compilation of short essays by leaders and creative types.

One of the essays, "Scheduling in Time for Creative Thinking," by Cal Newport, discusses how much of our day is wasted on pointless e-mails and other social media interactions. I enjoyed the piece and headed over to his website, where I came across another great article that really made me think.

"Woody Allen and the Art of Value Productivity" (linked) argues it's not how much time we put into a project; it's how much value we produce from the time we put in. This is true for me.

When I'm mindful about using my block schedule, I produce more value content, whether it's plotting, writing a first draft, revising, or planning my future.

My natural impulse is to check e-mails, pop in on Facebook, send a quick text, and any other "quick and harmless" activity throughout the day. But when I resist, when I focus on my project, I double, even triple my output.

I can interact on Facebook in less than ten minutes. But I often find myself scrolling through for an hour. Does more than ten minutes on Facebook help me reach my current goals? No!

My reality? It's much easier to fritter away my day on "busy" work that produces nothing than to sit down and create something of value.

What is something of value?

For me, it's writing novels.

Last year I used a block schedule to organize my day. Not surprisingly, I accomplished more--much more--than I did when I wasn't being mindful of my time. Summer throws new challenges my way, but now that school is back in, I'm reverting to my block schedule.

My dreams are important. I don't want to fritter this moment away.

Are your dreams worth it to you?

Have a wonderful day!

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

My Post-Conference Routine

Last week I had the pleasure of spending five days surrounded by other Christian writers. To say I enjoyed ACFW's annual conference would be an understatement! All good things do end, though, and my post-conference duties kick in.

Once home, I jot a quick list of must-not-forgets. Then I plan for as much of a quiet day as I can. This year, I had a full day of rest after coming home, but it's not always possible!

My Post Conference Routine

a. Compose important business e-mails

This one is pretty self-explanatory!

b. Upload and tag pictures to Facebook while everyone's names are still fresh, also add new contacts to my social networks

I know this probably seems self-indulgent, but all of those lovely friendship seeds won't sprout if we don't water them. Adding pictures, leaving messages, and just reaching out to our friends is important. Do it while you're still excited!

c. Unpack conference materials and stack them in my office to deal with later

I'm usually too excited about returning to a manuscript to review and file my workshop notes, so I keep it all in my office until I'm ready to deal with them.

d. Nap

Conferences are so much fun--but they're also exhausting. I rarely sleep enough or well. Add to that the extra energy of meeting new people, trying to get to appointments on time, finding the right room for the workshop, and making sure I look presentable--well, it adds up to me being super tired! Frequent naps are a must when I come home.

e. Drink extra water

I've yet to attend a conference where the air didn't suck the moisture from my body. I drank extra water during my stay, but I still feel parched.

f. Create a game plan for the next week or month

Chances are I have ideas for a new book, plans for my current work-in-progress, tweaks to make to a requested proposal or manuscript, and any number of other tasks banging on the door for my attention. I can't do everything at once, so I spend time prioritizing and planning.

g. Thank everyone who made my conference extra special.

Some people go out of there way to make me feel special. I appreciate them and want them to know it.

Thank you for keeping me in your prayers! Thank you also for the well-wishes with the Genesis Contest. I didn't win, but I felt like a winner just for being there!

What does your post-conference routine look like?

Have a fantastic day!

Monday, September 9, 2013

The Panic Before a Writing Conference

Lists. Heartburn. Unfinished laundry. Random papers everywhere. Weight gain from chocolate. No, it isn't the week before Christmas. It's even better! It's time for ACFW's annual conference!

Why do I get so wound up? I have no idea. It's ridiculous!

Maybe I'm nervy due to my life being in a busy phase. I'm afraid I'll forget something important. I don't envy my hubby for the weekend he has ahead! We are definitely a divide-and-conquer couple.

Pitching my novel also contributes to the tension. The fact I have trouble sleeping when overexcited has me a little frayed too. And, as much as I caution myself don't butt into conversations, don't accost the author you're dying to meet, don't act like a moron...I know--deep down know--I will butt into conversations, accost the author(s) I'm dying to meet, and yes, I'll act like a moron.

One thing I'm not stressed about? The ride there. I really enjoy driving by myself. I get to indulge in a large coffee with triple cream, quadruple sugar, and no one is there to judge me. The radio? All mine. I can sing at the top of my lungs or let my mind wander. Good times!

I'm taking a week off of blogging, but I'll be back next Wednesday with a full update.

What stresses you out most about a conference or business trip?

Have a wonderful week!!

Friday, September 6, 2013

Celebrating Small Successes: 2 Minute Resolutions Vlog

The 2 Minute Resolutions vlog series is back!

Today I'm sharing how to be mindful of small successes and why celebrating them is important.

September 2013: Celebrating Small Successes 2 Minute Resolutions

Do you celebrate small successes? Share your story!

Have a fabulous weekend!!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Smile--It's September!

September? I love it! Love it!!

Every September represents a new beginning for me. The kids go back to school, the hot, humid days grow cooler, and visions of new projects, fall colors, cozy sweaters, and hot tea come to mind.

I already cleaned off my desk, organized my office, and emptied my bulletin board. Like I said, September is all about renewal in my world!

All month this song runs through my head. It's a goodie!

When Earth, Wind & Fire start playing, I feel like dancing! Oh, yeah!

We're celebrating a few birthdays this month (including mine, gulp!). I'll be shuttling my kids to sports events every weekend. College football pre-shows dominate Saturday mornings in anticipation of the afternoon games. And I love it!

Apples will be picked. Roasts will slow cook. Shorts will be packed away.

The thing I'm looking forward to most this September, though, is heading to ACFW's annual conference. It's the only time I see the majority of my writer friends, and I plan on smooshing every bit of fun into the four days as possible. Yes, I'll take lots of pictures. When I get back, I'll share my embarrassing moments--they're inevitable in my world--and anything else you might be interested in.

How do you feel about September? Love it? Hate it? Why?

Have a wonderful day!

Monday, September 2, 2013

Enjoy Your Labor Day!

I'm relaxing and hanging out with my family today to honor Labor Day. :)

I think every Monday should be a national holiday. Let's make a petition!

Hope you're relaxing and enjoying it too!

What's on your plate today?


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Saturday, November 18, 2006

AMHL Thursday: Zdeano Banfield and the Circus Stick

The defenseman—the tallest player on his team—wielded a long, long stick to keep the puck inside his team’s offensive zone not once, but twice...and then a third time.

“Nice play, Chara,” his defensive partner said to Zdeano.

Zdeano, that’s not a typo. Zdeano, as in the new nickname for Dean Banfield, AMHL Capitals’ defenseman. Sure, the other lanky lad—the one who plays for the NHL Bruins—was effective in the B’s 2–1 victory over the Maple Leafs on Thursday night. Zdeno’s performance at the TD Banknorth Garden, however, paled in comparison to the show Zdeano put on at Rink One at Concord Valley Sports Thursday morning as the Capitals downed the Stars, 9–4.

Not only did Banfield shine on defense—stepping up to intercept passes, playing sound positional hockey, taking short shifts—he earned two assists. These feats, performed with seemingly the greatest of ease, prompted Cap’s captain David “Mr. Hockey” Losier to laud Dean and marvel at what Losier called the “circus stick.”

Losier didn’t go so far as to compare Z to D, but I’ll go out on a limb to make these additional comparisons

-Hometown: Trencin, Slovakia, a world a way from Massachusetts
-Languages: Speaks English, Czech, and Russian, to name a few
-Hobbies: Enjoys the Tour de France, even rides the course a day in advance of the competitors

-Hometown: New Canaan, Connecticut, a world away from Massachusetts
-Languages: Proficient in Fortran, Java, and C++, to name a few (I’m guessing because Banfield is a software guy)
-Hobbies: Does the Tour de Bangalore (India), three or four time a year as part of the software circuit

Alright, so maybe that’s a stretch (stretch, get it?).
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