Category Archives: mindset

Compassion

“If you save just one life, it is as though you have saved the whole world.” I’ve been informed of this, more than once. I understand the concept, really, I do. And it’s not that I am always totally uncaring or always lack compassion. I have some from time to time, if the occasion calls for it.

The problem stems from the difference in the issues and people I think are deserving of compassion. The country seems to be so divided, and the folks on the other side of the fence have several public outlets showing sad children, grandma being thrown off a cliff in a wheelchair and any other issue you care to throw into the mix. But I have my own ideas of who I feel compassion towards, and perhaps I’m not alone in this. So I thought I might share a few thoughts on some people I think are forgotten and deserve the consideration of compassion.

“He Who is Compassionate to the Cruel Will Ultimately Become Cruel to the Compassionate”

This notion, that displaying an attitude of mercy towards the wicked who deserve severe punishment involves acting cruelly towards the general public, can be found in the words of Maimonides in his book The Guide of the Perplexed. In reference to the verse (Exodus 21:14), “If a person willfully schemes to kill his neighbor – he shall be (even) taken from my altar and put to death”, Maimonides writes that the wicked and calculating person (who killed intentionally and was sentenced to death) – if he seeks sanctuary among us, we must not provide him with asylum and not have mercy upon him…because compassion towards the wicked – is cruelty to all beings.

Actually that whole article is well worth reading.

It seems that the whole world right now has it upside down. The world has confused “fair” with “reality” and “compassion” with “justice” or “mercy”.

I’m pretty sure our readers of TZP are familiar with the case of Elor Azariya. The Israeli soldier who shot a Arab terrorist who had not yet been checked by sappers to see if he had bomb. The terrorist had just stabbed a solider. His  goals were not questioned, he wanted to kill Israelis. Elor entered prison this week. The judges refused to stay his prison entry until it was determined whether or not he would receive a pardon. It seems interested parties torpedoed the attempt to forestall his entry into the prison system. For him, the IDF brass and judges had no compassion. For the arab terrorist, tears all around.

Compare the judges response to a 14 year old terrorist who went on a stabbing spree with his cousin in October of 2015 in Jerusalem. I can tell you סכין means “knife”, you may want to know that.

So guess what? The judges have decided to have compassion on the terrorist.

However, the judges decided that in view of his young age and in light of his rehabilitation efforts, his sentence should be shortened from 12 years to 9-and-a-half years in prison.

The soldier protecting his fellow soldiers and the citizens, no. We must prove to the world (who is going to hate our guts anyway) that we will eat our own with relish, and possibly BBQ sauce to prove how moral we are. The terrorist who stabbed people, well, compassion we must have for the “poor disadvantaged youth” taking a page straight from CNN and MSLSD.

Not surprisingly to me anyway, Yosef Haim Twito, who was one of the victims of the “misguided youth” <<<that there is leftist speak for terrorist, is angry. For some reason he feels this is the wrong direction.

“The judges of the court gave a tailwind to terror,” Twito said of the judges, who decided to shorten the punishment imposed on the terrorist by two-and a-half years.
“From the beginning of the affair, the State Prosecutor’s Office showed incredible incompetence when it did not ask the maximum sentence, but at the same time I was surprised to discover that the Supreme Court justices decided to ease the already-lenient punishment.”
“It is regrettable that Judge David Mintz, who wrote the verdict, chose to ease the punishment because a prison stay may have undesirable consequences for [the terrorist] – I ask what about the undesirable consequences for me? What about the trauma I went through? The damage caused me for my entire life?”
“Israel has become a haven for terrorists,” Twito said. “The judges of the court unfortunately do not understand that easing the punishment of terrorists is a judgment that gives a tailwind to terror.”

Former National Union MK blasts court’s decision to cut terrorist’s sentence: ‘We’re telling the Arabs it’s ok to slaughter and murder us.’

Yes, yes, I believe they are.

But Israel is far from the only country to suffer from this form of compassionate suicide. In France a new phenomena is taking place. Muslim that scream “Allah’s snackbar” and charge at people with guns, knives, trucks or hardened stale french bread are terrorists. Unless the victims is Jewish. Then suddenly the Muslim is “mentally ill”, not in fact, a terrorist. If a Jew is killed because they are Jewish, no worries, the poor dear was mentally ill, didn’t know what he was doing don’t you understand? We must be compassionate. That one is well worth reading as well.

And America and Canada? George Zimmerman and Darren Wilson? One a neighborhood watch person, and unpaid volunteer and the other a professional law enforcement officer. No matter what you think of either man, or their job, I think one thing that has not been successfully challenged is they were both attacked by a criminal. Criminals of which the media rushed to show cherubic pictures of when they were twelve, before the gang tats and gold teeth. Had the criminals not chosen to attack, nothing would have happened. But they did, and the media fanned the flames of “victimhood” for the aggressors. For the two men just living their lives and doing what they were suppose to be doing there was no compassion. For the people who had their business and homes burned down in the peaceful protests there was no compassion, for the firefighters shot at, the cops attacked the people attacked for their skin color, there was no compassion.

Shannon T.Watts and Bloomers, Rosie O’Crazy and all the other anti-gun people that tell us “people will be safer without guns”.

Campus rape survivor: Carrying gun would have prevented attack

Susan Gratia Hupp, because one can never watch this video too much

She lost both her parents because she had been disarmed by politicians. So which class of people is it that will be safer if no one has guns? Oh, the criminals?  Yes, yes, it will be much safer for them. Misguided youth, hate crime, profiling, it’s their culture, whatever, they attacked an easy target. For law abiding citizens just eating lunch or going to school? Not so much, no compassion for them.

The poor undocumented (unvetted) refugees. They just came here for a better life, they were escaping________. Of course we must provide, food, shelter, obamacare, schooling, clothing, transportation, obamaphones and allow them to live with dignity! And I have a feeling Canada had been looking down her nose at US a bit smugly as we elected that horrible bigot because we hate people different from us. See, I have paid attention to how the left views and talks about U.S.  unwashed masses. Except now the poor refugees and heading for Canada. They are self-deporting.

A surge of migrants tests Canada’s welcome

CAQ calls for tighter borders, hardline approach to asylum seekers

And that’s the thing, no matter what country. The United States, Canada, or Bugscuffle, TX, the immigrants have to be fed, housed, given medical care and toilet paper. Who pays for this? They don’t work, they don’t have transportation, many of the recent ones don’t speak English and have no desire to assimilate and have stated clearly they will not. Which ones? Who knows. But the more of them you have the more it costs to take care of them. Who pays for it? The average John or Jane Doe, just trying to live their lives, raise their kids and potty train their dog. They probably drive an older car, can’t afford private school for their kids and eating out at McDonald’s every third week is a treat. You know why? Because they try to live within their means. And now it’s even harder because some politician with half baked social justice compassionate dreams of a legacy has mandated “we” will show compassion to ____________. Never mind the immigrant has no plans of working, assimilating or even respecting the host countries culture. Have you checked out the rape and crime stats in Sweden and Germany lately?

So, arab terrorist, criminal, illegal un-vetted immigrate, these are to be shown compassion by judges, the media, and society. Who gets none of this compassion? The people just trying their best to live their lives, do their jobs, run a business, go to school or walk down the street in Jerusalem. The people left defenseless by politicians with taxpayer funded bodyguards. For these people there seems to be no compassion.

Am I being judgmental? Yes, yes I am. I feel these are the people deserving of compassion, and more than compassion, they deserve justice. And because of this stance I am regarded as hard-hearted and unsympathetic?  Ok.

I agree and understand what Maimonides was saying. When we are kind and show mercy to those that have harmed or intended to, we harm the very people deserving of the compassion and kindness. Those who were just going about their lives doing the next right thing.

Shabbat Shalom.

שבת שלום

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אש –Thoughts on Tisha B’Av

The 9th of Av this year was observed on Tuesday, the saddest day of the year, with plenty of reason. The following is from Chabad.

The 9th Day of Av (the 11th Jewish month) is first mentioned in the book of Zechariah 7:3.  One of four Jewish fast days, it commemorates dramatic national catastrophes (related to the destruction of Jerusalem), in an attempt to benefit from history by avoiding – rather than repeating1 – critical, moral and strategic missteps.  It concludes the 21 days of predicament and lamentation, which began when the walls of Jerusalem were breached by Nebuchadnezzar (1st Temple) and Titus (2nd Temple), launching a seven-week period of consolation, ingathering and renewal.

There are many major Jewish calamities are commemorated on the 9th Day of Av:

* Unlike Joshua & Caleb, the other “ten spies/tribal presidents” slandered the Land of Israel, preferring immediate convenience and conventional “wisdom” over faith and long term vision, thus prolonging the wandering in the desert for 40 years, before settling the Promised Land;

*The destruction of the First Temple and Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (586 BCE) resulted in the massacre of 100,000 Jews and a massive national exile;

*The destruction of the Second Temple and Jerusalem by Titus of Rome (70 CE) triggered the massacre of 1-2 million Jews and another massive national exile, aiming to annihilate Judaism and the Jewish people;

*The Ten Martyrs – ten leading rabbis – executed by the Roman Empire;

*The Bar Kokhbah Revolt was crushed with the killing of Bar Kokhbah, the fall of his Beitar headquarters south of Jerusalem in Judea and Samaria (135 CE) by Hadrian, who still afflicts us to this day by having changed the name of the land to “Falestine” as a poke in the eye to the Jews referencing their ancient enemy the Philistines. The plowing of Jerusalem, and the killing of 600,000 Jews by the Roman Empire;

*The pogroms of the First Crusade (1096-1099) massacred tens of thousands of Jews in Germany, France, Italy and Britain;

*The Jewish expulsion from Britain (1290);

*The Jewish expulsion from Spain (1492);

*The eruption of the First World War (1914);

*The beginning of the 1942 deportation of Warsaw Ghetto Jews to the Treblinka extermination camp.

This year was in some ways a more horrible than usual observance. It was just a few short days ago that the Knesset voted to take down the magnetometers. I touched on that in Neve Tzuf, but Caroline Glick does an excellent job of explaining how that decision was made. Turns out Bibi caved to….wait for it….the IDF and Shin Bet. No, I’m not kidding. This column is well worth reading. Losing and winning the Temple Mount. It actually makes a lot of sense if you remember the column Moshe Feiglin of the Zehut party wrote last year about “The Soldier Who Fired A Defense Minister”. It appears some of the people at the top levels in the IDF attended the John Kerry school of military studies. School motto “The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it.”~~George Orwell

So let’s take a quick look at that “sacred” tenet often referred to “Status Quo”. This data comes from this week’s episode of Walter’s World with Walter Bingham. This episode he had two security experts on, one of them is Alan Baker, the former Israeli Ambassador to Canada. The topic of the show is what is the status quo? Meaning what does the term itself mean.

Originally, the status quo began in the 19th century with the Turkish Ottoman Sultan who issued a decree that involved seven holy places in Jerusalem and Bethlehem and affected only Christians. It gave priority to the Orthodox. Then in 1967 when Israel won control of Jerusalem in a war it did not start a new status quo arrangement was made. Israel decided to remove the Israeli flag, army units and Rabbi Shlomo Goren from the Temple Mount and give control back to the wafq-kos. Because administering the site brings in income for them, it’s another reason they want it. Then the Chief Temple Rabbi approved Jews being sent to the Kotel to pray instead.

So about this sovereignty, Abu Mazen claims they have sovereignty, Israel claims they do. No one has had sovereignty since the Ottoman rule ended in 1922. The Jordanians didn’t have sovereignty when they took control of it by hostile take over either. Only Pakistan recognized Jordanian control, the international courts and the U.N. never did. The status quo was an informal, non-binding arrangement to enable the day to day functioning. Israel was in control after it took over control from Jordan and extended it’s laws and administration over all of Jerusalem. While it guarantees freedom of access and worship, issues of sovereignty were never mentioned. The same laws apply in Jerusalem as do Tel Aviv and Be’er Sheva. The peace treaty with Jordan made no mention of the status quo, and Jordan did not ask. Israel has FULL responsibility for security. The status quo NEVER regulated security, it regulates day to day events, like prayers. Even if you take the lowest U.N. (necessary) opinion of Israel, that they are “occupiers”, that Jerusalem is occupied territory, according to the laws of occupation, and the Hague rules of 1907 it would be Israel’s duty to maintain the public order and security. That is the opinion of International law as well.

So, how did Tisha B’Av go this year on the Temple Mount? Well, according to another one of my favorite programs, Temple Talk, it was…amazing. Rabbi Chaim said he arrived at 0610 and there were already hundreds of Jews lined up waiting to visit through the one gate non-Muslims are allowed to use. There had been speculation and trepidation that after the shameful caving of the Knesset and Prime Minister Netanyahu that the pieceful Falestinians would riot or incite violence because when they’ve done that in the past, the police reward them by shutting down the Temple Mount to……the Jews. But this year, this year was different. Very different. There is speculation that it’s the new Police Commissioner. The TT show said the police now greet you, it tends to be the same crew and they are polite and encouraging. They want everyone that comes to get to go up on the Temple Mount. The TT hosts said they were expecting the wafq-kos to really be following everyone closely and up in their faces, but it didn’t happen. The police kept the wafq-kos at a distance, there were very few muslims on the Temple Mount and the ones that were there were not allowed to cause problems. While no open prayer was allowed, the police did an outstanding job of maintaining order. The hosts of the show said that there is a Spiritual upheaval and renewal afoot, and everyone knows it, that it’s been building for decades. As it turns out, 1,263 Jews, an unprecedented number visited the Temple Mount this Tisha B’Av this year. I saw in another report the wafq-kos also said it was unprecedented, as well as unacceptable. The Israeli police have shown the way. It is possible to maintain principles, order on the Temple Mount and not cave in to terrorist demands.

I saw a movie recently, in a theater. A real one. I don’t go to many/any movies usually. I don’t think they make very good movies any more, and I’m not inclined to give my money to actors/actresses that will use it to further their bully pulpit and denigrate my values, culture and self-defense rights.

But there was a good reason I went to this one. It was made in 1977, so not a new movie. It’s called מבצה יונתן or Mivtza Yonatan. It’s about the raid on Entebbe that happened on 4th July 1976. An Air France plane was hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Falestine. There are some interesting points I’d like to bring out. One, the movie was made only a year after the event. Two, the movie was pro-Israel and pro-IDF. While it was an Israeli made movie, do you think such a thing would happen today? I don’t. Then there were some of the lines that were said in it that struck me. One was when the doctor that was on board asks one of the German female terrorists “Why? Haven’t we done enough to the Jews?” She answers they are fighting for world freedom, they aren’t fighting the Jews, they are fighting the Imperial Zionist. Another line is when Sayeret Metkal begins to plan the potential rescue options. After Yoni comes back from a meeting with the powers that be, Yitzak Rabin was P.M. at the time, his staff asks him what happened and the remark is made nothing will happen because their government will never go for it because of world opinion. After the Jews have been separated out from the other passengers one of them asks a male German terrorist what he hopes to accomplish with all this. He says the world is dirty and it needs to be destroyed and rebuilt. That the Israelis stole Falestinian land and used German money to do it. And the last line is two newspaper reporters that are waiting in Israel reporting the events. One says to the other that if the Jews give in, no one will be safe, there will be an epidemic of sky-jacking. Now, I know these are all lines in a movie, but the female German Terrorist sounds like a modern day spokesperson for the Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement. I think the male German terrorist is a bit confused, if German money was used, what was “stolen”? Not all the terrorists were German, some were pieceful Arabs. And despite this, Rabin signed the Oslo accords. He didn’t learn, and things have been worse since. And despite knowing that was the Falestinians and their supporters have been doing for a very long time, Bibi still caved. He didn’t learn either.

And what was the fallout from the “world”?

From Wikipedia

The United Nations Security Council convened on 9 July 1976, to consider a complaint from the Chairman of the Organization of African Unity charging Israel with an “act of aggression”. The Council allowed Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Chaim Herzog, and Uganda’s foreign minister, Juma Oris Abdalla, to participate without voting rights. UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim told the Security Council that the raid was “a serious violation of the sovereignty of a Member State of the United Nations” though he was “fully aware that this is not the only element involved … when the world community is now required to deal with unprecedented problems arising from international terrorism.” Abdalla, the representative of Uganda, alleged that the affair was close to a peaceful resolution when Israel intervened while Herzog, the representative of Israel, accused Uganda of direct complicity in the hijacking. The US and UK sponsored a resolution which condemned hijacking and similar acts, deplored the loss of life arising from the hijacking (without condemning either Israel or Uganda), reaffirmed the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States, and called on the international community to enhance the safety of civil aviation. However, the resolution failed to receive the required number of affirmative votes due to 2 abstentions and 7 absences. A second resolution sponsored by Benin, Libya and Tanzania, that condemned Israel, was not put to the vote.

Western nations spoke in support of the raid. West Germany called the raid “an act of self-defence”. Switzerland and France praised the operation. Representatives of the United Kingdom and United States offered significant praise, calling the Entebbe raid “an impossible operation”. Some in the United States noted that the hostages were freed on 4 July 1976, 200 years after the signing of the US declaration of independence. In private conversation with Israeli Ambassador Dinitz, Henry Kissinger sounded criticism for Israeli use of US equipment during the operation, but that criticism was not made public at the time. In mid-July 1976, the supercarrier USS Ranger and her escorts entered the Indian Ocean and operated off the Kenyan coast in response to a threat of military action by forces from Uganda.

I never did like Kissinger. But the point is, not much has changed has it? The Falestinians are terrorist, a majority of Israeli Jews believe at least half of the F.A. residents are terrorists or support terrorism a new study shows. Israeli/Jewish life appears to be cheap to the world. The world gets it’s panties in a twist when Jews defend themselves be it in Entebbe or the Temple Mount.

But while the Temple still has not been, I hope and pray Rabbi Chaim and Yitzchk Reuven are correct and there is a spiritual awakening afoot, that the Temple Mount really will stay “In our hands”.

At the start of the movie Operation Yonatan, Yoni is training “The Unit” to rescue hostages from a skyjacked plane. The movie is in Hebrew, but it has subtitles. The command to enter the plane simultaneously through multiple windows was “אש” “esh”, meaning “fire” because they were going to commence firing upon gaining entry to the plane. Those men were willing and able to put boots to windows and boldly enter and take control for the safety and very lives of those held hostage by terrorists. That I think my friends, is the attitude we should have. We should be willing to put boots to the barriers that separate us from those people, places and things held hostage by old, timid, outdated, erroneous or terrorist beliefs or threats. Not necessarily with guns and RPGs, but with courage, knowledge and conviction in our hearts and our minds.

I will leave you with this beautiful, beautiful Tisha B’Av movie made by the Temple Institute in Jerusalem. It’s only a couple minutes long.

אש

1Rather than repeating? How many times have how many people given away the Temple Mount. Perhaps it should be apply, not just read.

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The Temple Mount

In case you don’t know it, we are in “The Three Weeks”. This period started on th 17th of Tammuz, this year that would be 11 July. It is a fast day, and marks the date that the Romans breeched the walls of Jerusalem. It will conclude on the 9th of Av, 1st of August this year, the date that both of the Holy Temples were burned. The First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 423 BCE, the Second Temple by the Romans in 69 CE, but both on the 9th of Av. There are a lot of other tragedies on the 9th of Av, but for now I’m just going to stick with the three weeks, and, the Temple Mount.

The three weeks are a time of introspections, and reflection as well as mourning.

I won’t say much about recovering sovereignty of the Temple Mount only to give it away again in 1967, we all know. But I actually had someone say to me that maybe Moshe Dayan and Levi Eshkol gave control back to the Islamic Wafko Wakf? Waqf? WakaWaka? Whaqever, because if they didn’t there would be an Arab uprising. Seriously? An Arab uprising? What do you call being attacked by, oh never mind. Israel had just defeated a massive “Arab uprising” in SIX days. I kept my mouth shut and my eyes mostly in my head. But that wrong decision, in MY opinion, wrong, and has continued to haunt Israel ever since. This last week has more than proved it. The Temple mount is so holy (3rd holiest site in islam actually) that when Israel finally gained control in 67, the area was covered in weeds and almost no one ever went there. It’s only since Jews have had access that they flock there to pray. They pray with their butts toward Al-aqsa and facing Mecca. You know, the usual sign of respect by turning your butt to something. This web site has a collection of photos and a movie if you are curious what the site looked like before Israel when it was totally under Islamic control and neither Jew nor Christian could even go there.

One week ago, on Friday the 14th there was a terrorist attack on the Temple Mount. Two pieceful falestinians ran FROM the Al-aqsa mollusk and shot two DRUZE Police officers in the back, one of them a new father. An additional officer was wounded, but I think not fatally. Druze are a sect of Arabs, NOT Jews. These two are far from the only Druze killed by the falestinians. There was a Druze police officer attacked when he responded to the Har Nof massacre. But this video can explain it far better than I can as to what happened.

There were actually FOUR pieceful Falestinians involved.

So, let’s just dwell on this a moment, shall we? The killers/cowards/terrorists came from the Alka-seltzer mollusk, yes, yes, I am getting more peeved, with guns. After they killed the Druze police officers guarding the mollusk, they ran back TO the mollusk. Apparently the Jordanian Wafq either helped them, or turned a blind eye. These are the people that follow Jews and Christians who are on the Temple Mount to make absolutely sure no one says a prayer, if someone sneezes don’t even say “bless you”. I understand 58 members of the Wakf were brought in for questioning by the Police on suspicion of having supplied the weapons or help hide them. And, we know from the past that they absolutely store weapons and rocks for throwing in the Alka-seltzer mollusk. That way they are handy to throw at non-muslims and the police should the occasion arise.

The Temple mount was closed, briefly and then of course the outpouring of world condemnation, and then it was re-opened. But it was re-opened with a new improved feature. They added magnetometers, metal detectors. For muslims. You see EVERYONE else has had to go through a metal detector since I don’t know when. I had to go through them when I went to the Kotel. Jews, Christians, tourists have always had to go through them. I had to go through them to get onto the campus at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, you have to go through them to get to shopping malls, to ride the bus and your purse may be searched. This is a part of everyday life.

But then an amazing thing happened. After the metal detectors were installed, the Wakf boycotted them. They refused to go through them. Inquiring minds would like to know why? Then they urged other muslims not to go through them to go pray at Alka-seltzer. Now SOME Muslims have gone ahead and gone through them and continued to pray. But the truly wonderful thing is Jews are able to go to the Temple Mount without the Waqf.  If you prefer a slightly humorous take on it, I’d read this. Humorous yes, but still plenty of truth in it. But an outrage, and absolute outrage, muslims having to go through a metal detector? UN-heard of. Except, well, like maybe Mecca, and a couple other places, in muslim countries.

Metal Detectors! Outrage!

So, now, finally after all these thousands of years can Jews, Christians, tourists, anything other than muslim pray on the Temple Mount that is in Israel’s hands? OF COURSE not!

I listened to one of my favorite radio shows today, and they were talking about Avi Dichter, Knesset member and formerly head of general security who said that Israel is sovereign and the era of the Waqf calling the shots is over. And this security expert did not seem to think that allowing Jews to pray would create a security risk.

Israel’s peace partner on the other hand, Abu Mazen of the Falestinian Authority has called for (another) day of rage. This is made even more amusing because Hamass admits Israel gives full religious freedom to Muslims . Unlike muslims who won’t allow anyone else to pray. And there certainly have been clashes with people injured.   And there have been riots in East Jerusalem.

And so the IDF puts 5 battalions on alert, cancels all weekend leave to deal with unrest. Because Friday is a day of prayer and rioting. You know, like most of the world’s other religions, prayer and rioting, peanut butter and jelly, hummus and pita.

So, it will have been one week ago today that the attacks occurred, and I have some thoughts. It was a blessing it happened on a Friday. ONLY muslims are allowed on the Temple Mount, holiest site in Judaism on Friday. Had there been Jews, or anyone else up there I can only imagine the carnage. Once again, it has been shown, someone determined to get a gun to harm others will do so, and as the saying goes, the only thing to stop a bad man with a gun, is a good man with a gun. The police did, but sadly have lost two fine men. Side note, have any of the arab leaders expressed sympathy to the families of the Druze police officers? No. I would urge Israel not to give in to the threats. It’s like the kid pitching a hissy in Walmart, you give in and it will get worse each time because they’ve learned it will work. And, personally, I think that’s why it is so bad now. The Temple Mount can not, just can not become part of another “land for peace” deal. In my life I’ve had all kinds of people give me advice about all kinds of things. Some of it I felt was not right. Not right for the time, or not the right direction. They got miffed about it. But here’s the thing, if I was right and went ahead and did it anyway, who will pay the price? Me. It costs them nothing to give the advice, only their time, and I’m grateful I have people that wish to do so, but if I do it feeling it’s wrong, they pay no price, I do. Israel may have a lot of people tell her to get rid of the metal detectors, but they will not pay the price. Israelis will. We have people tell us we don’t need to carry everywhere we go, we are paranoid. But who pays the price? We do, or our family.

But for now, I will leave you with this, this miraculous video. I got if from Aryeh of the Israeli political party Zehut, which means “Identity”.

This man is openly crying on the Temple Mount over the destruction of the two Temples. And he is NOT thrown off the Temple Mount because the Waqf are busy pitching a hissy that they can’t help more people smuggle in guns.

And this beautiful picture, no Waqf present to harass people. G-d bless Aryeh for sharing these. If prayer could be open, everyday with no worry or fear? Personally, I believe when that day comes? MANY things will begin to come right. I don’t believe G-d was pleased when Esav traded his birthright for a bowl of soup, I don’t believe he was pleased when the spies came back and gave a false bad report about the land G-d had given his children, and I don’t think he’s any happier about his children not being allowed to come and talk to him in the place that he chose. Embrace it, embrace the gift, in this three weeks of mourning, there is this tiny window of good. May it fly open and all good rush in.

Shabbat Shalom
שבת שלום
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Over The Top

Let me just start out by saying this column is not so much about defending President Trump as it is about venting. Venting that the left has now decided to step up the deceive and control game, and now “regular” people are doing their bit.

Second Amendment supporters have know for ages that cnn (#FakeNews) has been deceptive in their reporting. Americans that are unfamiliar with firearms and the shooting sports are easily deceived apparently by the cnn news readers. What’s not to believe? Nice clothes, nice hair (except Rachel Madow on msnbc, who makes me think of Kramer on Seinfeld) well modulated voices, how could they not be trustworthy?

A police officer named Leroy Pyle did an excellent video years ago explaining the “assault” rifle scam.

But G-d bless and protect James O’Keefe of Project Veritas. He has been dumping fantastic amounts of tape on cnn (#FakeNews) and their producer really does think American voters are stupid as sh#t. Shades of Jonathan Gruber, eh? Holy wikileaks Batman, O’Keefe is a one man truth squad.

So after all the false stories cnn has spread, been forced to retract because they weren’t true, had producers resign over stories they ran that they were caught out on, they are seeing ramifications. CNN’s Anonymous Source Proven Wrong About Trump It seems our social media savvy President got hold of a little gif from a old wrestlemania clip. Someone had doctored the clip and put the cnn (#FakeNews) logo over the other persons face so President Trump appeared to be attacking cnn (#FakeNews).

Predictably the media had kittens. The president was encouraging violence against reporters! How many reporters have been attacked by conservatives? None that I know of. Some have been attacked at “peaceful protests” by antifa and blm. Hey cnn (#FakeNews) how about telling the truth about some of those “peaceful protests”, how about doing some investigative journalism and finding out who’s behind them? Oops, guess that doesn’t fit their narrative.

CNN (#FakeNews) instead sent their ace investigative reporter Andrew Kaczynski to find out WHO did the offending gif. I kid you not. I would really urge you to read the link about Kaczynski, he’s a real piece of shi work. So old Andy tracked down the Reddit users who made the gif. And threatened to Dox him, unless he apologized profusely and promised never to do ANYTHING EVER again to annoy cnn (#FakeNews), whatever it might be, they didn’t specify. The gif was removed from the Reddit users account, he apologized profusely, begged forgiveness. And cnn (#FakeNews) crowed about their journalistic achievement of threatening a private citizen into submission. Such hatred and bile are usually reserved for conservative women, like Sarah Palin or Ann Coulter.

Legality schmegality. Probably within a day Sen. Ted Cruz informed them they may well have committed an illegal act. Ted Cruz says CNN might have committed a crime when they did this. Oopsie.

But it gets even better. Cnn (#FakeNews) and crack reporter (Buzzfeed reject) Kaczynski may well have identified and threatened the wrong person. Yep, they out-faked themselves. They blackmailed the wrong dude. High journalistic standards indeed. Did CNN Identify The Wrong Person?

I’m sure CNN is still trying to understand what went wrong. They were so sure the gullible people were fooled. But, last I’ve heard, they aren’t making any efforts to correct the problems, because hey, ideology and delegitimizing the lawfully elected President is more important than you know, mundane “news”.

But, I suppose Home Depot, Lowe’s and other stations are incredibly grateful to cnn (#FakeNews) for continuing on with their ideological suicide. Now Nick-at-Night, Home & Garden TV, Investigation Discovery, ESPN, Discovery channel and others are beating cnn (#FakeNews) in the ratings. One of the others beating them is MSLSD NBC. I wonder how many heard about the Freudian slip of Mika Brzezinski? She was complaining about President Trump, and let slip it is THEIR job to tell people what to think. Yeah, boy howdy.

But it’s not just the #MSM and #MediaBias that can’t stand that someone thinks something other than what they think people should. I got a email from a friend around the Independence Day. It wasn’t one of the fake ones, it was real.

Relax, Trump is stone cold sane By Dr. Keith Ablow

Well, apparently one of the people he sent it to was a liberal. I first noticed this phenomena when George W Bush was in office. If you sent a email a liberal didn’t like they hit “reply all” and told all your family and friends how stupid it was. A cousin of mine sent out a email and someone replied to all. I’ve had people forward emails I sent them. The liberal hit reply all and DEMANDED an apology from me. I sent him a link, and said “NUTS”.

This time a liberal, or just very rude person didn’t like the email my friend sent, so he hit reply all.

Happy 4th of July.

The issue of Trump’s actions or his sanity or his temperament is most likely A-OK for those who voted for and support Trump.

What you failed to mention is the ongoing investigations of Trump and his associates regarding Russia and Traitor like actions and Traitor like appearances.

Simple question on this 4th of July celebrating American Independence and our American Way of Life …. Do you support traitors?

I’d had enough. My happy little holiday was interrupted by this baloney. So I thought I’d help out the poor soul who is obviously illiterate in computer etiquette.

If you look carefully at the top of your email program you will see a”Reply” AND a “Reply all” button choice. Ooops, Apparently you inadvertently hit the reply ALL choice. Thus you subjected me and everyone else Dave sent this email to hearing your response. Speaking for myself, I could care less what you think. I do care what Dave chooses to forward and read it with interest.

In the future please, pay attention to “Reply” and “Reply ALL”.

Attention to detail matters.

Son of a gun, my helpful efforts were unappreciated.

On the 4th of July … his rant on Trump was over the top and I care less what you feel about that. Let’s watch what the investigations turn up on Trump.

SERIOUSLY? You impose your unwanted presence into my happy little email home, during a dinner party and essentially pass gas, and then attempt to tell my what my friend sent is “over the top”?? You sanctimonious jerk.

I’m sure you are embarrassed at not having paid enough attention to detail when you chose to reply. You replied to EVERYONE that Dave sent the email to. I don’t know you, I’m sure some of the them don’t know you, you are behaving as the equivalent of a boorish party crasher.

Whatever Dave or anyone choose to send, it is NOT yours to determine if it is “over the top” or not, you see, that’s where individual freedom comes in. WE all get to decide for OURSELVES if it is over the top or not. YOU are not in charge of U.S. and YOU don’t get to tell us if it is or not.

I’m VERY tired of getting emails from people I don’t know that have taken exception to something one of their friends, family, acquaintances or their insurance agent has sent and to express their childish displeasure decides to “shame” the sender, or pitch their email hissy fit and hit “reply all”. You have now stamped your feet and attempted to behave as a petty tyrant by telling a whole group of people what will be acceptable and unacceptable to them, because it is unacceptable to you.

Since you apparently do not know this, the mature, adult thing to do when confronted by an email you do not agree with is to merely hit the delete button, NOT the reply all.

You may go seek your safe space now, I’m sure it’s been a very trying day for you, getting such an upsetting email from Dave, and then two from me.

Stay out of homes where you aren’t invited, don’t hit reply all. It will be ok.

I think, just me here, that for too long we’ve been polite when attempts were made to vilify conservative points of view. People were rude, hateful and we “took the high road”. Perhaps the time has come to cease. Perhaps the time has come to say “NUTS”. I’m tired of getting offended email from snowflakes that I don’t know, I didn’t send them email, I don’t want their email. Personally I’ve learned not to send email to someone who won’t appreciate it. If I do, on rare occasion, it’s a link to a story usually and I don’t send it to more than the person I’m communicating with. So when I get stuff like this back? I’m just done. If these people can’t learn to use either the “delete” key or the “reply” key as opposed to the “reply all”, they might not ought to be using a computer. But, then, I could just be cranky about it. Bet a quarter the person gets his news from cnn (#FakeNews).

So let’s see how I do with a little “CNN (#FakeNews) still reporting, shall we?

Evidence of Collusion with Russians FOUND!!

I first check CNN to see if they had picked up the story yet and run with it. So my cnn (#Fake News) search for the topic yielded two results. One about Newt Gingrich and empty symbols and one about former PM David Cameron of Englandistan. I was discouraged by this but not dissuaded in my quest for truth, justice and the American way of life, and some good coffee.

So I persevered and checked to see if just maybe by some slight chance someone else had picked up on the story. Was I ever in luck!

(CNN #FakeNews) – America. This just in! Evidence has been found of a shocking collusion between the United States President and Russia! There is no word yet if this evidence is going to lead to the proof that the Russians hacked the US elections, but we are sure it will. If not, we’ll make it up as we go. A daring CNN reporter was able to secretly tape the US President as he spoke to Russia President, our camera man hid behind the potted plant to obtain the video. The proves the collusion we’ve been droning on about. We at CNN are very daring and edgy.

So whaddya think? Do I have a bright future with CNN (#FakeNews) or not?

If you want to watch the video CNN supplies with the title of “CNN: President Obama caught on open mic” here ya go, as you can see, they are not exactly identical.

CNN- tagline all the news that’s fit to fake, lie about, or obfuscate.

CNN anti Israel bias

CNN anti gun bias

CNN controversies

I can only hope that the backlash of it being made so clear that the #MSM has been deceptive in their news coverage about topics like this, that people will begin to question their reporting on those “evil black rifles”, and guns in general.

The genesis of the problem with CNN
The mask comes off
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Support Your Local Sheriff, Maybe

One of my friends favorite movies is “Support Your Local Sheriff” with James Garner. I loved it too, he has such great delivery with his lines. Sometimes when we’re on the phone we might jokingly toss one of them into the conversation. I know it’s not a great copy of the movie, but you’ll get the point from the clips I put together, yeah, I love ya’ll that much!

But when the chips, or bullets, as the case maybe were down, it was Jake (Jack Elam) who came to the rescue wasn’t it? We’re still seeing incidents of law enforcement officers killed, sometimes while sitting in their cars. Despite the fact some of these officers were black, I’ve yet to hear of Black Labs Matter saying much of anything. These were people who wanted to make a difference in the world by helping people, seems like they could spare a second. Their lives matter too, didn’t they? I guess those officers didn’t have a “Jake” handy to watch their backs.

So I got to wondering about armed citizens involving themselves in active shooting situations.

Of course they do, there is a short list of them in this WaPo article by Eugene Volokh from 2015

There was a study done by the FBI in 2014, and it has what I think are some interesting bits in it.

In addition, though officers responded quickly (i.e., median time 3 minutes), shooters inflicted devastating damage beforehand. This adds to the growing evidence that citizens must have insight on how to respond. The FBI’s support for strong citizen awareness, detailed in the “Run, Hide, Fight” protocol, is endorsed by all other federal agencies. The data establish that when prepared, the potential victims themselves can stop the shooter.

Give a whole new meaning to “wait a minute” doesn’t it?

There was 110 Active Shooting incidents that met the criteria for the study occurring from 2000-2012.

Events by Year
The Number of People Shot and Killed

 

The primary location of ASEs. Business locales (e.g., retail stores, office buildings, and factories/warehouses) were the most frequently attacked locations. Schools, both K-12 and institutions of higher education, were the second-most attacked locations at 29 percent. Approximately 1 out of 5 ASEs occurred in outdoor environments. The other category includes places, like military bases and churches, that did not fit into one of the other categories. It also is worthwhile to note that 18 percent of the attackers went mobile during their attacks; that is, the perpetrator started at one location and then moved to another while still actively attacking. Most frequently, attackers simply walked to another nearby location, but in some cases they used an automobile to move between more distant attack sites.

Hmm, interesting. From looking at the list, it seems to me, the majority are “Gun Free Zones”. Business can choose I think if they want to be “Gun Free, except for the bad guy” of course. But I’m betting if you are in one of those big malls, the majority of them are posted, and probably the same terms apply for the businesses renting space there. Schools and colleges are of course no carry zones, and churches are often no carry and military bases have been since Bill Clinton.

So what did they use? I bet like millions of those evil, black rifles, right? Um, not so much.

In about 60 percent of the attacks the most powerful weapon used was a pistol. In 8 percent it was a shotgun, and the most powerful weapon used was a rifle in about 25 percent of the cases. Shooters brought multiple weapons in about one-third of the attacks. Perpetrators brought improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to the attack site in 3 percent of the cases and wore body armor in 5 percent.

Well that tears it! I’m going to start calling for IED control! Nobody needs and IED! Mind you, I expect it to be every bit as effective against criminals as their beloved “Gun Free except the criminal’s Zones”

Of the cases studied only 51% were still going on by the time Law Enforcement arrived, and remember, their median response time was 3 minutes.

Of the cases that ended before the police arrived, 67 percent (34) ended with attackers stopping themselves via suicide (29 cases) or by leaving the scene (5 cases). In the other 33 percent (17) of the cases that ended before the police arrived, the potential victims at the scene stopped the shooter themselves. Most commonly they physically subdued the attacker (14 cases), but 3 cases involved people at the scene shooting the perpetrator to end the attack.

And it appeared to me the majority of the cases occurred in GFZs, which could account for only 3 of the incidents being stopped by an armed citizen.

And this study didn’t include any of the terrorist attacks that have happened recently. Well, considering the Ft. Hood shooting was classified as “workplace violence”.

Since we’re seeing an increase in the attacks on both citizens and law enforcement it would seem to me like the two would be well served by having an large amount of civilians trained and carrying to save innocent lives, of both the law enforcement and civilians. But that depends on who you have elected to the office. So let’s look at a couple of different examples, shall we?

First up, we have Sheriff Wayne Ivey the Brevard County Sheriff in Florida. I admit it, I think this guy is awesome. He is calling for citizens to be armed, trained and tells of the training the Sheriff’s Office offers. How cool is he?

Then we have Austin Tx police chief Art Acevedo who takes a slightly different approach. He calls for neighbors to turn each other in if they are “gun enthusiasts” and are “full of hate” so the police can “vet” them. SCUSE ME??

But then I saw another video in the sidebar about the Austin Police Department. WOW. Apparently they have like literally NO crime in Austin. The police arrested a jogger, for jaywalking. And worse than jaywalking? She didn’t have her driver’s license on her, because she wasn’t driving, she was jogging. Papers please. They handcuffed her and threw her in the back of a squad car. Old Ace came out and defended it and said she was lucky worse didn’t happen to her. This is what Austin TEXAS elected?

Citizens, it does matter who you vote for, especially in local elections.

Law enforcement, do you really want to be this guy? There were at least some citizens that tried to help, but if the men attacking him had gotten his weapon away? What stops a bad guy with a gun when the only gun came from the only police present?

http://www.foxla.com/news/local-news/265963325-story

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Mom, Dad and Big Brother

Bear and I actually did NOT coordinate our columns!

Sometimes, I see a lot of different news stories that, at least in my mind, seem related. Listening to talk radio today as I was out driving to various and sundry places I had plenty of opportunity. One show I was listening to was hosted by Phil Valentine. Part of the hot topic was repeal and replace the disaster known as obamacare. I’ve seen up close and personal the effects of obamacare on some people.

Left-wing loon Bernie Sanders, who has very violent supporters that he encourages, has been yammering on about “People who can’t afford health care don’t deserve to die”. No kidding, but it’s a very disingenuous statement.

And then there’s the equally foolish statement that to ditch obamacare will leave 22 million uninsured. People listen to the Congressional Budget Office after the predictions on obamacare? Astonishing! As much as finding out anyone still watches CNN.

CNN has standards? Who knew!

After I finally got home and got on email I started seeing things that to me, are tied in, as in a big government taking control of things that they should never have been in, with no repercussions or consequences.

Most traditional families, have Mom, Dad and maybe a sibling or so, even if the sibling is covered in fur. I can still remember for the first few years of my life my sibling was a dachshund. I keep pushing for another sibling. Sadly apparently I was unable to make myself clearly understood. I told them quite clearly from the time I was two, maybe less, I wanted a pony. PONY, P-O-N-Y, pony, or horse. Yes, I knew at two. At the age of three, I got a sister. S-I-S-T-E-R, sister. As you can see the two do not even sound the same. Two years later, they repeated, I got a SISTER. Sigh, they are good sisters, loved them dearly. Still love them dearly, still, I really was hoping for a horse. Families are important, they can be your support system when the world is trying to chew you like a chew toy. It doesn’t always turn out that way, and it may not be that way all the time. I think by and large, families are sort of a cohesive unit. I might pick on my sisters, as of course, I should, I’m the oldest. But you let ANYONE,  A-N-Y-O-N-E, mess with one of them? I can go from 0-Bitch is 3 seconds flat, always was that way. It’s in the job description, I read it in the “Big Sister’s Manual and handbook for SOP”.

So, our first story is about Justina Pelletier, if the name sounds familiar, there is probably a reason. This was a very high profile case. From Michelle Malkin, who was on Phil’s show today talking about an unrelated issue:

Justina’s plight had become international news in Marty’s backyard. One fateful winter day in February 2013, Justina traveled with her mom to BCH from her West Hartford, Connecticut, home, seeking relief from a severe case of the flu. Ordinary sickness compounded Justina’s rare medical conditions, including mitochondrial disease and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. But those illnesses hadn’t stopped her from participating in school, competitive ice skating and an active family life.

Instead of receiving top-notch care and attention at BCH, however, Justina was snatched from her parents and recklessly re-diagnosed with a psychological condition, “somatoform disorder.” She was dragged from BCH’s neurology department to its infamous psych ward, where she was reprimanded for being unable to move her bowels or walk unassisted in her weakened state. At Wayside, she was harassed by a staffer while taking a shower. The physical and mental torture lasted 16 months. <Emphasis mine>

Justina’s parents were under a gag order and only allowed supervised visits by the kidnappers, Boston Children’s Hospital. Or, as Boston Children’s Hospital calls it, a ‘parentectomy,’.

“They tried to break us all,” Justina’s dad, Lou, told me at his West Hartford home, where Justina fights to recover from post-traumatic stress and physical deterioration suffered while she was held hostage.

But the arrogant, tunnel-visioned torturers failed. Thanks to an aggressive awareness-raising campaign by an eclectic coalition including Justina’s family, the Christian Defense Coalition’s Rev. Pat Mahoney, conservative media personalities and left-leaning critics of the Massachusetts child welfare bureaucracy, Justina was eventually freed and reunited with her parents.

So who else was involved in this eclectic consortium? A young man named Martin “Marty” Gottesfeld. What did Marty do? Well, he realized the publicity campaign to free Justina wasn’t working. So he with other hackers, and possibly the group Anonymous shut down the hospitals web site. Marty explained:

I knew that BCH’s big donation day was coming up, and that most donors give online. I felt that to have sufficient influence to save Justina from grievous bodily harm and possible death, as well as dissuade BCH from continuing its well established pattern of such harmful ‘parentectomies,’ I’d have to hit BCH where they appear to care the most, the pocket book and reputation.”

Marty’s been involved in a couple of other cases where he felt patients were being maltreated. No, he had never met the Pelletiers.

The next sad case is that of a 10 month old baby in that social utopia known as Englandistan. Little Charlie Gard was born with a rare genetic condition and brain damage. Unable to treat him in that socialized medicine paradise, his young parents raised the staggering sum of £1.4 million to be able to bring Charlie to non-mostly-socialized medicine America for an experimental treatment that might help the baby. Hang on to the horn folks, this isn’t going where you think, I can almost guarantee it. They are not going to be allowed to do this. Why?

Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, where Charlie is being cared for, said they wanted him to be able to ‘die with dignity’.

The British courts ruled against the parents. The desperate parents took the case to Franceistan, to plead to be allowed to take their child to America for treatment.

But on Tuesday afternoon, the ECHR rejected a last-ditch plea and their ‘final’ decision means the baby’s life support machine will be switched off.

The ECHR announced the application to the court by the parents was ‘inadmissible’ and added that their decision was ‘final’.

How the heck does this kind of situation even arise? Well, you allow the government to control your health care and who gets it. I’ve heard plenty of how socialized medicine works in Israel. Yep, they do fabulous research, but… I would say from Justina’s case, our government is already way to big for it’s britches. Yes, the hospital kidnapped her, they’ve too much power, but they were backed by a Judge.

Continuing the “We know what’s best” even if the government don’t decide your child’s life and/or death, they most certainly have more control than I think they should. Moving back to that social paradise known as Englandistan, let’s take a look at a school.

UK threatens to close Jewish school for not teaching LGBT agenda

Seriously? I mean most teenagers have probably heard a bit, they need to teach this? Oh, wait! Sorry my bad. These students are girls, 3-8 years old. It’s a private haredi school in Londonistan which has received kudos for the excellent education that it provides.

The school has been visited three times since February 2016, and told each of those times that it must incorporate the LGBT agenda into the 3- to 8-year-olds’ curriculum.

After the third time that the school refused to cooperate, the government decided to close it down. This, despite the fact that the school was praised elsewhere in the report, especially for the teachers’ “good subject knowledge and high-quality classroom resources that inspire pupils with enthusiasm for learning and to achieve well.”

Can we not just teach the 3-8 year olds how to jump rope and play dodge ball? Oh, sorry, too aggressive?

This doesn’t even begin to look at how home schooling parents have been harassed and threatened.

Children ARE the future of a country, how they are shaped will shape the country. That’s one of the reasons terrorists like to attack schools and buses, think of Beslan and Israel. If you can destroy a future generation?

You know, parents have a role to play in their children’s lives. They have unique and special gifts only they can give. It’s very difficult when the child is being raised not by it’s parents, with it’s siblings, but by “Big Brother”. They have enough trauma in life to overcome, you know, pony or horse neither one sound like “sister or brother”.

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Izzy and Friends

Yes, this is going to be another “Dang Sheila gets to meet cool people and hear interesting speakers!” kind of column. Because I do.

I recently attended a Friends of the IDF event, with the IDF being Israeli Defense Forces if you hadn’t guessed that.

The evening started out with a lovely welcome from the organizer and the master of ceremonies. I believe I heard this was the first event like this that the organizer had set up, and she did an amazing job, so I’m hoping it won’t be the last. We then sang The Star Spangled Banner and HaTikvah, the national anthems for both America and Israel, of course!

Then it was movie time. As we just commemorated the 50 years of the reunification of Jerusalem they had a wonderful video to show us, and the three soldiers in the iconic photo have been touring the U.S. and talking to audiences.

The Kotel, Jerusalem 1967

Sadly, we did not get to hear their talk, but we did get to hear two other real life heroes that night.

We next saw a video on Friends of the IDF and it talked about all the different programs they offer. They are certainly a lot more involved than I would have realized. The little movie did a segment on each program. Wikipedia has info on the programs as well as the FIDF website. I admit to only knowing about a couple of the programs, the Lone Soldier of course, and the wounded veterans. They do a lot more than that, and impact lives of the soldiers and their families in a multitude of ways. For each segment they showed there would be an IDF soldier to tell how that program had affected their life. It certainly did a good job of putting a face and a human to the programs.

We then heard our first hero of the night, First Sergeant Keren Shlomi. Keren said she did not have a typical childhood, and I would imagine she’s right. She was born in Israel as I recall, but her family fractured and she ended up living in Canada with her her Mom. She said that she missed Israel, and felt like there was a hole in her heart. She got to go back to Israel on a trip and then she knew what was making the hole in her heart and what would fill it. Keren went back as often as she could, and when she was of age she decided to move back and serve in the IDF. Up on the projection screen flashed a picture of Keren wearing sunglasses and holding an Israeli flag. Her smile said it all, in Hebrew and in English, she was home and whole. She served in the first co-ed combat unit which was on the Egyptian -Israeli border at the time. She became a sharpshooter and eventually moved into Intelligence. Over time she became completely disconnected from her family, but she says she never felt alone. She had her IDF family, and the Friends of the IDF also were supportive. After her army career she worked three jobs, baby sitter, and courthouse security were among them. To be honest, if it were me? I could actually only do one of those, and it wouldn’t be babysitting. I’ve done it, I know. Keren wanted to go to college, she had a dream and if she had to work three jobs, she was willing to do it. She figured within a few years she’d have saved up enough money to go to college. But then someone told her about the FIDF impact scholarship and she applied. She won one of the scholarships. She gives 130 hours of community service during every year of schooling so not only does the scholarship impact her life, she impacts the lives of others, 130 hours a year worth! It seems like a great program and Keren certainly is a good ambassador for it.

Our next speaker was First Sergeant Izzy Ezagui, and his dog. Nope, not kidding. Though Izzy did all the talking. Why you ask did First Sergeant Izzy need a dog on the platform with him? Well, I’m so glad you asked, let me tell you!

American born Izzy began his talk in moderately thickly accented English. As I sat there listening I kind of marveled to myself that I had never noticed how much an Israeli accent sounds like a French accent, and how had I never noticed it before when I talked to people? Sorry Izzy. After a few lines he asked us how he did with his fake Israeli accent, that he had practiced it for a long time for us. He got applause for that. Then he told us about his friend on the stage with him, his service dog. He says people ask him why he has a service dog. He says he tells them that women are heavy, the dog helps him pick them up. I can believe it, the dog was adorable, and better behaved than many children. So why does First Sergeant Izzy need a service dog?

First Sergeant Izzy Ezagui

Izzy said he had originally planned to make Aliyah to Israel as a Lone Soldier, but his family messed that up for him by making Aliyah as well. So once in Israel, his family lived in Jerusalem and Izzy began his IDF service.

One Shabbat Izzy’s Orthodox Commander called, so Izzy knew it wasn’t going to be good. They were being called up, and Operation Cast Lead began in response to about 80 rockets a day being fired into cities in Israel, with kindergartens and civilian areas being targeted. This time as far south as Beer Sheva, this was before the Iron Dome was in place. As far as I’m concerned, that could have prompted a massive bomb in the middle of Gaza, but then I adore Beer Sheva, and do not claim to be impartial. In two weeks Hamass had fired 500 rockets into Israel. Just part of our tax dollars at work. So the IDF ground forces entered Gaza during stage II of the operation. During that excursion a Captain in his brigade was killed. He had sustained a neck wound, but held it shut and continued to give orders to his men in an effort to save their lives, and he succeed in that, losing is own life in the process. Izzy’s company was going to be sent in to retrieve the Captain’s body. Izzy said he now face one of the most terrifying times to date of his IDF service. He didn’t know what to do. It seems Izzy had told his Mother that he was being sent to the Lebanon border (which was quiet at the time). When he talked to her he told her they had him in the kitchen doing dishes since they were rookies. So, now does he tell her where he really is before they go in? What if something happens and she had no warning? Should he tell her? Should he not? As he was sitting there pondering his dilemma, a mortar shell landed and ripped his arm off. The medics responded quickly and gave him some morphine for his pain. Then they loaded him up in the ambulance. The ambulance crew looked down sympathetically and asked if he had been given morphine for his pain. He earnestly replied no, he hadn’t. They have him some. They took him to the helicopter that was going to fly him to Saroka in Beer Sheva. He was loaded up into the helicopter for his flight to Beer Sheva, the air ambulance crew being a sympathetic lot gently inquired if he’d been given any morphine. No, no he hadn’t. They gave him some. He said he landed in Beer Sheva half loopy. Honestly, I’m surprised he even had a fourth to loop. But he had enough presence of mind to realize he stood a very real chance of dying. Because when they landed he realized there was a news crew there. A news crew with a camera, and his mother thought he was on the Lebanon border doing the dishes. A slow painful death awaited him, no doubt. Izzy then did what any combat wise veteran of the IDF would do who hoped to survive. Despite having massive quantities of morphine in his system, he more or less thought on his feet and threw a blanket over his head so when they took him into Saroka it would buy him enough time to talk to his mom before she saw him being wheeled into a hospital in Beer Sheva, no where near Lebanon.

Izzy says recovery was slow, and not at all simple. Recovery involved learning to ties shoes and open bottles, and dealing with phantom pain.

But as Comrade X commented on another column I did recently, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog. Izzy is a Tibetan Mastiff.

Tibetan Mastiff

Izzy was determined to remain in the IDF. So his recovery also involved learning to jump 7 foot walls, load an unjam a rifle, all with one arm, Izzy remains a sharpshooter still. His last training exercise involved hiking from one live fire exercise to the next. For 30 hours. The training is a week and a half long. One year when they trained on Hanukkah, on the fourth night Izzy borrowed rifles. He removed their slings and stuck them in the ground, upright. He then placed a candle in the barrel and lit them creating a makeshift Hanukkah menorah. Then he had a friend take his picture with it,which went viral. He said he couldn’t really lie his way out of it, there aren’t any other one armed soldiers in the IDF. He said the higher ups were not happy, not happy at all, but he was not worried about being arrested. He said in fact, he doesn’t ever worry about being arrested. Because it’s impossible for anyone to handcuff him, so he is pretty much golden.

Izzy’s Hanukkiyah

His final assignment was leading a squad of 13 men. Amazing, just amazing. It’s like Comrade X says, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight…

Izzy is now a motivational speaker and has a book coming out next March. If he is as riveting to read as he is to listen to, this is going to be a wonderful book!

We all face battles in our lives, some health related, some personal, some financial, some spiritual, but face them we will. It’s harder when we face more than one kind at once, but perhaps when you think about people like Gal Hirsch and Izzy you can look and up ask for what you need be it courage, strength, stamina, or whatever, and with G-d’s help, continue to fight another day.

I’m sure this is what Izzy would tell us, Live Like A Warrior

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We Really Really Need a Better Plan

We’ve been told now for eons, that fewer guns will make us safer. We need to limit guns to be safe, to keep them out of the hands of “bad people”. England has done this. They did it a long time ago, then they installed spy cameras everywhere. Those are to keep you safer because no one can commit a crime without being seen. Yep. They still commit the crime, and who knows, perhaps the security camera provides great evidence. But for sure what it does provide, is a total lack of dang near anyplace without “Big Brother”. As most of us know, if something bad happens, the police will do their best to show up and protect you, to save a life. If that doesn’t pan out, they’ll do a dandy chalk outline and do their best to find out who did something bad to you, before you were a corpse, or maybe even after.

June 3rd there was another terrorist attack in London. A white van went crazy and began to mow people down reminiscent of the, but not to be confused with the terrorist attack on London Bridge of 22 March, 2017. What is it with those crazy vehicles in London? Driving on the wrong side of the road drove them mad? Oh! You mean there was a person involved? Laugh if you want, cnn (fake news) didn’t realize this. You probably won’t confuse it with the Manchester bombing attack on the 22nd of May, 2017. That was at an Ariana Grand concert. To be honest, I don’t care if I spell her name correctly or not. I wished she’d have stayed in Manchester, or better yet, goes to Syria or Gaza to serenade the poor people. Either way, after the attack she came out with the “don’t let hate win” blah blah blah blah blah”.

We will never be able to understand why events like this take place because it is not in our nature, which is why we shouldn’t recoil.

We will not quit or operate in fear.

We won’t let this divide us.

We won’t let hate win.

Ok, now you just sound stupid, because we do know.

The ever delightful Milo reminds us of Muslim Mayor of London’s comments after President Trump was elected.

“Donald Trump’s ignorant view of Islam could make both of our countries less safe,” he stated according to The Telegraph. “It risks alienating mainstream Muslims around the world and plays into the hands of extremists.”

“Donald Trump and those around him think that Western liberal values are incompatible with mainstream Islam – London has proved him wrong.”

And I suppose I’ll be a witch and remind everyone that Mayor is an elected position. The Daily Mail did raise questions about his suitability for the job of Mayor, what with his close ties to ISIS and all. Well, and he was a lawyer for a 9/11 terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui. And yet, he was elected. It doesn’t seem to be working out well.

So here’s how it does work out, in the real world of London. Not the world of daisy stew and freely frolicking unicorns. But the world of London.

Mayor Sadiq’s comments include “Terrorism is just part and parcel of living in a big city”. So, ok, it’s no big deal to Mayor Sadiq. How about it was printed in the ISIS newspaper there was going to be an attack? Wonder what they give for clip out coupons? But yes they have one, and what this means is Mayor Sadiq was warned. He knew there was going to be another attack. And he bravely, immediately did….nothing. UK Counter-Terrorism taped a call, and they did…nothing.

And so the religion of pieces attacked Londoners again.

Anti-self-defense Piers Morgan had moved back to the safety of the gun-free U.K. and he interviewed Mayor Sadiq. The whole video. Yeah, I’d been real curious about that myself.

Piers Morgan: “Where are the 400 jihadis still in London?… You’re the mayor! WHERE ARE THEY?”

Mayor Sadiq Khan: I can’t cover 400 people…

So, political correctness doesn’t seem to be doing well does it.

How about the wonderful gun-free zones? GFZs?

Dave Kopel tweeted that the un-armed police were running away from the attackers.

Witnesses said they saw two men stabbing people outside the well-known Roast restaurant in Borough market. A chef from the nearby Fish restaurant said: “I saw two guys with big knives downstairs outside Roast. They were stabbing people. The police were running away, they were community police. They were normal officers, they were running away.

There are also quotes by Todd Starnes. It seems that the defenseless citizens were hurling chairs and beer bottles at the attackers. And so how did that work out?

These three guys ran up and started stabbing this one girl. I was defenseless mate, I couldn’t do nothing.

And what was the reaction of the muslim community in London? Some of them?

Breitbart Jerusalem alleges to have obtained specific messages posted by ISIS following yesterday’s attack.

The outlet quotes ISIS member Abi Abdullah Alamasri as saying, “thanks to Allah, thank you, thanks to Allah, Allah is great, thanks to Allah from faith that he will make his promise reality and give victory (the the faithful).”

“Allah will bless the lions,” his message reportedly continues, mimicking language used by ISIS at the start of Ramadan calling for “lions” to attack innocents in celebration of the holy month.

“Allah will reward you as long as you run over and stab these infidels in the depths of their countries,” Almasri’s message reportedly continues.

“Put fear into their eyes, increase your hits, increase your attacks, don’t let them feel secure in their countries.”

You realize we’re in Ramadan, right?

So the GFZ thing not working so good, the political correctness? Towards the end of this video, shot in a pub where police are telling the patrons to cower on the floor you can hear a man say some pretty outspoken things about muslims. He is chastised by another patron for saying them telling him he’s an idiot, it’s not muslims as they are hiding on the floor from muslim terrorists. IF you can’t make out the sentences, on Milo’s web site they have subtitles, and it’s easy to hear.

How, oh how have they gotten so stupid?

Well, their Mayor tells them crap, and then there’s cnn (fake news) that got caught faking the news, again. It seems cnn staged Anti-ISIS Muslim Protesters. I don’t know if they’ve found out if the people were paid or not yet.

I guess the three muslim girls that attacked at stabbed a nursery school worker didn’t get the memo.

Katie, the victim of the brutal attack, was heading to work walking down a street in northeast London when she was approached by people brandishing a knife. They attacked her from behind, stabbed her in the arm and chanted “Allah”, but the police are not calling this a terrorist incident.

Ahh, I see

The cost of not knowing who is coming in and why is becoming very expensive. In terms of justice and economics.

Muslim attackers of 5-year-old in Idaho unpunished

Immigrant Welfare Usage Rates

There is a problem, a big problem and here’s how the left will react. Shamelessly swiped from a buddy on FB.

7 Phases of Leftist Social Media Reactions Post-Islamic Terror Attacks:

1) Express shock: “Oh wow. Cannot believe this is happening.”

The same thing happened last week, but, you know, details.

2) Send good “thoughts” & “vibes:” “Sending so many loving thoughts & happy vibes to London right now. ♥”

No one knows what that actually means, but, yeah, sounds good, so go for it.

3) Start hashtag: “#prayforlondon, y’all. seriously.”

Mind you, you don’t have to actually pray. Hashtag still super effective.

4) Get mad at anyone who dare mention Islam: “TERROR KNOWS NO RELIGION.”

Sure, radical Islamic terror has been responsible for 120 terroristic murders just since Ramadan started, but no one needs to be reminded of that. (It’s higher now)

5) Remind everyone of how evil Christians are. “White patriarchy has killed more people than ISIS, let’s not forget.”

Don’t mention that this isn’t true. Just roll with it.

6) Do absolutely nothing.

7) Repeat in 1 week.

But don’t worry, there’s no problem here in the good ol’ USA.

And I can’t believe this could be an essential thing to know in this day and age, but it might be.

10 Tips for Surviving a Terrorist Vehicle Attack

Field Medicine for Terrorist Attacks

Now, are all Muslims like this? No, of course not.

Marawi Muslim Saved 64 Christians From Beheading During ISIS Siege of City

Gee, if there were only, oh, I don’t know, some way to kind of sort them out. You know like check the backgrounds of people coming into the country. Check the backgrounds and associations of ones that are already in the country. And then decide on, oh, I don’t know, like a case by case basis. Maybe check out some of the mosques, it seems the government was certainly willing to check out Churches a while back.

We just really, really need a better plan.

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Memories

Memorial Day has passed. I didn’t exactly get to spend it the way I planned, but it’s ok. I think it’s still timely to talk about Memorial Day considering D-Day is coming up.

I’ve had a lot of thoughts about Memorial Day this year. I always do. I saw a tweet by Kay Wilson who queried “How can any American ever say Happy Memorial Day?” If you are unfamiliar with Kay, she is amazing. She is the victim of a horrific machete attack. Kay is British born, and living in Israel.

From doing a little reading, it seems the average age of soldiers from the Revolutionary War, up till now is early 20s. This is including older experienced officers which raises the age average. Although drummer boys could be as young as 12. I believe I read the average life expectancy of a solider in WWI in the trenches was six weeks. Six. Weeks.

How many died? I got an interesting email from Shmuel Sackett of Zehut, an Israeli political party I belong to. Yeah, pretty cool beans. To be honest though, I am not the only one who got the email, it was one Shmuel sent out to the group. It’s also right in line with Kay’s sentiments and is titled “What Did You Buy On Memorial Day?”

Let me ask you a question. Isn’t Memorial Day supposed to be somber? A day of remembrance, mourning and reflection? A day to pay tribute to the hundreds of thousands of brave men and women who lost their lives fighting for the USA? Do you have any idea how many heroes we are talking about? I did some research and found that from the American Revolutionary War until today – are you ready for this? – a total of 666,441 American soldiers have lost their lives in battle. If it’s hard for you to think about war from 1776, let me break down that number in more modern times. In WWII – 291,557 soldiers were killed and in Vietnam the number was 47,424. After 9/11, American forces went to war in Afghanistan and lost 1,954 soldiers while a whopping 3,836 have been killed in Iraq.

He is expressing his shock and sorrow outrage, let’s be honest, that in America, Memorial Day has become a day of picnics, shopping and holiday.

I’m not saying that there aren’t Americans that don’t feel the same. There are. Originally Memorial Day was called Decoration Day and it’s origins predate the Civil War. I can still remember when it changed from being observed on May 30th. That was back in 1971. My family observed it as a Memorial Day to family members that were gone and we would go decorate graves. Not that I didn’t have family that served in the military, I did. My Dad was in the Navy, one Uncle was in the Navy and wanted to be a fighter pilot. At 6’4” he was deemed too tall and instead was in communications. It was interesting when I talked to him about it a few years ago, he still couldn’t tell me much of what he did. I do know he was aboard the USS Missouri the day Japan surrendered. I have another Uncle that was in the Battle of Midway and survived. He had been gone for many years before I ever found that out. I was in first grade when he died at 33 of a heart attack and I was devastated. I have another Uncle that also served in the Navy, and at one time I considered enlisting in the Navy. My nephew is trying his very best to be accepted into a different branch of the military. Sigh, there’s always one. But, I couldn’t be prouder of “The Brat” and I love him dearly.

This is one paragraph, about one family, and I’m so blessed, all mine survived. Look at the stats quoted by Shmuel above. All those listed had families, they had lives and loves. They had hopes, dreams and aspirations.

In Israel, Yom Hazikaron יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן is observed very differently.

By law, all places of entertainment are closed on the eve of Yom Hazikaron, and broadcasting and educational bodies note the solemnity of the day.

Memorial candles are lit in homes, army camps, schools, synagogues, and public places, and the flags are lowered to half staff. Throughout the day serving and retired military personnel serve as honor guards at war memorials throughout the country, and the families of the fallen participate in memorial ceremonies at military cemeteries.

National memorial services are held in the presence of Israel’s top leadership and military personnel. The day opens with a siren the preceding evening at 20:00 (8:00 pm), given that in the Hebrew calendar system, a day begins at sunset. The siren is heard all over the country and lasts for one minute, during which Israelis stop everything, including driving on highways, and stand in silence, commemorating the fallen and showing respect.

When I saw the post from Kay, I answered her and told her it is because so many in America do not even realize what Memorial Day is. Some of it is due to the massive liberal influences in the government, and some of it is due to the school system. I heard a very interesting lecture recently and facts and figures were given showing the decimation of the US military in the last 8 years, by our own government. In addition to the military being used as a “social experiment”. And don’t think that hasn’t taken a toll.

Organizational Transitions

I was still young when the soldiers came back from Viet Nam, and I remember stories of them being spit on and berated. Thank you Walter Cronkite, Jane Fonda and John Kerry, and scores of liberal school teachers, and countless others. Bill Clintoon set a shining example by fleeing to Canada. I can remember being at an amusement park one time in Texas, not on Memorial Day. The two men in line ahead of me were talking about having come back. In line it was hard not to over-hear. I looked at them and said “Thank you, thank you for serving”. They were young, and looked shocked. Then they looked grateful. They didn’t determine the policies of going to war, they didn’t get a vote on being sent. They got drafted, and they suited up and showed up and tried to do the right thing.

I was recently in a conversation with a man and his wife. The man had retired out of the Marine Corp after 38 years. They were watching a John Wayne movie on TV, he was in a submarine. She had gone with him on every posting he had ever been sent. She commented “All wars are stupid”. I was quite for a moment, it happens rarely, then replied “Yes, perhaps, but some of them need to be fought, and some of them are worth fighting”. I’m working on Hebrew as a second language, not German, I get to make a choice. Some wars need to be fought.

I’m pretty old now, I’ve got to realize some of my hopes and dreams, there are some still in the bag to be worked towards. But I’m alive, and I have that chance. These men and women that showed up and answered the call? Their hopes and dreams died with them on fields, beaches, in trenches and hedgerows. I would also include law enforcement officers who answer a calling to try to protect as those that fall in service to our country now. It’s not the same, they get to go home (usually) at the end of their shift, but that “sheepdog” mentality resides in them as well. They are serving in a different arena.

I admit it, I would like to see America observe Memorial Day in a way more similar to Israel’s observance. I would like to have a nationwide siren sounded at the same time all across the US and people stop what they are doing in honor of those that gave all. I would like to see stores close and the day treated as a day to respectfully honor fallen heroes. While I can’t make that happen, I can make sure I do my best to honor the men and women who suited up and showed up.

This video is from Black Rifle Coffee company. They are veteran owned and operated. They also star in their own videos. Some of which are pretty darn funny, some outrageous, some kinda gross. But all quite original. I just got my first order, and it’s darn good coffee! No, they are not paying me to write this, they don’t even know who I am, but this video is what made me “pull the trigger” on buying the coffee. I highly recommend “Coffee or Die”.

Just some things to keep in mind with the approach of D-Day.

 

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Yom Yerushalayim, 50 Years

50 years. It’s been 50 years since Yerushalayim, Jerusalem was reunited. This city so rich with history of the Jewish people is mentioned over 627 times in Torah (none in the koran) has been the center of Spiritual life for thousands of years. How can it not be? The place that G-d will choose?

Throughout it’s history various and sundry groups have tried to deny the Jews access to the Holy City and Har HaBayit, The Temple Mount. Romans, Greeks, Muslims, various and sundry Arab groups, the UN, some former U.S. Presidents. And, all have been successful for a time. For a time. But many of those that tried to prevent them from being in the place that G-d chose for them to worship have faded away. To take their place new enemies arise. It’s as though there is evil that absolutely fears that Jews will pray on the Temple Mount. What are they so afraid of? Most of them say Jews are sub-human, and/or they don’t believe in the G-d of Israel anyway. And yet the fear remains doesn’t it? Those that hold control over the Temple Mount now, claiming it as their “holy site” show their reverence for it by turning their asses towards it when they pray. To Mecca. They play soccer and have picnics on it. They store rocks and firework with which to attack the Israeli police and Jews and Christians that try to visit in the “holy” Al Aqsa. Not how one typically treats a holy site I would say. Countless artifacts have been discarded by them into a trash heap over the walls into E. Jerusalem where Arabs have used ancient timber for firewood. The list of abuses goes on and on.

Looking back at the Six Day War that reunited Yerushalayim, here are some quotes to give you an idea of the mindset Israel was facing. It also might be helpful to remember, the Falestinian Liberation Organization didn’t exist until 1963. It was created by the Arab league.

As of today, there no longer exists an international emergency force to protect Israel. We shall exercise patience no more. We shall not complain any more to the UN about Israel. The sole method we shall apply against Israel is total war, which will result in the extermination of Zionist existence.~~Gamal Abdel Nasser, President of Egypt

Our forces are now entirely ready not only to repulse the aggression, but to initiate the act of liberation itself, and to explode the Zionist presence in the Arab homeland. The Syrian army, with its finger on the trigger, is united….I, as a military man, believe that the time has come to enter into a battle of annihilation.~~Syrian Defense Minister Hafez Assad

Yeah, pretty much like the “peace partners” Israel has today. Israel never intended to retake Jerusalem during the war. They asked King Hussein of Jordan (who was illegally occupying Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem) to stay out of it after the war started. But Hussein feared the PLO. He was afraid they would try to depose him.

King Hussein of Jordan signed a defense pact with Egypt on May 30. Nasser then announced:

The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are poised on the borders of Israel…to face the challenge, while standing behind us are the armies of Iraq, Algeria, Kuwait, Sudan and the whole Arab nation. This act will astound the world. Today they will know that the Arabs are arranged for battle, the critical hour has arrived. We have reached the stage of serious action and not declarations.

President Abdur Rahman Aref of Iraq added his two cents to the rhetoric:

“The existence of Israel is an error which must be rectified. This is our opportunity to wipe out the ignominy which has been with us since 1948. Our goal is clear — to wipe Israel off the map.”

On June 4, Iraq joined the military alliance with Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

Some of this came from a really good overview. You can read all of it here. And it has maps. Lots of maps.

This is what the tiny, new nation of Israel faced.

I like this video, it shows a lot of pictures of what Jerusalem was like before Israel was re-born.

Then, the battle for Jerusalem. I like this video. Alot. It has scenes and commentary from THAT day, as well as a lot of modern video towards the end showing many places in Jerusalem. I recognize many of them, and have walked the streets, shopped in the shops and gawked at all of it. And am quite sad I am not there at the moment.

And I will admit, my tears fill my eyes when I hear Mota Gur saying “Har Ha’Beit B’Yadeinu!” The Temple Mount is in our hands. Then to hear Shlomo Goren blow the shofar? Look at what Israel faced. Not only did she win her survival, she regained land, and Jerusalem. You will notice that people of all faiths are allowed to practice their faith in the areas Israel controls. But only in those areas. The areas muslims control? No. Not even safe. Sadly not everyone realizes the Holiness of The Temple Mount and control was given back to Jordan. I really think we would not being seeing a lot of the problems we see now if that hadn’t happened.

What does the future hold? I don’t have a crystal ball. There is much unrest in the world, and evil is everywhere. Do I have all the answers? No. In fact, I don’t even have all the answers I need. But I do think a good start would be returning Jewish prayer to the Temple Mount.

If you want someone who may well have a crystal ball, or at least a plan, you can watch a fascinating webinar I just saw with Moshe Feiglin of Zehut. Not only will he tell you some behind the scenes info going on now, he will tell you some interesting history.

For today, just for today, I will savor the miracle of G-d, the return of a reunited Jerusalem to Israel.

יום ירושלים שמח

Happy Jerusalem Day!

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