National Geographic: Israel Trail named one of the Worlds Best Hikes

Doug Schnitzspahn of National Geographic has included the 620 mile Israel trail among the "Holy grail" of hiking trails- one of the 20 best hikes in the world.

The Israel National Trail crosses the entire nation, with its northern end at Dan, near the Lebanese border and extending to Eilat in the south. The trail is marked with three stripes (white, blue, and orange), and takes an average of 45 days to complete.

The terrain is as varied as Israel itself. From the Israel Trail website:

In the north, the trail climbs the ridge above the city of Kiryat Shmona; drops down to the Sea of Galilee and goes back up again; goes up and over Mt. Tabor; and climbs the Carmel ridge near the sea. In between all of those, however, the trail crosses through a lot of farmers’ fields, which can make for quick hiking.

The central section of the trail is somewhat flat, as it stays mostly on the coastal plain. There’s also a long stretch where the trail runs straight and flat along the seashore. But when the INT goes into the rugged hills around Jerusalem, the trail is steep and rugged.

Much of the Negev is rugged as well. Even when there isn’t much altitude gain or loss, the trail often follows wadis, or dry watercourses, that are choked with stones and boulders, making the footing somewhat treacherous. And when there are steep ascents and descents, the trail can get really interesting; in several places in the Eilat Mountains, the only way to proceed is to use metal ladder rungs that have been driven into the faces of sheer rock walls

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From National Geographic:

Passing through vast empty desert and winding into kibbutzim, the Israel National Trail (INT) delves into the grand scale of biblical landscapes as well as the everyday lives of modern Israelis (with opportunities to stop in the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem). But beyond the immense sense of history and breaking news, the trail powerfully connects to something that often gets lost in all the headlines—the sublime beauty of the wilderness of the Middle East. The southern end of the trail crosses the harsh and lovely Negev, still populated by wandering Bedouins and long-horned Nubian ibex and filled with wildflowers in spring. There’s not much water to drink along the way, though the trail crosses plenty of wet spots. It dips into the 600-foot-below-sea-level waves of the Sea of Galilee, flanks the baptismal River Jordan, and runs along Mediterranean beaches north of Tel Aviv. The southern terminus ends in the resort town of Eilat on the Red Sea.

Of course, the INT does take hikers to spots that have immense significance in the Judeo-Christian world and beyond. Among these is the sheer climb up the 1,929-foot peak of Mount Tabor, where Barak and 10,000 Israelites defeated Sisear and the Canaanites as recorded in the Bible’s Book of Judges. The heights of Mount Carmel are sacred to Jews and Christians as well as to Ahmadiyya Muslims and followers of the Bahá'í faith. More modern sites, such as the Metzudat Koach memorial, commemorating 28 soldiers who died taking a fort in the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, speak to the still ongoing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. But life on the trail is safe and far from current hostilities. In fact, the joy of the trail is meeting the Israelis hiking it and spending some time in small kibbutzim where the local people will take hikers into their homes. On the trail, there is peace and friendship.

And there's an "only in Israel" aspect to this hike, as well.

Read about Israeli Trail Angels- Israelis who offer their homes and their hospitality to hikers free of charge.

The spectacular Israel Trial- now recognized as one of the world best hikes. I'm thinking this counts as yet another "BDS fail".

A Controversial New Player in our local Billboard Wars

This won't go over well.

In the Bay Area, the "progressive" community often resorts to fascist tactics to suppress anything that paints Israel in a positive light.

A poster talking about a revolutionary new treatment for HIV with the potential to save countless lives world wide was recently vandalized. Why? Because this innovative new procedure was developed by an Israeli team.




Israeli food is vandalized routinely.




Kosher food from Virginia that reminds the fascist brown shirts of Israeli food is vandalized routinely.



It makes me wonder how the anti-Israel forces will react to this ad, appearing on MUNI buses throughout San Francisco, for the next four weeks.



Financed by Pam Geller, whose organization Stop Islamization of America
is considered a hate group by the venerable Southern Poverty Law Center these ads are sure to provoke a reaction.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE:

Annie Robbins, a Bay area "writer at Large for Mondoweiss, a mother, a human rights activist and a ceramic artist" is now encouraging people to vandalize the ads.



Classy. Even by Mondoweiss standards.

Nazareth's Sufis bullied by fellow Muslims

From SufiNews, originally published in Haaretz profiling an alarming trend of violence and intimidation directed towards the mystic branch of Islam. The threats started a decade ago, after 10 Nazareth Sufis reached out to other Muslims, and began pursuing interfaith relationships with the Jewish community.

For decades, the mystical Sufis in Nazareth have celebrated Islam through music and poetry without considering themselves in danger. But nowadays, local Salafis, who practice a more conservative and coercive Islam, bully and beat Sufi leaders to deter them from their practices, Muslim community leaders told Haaretz. "We visit tombs of holy peoples and they say it is forbidden; we chant and they say it is forbidden to use instruments; I say there should be dialogue with Israelis and Jews because the prophet Muhammed received delegations of Jewish tribes," but Salafis object, said Nazareth Sheikh Ghassan Menasra, 44, a leader of the Qadiri Sufi Order of the Holy Land.

Menasra says he and two of his five sons have been beaten in Nazareth and Jerusalem and his wife, an Islamic educator for women, was pushed. Shaken by threats and having tear gas thrown into his home, he spent two weeks in meditation to avoid the fate of Jerusalem Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari, who suffered similar attacks and died of a heart attack in 2010 at age 61.

Such incidents may reflect a growing regional trend of clashes between progressive Muslims and their more fundamentalist brethren. Egyptian Salafis have razed Sufi shrines, Tunisian Salafis injured dozens in riots over work of art and political analysts blame Salafi Jihadis for the bloodshed in Syria

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Sheikh Ghassan Menasra believes facilitating interfaith relationships is an important part of Islam, to the benefit of all. "Muslims can also teach Jews the cultural codes of peacemaking in Islam – politics alone cannot build trust." Quoting Rabia al-Adawiya, a female Sufi saint, he describes the three kinds of religious people. There are "Slaves who worship through fear, merchants who worship for profit and free people who worship through love – this is the way," he said. "The radicals think that they need to stop us in any way, but we will not stop."

Ashkelon Mayor Benny Vaknin didn't know his city was a den of apartheid policies until the good people of Sacramento told him so.

From an article in the Jewish press by Lori Lowenthal Marcus

While the Israeli city of Ashkelon has been physically assaulted by rockets and bombs hurled by Israel’s haters in Gaza, haters abroad are doing their best to assault Ashkelon in other ways.

There is a battle now taking place to prevent the city of Sacramento, California, from becoming a sister-city to Ashkelon, Israel. The battle is being waged on the internet and phone lines, in the lead-up to a Sacramento City Council meeting on the topic which will take place on August 14.

Radical anti-Israel activists are distributing hate literature portraying Arabs who live in Ashkelon as second-class citizens “without the same rights, benefits or access to land as Jewish Israelis.”

Barry Broad was the chair of the Sacramento Jewish Community Relations Council in 2009 when Bethlehem became a sister City to Sacramento, in an initiative supported by the Jewish Community in hopes of creating broader outreach and multi-cultural understanding. When the Sacramento City council approved the Bethlehem initiative, they also made a commitment that they would establish a sister-city relationship with a town in Israel. The meeting on Tuesday August 14 will determine if the Sacramento intends on honoring this earlier commitment.

The article continues:

Broad says he isn’t trying to have a battle over the Arab-Israeli conflict, “they have enough of that over there.” The concept of establishing sister-cities is to “reach out to other people, to create people to people contact,” and Broad believes that will happen between people in Sacramento and the people in Ashkelon. He is far less hopeful that the pro-Palestinian activists want anything like that with the pro-Israel groups even within Sacramento.

“I was in the room when leaders of the Bethlehem Initiative, some of whom are also in the vanguard of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions groups, pledged in front of several City Council members that they would engage in dialogue and open communications with the Sacramento Jewish community,” recalled Broad. “They have refused.”

What can you do to help? Start by signing this petition
And please consider coming to the City Council meeting, Tuesday Aug 14, in Sacramento.

This is more than a local issue- this is about the continued demonization of Israel in the public sphere. Its incumbent upon all of us to fight back.

Dan Greenfield and the Victim Value Index

Mike L.

{Cross-posted at Israel Thrives and Geoffff's Joint, Bar and Grill.}

Among the top pro-Israel bloggers, there is no one quite like Daniel Greenfield. The guy is a balls-to-the-wall pro-Israel, pro-Jewish, pro-America opinionator who most would consider to be hard-line and right-wing. His blog, for those of you who may be unaware, is called Sultan Knish, but the guy is now published all over the place. The reason for this is because he's a brilliant analyst and a terrific writer.

He's got a piece up as of a few days ago entitled, "The Minority Victim Value Index," which represents a general criticism of the western progressive-left, if not a criticism of prevailing mainstream media assumptions, more generally.

He writes:

Historical suffering transmuted into guilt is the gold standard of liberalism, but suffering is relative. In our wonderful multi-everything society, there are so many groups with so many claims to pain. Everyone agrees that the Heteronormative Caucasian Patriarchy of Doom is to blame for all of it, but that still leaves the question of dividing up the spoils of the system and all the privileges to be gained from denouncing privilege. A caste system doesn't work without priority, and calculating the priority of privilege claims by the perpetually underprivileged is complicated.

Heteronormative Caucasian Patriarchy of Doom.

I'm sorry, but you just have to love that!

His thesis is that victim status, i.e., one's place on the Victim Value Index (VVI) is the "gold standard" of western progressivism and that there is a distinct hierarchy of privilege based around that status with Arab-Muslims at the front of the line. First come Arabs, then come black people, then come others. Jews are toward the very end of the line and white males bring up the rear.

Where a group is placed on the VVI, however, has precious little to do with historical injustice. By all rights native Americans should be at the top of the list, at least in the United States, but they are not. Anyone who follows western progressivism understands that there is, today, virtually no concern for the decimation (economic, social, or literal) of the native population. It's just not discussed very much, although, as Greenfield mentions, it is often used as a club against any creeping pride that Americans might take in our own country.

It is the Victim Value Index (VVI) that explains the progressive acceptance of Islamist violence against Jews and other dhimmis.

Anyone who is shocked that the left would make common cause with Islamists has forgotten the Black Panthers. From the left's point of view they are doing the same thing by bringing on board a group with some revolutionary energy and a willingness to overthrow the system. Associating with them gives the left some revolutionary cred and the supposed ability to turn the violence on and off.

This is absolutely correct. Anyone who knows anything about 1960s revolutionary activities in the United States knows that the political left championed Huey and the Panthers, not because the Black Panther Party represented liberal values, but because the Panthers were considered the vanguard of "the Movement" to overthrow the prevailing political-economic system.

On the left, today, that role is filled by radical Islam which is precisely why we saw western progressives join with Jihadis on the Mavi Marmara in an effort to confront Jews on the high seas.

September 11 and its aftermath is why Muslims have gone to the top of the Victim Value Index. The left may swear up and down that they are interested in Muslim civil rights, but if the Muslims were Sikhs, they would merit a place somewhere in the back. Before Muslims began prominently blowing things up in the United States, the left barely paid any attention to them. Once they did, they began outweighing every other group in the country because killing 3,000 people is the gold standard of revolutionary mayhem.

One of the differences that I have with Greenfield is that I do not believe that it was "Muslims" who "began prominently blowing things up," but radical Jihadis who did so. I still believe that it is important to highlight the distinction. Most Muslims are not particularly in the Jew Killing Business. We need to reserve that category for groups like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Nonetheless, Greenfield is absolutely correct when he points to 9/11 as the reason why Muslims go to the front of the line on the Victim Value Index. After 9/11 there was a much ballyhooed, but non-existent, backlash against Muslims in the United States. The feeling on the left was that Muslims were being unustly persecuted because of 9/11. I, myself, stood up in front of students and told them not to blame Muslims for what happened on that day. The fact of the matter, however, according to crime statistics, is that Jews are something like ten times more likely to be victims of racially motivated crimes and that Muslims, themselves, tend to be the biggest perpetrators of hate crimes against Jews, both here and in Europe.

Latinos are still somewhere in the middle. Native Americans are in the back along with most unclassified minorities. Homosexuals are somewhere near the front, but behind African-Americans. Their status tends to drift wildly depending on current events, but they cannot overtake African-Americans or fall behind Latinos. Not unless some drastic events take place that change their status. Women are, and have always been, in the back.

Women are toward the rear.

I have to say, it's a shame about feminism. Women's issues are almost never at the forefront of progressive-left concerns these days. There was a brief moment in the early-mid 1970s when feminism seemed to be making some headway, and then an even briefer moment in the middle of the 1980s, but once the feminists, themselves, sought to reconcile feminism with radical Islam the movement just died. This is because Sharia and feminism are entirely irreconcilable. Once I started hearing western progressive women telling me that the burka was "liberating," I knew it was all over.

The practical value of the Victim Value Index is that it mediates internal conflicts. For example, a bias attack by a member of a high-value group on a member of a low-value group is much less likely to be treated as a hate crime. However, an ordinary attack by a member of a low-value group on a member of a high-value group is more likely to be treated as a bias attack even when it isn't.

For Jewish people this gets directly to the point.

If on Greenfield's Victim Value Index (VVI) Muslims are at the head of the line and white men bring up the rear, Jews are barely in front of white men. Women are toward the rear and Jews are behind women in this progressive hierarchy of who counts and who doesn't.

If you want to understand just why it is that progressives tend not to care about radical Jihadi genocidal intention toward Jews, Greenfield's Index is a helpful model for analysis. On the arbitrary progressive-left hierarchy of victim status, we simply don't count. We are viewed as privileged white people and, therefore, victimizers.

If you wish to participate in the progressive movement as a Jew then you must accept your role as the enemy. That is, unless you are willing to lay blame at the feet of your Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel for the Arab persecution of Jews, then you are not considered a "good" Jew among progressives.

And this is why "good" Jews like Peter Beinart blames his fellow Jews for their own persecution. He honestly believes that Israeli Jews are the victimizers of the poor, innocent Palestinians, when the opposite is the truth.

It's not historically accurate, but it is the way that we were raised. It's embedded in the political culture that western Jews tended to grow up in. What I think is that it is long past time to rethink these assumptions, particularly given the fact that the Jews of the Middle East are only now emerging from 14 centuries of persecution under the boot of Islamic imperialism.

We do not need to be at the front of the line of anyone's hierarchy of victim status, but we definitely need to stop blaming ourselves for Islamic or Palestinian or Arab hatred toward us. The problem, once again, is not the fact that Jews live and build housing for themselves in Judea and Samaria, but that racist western progressives, like Barack Obama, believe it is.

Cotati Acknowledges Israel's right to Exist

Go Cotati Go!!!!!!



Take that, North coast Coalition for Palestine!

The 22nd annual Cotati Accordion Festival, a multi-cultural, multi-generational musical extravaganza has made a clear and unambiguous statement of support for Israel's right to exist.

Check out that Israeli flag in their current poster. Smooth.

Can there possibly be any greater indicator of the failure of the BDS movement? Could there be any clearer indication of the irrelevance of the BDS'ers than this?

Yes, the 700,000 tourists visiting Israel last month was pretty darn impressive. Lollapalooza choosing Tel Aviv for its 2013 music festival- not bad either. Cirque du Soliel adding extra performances in Israel certainly delivered a great big screw you to the BDS'ers. Madonna kicking off her tour in Israel was a significant failure as well.

But what could symbolize the feelings of heartland America more than the Cotati Accordion festival?

No need to answer- it was meant rhetorically.

Check out the Cotati Accordion Festival, the (shhh its a secret) musical branch of the Zionist Conspiracy.
August 18 & 19, 2012
9:30am - 8:30pm both days
in La Plaza Park in Cotati, CA 94931

An Open letter to the Sacramento City Council

On August 14 the Sacramento City Council will consider a proposal to form a Sister City relationship with Ashkelon. The BDS cru has been going into overdrive to prevent this from happening. And people are fighting back.

From the Blog Random thoughts. An open Letter to the Sacramento City Council:

Dear Ashkelon City Council Members:
I am a proud citizen of both the U.S.and Israel. I grew up in Sacramento and love it, and I now reside part of the year in Sacramento and part in Jerusalem.

I understand that you are considering a Sister City relationship with the City of Sacramento, in the State of California, USA. I think that’s a great idea. However, I wanted to be sure that you know all about Sacramento’s history before you vote on the proposal.

The United States of America expanded into the West pursuant to a doctrine called “Manifest Destiny.” Manifest Destiny, which occurred in the 1800’s, involved the systematic destruction and dispersion of Native Americans and the settling of Europeans on their lands. In short, the Europeans occupied the lands of the Native Americans. These Native Americans were relegated to “reservations” and have been seeking fair remedies ever since.

Sacramento and its surrounding areas were home to several American Indian tribes who lived peacefully and in harmony with the land for centuries. In the mid-1800’s, when gold was discovered within miles of Sacramento, the area became the focus of intense settlement by Americans and European.

The Americans and Europeans settlers colonized the territory, setting up encampments and mining facilities with no regard whatsoever for the native populations. The Native Americans lost their land, their holy places, their grazing lands, and much of their culture.

As part of the Gold Rush, Asians were brought to California. Their labor was exploited and they were treated harshly. They had virtually no rights. When the famous Transcontinental Railroad was built, Chinese laborers were brought to California and were basically treated like slaves.

Among other areas, the Chinese workers worked on the right-of-way over Donner Pass. The elevation on the Pass is about 7,000 feet. They worked in the harshest winter conditions. They received inadequate shelter, little food, and were subject to terrible cold. Many were injured and died.

But for war, Sacramento would be part of Mexico today. The United States won a war against Mexico in the 1840’s. In the Treaty of Guadalupe, which Mexico was forced to sign after the war,California became part of the United States and was occupied by it.

During World War II, Japanese American citizens were treated like alien enemies. Despite the fact that they were loyal citizens and many of their sons bravely fought in the U.S. Army, they were rounded up and imprisoned in camps for the duration of the war.

The camps were in desolate parts of the American West, and the conditions were primitive. The internees were completely deprived of their rights as American citizens. There was a sizeable population of Japanese American citizens in the Sacramento area. They lost their homes, their businesses, and their farms.

Like Ashkelon, Sacramento today has a diverse population and a commitment to diversity, tolerance, and understanding. Occasionally, however, ethnic tensions come to the surface. Sacramento experiences occasional hate crimes. In fact, a number of years ago three synagogues in Sacramento were subject to arson attacks.

I am happy to report that, just like in Ashkelonand the rest of Israel, Sacramento’s community leaders act firmly against such bigotry.

You should know that Sacramento has Sister City relationships with cities in some countries with questionable behavior. For example, it has a relationship with a city in China, a country with a human rights record that has been condemned by many and that has occupied Tibet for over 50 years, with disastrous consequences for Tibetan freedom and culture.

I should point out the obvious: this is my version of the history of and the current situation in Sacramento. Others see the history of Sacramento,California, and the U.S.from different perspectives and with different emphases. There is always room for debate and discussion. As you well know, there is usually plenty of blame to go around in any dispute.

The bigger issue than arguing over the history is dealing with the present. The question when it comes to your decision whether or not to agree to a Sister City relationship with Sacramento is whether we should dwell on and become entangled in debates and bitterness over Sacramento’s past or whether we should reach out and try to embrace people today. The question is whether building relationships and understanding and friendships through a Sister City relationship is preferable to arguing over past grievances and alleged transgressions.

I can tell you that Sacramento today is full of warm, well-intentioned, decent people, much like the residents of Ashkelon. I am sure that Sacramento still makes mistakes. What community does not? But I can assure you that Sacramento is a beautiful city doing many positive things.

I think Ashkelon would gain much from being connected to the City of Sacramento and its people. Ashkelon would learn from Sacramento and Sacramento would learn from Ashkelon.

So, despite the fact that Sacramento’s past is not without its controversies, I strongly recommend that Ashkelon agree to a Sister City relationship with Sacramento. I think the people of both communities and the regions they are in will benefit greatly.


Sincerely,
Alan Edelstein

******************

Reminder: What you can do
Please email or call

Mayor Kevin Johnson
email c/o Council Operations Manager, Lisa Serna-Mayorga, serna@cityofsacramento.org

Council Members:
- Vice-Mayor Angelique Ashby, 916-808-7001, aashby@cityofsacramento.org
- Sandy Sheedy, 916-808-7002, ssheedy@cityofsacramento.org
- Steve Cohn, 916-808-7003, scohn@cityofsacramento.org
- Robert Fong, 916-808-7004, rkfong@cityofsacramento.org
- Jay Schenirer, 916-808-7005, jschenirer@cityofsacramento.org
- Kevin McCarty,916-808-7006, KMcCarty@cityofsacramento.org
- Darrell Fong, 916-808-7007, dfong@cityofsacramento.org
- Bonnie J. Pannell, 916-808-7008, bpannell@cityofsacramento.org

And if you are in Northern California, please consider showing up at the hearing on August 14th

More hate from the organizers of the Global march to Jerusalem

The colossal failure of the March 30 Global March to Jerusalem hasn’t stopped the propaganda or the plotting.

The latest thriller from the Global March website:

The Global March to Jerusalem joins the voices of concern in Jerusalem, Palestine and, indeed, the world over, about the latest as well as consequent threats to the al-Aqsa Masjid and the Dome of the Rock, as well as the Haram Sharif in Jerusalem and the policy of “Judaisation” that the Zionist leadership is pursuing with the explicit intent of removing Muslim, Christian, Arab and all other traces of non-Jewish history, culture, religion, archaeology and demography from the city of Jerusalem and all other areas under Zionist control

.

It continues (I'm paraphrasing):

Blah Blah Blah Zionists... Blah Blah Blah fanatical Zionists... Blah Blah Blah Zionist government...Blah Blah Blah Zionist-controlled Municipality...Blah Blah Blah Zionist extremists...

And launches itself into full anti-Semitic hate

These latest actions are part of the coordinated policy called “Judaisation” by the Zionist authorities. It includes the burning and defacing of Christian churches, the expulsion of Christian and Muslim Palestinians from the city of Jerusalem and from their homes throughout Palestine, the demolition of Palestinian homes, the confiscation of property, the denial of building permits, and many other forms of deliberate ethnic cleansing. This policy of Judaisation is in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) on the rights of peoples living under occupation as well as dozens of resolutions of the United Nations censuring the Zionist state.

This is the part that stopped me in my tracks:

In addition, historic Palestinian archaeological treasures dating back up to two thousand years have been demolished and covered with new structures for the purpose of effacing most of the history of Palestine, which is predominantly Muslim and Christian Arab in culture and religion. The latest examples of this malicious policy are the ongoing construction of a Jewish “Museum of Tolerance” on the religious and historic Ma’manillah cemetery, which dates back to the 7th century and where the companions of the Prophet Mohammad and thousands of the righteous, officials, scholars, notables and Jerusalemite families have been buried, as well as the destruction of palaces from the Umayyad period near al-Aqsa in the Old City.

Oh, yes. This "religious and historic" Ma’manillah cemetery they mention? It was converted into a business center nearly 70 years ago, under the supervisor of the Supreme Muslim Council. A 4 story hotel, bank and factory were to be built on the land. The remains buried in the cemetery were transferred to a spot near the tomb of al Sayid al Kurashi. Its' "religious and historic" value didn't seem to be of interest to the Grand Mufti, who sold the property to the highest bidder.

From the Palestine Post Nov. 22 1945 (h/t Elder of Ziyon)

"A member of the Supreme Muslim Council stated that the use of Moslem cemeteries in the public interest had many precedents both in Palestine and elsewhere. He quoted the case of the bab el Shira (Herrod's gate) cemetery which formerly stretched down St. Stephens gate and Jaffa cemetery which was converted into a commercial center and Queen Farida Square in Cairo which not long ago was a cemetery."

August 17 has been designated a "Hate on Israel day", with a "Stop the Judiasation of Jerusalem" theme by the usual suspects. Demonstrations are planned in NYC, Washington DC Boston, La, and elsewhere. There's plenty of time to plan a response.

Cirque du Soleil adds new shows in Israel

Its yet another in a dizzying array of BDS fails.

In spite of the bullying of the BDS-ers, who attempted to pressure Canadian-based Cirque du Soleil into cancelling their performances in Israel, the show is continuing as scheduled. The circus troop will present 21 shows in Israel between August 8 and August 25. 72,000 tickets have already been sold, and an extra performance has been added to the schedule. They are opening today at the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv.

The world renowned circus began in 1984 as a group of 20 street dancers now includes over than 1,300 artists from 50 countries. This will be the first time the troop has performed in Israel

Lumish and the Culture Question

{Cross-Posted at Israel Thrives and Geoffff's Joint, Bar and Grill.}

Mike L.

I am late to the party on this business of Romney's alleged gaffes in Israel, but I find the "culture question" interesting. Some on the left, along with Palestinian "leadership," are claiming that Romney is a racist. This is hardly surprising given the fact that the most racist political movement in the west today, outside of political Islam, is the progressive-left, which ironically enough flings around charges of racism like they are confetti.

What Romney said was this:

"If you could learn anything from the economic history of the world, it's this: Culture makes all the difference," he said, citing the work of historian David Landes, the author of the book "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations."

"As I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things," Romney added. "One, I recognize the hand of providence in selecting this place."

So he was praising Jewish culture for the success of Israel, while acknowledging "the hand of providence."  Well, I don't know much about the hand of providence, but I find it refreshing that Romney is brave enough to stand up for Jewish culture and recognize that the success of Israel is mainly due to those cultures, the cultures of the Jewish people.

I fail to understand how progressive-left Jews, if they honestly have any self-respect, could take issue with such a statement. The two books involved in this unjust attack upon Romney are "Guns, Germs and Steel," by geographer Jared Diamond and "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations," by economist David Landes. The first suggests that the wealth of nations is primarily a function of access to natural resources, while the latter stresses culture as a primary source of success.

It should seem fairly obvious to any thoughtful person that both are important to the economic success, or the economic failure, of any particular society. That's obvious, is it not? The United States has been a highly successful country because of natural resources and, in part, because of the Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism as outlined by Max Weber's book of that title. Weber's famous book stressed culture and Landes owes him an intellectual debt, as I suspect Richard would agree.

Palestinian citizens of Israel are, in fact, among the most economically successful Arabs anywhere in the Middle East, which is why the majority of them have no desire to live under a Palestinian government. While progressives are calling Romney a "racist" and claiming that it is the occupation that is the reason for non-Israeli Palestinian economic failure, what they cannot explain is just why it is that so much of the rest of the Arab world is likewise an economic failure despite not being subject to those mean Jews.

The truth, of course, is that any culture that venerates death is going to result in a culture of poverty, despite access to resources. The Palestinians are not a failure because they are being oppressed by the Jews. The Palestinian economic failure is due to a culture which tells them that their highest ideal should be killing Jews as noble shaheeds doing the work of Allah (Hamas) or because they have simply been taught that the Jewish people have no legitimate rights to ancient Jewish land and therefore must be fought, tooth and nail (Fatah).

It could hardly be more obvious.

Until such a time as the Palestinians stop naming sports stadiums after murderers they are going to experience disproportionate poverty. It's just common sense. Furthermore, no economy that oppresses woman and gay people can possibly compete in today's world and be successful.

Has the "occupation" negatively effected the Palestinian economy in the Gaza and Judea and Samaria? I would assume so, but that is a direct consequence of allowing themselves to be used as the primary Arab weapon against the Jews of the Middle East. If the Palestinians would work with us Jews, rather than against us, then we could help them, but we cannot do anything for them so long as they continue to send rockets into Israel.

This is their choice and that choice derives from their culture, not from our guilt, as malicious progressives, and some Jewish progressives, would have you believe.

Romney Camp Slights JVP

Poor ignored JVP must be feeling particularly self-righteous now. The "As a Jew" cru at Jewish Voice for Peace found themselves ignored at the door of the Boston headquarters of Mitt Romney when they attempted to deliver a petition, critical of Romney.

From the JVP email promoting their petition:

Romney declared that "cultural differences" were the reason the Palestinian economy is not doing as well as Israel's, without even acknowledging the Occupation.

Perhaps (gasp) JVP has a point, and the role of the "occupation" should be acknowledged.

What was life like for the Palestinians under Israel's "occupation"? From Efraim Karsh:

The larger part, still untold in all its detail, is of the astounding social and economic progress made by the Palestinian Arabs under Israeli "oppression." At the inception of the occupation, conditions in the territories were quite dire. Life expectancy was low; malnutrition, infectious diseases, and child mortality were rife; and the level of education was very poor. Prior to the 1967 war, fewer than 60 percent of all male adults had been employed, with unemployment among refugees running as high as 83 percent. Within a brief period after the war, Israeli occupation had led to dramatic improvements in general well-being, placing the population of the territories ahead of most of their Arab neighbors.
In the economic sphere, most of this progress was the result of access to the far larger and more advanced Israeli economy: the number of Palestinians working in Israel rose from zero in 1967 to 66,000 in 1975 and 109,000 by 1986, accounting for 35 percent of the employed population of the West Bank and 45 percent in Gaza. Close to 2,000 industrial plants, employing almost half of the work force, were established in the territories under Israeli rule.

During the 1970's, the West Bank and Gaza constituted the fourth fastest-growing economy in the world -- ahead of such "wonders" as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea, and substantially ahead of Israel itself. Although GNP per capita grew somewhat more slowly, the rate was still high by international standards, with per-capita GNP expanding tenfold between 1968 and 1991 from $165 to $1,715 (compared with Jordan's $1,050, Egypt's $600, Turkey's $1,630, and Tunisia's $1,440). By 1999, Palestinian per-capita income was nearly double Syria's, more than four times Yemen's, and 10 percent higher than Jordan's (one of the better off Arab states). Only the oil-rich Gulf states and Lebanon were more affluent.

But JVP, the near miraculous economic growth of the territories is only part of the story. Efraim Karsh continues (please read the full article here)

No less remarkable were advances in the Palestinians' standard of living. By 1986, 92.8 percent of the population in the West Bank and Gaza had electricity around the clock, as compared to 20.5 percent in 1967; 85 percent had running water in dwellings, as compared to 16 percent in 1967; 83.5 percent had electric or gas ranges for cooking, as compared to 4 percent in 1967; and so on for refrigerators, televisions, and cars.

Finally, and perhaps most strikingly, during the two decades preceding the intifada of the late 1980's, the number of schoolchildren in the territories grew by 102 percent, and the number of classes by 99 percent, though the population itself had grown by only 28 percent. Even more dramatic was the progress in higher education. At the time of the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, not a single university existed in these territories. By the early 1990's, there were seven such institutions, boasting some 16,500 students. Illiteracy rates dropped to 14 percent of adults over age 15, compared with 69 percent in Morocco, 61 percent in Egypt, 45 percent in Tunisia, and 44 percent in Syria

.


Why did the Romney camp chose to ignore JVP? Maybe, just maybe, their reputation for providing cover for the worst anti-Semites in the neighborhood has finally caught up with them.


"Occupation" is simply a weak and long discredited straw man - the "activists" that JVP provides cover for are not willing to accept the existence of a Jewish state within any borders.

Bir Zeit Convention: Teaching American Children Hate

In Gaza and in the West bank, the culture of Jew-hate is well inculcated in children, through the educational system, the media, and through popular culture

From the Israel project

Palestinian leaders continue to promote a culture of hatred against Israel. Using media, education, and cultural structures that it controls, the PA has actively promoted religious hatred, demonization, conspiracy libels, etc. These are packaged to present Israelis and Jews as endangering Palestinians, Arabs, and all humanity. This demonization goes on in violation of the Oslo II agreement and the Road Map for Peace which explicitly called for an end to incitement.

The Palestinian Authority and the ruling Fatah Party, led by Mahmoud Abbas, name schools, summer camps and football tournaments after Palestinian terrorists while Palestinian politicians have propagated incitement over Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. They also deny any Jewish historical connection to the Land of Israel or to sites holy to Jews.

The PA presents Jews as possessing inherently evil traits. Jews are said to be treacherous, corrupt, deceitful and unfaithful by nature. Forgeries and fiction masquerading as history are used to document and support the libel that Judaism is in essence racist and evil. Jews are said to be planning and executing heinous crimes, including burning Palestinians in ovens, murder, using prisoners for Nazi-like experiments, and more.

Sadly, the extremist rhetoric of the Middle East is equally at home outside the region. The 11th Bir Zeit Convention, held in the San Francisco Bay Area was promoted as a family event- but along with a trip to Great America, arts and crafts, comedy shows, pool parties, the program included an unhealthy dose of intolerance.

From an article in the J weekly by Guy Herschmann

...instead of a warm family atmosphere, I witnessed chilling anti-Israel extremism. Children were indoctrinated with anti-Israel and intolerant rhetoric. An emerging generation of activists was trained to proudly use deceit and manipulation to promote a “one-state” solution that has no room for Israel..."

Guy attended 2 panel discussions “Palestine: One State vs. Two State Solution” and “BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) on American Campuses”. Of the first panel, he writes:

"The panel’s featured speakers were the Rev. Naim Ateek and the Rev. Don Wagner, both from Sabeel, a Jerusalem-based ecumenical Christian group known for its hostility to Israel. Panel moderator Ramiz Rafeedie called all supporters of Israel “your enemies.” He warned that advocating a one-state solution could alienate potential allies because it attacks the legitimacy of Zionism, so he advised audience members to refine their arguments to win supporters.

Ateek described a future Palestinian confederation with Jordan and Lebanon as a remedy for a two-state stalemate. “We need to have a third intifada,” he stated, adding that it should be “totally nonviolent.” Wagner contributed classic anti-Semitic canards, saying that Congress is “sewn up” by Zionists. Ateek’s closing statements summed up the tone of the convention: “We say no. We adamantly reject the two-state solution at any price.”

The second panel, “BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) on American Campuses” was equally extreme.

Dina Omar, a Berkeley graduate and student at Columbia, joined Nora Barrows-Friedman, who writes for Electronic Intifada and al Jazeera, in laying out BDS strategies and goals.

Omar urged the audience to get BDS branded as “just one piece of a larger question of social justice.” She advocated outreach to any and all religious, racial and ethnic groups, economic justice groups, and environmentalists to insert BDS — the collective punishment of Israel — into all progressive causes. Displaying Occupy Wall Street and Free Tibet flyers emblazoned with BDS slogans, Omar urged students to “use your institutions’ symbols, rhetoric, and propaganda … to turn or flip the message or to insert your message in however subversive a way you can.”

Barrows-Friedman called the message that “people just … need to get along” an Israeli plot against Palestinians.

The speakers advised against reaching out to pro-Israel students, especially if they are Jewish. When asked whether there are any Jewish groups with whom BDS activists can work, Barrows-Friedman, who is Jewish, responded, “It depends on your level of tolerance.”

Tolerance was in short supply at the 11st Bir Zeit Society Convention. From a pamphlet distributed over the weekend, from the extremist organization "If Americans Knew"

"Those who recognize the critical importance of Israeli-Palestinian peace and truly seek a decent future for both peoples must recognize that the demand that Hamas recognize "Israel's right to exist" is unreasonable, immoral and impossible to meet"

Intolerance. Incitement. Hate. Coming to a neighborhood near you.

Dr. Barry Rubin Diagnosed with Lung Cancer (Updated)

{Cross-Posted at Israel Thrives and Geoffff's Joint, Bar and Grill.}

Anyone who reads Israel Thrives on a consistent basis knows that Professor Barry Rubin is a significant influence. For those of you who do not know, according to his Wiki page:

Rubin is a professor at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya, Israel, the director of the ICD Global Research in International Affairs Center, and a senior fellow at the Interdisciplinary Center's International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism. He is also Research Director of the IDC's Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy; editor of the journal Turkish Studies and the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA); and a member of the editorial board of Middle East Quarterly.

He was a deputy director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. He is the co-author, with his wife, of Hating America: A History and a collection of essays entitled Loathing America.

Rubin has recently announced that he has been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer and this represents a loss to those of us who care about the well-being of the state of Israel, because we care about the well-being of the Jewish people.

Dr. Rubin writes:

For 2000 years my ancestors dreamed of returning to their homeland and reestablishing their sovereignty. I have had the privilege of living that dream. How amazing is that?

We have to judge ourselves by whether we’ve lived up to our ideals and done our best. Not by the accumulation of power, wealth or fame; not for failing to achieve the impossible.

I really do not have a whole lot to say other than that Dr. Rubin remains an important influence and I very much hope that he will be writing and analyzing and discussing and arguing and kvetching for many years to come.

We need your help, Professor.

Sincerely,

Michael Lumish

Update:

He's also just recently published a commonsensical solution to Obama's Jerusalem problem:

The U.S. embassy could be moved to west Jerusalem, with the existing U.S. consulate there continuing to serve east Jerusalem and the West Bank, which means also dealing with the Palestinian Authority.

This makes considerable sense. If you read the article, he draws out some complexities and problems, but Obama needs to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state of Israel.

If he cannot do that then he is not worthy of our support... in my humble opinion.

Legendary Lollapalozza Concert coming to Israel. Massive Epic BDS fail

From Billboard:

Festival organizers announced Saturday it would hold Lollapalooza Israel in Tel Aviv next year, in what will be the country's first large-scale international music festival. Israel joins Chile and Brazil as the third of the festival's international expansions.

"Lollapalooza began as music's premier traveling festival," Perry Farrell, the festival's founder and Jane's Addiction frontman said in a statement. "As a musician, I really missed the days when we were on the move. In the last few years we've widened our scope, presenting Lolla to the 'festival generation' around the world. Next stop- Tel Aviv."

The festival is slated for Aug. 20-22, 2013 and will take place in the city's Yarkon Park, Israel's largest park. The park is no stranger to big acts, and has hosted concerts from Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney.

Organizers cited Israel's demand for live music in its decision to expand there.

"Israel is an incredibly sophisticated music market," Marc Geiger of WME Entertainment said in a statement. "Consumers have a voracious appetite for entertainment, yet there has never been a major music festival. To me, this combination screams Lollapalooza."

Perry Farrell toured Israel last year and he was intrigued by the possibilities of holding a three-day event concert.

From his interview with MTV news

"Tel Aviv goes all night long, there is no curfew, they've got all these incredible night clubs, they love dance music, Yarkon Park, can hold 60,000 people, and it's right off the beach. What else do you need?," he laughed. "They allow you to stay down at the beach and party! My crew and I, we were hanging out in the water at 4 in the morning, talking [about the idea] — I hate to say it, we had beers — we were like 'Yeah man, this is great!'"

Lollapalloza in Tel Aviv, August 20-22, 2013. Its a BDS fail of epic proportions.
Local BDS'ers have been spotted sitting in a corner, twitching softly and repeating "BDS is on a roll" over and over.

Billboard Wars. The Ann Arbor Edition

This weeks chapter in the ongoing saga of Billboard Wars takes place in Ann Arbor Michigan. Blaine Coleman, a notorious anti-Israel activist has sued the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority after they rejected his ads captioned "Boycott Israel. Boycott Apartheid,"



AATA policy states that the company reserves the right to approve all advertising and “all advertising must be considered in good taste and shall uphold the aesthetic standards as determined by AATA.” Company spokespeople have stated that Coleman's ad would make people uncomfortable and have a "negative impact" on ridership. Coleman, clearly an individual of profound sensitivities claims to have suffered mental anguish and distress as a result of AATA’s decision.

Coleman is no stranger to controversy. He was arrested after he walked into an on Ann Arbor City Council meeting carrying a sign that read “F— Israel” and stood in front of a group of visiting Boy Scouts from a local elementary School. He has been forced out of local Palestinian advocacy groups because of his behavior.



Read more about Coleman and the Ann Arbor hate Israel cru here . Curious about what Blaine Coleman has to say for himself? You can start with this line, posted in Counterpunch July 12, 2012 "...no Israeli state, big or small, will be allowed to exist." Nope, not one of the moderates.

Roman Polanski, Gore Vidal, and "Charges of Anti-Semitism"

Goddamnit, I get tired of this.

So I wander over to Tiger Beatdown, to see what the hardcore feminists are talking about, and as it happens, they're talking righteous smack about the newly late Gore Vidal, and his defense of Roman Polanski. I am still, as it happens, unbelievably angry about the spineless, unbelievable defense of Polanski exhibited by far too many Hollywood names ('rape-rape', Whoopi? WTF?), so I settle down for a quick read.

Now, apparently Vidal said this: "The idea that this girl was in her communion dress, a little angel all in white, being raped by this awful Jew, Polacko – that’s what people were calling him – well, the story is totally different now from what it was then."  And then right in the middle of the take-down of Vidal's victim-blaming and viciousness, I get this, not from Gore Vidal, but from blogger Garland Grey:

"I take charges of Anti-Semitism very seriously, but I also know that sometimes (as when people show even a sliver of support or concern for the state of Palestine and its people) accusations of such are misused to shut the conversation all the way down."

Well.

I wrote a quick response on the comment thread:

I agree that accusations of anti-Semitism were used to deflect blame in the Polanski case, and avoid confronting his actual rape and abuse of this young woman.

You should, however, be aware that the formulation used above, that accusations of anti-Semitism are used to control conversation about the Israel/Palestine conflict, is, in fact, often used to cover for actual anti-Semitism, and to provide people with an excuse for not learning the real history of the conflict, or taking responsibility for the bigotry they may speak.

It's remarkably similar to many other accusations about people 'playing the race card', and it plays a similar function.

Was there some reason for bringing in an unrelated topic to illustrate your idea that people sometimes lie about the bigotry they face? Or was it easier than explaining why you don't believe anti-Semitism was a factor in the Polanski case?

That was was much more restrained and polite than I felt like being. There's a fine line between trying educate and just wanting to break stuff, and this makes me want to break stuff. For real? Is there some way this does not break down into "I take accusations of anti-Semitism very seriously, but Jews and their friends sometimes lie about it, anyway, to shut people up, you know, like if you show any sympathy (a 'sliver') for the Palestinian people, so I guess I can dismiss this contention of Gore Vidal's without seeming like I'm not giving it enough attention, because this is just another example of using charges of anti-Semitism to make people be quiet"?

Is there another form of racism that a serious anti-oppression blogger would treat like this? I'm betting not.

It's really pretty funny, because I think Polanski is scum, so it's fairly hard to offend me when railing on him and his defenders. I wouldn't have blinked if the writer had simply said she thought Vidal was full of shit on the anti-Semitism issue re: Polanski.

Hilarious, too, is the fact that Vidal himself was an anti-Semite fond of veiling his hate in rants about Israel:

Commenting for the Huffington Post on his infamous 1986 piece "The Empire Lovers Strike Back", David Greenberg writes:

It was the kind of piece that should give pause to those who ritually deny that anti-Zionism is rooted in anti-Semitism; it should be read in full. Describing the Podhoretzs as propagandists for Israel (“in its never-ending wars against just about everyone … a predatory people”), he cast Podhoretz, who was born in the United States, as someone who would never become “an ‘assimilated American,’ to use the old-fashioned terminology.” Addressing Decter, he declared, “I’ve got to tell you I don’t much like your country, which is Israel.”

So unquestioningly has this idea been accepted, that calling anti-Semitism by name is only a way to 'shut the conversation down', that it now creeps into conversations as far afield from Israel as this. Charming. Really charming.

Stunning Pictures of This Weekend's Pride Parade In Jerusalem

Over at CIFWatch, Adam Levick posts his gorgeous pictures of the tenth annual Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade. Pinkwash this!

On Jew-Washing and BDS

The "As a Jew" cru are mighty upset at this latest expose from NGO Monitor:

On ‘Jew-Washing’ And BDS

At the Pittsburgh General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) earlier this month, a motion to adopt a boycott of three companies for doing business with Israel was hotly debated and narrowly defeated. At this Christian gathering, a group of “young Jewish activists” provided important “testimony” supporting the motion to isolate and demonize Israel.

These were the “Jew-washers” – very visible actors in many such political attacks on Israel, particularly in Christian frameworks. They are influential beyond their actual numbers, providing a convenient means for cleansing such actions from the stains of double standards, demonization and sometimes anti-Semitism against the Jewish state of Israel, and even Judaism itself.

According to one media report from Pittsburgh, “These activists were mostly affiliated with Jewish Voice for Peace, a small but vocal left-wing advocacy coalition that many describe as a ‘fringe’ group… Commissioners said their personal testimony helped undercut prevailing rhetoric on the mainstream Jewish perspective.”

In fact, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) is far from the Jewish mainstream. It is a fringe of a fringe – a small anti-Zionist group, whose finances are unclear, but are almost always found at events where Jew-washing is used, particularly when boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigns (BDS) are at stake. Their motivations, like their financing, are unclear and irrelevant – the fact that they provide a useful cover for non-Jews to justify gratuitous Israel-bashing is what counts.

The article by Yitzhak Santis and Gerald Steinberg concludes

"There is nothing heroic or brave about Jews giving a “kosher hechsher” to movements and ideologies such as BDS that seek to undermine the right of the Jewish people to sovereign equality. Let us call this activity by its rightful name: Jew-washing, and give priority to countering strategically and consistently its deceitful methods and destructive intent"

Divest this also explores the phenomenon of "Jew Vs Jew"

"Take for example our old friends at Jewish Voice for Peace who were omnipresent at virtually all of the big BDS votes that took place earlier this year.

If you read their writing, you’ll see that these guys are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. And given that they have spearheaded many of the most embarrassing disasters for the BDS “movement,” their ability as political operators is, at best, questionable.

But the strengths they bring to their cause derive from the very fantasy-based selfishness, bordering on sociopathy, we’ve been talking which understands that they – and only they – possess the virtues needed to be an enlightened Jew (if not a human being).

How else could they continue to bring their squalid little divestment resolutions before institutions like the Presbyterian Church when anyone with eyes can see that this issue is causing needless division within an organization facing extraordinarily difficult challenges? But what does the JVP/BDSer care about such details since, to them, the Presbyterians don’t exist (or, more accurately, they exist only to pass divestment resolutions that the boycotters can brag about to their friends).

This pathological self-involvement explains the shrill, indignant, outrage that accompanies any challenge to JVP’s claims to represent anything other than virtue, courage and all things good. And while this detachment from reality makes them vulnerable when making political decisions that require some sort of connection to the world outside their own heads, it also provides them the power to persevere, to endlessly push and push and push regardless of the number of times they lose, never mind the weakness of their arguments and the immorality of their cause"

At the Sonoma Human Rights Commission BDS hearing earlier this month, a distinguished gentleman addressed the panel, identifying himself as a survivor of the Warsaw ghetto. "I am disappointed but not surprised to see Jews acting against the interests of their people here", he began. "We also had them in the Warsaw ghetto. They were usually the last to be killed."

Even the "As a Jew" cru fell silent.

Daily Kos Jews Capitulate on Jerusalem

Mike L.

{Cross-Posted at Israel Thrives and Geoffff's Joint, Bar and Grill.}

When thinking about the grassroots / netroots of the Democratic party and the progressive-left I tend to look at their online venues such as Daily Kos and the Huffington Post. Both of these online political blogs also contain any number of Jewish progressives who advocate for Israel in what is an exceedingly harsh environment. Progressives do not, as a rule, much like Israel and a certain percentage of them are more than willing to compare the Jews of the Middle East to Nazis or to suggest that, like apartheid South Africa, Israel must be eliminated as it is currently configured, which is to say, as a Jewish state.

I cannot help but notice, however, that in the recent kerfuffle over whether or not Jerusalem is the capital of Israel that on Daily Kos not a single "progressive Zionist" has written a diary laying out the case for why Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish state and the Jewish nation, which must remain undivided.

Not one.

Who are these people who claim to be "Zionists," yet who are ready to fork over the Old City to the Palestinians? How can one possibly claim to be "pro-Israel" and yet refuse to acknowledge 3,500 years of Jewish history in the city of Jerusalem? And if they do acknowledge 3,500 years of Jewish history in the city of Jerusalem then why will they not defend their own heritage?

There is something very flaccid about the current state of progressive-left Zionism.

They just seem so cowed by their non-Jewish friends, many of whom wouldn't lose a moment's sleep if Israel disappeared tomorrow. I have often wondered aloud as to why "progressive Zionists" are afraid to really, honestly discuss political Islam and have concluded that they have been so socially intimidated that they cannot even bring themselves to think on the subject, much less discuss it in public. What I did not quite realize until now is that this extends even to the question of Jewish sovereignty in the Jewish capital of Jerusalem.

They absolutely refuse to stand up for Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the Jewish state of Israel and this makes them something less than worthless... in my humble opinion, of course.

There was a time when I thought that giving up the Arab sections of the city of Jerusalem made sense in whatever final status agreement might be hashed out between the parties. But that was when I still thought that maybe, just maybe, the Palestinians would agree to end hostilities. They have not done so. They want to fight on, yet progressive-left Jews cannot bring themselves to face the truth of the matter.

I just find it sad and vaguely pathetic... and if that sounds harsh to you, I am sorry, but it is long past time to recognize that the Palestinians have no intention whatsoever of allowing the Jews of the Middle East to live in peace. This being the case, Israel must maintain full sovereignty over the whole of Jerusalem.

Progressive-left "Zionist" Jews should be ashamed of themselves.

Tenth Anniversary of the Bombing of Hebrew University

We remember

Benjamin Blutstein
Marla Bennett
Revital Barashi
David Gritz
David Diego Ladowski
Janis Ruth Coulter
Dina Carter
Levina Shapira
Daphna Spruch

Its 10 years since the barbaric bombing of the Hebrew University cafeteria that took the lives of 9 innocents, and injured nearly 100. Five Americans were murdered, including UC Berkeley's own Marla Bennett. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. (Yes, the same Hamas that was “democratically elected” and now governs Gaza). Yesterday, Hebrew University marked the 10th anniversary of fatal bombing.

The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, spoke of the five Americans who were killed “The connections between the American and Israeli people built by Marla, Ben, Janis, David, and Dina, this closeness could not and cannot be taken away. In fact, a decade has passed and the connections we feel for each other are only stronger.”

Hebrew University President Prof. Menahem Ben-Sasson said, "A decade has passed since the attack, and it is not only a time to mourn, but also a time to reflect upon the mission entrusted to us. We are entrusted with the development of knowledge that knows no shade of skin or religion. And so we say to the families, we shall endure. If depraved terrorists wish to disrupt the things upon which all human beings base their lives, they will not succeed."


To this day, I'd be willing to venture that more people in Berkeley know the name of Rachel Corrie, than of Marla Bennett. Lets change that. Lets keep the legacy of Marla Bennett alive with a donation to the Marla Bennett Jewish Learning Fellowship at UC Berkeley Hillel.

H/t Oy-bay

As summer unfolds, our thoughts turn to Marla Bennett’s life and untimely death. This July 31st will mark 10 years since Marla died, but we know you’ll agree that her memory lives on in each of us. Marla was a special person who deeply touched the lives of everyone she came in contact with. Knowing her helped shape who each of us is today. For that, and so much more, we are forever grateful.
Marla was a gifted student as well as a natural teacher. This special combination is what made her studies in Israel all the more compelling for her. We are comforted to know that Marla’s desire to learn and to teach continues to be a light in the world through the Marla Bennett Memorial fund established in her honor at Berkeley Hillel. Last year the fund raised more than $10,000 thanks to the incredible generosity of you and others like you. These funds enabled Teddy Ulansey, last year’s Fellow to spend a life-changing summer at Pardes in Israel. If you weren’t able to join us for Teddy’s Day of Learning at Hillel this past spring, we hope you’ll take the time to read her reflections of living in Israel and learning in Marla’s memory.
This summer Ben Brint, the 2012-2013 Marla Bennett Memorial Fund Award recipient, is learning at Pardes and continuing to honor Marla’s memory through study. We are already looking forward to the insights and perspectives he will gain and bring back to us from his time at Pardes at his Day of Learning scheduled for spring ‘13.
Our goal into the future remains the same: each year we hope to send at least one new Marla Bennett Memorial fellow to Israel to study in her memory. We are once again asking for your help to make this dream a reality. If each donor can make a 10% increase we will easily match and exceed the total raised last year, and secure the ability to send a fellow to Israel in the summer of 2013.
You can make a donation in the enclosed envelope, or online by visiting the Berkeley Hillel website at www.berkeleyhillel.org/donate/ and in the comment field write Marla Bennett Fellowship. Please give as generously as you can.
Thank you for your partnership in this meaningful endeavor.
Hila Abel
Alana (Hoffman) Rotter
Josh Miller
Lesley (Said) Matsa
Eileen Shelden

Epilogue:

Walid Anajas, one of the terrorists involved with orchestrating the attack on Hebrew University was one of 1,027 criminals freed by Israel in exchange for the release of Gilad Shalit. He was also involved in the 2002 bombings at Jerusalem's Café Moment which killed 11, and the Sheffield Club attack in Rishon Letzion that killed 16