May 11, 2010
Jerusalem, Eternal and United
If I Forget Thee O' Jerusalem
Photo © Robert J. Avrech
Today is Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, the celebration of the reunification of Jerusalem during the Six Day War, after Israel crushed the combined armies of Egypt, Syria and Jordan.
A bit of Jerusalem history from CAMERA
On November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly recommended Palestine be partitioned into two states–Arab and Jewish. The plan called for Jerusalem to become a corpus separatum, an international city administered by the UN, for an interval of 10 years, after which the city’s status was to be redetermined in a referendum. While Jewish leaders reluctantly accepted this, Arab leaders rejected the entire plan, including Jerusalem’s internationalization. Arab delegates to the UN declared the partition invalid. Deadly Arab attacks on Jewish residents of Palestine increased, and Arab forces blockaded the road to Jerusalem. When Israel declared Independence in May 1948, five neighboring Arab countries invaded the new state.
1948 Arab-Israeli War
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Transjordan’s Arab Legion attempted to capture the entire city of Jerusalem, shelling it and cutting off its Jewish residents from the coastal plain. Western portions of Jerusalem came under Israel’s control only after Israeli forces broke the Arab siege of the city. In the first four weeks of Arab attacks, 200 Jewish civilians were killed and over 1,000 were wounded in Jerusalem. But, defending themselves, Israeli forces managed to capture some suburbs and villages from the Arabs.
The Israeli defenders were not as successful in protecting the Jewish community of eastern Jerusalem. On May 28, 1948, the Jewish Quarter of the Old City fell to the Arab Legion. After 10 months of fighting, an armistice agreement was signed on April 3, 1949, dividing Jerusalem along the November 1948 ceasefire lines of Israeli and Transjordanian forces, with several areas of no-man’s land. The armistice line served as a temporary border between what had formerly been two mixed communities. Western Jerusalem became Israel’s capital city, while eastern Jerusalem, including the holy sites, was occupied by Transjordan, which in 1949 became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The city was essentially divided between two armed camps separated by barbed wire, concrete walls, minefields and bunkers.
Expulsion of the Jews from the Old City.
1948-1967: Jordanian Occupation of Eastern Jerusalem
Upon its capture by the Arab Legion, the Jewish Quarter of the Old City was destroyed and its residents expelled. Fifty-eight synagogues—some hundreds of years old—were destroyed, their contents looted and desecrated. Some Jewish religious sites were turned into chicken coops or animal stalls. The Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives, where Jews had been burying their dead for over 2500 years, was ransacked; graves were desecrated; thousands of tombstones were smashed and used as building material, paving stones or for latrines in Arab Legion army camps. The Intercontinental Hotel was built on top of the cemetery and graves were demolished to make way for a highway to the hotel. The Western Wall became a slum area.
Jordan’s Illegal Annexation
In 1950, Jordan annexed the territories it had captured in the 1948 war—eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank. The April 24th resolution declared “its support for complete unity between the two sides of the Jordan and their union into one State, which is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, at whose head reigns King Abdullah Ibn al Husain...”
While Great Britain and Pakistan were the only countries that recognized Jordan’s annexation — all other nations, including the Arab states, rejected it — Great Britain recognized only the annexation of the West Bank. It never recognized either Jordan or Israel’s sovereignty over any sector of Jerusalem, viewing both Jordan’s 1950 annexation and Israel’s annexation of west Jerusalem as illegal.
Religious Restrictions and Denial of Access to Holy Sites
In direct contravention of the 1949 armistice agreements, Jordan did not permit Jews access to their holy sites or to the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives.
Israeli Arabs, too, were denied access to the Al Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, but their Muslim sites in eastern Jerusalem were respected.
While Christians, unlike Jews, were allowed access to their holy sites, they too were subject to restrictions under Jordanian law. There were limits on the numbers of Christian pilgrims permitted into the Old City and Bethlehem during Christmas and Easter. Christian charities and religious institutions were prohibited from buying real estate in Jerusalem or owning property near holy sites. And Christian schools were subject to strict controls. They were required to teach in Arabic, close on Friday, the Muslim holy day, and teach all students the Koran. At the same time, they were not allowed to teach Christian religious material to non-Christians.
1967: Reunification of Jerusalem
During the 1967 war, Israel appealed to Jordan to stay out of the war, but despite this appeal, Jordanian forces fired artillery barrages from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Although Israeli forces did not respond initially, not wanting to open up a Jordanian front in the war, Jordan continued to attack and occupied UN headquarters in Jerusalem. Israeli forces fought back and within two days managed to repulse the Jordanian forces and retake eastern Jerusalem.
l-r: Generals Uzi Narkiss, Moshe Dayan, Yitzchak Rabin entering the Old City,
June 1967.
On June 7, 1967, IDF paratroopers advanced through the Old City toward the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, bringing Jerusalem’s holiest site under Jewish control for the first time in 2000 years. There are sound recordings of the scene, as the commander of the brigade, Lt. General Mordechai (Motta) Gur, approaches the Old City and announces to his company commanders, “We’re sitting right now on the ridge and we’re seeing the Old City. Shortly we’re going to go in to the Old City of Jerusalem, that all generations have dreamed about. We will be the first to enter the Old City...” and shortly afterwards, “The Temple Mount is in our hands! I repeat, the Temple Mount is in our hands!” General Rabbi Shlomo Goren, chief chaplain of the IDF, sounded the Shofar at the Western Wall to signify its liberation. To Israelis and Jews all over the world, this was a joyous and momentous occasion. Many considered it a gift from God.
Rabbi Shlomo Goren blows the shofar, the ram's horn, at the holy Western Wall.
This is the famous and moving live radio broadcast of the recapture of the Old City.
I have published this before, but every time I listen to it, I am moved to tears.
What you are now about to hear is perhaps one of the most riveting recordings in the modern-day history of Israel. I refer to the dramatic sounds of Israeli Defense Forces entering and liberating Jerusalem's Old City and the Western Wall on June 7th, 1967. You hear the sounds of gunfire. You hear the footsteps of Israeli soldiers, as they draw closer and closer and as General Uzi Narkiss instructs them and asks to be shown where the Western Wall stands. We hear a triumphant Brigadier General Shlomo Goren, later to become the Chief Rabbi of Israel, as he recites the memorial prayer and sound the shofar, as Israeli soldiers weep with sorrow over their comrades killed in combat.
Listen closely to this piece of history, which is housed in the archives of the Avi Yaffe Recording Studio in Jerusalem.
Here is the Translation:
Colonel Motta Gur [on loudspeaker]: All company commanders, we're sitting right now on the ridge and we're seeing the Old City. Shortly we're going to go in to the Old City of Jerusalem, that all generations have dreamed about. We will be the first to enter the Old City. Eitan's tanks will advance on the left and will enter the Lion's Gate. The final rendezvous will be on the open square above.
The open square of the Temple Mount.
Sound of applause by the soldiers.
IDF Radio Reporter Yossi Ronen: We are now walking on one of the main streets of Jerusalem towards the Old City. The head of the force is about to enter the Old City.
Gunfire.
Yossi Ronen: There is still shooting from all directions; we're advancing towards the entrance of the Old City.
Sound of gunfire and soldiers' footsteps.
Yelling of commands to soldiers.
More soldiers' footsteps.
Yossi Ronen:The soldiers are keeping a distance of approximately 5 meters between them. It's still dangerous to walk around here; there is still sniper shooting here and there.
Gunfire.
Yossi Ronen:We're all told to stop; we're advancing towards the mountainside; on our left is the Mount of Olives; we're now in the Old City opposite the Russian church. I'm right now lowering my head; we're running next to the mountainside. We can see the stone walls. They're still shooting at us. The Israeli tanks are at the entrance to the Old City, and ahead we go, through the Lion's Gate. I'm with the first unit to break through into the Old City. There is a Jordanian bus next to me, totally burnt; it is very hot here. We're about to enter the Old City itself. We're standing below the Lion's Gate, the Gate is about to come crashing down, probably because of the previous shelling. Soldiers are taking cover next to the palm trees; I'm also staying close to one of the trees. We're getting further and further into the City.
Gunfire.
Colonel Motta Gur announces on the army wireless: The Temple Mount is in our hands! I repeat, the Temple Mount is in our hands! All forces, stop firing! This is the David Operations Room. All forces, stop firing! I repeat, all forces, stop firing! Over.
Commander eight-nine here, is this Motta (Gur) talking? Over.
Inaudible response on the army wireless by Motta Gur.
General Uzi Narkiss: Motta, there isn't anybody like you. You're next to the Mosque of Omar.
Yossi Ronen: I'm driving fast through the Lion's Gate all the way inside the Old City.
Command on the army wireless: Search the area, make sure to enter every single house, but do not touch anything. Especially in holy places.
Lt.- Col. Uzi Eilam blows the Shofar. Soldiers are singing 'Jerusalem of Gold'.
General Uzi Narkiss: Tell me, where is the Western Wall? How do we get there?
Yossi Ronen: I'm walking right now down the steps towards the Western Wall. I'm not a religious man, I never have been, but this is the Western Wall and I'm touching the stones of the Western Wall.
Soldiers: [reciting the 'Shehechianu' blessing]: Baruch ata Hashem, elokeinu melech haolam, she-hechianu ve-kiemanu ve-hegianu la-zman ha-zeh. Translation: Blessed art Thou Lord God King of the Universe who has sustained us and kept us and has brought us to this day.
Rabbi Shlomo Goren: Baruch ata Hashem, menachem tsion u-voneh Yerushalayim. Translation: Blessed are thou, who comforts Zion and bulids Jerusalem
Soldiers: Amen!
Soldiers sing 'Hatikva' [The Israeli National Anthem] next to the Western Wall.
Rabbi Goren: We're now going to recite the prayer for the fallen soldiers of this war against all of the enemies of Israel:
Soldiers weeping.
Rabbi Goren sounds the shofar.
Rabbi Goren: El male rahamim, shohen ba-meromim. Hamtse menuha nahona al kanfei hashina, be-maalot kedoshim, giborim ve-tehorim, kezohar harakiya meirim u-mazhirim. Ve-nishmot halalei tsava hagana le-yisrael, she-naflu be-maaraha zot, neged oievei yisrael, ve-shnaflu al kedushat Hashem ha-am ve-ha'arets, ve-shichrur Beit Hamikdash, Har Habayit, Hakotel ha-ma'aravi veyerushalayim ir ha-elokim. Be-gan eden tehe menuhatam. Lahen ba'al ha-rahamim, yastirem beseter knafav le-olamim. Ve-yitsror be-tsror ha-hayim et nishmatam adoshem hu nahlatam, ve-yanuhu be-shalom al mishkavam [soldiers weeping loud]ve-ya'amdu le-goralam le-kets ha-yamim ve-nomar amen!
Translation: Merciful God in heaven, may the heroes and the pure, be under thy Divine wings, among the holy and the pure who shine bright as the sky, and the souls of soldiers of the Israeli army who fell in this war against the enemies of Israel, who fell for their loyalty to God and the land of Israel, who fell for the liberation of the Temple, the Temple Mount, the Western Wall and Jerusalem the city of the Lord. May their place of rest be in paradise. Merciful One, O keep their souls forever alive under Thy protective wings. The Lord being their heritage, may they rest in peace, for they shalt rest and stand up for their allotted portion at the end of the days, and let us say, Amen.
Soldiers are weeping. Rabbi Goren sounds the shofar. Sound of gunfire in the background.
Rabbi Goren: Le-shana HA-ZOT be-Yerushalayim ha-b'nuya, be-yerushalayim ha-atika!
Translation: This year in a rebuilt Jerusalem! In the Jerusalem of old!
The historic radio broadcast of the liberation of the Temple Mount and the Western Wall was researched, transcribed and translated by Yitschak Horneman / Quality Translations, Jerusalem.
Television producer Yossi Ronen recalls broadcasting the liberation of the Temple Mount and Western Wall. The third of three eye witness accounts provided to 'Bamahane - IDF Magazine' by men who took part in the key moments of the Six Day War, which helped change the course of Jewish, Middle East and world history
Live from the Western Wall by Yossi Ronen
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at 06:12 PM | Comments (3)
March 17, 2010
Sarah Palin Rips Obama on Israel
Notice Sarah Palin's lapel pin. I wear the same one on my suit.
On her Facebook page, Sarah Palin scolds Barack Hussein Obama and his radical anti-Israel administration for embracing third world tyrants and communists while attacking America's democratic and dependable ally, Israel.
It's all the rage among leftists—especially liberal Jews—to make fun of Sarah Palin.
These sophisticates espouse trendy post-Zionism, code for Jew-hatred, social justice, code for Socialism, and, naturally, tikkun olam, code for the dummies don't even know the true meaning of this very specific Kabbalistic term.
Instead, Jewish liberals—almost always secular, 85% of observant Jews vote Republican—choose to worship (G-d's so retro) the radical leftist Barack Hussein Obama who spent 20 years as a proud and faithful member of Jeremiah Wright's anti-American, Jew-hating, Marxist church.
I learned at a very young age that the greatest enemies of the Jewish people almost always spring from Jewish wombs.
In a few weeks we will celebrate Passover where we will chant this phrase from the Haggadah:
“In every generation they rise up to annihilate us.”
The 78% of American Jews who voted for this malignant enemy of Israel have helped elevate a modern day Pharaoh to a position of supreme power.
The Obama Administration reaches out to some of the world’s worst regimes in the name of their engagement policy. America and our allies watch as sanctions are eased on Cuba. Letters are written to Iran’s mullahs only to see that regime start killing protestors in the streets of Tehran. Envoys are sent to North Korea as they continue to defy the world’s demand to give up their nuclear weapons. The Burmese military junta’s representative is allowed to travel to our nation’s capital. The President’s envoy for Sudan talks about giving that genocidal regime “gold stars,” while the President shakes hands with Venezuela’s tyrannical leader. In the midst of all this embracing of enemies, where does the Obama Administration choose to escalate a minor incident into a major diplomatic confrontation? With Iran, Cuba, Sudan, North Korea or Burma? No. With our treasured ally, Israel.
Last October, Secretary of State Clinton recognized Israel’s desire for peace in the Middle East and praised Israel’s “unprecedented” concessions for agreeing to halt settlement construction in the West Bank, a concession that did NOT include halting construction of apartments for Jews in Jerusalem. Even last week after planned construction was announced, Vice President Biden still expressed “appreciation” for the “significant” steps taken by the Israeli government to address this minor issue. Now, however, we see the Obama Administration has decided to escalate, make unilateral demands of Israel, and threaten the very foundation of the US-Israel relationship. This is quickly leading to the worst crisis in US-Israel relations in decades, and yet this did not have to happen. More importantly, it needs to stop before it spirals out of control. Vice President Biden should rein in the overheated Obama Administration rhetoric and chill the political spin masters’ fire as they visit the Sunday media shows to criticize Israel.
Once again, the Obama Administration is missing the boat on a very, very important issue. They need to go back to the basics and acknowledge Palestinian leaders have not progressed any peace process since President Obama was elected. As Israel makes concessions (and is still criticized by the Obama Administration), Arab leaders are just sitting back waiting for the White House to further pressure Israel. The Obama Administration needs to open its eyes and recognize that it is only Iran and her terrorist allies that benefit from this manufactured Israeli controversy.
The ancient Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem, rebuilt, at last.
At this very moment, Arabs are rioting en masse in Israel.
You see, we just rebuilt the ancient and beloved Hurva Synagogue, founded in the 1700's, and destroyed by the Jordanian Arab Muslims in 1948.
In the Jew-hating Muslim world, a synagogue is, y'know, a provocation.
The Arabs have deliberately unleashed a tsunami of violence because of the rupture—engineered by Barack Hussein Obama—between America and Israel. The Arabs understand that no matter how Israel responds to Muslim Jew-hatred, the Obama administration will blame Israel.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at 08:26 AM | Comments (18)
December 24, 2009
Letters to G-d Delivered
People write letters to G-d.
Ever wonder where they are sent?
Most end up in Israel, in Jerusalem the capital of the Jewish State.
But once in Jerusalem, what does the Israeli Postal Authority do with the letters?
Let's find out.
So, next time you write a letter to G-d, don't worry, your prayers are being delivered.
H/T Israel Matzav
P.S. I'm often asked why I write His name with a - between the G and the d. The reason is simple: There is a Jewish taboo against writing or pronouncing His name in fully realized letters. This taboo is specific to the Hebrew language, but I got into the habit of also applying it to English. Anyway, someone recently told me that it looks like I'm blocking out an expletive—G-d forbid—and I wanted to clarify what's going on in my so-called mind.
To all our Christian and Catholic friends a very Merry Christmas. And do check out this link from my cyber-buddy Wolf Howling in which he tells us all about the original St. Nicholas. Lovely and inspirational.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at 08:17 AM | Comments (7)
August 18, 2009
Huckabee: “Jews Ought to be Able to Live Anywhere They Want to in Their Own Homeland.”
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is a Conservative Christian and an outspoken supporter of Israel. Recently, on his 11th trip to Israel—I know tons of U.S. Jews who have never been to Israel—speaks articulately about Obama's demand for a so-called settlement freeze—segregation on steroids.
Unfortunately, Netanyahu has already capitulated, which will, I guarantee, prove to the Arabs that Obama plans to deliver Israel on a silver platter, thus they don't have to make any concessions.
By the way, the bearded gentlemen with the black yarmulke who accompanies Huckabee and speaks to the camera in two cut-a-ways, is Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind. Dov's wife Shani—an incredible dynamo—is Karen's first cousin.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at 09:17 AM | Comments (6)
July 22, 2009
Rabbis To Obama: Hands Off Jerusalem
Praying at the Kotel, The Western Wall.
Photo: Copyright © Robert J. Avrech
Barack Hussein Obama is, by now, accustomed to a phalanx of obsequious court Jews, among them, David Axelrod, and Rahm Emanuel. And of course there are the compliant Jewish, ahem, leaders, hand picked by Axelrod and Emanuel, to meet the Dear Leader and listen to one of his interminable lectures about issues of which he is completely ignorant.
So, it will probably be something of a shock for the Dear Leader to run up against Orthodox Israeli Rabbis who have no qualms about telling Obama to take a hike.
On second thought, I'm pretty sure that Obama will shrug this off as further evidence of Jewish aggression.
Because ideologically, that's how The Supreme Leader rolls.
Heads of the Pikuach Nefesh rabbinical committee have begun collecting the signatures of rabbis in Israel on a letter to United States President Barack Obama. The letter demands that Obama cease talking about ending Jewish construction in Jerusalem and stop pressuring Israel in that direction.
In a reference to the upcoming “nine days” which culminate in Tisha B’Av, the rabbis tell Obama that “during these days, in which the Jewish people mourns the destruction of Jerusalem and marks the disgraceful memory of its destroyers, we are certain that you, Mr. Barack Obama, do not want to enter that disreputable list of those who raise their hand to strike Jerusalem and those who live in it.”
The rabbis note that during his visit to the Middle East, Obama showed “impressive erudition” in the Koran. “As one who is familiar with the Koran, you surely know that the city of Jerusalem is not even mentioned in it once,” they said.
...The rabbinical letter ends with a clear request: “If you, Mr. Obama. Wish to leave any chance at all for peace and quiet in the Middle East, take your hands off the Holy City of Jerusalem right now!”
Two hundred and fifty rabbis have signed the appeal, and efforts are being made to collect the signatures of almost every single rabbi in Israel before the letter is sent to Washington.
Full story, here.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at 09:07 AM | Comments (4)
June 24, 2009
Obama's Push for a Judenrein Jerusalem
If I Forget Thee O' Jerusalem, Let My Right Hand Wither.
Photo by Robert J. Avrech, all rights reserved.
Let's review:
Barack Hussein Obama's mentor for over 20-years was the Jew-hating Jeremiah Wright. Obama was a faithful member of Wright's, so-called church, where Jew-hater Louis Farrakhan was lionized. Obama was buddy-buddy with American terrorists/trust fund babies Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, members of the murderous Weather Underground, and authors of Prairie Fire, a Communist manifesto dedicated to, among others, Sirhan Sirhan, the man who assassinated Robert F. Kennedy because of RFK's support of Israel. Also BFF with Obama is Rashid Khalidi, a Jew-hating—duh—Palestinian radical.
To paraphrase Claude Rains in Casablanca: “I'm shocked, shocked to find that Barack Hussein Obama is seeking a confrontation with The Jewish State and getting all misty-eyed over the Jew-hating Arab states.”
Item: Obama just reinstated full diplomatic relations with Syria. This is one of the most repressive regimes on the planet, a state that, in partnership with North Korea, secretly tried to build a nuclear facility, a state that sponsors terrorist groups Hamas and Hizbullah, a regime that assassinates its opponents in Lebanon, a thugogracy that just officially recognized the legitimacy of the Iranian elections.
There is no question that Barack Hussein Obama is putting the big freeze on Israel.
As for so-called Arab East Jerusalem, well, it's not.
Jews have lived in East Jerusalem since time immemorial, but the Jewish population was expelled, ethnically cleansed by Muslims beginning with the Arab pogroms of 1920.
Here's a rule you can live by: When Arab Muslims claim a piece of real estate, the first order of business is to expel the Jews. Look at Gaza. Thus there are 22 Arab Muslim countries and they are—except for Morocco's remnant of 2,000 Jews—Judenrein.
Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem are included in the US demand that Israel halt "settlement" construction, including for natural growth, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told The Jerusalem Post during a press briefing on Monday.
"We're talking about all settlement activity, yes, in the area across the line," he said, referring to neighborhoods in Jerusalem over the Green Line, or pre-1967 armistice line, in response to a question on where America's calls to halt construction in the settlements would be applied.
Full story, here.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at 08:43 AM | Comments (4)
May 21, 2009
Jerusalem Liberation Day
A Hasid prays at the Western Wall
Photo: © Robert J. Avrech. All rights reserved.
Today is Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day.
I vividly remember when Jerusalem was cruelly divided by barbed wire.
After Israel's 1948 War of Independence, the Jordanians annexed Judea and Samaria—hey, what a shock, not a peep from the so-called Palestinians—and, naturally, ethnically cleansed every Jew from the Old City.
The Jordanians ripped up the Jewish cemeteries and used the headstones as paving stones and steps in the streets.
Ancient and holy synagogues were converted into horse stables.
The area by the Western Wall was turned, literally, into a municipal garbage dump.
Jordanian soldiers were posted on the walls of the Old City, and with metronomic regularity, an Arab soldier would randomly shoot down a Jewish man, woman or child in the new city. Invariably, the Jordanians claimed that the soldier was, er, mentally unbalanced. The punishment was usually a juicy promotion. As you can imagine, there were many mentally unstable soldiers in the Jordanian army.
When the 1967 Six Day War broke out, Israel strongly advised Jordan not to get involved. They informed the Jordanians, quite truthfully, that the Egyptian and Syrian armies were being crushed. But the Egyptians and Syrians lied to Jordan and told them that the Jews were suffering terrible defeats on the battlefields. Further, unless Jordan wanted to share in the spoils of war, they had better launch an offensive.
Nasser was hoping to relieve some pressure on his broken forces by opening a third front.
The Jordanians attacked, bombarding the New City of Jerusalem with artillery. Israel defended herself, fighting vicious hand to hand combat—in order to minimize civilian casualties—thus driving out the Jordanians and retaking the Old City.
Jerusalem is now united and only a fool—or a Jew-hater—would hand over even partial control to the Muslims.
It's funny, pre-1967, before Israel took control of the Old City, the only Arab head of state ever to visit Jerusalem was King Abdullah of Jordan in 1951. For his trouble, Abdullah was assassinated on the steps of the Al Aqsa Mosque by an Arab who accused the king of making peace with the Jewish state. Jerusalem was, until the Jews took control, of little or no interest to the Arab world.
It's only when a unified Jerusalem came under Jewish control that the Arab world suddenly developed such an abiding love for Jerusalem.
Here's are some short clips of the liberation of Jerusalem, 1967. Soldiers announce that they are in the Old City. Their CO signals back “Mazal Tov, Mazal Tov!” “The Temple Mount is in our hands.” “All honor to you.” Gen. Mordechai Gur's paratroopers raise the Israeli flag, and sing the Hatikvah, the national anthem. Jewish soldiers weep as they touch the Western Wall. Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren carries a Torah into the Old City. General Dayan and his staff arrive. The shofar is blown signaling victory in battle and the joy in, once again, having access to holy Jewish land.
Another Jewish exile is ended.
But the battle for Jerusalem is not over.
If I Forget Thee O' Jerusalem May My Right Hand Wither.
—Psalms 137:5
Meanwhile:
Four Muslims were arrested for attempting to carry out a terrorist attack against two synagogues in Riverdale, New York.
Here's my favorite quote from the homegrown terrorists:
"They stated that they wanted to commit Jihad," Kelly said. "They were disturbed about what happened in Afghanistan and Pakistan, that Muslims were being killed."
So let me get this straight, the Islamists are, ahem, disturbed about Afghanistan and Pakistan, so the solution is: Kill Jews in New York.
In-ter-esting.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at 08:25 AM | Comments (10)
November 13, 2008
Change, Well, Not Really
Israel's friendly Palestinian neighbors prepare for some change
along the Gaza border.
I'm on my way out the door to a script conference. Oh, please G-d, don't let the execs sit around bashing Governor Sarah Palin for the chit-chat portion of the meeting. They won. Can't they just be gracious?
Anyhoo.
My friend Soccer Dad has posted an invaluable analysis of President-elect Obama's probable playbook for diplomacy in the Middle East. I must tell you, we have seen this movie before, in the Carter administration, in the Clinton administration, and it always ends the same way, with lots and lots of dead Jews, and an emboldened IslamoNazi world.
I have a much better idea.
Do nothing.
Let the Palestinians earn the right to a state—though one could argue that happy-go-lucky Gaza is the Palestinian state—by acting responsibly and giving up terrorism. Believe me, if terrorism were taken off the table, that would be a game changer. Tragically, the Palestinians have built a toxic tribal culture that is reliant on violence, murder, intimidation and Jew-hatred.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at 09:22 AM | Comments (12)
August 28, 2008
Montage: Old City, Jerusalem, Part II
A few more photos from our Ateret Cohanim tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. And yup, more colorful doorways.
Psychedelic doorway and courtyard. My eyeballs felt like they were being stabbed by forks.
Observe the lovely rhythmic patterns of the jig-saw stonework. I think it's Ottoman.
Hijab Barbie placed above and beside traditional Western Barbie.
Black and white door. It's definitely got that Franz Kline thing going on.
Nothing like acid green and pink to bring on a flashback to the wretched 60's.
My favorite doorway. Security on Jewish homes and institutions in the Old City is super tight. The Cousins demand Judenrein neighborhoods—and nations.
This is the entrance to Har Habayit, the Temple Mount, Judaism's most holy site. But Jews are forbidden entrance. The armed guard is an Arab. His job is to make sure that Jews do not enter and violate Jew-hating Islamic sensibilities. We asked the guard how he was able to identify Jews. He smiled and said: “I am Muslim, I know a Jews.” Then he hugged and exchanged pleasantries with Daniel Luria (far right), our Ateret Cohanim guide.
Beautiful texture, and just love the keystone.
A Chassid davens, prays, at the Kotel, the Western Wall. Jew, Christian, Muslim or Martian have freedom of access.
Karen places a kvittel, prayer note, in the Little Kotel, the Little Western Wall.
And finally, I was interviewed by Judean Eve on Israel National radio, Arutz Sheva yesterday morning. I discussed being an Orthodox Jew in Hollywood, a Conservative Republican in Hollywood, the First Nefesh B'Nefesh International Jewish Bloggers Conference, my novel The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden, the current Israeli government as the new Judenrat, Shabbos in Efrat and yes, I got all mushy about How I Married Karen.
If you have any desire to listen to yours truly talk about, um, yours truly—endlessly and tediously in horrifying Brooklynese—just click here.
Last night, Karen listened to the broadcast and said: “Robert, that was an excellent therapy session for you.”
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at 07:16 AM | Comments (24)
August 27, 2008
Montage: Old City, Jerusalem, Part I
Karen and I were led on a tour the old City of Jerusalem by the amazing and articulate Daniel Luria of Ateret Cohanim. If you've never taken an Ateret Cohanim tour, well, you have missed one of the the most important experiences in all Israel.
Just the day before, Daniel Luria led Governor Mike Huckabee on the same tour.
Our cousins Shani and her husband Assemblyman Dov Hikind arranged and accompanied Mike Huckabee on his tour of Old Jerusalem and S'derot. Shani and Dov were kind enough to arrange for our tour.
A few random photos from the Old City.
The height of fashion.
I like doorways.
Memorial plaque for Elchanan Aharon, murdered at this spot by Arab terrorists.
This doorway looks like a Barnett Newman stripe painting.
Covering all the ideological bases.
Our guide was baffled by my focus on brightly colored doorways.
Notice that the color of the Nun's habits match the Jerusalem stone.
Chassid davening at the Kotel, the Western Wall.
An Israeli-Ethiopian Jew sits in the shade near The Kotel.
Karen davens at the Little Kotel, the Little Western Wall.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at 09:14 AM | Comments (13)
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