The police have begun violently evacuating the Peace House.
The Prosecutors office just closed one of the files against Olmert ("for lack of evidence").
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
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Items by JoeSettler
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Expulsion
» The Muqata -
Will Injustice be served on Shabbat?
» The Muqata
(picture added by Jameel...from today's Yediot Achronot, page 3)
Olmert began his term with "Convergence". He would expel Jews left and right from Judea and Samaria and "converge" them all elsewhere, today he said he would dump us all in the Negev.
But Olmert's convergence isn't what is really going on these days.
The Labor party is all but dead and his real plan is to pull a Meimad. All Barak touches he destroys with his ego and incompetence. You can get away with that unseen in the army, but in politics you can also get away with it, but everyone sees it.
He probably plans to merge Labor into Kadima.
Why?
Because he wants to continue to be Defense Minister, a position he has proven to be worse at than Amir Peretz.
The merging of Labor into Kadima is the first convergence.
The second convergence is the merging of Kadima/Labor into the Likud.
Netanyahu seems to be saying that he wants a National Unity Government. That only means he brings Kadima into his government (he's already bringing back some of their members to his list).
So you vote Likud, and we're back again with the same losers we just tried to kick out.
But that isn't the point of this post.
The point is that certain elements in the army and police have been trying to find a way out of expelling the owners and residents of the Peace House. But Barak has made it clear that that won't be happening, and if he has his way, injustice will be served.
Barak can't win against Hamas, Iran, Fatah or Hizbollah, so he must have at least one victory before elections to prove he is qualified to be Defense Minister, and if the only enemy he can fight and perhaps win against are Jewish teenagers in a house - so be it. A medal is a medal, and in the army no one else actually knows what your missions actually were to get you all those decorations on your chest.
To him the lessons must be clear.
If they are going to have any chance at this expulsion and him remaining Defense Minister he must do it in a way where the rest of the country (particularly the settlers) won't be getting in the way.
He will probably choose to publicly desecrate the Shabbat (alongside desecrating Truth and Justice) and have the expulsion when supporters from all over the country won't be able to hear of and arrive to fight his evil act.
We really need a true electoral reform to get rid of all these players that need to be once and for all kicked out of politics.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Hilltop Youth
» The MuqataI want to write about the so-called “Hilltop Youth” (as they are called). The Peace House is full of them as they converge onto the site for the expected showdown.
The media likes to portray them rather monolithically, as wild kids, disrespecting all authority (including the Rabbis), as weeds and dangers to society (sort of like they should portray Left-wing anarchists, but never do). As kids living outside of any societal framework, just wandering the fields. One leftist MK recently proposed they all be gathered up and put into reeducation centers.
Since the Gush Katif expulsion I’ve had the opportunity to get occasional (but insightful) glimpses into their world and their philosophy of the disenfranchised (from and by the State).
It turns out there are two groups of Hilltop Youth and they are very, very different.
The differences lie in their actions, their thoughts, and their origins.
The majority are good kids, healthy kids, good Jews, and simply good people. These are the ones that were sitting last night in the Ulam and learning Torah. That was nearly all of them.
These kids have a framework.
It may not be your typical conventional framework in any sense of the word, but it is definitely a positive framework. They learn Torah. They have Rabbis they talk with and follow. They debate the issues. They philosophize. They will fight for what they believe in. They explore our country and build small new communities. They believe and follow the Torah.
In short they are kids who are using their time positively to learn, create, grow, protect and build.
The second set is the small but highly publicized minority.
These are clearly troubled kids in their very early teens (12 - 15). They are not in any framework whatsoever except for the one that they are designing among themselves. They have no respect for any authority except themselves. They don’t explore the countryside, they wander it.
More interesting, apparently not only did many of these kids not grow up in the settlements, but just as likely, not even in a religious environment. These kids are imports from the cities where they could perhaps have just as easily ended up as druggies in Kikar Hamedina as they could have now as the local media darlings.
The origins are also different.
The first group was disenfranchised by the State, so they have given up on the state in return. But they haven’t given up their Jewish values or education.
The second group are typical problem kids that have found an outlet and escape in the hills of Judea and Samaria. But most did not start in strong framework (society, family, educational, religious) and are not in one now.
The first group of Hilltop Youth (the majority) are going to grow up and take various leadership roles in Jewish society.
The second set (the small minority)?
Without some sort of intervention (and that doesn’t mean reeducation centers) I don’t see them turning out well at all.
But who should take responsibility for them?
Avri Ran is one person who has, on his organic farm. But perhaps what is needed are social workers from within the community they've chosen to align themselves with. They would need government support, but not government intervention to make that happen.
Your thoughts?
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Bulldozers in Hebron
» The Muqata -
Peace (House) in our time?
» The MuqataI just got back from the Peace House and I am trying to reach some conclusions.
I watched the “Hilltop Youth” today sitting in the main hall learning Gemorah, where just yesterday they were defending this stronghold and our right to be in Hebron - and Israel itself.
Some younger kids were acting up violently on the road outside, until the adults put an end to their shenanigans.
This evening was calm (though a friend of mine was arrested this morning in another event in Hebron – I happened to actually see that on a video on the internet).
I don’t think the police or the army were ready for yesterday at the Peace House. I suspect they figured that at worst it would be like Amona, where for the most part they got to break Jewish heads freely.
I suspect the police and army understand that if they continue in the direction Barak is forcing them to take, there will be a civil war long before Barak has a chance to lose any more seats than he has already.
I think it’s safe to assume that responsible leadership on both sides spoke today and decided to have the government forces back off before something irreversible happens. I am sure that a unilateral decision like that annoyed Barak, as something irreversible is exactly what he is hoping for.
Will the expulsion actually happen?
Based on yesterday I would say it is slightly less likely.
This won’t be a Gush Katif or Amona. The price for the Peace House is now far higher than the responsible members of the police and IDF are probably willing to pay. But then again, you have irresponsible politicians like Barak, who see this as a way to win Brownie Points from their dwindling number of constituents.
And then you also have members of the police that would be murderous sociopaths today if they hadn’t gotten a uniform which make certain actions socially acceptable. Clearly if one of those is in charge, we can still expect bad things.
A lot remains to be seen before I can draw some proper conclusions which I may try to do in another post another time.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Peace House in Hebron
» The MuqataThings are heating up at the Peace House in Hebron. Hundreds of Jews from all over are converging at the location, as the city is filling up with Yassam and Magav soldiers/policemen.
Extreme police violence is expected.
11:25 Police on loudspeakers are shouting orders.
12:02 Police shooting teargas, rocks being thrown, Arabs throwing rocks.
12:24 Police not doing anything right now. The local army base is packed with forces.
2:30AM Police reinforcements arrive.
3:00AM Police shoot rock grenades and tear gas.
It's a regular war zone.
Cameraman catches on film a policeman beating up a settler boy.
Generally assumed that the police did not go in to evacuate the house was due to the resistance they met outside.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Questions, questions, questions
» The Muqata-- advertisement --
A lot of post High-School kids come to Israel with a lot of questions about Judaism, their Jewish identity, and how they fit it all together with who they are (or want to be). They also don’t want to go to Israel to be forced into a particular cookie cutter mold.
But the biggest question is do they finish their year in Israel with answers to any (or enough) of their questions.
One program in Israel hopes to specifically address that.
SIACH (translation: discourse) is a program designed for intelligent, inquisitive, and independent minds looking for answers, but not via the more traditional routes.
To begin with the program is both co-ed and pluralistic. They specifically want kids from different religious backgrounds (be it Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, or Unaffiliated) to participate.
A significant part of their methodology is interactive discussion and discourse (hence: Siach) as opposed to rote or intensive textual learning (though source texts do play an important role).
There is no doubt to me that this is the sort of place that XGH would like (or not, depending on his skepticism level on that particular day).
They don’t shy away from the tough questions as can be seen from their website:“SIACH also features the study and discussion of Jewish perspectives on some of the most important and pressing issues of our time. Kosher sex, friendship, ethics of warfare, the status of women, “Who is a Jew?”, environmentalism, and issues in medical ethics such as abortion, euthanasia, artificial insemination, organ transplants and stem cell research will all be explored candidly and in-depth, and students will have the opportunity to reflect on how to relate these ideas to their personal lives.”
This program isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure. But there are definitely Muqata readers that (they or their kids) would find a unique program like this just what they have been looking for and couldn't find.
So check out SIACH for your Gap Year in Israel.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Dangerous Spam Alert [OT]
» The MuqataCompletely Off-Topic.
I just received a very reasonable looking email.
I get packages all the time, and I just received an email from one of the delivery companies that my package won't be arriving by the date it was supposed to, and for more information to open the attached letter.
I nearly opened this reasonable sounding email, until (1) I realized that the package I ordered came last week, (2) I didn't have it delivered through that shipping firm and (3) the email it was sent to is not the email I use for ordering items over the internet.
I don't know what virus they infected the file with, but I am sure it was nasty.
So a warning to everyone out there. Don't open any innocent looking emails from delivery companies like UPS, FedEx, or DHL.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Kosher Food
» The MuqataHere's something different that passed through my email box.
Remember when Supersol used to run their "American Food Week"?
That was great for those of us suffering from good food withdrawal. Now of course they don't have to do that anymore as Heinz Ketchup is pretty much ubiquitous anywhere in this country.
So now our problem is slightly different. You can easily and constantly find a range of American food products, but every store carrying American products is carrying the same exact stuff. There's hardly anyone bringing in anything new, different or exciting.
Despite all the amazing kosher food products available in the US, they are just bringing the safe stuff they are sure is sure to sell.
Don't get me wrong, I admit I am feeling a bit spoiled, but still... Boring.
Anyway, over at the KosherCookingCarnival.com they are going to be live blogging the Kosher Food Show in New Jersey.
Maybe some enterprising individuals will see this as an opportunity to bring over some different stuff.
I'm hungry.
(And don't forget to vote today).
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Barack and Rahm
» The MuqataBarack and Rahm (Lightning and Thunder).
Let's hope we can stay out of the storm.
(I am not the person who first noticed this or created this comment, but it is so appropriate).
(Actually it should be Ra'am, so let's pretend it is so this pun will work)
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Aliyah for Change
» The Muqata-- Advertisement --
It's been said on this blog that if Obama wins, that would be a big push for Aliyah.
I'm not sure how that works out considering the fact that 70% of Jews who voted, voted for Obama. I guess it's that 30% that might be considering their options.
And how timely is that!
Nefesh B'Nefesh has just announced a Winter Aliyah flight coming up in December. Its filling up with singles making Aliyah, but I am sure they can squeeze in some families too.
So if you were thinking about Aliyah, and now considering it more seriously, talk to NBN now to ensure you can get a seat on that plane.
So Plan for Change! Plan for Aliyah! Yes you can!
Tell them Jameel sent you. (Really).
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Yizkor.com
» The Muqata-- Advertisement --
There is a new Free service available called Yizkor.com
As the name implies, it is all about remembering your loved ones. You can post pictures, videos, tributes and stories about anyone who's passed away.
Visitors can leave their own comments and search for people they knew.
They have a "place a stone" feature, and even make a donation to the charity of the person/family's choice - directly from the website.
Essentially it's a way to permanently memorialize the ones you love.
Yizkor.com can even video record a memorial service (in the NY metro area) for free if you contact them, and it would then be placed on the site.
The Yizkor.com motto is "Comfort. Connection. Continuity".
We should meet at only simchas, but sometimes the real world intrudes and when that happens this free serve at Yizkor.com is there.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
The Maggid is Back
» The MuqataThe Maggid of Bergenfield is back with new Torah Tales and other stories.
Always interesting and entertaining. Check out his blog.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Pictures Kill
» The MuqataRabinFest has started and Settlers now are open targets.
Jameel is very concerned and upset by a new fashion trend that has popped up and reared its ugly face.
Not only is it in fashion to target Settlers, but they have now turned it into a fashion statement.
You know we are in danger when it reaches a point like that.
Jameel hid this picture out of concern that is wife may find it and take the threat to Jameel's life more seriously than Jameel is taking it, but it appears to be threat to all us settlers. (Note the IDF hat that is being worn).
Very, very upsetting.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
The Federman Farm - Interview
» The Muqata -
Is Sarah Palin Jewish?
» The Muqata -
The Center of Democracy in Israel
» The MuqataWhat an exciting evening it was.
I headed over to the OU Center to exercise my right to (absentee) vote and found myself surrounded by hundreds and eventually (probably) thousands of other Americans doing the same.
American expats were just streaming in and out of the building all night long.
Exit polls should be released on Thursday.
That was some shindig that VotefromIsrael put together.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Today - only in Tel Aviv
» The MuqataOK all you Americans in Tel Aviv (and reading this blog)...
Today only, VotefromIsrael.org is offering you one beer at half price with every absentee ballot you vote. (Limit 1 vote per US citizen.)
Tel Aviv
For you residents near Tel Aviv you can submit your absentee ballot and vote:
When: Sunday, October 26.
6:00 p.m. till midnight
Location: The Dancing Camel
HaTaasiya #12, Tel Aviv - Corner of HaMasger near the Central Bus Station
So go out and vote.
(And I hope you vote for the same person I plan to vote for.)
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Vote From Israel – the event!
» The MuqataHere's todays Voting event:
Jerusalem
For you residents near Jerusalem you can submit your absentee ballot and vote:
When: Tuesday, October 28.
5:00 p.m. till 10:00 p.m.
Location: The OU Center
22 Keren HaYesod, Jerusalem
If you have questions, just call VotefromIsrael.org at: 052.569.7236
You will be able to drop off your official ballot, or for those who have not received their official ballot in the mail there will be Federal Write-in Ballots available at the event.
Now go and vote.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Did Somali Pirates Save Israel from Iranian Nuclear Attack?
» The MuqataThe blogs are ablaze with talk of an Iranian (Radioactive) Dirty Bomb that was on its way to Israel to be blown up on Yom Kippur.
According to the stories, the hold of the ship was filled with radioactive sand.
Somali pirates intercepted the Iranian ship and opened the sealed hold. 16 Somali pirates have supposedly since died of extreme radiation poisoning.
The ship was meant to be detonated near Israel with the fine sand to be carried over Israel.
If this story is true, then all I can say is that God works in mysterious ways, and now we know why the Somali pirates have been running free and pirating these past few years.
We're all still a little skeptical about this story over here, even if it does have a ring of truth to it.
Why hasn't the mainstream media (besides Arutz-7) started picking up on this story yet?
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
1929 Continued
» The Muqata“1929 Continued”
(Credit for that line goes to Jameel who is still smarting from being recently plagiarized by someone with a lot more readers than him, so I just want to make sure he gets credit where credit is due for the title of this post).
A question I have been asked, and have been asking others in return following the Arab Yom Kippur riots (pogrom?) in Akko, is quite simple, “Is this simply a race war, or is it the beginning of the upcoming Israeli-Arab intifada?“
I don’t have an answer and only time will tell us which one it will turn out to be, but Jameel made an interesting comment, and merely described it as “1929 continued” ©.
We didn’t have time to get into this discussion in depth, but as I think I understood him, there is no difference between the various Arab intifadas, the riots in Akko, (the attack on Yitzhar,) and the Hebron massacre in 1929 - all are extensions of the same event and from the same source.
What do you think?
By the way, since Yom Kippur the Arabs have the volume on the muezzins turned on super high.
UPDATE: As not all readers are familiar with the time line or sequence of events, the Jerusalem Post has an editorial which details the events of the past few days.
Some points that were clarified are as follows:
1. Up to 2000 Arabs streamed into the Jewish section of the town during Yom Kippur (not 500 as originally thought). That's nearly 15% of the local Arab population that was rioting.
2. Another Arab (apparently not in the car) is the one who called up the local sheikh, who then broadcasted over the mosque's loudspeaker that the Jews were attacking, calling out the Arabs to attack the Jews.
3. The police claim that the Arab driver was drunk.
4. The Arab riots only ended on Thursday morning.
5. The Jews only began to riot back on Thursday evening after the fast.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Last Chance for Forgiveness
» The Muqata-- Advertisement –
Yom Kippur is tonight.
Last chance to say you're sorry with NJOP's Project Forgiveness
Have an easy, meaningful fast.
G'mar Chatimah Tova.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Man of the Year
» The MuqataWith the year winding down, and Rosh Hashana imminently approaching, we've decided to spend one of the remaining posts of the year to announce our choices for the "Man of the Year" award. As opposed to limiting it to one winner, we've chosen to announce our choices for these awards in a few different categories.
Men of the Year
There was no question as to who should be awarded the man of the year. Though with these candidates, we couldn't choose just one. Each candidate selflessly risked his life to save other Jews, ignoring the possible repercussions of being thrown in jail or killed for their actions.
These 5 are the heroes who lived up to the adage in Pirkei Avot "where there is no (police)men, strive to be a man.". They are Yitzhak Dadon, David Shapira, Yakki Asa-El, Moshe Plesser, and Elad Amar.
[Double Tapper raised a valid point. What about Rabbi Erez Bar-On, who killed the terrorist near Shiloh in April 08? And if we are including him, what about the school counselors who killed the 2 terrorists that tried to infiltrate the Makor Haim (Steinzaltz) High School in January 08?
I think we need to include them all.]
Legal Affairs:
One would hope that is a modern democratic state one can't be arrested and detained indefinitely for one's political views, but we unfortunately know that not to be the case.
This year a group of young girls (all minors in fact) had the temerity and will to stand up against a politicized judicial, legal, and prison system. They successfully fought back by simply not disclosing their names (even though, those in charge knew them already), and in return suffered weeks (and months) of physical abuse at the hands of the police and prison authorities, along with legal abuse and attempts of "reeducation" at the hand the judges. They withstood it all, and prevailed.
Human Rights:
There's a sector of society that is constantly under attack, whose basic civil and human rights are constantly ignored and dismissed, a sector that while suffering terrorist attacks is vilified.
There is a person who has consistently fought for their rights, and created an organization called "The Organization for Human Rights in Yesha" specifically for that purpose. While it was a close race with Nitzana Darsha-Leitner, In the human rights category this award goes to none other than Orit Struck.
Culture:
There's no question that the most revolutionary cultural event this year which has taken this country by storm is the show Srugim. Probably no other show has so many sectors of society watching and discussing it, and perhaps even influencing them, not to mention the number of comments each post gets on this blog. This award obviously goes to "Laizy" Shapiro for Srugim.
Criminal of the Year
With so many politicians and public figures to choose from, it was a tough choice. Between the Minister of Finance, the Vice-Prime Minister and former Minister of Justice, the Commissioner of the Police, the Director of the Prime Minister's Office, the Prime Minister, the Abutbul crime family, Boaz Yona, this list could go on for pages.In the end we've decided to award this one to "Peace Now", because unlike everyone else mentioned above, they've gotten away with it.
Peace Now has managed to implement a tax fraud scheme on an international level - and get away with it, Peace Now has managed to create standing in the courts, when it doesn't even exist as a legal entity - and get away with it, Peace Now is openly funded by foreign (and not necessarily friendly) governments looking to influence and manipulate Israeli society and policy - and get away with it, and Peace Now has managed to infiltrate into the highest levels of the government - and get with it. Clearly the winner.
Pollster of the Year
While all the media pollsters where giving completely wrong numbers regarding the Kadima primary, only one lone voice gave an accurate number. Despite being off by a mere few hundred votes (which can be explained by ballot stuffing and fraud) this award goes to Shaul Mofaz.
Event of the Year
None other than the First International Jewish Bloggers Convention, Hosted by Nefesh B'Nefesh and Powered by WebAds. No further explanation needed, it was simply awesome.
Blogger of the Year
This is a tough one. I'm biased, but as it's not nice to vote for myself, I'm awarding it to the Muqata.
Jameel adds: Joe, even if you nominate me as blogger of the year, its still not nice to bump down my posts...
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Register to Vote - NOW!!!
» The Muqata-- Public Service Message --
Forget about voting in Israel, Elections for President of the US are coming up quickly.
If you are an American living
in Israel and want to exercise your right to vote, you MUST register in advance.
If you don't register, you can't vote. Period.
And registration ends Monday, October 6, 2008. That's in a week!!!!!
Here is how to register:
(1) Go to the Vote from Israel site.
(2) Enter your name and other info to get the registration form.
(3) The form is a PDF.
(4) Fill it out.
(5) PRINT IT OUT. You can not email it. PRINT IT OUT.
(6) Sign it.
(7) Drop it off by October 6 at one of the convenient drop-off points listed on the site.
(8) Wait by the mailbox, and get your voter info.
(9) Vote!
Americans in Israel - Register to Vote before it is too late.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Call it coincidence, or is that just Jewish Geography?
» The MuqataYes, after yesterday's terror attack at Kikar Tzahal, everyone was asking, "who is connected to who?"
Well, of course the terrorist came from the same neighborhood as the previous Jerusalem terrorists: Jabel Mukhaber.
And the IDF officer that killed him?
Hold on to your chairs.
Lt. Elad Amar who killed the terrorist is a graduate of the Pirchei Aaron Yeshiva High School in Haifa, and his former commander in the Paratrooper unit where he served before moving over to artillery was none other than... David Shapira - the hero of Mercaz Harav.
Source
Lurker adds:
For those not familiar with the details behind the last four major terror attacks in Jerusalem, the incredible nature of the coincidence that Joe is describing might not be entirely obvious. In each one of these four incidents, the bloodshed was ended by the brave action of a quick-thinking person who happened to be present at the scene of the attack. And in each case, the hero was a dati leumi (religious Zionist) person. That itself is a statistical improbabilty. But the full proportions the improbabilities here only start to become clear once one realizes the direct, single degree-of-separation connections beween each of these four people. Here is a brief connect-the-dots guide:- David Shapira was a passer-by who, along with Yitzhak Dadon, shot the terrorist in the Merkaz HaRav massacre in Jerusalem on the night of March 6.
- Moshe Plesser, the passer-by who shot the first bulldozer terrorist in Jerusalem on July 2, is David Shapira's brother-in-law.
- Yakki Asa-el, the passer-by who shot the second bulldozer terrorist in Jerusalem on July 22, was Moshe Plesser's yeshiva high school teacher.
- And today, we find out that Elad Amar, who shot the terrorist in the attack last night, served in the Paratrooper unit commanded by David Shapira.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד - David Shapira was a passer-by who, along with Yitzhak Dadon, shot the terrorist in the Merkaz HaRav massacre in Jerusalem on the night of March 6.
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Terrorist Attack in Jerusalem
» The MuqataWill update this as information becomes available.
Terrorist attack in Kikar Tzahal in Jerusalem.15-2017 Wounded. Two seriously.
Arab terrorist drives through crowd of people.ManyMost of the injured are soldiers that were touring the Old City before Slichot.
Terroristkilled byfirst shot by armed civilian on Shivtei Yisrael Street, and then killed bysoldiersan IDF Officer from the unit,and (perhaps) police.
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IDF Soldier may lose his eye after a Palestinian terrorist threw acid at him today.
The terrorist passed through the Shchem (Nablus) checkpoint humanitarian lane (which is meant for those in need of immediate medical attention, and bypasses the normal line) bypassing the normal security check. Upon reaching the soldier, she threw the acid at him and fled back to where she came from.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Failing Grade
» The MuqataCross Posted on JoeSettler
On June 1, a Philosophy bogrut (matriculation exam) was given in the Beit Hannah-Chabad girls' school in Jerusalem, as it has been for decades.
A Ministry of Education proctor showed up to proctor the exam, as always.
But this time the proctor showed up very inappropriately dressed for a Chareidi school (apparently in pants and a tank-top).
The principal, Rabbi Asher Solomon welcomed the proctor into the school, but told her she can’t go into the girls classrooms dressed like that as they are a Chareidi school, and they are teaching their girls that a certain mode of dress is permitted and a certain mode isn’t.
Rabbi Solomon told the proctor that if she fixes her clothing she can go in, the proctor said there is nothing wrong with her clothing, and left.
In the decades that the bogruts have been given in this school, there have been almost no tests disqualified for cheating.
But the ministry (under Yuli Tamir guidance) in retaliation has disqualified all 243 exams that were given.
The only failing grades in this story go to the Ministry of Education and the Proctor.
By the way, this reminds me of the story a few years back of the girl who came for her driving test very minimally dressed. The Tester (not religious) refused to test her saying that her lack of clothing was very inappropriate (and as far as he was concerned, she came dressed that way to help her pass the test), and he wouldn’t test her until she put a shirt on. I believe it may have even gone to court. Either way, the girl had to take the test again, this time with clothing on.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
The Line of the Week
» The MuqataFormer Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was just interviewed on Channel 2 Israel TV News.
He was questioned about the US financial crisis and what would he do if he were Prime Minister or Finance Minister.
Bibi's response:
1. Ensure that the Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer quickly examines what the state of Israel's banks are, and their exposure to the US financial crisis, in order to reassure and instill confidence in Israel's banking industry. This is being done already, as Fischer is meeting with all the heads of the banks tomorrow morning.
2. Lower taxes for both citizens and corporations.
3. Improve and invest in Israel's infrastructures and free up land for infrastructure investments, to encourage foreign investment in Israel.
The interviewer then asked about politics, and here comes the line.
Bibi was asked, "Tomorrow is Kadima's primaries, assuming you get a call to join an emergency unity government the day afterwords, what do you say?
Bibi replies, "There is no way I would join."
The interviewer queried, "Why not? This is for an issue of national importance. Why not?"
Bibi responded with this amazing line, "Asking me to join a government led by Kadima, is like asking me to join the board of directors of Lehman Brothers. Just like Lehman Brothers went bankrupt so has Kadima, which hasn't succeeded in anything, in any field."
As transcribed by Jameel in the field (on his way home from work).
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Can you shoot better than this girl?
» The Muqata-- Advertisement --
Thanks to the Caliber 3 Shooting Range this girl is a crack shot.
And so are the guys!
Even him! (Just Kidding)
What about you?
If you're visiting Israel (or live here) then learn to shoot at the Caliber 3 Shooting Range with top Israeli anti-Terror experts.
The basic package includes explanations of the security situations Israelis face, examples of different anti-Terrorist techniques, and of course the fun part - Shooting pistols and M-16s.
The program is open to individuals, groups, and families. As you can see from the photos on their site everyone is having a great time.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Obama Waffles - Not Carried by the Muqata
» The Muqata
The Muqata Management would like it to be known that we do not carry Obama Waffles.
While it is true that Obama waffles (quite a lot in fact) and has in the past tried to pander to the Muqata audience, we found parts of the packaging to be inappropriate and the actual contents of unknown origin and quality, which most definitely shift during transport (all the time in fact).
So while it is a brisk seller at US-based Republican conventions, Obama Waffles will not be available in any Muqata outlets.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Did the JPost capitulate to legal threats?
» The Muqata -
Spoiler Alert
» The MuqataI don't know about the rest of you, but forget advertising, I don't like seeing S'rugim spoilers open in front of me when I visit.
The solution is quite simple and you can learn all about it in the text between the brackets.
[
Dear Fellow Posters, Change the text of your spoiler to white, and on most browsers it will disappear, and can only be seen if you block it off like you are probably doing right now.
Thank you.
]
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
America's Largest Independent Jewish Weekly
» The Muqata-- Advertisement --
OK, here's an advertisement guaranteed to start a comment war (and not because I put up 2 advertisements in a row).
Forget influential for a minute, it's amazing how the Jewish Press is sometimes considered the most controversial Jewish Paper around - especially with some of the other really controversial Jewish papers out there.
My theory is that it has nothing to do with its strongly held opinions and positions, but rather that it has such a wide readership in the Orthodox community that many people consider themselves obligated to read it, even if they disagree with parts of it, so they'll know what the rest of the Orthodox community is talking about over by the water cooler (you know who you are).
(I liked the Golem comics myself.)
So it's considered controversial because so many people that disagree with it are reading it (unlike really controversial p
apers that have limited audience appeal) - because it is a must read.
Anyway, here's the deal. For a short time only, you can subscribe to the Jewish Press and get your choice of a free Rav Soloveitchik Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur Machzor. (Certain restrictions apply).
You save money, and get a free machzor - but subscribe now, before it's too late.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Tachlis 2.0
» The Muqata-- Advertisement --
Following in the footsteps of the NBN convention is none other than Tachlis 2.0.
Apparently Jewish bloggers were left hungry for a little more Tachlis, so here it is.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 in the Old City of Jerusalem (clearly the center of the Jewish blogging world).
From the website: "Tachlis 2 Point Oh! has no agenda other than the effective dissemination of practical information based on real life examples and years of experience."
Register now for Tachlis 2.0.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
I'm Sorry
» The Muqata-- Advertisement –
I am going to file this under totally unusual.
This advertiser doesn’t want money from you.
This advertiser doesn’t want you to buy anything.
And for that matter they don’t want to sell you anything.
All this advertiser wants from you, is for you to say you’re sorry.
Huh!
What did I do? You, I know, but me?
NJOP – the National Jewish Outreach Program, is running a program ahead of Yom Kippur. They want to collect the largest number of apologies in the world and post them on their blog. The apologies can be simple emails, videos, pictures, or postcards.
You make your apologies, they’ll post it.
And I went through their blog already, and there are some interesting, funny, weird, sad, serious and sorry apologies up there.
NJOP is calling it Project Forgiveness.
So please forgive this advertising intrusion, and go to the
ProjectForgiveness site and contribute – not money – but an apology.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Video Highlight of the Evening
» The Muqata -
NBN Sponsor Spotlight: IsraelMall.co.il
» The MuqataNBN Sponsor Spotlight: IsraelMall.co.il
“Where are you registered?” was the third most common question I was asked by people in America after I got engaged (“Who actually agreed?” was the first, and the second really isn’t important in his forum).
And so the search began. We looked high and low on the internet, and there was absolutely no online wedding registries where family friends from America could send us the gifts we wanted in Israel (and certainly nothing in English and geared to Olim).
Low and behold, just a few years too late comes IsraelMall.co.il with a brilliant idea I should have thought of first.
They’ve set up the first and only online shopping mall in Israel geared towards English speakers and Olim.
They’ve got linen, pots, dishes, appliances, gifts, furniture, baby stuff, Judaica, and everything else for the house. And for the most part their prices are quite competitive with the other online Israeli stores.
First of all, if you’re about to make Aliyah this is great because you can find out what’s available in Israel and how much it costs and then don’t have to bring it over on a lift. You can order it online and it will be sent to your new home.
If you’re looking for wedding, bar/bat mitzvah, brit, birthday present for your friends or family in Israel, IsraelMall.co.il is a convenient and easy way to shop for them.
I’m actually surprised its taken anyone so long to come up with something so obviously needed.
And of course, it makes sense that IsraelMall.co.il is a sponsor of the Nefesh B’Nefesh International Blogger Convention. Afterall, his fellow Olim are the audience.
So check out IsraelMall.co.il and support your fellow Olim, not because he is a fellow Oleh, but because he’s got a good online shopping mall, with a wide selection with competitive prices on most products.
Like their logo says, "Shopping in Israel has never been easier."
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
REMINDER: Saturday night - Walk around the Walls of the Old City
» The Muqata-- Advertisement --
Tisha b'Av (9th of Av) is this Saturday night. Just remember to join the traditional Walk around the Walls of the Old City.
Every year on Tisha B'Av, thousands of Jews gather and walk around the walls of the Old City, in a fitting tribute to its destruction, and hope for its complete rebuilding.
This year the evening starts (like always) with the reading of Eichah on Motzei Shabbat (August 9, 2008) at Kikar Safra at 9:30 pm followed by the walk.
Here is a video from Tisha B'Av last year:
The Walk around the Walls of the Old City of Jerusalem is a very emotional and inspiring experience. It is relevant way to appreciate this day.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Walk around the Walls of the Old City
» The Muqata-- Advertisement --
In just a week's time it will be Tisha b'Av (9th of Av). There will be posts about that this week, but in the meantime, mark down on your calendars to join the traditional Walk around the Walls of the Old City.
Every year on Tisha B'Av, thousands of Jews gather and walk around the walls of the Old City, in a fitting tribute to its destruction, and hope for its complete rebuilding.
This year the evening starts (like always) with the reading of Eichah on Motzei Shabbat (August 9, 2008) at Kikar Safra at 9:30 pm followed by the walk.
Here is a video from Tisha B'Av last year:
The Walk around the Walls of the Old City of Jerusalem is a very emotional and inspiring experience. It is relevant way to appreciate this day.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Nobama
» The MuqataI have thus far refrained from really discussing the US Presidential election beyond a comment here or there.
I didn’t care when he backtracked on his AIPAC remarks, I expected that, but Obama came to my country and said made some rather offensive remarks, so now the gloves are coming off.
In his interview he was asked...
To read the complete post, please go to JoeSettler.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
What about JoeSettler!!!!
» The MuqataJameel is getting a round-trip ticket to the US (and back to Israel) courtesy of Nefesh B'Nefesh and WebAds so he can blog about the experience of the New Oleh family he will be hooked up with on the flight and then he goes to the First International Jewish Bloggers Convention - Hosted by Nefesh B'Nefesh and Powered by WebAds.
WHAT ABOUT JOESETTLER???!!!!
I hope they stick Jameel in cattle class, and the seats are too small, and the guy in front of him leans his seat all the way back, and the baby he is sitting next to doesn't stop crying, and security delays letting him on the plane because his name is Jameel and he lives in the Muqata and so he gets no overhead space, and that he regrets not telling me about this before hand so I could have tried to get on the flight too.
I registered to go to the convention, and smiley face or not, Jameel is going to get a piece of my mind.
Some people have all the luck. -
International Jewish Blogger Convention
» The MuqataThat's right, there's going to be a Jewish International Bloggers Convention hosted by Nefesh B'Nefesh and we're going to be there.
So all you bloggers, register here.
This is so exciting! -
At a loss for words
» The MuqataI can't properly express what needs to be said about what happened today.
Treppenwitz said it properly. Please read what he wrote.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
Obama to divide Jerusalem
» The MuqataSee the original post at JoeSettler
While the focus of the JPost article is on how Obama backtracked on his "united Jerusalem" statement, and subsequently showed that he doesn't really understand what the residents of the region want, the JP missed the real point.
Obama is coming to Jerusalem next week in part of a whirlwind tour to create traffic jams in the city.
That's right. Another person who thinks that the path to getting Jewish support is by clogging up the Jewish capital.
Let me tell you something.
When Obama visits, the city will be divided. You won't be able to get from one half of the street to the other.
How annoying.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד -
On Speculation
» The MuqataCross-posted on JoeSettlerStanley Fisher has finally raised the question of what is hiding behind the strange momentum of the Shekel.
It is my opinion, that overall, it is not good for the Israeli economy that the shekel is so strong in relation to the dollar. But more importantly, to this layman, it doesn’t make sense that the shekel is so strong compared to the dollar. That the dollar started to finally weaken when there was thought that Olmert might resign, and then slid back up, when we realized that he wouldn’t, may be entirely coincidental – or not.
Fisher discussed the rising inflation and rising shekel and recommended no government moves to correct it such as ceilings or controls, as they would just cause more damage. He is probably right, but read the next sentence…
Fisher said something I found to be extremely scary.
"The recent sharp appreciation of the shekel was unexpected, and although we have not found any evidence for claims of speculative activity in the exchan
