Sunday 30 June 2013

Get Ready for The Annual Walk Around The Old City!

This year the 19th Annual Tisha Be'Av walk around the Old City Walls will be held on Monday, 15 July 2013, beginning at 10:30pm.

The Route:
You'll pass by the New Gate, Damascus Gate, then Herod's Gate. At Lion's Gate there will be a break to hear the speakers. The walk will then continue on to end at the Dung Gate near the Kotel, and many choose to visit before going home. Of course, Nadia Matar and The Women in Green will be in the lead.

Starting Time:
11:30 pm Walkers will depart led by Nadia Matar

Speakers This Year Will Be:
MK Danny Danon Deputy Defense Minister
MK Rabbi Eli Ben Dahan Deputy Religious Affairs Minister
Arieh King United Jerusalem Party

Wear comfy shoes, bring a Megillat Eicha, an Israeli Flag and all your family and friends!

The police have authorized the event, and will be there in force to insure a safe, and pleasant time. If you have not been on the walk before it is a "Must".  


050 550 0834   ~OR~   050 716 1818


Friday 28 June 2013

A Jewish Perspective on The Davinci Code

A Critical Examination of  the Major Premises of the Book~And More...



* Thanks to Shearim for Sharing This 
* All Questions should be directed to RabbiSkobac@JewsForJudaism.ca

Tuesday 25 June 2013

Amir Benayoun Performance at the Cave of the Patriarchs

A few days ago I wrote about the emotional meeting between Amir Benayoun and 85-year-old Shlomo Slonim~Sole surviving son of Eliezer Dan and Hannah Slonim~slain with his brother in the Hevron Massacre of 1929.

Amir was in Hevron for a concert outside Ma’arat HaMachpela. There is nothing like a live concert in the open air~anywhere in Israel~but in front of the Cave of the Patriarchs it is truly an experience. One of the songs Amir Benayoun performed in Hevron on Sunday, was his hit “Standing at the Gate”~which of course was precisely outside the "Ma’arat HaMachpela"~the kever of our Patriarchs. The second video below shows more of the concert, and follows as Amir visits the Ma’arat HaMachpela.

As always the case with live concerts, the crowd knew the words by heart and participated enthusiastically. The song is a cry to the Messiah to come and save the Jewish people and the world (translation below the video)...Enjoy!

Amir Benayoun Concert at  the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hevron


Here is a Rough Translation (From Arutz7):
I heard that you are coming back all the way
I saw angels preparing the table for the son of the King
I saw a ladder, too, ascending and descending
I heard wind touching the leaves
I saw you, it was not a delirium
I heard that the sea declared a joyous day
I saw the stars and moon dancing
They, too, know how to roll back
I heard that the sun is in fact a shadow
I saw a tower shake and fall

(Chorus)
Come, we have been waiting for you for too many years
We have become mad, we have lost our visage
We are simply withering away, so come
Yes, come, there are no more vessels* for us to break
We do not know who is sober
and who is drunk, and falling into the well, as it happens
So come, yes come
I heard that you are really standing at the gate
and that every innocent lamb will be able to live in the forest, and I heard
that this heart, too, will not die anymore
Imagination will sign a peace treaty with reality
All the sounds will be one simple song
Come, we have been waiting for you...
(*A kabalistic allusion)                                                                                             


More of Amir Benayoun in Hevron
 

Monday 24 June 2013

Amelia-Mae Needs Your Help~NOW!

Lately the EDL (English Defence League) and a young man who goes by the moniker of Tommy Robinson have been in the news a lot. I have posted about him before and will most likely do so again, however, this is about someone else~the desperate situation of a tiny, two year old girl named Amelia-Mae Davies, who is fighting neuroblastoma a rare cancer that primarily attacks children.

Amelia-Mae Davies is suffering from this deadly cancer. There is no treatment for her in the UK and the only hope is for her parents to raise £250,000 in order to send her to the USA for a treatment that will give her an 80% chance~that's good odds~but I would take less if she was mine!

If you Google Amelia-Mae Davies you will see many sites that have taken up the cause with links to choose from to donate~and this is good~but her time is fast running out and she needs the treatment Now, not in weeks or months.

Tommy points out that in the UK there are over eighty million people registered for the NHS while the population of the country is only sixty million! Any wonder this child can't get help! How many millions have been spent to support terrorists like Abu Qatada, who would blow the UK up in a second. I'm sure you get my point.

There are many chances to give to this young child, do make the right choice today and choose to skip your next latte, or forgo that pizza and beer for one day. If you are not sure it is worth it, just watch the video below and listen to what Tommy says~plainly and simply~as a father...tissues may be required...

Well Done Tommy~I am more impressed each time I listen to you!

Nothing To Do With Anything~Except "Caring" For A Wee Child Who Is Suffering 

Amir Benayoun Meets With Survivor of Hevron Massacre...

I have  written about and posted songs by Amir Benayoun before (See Links At Bottom of Post). He is well known for his soulful music, telling stories about Israelis and their many struggles. A prolific songwriter as well as a singer, Benayoun was awarded the Akum Prize (New Discovery), but chose to decline the award and donate it instead.

In 2011 he become a hit in Syria of all places with his album Zini. The Syrian opposition leaders, requested that he record three songs in Arabic~he did so and dedicated them to activists in the Syrian uprising.

When the brutal slaughter of the Fogel Family shook the country, Benayoun recorded a song with the Itamar childrens choir in remembrance.

Once again, he has released a new song to touch the hearts of all Israelis called, "Mother Look" (English translation is below Video) about the return to Hevron. According to Arutz 7, the song was heard by 85-year-old Shlomo Slonim Sole surviving son of Eliezer Dan and Hannah Slonim who were slain along with his brother and in the massacre. Shlomo was a one-year-old baby at the time and the injuries he suffered that day affect his life to this day. Shlomo wanted to meet Benayoun. They met in Shlomo's home in Raanana, where he told his story. An emotional Benayoun said: 
  
“Shlomo’s story gives a chilling meaning to this song. The story gives this terrible event a face and names that will be in my mind when I perform the song” 


 Mother Look by Amir Benayoun~עמיר בניון אמא תראי
 

“Mother, Look” (Translation):
Mother, look, so much time has gone by, I’ve returned to you
Mother, listen, my voice is hoarse on the mountaintop, I’ve returned to you
In your alleyways lie pieces of my life, and my fathers’ lives
Your signs point to me

Chorus:
The fathers, the four mothers
In your veins runs the history of our lives
Your signs, our mother
Always point to us
Mother, look, so much time has gone by, I’ve returned to you
Mother, look, I was delayed, but I have returned to you
Mother, don’t cry, we are here, your sons and daughters
I remembered who I was right away when I returned to you



Links for Amir Benayoun:
http://frumlife.blogspot.co.il/2011/06/amir-benayounmusic-with-message.html
http://frumlife.blogspot.co.il/2013/03/never-forget-fogel-family.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amir_Benayoun

Sunday 23 June 2013

What is the Fast of 17 Tammuz?

This year the Fast of 17 Tammuz falls on Tuesday, 25 June 2013 at 04:07am and ends at 20:16pm. I have provided some of the basic information below for your information.

First, I must say that even though there are more Jews than ever living in Israel (close to six million) those who spurn Hashem and hate their fellow Jews are the ones who are heard by the world~perhaps because they make the most noise. Our own elected government wants to run buses, open movies and restaurants in Jerusalem on Shabbos and those who want to be "Jewish in Israel" are persecuted.

What happens in Tel Aviv and other cities is one thing~BUT~to desecrate the Holy Shabbat, allow women who want to be men, mock our Holy Services at the Kotel, while religious Jews are prevented from entering (for the first time since the city was united), arrest Jews who dare to move their lips on the Temple Mount, and allow a "gay" parade through the center of Jerusalem~Surely "The Holy One Blessed Be He" weeps with sadness in the heavens.

How can it be that our Holiest City is being shamed and abused in such a manner by Jews so soon after so many died to free our Land? Have we learned nothing?? No wonder our enemies mock us!!

For eight hundred and thirty years there was a point of contact between heaven and earth that was so important that nearly two-thirds of the mitzvot depend upon its existence.

The fast of the 17th of Tammuz begins the three weeks of mourning that end on the 9th of Av. During this time we mourn over the destruction of the Holy Temple which brought the physical and spiritual exile which we are now living in.But the fast of the 17th of Tammuz is originally in memory of five tragedies that occurred in our history.

1) Moses Broke the Tablets
When Moses went up to receive the tablets the people became restless because he was gone for so long and despaired that he may not return, so they built a "Golden Calf".  When Moses returned and saw the Jewish people worshiping the Golden Calf he smashed the tablets knowing it would be wrong to give the Holy Torah to the people when they were in such a sinful state. He needed to shock the people so that they would repent. This repentance after the sin of the Golden Calf raised them to an even higher level of spirituality than they could have possibly achieved before. It is also said that  the first tablets were only associated with the Five Books of Moses, while the second set introduced the Oral Law.

2) Daily Sacrifices Stopped in the Holy Temple
During Babylonian siege of Jerusalem the Kohanim of the First Temple, were forced to stop offering the daily sacrifice (Taanit 28b) due to the shortage of sheep.

3) The Burning of the Holy Torah Scroll
The Talmud, in Masechet Taanit 28b, says that in the time of the Roman persecution, a general named Apostamos burned a HolyTorah scroll. Some say that this was the authoritative scroll written by Ezra the Scribe. All other Torah scrolls written were checked against this scroll for accuracy and errors. Others say he burnt every Torah scroll he could find. Either way, the intent behind Apostamus' actions were to totally eradicate Torah from the nation of Israel. 

4) An Idol was Placed in the Holy Temple
King Menashe, one of the worst of the Jewish kings, had an idol placed in the Holy Sanctuary of the Temple. Later, at the time of the Roman persecution, Apostamos, captain of the occupation forces, did the same, and publicly burned the Torah~acts of blasphemy and desecration

5) Walls Breached
The walls of Jerusalem were finally breached by the Romans in 69 CE. The Jews put up a valiant struggle, but the Romans destroyed the second Holy Temple three weeks later n the 9th of Av.

The Jerusalem Talmud says this is also the date when the Babylonians breached the walls of Jerusalem on their way to destroying the first Temple.
The 17th of Tammuz has continued to be calamitous for the Jewish people.According to the website of the Orthodox Union the following are also related to this day:
~ In 1391, more than 4,000 Jews were killed in Toledo and Jaen, Spain
~ In 1559, the Jewish Quarter of Prague was burned and looted
~ In 1941, 4000 Jews of the ghetto in Bialystok were shot
~ In 1944, the Kovno ghetto was liquidated
~ In 1970, Libya ordered the confiscation of Jewish property

Some guidelines for the Fast (In All Cases Check With Your Rabbi):
* Healthy adults (above bar or bat mitzvah age) abstain from eating or drinking between
  dawn and nightfall
* Pregnant and nursing mothers do not have to fast
* Someone who is ill should consult with a rabbi
* Minors old enough to understand (exempt from fasting) should eat only simple foods
* Even those exempt from fasting, should refraining from eating meat, luxurious foods,
   sweets  and hard liquor
* Unlike the two Jewish fast days Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av, washing and wearing leather
   are permitted on this day.
* Special prayers (Vayechal and Anenu) are added to the morning and afternoon prayers. 
  Ashkenazim add the latter only in the afternoon service (Mincha).

Abstaining from food and drink is the external element of a fast day. 

According to the sages:
For every generation that the Temple is not rebuilt...it's as if the Temple was destroyed for that generation.  

A fast day is not only a sad day, but a day when we are empowered to fix the cause of that destruction, so that our long exile will be ended and we will find ourselves living in the days of Mashiach.
 
May those who observe this fast find true meaning in the day and may Hashem send Mashiach to save us from ourselves~soon~in our time...

Wednesday 19 June 2013

The Final Victory: The Story of Felix Zandman

The video below follows Felix Zandman's life, the incredible story of a small Jewish boy who survived the Holocaust hiding in a grave-sized pit. A small boy who pulled himself together to achieve a life of fame and success in business and scientific achievements, but never forgot where that "small boy" came from.

Dr. Felix Zandman (07 May 1928~04 June 2011) was a world renowned scientist whose inventions in the fields of stress measurements and electronics have greatly contributed to science and industry.  

He was the founder and Executive Chairman of the Board of Vishay Intertechnology~one of the world's largest manufacturers of electronic components. Dr. Zandman published numerous scientific papers, three textbooks, his autobiography (Never The Last Journey), held over 70 patents and received numerous awards for his work.

His Original Idea~Drawn on a Napkin Hangs in the Smithsonian
Felix himself, speaks of his personal survival~in spite of the Nazis' attempts to murder him. You will follow his visit to the house where he hid in a shallow pit for seventeen months.

He demonstrates, and tells how, in 1961, he came up with an idea that was considered a breakthrough in the history of electronics~a stronger, better  resistor combining metal with a ceramic material. 

With the help of a loan from his cousin Alfred P Slaner (developer of Supp-Hose Hosiery), he started what would become a major multinational company named "Vishay"~after the birthplace of Grandma Tema.  Vishay went on to be one of the world’s largest manufacturers of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components.

Felix continued in research, looking for solutions when it seemed none could be found. He says his success was due to the fact that he thought "outside the box". Over the coming fifty years, Vishay would acquire many other companies and grow to a value in the billions of dollars.

The story goes on to explain his later, (scientific) contribution to the Israeli Defense Forces in development the Thermal Shroud used on the guns of Merkava Tanks (First-Hit Accuracy), which would become the best in the world. Felix speaks of is gratitude at being given the opportunity to be able to work on this project and how he considered it as yet another facet of his personal victory over Second World War Germany and its Nazi collaborators. 

Through it all, Felix remains humble, always crediting his survival to the "other heroes" whose memories he has preserved...

Grandma Tema (Freidovitch)
It was her charity and kindness that paved the way of Felix's future rescue. 

Grandpa Nachum (Freidovitch)
He went voluntarily to a heroic death with three little children in his arms. 

While hidden in a "grave" he set down rules and daily routines and managed to turn the "tomb" into a place of sanity, learning, and hope. 

The Polish woman who risked hers and her family's lives to save the lives of Felix Zandman, his uncle, and three other Jews. 

This is a story of survival, of hope, of success and victory, and a life lived to the fullest, creating  and sharing with others, and remaining a gentle, humble Jewish boy till the end. This Film was Directed and Presented by Chaim Hecht.

  Do Watch to the End~And Have Tissues Handy (English & English Subtitles)

Monday 17 June 2013

Wednesday 12 June 2013

The Chabad Rebbe~Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Tuesday, 11 June 2013 (03 Tammuz 5773), marked the 19th Anniversary of the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. To this day he remains a mighty force in the Chabad community and the Jewish world at large.

Jews traveling almost anyplace in the world can find a Chabad House where they will be received warmly and cared for as members of a family.

One does not have to be at all religious~as far as Chabad is concerned, a Jew is a Jew~and they open their doors to all. This was the way of the Rebbe and his emissaries follow his direction until now.

Whether you love the Rebbe or hate him, with over 4,500 schluchim (envoys) around the world, nobody can deny the impact of the Chabad Lubavitch outreach and the work of the Rebbe. It is not only Jews affected~the impact of the Rebbe includes non-Jews (both religious and secular) as well.

A Rebbe Story~As Told to Me By a Very Dear Friend:
When "L" entered into her second marriage, she and her husband began to do tzuvah. One of the reasons was that the "yid inside" was awakened, but the other was the Rebbe.

"L's" new husband, "D", had a son born with a very severe deformity in one leg. He went to many doctors and the verdict was always the same~There was Nothing to be done, there was no treatment~meaning the child would most likely never have use of his leg. Not willing to give up, "D" was determined to try anything. Even though he was completely secular, he decided he must pay a visit to 770 and see the Rebbe.

When he arrived at 770 "D" wore no kippah, had not attended a shul, and had no mitvah observance at all~just the hope for something better for his son. There was (as always) long line ups. Without an appointment he was denied an audience. Not a shy guy, "D" was determined to present his case to the Rebbe no matter what. Eventually one of the men told him that the rebbe would be coming out a certain door and if he waited he just may be able to speak to him~And so it was. "D" muscled his way forward, boldly approached and put his dilemma to the Rebbe. Immediately the Rebbe wrote down the name of a doctor and clinic and told "D" to travel there with his son. The Rebbe said the clinic was experimenting with a new treatment for this very problem and if anyone could help it would be them.

Then the Rebbe told "D" that now, he must start on the path of Tzuvah, by beginning to do the Shabbos and Daily Mitzvot. The Rebbe gave him some instructions, telling him all things came through Gd. This was the true beginning of "D's" Tzuvah.

When "D" spoke to the doctor (who was not Jewish) he asked what the chances of success were. The doctor said 50-50~Half was the procedure they would perform, and rest was up to Gd. Upon hearing this, "D" knew at once that the Rebbe was showing him the right path to take~the path to the healing of his son, and to his own healing~Tzuvah. Thus "D" began~slowly, slowly~lighting Shabbat candles and learning to follow the Mitzvot as an observant Jew.

Of course, the Rebbe was right~the surgery was successful and the young man walks normally to this day. Together "D" and "L" gradually increased their observance, creating  a kosher home with true mitzvah observance. They made aliyah to Jerusalem, and became a shining light to all those around them. As "L" often tells me~"There are no coincidences in Life~Miracles Do Happen!"

That a man whose life was consumed with study and prayer would know at once of the latest advances and treatments in medicine (when other doctors did not) is a demonstration of the depth of knowledge the Rebbe possessed and shared. He made no criticisms of people, rather he showed them the path they could choose. The truth of his way is born out by countless numbers of stories from those people who encountered him.

The video below takes you to 770, to the Rebbe's office from which he worked, to the archives that contain everything of the Rebbe's life, with details and personal insights given in English. You will see people (including a younger Benjamin Netanyahu) streaming to receive a blessing and the "famous dollar" from the Rebbe. It is wonderful look into the life of a man who became a legend in his time.

The Rebbe reached out to everyone~He said "this would be the last generation of the exile and the first generation of geulah". May we all treat our fellow Jews with the same love and acceptance practiced by the Rebbe, and may we see the coming of Mashiach in our time...

*Note~There is a commercial in the middle (forward to 33:25) and another one at 49:50 (forward  to 57:20) where the story continues.

Even if You Don't Understand All~it is Worth Watching (Hebrew & English)

הרבי מחבד from bhol on Vimeo


Wednesday 5 June 2013

Tommy Robinson On the Woolwich Terrorist Attack...

The barbaric slaughter of the young drummer, Lee Rigby has stunned civilized people across the world. Reactions are varied, from deep sadness, to the muslims crying "islamophobia"~because this is "not typical of islam" (meanwhile, muslims are slaughtering everyone~including muslims~on a daily basis??) to the vile Anjem Choudary who declared that the innocent victim of terror, Lee Rigby, would burn in hell.

Everyone has an opinion, and of course the EDL (English Defence League) is no exception. I know what many think~EDL are thugs, radicals, etc. Maybe~Maybe Not...when I listened to the interview below, I did not see those things. What I did see, was a young man who is fiercely proud to be British, supports the armed forces and veterans, worries about the safety of women and children, and worries daily about threats of death for himself and his family. This is a simple man with no delusions of grandeur, and no political agenda~A young man who merely wants to be able to live his daily life and walk down the street without being attacked.

Tommy Robinson is refreshingly candid in this interview with Coelus Media about the Woolwich terrorist attack and the English Defence League's response. He openly speaks about what he thinks can be done to stop attacks like this happening in the future. * Please don't bother sending hate mail about Tommy or the EDL. I am not advocating~I am merely bringing this particular interview to your attention.

Do listen listen to the end...you will be surprised! For myself, there is nothing that Tommy says in this clip that I would disagree with. With regards to safety for myself and my family I have no doubt that he would be the one I would want standing next to me. I certainly have far more respect for this young man than any politician, news hack, talking heads and toffs that "talk down their noses to the rest of us" on a daily basis. We could do with a lot more people like Tommy Robinson in the world~I'm just saying...

And Interview With Tommy Robinson...

Auschwitz~The Blueprint of Genocide

Number of People That Could Be Killed Per Day...
This is not your "Typical Holocaust" film depicting the barbaric treatment meted out by the Germans during WWII.

Instead, what you will see is the results of painstaking research that systematically traces and details the actual process used to design and build the camps that murdered millions of people. The facts show that genocide was the direct intent, and that many were willing to "further the cause" for profit.

Using files newly-released (in 1994), that had been concealed by the KGB in Moscow and held in archives for nearly fifty years, the program exposes the events behind the planning and building of the Auschwitz concentration camp. You will see the plans, the figures, the letters that were involved in this massive genocidal undertaking.

Professor Gerald Fleming, a researcher into Nazi war crimes and architect Robert van Pelt, investigate these files and reveal evidence which shows how German civilian engineers and Bauhaus-trained architects deliberately colluded with the SS to plan the genocide.

A letter signed by a member of A.E.G., one of Germany's major Electric Companies, confirmed their complicity by stating:

"You will be able to kill and you will be able to burn simultaneously... "   

...to the tune of 4,756 persons per day. 

One of the companies, J.A. Topf & Sons made several million marks working for the nazis. They knew exactly what their crematoriums were being used for. Several of their personnel were tried, sentenced and jailed for their crimes, but later released as part of a general amnesty. One died in prison.

The investigators into these old files found that there were many, many more who collaborated or were willing to collaborate with the nazi killing machine. There is a beast that resides within human beings that cannot be understood by most, but must be recognized and suppressed. If we are unwilling to face this truth, we will be destined to suffer a repeat of the inhuman atrocities committed by the nazis.


Auschwitz~The Blueprint of Genocide

Tuesday 4 June 2013

Howard Grief~The Legal Foundation & Borders of Israel

Yesterday Israel lost a dedicated advocate, Attorney Howard Grief z"l (19 April 1940~03June 2013). For anyone interested in the truth regarding Jewish rights and sovereignty in the Land of Israel, his work is of paramount importance. He was the originator of the thesis that de jure sovereignty over the entire Land of Israel and Palestine was vested in the Jewish People as a result of the San Remo Resolution adopted at the San Remo Peace Conference on 24 April, 1920.

Howard Grief was born and educated in Canada, graduating from McGill University, and McGill Law School, with degrees in Arts and Law. In 1966 he became a member of the Bar of Quebec and spent twenty-three years as a practicing attorney in the fields of civil and commercial law. Howard immigrated to Israel in 1989 and was admitted to the Israel Bar Association in 1991. In December of that same year he was formally appointed as legal adviser in International Law on matters pertaining to the Land of Israel by Yuval Ne'eman, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure in the government of Yitzhak Shamir. He was the founder and director of the Office for Israeli Constitutional Law as well as a licensed attorney and notary based in Jerusalem.

Author of the book "The Legal Foundation and Borders of Israel under International Law", as well as many other articles and publications, Howard Grief devoted his life to prove the legal case for Israel under International Law. His work provides an enormous amount of historical and legal information and perspective. In addition to his research, Howard worked tirelessly to educate and promote the legal rights of Israel and the Jewish people.

The paper by Howard Grief (below) was released under the auspices of the Ariel Center for Policy Research (ACPR):


Below is a three part interview with Attorney Howard Grief. Do take time to listen and learn the facts about Israel and her Legal Borders. Israel, under International Law is Not an "occupier" and is clearly, legally entitled to all of her lands (and then some!). Howard Grief's landmark research into Jewish rights to the Land of Israel under international law made him a world expert on the topic~He will be greatly missed...Baruch Dayan Emet

Part I~Interview with Howard Grief




Part II~Interview with Howard Grief




Part III~Interview with Howard Grief

Israel, Jerusalem, Judaism, Zionism, Middle East, Aliyah, Conversion, and everything else that pops up