Monday, June 02, 2014

Israel Day Concert With a Message Summer Stage Central Park 2014. Concert Theme Undivided Jerusalem. What is the reality?? Netanyahu pledges to not divide Jerusalem but he divides it in practice -

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 Watch: Israel Day 'Concert With a Message' Brings Out the Crowds.
Thousands turn out to 21st annual Israel Day Concert, wrapping up a day of Israeli pride.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/181285#.U4ywH_ldXOg

Anyone that was at today's concert was totally impressed by the high standard of  professionalism, level of entertainment and exuberant crowd cheering on the Star Studded Performers and Amazing speakers. http://shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com/2014/06/today-let-your-voices-be-heard-concert.html  Musical Director- Zvika Bornstein did an amazing job!  It was truly magnificent up till the very last minute with a grand united finale and stars coming back for a 2nd showing to the delight of the audience. Each performance outdid the other. Each speaker outdid the other!  The sound system for the Park was fabulous,  The giant screen in the background enhanced every performance with images that kept the attention of those of us in Central Park - Summer Stage riveted on the stage or on the screen as never before.  The concert went to a higher level and we are all excited for the next grand concert.     As concerts go, this one topped them all.  

 Actually the Concert had four themes and these themes were reflected in both the music and the speeches
  • JERUSALEM: UNITED, FOREVER---Never to be divided again, 
  • No further concessions of ANY part of the Land of Israel (Yisrael HaShleima), 
  • Stopping Iran NOW, and 
  • Countering the  Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement!

So in spite of it all, we have not yet reached the summit. 
כִּי לֹא-בָאתֶם עַד-עָתָּה--אֶל-הַמְּנוּחָה וְאֶל-הַנַּחֲלָה (דברים יב ט) Unfortunately....we can not assume it's all good. .... 

There was one very annoying feature that probably didn't annoy most people but being that I am super sensitive, it annoyed the daylights out of me. It was this banner of an Israeli Flag with blue as the top stripe and read white and blue as the bottom stripe. The words Undivided Jerusalem was printed in bold print on the banner.   It was this banner image that kept on resurfacing time and time again throughout the entire performance. It was a recurring motif  As the performance progressed, there were Baruch Hashem images of the Israeli Flag, Kachol Lavon, blue and white upon the entire map of Israel Eretz Yisroel Hashleima, without red white and blue there to remind us that we are always beholden to America. with glaring red and blue headlights as top borders of the stage. 

I would have much preferred sticking with white and blue headlights and the white and blue Israeli Flag.   I, like many other feel that the Israeli Flag is just fine the way it is and doesn't need any other symbolism added to it.  Recently one of the settlers thrown out of his home in Ma'ale Rechavam remarked that he liked our flag the way it was and didn't want other images.  (wasn't sure which other images he was referring to). This Israeli Flag with red , white and blue was incongruous with songs like Anachnu Maaminim bnei Maaminim.. there is noone to rely upon except Hashem or Mi Shemaamin lo Mefached....One who believes is not afraid.....Hashem Melech, Hashem Malach, Hashem Yimloch LeOlam Vaed,  Hashem is King, Hashem is King, Hashem will be King forever and ever.  It wasn't congruous with the messages of Deputy Defense Minister, MK Danny Danon, Rabbi Algaze, Mort Klein, Dr. Paul E. Brody, Dr. Joseph Frager, Helen Freedman, John Bolton and Ted Cruz.  

Until the very end of the performance, the Israeli flag with the words imprinted Undivided Jerusalem with the red white and blue kept making an appearance.  It made me uneasy.   When Ted Cruz and John Bolton spoke, and they spoke really fantastically, I thought that perhaps this was a good time to graphically show allegiance with America.  Especially when John Bolton was telling Israel don't wait for America in order to attack Iran since it won't happen in the next two and a half years,  but do what you must and brace yourself for International condemnation and just make sure that America will support your right for self defense and make sure that America will help to rearm you when Israel's enemies surrounding her from all sides prepare to attack. Then an Israeli flag together with red white and blue made some sense. I would trust John Bolton representing America as Israel's friend.   Or perhaps when Ted Cruz, the Guardian of Israel in Congress spoke, the Israeli white and blue banner with the Start Spangled banner appearing together makes  sense.  But I wouldn't merge the two into one with the words Undivided Jerusalem imprinted,  thereby confusing our individuality and identity..  It's not just the symbolism, it's the reality of the situation that is disturbing. This idyllic representation of  America supporting an undivided Jerusalem lulls us into believing that all is well when in fact the opposite is true. 

The slogan "Undivided Jerusalem" brought to the surface painful recollections of 2007 where activists for Judea and Samaria protested Annapolis. These were my comments and thoughts at the time:

Protesting the Summit in Annapolis:
There are two Coalitions that I know of to Defend Jerusalem.  The first is the Coordinatiing Council of Jerusalem spearheaded by Rabbi Pesach Lerner.  The Second is called Defending Jerusalem Coalition.  .  While I agree that defending Jerusalem is of great importance, let me suggest that we stay focused on the essence of Jerusalem.  What is the essence of Jerusalem?  Jerusalem is not simply a museum piece of years gone by, of two Holy Temples now in ruin.  Jerusalem represents our vision of the future, of being the City of Peace, the City of G-d where G-d's Law rules all of mankind. Ki Mitzion Tetzei Torah U'Dvar Hashem MeiYerushalayim.   From Zion will Torah  emerge and the Word of G-d from Jerusalem.  All of Israel will ascend to Jerusalem three times a year for the holidays of Pesach,  Shavuot and Sukkoth and the Nations of the world will ascend on the Holiday of Sukkot - Tabernacles.  The People of Israel will bring their presents to the Levites and to the  Kohanim, the Priests from the tribe of Levi descending from Aharon and Pinchus..  They will also share their wealth with the poor the proselyte, the widow and the orphan with great joy and happiness and on the 3rd and 6th year of the Shemittah cycle the poor gets extra. . .  These presents will be actual food and money  that they put aside from their Tithes that they separated after a plentiful harvest.  On these special holidays as well as the first and second, fourth and fifth years they  will ascend to Jerusalem with unsurpassed joy and festivities thanking their Creator for all the blessings that were bestowed upon them.  Where are the origins of these gifts?  It comes from the entire Land of Israel.  It comes from the produce of the Land.  On Tabernacles the Nations of the World will also recognize the beauty of Jerusalem and bring their gifts as well.
Can Jerusalem achieve it's  glory if the Land of  Israel is divided???? How can we talk of only saving Jerusalem when the essence of Jerusalem stems from the holiness of the entirety of the land of Israel.  How can we be silent for the grave and terrible fate awaiting Judea and Samaria, the heart of the Land of Israel, and only focus on Jerusalem.  CCJER Coalition is protesting only the Division of Jerusalem.  Have they chosen to disregard the goal of the Summit in Annapolis which is the establishment of a State of Palestine (G-d Forbid ) destroying flourishing model communities in Judea and Samaria and giving the Land to a terror State intent on the destruction of the whole of Israel?.  Knowing Rabbi Lerner and the members of this coalition I am convinced that their reason for not speaking out for Judea and Samaria is simply one of tactics.  They are hoping against hope that if we succeed to save Jerusalem we will stop the State of Palestine as well.  They are counting on the Arabs backing out.  Pesach Lerner and the Coalition members too are against the State of Palestine G-d forbid.  
Just ask for their personal opinion.   Clarify their intention. 

These words hold true today. We can not merely celebrate a United Jerusalem in lip service alone.  Arieh King and Women in Green burst our exuberant bubble.  כִּי לֹא-בָאתֶם עַד-עָתָּה--אֶל-הַמְּנוּחָה וְאֶל-הַנַּחֲלָה (דברים יב ט We have not reached the summit.  We have a way to go... 

Netanyahu pledges to not divide Jerusalem but he divides it in practice

 We can not celebrate a United Jerusalem when indeed it is divided.  And without annexing Judea and Samaria, Jerusalem as well can never truly be united! Please read:

Women In Green Successful Sovereignty Haifa Conference

 We can not remain silent when Netanyahu himself admits that there is a Settlement Freeze and America is trying their hardest to stop any Settlement growth in Judea and Samaria, effectively strangling her.

IRS targeting Pro-Israel groups 501c Tax Exempt Status threatened because of Viewpoint Discrimination, American Foreign Policy Strangles Jewish Settlements, America Finances Terror enabled by taxpayer subsidies of its 501(c)(3) status


Moshe Elkman of Australia writes:

Dear Friends,

I decided to watch the entire video of the Ma'ale Rechavim eviction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6Rl8lYSbw0


I believe we have all become desensitized in the same way that Amalek attacked the Jewish people and the commentaries say that this is like a person jumping into a very hot bath of water which eventually cools down....we have all lost our sensitivity...if we see videos such as this expulsion from Ma'ale Rechavim which just happened a few days ago and we truly believe what the Rebbe says regarding not giving away land and if we have not learnt from the disastrous unilateral disengagement from Gush Katif then something is really wrong if we stay quiet!

What happens below is a reflection on what happens above.....perhaps we need to work on tefilla, tezedoka, achdut amongst yidden I am not sure what the answer is...

*do we remain silent? 
*do we call for prayer rallies?
*do we contact our Israeli ambassador? 
*do we demonstrate outside the Israeli Embassy? 
*do we produce a you tube video showing the importance of Israeli sovereignty over the entire Eretz Yisrael calling for peaceful coexistence?
* do we contact our local rabbis to speak to their congregations?

I await your suggestions.

Moshe Elkman
Melbourne
AUSTRALIA


-- 
Sincerely,

Robin Ticker
Activist emails sent to my list  are L'Ilui Nishmat Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan) and Howard Chaim Grief great activists and lovers of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichronum Baruch.  May their memories serve as a blessing.

Most of these emails are posted on Shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com

Personal emails to individuals will not be posted to my blog. 
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