Shemittah Rediscovered

Monday, March 17, 2008

Fellow Activists: The World is Watching Us Please Act now!!! from Buddy Macy

**The simple steps to follow are at the end of this email**

This email is being sent to the 785 activists who have sent at least one email to the Shas MK's, and to other activists who have taken past action on behalf of Israel. I apologize for the length of this email, but promise you that it is of grave importance.

Recently, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA ), consisting of 14 member agencies and more than 120 local Jewish community relations councils, passed a resolution calling for the American Jewish community to "affirm its support for two independent, democratic and economically viable states - the Jewish state of Israel and a state of Palestine - living side-by-side in peace and security [the so-called "two-state" solution]." The resolution also states: "As the Israeli government enters negotiations on permanent status issues (including settlements, borders, Jerusalem, and refugees) to reach a comprehensive and just peace agreement with the Palestinians, the organized Jewish community should support those efforts, consistent with our longstanding tradition of supporting the efforts of Israel's government to achieve peace and security." The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (Orthodox Union – the OU) is one of the member agencies within the JCPA. The OU abstained in the voting for the resolution and later filed a formal, written dissent from those portions of the JCPA resolution with which it disagreed.

The OU is strongly opposed to a "two-state" solution and the re-division of Jerusalem, but decided to remain a part of the JCPA, believing it could do more good from within, than from outside the JCPA. In his statement that appeared in the Jewish Press on March 12, 2008, Nathan J. Diament, director of the OU's Institute for Public Affairs, asked: "If the OU delegation is not at fora such as JCPA, who will speak out against the re-division of Jerusalem? Who will speak out against the perils of the 'two-state' solution?" Let us show Mr. Diament and the other esteemed leaders of the OU that there is already strong outside opposition to the re-division of Jerusalem and the "two-state" solution, and that, together, we will produce a thunderous stampede of reality, reason, morality and Torah-based truth, which will enable us to divert Israel's march to self-destruction.

It is my belief that the OU should immediately leave the JCPA, as the resolution the Council recently passed goes against the Torah and encourages the destruction of Israel. In addition, should the OU leave the JCPA, it would be in a powerful position, by example, to demand that the Shas MK's leave Olmert's government.

I strongly encourage you to send an email to representatives of the OU, urging them to leave the JCPA on moral and religious grounds, and for Israel's survival. If you agree with me, please follow these simple steps:

1.) Open a second email window

2.) Copy and paste the following email addresses to the address line:
ndiament@ou.org, ndiament@jafi.org, execthw@ou.org, yochevedg@ou.org, borger@ou.org, davido@ou.org, sallyg@ou.org, info@ou.org, ipadc@ou.org, daco@act.con.co.il, menp@netvision.net.il, tt@ou.org, ncsyoffice@ncsyseaboard.org, NCSYSbrd@aol.com, blackmail@ncsy.ca, NCSYCE@aol.com, midwestncsy@ou.org, info@nerncsy.org, njncsy@njncsy.com, office@njncsy.com, NYNCSY@aol.com, chaiyall@yahoo.com, ilashak@hotmail.com, NCSYwest@aim.com, resslers@ou.org, drluchins@aol.com, vegibud@gmail.com

3.) Copy and paste the following to the Subject line:
For the Sake of the Torah & Your Integrity, Leave the JCPA Now!

4.) Type your name, city and state (in the U.S.) or name, city & country in the text of the message. Then send it.

5.) Forward this email to everyone on your list, and urge them to do the same.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Buddy Macy

Little Falls, NJ

973-785-0057

--

To update your preferences and to unsubscribe visit this link

Forward a Message to Someone this link

To subscribe visit this link

It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms and advice on AOL Money & Finance.

Tzvia Sariel with iron chains, hands and feet after Sanhedrin ruling!!!

bs'"d

I received this letter from Rav Hillel Weiss of the Sanhedrin regarding Tzvia Sariel at 3/17/2008 12:38:06 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time. I can't believe this is true. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! If for some reason I misunderstood Rav Weiss then I will send you all a correction.

After being mistreated and incarcerated for no legitimate reason, I too would be apprehensive about whom they are placing in my cell. HOW DARE THEY PUT HER IN CHAINS!!!!

Rabbi Weiss writes:

I visited Tzvia yesterday.She was still punished in very small room tied by iron chains hands and feet because she refused to be with a non Jewish women in her room. The lady jailer called her racist, "because of people like you there was the holocaust she said to Tzvia.

It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms and advice on AOL Money & Finance.

Re: Netanyahu stated: Israel has no peace partner in Abbas: Pre election p...

bs"d

While I applaud Netanyahu's opposition to being a peace partner with Abbas my question to Netanyahu is will you support concessions with a different peace partner other than Abbas, irregardless of whether they are terrorists or peace loving?

When will you come out with a statement that opposes any concessions because it opposes the Covenant of Hashem with Am Yisroel.

Would you support giving away a precious violin to a antique dealer who will guard it and have it on display over supporting the rights of the virtuoso violinists to the violin.

If you truly wish to create, listen and share music, the place of the violin is in the hands of the violinist.

In a message dated 3/17/2008 8:45:08 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, israelkaplan@yahoo.com writes:

By Morton A. Klein,
President, Zionist Organization of America

Former Israeli Prime Minister and current Likud Chairman and Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu has warned the Israeli government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert against making any further concessions to Palestinian Authority (PA) president Mahmoud Abbas. In an address to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations at Jerusalem's David's Citadel Hotel, Mr. Netanyahu warned that any land Israel conceded to Abbas in Judea and Samaria would simply create new bases for militant Islam. Netanyahu said, "That's what happened when we left Gaza, that's what happened when we left Lebanon" and that any part of these territories vacated by Israel would be filled by Hamas.

Mr. Netanyahu also stated that Israel has no peace partner in Mahmoud Abbas and castigated the Olmert government for permitting the PA to rebuild its presence in Jerusalem, noting that there have been dozens of Fatah events at Orient House, the PLO headquarters in Jerusalem closed down by former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Moreover, he told the audience, the Olmert government is proceeding without pause in negotiating concessions over Jerusalem, which would result in bringing death and destruction to Israel's capital, just as earlier withdrawals from southern Lebanon and Gaza have brought the same for Israel in those regions.
Mr. Netanyahu also took issue with the Olmert government's recent action to prohibit all growth of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, including even development within these communities to accommodate natural population growth. He said that, "It's not right or sensible to prohibit natural growth" of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, just as there are no barriers on the natural growth of Arab communities in these areas.

"When agreeing to the Oslo Accords in 1993, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin pointedly refused to stop the natural growth of the communities. The reason for this refusal was clear. Despite the deep and genuine Israeli interest in reaching peace with the Palestinians, no Israeli government was prepared to endorse the view that these communities are somehow illegitimate.

Israel has always rejected the idea that it is illegal for Jews to live in Judea and Samaria. Regardless of the differing approaches of successive Israel governments to the question of territorial concessions, no Israeli government has previously accepted the notion that these territories must be judenrein. The Zionist Org. of America applauds the Opposition Leader for affirming this position."

"This decision to freeze all growth within the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria is all the more troubling and inappropriate in view of the fact that Mahmoud Abbas' Palestinian Authority (PA) has done absolutely nothing to meet it signed commitments under the Oslo agreements. The basis of these agreements was to end terrorism and the incitement to hatred and murder in the PA-controlled media, mosques, schools and youth camps.

Since the Annapolis summit, Fatah officials have said they will fight alongside Hamas if Israeli forces enter Gaza. Fatah terrorists have targeted Israeli civilians. Abbas, Saeb Erekat and other senior PA officials have stated that they will not accept Israel as a Jewish state; Abbas has approved a new Fatah poster showing Israel named 'Palestine' and painted in Palestinian colors and Fatah television has displayed similar maps. Nor has Fatah amended its Constitution calling for Israel's destruction and the use of terrorism as an essential element in the struggle to achieve that goal

We regard this as a dark day in the history of Zionism and we urge other American Jewish organizations, irrespective of their individual approach to the question of peace-making, to criticize this freeze. Even organizations that support large territorial concessions to the Palestinian Authority should be appalled at the implications of this move and the unjustified hardship and penalizing of these Jewish communities. Peace will not come to Israel by making Judea and Samaria judenrein as it did not by removing the Jewish communities from Gaza or relinquishing the Security zone in Lebanon. Exactly the opposite has occurred with an even greater loss of Israeli lives and Israeli crucial military defensive positions.

----------------------------------------------------------

IZZY KAPLAN

416 824 2858

416 256 2858

Check out my new blog http://israelonisrael.blogspot.com

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms and advice on AOL Money & Finance.

Dershowitz: 'Rule of Law Must Adapt to Terrorism' agrees with Halachic ruling

bs"d

There is a Halachic ruling that seems to agree with Prof. Dershowitz's rulings: In a news article in The Jewish Word Wednesday, March 12, 2008, by Shir Oriansky it stated that Rabbis from the political right headed by Rabbi Dov Lior, the chief Rabbi of KIryat Arva; Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, the eldest son of Shas leader Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, and Rabbi Gedalia Axelrod of Haifa ruled that one can fire at a civilian population if Jewish communities are being fired at from that location.

I was impressed with Dr. Dershowitz's clarity regarding the necessity to redefine the laws of a war on terrorism. see Arutz7 article below

On the other hand, Dershowitz is sadly mistaken about his support for an economically viable Palestinian democratic state, with good health care, education, opportunity, and freedom for the Palestinian people. Here he shows his lack of knowledge of the Bible and G-d's Covenant to the Nation of Israel and His promise to the forefathers the exclusive right to the Land of Israel for the Nation of Israel. The people of Israel in turn must adhere to the Commandments relevant to the Land of Israel such as Shemitttah, Leket Shikcha, Peah etc. No democratic Palestinian entity or any other authority has that mandate or inclination or obligation to observe these commandments. The Land of Israel is called the Promised Land, promised to the Nation of Israel and a Holy Land, since the sanctity of the Land will permeate the entire world with the observances of the commandments specific to the Land.

So while it is praiseworthy to love our fellow humanity and desire for them health, economic prosperity education and opportunity, giving then our Land is not going to accomplish anything. It's analogous to sharing a precious violin with one that despises music or giving it away to one that wishes to encase it in a prestigious museum. If you truly want to share music, then the virtuoso violinist must assert his rights to the violin and others must support him. As for bemoaning our lack of connection to Israel, the best way to combat that is to reconnect to the Torah which is our source to our connection to the Land.

Dershowitz: 'Rule of Law Must Adapt to Terrorism'

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125586#replies

by Hillel Fendel

Prof. Alan Dershowitz, visiting in Israel, says 'rule of law' must adapt itself to fight the terror threat. He bemoans American Jewry's lack of connection with Israel, and calls on U.S. Jews to visit Israel.

Dershowitz, the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard University and an outspoken advocate for Israel in books, articles, lectures and debates, has set two goals for his current visit to Israel: He's here to show support for the residents of Sderot and Ashkelon, and to teach classes and give lectures on how to fight the war against terrorism within a revamped rule of law.
The rules currently favor the terrorists over the democracies, and the rules have to change.

Speaking with IsraelNationalRadio's Yishai Fleisher, Dershowitz said, "I will be teaching how the rule of law has to change, to adapt to the new realities of suicide terrorists who use human shields and thus place democracies in a difficult situation. They take advantage of our higher morality, forcing democracies to choose between doing nothing or inevitably killing civilians. The rules currently favor the terrorists over the democracies, and the rules have to change."

On-Line Rally for Sderot
Dershowitz said he will be participating in a large American Jewish Congress conference this week at which these issues will be discussed. "Some of the world's most important and influential jurists will be there, such as Irwin Kotler, who was Attorney General and Minister of Justice in Canada, former Israeli Supreme Court justices, and Americans as well. It will be an interesting attempt to redefine jurisprudence."

Prof. Dershowitz will also be visiting Sderot later this week, taking part in what organizers expect will be the largest-ever on-line rally. The rally will begin at 5 PM New York time (11 PM in Israel) this Thursday night, at www.togetherforisrael.org, and will switch back and forth between Israel, New York, Los Angeles and other sites around the world. Those involved, including Dershowitz, are hoping to have a million people click and sign on during the rally.

A Target on His Back
"I'll be under the rockets in Sderot myself, with a big target on my back," Dershowitz said, "just like all the other citizens of Sderot. I want to feel what it's like to be in Sderot and Ashkelon at these times, with the terrorists playing Russian rocket roulette with the lives of Israeli citizens. Israel should adopt a zero tolerance policy for rockets. I have written that every rocket that flies from Gaza into Israel is a violation of UN Charter Article 51 - an armed attack giving Israel the full and complete right to proportional self-defense."

"Why must it be proportional?" Fleisher interjected, to which Dershowitz responded, "Proportional doesn't mean equating lives; it just means that if they fire a rifle at you, you can't nuke them. It also doesn't mean that for every life taken, you can take one life, as the international community absurdly believes. It simply means that you don't react totally out of proportion, and neither do you look at the actual damage caused, but rather, you look at the risks of an attack. If each rocket can potentially kill 100 people, then just because they missed, it doesn't remove the risk that had been there. Israel doesn't have to wait until inevitably a rocket hits a school bus or a kindergarten or an ambulance; it can look at the risks, not just the actual consequences."

Though he supports a strong Israeli response against terrorism, he is not politically right-wing. Dershowitz has stated that his book The Case for Israel "is a pro-Palestinian as well as pro-Israel book, because it favors an economically viable Palestinian democratic state, with good health care, education, opportunity, and freedom for the Palestinian people."

It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms and advice on AOL Money & Finance.

Bulletin Mar 17 2008 Palestinian Media Watch PA celebrates "wedding"

Bulletin Mar 17 2008	Palestinian Media Watch

PA celebrates "wedding"

of murderer of Yeshiva students

by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook

The official Palestinian Authority daily newspaper describes the murderer of eight yeshiva students in Jerusalem as a "groom" and his burial as his "wedding celebration." The story in Mahmoud Abbas's Al Hayat Al Jadida goes on to evoke the neighborhood Jabal Mukbar's "week of anticipation... preparing themselves for the wedding procession."

The term "wedding" is the expression commonly used in PA society, and in PA schoolbooks as well, to describe the death of Shahids - Martyrs for Allah. According to Islamic tradition, they will wed the 72 Dark- Eyed Maidens (Virgins) of Paradise.

The article then reports the "shocking news" for the "thousands who were waiting" that the Israeli Army had decided to force a pre-dawn burial to prevent community celebrations of the murders and the murderer. It bemoans the fact "that the groom was buried in the [early] morning without a celebration and without a wedding procession."

However, the PA daily vows that the wedding celebrations will continue:

"The wedding will not end this way... it will last three consecutive days in which [the town] al-Sawahra will welcome all of those who come to congratulate the groom and will hang his portrait embracing the nation's flags."

Seeing the Martyr's death as a wedding can be found throughout Palestinian society. Some examples:

New Palestinian Schoolbook:

"... I will not cry during this wedding, as our Arabness does not want us to cry over the Shahids."

[Arabic Language and the Science of Language, grade 12, p. 13 (2006)]

Mother of two killed terrorists, called "Shahids":

"We do not encourage our sons to die. We encourage them to Shahada [Martyrdom] for the homeland, for Allah. We don't say to the mothers of the Shahids: "We come to comfort you," rather we say: "We come to bless you on your son's wedding, on your son's Shahada. Congratulations to you on the Shahada." For us, the mourning is [a joyous] wedding. We give out drinks, we give out sweets. Praise to Allah, our mourning is a wedding."[PATV, Nov. 17, 2004]

The PMW bulletin of Dec. 20, 2007, has numerous video examples of the "Maidens of Paradise" reward promised to Islamic martyrs, including a video that has been running on PATV for eight years, depicting a Shahid being greeted in Paradise by the virgins.

The following is from the PA official daily, Al Hayat Al Jadida:

Headline: "Jerusalem groom, Abu-Dahim, [the murderer of 8 in the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva] leaves without his wedding procession

"The residents of the town Jabal Mukbar, were surprised by the sounds of loudspeakers blasting from the [mosque] minarets announcing that the Jerusalem groom, the Shahid, [Islamic Martyr] Ala'a Abu-Dahim [murderer of the 8 Yeshiva students] has gone without their participation in his wedding procession.

An entire week of anticipation, a house of mourning whose sanctity was violated, and soldiers deployed on every street, their military weapons infuriating everyone ... nonetheless [the town of Jabl] al-Mukbar did not tire of the wait and kept its promise to the groom.

Every day, these past seven days, everyone was in a state of anticipation... preparing themselves for the wedding procession. At five o'clock in the morning the loudspeakers of the mosque minarets announced the shocking news to the thousands who were waiting, that the groom was buried in the morning without a celebration and without a wedding procession... frowning faces...expressing their sorrow for having been denied [the right] to participate in the groom's procession and to accompany him to the town's cemetery...

The occupation soldiers sneaked in hours before dawn and lead several adults to the cemetery, while preventing the rest of those who were present despite the darkness of the night, from participating, even preventing the press from participating... They wanted a quiet wedding without music, thinking that way Jerusalem would forget its groom... But the wedding will not end this way... it will last three consecutive days in which [the town] al-Sawahra will welcome all of those who come to congratulate the groom and will hang his portrait embracing the nation's flags."

- Al Hayat-Al Jadida, March14, 2008

VISIT PMW VIDEO ARCHIVES

Incitement of children to Shahada	Teaching hatred with music
Children as combatants in PA ideology	Denying Israel's right to exist
Hamas in its own words	Support for terrorism
Understanding Shahada	Mothers joy at sons' Shahada
Hatred of America and the West	Holocaust denial
Clarifying history	Arab world TV