ACTION ALERT: Pidyon Shvuyim Itzik and Danny Halamish

bs"d

Dear fellow activists, amv"sh

B"h we were successful with Tzvia Sariel.  The settlers are being targeted and dealt with unfairly.  We must protest their right to self defense.  The following was sent to me by Women in Green and Datya Ithaki of Pidyon Shvuyim who are working on behalf of the Halamish brothers.  Please do what you can to see that this injustice of imprisoning innocent settlers when they are forced to defend themselves is not actualized. This injustice goes beyond these two boys.  It will empower the Arabs to more acts of violence knowing that their victims will be persecuted if they respond in kind.

Ruth and Nadia Matar writes:

Dear Friends,

 

As we told you after Tsviya Sariel's release from almost 4 months in prison, the next case we must deal with and act is the case of the two brothers Itzik and Danny Halamish.

Danny and Itzik are supposed to go to jail on April 10th (in less than two weeks) for a period of 8 months. Their "crime"- defending themselves against Arab attackers.

 

As has lately become the norm in our anti-Jewish Israeli Injustice system, the judges decided to believe  the version of the Arab attackers rather than Itzik and Danny's version. Below you will find more details about the case, written by Pidionshvuim, a group of lovers of Israel who are active in an effort to help Jews persecuted by the Israeli judiciary because of their loyalty to the land of Israel.

 

Many Women in Green leaders and members know Itzik and Danny personally for many years. Two Israel loving Zionist pioneers, sons of parents who founded the community of Ofrah, they are the salt of the earth. Itzik, 28, is single. He is a carpenter. Danny, 37, is a computer programmer. He is married to Limor, and is the father of Naama, two and a half years old and Yirel, half a year old.

 

The very thought that those two youngsters would go to jail instead of the Arabs who attacked them, is simply unbearable.

 

We urge all of you to read the letter below and act by faxing and calling the different people mentioned at the end of this email.

 

With love of Israel,

 

Ruth and Nadia Matar

Women in Green

****

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March 25, 2008

Pidion Shvuim Alert: No. 5

Two Jewish Brothers Sent to Prison for Protecting Jewish Community

Danny and Yitzhak Halamish are two quiet young men who under any other circumstances would be regarded as the pride of the Jewish people. They both served in top Israeli combat units, and when they finished the military they fought for Jews under threat of expulsion from the Gaza Strip. They also founded the community of Maalei Rehavam in the Judean Desert.

Today, the brothers await the start of their jail sentence. They are convicted of aggravated assault by a corrupt police force and a lackadaisical judge. Their appeals of innocence have been rejected by the judiciary.

Are the Halamishes guilty of a crime? Absolutely not. Indeed, the only crime committed was by an army that abandoned the two brothers and an Israeli court system that convicted them without evidence. But the brothers are lovers of Zion and builders of Jewish life in Judea and Samaria. And that makes them dangerous to the government of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who pressured by Washington plans to destroy Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria and parts of Jerusalem over the next year.

The Halamishes, as part of their reserve military service, were members of a security response team organized, equipped and trained by the Israeli Army to help protect their community and surrounding region from Arab attack. On Feb. 21, 2004, the brothers were summoned by another security officer, Baruch Feldbaum, to help expel Arab Bedouins who trespassed into the Jewish community of Sdei Bar and were encamped near a student dormitory. Arab Bedouin tribes in the area had been deemed responsible for the killing of several Jews in the area in previous years.

Under the direction of Feldbaum, the Halamish brothers ordered the Arab squatters to leave. The Arabs refused, and about 20 of them approached the Jewish security officers with sticks and rocks. Feldbaum shot toward the ground when the Bedouins continued to move closer.

The response team later said that they shot in self-defense. An army medic who arrived at the scene determined that nobody was struck by the gunfire, an assertion disputed by the Arabs.

At that point, the military abandoned its own security team and allowed a police investigation. Feldbaum was sentenced to nine months in prison, but later was pardoned by President Moshe Katsav.

The Halamishes weren't as lucky. Although police refused to conduct ballistic tests or even a lineup of suspects, the brothers were convicted of shooting toward the Bedouins. Danny was sentenced to seven months in prison; Yitzhak, to eight months. An Israeli appeals court said ballistic tests or a lineup were not necessary. The word of the Arab Bedouins -- who refused to show up to police headquarters to identify their purported assailants -- was enough.
The court also rejected a recommendation by the probation officer for community service. The three-judge panel said it wanted the Halamish brothers to go to jail to serve as a lesson to others.

Unless we act, the Halamish brothers will be sent to jail on April 10 and their tiny community of Maalei Rehavam will be seriously harmed. As we see it, the Halamishes have been abandoned by the army and railroaded by the police and the judiciary.

Therefore, we urge you to act as you did so valiantly for Tzvia Sariel.

 

For US Citizens:

Call, rather than e-mail, the Israel Embassy in Washington [telephone 202-364-5500] and demand to speak to the military attaché.

 

Tell him or his aide that you are outraged by the abdication of military responsibility of its own soldiers, who will go to jail because they helped protect Jews. Say that as an American citizen who contributes to the $2.4 billion of U.S. military aid to Israel, you demand the immediate release of the Halamish brothers. Say that you also plan to discuss this case with your member of Congress.

The Olmert government, with an approval rating of near zero, has refused to admit any accountability to the Israeli people, and respects and fears only the Bush Administration. Unless we act now, there will be many more young Jews in jail. If you agree with this, please act quickly. What could be more important than saving the lives of our fellow Jews?

With Love of Israel,

Datya Itzhaki

pidionshvuim@yahoo.com

 

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Below please find all the contact information-

Each fax and phonecall makes a difference

"It is not up to you to finish the work, but you are not free to desist from it"

 

Ruth and Nadia Matar

Women in Green

 

1) FOR U.S. CITIZENS:

Call, rather than e-mail, the Israel Embassy in Washington [telephone 202-364-5500] and demand to speak to the military attaché.

 

2) To find the Consulate nearest you in the USA, click on http://www.israelemb.org/israeli-consulate-in-usa.htm

3) Embassies and consulates in the world: http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/about%20the%20ministry/diplomatic%20missions/Web%20Sites%20of%20Israeli%20Missions%20Abroad

 

 

4) IN ISRAEL
 In addition to pressuring in the States, we must pressure the authorities in Israel too.The only  way the Halamish brothers can get out of going to  jail is by having the President of Israel pardon them. A demand for a pardon has been filed by the family with the President and with the Department of Pardons at the Justice Ministry. The more faxes and phonecalls they will receive from the friends of Israel in Israel and abroad, outraged by this injustice, the more chance we have to save Itzik and Danny from prison.

 

*President's House tel 972-2-6707211

                             fax 972-2-6707274

ask to speak to the department of Pardons and make sure your fax arrived. (They are open every day from 9am till 11 am and from 1pm to 3 pm)

 

* Ministry of Justice-Department of Pardons

tel: 972-2- 6466801

fax: 972-2-6466813

Send your faxes to the Attention of Attorney Emmy Palmor

 

* Very Important: send a copy of your letters to Shas Minister Eli Yishai and other Shas ministers and urge them to act on behalf of the Halamish brothers

Shas Members of Knesset:
(we apologize if not all numbers are correct. Sometimes they change their numbers)

1. Chaim Amsellem Tel:  02-649-6457 02-675-3474  fax 02-649-6527 eamsalem@knesset.gov.il
cellphone: 050-900-9393

2. Ariel Atias  Tel: 02-675-3220 aatias@knesset.gov.il  Minister of Communications 050-530-7028

3. David Azoulay Tel: 02-640-8184 02-640-8185  fax:02-675-3908 dazulay@knesset.gov.il
cellphone: 050-549-4151

4. Shlomo Benizri Tel: 02-640-8196  02-640-8197  fax:02-675-3747 slomob@knesset.gov.il
cellphone: 050-633-11-55

5. Amnon Cohen Tel: 02-640-8372 02-640-8373 fax 02-640-8927 amncohen@knesset.gov.il
050-5515-361

6. Yitzhak Cohen Tel: 02-640-8397  02-640-8398 fax: 02-670-6157 izchakec@knesset.gov.il
05045-7005

7. Yakov Margi Tel: 02-640-8187 02-640-8188 fax: 02-675-3759 ymargi@knesset.gov.il
cellphone: 050-496-3737

8. Avraham Michaeli Tel: 02-640-8128  02-640-8129 fax: 02-675-3961 <amichaelli@knesset.gov.il
cellphone: 050-333-1526

9. Meshulam Nehari Tel: 02-640-8446 02-640-8447 fax: 02-649-6447 mnahari@knesset.gov.il
cellphone: 050-744-0120

10. Yitzhak Vaknin Tel: 02-640-8106 fax 02-649-6027 yvaknin@knesset.gov.il
cellphone: 050-545-6706

11. Eliyahu Yishai Tel: 02-640-8406 02-640-8407 fax: 02-666-2909 eyishav@knesset.gov.il

Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee    cellphone: 050-624-0932

12. Nissim Zeev Tel: 02-640-8151 02-640-8152 fax: 02-649-6549 nzeev@knesset.gov.il
cellphone: 050-5411-752

More Shas Contact Info:
Tel: 02-675-3550
Fax 02-649-6543

 

 

 

 

Hashomer Hayisraeli Hahadash - Our World - The New Guardians of Israel by Caroline Glick, The Jerusalem Post, Jewish Pride renewed

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Thank you Women in Green for sending. 

Our World: The new Guardians of Israel
Caroline Glick, THE JERUSALEM POST
March 25, 2008

Moshav Tzipori, in the Lower Galilee, is a microcosm of the history of the Land of Israel. A regional capital under King Herod, Tzipori was the seat of Jewish learning and the preservation of the Torah through some of the most tumultuous periods of Jewish history.

After the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE, refugees from Jerusalem fled to the Galilean town. Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi, who presided over the writing of the Mishna, or oral law, moved to Tzipori from Beit Shearim, and it was there that he codified the six books of the Mishna and died.

The Jews of Tzipori revolted against the Roman Emperor Constantine, refusing to accept Christianity and the city was destroyed. The Jews later returned during the Islamic period. On and off, for the next millennia, Jews settled, were forcibly removed and resettled the city several times under various conquerors of Israel.

During the 1948 War of Independence, the ancient city was the site of a major battle between the new Israel Defense Force and the neighboring Arab villages assisted by invading forces from Syria and Lebanon. The Arabs were routed. In 1949, Moshav Tzipori was founded.

LAST FRIDAY afternoon, the struggle for Jewish control of Tzipori, the Galilee and the Land of Israel as a whole continued on the ancient ground. On that quiet afternoon of Purim, under the blistering sun, three horses stood happily grazing in a field of shrubs and grasses. The only problem with the otherwise pastoral scene was that the horses belong to Arab squatters from the Kablawi clan. In recent years, the Kablawis have built themselves an illegal village of some 20 houses masquerading as storage containers on stolen Jewish National Fund land adjacent to Tzipori's fields. The horses, who entered through a hole cut into the field's fence, pranced about and ate, destroying the field that was painstakingly cultivated for the moshav's cattle herds.

The farmers and ranchers of the Galilee, like their counterparts in the Negev are at wits' end. Fearing Arab riots or political condemnation by the Israeli Left, Arab leaders, the Islamic Movement and their allies abroad, the police and the state prosecutors have simply stopped enforcing the laws against the Galilee and Negev Arabs. Surrounded by increasingly hostile and lawless Arab and Beduin villages, local Jews' livestock and crops are continuously plundered.

They are faced with three equally unacceptable options for contending with this state of affairs. They can do nothing and let their livelihood and lives' work be destroyed. They can pay protection money to Arab criminal gangs, who in exchange agree not to rob them. Or they can try to sell off their lands and abandon agriculture altogether.

The obvious recourse - filing a complaint with the police - is an exercise in futility. Thousands of complaints are filed each year. Almost none of them end in indictments or trials. Most of the files are closed by the police due to "lack of public interest."

ON FRIDAY, the field in question belonged to a cattle rancher named Haim Z. Over the past few years, Haim has filed more than 250 complaints against local Arabs from the Kablawi family and from neighboring Arab villages like the Islamist stronghold Mashad with the police. None have ever gone anywhere. Last year, a helpful police officer recommended that Haim simply start paying protection money.

Last year Haim told his son that he had had it. The son of the moshav's founding generation, Haim said that he just couldn't go on anymore. The state's refusal to protect Jewish property rights had forced him to devote all of his energies to playing cat and mouse games with Arab poachers. He couldn't invest in his herd. He couldn't develop his land. All he could do was sit by and watch as year in and year out, his lands were plundered, his cattle stolen and the work of his life and his father's life was destroyed.

HIS SON, a 23 year old soldier in one of the IDF's elite commando units decided that it was up to him not only to save his father's farm, but to stem the tide of Arab infringement on Jewish land and property rights. Due to his position in the IDF, his name is classified. We'll call him J - for Jew.

In response to his father's desperation, J. took a storage container to a hilltop that overlooks Tzipori's fields, the surrounding Arab villages and the access routes to the moshav's fields. He placed a sofa, a bookshelf full of Jewish history books, religious texts and philosophy classics, and canned food inside and moved in during his furloughs from the army. Rather than hang out with his friends, he began standing guard. He confronted every Arab he caught infiltrating the moshav's fields, and both filed complaints with the police and chased them away.

Given his impossible schedule, J. enlisted his friends to help out. The sons of other desperate farmers, who also serve in combat units, they joined him enthusiastically. Within months, J. had set up an organization of more than a hundred young volunteers - soldiers, college students, and high school students from his moshav, other moshavim in the lower Galilee and surrounding non-agricultural communities.

He called the organization, Hashomer Hayisraeli Hahadash - or the New Israeli Guardsmen. The original Hashomer, or Guardsmen was established in the Galilee in 1909 for the same purpose - protecting Jewish farming communities from Arab marauders who demanded protection money from the farmers. It was the progenitor of the Haganah, which in turn, became the Israel Defense Force.

As J. puts it, "We're not simply a security service. We see ourselves as a new movement. Our activities rest on three foundations: securing the land, expanding our operations throughout the Galilee and the Negev, and teaching Zionist and Jewish values to our members, our communities and the general public."

TZIPORI, ONE of the stops of the Cross Israel Hiking Trail, is a popular destination for school groups, youth groups and just regular hikers. J. has organized visits to his guard post for thousands of hikers over the past year. During their visits the hikers listen to lectures about the New Guardsmen, about the Jewish history of the Galilee and the development of agriculture in the area, and topics of general interest provided by local residents, politicians and professors.

Friday afternoon, after noticing another encroachment on his father's field, J. called the police at the Nazareth police station. Joined by two of his fellow guardsmen, who are also sons of farmers and soldiers in commando units, they waited in the sun for over an hour for the police to arrive and planned their moves. They approached the horses with reins and bits.

"We will seize the horses and bring them back to our stable. If the Kablawis pay the damages, then I'll give them back, if not, I'll sell them," J. explained.

As the young men approached the horses, Yasser Kablawi, the head of the clan appeared. According to Haim, over the past year, the Kablawis have trampled his fields with their animals on more than 20 occasions.

Haim, who arrived at the scene some 10 minutes before the police made their grand appearance turned toward Kablawi and said, "Why are you doing this?"

"This land belongs to the JNF, not to you," Kablawi said.

"Why are you lying? I sat in your home with the JNF inspector months ago, and he told you straight that this is my land. You know you are stealing from me, and you're doing it while you're illegally squatting on JNF land. You've caused me tens of thousands of shekels in damages by trampling my fields today alone, and you know it."

By the time the police arrived, J. and his friends had roped one of the horses. Kablawi was joined by three grandsons and four sons. J. was joined by another seven Guardsmen. It was a standoff.

THE POLICE, who were informed of the presence of a journalist at the scene, acted with some resolution. After speaking with the JNF inspector, they explained to Kablawi that he could either sign a statement acknowledging that the land belongs to Haim and that he would be arrested if he trespassed again, or they would allow Haim to seize his horses. Kablawi signed.

J.'s activism is not just a personal quest to save his father from economic ruin. "If it were just about me and my family, my brother and I could take care of the thieves. They'd leave us alone. But then they'd just move on to our neighbors. It isn't about one family. This is a question of control over the land of Israel. The state is weak. We need to be strong if we want to remain here."

Last month, J. registered the Guardsman as a non-profit organization. He has a grand vision for the future.

"In the space of just a few months, I have brought in thousands of people, exposed them to our mission. I have more than a 100 volunteer guards. We have reduced theft by 80 percent.

"I want to raise money to buy night vision goggles and some all terrain vehicles to do proper patrols. I'd like to be able to give students scholarships so that they can guard and study at the same time. I've been in touch with farmers and ranchers in the Negev and they are anxious for us to expand to the south. I believe that within five years, the Guardsmen can end the protection rackets."

BACK IN June 2005, then vice premier Ehud Olmert gave an American audience his opinion of the Israeli people. "We are tired of fighting, we are tired of being courageous, we are tired of winning, we are tired of defeating our enemies," he whined.

Young people like J. and his colleagues, secular, yet deeply rooted Jewish sons and daughters of Galilee and Negev farmers, like their religious friends prove everyday that Olmert was not speaking for his countrymen. Whatever messes Olmert and his colleagues in the government still manage to make before they are finally thrown from office, it is absolutely clear that these young people and millions like them are willing and able to clean them up for themselves, their countrymen, and for the next generation of Jews in the land of Israel.


=============================================
Women For Israel's Tomorrow  (Women in Green)
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Rav Lior's call to Rabbanim

 bs"d

 

Thank you Avi Conway for forwarding. 

 Rabbi Lior calls for Rabbonim to forbid participation in any further evacuations of settlements. * The "leaders" are stupid because they eat non-kosher food *The Halachic ruling will be publicized in next weeks' copy of "Ertez Yisroel Shelanu"

Rabbi Dov Lior, Rav of Chevron and Kiryat Arba,has issued a Halachic ruling forbidding the hiring of, and renting of homes to Arabs anywhere in Israel. In an interview with Rabbi Lior in this weeks' "Eretz Yisroel Shelanu" newsletter, he states: "Being that we are dealing with a very obvious life threatening issue, as is clarified in the Halacha, it is absolutely forbidden to rent homes to Arabs, and forbidden to employ them. This pertains not only to yeshivos but includes hotels, factories, etc. This is particularly imperative in the light of the halachic injunction that "the poor of your city precede the poor of other cities".
Rabbi Lior offers an explanation for the irrational behavior of our political leaders: as our Rabbis state-the ingesting of non-kosher food causes befuddled thinking. We are under the rule of the Erev Rav. Being so close to the Geulah, we are witnessing a re-run of the sin of the spies who wished to reject Eretz Yisroel.
Rabbi Lior justifies not allowing PM Ehud Olmert to pay a condolence visit to Yeshivas Merkaz HaRav. "How can one host someone who acts in defiance to our holy Torah and continues to endanger the Jewish nation? Is it possible to honor such a person? Until this very moment he has not expressed one iota of remorse for all he done, and he is planning more of the same. Meanwhile they are unable to carry out their plot, but they strive towards it. Therefore it was proper not to have him visit at the yeshiva."
Rabbi Lior also commented on the halachic ruling that one may shoot into a populated area and possibly harm innocent bystanders. "There is no Jewish law that states that we must take 'innocent bystanders' into consideration during a war. We act out of defense, and therefore there is no problem. Obviously if we must stop the terrorist shootings, we are allowed to strike at innocent bystanders, if there is no other alternative."
Rabbi Lior attacked those Rabbis that didn't listen to the ruling of Rabbi Avraham Shapiro that one must not take part in the disengagement. If they would have followed the ruling of Rabbi Shapira and (yibodel l'chaim) Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, and ruled that one must refuse to participate in the disengagement, it is possible that the disengagement would not have happened. Unfortunately, so called "Rabbonim" ruled otherwise, and we are paying the steep price for this to this very day. "Those who take the advice of the Elders do not stumble".
052/3477701 For more information:

 

 

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Blood Libel March 2008 in Novosibirsk, Russia.

nk

Thank you rosewalk@concentric.net for sending.  And there are those that still believe that Silence will stop antisemitism.

SOURCE http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3521307,00.html

Russian blood libel: Jews use children's blood for matzot

Hundreds of anti-Semitic pamphlets distributed in Novosibirsk,
Russia, warning residents of supposed Jewish practice of kidnapping
children to use their blood for Passover matza

Yael Branovsky Published: 03.19.08, 20:34 / Israel Jewish Scene

Hundred of anti-Semitic announcements warning Russian parents to
beware of the supposed Jewish practice of using children's blood to
prepare Passover matza were put up around the city of Novosibirsk,
Russia in southwest Siberia on Wednesday.

"Beware Russian parents. Keep watch over your children before the
coming of April 2008, the Jewish holiday of Passover. These
disgusting people still engage in ritual practice to their gods. They
kidnap small children and remove some of their blood and use it to
prepare their holy food (matza). They throw the bodies (of the
children) out in garbage dumps," the announcements read.

"Esther", a resident of Novosibirsk, told Ynet: "I saw the
announcement, however I won't be afraid of going to synagogue during
Passover. In my house, we will have matzot.

"Anti-Semitism exists in the city and it never disappears. You can
walk around in the streets and see derogatory sayings scrawled on the
walls of houses; 'Jews go home' and such. The announcement simply
disgusted me.

"These anti-Semites merely want to divert the attention of the city's
residents away from the problems that exist in the area and blame the
Jews for everything. I personally am not afraid because my children
are in Israel."

Approximately 13,000 Jews live in the Novosibirsk area, with most
living in the city itself.

Since the beginning of this year, Russia has experienced dozens of
anti-Semitic acts – including violent attacks on Jews, derogatory
graffiti and the vandalism of Jewish cemeteries.

Anti-Semitism on rise

Recently, the US government published its yearly report that stated
that anti-Semitism, which promotes hatred towards Jews under the
guise of criticism against the State of Israel, has increased in the
last 10 years.

The report claimed that the Belarus government openly disseminates
anti-Semitic material. It also said that government-controlled media
outlets in Saudi Arabia and Egypt broadcast anti-Semitic programs.

Additional acts of anti-Semitism were recorded in Poland, Russia,
Ukraine, France, Germany, the UK, Argentina, Australia, Canada and
South Africa.

"Contemporary anti-Semitism appears openly and in disguised forms in
place where there are Jewish communities just like in places where
there are few Jewish people. Violent anti-Semitic crimes are carried
out – beginning with from terrorism carried out against Jews to
desecrating and destroying Jewish property such as synagogues and
cemeteries," the report stated.

Amos Hermon, the Jewish Agency official in charge of the fight
against anti-Semitism, told Ynet following the incident in
Novosibirsk that "this is an appalling and extraordinary incident. I
really hope that we're not going back to the period at the beginning
of the previous century in which Jews were blamed and put on trial
for killing children.

"We hope and we are sure that the Russian government will find those
who distributed (the announcement) and work to stamp out the
phenomenon."

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letter from Yishuv Itamar near Shchem.Mayor, Rabbi Moshe and Leah Goldsmith

bs"d

 

 Anyone that wishes to contribute to this Yishuv, all  donations are gratefully accepted. Please contact Rabbi Moshe Goldsmiths parents in Brooklyn, Lester and Jeannette Goldsmith Shainsha@aol.com

 

Rabbi Moshe (also Mayor of Itamar) and Leah Goldsmith write:

Dearest Friends it has been a while since I wrote to you. It is hard to believe that we are celebrating Purim already. Wow! The year is flying by so quickly. I wanted to give you all a small Itamar update with a Torah thought and of course wish you all a happy Purim. Unfortunately, we have all been witness to some very tragic days here in Israel beginning with the terrible rocket fire on Sederot and culminating with the massacre of the boys in Mercaz Harav Yeshiva. Here on Itamar we had our share of security problems over the last few months as well. We have been suffering a lot of rock throwing at cars driving up our road and some infiltrations to our hilltops where sheep were stolen. In one incident, a rock hit a driver and caused a car accident where a guest visiting our community was hospitalized with moderate to serious injuries. Last Shabbat our security fence was cut and we were all put into high alert. There were also four shooting incidents at buses going through the nearby village; one took place last night. Thank G-d nobody was hurt but the busses were shot up.

 The struggle for building our nation in the holy land goes on. Many people are asking themselves - when is this going to stop? If it is any way consoling, let us remind ourselves that this madness has been going on with ups and downs when the students of the Vilna Gaon and the Baal Shem Tov started to make Aliya 200 years ago. Our sages didn't hide from us their teaching that the land of Israel is acquired through suffering. Ok, so we can't say that we didn't know that building the land would not be easy.  Nevertheless, why does it have to be this way? One simple answer is that nothing that is of any value comes easy. The greater the gift the more we have to work hard to attain it. Eretz Yisrael is the most precious thing in the world. Therefore, in order to acquire it we have to work very hard. The harder we work the greater reward we will eventually see. Many evil forces are hovering over the land of Israel that are trying to prevent us from reaching our goals. Every person that believes in Hashem, His Torah, and His people must act. We can't remain indifferent at such a special time. Life is too short and there is just so much that we have to do. As we read today in the Megillah  - Mordechai says to Queen Esther  -  "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will be lost. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" Mordechai is telling Esther that she must realize that G-d placed her in a special position for a reason of furthering the redemption of her people. When someone reaches the heights of royalty it is very easy to fall into the trap of wealth, honor and pleasure and forget about the priorities of life. Mordechai's message was not only to Esther but it is for every one of us as well. Although G-d has blessed us greatly with a comfortable life, we can not sit back while our nation needs help! Every day, we must spend a few minutes thinking about how we can help build our land. Those who have the strength should consider making Aliyah there is nothing greater than returning home. Those that are not ready to make Aliyah at this time must get involved in some Chesed activity for helping build the land. Any small action adds up. We have all been witness to the fluctuations of the stock market and the dollar around the world over the last few months. People are panicking about loosing their fortunes. Let's put things into proportion, we have to thank G-d that we have food on the table and are not starving. After 120 years, a person is not going to take his dollar bills to the world to come. What he will take with him is the good deeds he did in this world.

I want to wish you all a happy Purim! Thank you for everything you have done for Itamar and Eretz Yisrael! Looking forward in seeing you here on Itamar.

 

Lehitraot, 

 

 

Moshe Goldsmith Itamar

 

 

 

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