Please visit my other blogs!  They're updated more frequently. 

I was having a lovely, yes another, birthday lunch, this time with Sharon Katz, of Voices Magazine, in the Mamilla Mall, Jerusalem, when we were disturbed by the noise outside. It was hard to believe.  An entire crew of yellow-coated (wearing yellow, waterproof raincoats) were hosing down and hosing down and kept on hosing down one of the fancy apartments just across from us. Months ago the municipality had sent out notice that it was against the law.

We pay a lot for water in Shiloh.  If the owners of that apartment are billed like we are, they're in for a surprise.

As usual, I'm having trouble deciding which of my Shiloh Musings articles to post here.  Don't be shy in letting me know if you think I made a mistake.  My me-ander is a different sort of blog; some of you may find it interesting. You'll see a different side of me there.

Human Rights, Free Enterprise

Human rights, civil rights, free enterprise, natural growth, capitalism... We can throw Darwin in too, the survival of the fittest and all that. We have a major housing shortage and over-crowding in Shiloh. Our neighborhood synagogue is being almost doubled in seating capacity. The committee has done a miraculous job finding ways to expand it and quickly. One of the advantages of being in a climate where it doesn't rain in the summer is that building additions is easier. No covers were needed from rain. OK, I should have worn a sun hat and sunscreen on Shabbat. My seat isn't too exposed, but some of my friends kept changing their places as they chased the shade.

There are dozens of temporary, quickly built homes like these, constructed on site, like giant lego or tinker toys. Luckier families, who already own real homes are expanding them to suit their needs. In the rest of the world, or for Arabs a couple of kilometers away, this would be no big deal, but the world makes different rules for Jews in the our HolyLand. And unfortunately, our Israeli politicians concentrate their efforts on currying favor with our enemies, rather than doing what's best for Israel.

Enough of the hypocrisy! Let the international politicians, world community and "moralists" concentrate on real problems like Iran, Arab terrorism, cancer and pollution.

In the meantime, we're busy living and building.

Just mind your own business!

Just a reminder that I post more frequently on Shiloh Musings and me-ander.

Maybe I'm Stupid

I just don't understand this "agreement negotiation" as a condition to "peace talks." All of these "conditions" before the "real talks" seem to cover what should be discussed, if you believe that "peace" can be negotiated between a country under attack and the terrorists attacking it.

Is the United States the enemy? If not, why are we negotiating with them? These negotiations are just the entry ticket to talks with the Arabs. So that means that whatever concessions the USA wrings out of Israel, the Arabs will start at that point and grind us down to nothingness.

I just don't get it. Why are we participating in this horrendously dangerous game?

One of Bibi's Better Soundbites

Netanyahu to UK: Jerusalem is Sovereign Capital of Israel

"Jerusalem is not a settlement. It is the sovereign capital of the State of Israel, and Israel will not accept limits on its sovereignty there," he told reporters bluntly. "We have been building in Jerusalem for 3,000 years."

Moreover, growing Jewish families in the existing communities of Judea and Samaria need schools for their children and homes to live in, he added. "This is different from grabbing land," he emphasized, and said he hoped to find a "bridging formula" that would enable Jews living in the regions to live a "normal life."

There's lots more to read on my other blogs, Shiloh Musings and me-ander, which are updated more frequently than this one and deal with a wider variety of subjects.

This interesting little New York Times article illuminates some information which I hadn't realized was true. Not even the United States automatically reveals the names etc of its non-American prisoners to the International Red Cross.
Successive Israeli Governments have just been embarrassments and failures. It's time to stop and use the strength G-d has given us. Nachshon, where are you?

So, if that's the case, we really don't have to cooperate with the Red Cross or any other international body, nor do we have to give our Arab terrorist prisoners more than the minimal food and medical care.

We certainly don't have to give them visitors, nor packages. They shouldn't have the rights to lawyers and clergymen. They shouldn't have telephones nor television, videos nor dvd. They are prisoners not campers. They are enemies not friends.

And not only must we demand that Gilad Shalit be released and sent home, we have other missing soldiers, such as Ron Arad and the others captured decades ago, during the Lebanese War. If they're alive, then let them return home to their families and friends, and if they're dead, let their families bury them here in Israel.

Israel must stop this nebichy, weak nice-guy schtick and start showing self-respect and determination.

Successive Israeli Governments have just been embarrassments and failures. It's time to stop and use the strength G-d has given us. Nachshon, where are you?