Haunting

These pictures have been haunting me. I live here in Shiloh, in relative (bli eyin haraa--don't
Today the news is out, the pictures are instantly published, there are no secrets, but we see that nobody cares.
tempt the evil eye) safety. We're far from the kassams and other rockets the Arab terrorists are launching at southern Israel, and we're far from the missiles launched by the Hezbollah, the Arab terrorists of the north. But I'm finding my nights filled with nightmares just the same.

My generation, the post World War II baby boomers, of which both Bush and Olmert are members, was raised to mock the excuses of our elders that they "didn't know that there was a Holocaust going on."

In the pre-satellite, pre-Internet, pre-digital, pre-cellphone, pre-cheap phone calls, etc. era it was much easier to hide the cruel anti-Jewish actions of the Nazis.

Today the news is out, the pictures are instantly published, there are no secrets, but we see that nobody cares.

In the 1930's when the democratically elected Nazis began the anti-Jewish laws culminating in the Extermination Camps and the murder of six million Jews, the official Jewish leadership tried to work with the Nazis, rather than broadcast emergency calls for help, condemnation and cessation of the Nazi Regime.

Yes, I do see similarities in the Nazi period with today. The Nazis aimed for a judenrein (an empty of Jews) Germany, later all of Europe, and the Arabs, with the full support of the entire world, including the United States, the United Nations, the world's media and the Israeli Left, want a judenrein Judea, Samaria (Biblical Heartland) and most of the Middle-East.

I'm horrified at myself for continuing my everyday life when our very existence is in danger!

Is Israel Really "The World's Happiest Country?"

Can you really "chart," calculate happiness? Or is it like the poetry graph mocked by the Robin Williams character in the movie, "Dead Poets Society?"

That's exactly what I thought of when I saw the article claiming that according to the relationship/differential between fertility and suicide you can calculate the happiness factor. Now, if that's really true, you must compare the different Israeli sectors.

Actually, I just recently discussed something similar with a friend. We both believe that the human body holds various illnesses and "conditions" which only "come to life" when various other factors exist. For instance, that's why the Disengagement victims, the expellees are suffering from many more illnesses than before. The stress of losing their homes, communities and jobs and the knowledge that Israeli society not only doesn't value their lives, but they mock their idealism. They were much healthier even during the constant Arab terror and kassam attacks. That's because they felt positive purpose in their lives. Disengagement made a mockery of it all. So their physical defenses went down and illnesses rage.

Bottom line: I don't put my faith in those charts. When you have something to live for that means enough to you that you'd die for it, you're happy. That's not what John Lennon wrote in his famous song. "Imagine" yearns for an existence in which there's nothing to die for. I guess that's why he and his friends were so dependent on drugs and similar things.

"I get no kick from champagne." I prefer building Jewish Life in Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel.

While Olmert Fiddles and Bush Dances A Jig

Peace, That's The Problem

This post has been "festering" in my mind for awhile, but it only came to a head at the recent Yom Zikaron-- Soldiers and Terror Victims Memorial Day. One of the songs used as "background" mentioned "peace."
We will have to fight again until we understand that victory is our goal.

Forever, it seems, Israel has been striving for peace, willing to do everything for peace. That's the problem.

We should be doing everything plus, not for peace, for VICTORY, victory against our enemies. Only when we defeat our enemies will we know peace, true peace.

All of those praising peace as an ideal, whether Peace Now or the late Menachem Begin have been dangerously wrong and misguided. We are suffering from peace-caused terror.

By not concentrating our energies in defeating those who want to destroy us, we are facilitating their strengthening. Just look at what has been going on, even before the State of Israel was established. All that talk about living with our Arab neighbors in peace, as if we're sharing some fancy apartment house.

The Arabs understand the situation very well, unlike the Jews. For us to have real peace we must understand our enemies and we have to be victorious. Life is no yin/yang coexistence. In real life all people aren't equal; that's anarchy.

Consensus is mediocrity at best. Some people are meant to lead. It's not that they're aggressive; they are more efficient. Think of all the jokes about committees.

Everyone is different; that's how G-d makes us. We all have different talents and roles. Our opportunities should suit that pragmatic reality.

To think that some sort of peaceful compromise can be made with terrorists is totally and dangerously and suicidally unrealistic!

I remember being asked by immigrants of the former USSR why Israel doesn't celebrate Victory Day, what they called the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. They got it right in that sense. We have to stop being embarrassed about our victories.

• If only we had proudly celebrated our 1967 victory over Egypt, Jordan and Syria...
• If only we had immediately settled our liberated HolyLand with total enthusiasm...
• If only we had built the Third Temple on Har HaBayit (the Temple Mount) immediately after our victory, instead of giving our very holiest spot to our enemy...

I have no doubt, no doubt at all, that the Moshiach (Messiah) was here with us, ready to take us to true peace. But we sinned. I must say "we," because we're all responsible. Jewish prayers are in the plural, "our G-d," never "my G-d."

To get back to such a lofty level will be difficult. We must be proud of our military might, not embarrassed by it.
Only when we defeat our enemies will we know peace, true peace.

In 1967 we defeated our enemies in six days, six days like the Six Days of Creation. The True Shabbat was about to begin. Shabbat is considered by chazal, our sages, as a taste of Redemption. But the key was given to our enemies and we will have to fight again until we understand that victory is our goal. G-d willing.

We Remember

It would be nice to have a day in which our minds were erased of pain and tragedy. Actually, that's what the Left would want. That's what Peres probably means when he says that we shouldn't be burdened or restricted by history.

Pain is a warning. It says:

Watch out!

Don't!

This could damage something.

When we use pain killers, local anesthetics, it's like stuffing our ears from warnings. We can do serious damage to our bodies.

We have a Memorial Day to remind us that we have enemies who want us destroyed, and they don't care how many of our neighbors, children, siblings, spouses etc they kill. They want us all dead.

We must remember never to give into our fears and never forget that we must survive and strive for a great strong secure country.

We must remember that we don't need anybody's approval.

All we need is G-d, and G-d wants us here. And G-d wants us to fight for our Land and country. That's why we have Memorial Day.

And as the sun sets on Memorial Day we thank G-d, say Hallel and celebrate Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day.