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Published: September 15th 2007
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Heading off to Dinner
I had the privilege of spending Rosh Hashana with these incredible and beautiful sisters in Neve Shalom. The Friedlands Pictures of the Friedlands are below. I am so blessed to still be connected to this family. I have known them since I was a girl of 12. I used to babysit them, and here they are... all grown up! It is so much fun to have friends from so long ago and to see how we all mature and grow. Building life-long friendships is priceless. Some pictures are of Stephen (the second oldest) winning his award for Valor in the Lebanese War.
The Burden of Israel "The burden of Israel is divided between those who fight, and those who pray." This is a quote from an Israeli that I met recently. When creating Israel, the government decided that the citizens had two choices: they could go to a Yeshiva and spend their years praying, or they could spend several years in the Army. (two years for women, and three years for men)This way, they are covered on all fronts. From the action standpoint (the army) and from the God standpoint (praying)... The only problem is that the government didnt realize that so many people would take them up on the opportunity to
pray.
Stephen (picture below) won an award for valor in the Lebanese war. He worked as a medic. He told me that the people who pray, (the ones who spend their lives studying the Torah) will go around and ask the fighters if they want to put on Talis and pray. Stephen asks them if they want to pick up a gun and fight.
It begs the question: How would the Holocaust and WWII have been different if instead of praying that the Nazis would leave them alone and not kill them, what would have happened if they just fought back? Hitler was surely powerful, but would his power have left quite a large mark?
Holocausts I went to a Holocaust museum, and was riveted by what I saw. I walked out of the museum and asked the attendant a question. It was awful, but there are still Holocausts that happen everyday. Why do we spend so much time remembering, and not a moment preventing future ones?
The reason that the Nazi holocaust was so significant was not necessarily the number of Jews, but that is was a civil society that went bad. It wasn't a country that is
a third world, or like Africa that is savage that is already in survival, but it was a civilized country, and it was not fathomable that this would happen.
Most of my family of that generation was affected. My great-grandmother thought her brother was dead, and found out he was alive after 20 years! When he flew to New York to see her, she broke through customs to hug him. I was happy to stay with him in Israel recently.
By the way, the response I got about why we spend so much time thinking of the German Holocaust, and what are we doing to prevent the current ones?
Well, we should spend our time making ourselves better people. If we make ourselves better, it makes the world better. That was the response I got.
I speak a bit of Hebrew! Finally, I can understand people! When traveling Spain, Switzerland, France, Greece, Turkey, etc, I would stand around listening (and later ignoring) the other languages people were speaking, never understanding what they were saying and wishing that languages could be as simple as when in the movie the MATRIX, information could simply be downloaded into the brain. How
My new friend
I am not sure if I made a new friend or if he (like me) was just coveting the cheesecake.
I got the recipe, by the way! simple life would be!
Now in Israel, I can understand when people talk, get directions, food, etc and life is good.
Sometimes people will talk in Hebrew, and I will respond in Hebrew or English, and they are astounded that I know Hebrew. "Be careful what you say, she understands more than she lets on." I have heard several times. YAY! Finally.
(((PARENTS: I recommend you teach your kids arabic before Hebrew. It is only relevant in one country. Israel. Arabic is spoken in 22 countries. Teach them Spanish. French, Italian, but not Hebrew. Just not handy enough!)))
For Michael First of all, Michael, let me say that I welcome your opinions, and any others. I am happy to have this be a forum for political talk, and would like to see more insights. Since my viewpoint is so narrow for you, I thought I would branch out and get other people's viewpoint. I am sitting here in Israel, next to an Israeli Jew, and an Arab who are best friends, and grew up together in Neve Shalom. It is an area of residence where the Arabs and Jews CHOOSE to live together here. It is NOT government
Start Smoking Young
It is important to jumpstart the smoking habit when you are still young. supported, but privately funded. The government is against it, and does a lot to put up obstacles. So here I am at the Jewish New Year with an Arab and a Jew. The Arab girl says that you are being paranoid, and you are saying something that is typically Jewish, and that it is exactly that we are being surrounded by these "creatures" it is exactly why we need peace now. It is exactly the kind of propaganda that the US is trying to educate and implement saying that everything is a matter of security and they are in danger, but in fact the Israeli are supportive by the most powerful empire in the world which is the US, and they have the upper hand. Palestine is not a country, they are just a few people who are unemployed, and their life is in a survival.. Israel controls the electricity and water. They decide everything for the people. AND Israel is good at looking like the victim to the world. Israel is in the strong position that we can attain peace, if she wants it, but obviously, Israel doesn't, because there isn't." Anyways,
Sesame and Honey
Sesame (for abundance) and Honey (for a sweet year) is served at the beginning of the year. both the Israeli and the Arab think you are off your rocker. www.nswas.com
I also did some research into the Israeli perspective of the Lebanese War. Many are furious and think it is a disgrace. Those who are for the war think that they didn't prepare properly. Some Lebanese took several Israeli soldiers and what did Israel do? Something similar to a meat-head. You know, someone who has muscle, and no brains. Someone who hasn't been formally educated. They attacked. No skilled negotiations. Both sides suffered brutally. Many citizens were killed on both sides, and lands were blown up. What happened to the captives? they are STILL, one year later still imprisoned in Lebanon. How did that war help? Answer: It didn't do Shit. Except kill a bunch of people.
Recommended Reading: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.
about a girl who dies and watches her family from heaven... very good read!
Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult
IMPORTANT: Only go to the second page if you are okay with seeing pictures of holocaust.
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Tim Stich
non-member comment
Cool!
Nice pictures from Israel. The smoking kid is the best. People sure love their tobaccky on the other side of the Pond.