Worldly matters around romatic feelings

B"H 

On January 22, Israel is going to vote a new parliament into the Knesset. I have to admit that, while reading the paper, I ignore most articles dealing with Knesset parties and their intrigues and affairs. Just like me, many Israelis are sick of politics and the corruption in our country. Nevertheless, politics are also a subject in the rather sleepy town of Zfat.:-)

Here, everything seems to be so far away but, in contrast to many American Jews living in Zfat, the secular Israeli population has its feet much more on the ground. Despite all dirty politics, here are another few rather romantic pictures from Tiberias and Zfat:  

Tiberias

Photos from Zfat

Yesterday: 28 degrees Celsius in Zfat. Some local shopkeepers asked an American tourist group where they are from in the States: "From Pennsylvania", was the response. "So you are probably happy to be here", said the shopkeepers referring to hurricane Sandy. "Oh, yes, !" - so the Americans.

Copyright / Photos: Miriam Woelke

Jerusalem's Beauty

The Knesset

Photos: Miriam Woelke

Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel & the Christians

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These days, Jeremy Gimpel seems to be very busy promoting his new party running for the Knesset. Especially among the Anglo - Saxon communities all over Israel. For quite a few years, Jews doing research on fundamentalist Christian missionary groups have been telling me about Gimpel and his Christian involvement. The Rabbi seems to like the Christians too much. Either them, their money and support or everything together. 

If you ask me, keep away from Gimpel and his new party. It is simply a disgrace how Rabbis, Shlomo Riskin included, leave Orhtodox traditions in order to get involved with Christian missionary groups.

http://jewishisrael.ning.com/profiles/blogs/now-there-arose-new-rabbis-in-1

My question:

How is Gimple financing his new party and where does the money come from ?

Settler Movement demonstrating for "Regulation Bill"

Preparing posters for the demonstration

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Here are some of the photos I took at this afternoon's demonstration. The national religious settler movement was demonstrating in favour of the REGULATION BILL the Knesset was supposed to vote for. 

Unfortunately not as many people as expected joined the demonstrations. Lets say that 1000 people were there but I guess that many other national religious Jews had to go to work and cannot just join a demonstration taking place in the middle of the day. 

The Ulpana people should have made much more publicity and instead only running a campaign in Hebrew also concentrated on English speakers. Handing out brochures in Hebrew and opening a facebook page in Hebrew is not enough. While running a protest, you have to work out a justification campaign in English too. A blog and / or website would be an additional idea ! Don't underestimate today's media world !

When I walked into the protest tent at around 11am this morning, some of the national religious protesters showed their doubt whether the haredi Knesset parties would join them. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef had ordered his SHASS party to vote against the bill but, in the end, the SHASS Knesset members just stayed away from the vote in order not to vote at all. The protesters foresaw this behaviour and didn't trust the Haredim although they would be anxious having them as protestors too. Someone said that SHASS may be too busy taking care of the TAL LAW ensuring young haredi Yeshiva students not to be drafted into the Israeli army. 

In the end, the bill failed but not only due to the haredi parties (SHASS and Yahadut HaTorah). Netanyahu's ministers, LIKUD members and coalition members got too afraid and didn't show any guts against the Prime Minister. They preferred to keep their positions and seats instead of standing up for our country. Why do we have to vote at all when Knesset members just care about themselves, their money and their position ? Including SHASS. Israel Eichler from Chassidut Belz, at least, had a reason for not supporting the settlers: Certain national religious Knesset members made a big fuss against Haredim in the past. The religious Zionist always bash Haredim when it comes to "joining the army".

Instead of being united, the religious parties fight each other and thus help Netanyahu. The bill could have changed the settlement situation into something more positive and legal but by rejecting the bill, everything just remains the same mess. Netanyahu won and all the other Knesset members (except for 22 of them showing courage) "shit their pants". Excuse my words !!!

The junction between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bank of Israel and the Supreme Court down to the Knesset was blocked by the national religious youth movement. However, the roads were not completely blocked, as the left - wing press is telling you. The youth only blocked the roads with posters as soon as the traffic lights turned RED for the cars. When the lights switched to GREEN, the youth immediately left the roads and let the cars pass.

Journalists are gathering. What I noticed was that various journalists were blocking the roads themselves while the youth movement did not. What the media was looking for were headlines and therefore, many times, it was them blocking the roads. Thus we could see what a journalist does for a headline.

Red light for the traffic: The youth blocked the road and protested

Green light for the cars: The youth left the road and let the traffic pass.

In the end, the police closed the road down to the Knesset. However, there was no need for the cops to interfere, as it was a peaceful demonstration.

Settlements disappear and Palestinians spread.

Inside the protest tent

Photos: Miriam Woelke

ULPANA demonstration in brief

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I am trying to put together photos from today's demonstration of the national religious settler movement. The Knesset was due to vote about the so - called REGULATION BILL demanding the following:

The so-called Regulation Bill requires anyone claiming ownership of land upon which homes are being built to file a challenge and prove ownership within four years of the start of construction upon the property.

When the tiny neighbourhood Ulpana was built at the Beit El settlement in 1999, neither Israel's left nor the Palestinians were protesting against it. Only years later, the Jewish left conviced the nearby Arab neighbours that the land where Ulpana was built on, actually belongs to the Palestinians. As a result of this, the Left together with the Palestinians filed a court case and Israel's Supreme Court made up a verdict: The Ulpana residents have to leave and the neighbourhood is going to be destroyed. 

First reports are claiming that the bill did not pass, as various ministers and Knesset representatives were too scared to vote against Netanyahu's order not to vote in favour of the bill. Yesterday, Netanyahu himself apparently had threatened his ministers and LIKUD Knesset members. Otherwise they would loose their jobs. And when it comes to jobs and seats, most of Israel's Knesset politician give in and prefer thinking about themselves only and not necessarily about the country.

HERE you can find a report about what is going on written by my friend FRUMLIFE. I was in touch with her throughout the demonstration and told her details. I am going to write a report, including many photos, soon !!!

Photo: Miriam Woelke

MK Israel Eichler expelled from Knesset

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Knesset member, Rabbi Israel Eichler (Chassidut Belz), was expelled from the Knesset this afternoon, when he called leftist Zipi Livni (head of the Kadima party) an ENEMY (to Haredim). As a matter of fact, Zipi Livni has been trying to make propaganda against haredi society. Her party is in danger to disappear after the next Knesset elections, as her competitor, Haredim hater and journalist Ya'ir Lapid, is founding his own party and is said to take away most Kadima voters. Zipi Livni learnt from Lapid how to attract secular voters of Israel's population and thus trying to save herself from unemployment.

Jerusalem - Opposition leader Tzipi Livni blasted Housing and Construction Minister Ariel Atias for refusing to give priority affordable housing to households where both partners work. "The housing minister's decision is an insult to those who went out to the streets (to protest)," she said, adding that the measure makes the benefit only accessible to the haredi sector. MK Yisrael Eichler (United Torah Judaism) responded by calling Livni "our enemy," prompting Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin to expel him from the session.

Fire Fighters from the Carmel celebrate Chanukkah at the Knesset

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After days of heavy losses and fighting the fire on the Carmel (near Haifa), fire fighters were invited to the Knesset for lighting the Chanukkah candles.

The head of the Knesset, Ruven Rivlin, is lighting the Chanukkiah.

Israeli fire fighters are watching.

All pictures HERE !

"Chaim Amsellem" - SHAS' enfant terrible is a voice of haredi sanity

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Photo: Knesset




Not only the LIKUD has its rebels but also the Sephardi haredi SHASS party under its spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef and its head, the Minister of the Interior, Eli Yishai. For quite a while not, the SHASS Knesset member Chaim Amsellem has been criticizing its party. Among many other issues, he claims that Haredim who do not really study Torah and are basically hanging around and killing time should move their "behind" to work. It cannot be that so many Haredim are not even studying Torah but spending their days with waiting for the welfare to pay them. Furthermore, Chaim Amsellem criticizes the haredi education system. Haredim should get an education and use their brain and not sit around like a dummy.


SHASS members close to Rabbi Yosef said that the Rabbi was crying yesterday, when he heard about the claims of Chaim Amsellem. SHASS wants the rebel to resign but Amsellem refuses and is even thinking about founding his own party.


I do have to admit that Amsellem has made many good points and I have heard him several times on a haredi radio channel. I have seen too many young Haredim just hanging around not knowing how to spend their day. Only the day before yesterday, I saw a young Haredi at the municipality library in Tiberias sitting on a chair and reading through secular novels. 


Read about the SHASS scandal in HAARETZ !

Arab Knesset member is planning to demonstrate in Zfat (Safed)

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The female Arab Knesset member Hanin Zoabi is not afraid of anything what could possibly harm the Jewish people. In June she participated in the Flotilla violence against Israeli soldiers. She was almost thrown out of the Knesset and I don't understand why, in the end, this didn't happen. Apparently our weak corrupt government didn't have the guts. Zoabi is still in the Knesset and spreading her hatred all over the world.

Just a few days ago I wrote about the dispute between Jews and Arabs in the northern town of Zfat (Safed). A few weeks ago, even some violence took place when Arab youth living in Zfat threw stones and bottles at some religious Jews in the old city.

Background:

Zfat has a small university called "Zfat Academy" where the majority of students is Arab. Arab youth from the villages around Zfat. Some time ago, Jewish landlords from Zfat started renting out apartments to Arab students and thus have caused the anger of the Jewish neighbours. An entire house was just made "Judenrein". Meaning, all Jewish inhabitants were told to leave. Afterwards only Arab students are supposed to move in.

The Arabs don't only populate the old city of Zfat but also new and entire Jewish neighbourhoods like Canaan. Just recently, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, the Chief Rabbi of Zfat, made a Cherem (ban) against Jewish landlords renting out their property to Arabs.

Especially the old city is populated by religious Jews. The majority of them are Haredim. Chabad and Breslov are very big in Zfat. However, also chassidic groups such as Karlin - Stolin, Zanz, Kossov, Lelov, Gur, Vishnitz or Chernobyl are around.

Some people living in Zfat told me that the Arabs are bothering their Jewish neighbours. They turn on loud music. Especially on Shabbat. They drive around in cars and scream sexual curses at Jewish teenage girls. Furthermore, there has been an increase of intermarriage between Jews and Arabs. Young religious girls who are having difficulties finding their place in haredi society think that escaping with their Arab boyfriend into an Arab village would be a solution. In most cases, the opposite is the case. Once a Jewish woman is married to an Arab and settles with him in his village, the Arab starts showing his true face. Beatings and all kinds of violence are nothing unusual.

A female Zfat inhabitant told me something positive about the Arabs living in town:

Those Arabs would be educated and they also spend lots of money in town. Shopkeepers make business when the Arabs come and buy. In other word, the Arabs may be good for the economy.

Now the fanatic Israel hater Hanin Zoabi wants to come to Zfat and demonstrate her support for the Arab population. I am sure that, in case she is really showing up, will put more fuel into the fights. I bet she is going to schlepp in the international press in order to tell them how racist the Jews of Zfat are.

To me it looks like the Arabs want to take over Zfat.

Further Links:

ARUTZ 7

Eli Yishai versus Foreign Worker Children

B"H


The Israeli Minister of the Interior, Eli Yishai, is justifying his decision of deporting many children of Israel's foreign workers. I totally support Yishai and anyone who is so much in favour of the foreign workers should consider a few more issues and especially look into the future:


1. In case they and their kids stay and receive citizenship:
Thousands of foreign workers will then be on the dole.


2. What Israel gets is mainly uneducated people.


3. In case they receive citizenship:
Thousands of foreign workers will then ask their families to follow them to Israel. Our country will be flooded with people who have absolutely no busienss in Israel.


4. Just because the foreign worker children grow up speaking Hebrew doesn't make them to Israelis ! Israel's foreign workers have NO intention whatsoever integrating into society let alone convert to Judaism. All they are looking for is a better economical life in order to escape poverty in Africa, Thailand, China, Russia or the Philippines.


5. Importing more and more Gentiles is a spiritual danger to the State of Israel !


6. Those who are still in favour:
Why don't you move to south Tel Aviv or adopt a foreign worker into YOUR home ? Not only talking in favour of them but actually do something and accept them into YOUR own neighbourhood !




Further Links:


Daily Life in South Tel Aviv


Foreign Workers stream into Israel

New Committee at the Ministry of the Interior

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Due to thousands of Gentiles floating around in Israel and asking for citizenship, Interior Minister Me'ir Sheetrit has established a special committee to discuss the Law of Return. According to the law, one has to have Jewish roots or ancestors in order to make Aliyah and receive Israeli citizenship but nowadays any fanatic Christian thinks that he has a right to be in the Jewish State.
The law has been abused and the shocking fact is that 30% of the residents of Eilat are NOT Jewish according to Halacha.

Now the special committee is trying to work out some amendments to the Law of Return and one option may be that after making Aliyah, every candidate has to show loyalty to the state and speak a certain amount of sufficient Hebrew before receiving citizenship.

The second shocking news:

According to recent Interior Ministry data, approximately 1 million illegal immigrants currently reside in Israel. Among them are 25,000 African infiltrators (only 600 of which are refugees from Darfur), tens of thousands of Palestinian Authority Arab women married to resident Israeli Bedouins,16,000 Arab women receiving Israeli welfare stipends while residing in Judea and Samaria, and 46,000 non-Jewish Ethiopians.

Coalition Games

Photo: Walla

Netanyahu, Lieberman and Zipi Livni are playing with bricks (government), Eli Yishai (SHASS) is standing in the back and Ehud Barak is playing far away with a tank.

B"H

Israel still doesn't have a government and our leading politicians are playing power games with each other. Zipi Livni is against a coalition with Netanyahu, as she is the "winner" of the latest elections. What she doesn't understand is that she doesn't have much of a choice. Either she enters a coalition with the Likud or she is out of the picture and on the back bench joining the opposition with Ehud Barak.

Netanyahu is the real winner but hesitates to go into a coalition with secular porky Lieberman who wants to change the conversion regulations (all Russians are Jewish and everyone can get married to anyone he wants). Benjamin Netanyahu would rather prefer the right - wingers such as SHASS, Ichud HaLe'umi and HaBeit Hayehudi (national religious). The only problem is that he seems to be too afraid of announcing that no more settlements will disappear and new ones are being build. Netanyahu sees Barak Hussein Obama and Hillary Clinton coming and demanding to abolish more settlements. Then Bibi will say NO but in the end, a YES is coming out of his mouth.

Today Kadima met with Lieberman and basically agrees to his demands. However, not all Russian are getting Israeli citizenship; especially not all the Russian Gentiles flocking in. This is even too much for Zipi Livni. We are a Jewish country and don't want all the Russian Gentiles who are only looking for their profits in a foreign country. Maybe Rotation ? Just as Yitzchak Shamir and Shimon Peres once did ? Zipi doesn't want the opposition and no rotation. She wants to be prime minister now. No matter what.

As it is late at night, I am wishing a GOOD NIGHT (LAILA TOV) to Zipi and pleasant dreams about her being the new prime minister.
But only in her dreams !

Final Election Result

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The final result of the elections in Israel (10th February 2009) according to the Israeli daily MAARIV:


- Kadima (Zipi Livni): 28 Seats, Votes: 758,032

- Likud (Benjamin Netanyahu): 27 Seats, Votes: 729,054

- Israel Beitenu (Avigdor Lieberman): 15 Seats, Votes: 394,577

- Labour Party (Ehud Barak): 13 Seats, Votes: 334,900

- SHASS (Haredim, Eli Yishai): 11 Seats, votes: 286,300

- Yahadut Hatorah (Haredim, Yaakov Litzman): 5 Seats, Votes: 147,954

- Chadash (lieft - wing coalition Arabs / Jews): 4 Seats, Votes: 112,130

- Raam / Tal (Arab Party): 4 Seats, Votes: 113,954

- HaIchud HaLe'umi (Aryeh Eldad): 4 Seats, Votes: 112,570

- Mavdal (National Religious): 3 Seats, Votes: 96,765

- Meretz (extreme Left): 3 Seats, Votes: 99,611

- Balad (Arab anti - Israel Party with the only Arab female representative): 3 Seats, Votes: 83,739

"Yahadut HaTorah" reached Goal

Anti - Litzman pamphlet found in the streets of Ge'ulah / Mea Shearim last Friday night. "Don't vote for Litzman, as he wants to rule over all of us (all Haredim). This time, vote for someone else."


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Despite all kinds of anti - Litzman campaigns, the "Yahadut HaTorah" party again made it to five Knesset seats. I read in Israeli haredi forums that the Haredim themselves estimate that approx. 40.000 Haredim eventually refused to vote for the "Yahadut HaTorah". The party is mainly run by Chassidut Gur which opposed the Jerusalem's mayor candidate Me'ir Porush last November and thus, made itself plenty of enemies among Haredim.

A week ago, I spoke to a Belzer Chassid and he said that if the Belzer Rebbe was not deciding in favour of the "Yahadut HaTorah", he would prefer voting for the Sephardi - haredi SHASS party. As a matter of fact, many Chassidim and Litvishe seemed to have voted for SHASS and not for the "Yahadut HaTorah". However, Yaakov Litzman and his Gerrer followers succeeded again and reached five Knesset seats.

I don't know for whom the Belzer voted in the end, as he also said that if the Belzer Rebbe decides, he has to vote for the "Yahadut HaTorah". I, on the other hand told him, that he should vote for whoever he likes because only G - d and him know about his choice. "Yes, but you have to understand, our Rebbe is like a King", he responded.

A few days later, the Belzer Rebbe decided in favour of the "Yahadut HaTorah" !

Today, SHASS is thanking all Haredim (and other people) who voted for them. Altogether they received 11 seats in the Knesset. And, by the way, SHASS is not the worst choice, as they actually do a lot for people in financial and social despair.

Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef and the Women

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Years ago, Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef used to be the Sephardi Chief Rabbi and now he is the spiritual leader of the Sephardi - haredi SHASS party which just received 11 seats in the Knesset. For the past few years, SHASS had been a coalition partner of Kadima and now, after the recent elections, they try to avoid anything but returning to Kadima.
Why ?

The difference is that now Kadima is run by Zipi Livni and not by Ehud Olmert anymore.
And Zipi (Zipora) is a woman. Rabbi Yosef is not too excited about women and has made some anti - female quotations in the past. "A man going between two woman would be like a dog (or was it a donkey ?) !" Of course, this quotation is from the Talmud but, nevertheless, a wise rabbi doesn't just say anything out loud in order to say something.

Although I am anyhing but a Livni fan, not talking to a woman if she may be the next prime minister is out of place. Being involved in politics means being in touch with the outside world and I have to take into consideration that this job involves talking to woman or Gentiles. Politics and especially the outside world are not my little backyard and G - d created us all to do Tikunim (soul reparation).

On the other hand, I would like to know how haredi women see a female prime minister ?
Maybe it helps them getting more self - confidence. I am going to ask some haredi women but already know what many of them are going to tell me: "Why bother with all that? Isn't having a family enough ?"

Election Results

B"H

The results of the elections in Israel are probably known to everyone already. I couldn't believe when they announced last night that Zipi Livni has one seat more than Benjamin Netanyahu. Who could be that crazy and vote for Kadima after all the Olmert scandals and wheelings and dealings ?
However, this is our new reality and both candidates, Zipi Livni and Netanyahu are now searching wildly for coalition partners. Whoever makes it, can become the new prime minister.

Today, Netanyahu met the head of the Sephardi haredi SHASS party, Eli Yishai, and Zipi Livni met Avigdor Lieberman. Livni and Lieberman would fit, as both hate the religious and in particular the Haredim. Lieberman wants non - kosher food, civil marriages and any non - Jewish Russian immigrant to be Jewish. Jewish by an easy reform Giur or something similar.

A colleague of mine who is also not too much pro - Haredi claimed that now the Haredim would take over and force secular Israelis to keep the Mitzwot. Just like the Muslims in Iran, the Jews do now start the same in Israel. I told her that SHASS has been a Kadima coalition partner for quite a while and we are still in Israel and not in Iran. I cannot really relate to the fear of the secular any religious politicians may introduce a haredi dictatorship. Those Haredim who are into politics have, first of all, to deal with all kinds of Jews and secondly, I don't consider them as so holy anyway. As I said before, politics are a dirty business and how do you think those haredi politicians climbed up all the ladder of success ?

Elections 2009

http://www.leumi.org.il/english/


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Israel is electing a new Knesset today. The polling stations are open until 10pm and in smaller settlements until 8pm. I already went to vote this morning and on top of the page, you can see who I voted for. For the right - wing Zionist party "Ichud HaLe'umi" - standing for a State if Israel with a Jewish identity. Jews should settle wherever they want, as it is our land.

I voted in a right - wing Zionist neighbourhood in Jerusalem and at that particular polling station, they were almost running out of the first set of the small notes with the Hebrew letter TED, standing for the "Ichud HaLe'umi". People vote by taking a small note with the letter of the party and putting it into an envelope.

It took me two minutes and I was done. I noticed more people at the polling station than three years ago. Hopefully we are getting rid of all the left - wingers such as Kadima and the Labour Party. I don't care if Benjamin Netanyahu is becoming prime minister but the main concern is that it won't be Zipi Livni.

Chabad in favour of "Ichud Le'umi"

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Although Chabad doesn't bother too much with getting involved in Israeli politics, leading Chabad rabbis announced that Chassidut Chabad is supporting the "Ichud HaLe'umi" at the Knesset elections this Tuesday.

And although the head of the "Ichud Le'umi", Aryeh Eldad, doesn't wear a Kipa, he still stands for religious Zionist Judaism and Jewish identity.

More to Chabad and the elections here !


Election propaganda of the "Ichud HaLe'umi" at Chabad in Crown Heights / New York.

Anti - Lieberman Spot

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The national union, the National Religious Party" as well as the right - wing "Ichud HaLe'umi" call religious Zionist Israelis not to vote for Avigdor Lieberman.

This video is being spread on the Israeli Internet:

Netanyahu eating "Treife"

Netanyahu with his wife Sarah visiting a non - kosher restaurant last Friday night.

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Benjamin Netanyahu has a new scandal and his opponent Zipi Livni is having her great laugh.

According to the haredi site "Ladaat. Net", Netanyahu and his wife Sarah went to a non - kosher restaurant in Jerusalem last Friday night (Leil Shabbat).

Some years ago, before the elections to the 14th Knesset, Netanyahu told the famous local Kabbalist Rabbi Kaduri z"l that the left - wings parties apparently forgot about their Jewish identity. This time, before the elections to the 18th Knesset, Netanyahu himself seems to have forgotten about his Jewishness by eating at a treife place.

Pictures were taken showing him eating while outside the press was gathering. Netanyahu immediately understood the situation and tried to make some excuses. He just ate a Shnitzel but refused the dairy dessert.

However, today the Israeli press is jumping on the new scandal and Netanyahu's religious friends are upset. It is well - known that he is not a "Shomer Shabbat" but desecrating Shabbat and eating publically in a non - kosher restaurant ? This is too much for his religious political followers / partners.