Africans in the US and Israel

B"H

Although many American Jews I have met in Israel told me that, for instance in New York, Jews and Muslims generally get along with each other, the fact that American anti - Semitism is on the rise cannot be denied. The above video refers more to Islam, Sharia Law and Christianity, however, I assume that also the Jews living in Minnesota are involved. 

In the streets of Tel Aviv, we don't usually see the thousands of illegal Africans praying from the Koran but what we do see is that they don't want to integrate into Israeli society. So far, the illegal Africans live in their own ghettos and follow their own rules and customs. What they want is another Africa in the middle of Tel Aviv.

Sometimes the same is happening regarding the self - appointed Indian "Bnei Menashe". Indians moving to Israel claiming that they are from the tribe of Menashe. A totally ridiculous claim, as only Meshiach is going to announce who is from which tribe. 

This way, Israel has turned into a shelter for Third World countries. The Africans crossing the border between Israel and Egypt on an illegal basis and the Indians arriving by plane proclaiming that they are Jewish. In the end, many of them stay together and follow their Indian customs; whatever those customs are.

BALABASTA Festival 2012: "How to draw a Picture"

B"H 

It seems that most Haredim actually do keep away from the BALABASTA Fair taking place at the Machane Yehudah Market in Jerusalem this month. The Edah HaCharedit had placed a ban but my guess is that most Haredim keep away because there is nothing interesting to watch. 

The annual August BALABASTA is nice but you won't too much going on. However, it gives you a different perspective of Jerusalem's Machane Yehudah Market but I also must say that the sellers at the market show a real hostile behaviour towards visitors from Tel Aviv. I have never seen this before but I was actually yelled at by a few sellers while making the videos. They accused me of being from Tel Aviv and only coming to film but not to buy their fruit and vegetable. 

I am not from Tel Aviv anymore but moved back to Jerusalem three months ago. However, I have never experienced such behaviour at the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv.

VIDEO: "BALABASTA Culture Event at Jerusalem's Machane Yehudah Market"

B"H 

Here is a little bit of the famous Machane Yehudah Market atmosphere. Today was also another day where the summer festival BALABASTA took place. 

Enjoy the short video ! I am going to put some more Balabasta videos into the blog. Nevertheless, the upload on Youtube is taking me a tremendously long time.

"Rabbi" Shlomo Riskin and the Christians

B"H

Before I start publishing new articles and going through all your comments, I would like to mention the latest JEWISH ISRAEL article on the wheeling and dealing of Efrat's Chief Rabbi Shlomo Riskin and his remarks towards Christianity.

http://jewishisrael.ning.com/profiles/blogs/rabbi-riskin-s-parasha-commentary-finds-unity-in-the-shema-the-tr

Baruch Hashem, I have had never anything to do with Riskin and today I avoid his teachings, articles or any of his publications. My personal opinion is that Riskin is not into Christianity himself but loves the cash coming from Christian groups. In order to get the money in, he is prepared to do anything and Jewish Israel or any criticism from the Orthodox side won't teach him better. 

As I said many times before, in our days, money is more important than moral and ideology. 

The new Palestinian terror: ARSON

B"H 

Last week, an Israeli paper finally referred to the new kind of Palestinian terror against Israelis: Arson. 

During the Israeli summer months of May, June, July, August and September, you won't find any rain. Instead the weather is unbelievable hot and dry. Anyone throwing away a cigarette bud can cause a catastrophe. In fact there are radio and TV spots asking the public to watch out and avoid causing any fire in open spaces such as forests or fields. 

It has been going on for a while now that the Israeli fire department hardly finds any time to breathe. The guys are hurrying from one fire to the next and most of those fires were caused on purpose. By Palestinians. Almost all of those fires take place close to Jewish buildings. Last week there was another huge fire between Jerusalem's Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital and Moshav Even Sapir. The day before yesterday, there was another fire right in front of my windows. Nearby living Palestinians and kindled another fire in the woods and the fire department arrived with two vehicles. 

About a month ago, me and a friend were witnessing some Palestinian youths kindling a fire in the woods across the building where I live. The lit the fire and ran away. It is well known that most fires in Israel were caused by Palestinians. Just for fun in order to upset the Jews or even in order to kill. I am sure that people abroad have not clue about what is going on here, as your local media stations definitely won't report about Palestinian arson. 

The fire

The fire department

Photos: Miriam Woelke

Rosh Chodesh Elul - ראש חודש אלול

"The King is in the Field - HaMelech Ba'Sade"

B"H
 
Tomorrow night (Friday / Erev Shabbat) as well as on Shabbat itself and Sunday, we are celebrating the beginning of the new Jewish month ELUL (Rosh Chodesh ELUL). 

With ELUL we are entering the Teshuva period before the upcoming high holidays. This doesn't mean that we are unable to do Teshuva (Return to G - d) throughout the year. Nevertheless, that Elul is the month where we have a direct phone line (connection) to G - d.  

On Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year), G - d is going to judge the entire universe for the next upcoming year 5773: Who is going to live, who is going to die, will we be healthy, who is getting married, will there be war, peace or natural catastrophes … Everything concerning the New Year, G - d is going to decide on Rosh HaShana.  

A few days later, Rosh HaShana is followed by the highest Jewish holiday YOM KIPPUR (Day of Atonement). Whereas G - d judges His whole creation (Jews & Gentiles alike) on Rosh HaShana, the Jews are going to be specially judged on Yom Kippur. Then He is, so to speak, signing His final decision.  

This is one of the differences between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur: Rosh HaShana is a day of judgement for the entire planet. No matter if someone is Jewish or not - Jewish. Yom Kippur, however, is an entirely Jewish holiday because it only concerns the Jews and their final judgement.  

Who then doesn't want to make a good impression before G - d ? 

The month of Elul is a great opportunity for us of doing so. Sephardi Jews already start their Selichot prayers with the beginning of Elul. Ashkenazi Jews only start their Selichot on the Mozzaei Shabbat (Saturday night after Shabbat ends) before Rosh HaShana.  

The month of ELUL is a time of looking back and return. Have we reached our goals during the year ? What mistakes did we make and how can we make everything better in the future ? Where have we failed and what did we accomplish ?  

G - d is not interested in us being the most perfect people in the world. What He is interested in is that we realize our mistakes, regret and follow the intention to make everything better in the future. 

Elul is the big month of Teshuva where we have to realize that there is more to this world than eat, drink, work and sleep. In Elul, Moshe went up to Mount Sinai in order to ask G - d for forgiveness for the Golden Calf. Elul is the month of awareness in connection with the sincere intention of correcting and perfecting oneself.

The King is in the Fields - המלך בשדה

B"H


Tomorrow night, Shabbat as well as on Sunday, the Jewish world is going to celebrate the new month of ELUL (Rosh Chodesh ELUL). Elul together with Tishrei (following Elul) are my personal favourite months of the year. Others love Purim or Pessach, I am tremendously in love with Rosh HaShana and Sukkot. It doesn't mean, I am leaving out Yom Kippur but, as you know, food is missing although we have to be like angels on that day and lift ourselves up without earthly needs. Especially in Chassidut, the month of Elul is extremely important because on the 18th day, we celebrate the birth of the great chassidic master, the Baal Shem Tov (born in 1698 or 1700). 

Generally, Elul is the month of Teshuva (repentance) and this concerns all of us. On Rosh HaShana, G - d is going to judge the whole world, including Jews and non - Jews, and all of us should make some kind of an effort by getting closer to the Creator and especially by looking into ourselves. Use Elul and look at all your actions throughout the year. In Hebrew this is called "Cheshbon Nefesh" and means that you should ask yourself, where you are standing in this world. How is each Jew connected to his fellow Jew and is he having a relationship with G - d ? Could he do better and how ? 

The Baal Shem Tov said that in Elul, "The King is in the Field - HaMelech Ba'Sade". Meaning that every person is able of having an easier approach to G - d Himself. Throughout the rest of the year, G - d is usually judging or listening to our prayers through intermediaries such as His Sefirot (symbolic for His character traits). During Elul, Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, we can reach such a high level where we make G - d Himself refer to us. 

Going out in a field is not to be taken literally although many people (such as Breslover Chassidim) do go out in order to talk to G - d. And, as I said before, Elul is the time of looking and analyzing our own actions. Are we as approachable to others as G - d is ? Maybe we should learn from Him how to show some more Chesed and judge people more favourably. What would we say if G - d judged us as harsh as we sometimes judge other people ? 

Chesed (kindness), prayer and giving charity (Zedakah) are the attributes of the month of Elul. Show mercy upon others and look at the other side of a person. 

How else can we do Teshuva in Elul ?
By studying more Torah and thus getting closer to G - d. The Torah is not to be seen as a little story and book full of laws. We have to realize that the Torah is talking to us today and is giving us a special message we need to understand. If we do get the message, we will have a great and successful month of Elul and be successfully inscribed into the Book of Live (by G - d).

When frum Jews make you run away from Judaism

B"H

There are those Jews who were born frum and they simply keep the Mitzvot because they were taught so. A young religious woman once told me that she has never thought about desecrating Shabbat because she had always kept Shabbat. Why should she have a desire for Chillul Shabbat ?

On the other hand, there are those Jews growing up secular but, later on in their lives, decided to become religious. I am not going into the subject of how religious. Lets just say RELIGIOUS. 

As a born frummie, you are used to many things and you don't even ask why you do such and such. You just do and that's it. 

All my life I have been asking and, many times, asking too much.:-) I cannot help it and just don't overlook or ignore things I see. 

There is this book "Off - The - Derech" by Faranak Margolese I am reading at the moment. Mrs Margolese makes an important but simple point: Why do quite a few young Jews run away from religion and the life of Mitzvot ? Because they had negative experiences with frum Jews. Either with their parents, their teachers, their classmates, friends or even Rabbis. 

When you are a religious Jew and see other Jews messing around or acting against the Torah, you get fed up. Religious Jews should be an example for Torah life but, in many cases, they are just the opposite. Many of them lie, cheat, steal or abuse just like anybody else. They are rude to you because you may not fulfill their expectations. Religious classmates beat each other and gossip around. 

After a while, you stop seeing the difference between G - d and those religious Jews who don't behave too religious. You don't want to be like them so you cannot be religious, as those false frummies call themselves religious. You hate everything they do. When they study Torah, you cannot. When they eat kosher, you cannot. 

It takes a lot of strength not to blame the entire Jewish religion because of the fact that various so - called religious Jews fail. You have to concentrate on G - d and not on those people. This is very hard and, many times, I am falling into this trap myself. Nevertheless, what you have to keep in mind is that those corrupt people cheating, yelling at you and making you feel like an idiot, are actually causing a Chillul Hashem. 

Off Topic: On People dreaming to become successful Bloggers

B"H

I am a bit off - topic but I feel like saying something about Internet Marketing Gurus and those people following them connected with the dream of becoming a successful Blogger and a Cash Cow. 

A few days ago I read a guest post on a certain blog suggesting to others to Twitter in all kinds of languages in order to draw more readers to their blogs. But what do you do if you are not fluent in Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Finish, Polish and all those languages ? Right, you put a few stupid easy sentences into Google Translation and Copy and Paste it into Twitter. This is the whole secret of success.

I do call this a lie. Cheating on your readers for success ? As a matter of fact, too many people are not ashamed of anything anymore. Marketing Gurus always give the same advice making any looser think that he can become rich and famous within a month. Most of them start their own Internet Marketing Blog or they copy and paste content from other Blogs. 

Forget about all this SEO, social media, etc. The truth about any Blog is to deliver content. If you don't have content and cheat your readers by copy / paste or lie at them, no one wants to come back to you. 

Urghhh, Content. The Gurus also tell you this but too many Blogger don't want to work and produce content but see the money floating into their accounts. 

This mentality really gets on my nerves and there is an entire Blog (I think run by some Arab) stealing content from other Bloggers. Only stolen content in any language and from any Blogger including myself. I did complain to Blogger.Com a few times and the company deleted my content from the fake Blog. However, I am tired and sick of keep on doing this every other week. But what can I say ? This is what those famous Gurus teach new Blogger but stealing alone doesn't get you anywhere.

Bagele, Bagele

The Bagele are the same, only the light was different.:-)

Seen at the Jerusaleme Machane Yehudah Markt.

Photos: Miriam Woelke

ELUL is coming

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B"H

Not only in chassidic thought, the month of ELUL is a vast subject. There is so much to say about ELUL and, at the moment, I am going through various sources in order to put together an informative new article on the topic. 

Personally, I love the month of Elul, as it stands for a new chance. In Chassidut we say: "The king is in the Field - HaMelech ba'Sadeh", meaning that there is no time when G - d puts Himself closer to us. Thus, this is the best time for doing a bit of Teshuva. However, this doesn't mean that Teshuva cannot be done at other times of the year too. We don't need to wait for Elul and Yom Kippur in order to change our lives. 

I also try doing some Teshuva and by going through different chassidic and other writings, I actually do get lots of food for thought. If my Teshuva attempt eventually succeeds in the end, we will see. Some attempts may and others may not. Nevertheless, I am never getting tired of  those attempts and every Elul is a new experience. Despite all kinds of failures, I never give up because there is always another day to try again. 

Well, I hope that I don't sound too much like Rabbi Nachman with that ! :-)

My first Video: Jerusalem by Night

B"H

My first video is a bit of a mess but I am learning.:-)))

You can see a few seconds of Jerusalem by night. A view from my balcony.