Today, Sunday 20th May, we celebrate 45 years since Jerusalem was reunified in the Six Day War according to the Hebrew calendar.  These have been 45 eventful but happy years, which have seen the holy city of Jerusalem quickly regain its central place in Israeli and Jewish life.  After 2,000 years of exile from the Land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem, and a further 19 years of being denied access to the holiest sites in Judaism, Jews around the world celebrated when the IDF paratroopers finally reached the Kotel and Motta Gur announced the famous words, “The Temple Mount is in our hands”.  That moment is being savoured and celebrated today on Jerusalem Day.

The important place that Jerusalem occupies for Israelis and for Jewish people all around the world has strengthened over the past 45 years.  Once again, we have had the merit and the joy to be able to visit the holiest site in Judaism.  It is impossible to consider a possibility that Jerusalem would not remain unified in the future, and that Jews could be denied access to visit the holy sites in the way that we were forced to experience in the past.  This is almost certainly one of the reasons why discussions on the final status of Jerusalem in the peace talks with the Palestinians are so fraught.  It seems as though the Palestinians understand the strength of feeling that we have for Jerusalem, and continue to demand it for themselves.  This may enable them to extract major compromises in return for giving up on Jerusalem in the final agreement.

There can be no escape from the centrality of Jerusalem in Judaism.  Even those who wish to prevent Jews from having access to Jerusalem would struggle to the deny strong links that Jews and Judaism have to this holy city.  The holy nature of the city was arguably only established during the time of David and Solomon when the temple was built.  It is no mere coincidence, however, that the temple was built in this city and on Mount Moriah.  This is the site of the dream of Jacob’s ladder, the site of the almost-sacrifice of Isaac and possibly even the site from which the which the world was created.  Whether or not one believes in these biblical links, it is simple to refer to Jewish texts that have been written and passed down over thousands of years, and which bear testimony to the close links that Jews have to the city.

Over the past 45 years, the city of Jerusalem has developed and grown in a way that makes it unrecognisable from the city that was reunified 45 years ago.  The Kotel (the Western Wall), the only remnant of the remains of the temple, was quickly transformed into an area that could be host to the many millions of visitors that wish to visit the heart of Judaism.  It is believed in Judaism that the divine presence emanates from Jerusalem.  In order, however, for the divine presence to be felt, it is required that there will be those to receive and bask in its glory.  The Kotel has truly fulfilled that purpose.  It plays host to state and military ceremonies of great importance and significance.  It also hosts all manner of religious worship, celebration and heartbreak.  The Kotel plaza is often filled with tens of thousands of people as they cram themselves in to take part in the merit that our generation enjoys to have free access to this place.  The surrounding parts of the Old City, and stretching out well beyond into the new city and further, have seen a renewal and redevelopment that has transformed the face of Jerusalem, without changing its character.  The modern Chords Bridge at the entrance to the city, numerous luxury hotels and the sight of the Jerusalem light rail show the face of a contemporary city keeping up with the times, while allowing residents and visitors to get close to its historical roots.

Over the years, conquerors of Jerusalem have denied access to other religions as a punishment, and as a sign of their supremacy over the city.  It is, after all, a city that is holy to all three monotheistic religions.  Contrary to this trend, it is interesting that Israel decided to allow all religions access to their holy sites in the city.  Rather than weaken Israel’s grip on the city, I feel that it has served to strengthen Israel’s position in Jerusalem.  I believe that most Israelis are proud that this is the case, as much as they are determined to ensure that Israel’s rule over the city continues well into the future.

The truth is that it is difficult to try to predict what the future holds for the holy city.  There seems to be no real reason for the Palestinians to wish to rule over the city.  While it is a city that is holy to Muslims, it ranks only third in its holiness to the cities of Mecca and Medina.  Muslims have access to, and complete control over all Muslim holy sites in the city through the Waqf.  This stretches even to having control over the Temple Mount and the Al Aqsa mosque, despite this also being the site of the holy Jewish temple.  I imagine that the only benefit that can be gained from ruling over Jerusalem, or parts of the city, is that it may give them the right to deny access by others to these areas.  We can never risk this situation coming to fruition.

Despite the fact that a great deal of thought has been given to the possibility of creating Jerusalem into something of an international city that is owned by everyone, but nobody in particular, there is no real precedent for a successful implementation of such a model.  This gives rise to a great deal of scepticism, and suspicion as to what the true intentions of the Palestinians may be with regard to Jerusalem.

For now, the united city of Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel, and the centre of the Jewish world.  It also plays host to Muslims, Christians and members of other faiths that may wish to visit, live and study in the city.  There seems little wrong with this model, and no individual is denied any rights that he may wish to have.

It is my hope and prayer that Jerusalem will continue to play its role as a central part of so many faiths, and that all faiths will continue to have free access to all corners of this ancient and fascinating city.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her skill.    (Psalm 137)

Image by Kym Rohman

Keeping Jerusalem Unified is a post from: The Israel Situation

This post is from our contributor Andyboy. To catch up on his controversial articles and commentaries on Israeli and Jewish affairs you can visit his blog at:http://andyboy1.com/

Ben Gurion Airport - Gateway to Israel (Tip: find a clerk that speaks English!)

I wish I had a dollar for each time I’ve been asked that question since making Aliyah 25 years ago. Actually it’s not so much a question but an accusation dressed up as question.

It’s true that when I arrived in Israel, with that mixture of trepidation and excitement common to all new olim (immigrants), I could barely speak one word of Hebrew. I carry the legacy of that defect with me to this day, every day!

When I arrived at the immigration office in Ben-Gurion airport to be “ processed,” I met with a clerk from the Interior Ministry in order to deal with the necessary documents. Naturally, the Ministry, in their infinite wisdom, ensured that those clerks allocated to deal with olim from the UK, could barely speak a word of English.

An interesting introductory lesson to the mindset of Israeli officialdom, and a warning of things to come.

Anyway, this particular issue refers to the preparation of my “ Teudat Oleh”, the basic document needed by to all olim to enable them to deal with the various government and official departments in the future. The clerk is required to translate the English name into Hebrew. As mentioned above, this assumes an ability of the clerk to be reasonably fluent in both languages.

But, as we all know “Assumption is the mother of all f**ups!),” as it was in this case. Consequently, I emerged from the office, blissfully unaware that, henceforth, my family name would sound, in Hebrew, as if it ended with the sound “ ah” instead of the correct sound “ee”.

By the time the significance of this error sank in, it was, in practical terms, too late to change it. It wasn’t that it would not have been possible, theoretically, but the reality was simply too daunting for me at that time, especially with my non-existent Hebrew.

It was common knowledge, in those days, that you avoided any appointments with the Interior Ministry, unless it was a matter of life or death. The horror stories of the situation in the local branches of this Ministry are the stuff legends are made of. The seething mass of humanity shoving and elbowing their way to the front of, what was laughingly described as a ”queue”, to confront clerks whose hostility defied belief, was not a situation to be entered into lightly.

And so I didn’t!

To be absolutely fair, the situation today is considerably improved. The office facilities are clean and modern, and they have even installed those little machines that dispense numbers, so that you know your place in the line. Of course, as I mentioned in a previous piece, this does not deter the professional queue jumpers from inserting themselves at the head of the line with a “ rak she’elah” (which means “ I only have a question”, and promptly turning the question into a one hour discussion.

Actually, returning to the subject of speaking Hebrew, these words above are probably amongst the most important of a short list of essential vocabulary for new olim. Other useful phrases to know include:

• “ Iy’ eh b’ seder” (everything will be OK) – it won’t be!
• “ Al ti dag” (don’t worry) – start worrying!
• “ Mi acharon?” (who is last in line?) – {Not as true as it once was, but still used, irrespective of the tickets!} – and if it’s you, be prepared for the follow up request to hold the place, as the person disappears on an errand.

I would be doing myself an injustice if I didn’t claim that my Hebrew has improved since those distant days. But that’s my opinion, not shared, apparently, by those on the receiving end of it. The only people sympathetic to my situation are other olim, and not only Anglo-Saxons, but ANY olim.

Sometimes we cry on each other’s shoulders as we exchange experiences.

I know what I am about to say will be viewed as an excuse, but the fact is that I have been confronted so many times by Israelis, who, the moment they detect my accent, announce proudly: “It’s OK, I can speak English!” and promptly demonstrate how good (or bad) they are. My other excuse is that I made Aliyah directly from London to Eilat, a city where English was used as the main form of communication with foreign tourists.

I always remember one particular anecdote that has stuck in my mind regarding the language. A few year ago I had the misfortune to suffer a kidney stone attack whilst I was staying in a hotel in Tel-Aviv. As I was being transported to the hospital in the back of an ambulance, I had to try to understand from the paramedic, through a level of pain that only those who have ever suffered this condition (or given birth) can understand, that I was being asked “Do you have money? How will you pay us?”

Since they did not know, at that time, how to determine what my groans of agony signified, I assumed they were afraid I would kick the bucket before we got to the hospital, and no one would pay them for the service. At that stage I was not in a position to co-operate.

But once in the emergency room, hooked up to an IV drip, the insertion of which involved a Russian speaking doctor instructing a Russian speaking nurse on the procedure, they returned and again demanded payment. Fortunately I had enough cash. Witnessing the exchange, the doctor came over and asked me in heavily accented English: “ don’t you speak Hebrew?”

It struck me as an odd sense of priorities, under the circumstances.

And what is the end of my story about Hebrew? Well, not exactly the end, but an interesting twist.

A few years ago my son made aliyah to a very Anglo-Saxon community. Finding it difficult, initially, to secure a job in his profession, he started giving Hebrew lessons to the new olim in his area (you may deduce that his knowledge is considerably greater than mine). From small beginnings,  he now has a successful business teaching Hebrew, via the internet, to clients all over the world.

Interestingly, he has never taught me, which is probably a good thing, given father and son relationships in general. Actually, we have a good relationship, so much so, that he recently asked if I could help him, in some way, in his business.

The  irony! Me involved with a company teaching Hebrew! But, At least, no one will know that we are related.

You see, he had a different clerk when he made aliyah, so his family name is spelled correctly in Hebrew. We are father and son with different family names.

Welcome to Israel!

“You don’t speak Hebrew?”

Image: Wikipedia via Zemanta

“You Don’t Speak Hebrew?” is a post from: The Israel Situation

Yom Yerushalyim celebrating 45 years of the reunification of Jerusalem is May 20, 2012. Flags of Israel and Jerusalem are flying above the streets.

Photo of the Week: Yom Yerushalayim is a post from: The Israel Situation

Within the space of three short days, early elections were on and then off again.  The timescale of this U-turn was quite astonishing.  On Sunday evening, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced to his Likud party convention that early elections would be held.  On Monday morning, the first reading of the bill to dissolve the Knesset was passed.  In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the new coalition agreement was signed with Shaul Mofaz and the Kadima Party, and early elections were cancelled.  By bringing Kadima into the coalition, Bibi has almost created a government of national unity.  The only main party which is now outside of the coalition is the Labour Party, and its new leader Shelly Yachimovich becomes the leader of the official opposition.

There are a number of people, both within political circles and outside, who feel that Bibi’s conduct on the issue of the elections has been less than fair and honest.  It transpires that he was holding coalition discussions with Shaul Mofaz for at least a week before the announcement that an agreement had been reached.  This begs the question why Bibi decided to make a public announcement about early elections and allow the Knesset to debate the first reading of the dissolution bill, when he was on the verge of concluding a new coalition agreement?  Was this a negotiating tactic to force Mofaz to make the final concession?  The formal announcement that an early election would take place certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons.  No sooner had electioneering got into full force, when it was all frozen.

Even though the way in which it was done raises big questions, I believe that the act of delaying the election is probably more beneficial for the State of Israel and its citizens than proceeding to early elections.  Israel is currently confronting a number of critical issues, and there was a huge danger of these issues becoming too wrapped up with a general election.  Despite the international focus having been moved away from Iran over the past few months, this issue probably remains Israel’s largest challenge in the short to medium term.  Some parties are taking a much more aggressive approach advising Israel to take military action against Iran.  Others are advising a more cautious and conciliatory approach.  Even former heads of intelligence have weighed in with their “words of wisdom”, only in an attempt to exact political revenge on those that they don’t like.  This is a fraught subject that has major implications for Israel and her citizens.  A decision taken by a stable almost-unity government is surely better than airing this issue in election platforms.

There is also the controversial issue of the replacement to the Tal Law.  This is an issue which is split down party political lines as the religious parties are doing their utmost to convince lawmakers to enact a replacement law that will still allow yeshivah boys to be exempt from military service.  Opponents wish to see at least some minimum form of national service which will apply to all of Israel’s citizens, without exceptions.  This is a messy political hot potato that is best kept out of election platform politics.

The passing of the new budget is almost always held to ransom by coalition negotiations.  Parties negotiating possible inclusion in the coalition frequently predicate their support of the budget on receiving key concessions in the coalition agreement.  At a time when the economic stability of many countries in the world is so much under threat, economic high jinks cannot be afforded in Israel.  It would be good to get the budget approved without the need to bow to parties looking to extract value from the coalition negotiations.

For Kadima, the extension of the Knesset term has saved it from election decimation.  There is little doubt that a general election at this time would have substantially reduced its Knesset faction.  At the same time the new coalition agreement has raised doubts in the minds of many Kadima members, particularly those who came from parties on the left of the political spectrum, about whether this is a first step towards uniting with the Likud.  The most senior of these doubters, Kadima council chairman Haim Ramon, immediately tendered his resignation from the party.  He was followed by many grass-roots members of the party in a move which threatens to split the party, even before a single ballot is cast in a general election.

The big winner in this move is Prime Minister Netanyahu.  He has shown himself to be a shrewd political player, even though he has trodden on more than a few toes in the process.  The upshot of all of his political manoeuvring is that Bibi is king of Israel, just as his supporters like to chant at public gatherings.  He currently holds all the cards in his hands, and has a very strong political position to see him through to the end of the Knesset session and into the next general election.  He will need to see out at least one more summer, which is promising to be a summer with greater social protest than we saw last summer.  This is certainly a threat to him, but the electorate has little or no alternative choices to select from.  Opposition parties to the Likud are disparate and decimated.

The electorate has been spared an election this summer.  This will save a substantial sum of money, and will delay the inevitable filthy negative politics associated with election campaigns for at least another year.  I hope that, by the time we reach the start of the next campaign in a year or 18 months from now, many of the critical issues mentioned above that urgently require attention will have been dealt with.

Image by tzipi livni.

Bibi Does Election U-Turn is a post from: The Israel Situation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kadima party chair Shaul Mofaz held a joint press conference announcing a new unity government. The two largest parties in Israel bring 55 of the 120 seats of the Knesset together in one large voting bloc.

Just hours after early elections were called for September, Likud and Kadima leadership cobbled together a deal in a secret meeting. The deal will place Mofaz in the role of Deputy Prime Minister and binds him to be loyal to Netanyahu’s coalition until October, 2013.

In exchange for this, Netanyahu has agreed to support an effort to repeal the ‘Tal Law’ which exempts ultra-orthodox Jews in Israel from military service as long as they remain in Yeshiva.

In all, the new coalition will represent 94 out of the 120 votes in the Knesset. This is the widest coalition ever built in Israel’s 64 year history.

Of course, not all are happy with the deal. Former Kadima chair Tzipi Livni says that Kadima has sold out under Mofaz’s leadership. That might be so, as the Kadima party was founded to be a centrist alternative to Israel’s primary right wing party.

The new deal also secures the future of Defense Minister Ehud Barak, now leader of the Independence Party, a party that does not show promise in current polling.

Unity governments have traditionally only been formed in times of war, which leads some political analysts to wonder what sparked the divergent party leaders to join forces. Time will tell if threats from Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas or self-perseverance in politics will drive this agreement forward.

Likud and Kadima: A New Unity Government is a post from: The Israel Situation

The second Komen Israel Race for the Cure was held on May 03, 2012, thousands of people participated, including hundreds of Arab women. The route began in Gan Sacher with the finish line by the Walls of the City.

For more photos of the event see  The Real Jerusalem Streets

Photo of the Week – Race for the Cure is a post from: The Israel Situation

Despite the fact that Prime Minister Netanyahu has been out of circulation as he has been sitting shiva following the death of his father, the Likud machine is working hard to arrange the next general election.  According to the law, the election could be called anytime until November 2013.  The prime minister and his advisers, however,  have decided to accelerate the date to September this year.

A bill to dissolve parliament ahead of the next election is due to be discussed in the Knesset today (Sunday 6th May) which could see the Knesset dissolved in one week’s time.  Even before the Knesset has been dissolved, I notice that campaigning has begun.  Advertisements have already been plastered onto buses and primary campaigns have sprung into action.  The election campaign has gained such rapid momentum that it is difficult to believe that only two weeks ago, there was no official speak of an election at all.

The prime minister has decided to call an election now because he is obviously riding something of a wave of popularity right now.  He has had a fairly stable term in office without any major ups and downs.  He has done nothing remarkable, but has also not really put a foot wrong.  His popularity seems largely to have depended on the things that have been happening in the other parties rather than actions of his government.  The other parties have been very helpful in assisting Netanyahu’s fortunes over the term of this Knesset.  The contest for the leadership of the Labour Party resulted in considerable damage to the party as the two main rivals bitterly vied for the top position.  Since then, the new leader, Shelly Yachimovich, has not really asserted herself in any major way in the public eye.  Now that there is talk of an early general election, she has suddenly made a public statement saying that Labour could defeat Likud in the election.  This is nothing more than wishful thinking.  Tzipi Livni’s defeat as leader of Kadima and her subsequent resignation from the Knesset have left the party languishing.  Opinion polls suggest that Kadima could be demoted from the largest party to the fifth largest after the next election.

In addition, the prime minister would have been dreading another summer of social protests.  He managed, somehow, to cling on last summer during the height of the tent protest when his government was being held responsible for the constant and dramatic increases in the cost of living.  He certainly would not wish to repeat that experience if he can possibly avoid it.  The election campaign over the summer months is, I think, partially designed to divert attention away from the social protests and bring other parties into play in the economic discussion.

It will take the Israeli public a little more time to get enthusiastic about the election.  The truth is that it would be very surprising if Netanyahu is not reelected as prime minister.  Most people have already resigned themselves to this outcome, and have moved on.  So what is there to be excited about in an election that is not expected to deliver anything new?  Many will be voting for Netanyahu to register a protest vote against the others, who all seem unelectable.  Even Ehud Barak, who is a previous prime minister, seems a million miles away from the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem’s Balfour Street in the eyes of most voters.  The minor details of whether the Likud gains 31 seats in place of its current 27 seats, or if Kadima is the largest or the smallest party in the Knesset all seem unimportant in the grand scheme of things.  Voters may be tempted to vote for one of the smaller parties if they believe that strengthening this party’s position within a coalition government may help to promote certain policies or legislation.  This been proven to be effective by the Yisrael Beiteinu party in the existing coalition, which has been prepared to vigorously pursue issues that are of unique interest only to its voting constituency.  It has enjoyed some success where this is concerned, and this fact is likely to secure it a similarly strong position in the next Knesset.

Despite the fact that the election seems not to inspire much excitement amongst the Israeli voting public, especially at this stage of the campaign, there are many reasons why Israelis should be excited and motivated by the election.  We need always to bear in mind that this is the only true democracy in the Middle East, a fact for us all to be proud of.  The election campaign is the greatest example of this democracy at work.  This is also, uniquely, a Jewish democracy.  This gives the chance to debate and vote on issues that are particular to us as Jews, and especially issues that concern our ongoing safety and security within the family of nations.  In this respect, the Israeli elections have an impact on Jews living outside of Israel as well as within her borders.  The more democratic the outcome of the election, the greater is our security and the more secure our future as Jews in the world.  We should remember that the Arab citizens of Israel are also voters, and have their own parties which will send representatives to the Knesset as they have done since Israel was founded.

This democracy is not only important to Israelis and Jews, but is also important to the free world.  Israel is a beacon of light in a dark Middle Eastern ocean that supports and finances Muslim extremism and terrorism in all corners of the earth.  The fact that Israel contributes to a first line of defense against the threats of Iranian nuclear plans, Syrian government violence and Hamas and Hezbollah terrorism amongst others things, will always be a source of comfort and relief to many in the free world.

Unfortunately, democracy does not always deliver the right or the desired result.  There are times that it could be argued that democracy has got things wrong.  The best thing about democracy, however, is that it ensures the people the right to have their say again within a few years, and to hopefully put the wrongs right.  This is certainly the character of Israel’s democracy, and is a cause for celebration.  For so many years, Jews were denied the right to vote in the countries of their residence, and yearned for the opportunity to control their own destiny even in the smallest way.  With the birth of the democratic State of Israel, Jews have been granted the opportunity to exercise this right under the Law of Return.  It requires simply to prove that you are the grandchild of a Jew, and to turn up at the immigration desk at Ben Gurion Airport.

So, while Israelis consider who will deliver the best economic solution for them for the next four years or who will give them the best religious or ecological answers, we should not lose sight of the big picture that this election represents for Jews within and outside of Israel.  Many generations of Jews would have been astonished and grateful for the little things that we take for granted.  We are living their dream.  Long live democracy in the State of Israel.

A Little Election Excitement is a post from: The Israel Situation

Honor guard and flame near the Kotel,  the Western Wall lit to remember those killed in war and by terror attacks.

Photo of the Week – Yom Hazikaron is a post from: The Israel Situation

Over the past few weeks, we have been occupied with looking back.  We celebrated the exodus from Egypt and the miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea.  We stood in silence to commemorate the 6 million killed at the hands of the Nazis, and we stood in silence to commemorate the 23,000 who have given their lives for the modern State of Israel.  We celebrated 64 years of independence of the State of Israel, and considered the remarkable and miraculous events that allowed us to reach this point in time.  Come to think about it, Jews seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time looking back and commemorating the past.  I decided to pause for a moment, and try to imagine what things could look like in 50 years’ time.  Not only to imagine this, but perhaps also to dream about how things could be.  I have tried to dream about a world where my children are grandparents, and to try to put Israel into that context.

I think that there is one major piece of the puzzle which is missing in current-day Israel, and which most Israelis yearn for in the future.  This is the missing peace and, with it, the recognition of the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state among the nations.  A state of peace and security would bring so many advantages to the State of Israel, and could change the nature of this small country in a most dramatic way.  Most importantly, it would save hundreds, if not thousands of lives a year.  Not only the lives of soldiers would be saved, but also the lives of innocent women and children would be spared if we could create a situation where Qassam and Grad missiles are not being fired into civilian neighbourhoods, and where suicide bombers are not trying to detonate their explosives in crowded restaurants, coffee shops and buses.  It would also spare valuable government money that could be spent on education and infrastructure instead of the acquisition of military hardware and ammunition.  A state of peace would also free up our most valuable resource, the 18 to 21 year-olds, who would be free to make their contribution to Israel’s economy rather than be forced to serve in the military to protect their country from constant attack.

A peace arrangement would also create a completely different dynamic with Israel’s neighbours.  I can imagine a situation where Israeli citizens could spend their holidays in Beirut, which is only a few hours’ drive from the central part of Israel.  Perhaps Syrian tourists would be a major source of foreign revenue for Israel’s hotels and restaurants.  I can dream about Israeli irrigation technology being used to make deserts in Jordan and Syria green.

In my dream world, there is harmony and co-existence between religious and secular communities.  Somehow, the religious will find a way to make their contribution to Israeli society, as a result of which the secular communities are able to respect the religious communities and their way of life.  This, in turn, paves the way for understanding and exchange of ideas between the two communities.

In my imaginary world, members of the Knesset are there to serve the wider community rather than primarily their own interests.  While being paid a reasonable salary, they will do all that they can to save the country unnecessary expense.  Their conduct on the floor of the Knesset will be exemplary, and send a positive message to the younger generation about the way in which people should conduct themselves in public.

In the new and improved Israel, customer service will be of primary importance when dealing with companies and shops, and hotel, restaurant and coffee shop staff will give the utmost respect to their patrons.  This is a world where drivers will give way to other drivers wishing to enter into the flow of traffic, and hooters will only be sounded when danger exists on the road.  Cell phones will be silenced in elevators and other public places, and people will not resort to screaming at others in order to get their own way.

I guess that my wish list can go on forever, but it is important to dream in order to somehow improve our society.  It is critical for us to be able to continuously develop and progress with the next generation, who seem to be hungrier for information and technology than ever before.

When I think about it, the “negative” things mentioned above also have their positive sides.  There is no doubt that our young men and women who are forced to serve in the military, learn skills and behaviours which help them in the future.  The responsibility of protecting Israel’s borders, and survival skills that they learn with this are great tools in their future lives.  The tenacity and attitude of never giving up are certainly traits that are instilled in our children during their military service.  In Israeli living, sometimes even shouting at people represents a form of communication that is preferable to not talking at all.  The madness of Israeli society forces people to adapt themselves in ways which lends itself to the survival of a people and a nation.  Perhaps a more orderly society would have less survival skills.

When I come to think about things, I would certainly be happier for my family to live our lives in peace and security.  I would also be happier to have greater understanding and respect between different parts of Israeli society.  This would, however,  undoubtedly come at a price which I am unable to identify or quantify now.  Perhaps this price would be too high for me?  Maybe it is better to give thanks for what we have, and to do all we can to protect it.  This must be part of the logic of spending so much time looking back.  We are really able to value and appreciate what we have now.  This is more than our grandparents could have dreamt of when they had their dreams.  Am Yisrael Chai.

Image by Israel Defense Forces

A Peek Into The Future is a post from: The Israel Situation

This post is from our contributor Andyboy. To catch up on his controversial articles and commentaries on Israeli and Jewish affairs you can visit his blog at:http://andyboy1.com/

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This year, when the  morning siren sounded on Holocaust Remembrance Day, I found myself in the unusual location of the Aroma coffee shop, situated at a rest stop on the road from Eilat to Tel Aviv.

Perhaps I should explain that I was making the five hour journey by bus. These intercity buses always make two stops, for what I used to describe – when I led tour groups in previous years –  as “a break for fluid input and output”.

The area was crowded with the regular mixture of Israelis, tourists and soldiers. Being situated in a remote spot on the Arava road,  and surrounded by desert as far as the eye could see, there was no actual siren in the vicinity.

But, with the resourcefulness that is so much a part of the Israeli character, exactly at 10.00 am, a “barista” announced on the microphone (normally used to inform clients that their order is ready), “siren”, and connected the sound system to a radio.

In seconds the entire area stilled, as people stood silent for the two minutes duration of this, for me, spine chilling, mournful  wail. Even the children stood in uncharacteristic silence.

I cannot guess what was going through the minds of this vastly diverse crowd; for many I assume their particular family history influenced their thoughts. I tend to reflect on my distant family who I never knew or met, but I learned in later years, were part of the 6.0 million.

Fortunately, there were no Haredim around on this occasion.

I say “fortunately” because there are many Haredi sects who, as part of their lack of acceptance of Israel as the Jewish state, make a point of ignoring all the symbols of the state, especially memorial days. They make a great show of carrying on as if there were no siren, and no silence. Their actions disturb most people, and make me seethe inwardly.

Actually, there was a disturbance from another source. A group of tourists, seemingly oblivious to both the siren and the spectacle of hundreds of people standing straight and silent, continued chattering as they hurried towards their bus. I simply cannot imagine what they thought was happening.

I simply assumed that they were probably Germans…….

There was another aspect of this particular two minutes of reflection. On the road, we had been stuck behind an armoured IDF column. A long line of Tanks, on low loaders, Humvees and jeeps, had blocked our route for many miles. As luck would have it, they pulled into the rest stop just in front of us.

I could not help thinking, as I looked at these teenagers in uniform, boys and girls, that this is a new and different type of Jew. They are the living examples of what is meant by “never again”. Never again will Jews go meekly to their deaths. What choices they had is the subject of debate to this day. But we are a nation that, if faced with others determined to “wipe us from the face of the Earth”, will not, this time, go without a fight.

I know that the perception is that we will drag the world into a conflict that might be called the Third World War. But, after what happened to us in the Second World War, we are obliged to do everything to deter those who wish for a repeat performance.

And, sad as this day is, we have to face a second such day in a week, when, on the day prior to our Independence Day, we commemorate all those members of the armed forces and victims of terror attacks, who died, either in the defence of Israel, or simply for being Jews, who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sadly, we have no shortage of ceremonies for remembering our dead………..

Image: wikipedia

When The Siren Sounded…….. is a post from: The Israel Situation