Can’t We All Just Get Along? …Because Politics are Important but Friendship Comes First!
No, I’m not talking Jews and Arabs or Israelis and ‘Palestinians‘, or the nations of the world. I’m talking about Israelis among themselves. I’m also not evoking lofty concepts like…
Olso and the Two-Staters: the Useful Idiots
In a recent Jerusalem Post article by Martin Sherman, the author puts the fallacy of the “Two-State Solution” and the suicidal left’s willingness to compromise their own lives for the…
Interview with Atta Yemini: Zionist Druze Activist for a Greater Israel
I met Atta Yemini at an Im Tirzu-organized tour of Eastern Jerusalem. Atta’s views are based on his long time desire to connect with the Jewish people. Atta works to…
Interview with Orit Arfa: Singer, Poet, Political Junky, Visionary, Freedom-Lover, All Purpose Human Being
ran into Orit Arfa, a passionate, highly motivated young while scanning Youtube for some new and exciting Israeli voices. There she was imitating the famous American diva Miley Cyrus and at the same time calling on Diaspora Jews to make Aliya to Israel and help settle the Jewish homeland.
Celebrating Yom Yerushalayim 47 Years Later
Today, the State of Israel will mark perhaps the biggest day of the year: Yom Yerushalayim, the day when on June 7th, 1967, IDF Paratroopers liberated East Jerusalem and the Temple Mount following nearly a week of Jordanian air raids and artillery barrages that hit as far as Tel-Aviv.
“Some of my Best Friends are Arabs”: Why Racism is Bad for the Nationalist Movement
The worst anti-Semites in history have been known to claim they had “Jewish friends.” Some really did. There are Jews today who claim that they’re not racist simply tagbecause they have “Arab friends.”
Interview with Rivka Liron Bat Cohen: Zionist, Writer, Poet, Videographer, Aliyah Advocate
I met Liron when she posted an great video about Jerusalem on a Facebook page. Contacting her and asking for an interview felt like the only thing to do. Here’s a young lady who devotes so much of her time and energy to the Land of Israel and the Jewish people.
The Refugee Problem and the Day After: Who was Responsible?
The refugee problem in Israel has been festering and while there’s no solution in sight, I believe it’s important to learn from this as well as other crises we’ve encountered in order not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
June 4, 2009: The Day Obama Began “Changing” the Middle East
Well, 2013 has come and gone — goodbye and good riddance! While there were many highs during the year, unfortunately, especially in my neck of the woods, there were a lot of lows. This was not a good year for the prospects of peace in the world.
Usually, it is hard to pinpoint a date when things started to deteriorate. Certainly in the Middle East, there hasn’t been peace for a long, long time. There had been, however, a certain amount or stability in the region until June 4, 2009, when things began to deteriorate in many countries around here.
A Zionist Paradigm Shift in Parashat VaYera – Stop Talking “Security”, Start Talking “Destiny”!
Sometimes, when reading the Parsha, a political message jumps right at you, accusingly: Moshe relays the people’s complaint to Hashem and accuses – “why have you done evil to this people!… from the time I came to Pharaoh… he did evil… you did not rescue your people!”
Interview with Ryan Bellerose: Native American Rights Activist, Israel Supporter
I met Ryan Mervin on Israel and Stuff, a pro-Israel Facebook page. He’s always come across as an extremely positive, well-meaning guy with a lot to say. I recently saw a post about Ryan’s attempts to sway Canadian Native Americans to side more with Israel instead of giving in to pressure by Arab advocacy demonizing our country. I felt he did a very good job of “explaining” Israel–perhaps a better job than I could have done.
An Interview with my Friend “Hahish”: a Fighter for Justice and the Jewish Way of Life
I met “Hahish” (he doesn’t want his real name to be revealed), while in high school. A mutual friend introduced us. We were headed along the same path: he was a young Zionist who had been born in Russia and had moved to the US as a teenager. He wanted to make Aliyah and serve in the IDF. He was already becoming acquainted with the Jewish way of life.
Bibi Netanyahu’s Speech to the UN General Assembly (H/T Yid With a Lid)
Binyamin Netanyahu’s speech to United Nations General Assembly was masterful. He used facts and snark to demonstrate what President Obama doesn’t understand–he is being snookered by the Iranians. He once again spoke of being ready to make concessions for peace with the palestinians, but reminding them that it takes two to tango.
Does the World Hate Us? A דרשה By Ze’ev Ben Yechiel
Israeli Jews often find themselves feeling as if “the world hates us;” as if everyone is “out to get us.” It might be true that the anti-Semitism of things that Zhabotinsky talked about in his works, the concept that the Nations detest us not necessarily for who we are–but for our national history and for the things that represent us–is alive and well, but does the entire world really hate us? I strongly doubt it.
You and I
You/ Appeared our of nowhere when there was nowhere to turn/ You said “hi” on a regular day when I didn’t know /What was in store/ You and I…/We go back ages/ No telling how long/ The Land and Her people/ We always hold on
Boycotting Israel Hurts Arab Interests
You’ve seen them by now: those pesky BDS’ers going around asking people to “boycott” Israel. It doesn’t make too much sense to a mature human being just based on the simple fact that most likely you’re boycotting your own computer or your own veggies, or better yet (or worse perhaps) your own cancer treatment
Against the Grain: Mohammad Zoabi Talks About His Love for Israel and the Jewish People
I met Mohammad, a 15 year-old teenager living in Nazareth Ilite through our mutual friend; yet another Arab pro-Israel activist, Anett Haskia. Mohammad struck me as a young intellectual; someone with the knowledge and understanding that so many people twice and three times his age are lacking.
Hosting the Havel Havelim Blog Carnival for the 1st time While Vacationing in Chicago aka the Galut
It certainly looks like while I’ve been away visiting my parents, grandparents, and friends in Chicago, your typical, run-o-the-yard Mil’ East tyrant unleashed a chemical attack on those pesky rebels that just keep on coming back no matter how many virgins up above Hezbollah has amassed under its TNT-packed belt. What I’m actually trying to say is that it’s time, oh yes, it’s time…for yet another Havel Havelim Blog Carnival and this one isn’t to be missed!
Definition of “Hypocrite:” “Religious Jew living in America”
Every time Israel makes concessions to the Arabs, I hear American Jews voicing their disapproval. But they voice their disapproval with us not only when things don’t go their way–they’ve realized they have to come up with reason to hate the State of Israel and everything that represents Zionist values because if they don’t, it looks like they’re hypocrites.