Keep Rivka's Flame Alive!

Spread the word!

Full post and comments...

Google Translate Now Has Hebrew

Google can now translate Hebrew word into English words, paragraphs, or full web pages. And the reverse. Here is how this page looks in Hebrew.

Full post and comments...

Not By Chance

From Haaretz (!?)

"It's no coincidence that men with knitted skullcaps - two of them soldiers - were involved in killing the terrorists who carried out the last three terror attacks..."

Full post and comments...

Searching for Chometz

Some ideas on how to "enhance the search" (Audio)

Chag Sameach!

Full post and comments...

The Jew & His Homeland

"For a Jew, the land of Israel is more than a place, it is a body for the soul of a people...a place to find where you began, where you belong and what you truly are; A Jew does not travel to Israel, s/he returns there..."

Check out the great new feature on Chabad.org

Full post and comments...

Return Again

Yonatan Razel urges Australian Jews to Return Home!

Full post and comments...

Music for the (Spiritual) Revolution

Shuli Rand struggles and searches for God (From Hebrew Maariv Online)
Worth a listen & some thought!

Full post and comments...

Luciano Pavarotti a"h

"You are Jews and I am Catholic, but we both put the soul of man first, and that is the truth"

Pavaratti visited and sang in Israel a number of times, never cancelling concerts because of terror or politics. Here is a classic clip of the tenor joined by one of our generation's great Rebbes, Barry White shlit"a, singing one of the theme songs of the High Holidays: "My First. My Last, My Everything" ("Emet Atah Hu Rishon..."). Note the very excellent frock & "Bekeshe" the dynamic duo are sporting.

Thanks to proud Jewess Debbie Schlussel for the 'mekor'.

Full post and comments...

Great Blogging Material and a Video of Spoiled Westerners in Shechem

*My photo feature from Homesh. A trip.

*This video probably deserves its own post. Rich kids from America and Europe play cops and robbers with an IDF they know is castrated in the middle of Shechem. You can hear shouts of Allahu Akbar and see martyr posters as the Canadian-sounding girl says: "You're not gonna shoot us man!" and "Six internationals run over by an army jeep will look really bad in the papers!"

*Yuli Tamir, the Education Minister, responds to Sderot parents' decision to protest government's failure to crush Gazan terrorism by keeping their ids home from schools: "Homes are less safe than the schools."

*Avoda Ivrit at the Knesset (Hebrew)

*British paper compares Marva program with Hamas day camps

*Mmmmm. Sacrelicious.

Full post and comments...

KuLinks

(stay tuned for comment on picture at end of post)
Some links and brief comments:

Chana at Blogs of Zion wishes CNN stuck to talking about how rotten the settlers are. She is upset that they extrapolated outward to how bad all the Jews are. I suspect for some, this thing made them hate settlers with a new urgency ('They are making the gentiles hate us").

The GM at Jewlicious posted one of my A7 pieces on the latest wave of refusals. The conversation in the comments section is worth continuing. Refusal is totally and completely what is expected of a Jewish army when faced with the moral challenges of our time. The attempt to paint the soldiers as mindless hesder guys listening to their rabbis robs them of the admiration they deserve, even from their political opponents, for being willing to go to jail for what they believe to be an illegal order.

Shoshi Greenfeld knows where it is at.

It's official: Everyone is making Aliyah

Someone please let the Jewish Exponent know that there is a singular version of the word "olim."

9-11 is coming. Heres a photo of those who were killed.

And finally, the picture: The US and Israel should be ashamed of themselves for arming Fatah terrorists without the slightest safeguards in place making certain that children handling the guns are given at least rudimentary gun-safety training. I mean, the girl's finger is clearly on the trigger!

Full post and comments...

Two Years Have Passed... Part II

Do you feel that is hard to remain living in a country that betrayed you?

Full post and comments...

AFP Covers Aharit HaYamim

The AFP infiltrates Aharit HaYamim's festival. Not as nasty coverage as I would expect. Good even...

West Bank: Torah, reggae and marijuana at Jewish 'Woodstock'

by Michael Blum Wed Jul 4, 6:02 PM ET

BAT AYIN SETTLEMENT, West Bank (AFP) - A group rocks to reggae in front of a large star of David while a Jewish rabbi urges a return to the faith amid a cloud of smoke: welcome to a religious Woodstock on the West Bank.

At least 1,000 people, from Orthodox youths wearing kippas to hippies sporting multi-coloured ponchos, gathered on a summer night for the 8th edition of the "Festival of the End of Time." The setting is a pine forest in the Gush Etzion bloc of Jewish settlements.

"This festival gives me spiritual power," gushes Elisheva, a 16-year-old girl from Jerusalem. "There are sparks of holiness in the air." Close to her, teenagers smoking nargilas sit on carpets, swaying to the music.

A curtain is supposed to separate females and males during dancing but in the darkness the religious interdicts are quickly forgotten and everyone mixes freely.

The festival is billed as a "unique spiritual gathering." It aims to be a meeting place for radical settlers in illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank and non-religious Jews, many recently returned from spiritual journeys to India after their military service.

"Thank God all day long," chants singer Yehuda Leuchter, whose family created the festival of Jewish music in memory of their father, an American-born musician who died in 1994.

But the rabbis too have their say.

Michi Yossefi, the guru of young settlers, seizes the microphone and begins to preach the need to respect Jewish religious values to the assembled youths, who drink in his words.

He is not put off by the earrings worn by the males and the short skirts of the females -- his aim is to win back the lost sheep to the faith.

On sale at the stands erected in the forest are Indian fabrics, jewellery and CDs of the latest bands. Nearby, a couple bake bread in a rudimentary oven and offer salads and cheese to festival-goers at a modest price.

"Our message is that unity between the various strands of the Jewish people can hasten our redemption," says 25-year-old Raphael Barkatz, a Parisian saxophonist.

Moshe Karo, a 57-year-old immigrant from the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion, takes the stage to sing a little known song by French artist Serge Gainsbourg, "Sand and the soldiers," the rights of which were offered to Israel in 1967.

"Yes, I will defend the sand of Israel, the soil of Israel, the children of Israel, even if it means dying for the sand of Israel," he sings in French before translating into Hebrew. "The music is a form of prayer to God," says the singer.

As the night wears on, and the families and the few adults leave, the smell of marijuana fills the air.

For Yocheved, 25, who arrived with a group of friends from Jerusalem, the evening is an occasion to relax and meet new people.

"There is a friendly atmosphere, the music is good, there is happiness," she says before taking up a tambourine which she beats in time to the musicians on the stage.

The dawn begins to break. The musicians arrange their instruments and start the morning prayers while the faraway hills glow with the rising of the sun.

OK, well I don't know about the Guru Yosefi part, but kol hakavod Michael Blum for disappointing your editor, who was probably hoping for something with a bit more blood of Christian children in it.

Full post and comments...

Literally Everybody is Making Aliyah. (Google's AliyRSS-Feed)

As an Aliyah enthusiast I have devised a Google RSS feed that links me, up to the second, to any Aliyah (or Aliya) news (in addition to any articles written by or about anyone named 'Aliyah' - a much more popular name than I ever knew, as can be attested to by this I-Phone story by Aliyah Shahid). Copy and paste this link into your RSS reader to share the excitement.

The excitement? Yeah, lately I would call it that. On a daily basis local papers around the US are publishing human interest stories about the local Jews coming home. Here are a selection:
* Danbury, CT's NewsTimesLive.com:

American-born Giliah Ruth Librach, who was conceived in Israel and grew up always feeling it was her home, is pulling up her roots this month and going there for good.

The Feed also brought to my attention to this story, though I have reserve duty with her daughter (a mashakit chilutz) in the near future:
* JPost: Woman rabbi flies to US to preach aliya [Jpost hates capitalization -ed.]:

Shiryon's trip to the US to encourage Reform Jews to perform the ultimate Zionist act and make aliya marks a break with the official Reform stance, which could be best described as "lukewarm." Now the Reform Movement is actively encouraging its members to consider immigration to Israel.

"It has nothing to do with fears of intermarriage," said Shiryon. "The Reform Movement is very open to welcoming mixed couples. It has to do with living a full Jewish life."

* The Toledo Blade: Rabbi Heading For His Spiritual Home: Israel:

Looking back at his three years at B'nai Israel, a Conservative congregation in Sylvania, he said the life cycle numbers are not very positive.

"I've officiated at 51 funerals, 27 b'nei mitzvah, and only two weddings, and one of those weddings was for an out-of-town member," he said.

"It reflects the demographic changes in the community. The congregation is shrinking," Rabbi Leff said.
[...]
"The state of Israel is the most exciting thing to happen to the Jewish people in 2,000 years," Rabbi Leff said. "The fact that we can live in a Jewish country is truly miraculous."

* Haaretz has even took a break from getting anonymous Jewish Agency sourpusses to badmouth Nefesh b'Nefesh to note the 33-year record Aliyah from North America.

* And in case you doubt the value of an Aliyah/Aliya RSS feed, you now know that the President of Kazakhstan named his daughter Aliyah.

There really is an Aliyah revolution afoot.

Full post and comments...

Kill Me? You've Hardly Cured Me

"He talked to me about how they were going to destroy British and Americans. He told me that the plans were already made and they would soon be destroying the British. He said the people who cure you would kill you."

Read what an Iraqi Jihadi told a British Anglican.

Full post and comments...

Is Christian Support for Israel Legitimate?

Is Christian support for Israel legitimate? Israel National News has an article up about the Chief Rabbinate banning Jewish participation in a Christian group's (Bridges for Peace) women's conference scheduled for next week in Jerusalem. They claim that the organization's concentration on "Judeo-Christian values" and the study of "the Jewish foundations of Christianity" are forbidden. The rabbis ruled that these efforts are actually part of a long-running campaign to bring Israeli-Jews to believe in Jesus.

At the same time Pastor John Hagee gave a rousing "sermon" at the AIPAC conference which people are talking about.

My opinion:

I hate when people say "Israel - you are not alone".

A. We are not alone, so you don't have to worry about it, G-d is on our side, and so are people who are truly with G-d and B. We don't mind being alone. Nothing wrong with individualism. Sometimes when your leading you are alone at the head.

I hate when people say "Israel - we support you". Support means that there's a big entity and a small entity, the bigger helping the smaller. I don't think Israel needs Christian help (nor do I think Evangelical Christianity has helped Israel one iota) and detest the email I get from Christians who tell me that I should stop ripping Jesus if I want to continue receiving their support. The good people of this world do not need to flaunt their support if it comes from the heart. Have you ever heard Micronesia make demands on Israel in return for its support?

BUT while I hate "support", I do not mind cooperation and friendship. I have met Christians who are leaving their false beliefs in favor of a more Bible-oriented world-view. I have met Christians who believe in Israel with all their hearts. I have met Christians who inspire Israelis to believe in the Torah, and to our right to the whole land of Israel.

If we do not come to Christians from a position of the low-self esteem and neediness we will be able to recognize our true friends. If we impress upon them that missionizing will not be tolerated, they will learn to sublimate whatever false beliefs they have left in them. Israel does not need support, nor is Israel alone, however, Israel does know how to appreciate a good friend, colleague, or partner.

When it come to the "word" - I never stand for any Jesus-talk - I say plainly "We do not believe in that, and it goes against the Torah - do yourself a favor and rid yourself of false beliefs." Christians love when I talk this way because they know they are not dealing with someone who is trying to smooth talk them to get something. We must always know and radiate the fact that we are the Chosen people and we are the guardians of the Torah - anyone who is thirsty may come and drink. We, on the other hand, are not thirsty. This is they key to a healthy relationship.

Full post and comments...

"Post" or "Anti" Zionism?

State Sponsored Anti-Zionism
(Too bad we don't we have a Label for "Jewish Self-Hatred")

Full post and comments...

Down on Maon Farm, Songweaver and the ADL: A Roundup

• NRG has a great video of famous Israeli singer Sharon Rotter ("Ani Arutz Aleicha") visiting her relatives, the Dribbens, at Havat Maon (slated for destruction). She performs there for the hilltop/forest community's women. "It's like going to India without leaving Israel" she tells the interviewer.

• A creative oleh spent his time in the bomb shelters last summer developing a way for musicians worldwide to collaborate and build upon each other's work. He calls it Songweaver. Sounds awesome, haven't fiddle with it yet, though.

• This article takes a phenomenon caused by a pretty clear policy-choice and draws the completely wrong conclusion.

• Jonathan Mark puts more delicately and less emotionally the sentiment I tried to convey in this piece from before the Disengagement.

Full post and comments...

A Living Holocaust Memorial

Yom Hashoah, David Hatuel & The Klausenberger Rebbe ?!

Full post and comments...

Never Forget!

Today marks 60 years since the murder of Dov Gruner, Yehiel Dresner, Eliezer Kashani & Mordechai Alkahi HY"D by the British, at the Acco gallows.

"For you should know this: there is no power in the world which can sever the tie between the Jewish people and their one and only land. Whosoever tries to sever it - his hand will be cut off and the curse of God will rest on him for ever...In blood and fire Judea fell, in blood and fire Judea will rise again..."

The full story on the official ETZEL website

In honor of the yahrtzeit, check out A Simple Jew's Photo Essay

Full post and comments...

Life-Altering Experience

Friday marks the 3rd Yahrtzeit of our beloved Jay Litvin zt"l - a very wise, sensitive and brave Jew, who shared his deepest thoughts, fears, struggles and hopes in dozens of beautiful essays on so many areas of life: spirituality, death, parenting, children, faith, doubt, joy , Israel & "indispensability"...

Jay Litvin zt'l made Aliyah in 1993 to serve as medical liaison for Chabad's Children of Chernobyl program...

and took a leading role in airlifting children from the areas contaminated by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster; he also founded and directed Chabad's Terror Victims program in Israel (see: "The Hidden Angel"). Jay passed away in April of 2004 after a valiant four-year battle with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Reading Jay's articles is inspiring and powerful - and can (should!!) be a life altering experience.

Zechuto Yagein Aleinu

Full post and comments...

Post-Pesach Links That Make You go Kumah

Haaretz offers a fairly accurate reading of the extra-parliamentary lay of the land among the Land of Israel groups, as well as weekly "parsha" sheets (though they forget Yechiel's).

Ari Shavit stops short of offering the explanation for what brought us to the place his disillusioned soldiers describe. “No, the war didn't start this. The war didn't cause the crisis…" He can’t quite put his finger on it. Here's a hint, Ari. The D word – no, not that one - you used that plenty. I'm talking the meaningless one Eyal Arad came up with that sounded way better than retreat.

Omedia launches in English. Covers the leftist/Arab assault on Sde Boaz orchards.

I could have sworn I heard Channel 2 TV call the new Jewish property in Hevron Beit Hameriva (Conflict House) as though that were its name (the real name is Beit HaShalom - Peace House). I though I must have misheard. Turns out I didn't. Ruti Avraham explains (in Hebrew A7).

Aviad Vissouly weighs in on the legal aspects of Israel negating the right of Jews to purchase property (also Hebrew A7).

ADDeRabbi makes me laugh with: "I was simply surprised that carrying in a ‘carmelis’ would be someone’s ‘line in the sand’ (sorry, bad pun) for observance."

Full post and comments...

Things That Make Ya' go Kumah

As a news writer, I wade through hundreds of articles, press releases, email forwards and anthrax-laden pieces of snail mail a day. Below, I offer you the most interesting stuff I saw in a 24 hour period sometime last week (or so. It got put aside, but remains riveting):


Birthright B'Aliyah (B'Taoot?)

Flora B'Aliyah

Columbia U Prof On the Teaneck First-step-on-Aliyah-to-Yesha fair (He much prefers Haim Yavin at the JCC)

If the face of Israel to American Jews is the face of settlement beyond the separation barrier deep into the West Bank - not settlement in the Negev or Galilee, which could enjoy across-the-board support - then the prophecy indeed will fulfill itself. Zionism will become the province of only those who define it most stridently and most controversially. Zionism will become tantamount to Eretz Yisrael rather than Medinat Yisrael. And that is a dilemma for America Jewry just as surely as for its Israel brethren.

I guess he prefers expropriating land from Arab Bedouin in the Negev and invading the Galilee (from the perspective of the Arab residents). I can't wait for Haim Yavin's documentary on that. Then these folks will start only donating toward building taller and taller skyscrapers in Tel Aviv. We really may see a day when "pragmatic" voices will suggest that we use modern technology to really allow the Arabs to drive us into the sea, where we can live comfortably on man-made landmasses and cruise-ships. ("It is the only way to allow the Muslim world to save face," they will explain. "They were promised by their leaders that they would drive us into the sea and once we are all there, their hatred will subside and we can totally visit mainland, including Hevron and Jerusalem, until nightfall, when we must return to our dingies.")

Why does The LA Times recognize Israel's 'right to exist'? Excellent question. It is just a matter of consistency and justice.

Benny Morris, the Christ-turned-Anti-Christ of Post-Zionism and the New Historians explains to the Washington Post why transfer is the way it has got to be.

If you will it Dude, it is no dream - Im Tirtzu. A neighbor's project (Hebrew only)

And the grand finale! The Machlises finally have their own web site

Full post and comments...

Unfinished Business

Haman and his sons were hanged, their estate taken over by Mordechai. Even though we read Parshat Zachor last week, the evil of Amalek still lurks.


Check out a great article on the continuous Purim Struggle (in Hebrew) HERE

Full post and comments...

Purim: "Reigniting Our Passion for Religious Nationalism"

Rav Chaim Jachter on Purim as an opportunity for Religious Zionist Renaissance (link)

Full post and comments...

LINKavod Shabbat Kodesh

So I haven't had a TV in forever. I get all my multi-media via the Internet. Maybe I was ahead of my time a couple years back but this is quickly becoming the norm. By the time my grandkids read this they will guffaw and say to one another "Ha! Saba used a computer to watch stuff - I can't believe he didn't have it beamed directly onto his retinas like we do now!"

So in what will become a feature on this Neo-Zionist Überblog, allow me to share with you a selection of links and video clips of interest:

A call to end Jewish prayer at the Western Wall (not by a descendant of Ishmael)
Rabbi Bar Hayyim and Rabbi Shlomo Aviner - virtual debate on following illegal orders
How to properly sit at your computer
Palestine National News Talks up the "Zohar Palace"
Ta Katom (Orange Cell) in Homesh with U2
Natalie Portman pulls a Natan Gesher with some of the most typical of Israeli news photographers
Fanta laughs at Rachav. Who is the target audience?
West Bank Story
Suha Arafat emails Jack. Hilarity ensues.
"Winkie" gives the lowdown on the Naveh-Rennert-Bina connection
David Druce launches Jewish Geography. You'll love it as much as the real sport.
Captivating and even entertaining documentary by a British dude that bunks with American Nazis for a week.

And I'll end of with a quote from Bob M. that came on randomly as I was posting:

"I'm a gonna take a just one step more,
Cause I feel like bombing a church
now that you know that the preacher is lying,
So who's gonna stay at home,
when the freedom fighters are fighting?"
-Bob Marley, "Talkin' Blues"

Full post and comments...

Get a Home in ISRAEL!!!

So when I read THIS I just had to share with the whole crew!!! I mean, being able to getsome friends or family together and getting a house in ISRAEL is just too amazing.

All the info is in the link, but a brief run down: you buy a house in YESHA and they Amana rents it out for you. Its the coolest way to support Israel, and then when you're ready to make Aliyah, you have a house all ready for you :-)

Now the fun part is convincing my "Family" and "Friends" to chip in and buy a house, any suggestions????

~ at work... Shulamit

Full post and comments...

Re: "Goverment of Losers, Go Home"

As a response to Yechiel (Jonny)'s post (I know that's so grammatically incorrect, and I still live in America... so unacceptable, sorry) "Government of Losers go home" I would like to share who I feel would be the government of "ultra cool", or once again, grammatically incorrect "unlosers."

I can write a whole post about this, which I WILL, and that is a threat, but for now, I will allow the reader to check this out and See for yourself. It's like empowering the reader, or something like that...

Enjoy ~ Shulamit ~
P.S. I am doing this while I'm at work... GASP!!!

Full post and comments...

Get Your Oomph On!!!

So, this is my second post ever UHHH, woo hoo. Everyone has written such amazing articles... sweet!!!

I just started my new job, and I don't have that much time to read the news, which I think is a good thing, considering the news that is going on right about now. I think the stomach and heart burn companies are going to sky rocket, we should invest in them!!! The really sad part is that people reading those pathetic articles (I don't think I need to give examples, just go to cnn or jpost) really believe what they are reading, its like BEYOND pathetic. I guess that's why its good there is a revolution and a kumah website :-)

So reading some good news and trying to re-do the bad news is pretty cool, but sometimes you need a little more oomph then just passive reading... ever get that way... well if you do, then I have some suggestions on how to get your oomph on!!!

1) This is an easy one which most people do already, but just in case...WRITE COMMENTS. The power of the pen... no joke. When those anti-Zionist articles are being thrown at your face, well shove it back, by writing how you really feel. Even if its just a quick "I think your article is bias" because you never know who is looking at the responses, and if they see enough opposition to the article, they might be less inclined to believe in it, like it's the holy grail (oops wrong religion)

After doing that you do feel a little invigorated, knowing that you put your thought, little or not, out there, for the internet surfers to read... so that's a little oomph ish. But remember every LITTLE bit counts, so if your not into oomphing, then start slow, and work yourself up (if you need any encouragement, listen to this)

2) Do the polls. Such as, this one and this one. I know you think they mean nothing, and they probably do, but still, it's the power of you being "one human that can make the difference" approach. Aside for the fact, that its fun to look back and see your name, and how many people signed up after you (that's only if your really bored)

But really, to see yourself getting counted and the pollster say they are going to show the numbers to someone important, can definitely get an oomph going. Like "there take that, I am the 1737^th person to sign the petition" and then you go and make all your friends sign too, so its like a contagious oomph, and it's a great way to see who your true friends are... jk.

3) And yes I do save the best for last, I don't know why... But ya, I think this one is the best, and of course since it is the best Arutz Sheva got to it already, Shocker :-) But really, I think it's the best oomph drug there is. I mean, you call 1-202-456-1414 (the White House, USA)and a nice person asks you which state you're calling from, and then wham... you give it to them, you can say whatever you like, just let it all out, and the cool part is, legally they have to keep a record of what topic and what views each caller is addressing. So its like, you get some nice little American to sit and listen to your rant about... well anything, pick a topic... they will listen and record what your views are. I doubt they write up everything, but the gist definitely gets documented.

So when you feel like a whole container of Tums wont do the trick, and you did suggestion 1 and 2... then hit the white house. You never know Mr. Bush might pick up the wrong line, and you get to oomph him... Anyhow, it's a great way to get out your frustration with the stupidity of the world around us, and you might make a difference while you're at it... which is the ultimate OOMPH.

But just remember, every person can be the one to change the future (not to sound sappy or anything) But really, at an era of the neo-Zionist revolution, we don't have time to think if we are big enough or worth it enough... Because we TOTALLY ARE!!!Which reminds me of something whinny the pooh said (I'm obsessed with cartoons) "your stronger then you seem, smarter then you think, and braver then you believe" So fellow neozites... go get your OOMPH on... and make a difference!!!

As always, comments are accepted and greatly appreciated ;-)

TTFN, DFTSS ~ Shulamit

Full post and comments...

Blogmaster Ezra's Blogtastic Blog Post

So I am going to start blogging more - not waiting for when I have a block of time and something drastic to get off my chest, but whenever I see something I think anyone interested in the Kumah viewpoint would also find interesting. Here goes...

So three planes landed yesterday and another last week. Those hyperlinks are articles I wrote on each event.

In other news - did you know you could watch the nightly news together with the rest of Israel, complete with the subtle insinuation and innuendo that make state-run media to enjoyable? Channel 10 and Channel 1 news are each available. For the real deal try IsraelNationalTV - and don't be bashful about sending them constructive criticism.

For entertainment, click here to see why anti-Semitism probably isn't what is going to bring American Jewry home to Israel (and that is a good thing - Aliyah-by-choice is what will fix all the things that need fixing here).

Full post and comments...