"When G-d will return the captivity of Zion, we will be like dreamers. Then our mouths will be filled with laughter and our tongues with glad song." Psalm 126
So the bombs are dropping. The tourists are freaking out and running to shelters while Israelis have their cell phones out filming Star Wars. The emergency siren sounded last Thursday night/Friday morning signaling the start of war and Israelis got to work immediately. Making memes. We’ve been through this before. For centuries. An evil empire seeks to destroy us. Miracles happen. We win. Let’s party.
I guess it’s part of the resilience that the morning after an intense night of missiles hitting the city, Tel Avivians can be found drinking coffee at sidewalk cafes. Nothing will stop us. We keep on living. And laughing. It’s seriously what keeps us strong. Finding the humor in every situation.
Like our city announcing free parking during war time 🤪. Nu? Can’t we stretch this out just a little longer?
The planes are not landing in Ben Gurion. All passengers are stuck both ways. Airspace over Israel is closed. Yet I managed to get not one, but two Amazon deliveries today right on time! Hysterical and true. Nothing stops these guys.
Within two days of the Israeli attack on Iran this genius of a video short came out, a spoof on “Fauda”
There’s so much irony in this war. The Shiite regime of the Ayatollahs has been repressing women for decades, subjugating them, covering them, banning them from education and society. So what does Israel do? Send in teams of women fighter pilots and navigators to bomb Tehran.
There’s nothing these imams and mullahs hate more than Israel and Jews. That’s why this is so funny –
After 72 hours of the IAF clearing Iranian airspace and eliminating virtually all of the IRGC hierarchy, we’ve heard that Khameni has gone into hiding. No sooner than it was announced, the memes started flowing.
The joke here is that among those in Iran no one knows where the Ayatollah is……. Except the Mossad. (BaDAHbum 🥁)
Life in Israel really is a little crazy right now. We are getting about two hours of sleep each night before being awakened by sirens and Iran is getting their own fireworks display.
Even John and I are cracking wise. Last night: We received a message from Emergency warning that an attack was imminent. Stay close to shelter. That was two hours ago, and I’ve been putting off taking a shower. (Do I have time to pee/shower before the red alert? Frequent thought here)
22:49 pm
Me: Do you think I’ll have time to take a shower now? Do you think they’ll bomb at 11? John : They haven’t bombed at 11 yet…. Me: But they said they’d bomb imminently. They could throw us for a loop. John: Check with the Spanish speakers. They seem to know everything beforehand 😂. Me: But what if the siren goes off and I’m in the shower and don’t hear it? John: Then you’ll be dead. Me: Will you tell me? John: Sure. I’ll shout up at you from the miklat (safe room).
Waiting for the IRGC jets to arrive…
Yesterday the news all over the world was whether there would be American involvement. And what would happen? Not to worry, there’s a meme for that too –
In the meantime, Iran is getting a thorough thrashing by Israel.
This is one video we had to watch again and again. At first we thought this was a skit by SNL or the Israeli Eretz Nehederet, but it was real. All I could think (besides that finger wagging was Gilda Radner. The ultimate irony after the Iranian regime calling for the destruction of the Zionist pig dogs for the past 78 years…. And then the producer yelling at the end (John Belushi?)
Breaking: The Mossad responds to the IRGC’s claim of their targeting a Mossad base: “None of us are at the base. We’re all inside Iran.”
Hey. There are so many Mossad agents operating in Iran right now that I accidentally bumped into a guy at the shuk and stupidly said, ‘slikhah’ (excuse me). Before realizing I may have accidentally blown my cover, the other guy answered ‘ha kol b’seder, akhi.’ (It’s all ok, bro)
As far as the resolve and resiliency of Israelis, especially during wartime….there’s absolutely nothing like it. Life continues, because if we stop participating joyously, they win. Here, a folk dance class continues in the underground protected area of a community center. During a missile barrage! (This one’s for you, Carola😉)
Khameni calls Trump and says, “I had a dream last night that all of New York was in ruins, and Iranian flags were flying everywhere.” Trump replies, “Strange. I dreamed that all of Tehran was thriving, full of high tech and billboards…”. “What did the billboards say?” asks Khameni. Trump answers, “You think I know how to read Hebrew?”
I really wish I could download and repost some of the great and uplifting things happening here in Israel. I will leave you with a parting A-I generated video. Do you remember that calm, soft spoken yet direct and fatherly Israeli spokesman for the IDF, Gen. Daniel Hagari? He retired after a year of reporting and the entire country missed him so badly. He really was irreplaceable. And he’s back!
Hasbara. הסברה. (Has- bah-Rah) Definition: defensive explanation; Publicity as in apologetics or setting the record straight; an Israeli/Hebrew word not directly translated easily to English….what I will be doing in this blogpost
Over the past four days we have been receiving emails and phone calls and other text messages and videos from people outside Israel (mostly Americans). Most are well wishers, whom we appreciate very much. Old friends, family, neighbors who are concerned about our well being. I assure you that despite the difficult circumstances we are undergoing here in Israel now, we are strong, resilient and quite well.
I am shocked by some of the conspiracy theories, A-I generated videos and stories, fake news and scare stories being pushed. I know people mean well and are yearning for the truth…aren’t we all? Most of these stories are incredibly overblown and in fact, very anti Israel. I hope to give my best explanations here based on lived experience in the Middle East and scouring of news sources as well as verifiable accounts of what has happened. In essence, Hasbara.
Why is the United States letting Israel drag us into a war and why are we giving them so much money?
Let me answer the second question first. Israel and the U.S. have been allies for over 75 years now. Yes. The American government gives Israel billions of dollars, but it is all under contract. Israel must spend that money in the United States, using defense and aviation companies like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin (F-35s); McDonnell Douglas/Boeing (F-15) and General Dynamics (F-16). We buy parts, jets and some ammunition from the U.S.. In return, Israel supplies the United States with intelligence information, technology (Iron Dome, Trophy Active Protection anti-tank systems, high tech computer navigation systems, various defensive drones, cybersecurity innovations and telecommunications technology). Israel contributed to the Arrow Missile Defense System. This, in turn, creates thousands of jobs for Americans, thus bolstering the American economy. These are just some of the contributions that Israel makes to American security.
The two countries regularly train together, strengthening both countries militarily. Israel also lets the U.S. store its weapons here as a MidEast stockpile in event of regional emergency. Most were depleted/taken back under the Biden Administration. That said, we are allies and share the same enemies and threats, albeit Israel more existentially. Israel is not “dragging the U.S. into a war. So far, Israeli pilots have done most of the work in clearing the airspace over Iran to bomb precise military and now IRGC and government targets (air bases, weapons storage facilities, weapons factories, missile launch sites, nuclear facilities, and in Tehran- the IRGC headquarters, Finance Ministry, Intelligence Ministry, Iranian Broadcasting Systems, etc). This has been done single-handedly by the IDF in cooperation with Mossad operatives who were able to embed themselves inside Iran.
The United States has helped shoot down drones, when over 100 heavily explosive laden suicide drones were launched from Iran last Thursday night/Friday morning. Jordan also helped. The U.S. is not involved in active combat. The Trump Administration has sent aircraft carriers to the area as a show of force and to prevent the Straits of Hormuz from becoming blocked. That is a defensive measure to protect one of the world’s most heavily traveled trade routes. Thus far, that is the extent of their involvement.
This is a preemptive war. It is surgically conducted. It is targeted. It is precise. It is not a call to war or the start of World War lll. It is not a land invasion to conquer more territory (colonialism). It is a neutralization of a terrorist regime. It is between Israel and Iran.
Whether the U.S. will use the stealth bomber, the MOAB or other heavy bombs to destroy the Fordo Nuclear Weapons Facility located deep underground in heavy fortified concrete is to be seen. This is one of the last things to be done if there is not a complete surrender first. Hopefully this war can end without U.S. involvement. What will be, remains to be seen.
2. Does Israel really want to start a war with Iran? Isn’t that reckless, especially since they were in the middle of peace talks and signing a non-nuclear agreement?
Iran has been threatening Israel (and the West/America) with nuclear annhiliation. They are radical Shi’ite Islamists operating under a (madman, opinion mine) Ayatollah and mullahs who believe in the imminent coming of the 12th Immam or Mahdi, their version of a Messiah. They believe that the only way to issue in the Mahdi is through global chaos and bloodshed. Also through the complete elimination of the Zionist State, aka Israel/the Jewish people. For them, to die as a shaheed or martyr is the greatest honor, a ticket straight to Allah with the gift of 72 perpetual virgins. When they say they will attack, they need to be taken seriously. First Israel, the little satan, then the United States, the great satan.
Despite the JCPOA, Iran has been secretly enriching weapons grade uranium. They were at the point of equipping nuclear warheads (estimates range between 9-15) on ICBMs. They had reached breakout level. And verifiable documents have been released proving they were intent on getting those weapons to Yemen, Qatar and two other rogue nations. Two weeks ago, I believe, the Atomic Energy Commission verified all this, with Iran admitting and even saying they had constructed a ‘secret weapons facility.’
Iran has been the main sponsor of terror groups and nations, forming, supplying and fomenting groups such as Hizbulla, Hamas, the Houthis, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terrorist organizations. They are partially behind the flooding of Europe, the United States and greater Western World with “refugees,” namely single males between the ages of 15-40.
They have never been genuine in their “peace talks” or non-proliferation or enrichment promises, not with the world or with Israel. They are not to be trusted. Seriously. Time and again, with Hamas (under Iranian and Qatari control), pauses in fighting have taken place in Gaza allowing the terrorist regimes to regroup and restock. The same scenes have been played out repeatedly through the years. If they are truly serious about negotiating, why doesn’t Iran first order Hamas to release the remaining 52 hostages? That would be a start.
3. How can you live in a country that is a genocidal regime that targets civilian populations? I always thought you (personally) werepeaceniks.
We don’t love war. Absolutely. We decry when any innocent civilians is killed. Who wants to live in a place where one constantly is running to protected areas or is continually under the threat of annhilation? We crave peace. But more on that later.
The IDF is the only army that I know of that issues evacuation orders or actually takes the time to strategize the movement of innocent civilians to safe spaces and out of active war zones, i.e. Gaza, Tehran. (Until this latest war) Israel is the only country I know of that drops leaflets and then knock bombs (bombs that tap/shake the roof of a building without exploding) as a warning to clear that particular building before an attack, i.e. Gaza City, Khan Younis, Rafah. What other country delivers water, power and humanitarian aid (despite what you hear on social media) to its enemy in wartime? What other country pauses in the middle of military operations to administer polio vaccines to children? What other country sets up triage tents and evacuates sick children and wounded civilians back to its own country for hospitalization and treatment while delivering humanitarian assistance, i.e. Operation Good Neighbor in Syria, 2018-2020?
The definition of genocide is to eliminate a certain population due to ethnic cleansing, religion, race, health/medical undesirability (eugenics) or to completely annihilate a certain people. That said, if Israel has been involved in “genocide of the Palestinian people,” then how has the population, say, of Gaza grown from 297,638 in 1997 to 2.2 million in 2025? That does not sound like a genocide to me.
On the other hand, Gaza had a Jewish population going back over 3,000 years. Most Jews living in Gaza fled during the 1929 Palestinian massacre and riots. In 1945 there were 80 Jews left. The Gaza Strip had 146,207 Jewish people living there fairly peacefully with their Muslim neighbors until 1995, when every single Jew was forcibly expelled (by their own Israeli government) according to the Oslo Accords Treaty. Today there are no Jews left in Gaza. They were not killed, but they were kicked out.
Need I mention the Holocaust? Or the Farhud? These are examples of ethnic cleansing and genocide. What about the Armenians in Turkey? Or the Rwanda genocide against the Tutsis in 1994? Why does no one mention or stand up against a real genocide, the massacre of thousands of Nigerian Christians by radical Islamists (Boko Haram, jihadi militant groups, Fulani)? According to the report “Martyred Christians in Nigeria” over 52,250 Christian men, women, children, infants have been brutally murdered since 2010. Over 18,000 churches have been set on fire. This, my friends, meets the definition of a genocide.
4. Why don’t you leave before it’s too late?/ I read that Israel is preventing its own people from leaving the country.
John and I did not take the decision to move to Israel lightly by any means. We had been planning for years to move out of the failing stater of California. Selling house and moving far away from all family and friends was not a passing whim or middle aged crisis. Our children were grown and leaving home and there were many, many factors involved in our decision. Not the least of which was the fact that we believe with all our heart in the Zionist ideals: that the ancient Biblical and ancestral homeland of the Jewish people always was and always will be Israel. This is provable by history and archaeology despite the fact that the Jews have been in diaspora for 2000 years. It is also the birthplace of Christianity. I have been deeply committed to and involved with inter-religious dialogue for decades.
As for our leaving: this is now our home. We are still American citizens, but this is where we have chosen to stay, again for very many reasons. At this point, the international airport is closed to everyone. Airspace over Israel is understandably restricted due to threat of attack. As for the post on Twitter that was sent to me:
I had never heard of this woman, so I did some research. Ms. Fenigson is a chief marketing officer of several global companies, now turned activist and podcaster of “You’re the Voice.” She rose to stardom during the pandemic as an independent journalist and labels herself “a dissident.” Ms. Fenigson is very left leaning and is often very outspoken against both the current Israeli government and the Trump administration. She has become a well known international speaker and “freedom activist” ( all quotes hers).
That said, yes Israel has forbid all flights to everyone. And yes, Kaitlin Jenner, who was here to tour the Gaza Envelope communities did get out last Friday morning. However, for safety precautions, Israel has removed a large percentage of its planes to other countries, that I will not mention here. Discussions are currently being held on how to get stranded Israelis and Lone Soldiers back home. Possible options are flights to Mediterranean countries followed by chartered cruise liners home. All Israelis are seriously advised against traveling through Egypt or Jordan (Jenner was escorted to Amman as an American citizen and then flew back to the States from Jordan) for their own protection.
After Israelis are brought back, the first priority will be given to tourists and those with dual citizenship. Privately chartered airlines are being considered for this once the airspace is deemed safe enough.All people are being kept as safe as is absolutely possible. Tourists are being put up at Israel’s expense. We want no casualties. This only makes sense.
The state control of phones: every single Israeli phone line has been receiving those banshee like, horrific sounding, extremely loud signals as soon as an Iranian missile launch is detected. We get these alerts at all times of the day and night, and. Most definitely, it can be jarring/nerve unraveling. However, it is not to panic us, but to alert us that we have less than six minutes to take cover. At the minute before impact there is another signal and country-wide red alerts and sirens go off 15 seconds before impact in the surrounding area. This is to ensure that all people have a chance to get to a protected space or to stop their vehicles, exit and take shelter in a more protected area. I thank G-d and the State of Israel for coming up with this systems. It saves lives.
From the magnanimity of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and the KKL, concrete bunkers or shelters have been placed everywhere through the land. We, here value life, not death. This also pops up on all phones.
As far as I know, they are sent in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, Amharic, French and Spanish. Many times, we have to use Google translate-
The last question I’ll address at this time (I’ve already gone too long) is from a girlfriend in the States who wanted to know –
5. I was listening to a podcast where this was discussed and I wanted to know what you believe. Netanyahu and Mossad are only interested in endless perpetuation of war and controlling regime changes.
We live in a really tough neighborhood. Israel is completely surrounded by the Arab world. Some of the countries are more friendly than others, but many want us dead (From the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea is all Israel). The Arabs comprise 99.6% of the MidEast. Israel has 0.4%
I truly believe the Iran situation is completely different than U.S. or Israeli involvement in Iraq (where Israel was told to stand down and did), Syria, Libya or Afghanistan.
Iran, pre WWll used to be Persia. The Islamic grand mufti with Adolph Hitler to discuss the Final Solution. The name of Persia was then changed to Iran from Aryan and the Farhud was soon enacted throughout the Middle East. (Long history. Look up for yourself). In 1979 the Persian monarchy was completely dissolved (under Pres. Carter’s admin). Shah Rena Pahlavi and his family escaped and went into hiding. They were replaced by the Radical Jihadist Ayatollas, mullahs and Shiite clerics. Again. Do your own study of history.
Persia/Iran was a highly educated, highly Westernized, free country. Women had full rights. The Jewish and Christian communities flourished. As the Islamist radicals came to power, many Persians also fled to Paris, New York, Miami and Los Angeles among other places. Those more liberals who stayed behind were imprisoned and tortured and killed. Read the true historical accounts in Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafsi. Please!!
Women were forced to completely cover themselves in burkas. Universities were taken over, extreme censorship ensued. All. Things Western were deemed Satanic. (movies, books, music outlawed). The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps was formed under strict Sharia and the military began to build its might, eventually exporting its jihadi terror to other Islamic countries. This is a sliver, nutshell synopsis. I’m probably skipping a lot.
Today, the Crown Prince of the Persian Pahlavi dynasty remains in exile. The Persians support him and many Iranians today long for freedom. Women are daringly removing their burkas and have literally been dying for the cause of freedom. In the past week, millions of Iranians are coming out in support and thanks of what they see as Israel liberating them from an oppressive regime.
Do I personally support a regime change with the restoration of freedom? Most certainly? Do I like war? Absolutely not. Do I endorse the IDF taking the chutzpah and initiative to cut the head of the Medusa that strangles and terrorizes? Of course. Do I want American boots on the ground? No.
Nothing is always black and white. We find ourselves in a complex situation. What we do next is a Sword of Damocles. (Look that up if you need to) Yet what we do next, what Netanyahu, what Trump decides is precarious.
Israel is completely united at this time. We are all on the same page. The United States needs to be firm, steadfast and united. The world is watching. Iran or what is left of it is watching. The enemy thrives on division. They see it as a sign of weakness. Please stop the infighting. Discussion tables are important. Infighting is not. Hatred of our fellow man is not.
Stay away from conspiracy theories. Stay away from fake news and scare tactics. Stay away from fear monger if and slandering. From A-I and deep fakes. It’s getting very hard to tell the difference these days. Listen to that still, small voice inside you.
All I can say to this is this is the time to pray. Fast and pray. Pray for world leaders to make wise decisions. Pray for all plans to go well. Pray for the protection of all innocent citizens, wherever they may be. Pray for peace. But whatever happens, I take comfort in what my husband continually repeats to me. It gives me great comfort. “Everything that happens is in G-d’s hands. He alone has the ability to turn evil to good, to shape the future. Things have to happen the way they happen. Our job is to trust, believe, pray and put ourselves in His hands. Then all will be well.”
If you find this post informative or inspiring in any way, please please share it.
The Iranian people are presently thanking their liberating army
Last night after a sizable barrage around sunset, we had a relatively quiet night. John and I prayed, of course, and then watched a couple more episodes of Mrs. Maisel, our latest diversion. We caught up on news, said night prayers and tucked in early, for us 11:30 pm. John woke up a few minutes before 4 am and commented on what a restful night it’s been. “Maybe they’ve been so decommissioned in Iran that they can’t launch any more missiles. I’m going back to sleep.” BAM!!! It’s all his fault😉
The banshee wail struck again at exactly 4am. Not 30 seconds later the neighborhood sirens blared out in communion with all the sirens from neighboring cities miles away. Thank you, Israel (Pikud haOref/Home Front Command). You sure are doing a swell job of warning your people.
We now know how important it is to be in a shelter. With these hypersonic, heavily loaded ICBMs it’s a whole new ballgame. And we as a nation are learning the best place is underground. Thank goodness our saferoom is below ground and more than heavily fortified with 24 inch steel enforced concrete walls and a steel door that reminds me of Ft. Knox. (Only problem is we have the old doors designed to handle missile attacks but not invasions. They are not lockable from the inside.) Anyway we beat feet again, our small long-haired dachshund flying off the bed and leading the way.
It was another hard night. Again. I reiterate. John and I are not afraid. We are taking all precautions and leave the rest up to G-d. We rely upon His Divine protection after having done all else. Still. The sounds of the Iron Dome rockets actually whizzing past our house (I sometimes wonder how they clear our roofline) and the crashes of the interceptions and also the direct hits (we hear those too. They are much different than the interceptions) are nerve wracking. The red alerts on our phones tell us where and when the strikes are expected in real time so those procrastinating Israelis can really run in those last few seconds.
The battery of missiles started in the north where we live. Not only were they going for dense packed areas, but this time, it was fairly evident they were aiming at various military bases and defense companies. The barrage moved to the center of the country. Then the desert towards Eilat. Was it Houthis joining in? Then the Gaza envelope, Ashdod, Beersheva. Jerusalem area. Back up to the Golan and Galil. Down towards the center. Tel Aviv. Jaffa. Bnei Barack. Petach Tikvah. ramat Gan. Then towards the central coast, towards Caesaria, where Netanyahu’s home is. Then back up here. No joke. It lasted for more than 25 minutes. Never seen anything like it. These b@$+@**$ were going all I stopped taking screen shots after awhile. We later found out over 100 ICBMs had been fired at us.
We stayed in the mammad for almost 45 minutes waiting for the all-clear sign. A big shout out to our local Spanish-speaking community who launches up-to-date information and messages like Iran launches missiles. Mucho gracias!!! Next: to scour all the top news sites I could (John quickly and smartly went right back to bed) for the latest of what the heck just happened. Before retiring around 6am, all I could find out was that there had been at least five direct hits in central Israel. They were pulling people out of rubble and putting out fires. One direct hit at least in Haifa.
First let me back-track a bit with the photos I was unable to bring up yesterday. This is some of the devastation from Saturday night’s barrage, mostly in Bat Yam a coastal community just outside Tel Aviv.
And from other parts in central Israel, Rehovot (Rehobath in “American”), and another Tel Aviv suburb
The death toll from last night has climbed to 10. Of course we all are mourning the deaths of every person lost, but thank goodness, it was that low. Multiple impact sites included Haifa, Tel Aviv, cities surrounding the Tel Aviv area, and Eilat. Over 200 people were injured and required hospitalization, including a 10 year old boy and a days old baby. An elderly couple did not survive a direct hit to their apartment complex. They were in their safe room, which completely ripped away from the building. A yeshiva in Bnei Barack was hit as well as a synagogue in Holon. Relief and rescue workers are still pulling people from the rubble.
Just thought you should know. When you hear about shrapnel falling from the sky, this is what it looks like. From a side yard in the Hula Valley (Upper Galilee), this stood waist tall to a man:
We had seem some pretty strange occurrences from videos taken, most specifically from our friend in Poriyya. At first John and I couldn’t completely explain the phenomenon. We knew the missiles exited then reentered earths atmosphere, but didn’t know the scientific mechanism. So now for the nerd part-
Some of the missiles experienced an exoatmospheric detonation when intercepted in space. It happens when an explosion occurs outside the earth’s atmosphere, about 62 miles or 100 km up or higher, where there is a vacuum. There is no oxygen to propagate a thermal blast like it does on earth. When an explosion happens on earth, the detonation produces a shock wave. This occurs due to the interaction of the explosion’s energy with the air’s molecules which usually causes a fireball. Since there’s no air molecules in space, because it’s a vacuum, these effects are absent because there’s no medium to compress or heat. Instead the energy is released as electromagnetic radiation or pulse. (-Kagan Dunlap)
The next short is footage from an Emirates flight. You can see when the rocket boosters fire, propelling the missile out of earth’s atmosphere. The missiles traveled in space for longer than Katy Perry, just sayin’-
Our neighbors, men and women, are now being called up to serve. Two are paramedics. One is a nurse. The other an engineer. Two are border patrol. One neighbor told John he was going to be stationed on the Jordanian border, as there is a real threat of both drone infiltration and infiltration of a large contingent of ‘Palestinian refugees’ from Jordan there who want to see another 7 October. I’m so glad they are putting aside work and family to protect us: may angels escort them throughout their duty. For the past two days we have seen a rise in UAV activity flying in from the East. One was just shot down over Caesaria this morning. We had followed the red alerts from Harish across the country (7 miles wide at that point) until its interception. Thankful, too, that now there is a real front line on the Jordanian front.
For the good news: there was a beautiful wedding at sunset (shortly after the first missile barrage) in the desert near the Dead Sea yesterday evening. Despite the war, there was much singing and dancing and joy. Life goes on.
Yuval Hazut,22 and her husband Yaris, 25. Imagined for months long the birth of their first son. A historic attack by the state of Israel on Iran was not part of the plan, but that is how it turned out. While in the labor room at Rambam. hospital in Haifa, a decision was made to reduce the General activities of the hospital to the protected underground complex. The birth, uncomplicated, was completed an hour ago underground. “It was a quick and easy birth,” stated the new mother,”When the attack started in the morning I didn’t think too much about the consequences, but I felt safe and wrapped in love. Everyone calmed me down. We started upstairs and the whole crew moved me downstairs. It was a little stressful, because it was not at all what we had planned, but it’s better to Ben in the safest place and focus on the birth. What’s important is that we were all healthy and protected.
The tense day that passed in Israel during the missile attacks, was also an especially busy time in the delivery room of Rambam. Eight births that morning alone, paralleled with the move of the entire department to their underground facility. Also at this hour, there is a lot of activity in the delivery rooms with the expectation of 16 more babies soon. – Army War Room News
As a result of the current security situation, it has just been announced that the Macabi Games (International Jewish Olympics…it’s a very big deal ) have been postponed. They have been pushed off until summer of 2026. It will give all the athletes the opportunity to prepare and get even better until next year. You will most definitely find us on the baseball stadium.
There are massive calls out for people to donate blood. All Magen David Adom stations are open as well as sites at local universities and some community centers. Remember no more than 50 people allowed in a public area (other than hospitals, private units, etc).
It has been found out, that while Israel is under direct attack, foreign media outlets like Al Jazeera, Al Arabiye, Memri, and fake ‘journalists’ are actively sharing exact locations of missile falls in real time to be fed back to Iran. This helps the enemy regime better target Israelis. They are not publishing just news, but providing exact coordinates, filming sensitive zones and broadcasting data that would otherwise be classified at that time. This is a security breach. Their credentials need to be revoked and they must be deported or jailed. Pronto. Two have been arrested already-
South Korea is sending pallets of humanitarian aid to Israeli families hit by the war. “We are not making street rallies as often as paid Hamas kids because we have jobs. But we are praying for you every day,” reported one person at a pro-Israel rally. Another shouted,” Thank you Israel for freeing the world from global terrorists.” The multitude amassed in Seoul could be seen waving both Israeli and Korean flags. “Korea stands with Israel,” “Korea condemns terrorists” were some of the slogans chanted before the crowd broke into both ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ and then ‘Hatikvah’ yesterday.
Last night the voices of resistance echoed throughout the streets of Tehran. Residents are shouting anti-regime slogans from the windows and rooftops. “Death to Khameni”. “Come back Pahlavi” “Thank you, Israel.” Freedom is surely near. For those of you still writing me about Israel being the aggressor and starting WWlll or this will make gas and other prices skyrocket, I shall address you tomorrow, G-d willing.
Lastly, I’d like to explain the name of this military operation. You might have heard the name Operation Rising Lion. But that’s not what it’s called in Hebrew. The name האם כלביא (am k’lah-vee) actually translates to a people like a lion. It comes from Numbers 23:24, the story of Balaam and Balak. Balaam, the prophet called upon to curse the Children of Israel, was unable. He said, “Behold, the people shall rise up like a great lion, and lift himself up like a great lion.” The curse becomes a blessing. According to linguist, Elon Gilad, the word “lavi” is a Biblical word for lion like ‘aryeh.’ In Russian and the Slavic languages, the word for lion is ‘lev’ which comes from the Latin word “leo” via the Ancient Greek, “Leon.” This comes from an ancient Semitic source, like Biblical Hebrew. Long story short, the strong Lion of Judah is awake and roaring. Strong. Bold. Courageous.
And now for the video we took early Sunday morning. We were on our way downstairs and I stopped to film out our window. At first notice the one missile, then the numerous Iron Dome anti missile batteries shot up. Wait for the end when you see the Iranian missiles reenter the atmosphere on their way towards the center of the country. As soon as the siren sounded, we ran to our mammad.
Well, Israel is making world news again. To start, I’d like to thank all those out there who have personally emailed, texted and called us to ask us how we are doing; to lend their support and offer up their prayers for us all. What a past few nights and days!!!
We are now taking long naps during the day, because the nights here have been a bit maddening. The daylight hours have proven quite calm, but once night falls, the bombings start. And drone attacks. And red alert signals. All night long. But we are safe. We are strong. Except I picked a fine time to get a terrible stomach flu. Started Thursday. And it was Thursday night/Friday morning that our world exploded. Despite all the mayhem, we have seen so many miracles, so I shall try to focus a bit more on those.
It was miraculous that this whole operation, which had been bits and pieces in the planning for years, was carried out flawlessly and so far, all of our pilots have returned from their missions unscathed. It’s nothing short of a miracle that all those who were “in the know” did not let any of the plans get leaked. Last October, just before Israel planned to attack the Iranian Regime, a CIA operative leaked the news to the Washington Post and New York Times. Israel did manage to knock out some of their aerial defense systems, but the full range of mission was not accomplished.
It is inconceivable that Israel had Mossad agents planted deep within Iran: they were building drones and sneaking in parts for their covert ops. How they did not get discovered is a miracle. They built the UAVs at their own factory, and at the exact right second, released the drones to further incapacitate all radar, satellites, intelligence gathering and aerial detection capabilities so the IDF fighter jets could achieve the bombing of precision military targets.
The IDF/Mossad attack on Iran actually was a just cause, in refutation to the two people who wrote my husband saying the Israel was starting World War lll with the backing of American right wing war hawks. Israel had received intelligence that the Iranian Regime was at breakout point. They had secretly been enriching weapons grade uranium and were in the process of assembling ICBMs with nuclear payloads…somewhere between 9-15 of them. There was communication between Iran and other radical Islamist nations that Iran would supply these rogue nations with nuclear weapons. The Atomic Energy Commission came out with their verification of this and Iran admitted to all this and more. They were even using a newer, secret nuclear facility to expedite the forming of these weapons. They would use them against the “little satan,” Israel and then the “big satan,” the United States. There was little time. Israel had to act.
Top Iranian nuclear facilities, weapons storage sites, rocket launching pads and ammunitions factories were all severely damaged or destroyed in the first 12 hours. In addition, 22 top ranking heads of the IRGC, the Revolutionary Guard were eliminated. Top generals in all branches of the armed forces and advisors to the ayatollah. They never saw what was coming as precision guided missiles found their way into exact apartments leaving the rest of the building intact. In two instances, top security officials were killed by arrows! Arrows!!! We all watched in awe as the news flowed in. But we also knew, that our turn would come next.
In the wee hours of Friday morning, Iran managed to send off over 100 drones toward Israel. These are not small UAVs, but massive suicide drones, like the ones the Ukraine shot at Russia just the week previous. They are able to cause a huge amount of damage. Israel was able, with the help of Jordan and the US, to shoot down every single one of them even before they made it to Israeli airspace. That’s pretty miraculous.
The fact that Hizbulla’s presence as a military threat in Lebanon has been drastically diminished meant that they stayed out of this. A threat from them combined with Iranian attacks would have added another layer to a complex situation. The IDF was able to fly right oven Syria, something that would not have been possible just a year ago. We are living in miraculous times.
We knew as soon as Shabbat started, our turn would come. People had spent all Friday stocking up on supplies and cooking for the weekend ahead. Sure enough just before sunset, that horrific banshee wail of an alert signaling system went off on everyone’s phones in the country. This was followed by instructions to stay close to a safe space or protected area. To be alert for further notifications. For Shabbat observant Jews who don’t use electronic devices, to have their radio preset and turned on to receive up to the minute, detailed information on what to do. We were used to missile barrages from Gaza and Lebanon. We had survived two failed attempts from Iran to destroy us. This would be fine.
All was fine until 12:48 Friday night/Saturday morning. The banshee signal went off once again. Be prepared to enter bomb shelters. Don’t wait for siren. Iranian attack imminent. By 1:06 we began to get the incoming alerts
On the way to our mammad, I looked out the window and saw the flares from the Iron Domes rising from four different spots. Our city siren had not activated yet, and I was already up. Getting John roused from sleep and into action was fun. I took some footage for you from inside the house before we went into the shelter. You can see the fireballs from Iron Dome and the streaky missiles coming in from the upper left hand. was not afraid, but we definitely knew to get moving as we heard the first interception close by and our own sirens started to blare.
The missiles were falling all over Israel, from north to south. We soon got the targeted maps showing where the incomings were to land.
The entire country was red. After sitting in the saferoom for about 15 minutes. John went back to bed. I stayed up going through news and social media scouring for damages. We found out that Iran planned to launch 1,000 missiles at Israel, it was unable due to damage from Israeli strikes earlier in the day (New York Times). That was a miracle. Only 200 had been able to be launched. Unfortunately, nine points in central Israel had been hit. All in civilian locations. It was evident that Iran targeted civilian population centers while Israel only hit military installations.
Air defense systems out at sea as well as all the Iron Dome batteries activated. Yet the system was overwhelmed. 5% got through, and it was incredibly intense especially over Tel Aviv. These were not the same missiles that were launched by Hamas or Hizbulla. These were hypersonic ICBMs. Some intercepted, rained down huge fragments below, also causing lots of damage. Most of the population remained in or close to bomb shelters in anticipation of a third wave coming in.
Several homes and buildings were destroyed Friday night/Saturday morning. There were several moderate injuries and many who had to be treated for light injuries and shock. It was a terrifying experience in Tel Aviv, I have no doubt, but to see some of the footage that’s emerged from the shelters…. Just amazing. I have often spoken of the resilience of the Jewish Israelis. But when the going gets tough, the vast majority turn to praise, singing and dancing.
We ran to the shelter four times Friday night/Saturday morning, every 2-3 hours. The Tel Aviv area was very hard hit. Two women were killed. One mother, trying to get her three children out of their apartment and down the stairs to a safe area, dropped her three month old baby at the time a missile hit her building. There was total chaos, parts of the structure had collapsed. A soldier found the baby and reunited it with the mother, who was cut by flying debris and in total shock. Yet the fact that the family survived was miraculous (the father is a reservist in Gaza). Another miracle.
Saturday morning was different than most Shabbat mornings. No synagogues were holding services as ‘large’ gatherings were prohibited. People were staying close to home, but it was amazing to me that all the neighbors were checking up on each other. “Do you have food? Do you need anything? How are you holding up? I can run to the store for you tomorrow. How is your dog handling this?” People were sending one another prayers and psalms of protection and even though it was Shabbat, our landlady and several others called to find out how we were. The unity and caring here is unbelievable.
We knew we were in for another hard night. All Israel steeled themselves for the next waves. It didn’t start until 10:55pm when the banshee wail of an alert came through our phones. And then the warning.
We knew there were incoming, and headed downstairs. There were no sirens so we opened the front door to see both the iron dome and then the two small incoming top left. As soon as the siren started, we ran to the bomb shelter, then literally all hell broke loose.
The interceptions and direct hits crashed over and around us shaking the house. It was thunderous. It was big. Like nothing we’d heard previously. We stayed in the shelter for about 15 minutes. As soon as it started, everything was over. John and I went out on the balcony to get a full view of the area. Nothing terribly unusual. We started getting the news. A house in the Arab village of Tamra, right down the way, suffered a direct hit. Four women, all members of the same family were being pulled from the rubble.
Manor Abu al-Hejira Khatib, Manar Fakhri Khatib, Shadrach Khatib and Hala Khatib, a mother, two daughters and the cousin. All killed.
There was other damage throughout the North. So why didn’t Iron Dome or Iron Beam intercept all? What was going on? These are a more highly sophisticated type of missiles than the shorter range rockets used by Hamas from Gaza or the Hizbulla missiles into the North. They are hypersonic and actually travel at rocket speeds out of earth’s atmosphere. They re-enter earth’s orbit, flaming, much like a comet. The payloads are much higher. The explosives have hundreds of kilos on each missile, so they do way more damage. And the Iranians supposedly have even bigger missiles that they haven’t used yet. Thank goodness most are intercepted.
At 02:30 we were awakened once again from a fitful sleep. The alert said to prepare for imminent incoming barrages. There were no sirens at all. Everything was eerily quiet, so I ventured onto the balcony and filmed this. Watch to the end. I was able to capture most of the incoming. They all headed toward central Israel from Jerusalem to just below Tel Aviv. (I’ve spent three hours trying to get this clip to upload. Pardon the technical difficulties. I shall try to have it up and posted at a later time.
Tel Aviv again got it worst. Bat Yam a gorgeous beach community was devastated. There were at least ten killed with hundreds wounded. Seven people are still reported missing. Homes wiped out. Apartments uninhabitable. It was the worst missile attack in Israel’s history. Yet cleanup started immediately. Roads being resurfaced. Glass windows replaced. Bulldozers in to clear rubble. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly all this happens. Once again, my photos are not uploading. The damage is unbelievably horrific.
So to recap: Israel has single-handedly brought Iran to its knees in less than 72 hours. Today, the city of Tehran was evacuated of civilians. Only Israel would put out a warning to the people beforehand.
Today over 20 cars in the Tehran area spontaneously exploded. They were the cars of nuclear scientists. 14 scientists are eliminated.
Mashhad Airport has been struck. This is deep, deep in Iranian territory. They took out their refueling aircraft.
The Iranian Intelligence Ministry in Tehran has been completely destroyed
The Parliment. Uilding and Ministry of Justice has been eliminated
The water and sewage systems of Tehran have been obliterated. Tehran is now burning and flooding.
Iran’s Hamadan airbase has been destroyed. Multiple aircraft hangars are compromised.
Ali Asghar Hejazi, Deputy Chief of Staff to Khameni has been in talks with Putin to secure safe passage out of the country for him and his family. The few remaining higher ups are planning their own exit strategies.
The IRGC headquarters has sustained a massive hit.
Putin has just had a conversation with Ayatollah Khameni, one of the last three leaders of Iran left, to tell him that the Regime is in serious danger of collapse and that he must come to the negotiating table at once.
Ben Gurion airport has closed its runways until the end of the month. Over 100,000 Israelis are stuck outside the country. The government is now trying to come up with alternate scenarios to get them home. They are being asked (if in Europe) to go to Athens, Cypress and other Mediterranean spots.
Since beginning this blog, we have been interrupted by two runs to the saferoom (as well as Father’s Day calls from all our kids) and my bouts with this stomach flu. It’s inconceivable to me that the Iranians can still have enough gumption to attack up in massive bombardments. This last one was a doozy. From the Golan Heights in the North to the beach city of Nahariyya, throughout the Galilee, the entire center, into Ashdod and Ashkelon, Beersheva and the desert. How could this happen? I just don’t understand. John said he saw satellite images of rocket launchers hidden in densely packed area of Tehran streets. They are mobile and easily hidden. I pray this will be over soon.
Despite the devastation we are currently suffering and the mourning this nation endures, we know that standing up to evil comes at a great cost. We totally thank the Lord for helping us put this whole plan together and for having it go off without a hitch. Israel is, in fact, a rising lion. In the forthcoming days, the world will be a much safer place.
I last wrote about the difficult situation faced by Christians in the MidEast. The Druze fight back against their Muslim oppressors. The Christians either become martyrs, preferring not to make waves, but to try to live in hopes of peace and tolerance – or they escape to places they feel will be safer. And that is exactly what the Islamists want.
The Christians population of Bethlehem has been completely routed. It is now over 98%Muslim. The Christians are being chased out of Nazareth with both ‘Arab mafia’ threats and acts of violence to person, home and business as well as ‘softer violence.’ This northern Israeli city, once home to Israel’s second largest Christian population continues to sink into neglect. The Muslim mayor, Ali Salaam, must be fired.
Streets adjacent to the Basilica of the Annunciation are being flooded with trash, garbage bins are not being emptied and are overflowing, the city smells pungently horrific. On Sunday, the holy feast of Pentecost, city workers came and set fire to the trash heaps near the Greek Orthodox Church and the Catholic Basilica. Burning plastics and toxic fumes filled the alleys and the buildings of Christian homes and convents/monasteries nearby.
One of the Catholic priests narrates in Italian. You can get the gist of what he is saying
Saher K., is a multi-generational resident. His family has lived in Nazareth for over 16 generations. Saher stated, “We live in a dump. It’s just like that. It’s a health hazard. It’s a shame. And we are alone in the battle. Many are just giving up. We can no longer get the value back for our homes.”
The Archbishop, Rafik Nahra, the Orthodox clergy and other Baptist and evangelical pastors have complained to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of the Interior. Some of the recommendations included that the current mayor and all members of the city council be dismissed due to the ongoing neglect and violence. This is a highly unusual step for a head of state to act against local authorities, and the complaints have gone unheeded. Now the residents are giving up.
Last weekend billboards went up throughout Nazareth advertising snack foods. The posters, abusive advertisements published by the Palestinian company “Qasrawi” mock the Last Supper. Designed to be egregiously offensive to the Christian population, Jesus and his disciples appear in the form of sheep. The Eid-Al-Adha holiday is a sacrificial festival in which sheep (and other animals) are slaughtered by the Muslims. Would Muslims accept such an insult to their prophet Mohammed?
Over the past year, a new group has formed under the head of Retired IDF commanding officer, Lt. Col. (res) Ihab Shlayan. A patriotic Israeli citizen, Ihab has spent the past year trying to unite the wider body of 250,000 Christians in Israel under one flag, literally.
Lt. Col. IDF, Ihab Shlayan, Israeli ChristianFlag of Christian unity
The VOICE, or Voice of Israeli Christian Eagles is fighting back with words, legal action, petitions to the government, and unification of the different branches of Christians in Israel. They promote military service or a year of community service after high school graduation. They would like to have oversight of their own private religious education. The VOICE seek full recognition as Israeli Arabs by the State of Israel and representation at all levels of government, university, military and in social platforms.
Ihab Shlayan today, sent an official letter to the Minister of the Interior, members of Knesset, Minister of Health. It reads:
This is not Syria. It is not Iraq. And it is not Gaza.
This is Nazareth – the City of the Annunciation, the holy city of Christians – now neglected due to failed leadership of the Nazareth Municipality and lack of involvement by Israel’s Ministry of the Interior.
Members of the Christian community are calling on the Government of Israel to take responsibility, reclaim control, and liberate Nazareth from Arab political dominance, restoring proper governance, public safety and cleanliness to this sacred city for Christians.
With respect, Lt. Col. (Res.) Ihab Shlayan. Chairman, The Christian Voice Association
In the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, a huge banner hangs in front of the Holy Sepulchre, the holiest place in the world to the Christian community. It reads in Arabic and in English “Jesus is a slave to Allah. ‘Jesus said: I am indeed a slave of Allah, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship him alone. Quran 3:51” It is in English so all the pilgrims can see it. This is the most important church in the Christian world, the site of the execution, burial and resurrection of Jesus. And of course, many years ago, a mosque was built right in front of the mosque. Visitors can hear the loud call to Islamic prayer five times a day within any part of the Holy Sepulchre building. This is a message to Christians from the Islamic institution.
Several months ago, the Muslims of Nazareth put up another banner. It is at the entrance to the Basilica Cathedral of the Annunciation. A shrine noted as the place where Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel, it is not only the largest church in the MidEast, but attracted millions of pilgrims each year (in the preCOVID days). Also, note that a large mosque with loudspeakers was built at the foot of the hill right down the street from the Cathedral. The imam of Nazareth can be heard making public addresses during their holy Mass services.
The State of Israel can no longer look away. The. Christian community in Israel is a generally peaceful one. They are our doctors and nurses. Most are highly educated. They run large businesses and serve the country patriotically. Sports coaches, restaurant and hotel owners, leaders and members of the Christian Scouts, engineers, and our friends. And they are being forced out by radical Islamists. This is not just Arab on Arab violence. It is a serious problem that must be addressed because it is spreading.
Not only is it spreading to our own community in Karmi’el and to cities throughout Israel, but is already posing major problems throughout Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, the UK…. and soon to be the US. It is not just a question of antisemitism or antizionism, but it is the soft conquering of Western civilization. The current rioting in Los Angeles and New York is a coming together of Marxists, Progressives, Socialists and radical Islamists. You can see by what they are wearing – their kheffiyehs, their headbands and black outfits. They are not trying to hide anything. It is not about deporting illegal immigrants. They are launching color revolutions throughout the Western world to overthrow the governments and the culture/heritage.
Please share this article with anyone who will listen. It is no longer a local problem.
When I started this blog, I had decided to stay away from anything political, contentious and anything that would possibly offend or be misconstrued. I shied away from all the elephants in the room, not wanting to ignite a firestorm. I have received beautiful letters of solidarity and friendship from many of my readers along with personal texts and emails. On the other hand, I have chosen to delete several messages from “trolls” who are either antithetical to Zionism (the belief that Jewish have the right to return to their ancient and ancestral homeland), to the Jewish faith and to Israel’s position to fight against evil and terrorism militarily.
The Israeli Defense Forces are not just fighting an existential war against terror and evil to protect the Jewish nation, but they realize they fight to protect other ethnicities, innocent civilians, both within Israel and abroad. So in the next article or two, I hope to address the elephant in the room. The Christians in Israel and Syria who are being heavily persecuted by the radical Islamists.
Christians in Israel make up about 5% of the population. They are divided mostly into Eastern/GreekOrthodox (Melkite); Latin/Roman Catholics and Maronites; Arameans; with a smattering of Anglican, Baptist and other believing sects. The majority are Arabic speakers. Many are indigenous to this land, the original Christians; others are refugees from persecution in Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and other Middle Eastern countries.
Bethlehem in Judaea is the birthplace of Jesus, the second holiest site in Christianity. The city was 98% Christian just two decades ago. It lies in the mostly Palestinian part of what is called the West Bank, just about 8 miles from Jerusalem as the crow flies. Jewish people holding Israeli passports are not allowed entrance to this territory without a special tourist permit. Today the Christians total less than 2% of the total population, most of them being clerics.
The Muslims who live in this once Christian area have what we call their own “mafia.” They impose large taxes –jizzia or protektzia – upon small the Christians – mostly multi-generational, family owned business, artisans and sellers of religious objects, restaurants, cafes and hotels in return for having no harm come to their places of livelihood, homes or family members. It is extortion followed by violence.
Unfortunately, this all too often has gone unseen or has been couched under “Arab on Arab violence” and has not been curtailed by Israel or the Palestinian Authority. In addition, as Christian families flee for safer cities within Israel or abroad, the Muslims move in. Because of the newer, Muslim majority, Palestinians who are unfavorable towards Israel, more radical Muslim mayors have been elected. The Israeli Jews seem to be too busy fighting other wars to address this serious problem.
The radical Islamists even seem to have sway over the different Bethlehem churches. At Christmas celebrations, since the tourism has sharply declined from the time of the pandemic to today, Christmas celebrations have been curtailed or cancelled by the local authorities. Lights displays are no more. Christmas trees in the town square have been replaced by martyrs trees (decorations are the faces of Palestinian terrorists eliminated by the IDF while committing an attack). Traditional nativity scenes have been replaced by displays of “Christ in the Rubble,” a political statement. Negative propaganda put out against ‘the occupation’ by the Churches are part of the protektzia. Look it up. See for yourself. Martyrs tree, Bethlehem. Christ in the rubble.
We live in the Northern part of Israel, the gorgeous and mostly peaceful Galilee region. Small Jewish kibbutzim and moshavim and medium sized towns are being surrounded by an ever-growing Muslim presence. Our city is less than a half and hour drive from Nazareth. This city, most famously known as the place where Mary was visited by an angel and where Mary, Joseph and Jesus lived and worked as an observant Jewish family of carpenters, is another one of the holiest sites for Christians worldwide. The largest Catholic Basilica Cathedral in the Middle East, the Church of the Annunciation, is located in the heart of Nazareth. In Israel. The city also has a large Orthodox presence, centered around Mary’s well. In 2010, Nazareth was 99% Christian.
Nazareth received most of its income from Christian tourism. There are more convents and monasteries in Nazareth than any other Israeli cities outside Jerusalem. They used to be beautiful, welcoming places. Now, most are hidden behind tall, barb-wire topped walls for protection. In Nazareth, too, the Islamists have taken over. Threats against Christian businesses have become commonplace. Targeted killings have occurred since 7 October. Unfortunately, Israel expects the local governing bodies to police their own towns, but the mayor of Nazareth is now Muslim. For the past several years, the Christmas celebrations have either been curtailed or cancelled altogether. (Nazareth also boasted the largest Christmas tree in the MidEast with Christmas markets and parades.)
Large concrete walls throughout the city have been painted with Palestinian flags, swastikas, slogans against the “occupation,” and pictures of the martyrs, aka eliminated terrorists. They are often whitewashed, only to reappear, making the city a most unwelcoming place for non-Muslims. John and I personally know families from Nazareth who have left for our pluralistic, safer-feeling cities like Haifa, Karmi’el and the Kryot and for immigration to Canada and the United States. One family who we know, left without a word one weekend, after receiving numerous death threats. We still have no idea where they went.
Until the last five years, there were Christian majority Northern Israeli towns: Shefaram, Deir Hanna, Deir Al Assad, and Ibillin. Here, too, these towns are facing the same predicament. The “Arab mafia” has moved in. As an interesting aside, the word Deir, is Aramaic, for monastery. These towns from the 4th century once centered around ancient Byzantine Churches supported by the indigenous Christian population. Deir Hanna is the Monastery of St. John. Deir Al Assad, is the monastery of the lion, or St. Mark’s Monastery. The Muslim Arab population who moved in did not bother to change the original Christian name of the town. There is the clue, the reminder.
The problem of Islamic persecution of Christians is not just a phenomenon in Israel. It has happened throughout the Middle East. Entire countries have persecuted and killed and expelled almost their entire Jewish and Christian populations: Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Just this past week the Egyptian government took over all property rights to St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai.
Located at the foot of Mt Sinai , it is the oldest, continually inhabited Christian monastery in the world. Founded in the 6th century by the Emperor Justinian, St. Catherine’s is home to some of the most ancient icons, relics and manuscripts. The Greek Orthodox monks have preserved the spiritual integrity of the site for over 1500 years. The monastery is said to be built around the burning bush of Moses/Exodus fame. It is now part of Egypt’s public domain. They have also appropriated 73 smaller Christian sites surrounding.
Because it has been a site for pilgrims from throughout the world, the government is considering turning this into a resort tourist area. Since 1980, the monastery has submitted documents of ownership for the 74 places including receipts, land rights and tax documents. The state has refused to recognize any of this. The monks are now being ordered to pay rent for use of the properties. The monks yesterday, Pentecost Sunday (the birthday of the Church) closed their doors to any and all outsiders. See Acimena.com for more information.
In Syria, the new rebel government that ousted Assad are now seen to be the ‘good guys.’ Formerly one of the heads of alQaeda, the new Syrian president has labeled himself a moderate and recently has had a seat at the world’s negotiating tables. This past week has seen Syrian Islamic terrorists going from village to village murdering Christians and Druze. Local sources confirm massacres in minority communities. Young women are being raped and taken against their will. Entire villages are being emptied and burned in areas of southern Syria near the Israeli border.
In response, Israel has launched targeted airstrikes aimed at stopping the attackers and preventing further atrocities. The international community has said nothing about this Syrian Islamic extremist violence against vulnerable religious minorities. We ALL must demand coverage by the press, truth from the international arena and accountability from the Syrians.
Nigeria has been hard hit as Islamist radicals are wiping out entire villages of Christians. These are actual genocides as complete and targeted minority populations are being massacred. Women and children beheaded. Congregants bolted into their churches as they gathered for Mass. Last week, Fr. Alphonse’s Alina, Nigerian pastor of Catholic Church in Fairbanks, Alaska returned home for a visit. His Mass was attended by over 200 people. While traveling to another village in the northern part of the country, Fr Alphonse’s was kidnapped by the jihadists group, Boko Haram. They desire to see Nigeria turned into an Islamic state, and the current government is doing nothing. Bishop Steven Maekawa has asked for continued prayer for the father’s safe release.
This Islamist jihadi madness is not localized in Israel (think from the River to the Sea chanters). Paris was overtaken on Saturday once again by thousands of Muslims at prayer around the Eiffel Tower. Tourists had no access. This occurred after riotous jihadists burned tired and cars and broke windows throughout the city just nights prior. Innocent women passengers were pulled out of cars and raped. Stores were broken into and looted and buildings and monuments grafittied. All this to further the freeing of Palestine.
London is a nightmare. Marchers, demonstrators, a literal infiltration into the highest of government offices are part and parcel of the agenda. Today, on the streets of Brussels, Belgium a dramatic reenactment was held of the 7 October massacre in Israel. Blood and bodies on the ground and people staging the kidnappings. All to the background of French music and keffiyeh covered “actors.” There are similar weekly demonstrations throughout Europe. Truly the Intifada (aka wipe out Israel and the Jews) is being globalized. Los Angeles riots throughout the weekend show not only a protest against ICE and deportation of illegals but a stand of solidarity with Gaza. It’s time to wake up, people….
As an aside, I’ve spent the last hour scouring YouTube for footage of these events. Footage I saw just this morning. As soon as a video showing pro-Palestinian rioting or violence is posted, it is taken down. Apologies for this. I shall continue my search-
The religious Jewish people count the days between Passover and Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks. It’s a Biblical mandate in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Seven weeks of seven days of the Children of Israel traveling from Egyptian liberation under Pharaoh until the entire entourage arrived at the foot of Mt. Sinai. There, on Day Fifty, Moses received the Ten Commandments from G-d.
Every evening after sunset the count is called out. A blessing is said. Each day there is a meditation on a virtue like kindness or patience or wisdom. During the time of the counting of the Omer (a measurement of barley), there are no marriages. It is a time of seriousness, like the Christian Lenten season, in a way. No parties. No haircuts. No frivolity.
In Israel, for Shavuot, the more Orthodox visit the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem. A visit to the tomb of King David is part of the tradition. People stay up all night (Jewish people all over the world) studying Scripture. The reading of the book of Ruth is a custom as it takes place during the barley harvest. And in synagogue, the Ten Commandments are read. Oh, and people gorgeous themselves on dairy products.
Yes. Dairy. For the observant Jews, the Bible or the Torah is compared with dairy or milk which nourishes infants. Also Israel is the Land of Milk and Honey. For the more secular, Shavuot is the beginning of summer. The farm animals have had their baby lambs and kids and calves and the milk is literally flowing. And the harvest has just come in. Barley. Fruits. Vegetables. In Biblical times, Shavuot was a mandatory pilgrimage holiday when all the people were required to bring in their tithes to the Temple in Jerusalem. This is a huge agricultural festival, the First Fruits, or Bikkurim.
I am currently studying Scripture each week through Partners in Torah. Can’t speak highly enough about this organization. My partner, Shari, and I meet weekly by FaceTime. She’s in New York City, and I like her so so much. She challenges me often. And I rose to her Shavuot challenge. I’d always wanted to spend Shavuot at an agricultural kibbutz. It’s one of the most incredible truly Israeli experiences, or so we had heard. So I did something quite presumptuous.
Sunday morning, I called up a friend from Kibbutz Ginosar (Genesseret) on Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and asked her what she was doing; the kibbutz activities; and swiftly inserted myself into the middle of her family. In other words, I invited myself and John at the very last minute. Complete Chutzpah for this reserved American. “Evelyn, I’ll even bring a huge dairy savory cheesecake with vegetables. Anything.”
We drove down to the lake Sunday afternoon. It was absolutely gorgeous and very peaceful, as usual. Ginosar is one of the older kibbutzim, celebrating 88 years this year. It’s moderately sized, mostly agricultural, but they also run a large resort hotel on the side. The families are all very close and everyone knows everybody else.
Evelyn greeted us at the entry gate. Her father-in-law knew we were coming and made me this gorgeous harvest bouquet of barley and wheat stalks, figs, pomegranates and lavender- all grown on the kibbutz. It was the most welcoming introduction. As is traditional, everyone wears white, and as it is a harvest festival, it is customary for people – young, old, male, female – to wear a lovely floral wreath on their head.
We arrived shortly before the festivities. Many of the kibbutz folk, mostly the older people, gathered on the main square to watch the tractor parade. Tractors pulling carts filled with hay bales and families.
And the celebration began, first with the presentation of all the babies that were born on the kibbutz in the past year, 38 in all, a new record! So cute to see all the families. It is such a healthy thing to see a vibrant, happy, growing population. This was followed by a dance put on by some of the moms with babies on their front packs (or twins on front and back). It was adorable. The song, in Hebrew, was about how the mom can get no more sleep as the baby keeps her up all night and all day.
Notice the mom in the green shorts with twins!
The little children of three age groups all put on song and dance routines and little skits. The all the three year old boys were brought up for their first haircuts. It’s a very big, and very fun, deal here. There was a lot of remembrance of the war, those lost in battle, friends still in captivity. It was an incredibly hard year for all the kibbutzim. Many of the men between 18-50 have been doing military service. Pensioners took up the slack and planted and harvested all the crops.
Kibbutz Ginosar is a tremendously large and productive agricultural kibbutz. They own hundreds of acres along the Kinneret. The number of dunams (acreage) of each crop, and tonnage brought in was read aloud. I was stunned. Mangoes, bananas, pomegranates, wheat, barley, dates, apricots, peaches, avocados, almonds. Phenomenal.
I was even more surprised to see the teen involvement. They worked as ushers, MCs, and organizers. And several groups of teens put on choral and folk dance numbers. Did I mention wholesome yet???? This was followed by folk dancing, first by the women, the couples and finally, the plastic chairs were taken away and the entire field turned into one big folk dance fest as the sun began to set.
Rows and rows of tables and chairs had been set out for the communal kibbutz Shavuot dinner. Candles lit. Blessings set. There was a booth for Israeli wine and tables groaning under the weight of food. Quiches, salads of all kinds, vegetable dishes beyond belief. Hummus and techineh, and every kind of cheese and dairy one could imagine. It was super abundant and glorious! Folk dancing lasted until late in the evening. And there were small groups of instrumentalists. The wine flowed freely.
Evelyn, originally from Argentina, met her husband when he traveled to South America after his army service. She followed him back to Israel where they married. Yoav’s grandparents were some of the original residents of Ginosar, and her father-in-law was the one to find the famed sunken “Jesus boat,” a 2000 year old fishing boat. Evelyn is an ElAl flight attendant and Yoav is a farmer. They’ve lived at Ginosar for 19 years.
I tell you all this because Evelyn and her family took us in like we were one of the family. After living ‘in the city’ for ten years, I’d totally forgotten and missed that amazing aspect of Israeli life. Everyone is “mishpocha.” We met the brothers, the in-laws, the kids, and cousins. Young couples had driven up from Tel Aviv and central Israel to be with their family. And somehow there was room for all.
It was not extremely religious. In the morning some of the older folk went to the community synagogue. Children, with bathing suits on since 8am were eager to swim in the Kinneret. Others went sailing and jet skiing. The morning breakfast on the kibbutz dining room offered myriad dairy from cheese-filled bourekas and blintzes to fish. Fish is very typical for breakfast in Israel. There were fruit salads and vegetable salads over the top and freshly baked breads, homemade jams and freshly squeezed juices.
I must say, last year e spent Shavuot praying in Jerusalem. Most years, we spent at home very low key. Not particularly Israeli. This year, the Zionistic and patriotic spirit, albeit a bit subdued from what I was told (due to the fact we are still at war), was one of the most incredible experiences John and I have had here. Thank you, Evelyn!!! We had a blast!
Two and a half weeks ago, a man was eaten alive by sharks in the Mediterranean off the coast of Hadera. It was a feeding frenzy. A horrific story. The man supposedly entered the water knowing the sharks were there and wanting to see them up close. Some say he was there to feed them. And that he did.
There has been a lot of false information fed to the mainstream media by the Gaza Health Ministry since the beginning of the war. The journalists eat it all up without even the slightest attempt to verify. The BBC, CNN, MSNBC, the Guardian, NPR, Le Monde and many others. Tablet Magazine calls one such meal “The Great Famine Hoax or how a fake humanitarian crisis became the West’s most effective weapon for saving Hamas.”
It started while IDF troops were still amassing on the ground, even before they entered the Gaza Strip in 2023. The propaganda was always shifting to ensure the survival of the terrorists. As early as 16 October, 2023, barely a week after the Hamas incursion into Israel, the World Health Organization and Gaza Health Ministry put out a false claim that because Israel had cut off all water and power a looming humanitarian catastrophe was imminent. Thousands of innocent civilians would die.
Israel has continued to agree to let aid in the form of food, water, tents, medicine, clothing, blankets and hygiene items into Gaza since the beginning of the war. It is the only time in history when one country feeds and offers humanitarian assistance to the enemy it is fighting. From the get-go, the Hamas terrorists have commandeered the trucks, often shooting the drivers, always at gunpoint, and pirated the food and aid away from civilians to their vast warehouses. They, in turn, sell the goods at exorbitant prices to the innocent civilians. It funds their war chest. They also hold the aid ransom for allegiance to their organization.
Israel has just allowed in more tons of supplies, this time with the proviso that an American security group would organize and distribute the boxes at a designated high security site. So what are the problems now? It’s about the labels. The labels are in Hebrew, from Israeli factories like Osem and Sugat. You see, now “the Jews (who control everything) are being accused of profiteering from feeding the Gazans.” Go figure. It’s never about the truth. Or the innocents. Or aid. Only hate. Because feeding hungry Gazans Israeli food is just as bad as a complete famine. And so it goes.
The irony is that seeing pictures of the Gazans as they crowd into city squares for hostage releases or to retrieve their comestibles, none of the people seem emaciated. The reality is that those who are truly starving are the Israelis that have been held captive for over 600 days. After they are released from their subterranean tunnels where they are held in cages – all report that they are fed one-half a stale pita a day, rancid water, and sometimes a handful of rice.
As the aid was being delivered over the past week, Hamas executed four of the Gazans for “attempting to steal the aid.” What does this mean? That civilians reached the trucks before Hamas did. Of course, it was blamed on the IDF, who “ target civilians.” Thousands of Gazans have flocked to the aid centers, defying Hamas orders.
At first, the humanitarian zone was breached by stampeding Gazans, who began stealing the boxes filled with flour, oil, sugar, tuna, pasta, rice, canned goods, biscuits and dried beans. The newly hired American team was, at first, unprepared for the onslaught and retreated. IDF helicopters flew in to disperse the growing crowd and it was said the IDF opened fire. This was false news. Over the past week, the US organization has fortified its distribution bases and is now insuring over 900,000 boxes are being distributed to unarmed civilians.
Why is this significant? Despite, Hamas’ attempts to prevent the population from reaching the distribution sites, it is failing and the terrorists are losing the war. Their military capabilities are all but gone. Sure, it fires off a rocket or two into Israel, but their fighting ability is growing weaker. They are last ditch efforts. In precision targeted strikes, Israel has eliminated all of the top Hamas commanders. Their military infrastructure is being decimated. Public sentiment in Gaza is shifting towards the United States….and Israel, further undermining Hamas’ control.
Over the last week, President Trump has sent Steve Witcoff to various locations in the Middle East to broker a “deal.” A ceasefire in exchange for the release of the 58 remaining hostages. Both Netanyahu and Trump have declared a deal forthcoming – a matter of hours. Each time it has been Israel who has signed off on the ceasefire and Hamas who has rejected the terms. This remains the only ‘genocide’ in the history of war where the ‘victims’ refuse to end it.
The Hamas plan called for 10 hostages to be set free in two stages: 5 living on Day One and 5 bodies to be returned in exchange for a 7 year ceasefire. The plan also included full IDF withdrawal from the Strip, and unrestricted humanitarian aid supplied by the UN. They have called for an Iranian backed governing body to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza. Nope. No way Israel would agree to these terms.
France and the UAE seem bent on recognizing a Palestinian state within the official borders of Israel. It seems as if the UK will also go along with this. In response, a majority of Israelis (mostly religious) are pushing for Israel to recognize complete sovereignty over Judaea and Samaria (the West Bank).
Two weeks ago, I had reported on a car attack in Samaria. A young couple was on their way to the hospital to deliver their third child when their car was ambushed by local Palestinians. Gunshot sprayed into the oncoming vehicle. Tzela Gaz, the mom, was killed. Her baby delivered by C-section and immediately brought to NICU. He was put on life support, as he had been deprived of oxygen for almost a half an hour. The father, who survived the attack, named the baby Ravid Chaim.
Here’s where the story gets a little strange. The mother always loved the name Ravid, but it was similar to Lavi, her older son’s name. Plus, Ravid, in Hebrew means really expensive, like an expensive piece of jewelry. The husband did not love this name choice, but Tzela really wanted it. The baby was between life and death all the time, and the rabbi decided he should have a name before the circumcision as people wanted to pray for him. So the little one was given the name Ravid Chaim. Chaim meaning ‘life.’
That Shabbat, the army was in the village where the attack originated. It is a very dangerous village, filled with terror cells. One person planning, one group smuggling weapons, one group carrying out the attack. There were a lot of people involved. The IDF was able to zero in on the perpetrator who started to scream “Allahu akbar.” All the dots were connected and the IDF got the positive ID of the killer. The commander of the IDF operation verified, chased him down to catch him and kill him. Why was this so crazy? The commander’s name….Ravid Chaim. A bizarre set of circumstances.
Very very sadly, little Ravid Chaim died last Wednesday. He was just 15 days old. Not one international media organization carried any of this story that I am aware of. Two truly innocent lives stolen. The funeral was held on Thursday. The newborn was buried. This is not normal…
The new Israeli weapons system developed by Raphael Defense Technologies is called Iron Beam. It’s a directed energy laser system that can take out incoming missiles and drones. Used successfully against Hizbulla drones last September, it only costs about $5 USD as opposed to thousands of dollars per interception as does Iron Dome. This is an exciting game changer. Already, several countries have come forth and offered to buy this technology from Israel. Plus, this is way more accurate than the older Iron Dome anti-missile missiles. So for all those conspiracy theorists out there, yes. The Jews actually do have space lasers. And yes, it’s literally in our back yard.
Day 603 and Hamas rejected yet another ceasefire proposal. David Levi (I do not yet have a photo), only 19 years old, was working as a private contractor for a security company working in Gaza. He was killed last Friday, but is not officially recognized as an IDF casualty of was even though he is an Israeli citizen. More investigation to follow. We woke up this morning to the sad news that three more young IDF soldiers, all age 20, were killed in a roadside ambush. They are, Staff Sergeants, Lior Steinberg and Ofer Barhana, both paramedics. And Omer vanGelder, all of the Givati Unit. May their memories be for a blessing to all.
And today, in an attempt to smear Israel, the international media are reporting a massacre at an aid distribution center. Red Crescent, the equivalent of the Red Cross was the source. It never happened. Not even close. They are reporting that at least 21 innocent people have been shot by Israeli troops. 175 are severely injured. Again, immediate count and reporting by Gaza Health Ministry. CCTV footage has just been released from the time of the alleged shooting at the Rafah distribution site. This is what the camera shows. And this is what GHF (Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US team) reports as a back up: 15,360 food packages were delivered calmly and safely. 900,000 meals provided in total in one day. The boxes went directly to the civilians, Hamas was unable to steal it.
A Hamas fake account online which spread its news to the international media also accused IDF soldiers of opening fire on humanitarian relief sites in Rafah, killing dozens. Even Opposition leader, Naftali Bennet refuted the fact that shots were fired at all. Hamas executed by hanging 2 IDF collaborators. 11 public executions by firing squad. They even posted the video, but no media has picked up that story.
The GHF has become a game changer. The more aid that comes in and goes to the people, the louder the fake news. Gaza is losing control.
And to top off all this news, Greta Thunberg is sailing in her little humanitarian flotilla today. Destination Gaza. “I’m coming to Gaza help the people of Palestine. Let’s hope she encounters no hungry sharks en route….
Nu? So what has been happening here in Israel over here past week? And more importantly, how do the majority of Israelis feel about recent developments? As many Americans are celebrating the reception of President Trump in several parts of the Middle East as a king or some type of royalty, Israelis are scratching their heads in wonder and are very concerned to say the least. But let us back up a bit.
Last Friday, IDF jets struck over 20 targets in southern Lebanon taking out Hizbulla weapons supply stashes, underground tunnels and hideouts for terrorists. Families in the northernmost Israeli towns and villages are being allowed to return and rebuild. Almost two years after they were evacuated, the area bordering Lebanon is now being deemed safe. No terror threat.
Explosions in Lebanon as seen from Israel’s border
Also, last Friday, a new previously unknown Iranian nuclear weapons facility was found by satellite imaging. The site location spreads out over 2500 acres. Sources on the ground inside Iran confirm this and locate it far from the other Iran sites. This raises fresh concerns about the veracity of Iran in developing weapons of mass destruction. US State Department officials are now deciding how to confront this information. They have not only the site location, but also the layout.
The Israeli army erected a field hospital for wounded Syrians just below the eastern edge of the Golan Heights in “no man’s land,” the buffer zone between Israel and Syria. This hospital serves wounded Druze and Christians. Some of the more severely wounded are being flown to Israel’s hospitals for further treatment. By the way, this was my son’s old IDF unit. He participated in this same activity when the Syrian Civil War under Assad was raging back in 2017-2020. Now it’s the “moderate” jihadi rebels who are killing and persecuting the non-Muslims.
Sirens continue to sound out throughout the center of the country on a daily basis. Most are from Houthi launched missiles. All but one have been intercepted before hitting their target. Still, it has Israeli schoolchildren and business people, soldiers and moms all running for cover to shelters. This was after the US bombed 50 of their missile sites and Israel blew the heck out of their ports. The Yemeni terror group called a ceasefire with Trump. They will no longer be aiming to disrupt international shipping lanes at sea. Israel, however, remains fair game. And the missiles continue.
So this is where the head-scratching starts. Monday, the Trump administration informed Prime Minister Netanyahu of Hamas’ intention to release IDF lone soldier, Idan Alexander, a dual American-Israeli citizen (his mom is Israeli and the family lives in Teaneck, NJ). The release is a “goodwill gesture” orchestrated by Qatar and US envoy, Steve Witkoff. It comes with no compensation or conditions. A free gift.Supposedly, Hamas relented to give up the captive at the last minute in an hopes to stop the launch of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots.” This Israeli army push is to be an all-out attempt to rid the Gaza Strip of terrorists, tunnels, weapons, launch sites – and free the remaining 59 hostages. It calls for a sharp escalation in Israeli military force in Gaza.
Now. Are any more hostages being released? Does one have to have an American passport to be set free? What about the American couple (now deceased) Gadi and Judi Weinstein Haggai, still being held? Or the body of Itai Chen, 19 a dual citizen? Is Trump betraying Israel or setting Israel up? Why did Trump visit Qatar, a known supporter of terrorism: a country who gives Hamas top leadership safe harbor? Is Qatar expecting something in return from Trump for releasing Alexander?
Hamas now says they are ready and willing to enter into intensified negotiations with Witkoff, hoping to reach a deal. They have finally agreed to having the Strip run by some independent authority. We have had rumors that Trump is giving this task to Saudi Arabia. Israel insists that the area must be cleared of terrorists and that all the ‘resistance fighters’ must be completely disarmed. Any Gazan civilian who wants peaceful passage to another country willing to take them in may do so. Months of negotiations have proven fruitless, but the moment Trump comes, Hamas are suddenly quite cooperative. They can give back the hostages if they want, but they have decided to withhold them as a bargaining chip and to stall for time.
“It is pretty simple: if Qatar can arrange for a hostage to be freed, they can influence the captors. Freeing one while others remain means they’re not just mediators- they are complicit in keeping the rest hostage.” – Rabbi David Wolpe, Los Angeles.
Israel stands by the position that it’s the cutting off of more humanitarian aid and intensified military operations that have pushed Hamas to the brink. Just yesterday, there was information that the top members of the terror group would be together in an important meeting at one of the abandoned hospitals in Khan Younis. The IDF, acting on this, blew up the structure, first receiving word that no captives were being held there. We are still waiting to find out if Yahya Sinwar’s brother, Mohummad Sinwar, was killed as well as another top Hamasnik.
Trump is wrapping up his Mideast trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE today. This trip is a strategic one for him militarily, financially and politically. All three countries have signed huge deals with Trump announcing massive investments in the U.S.
Qatar has gifted the President a $400million plane to be used as the new AirForce One. This rich, terror supporting regime should not be given legitimacy. They are working so hard to rebrand themselves. They are behind the US university encampments and protests. Do not fall for their money. They are behind the kidnappings and massacres of 7 October as they funded Hamas and supplied arms to them. They are behind the past failed hostage negotiations. Qatar can order Gaza to release all the hostages in an instant. Pay attention to what is happening. Do not fall for their money or their “gifts” as it is a gold plated Trojan horse.
Qatar’s population is just over 300,000. It is a large country in area, mostly sand with tons of barrels of oil underneath. Over the past decade, this Muslim country has implemented the single most sophisticated infiltration of the West. Over one billion Qatari dollars have flowed into the American university systems. Their professors have been placed in US university classrooms. Their students have flooded the campuses.
They have poured money into American think tanks, local governments and media. Their lobbying efforts in Congress are mind blowing. “In 1996, with the help of Al Gore, Qatar unveiled a new venture that was destined to transform global media while it gave voice to anti-Americanism, anti-Zionism…AlJazeera.” – Lee Smith. It is now one of the largest media global groups with branches throughout the world.
After meeting with the Saudis and the Qataris, Trump held a meeting with Syrian President Mohammad al Jolani, now Ahmed alSharaa. He was on the American most wanted list just last year. The “moderate” now in a suit. He can wear a sharp suit and a tie, but we all know the man is a terrorist. He wants strict sharia law to rule Syria and all minorities wiped out. They should not be given legitimacy. These countries are trying to shed their war-torn image and get official recognition by a superpower. Do not fall for their attempts to rebrand.
The al Qaeda terrorist on the left is the man in the suit, photo right
Israel has not been invited to any of the high powered MidEast meetings. President Trump did not, in fact, make a stop here. Was Israel royally snubbed? Just a few weeks ago, the Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar posted this threat of annihilation to the social media platform, X:
According to the White House, Trump outlined the following demands for AlSharaa: Join the Abraham. Accords and normalize relations with Israel; expel all foreign terror from Syria (to where? Qatar?); assist the US in preventing a resurgence of ISIS; take full control of ISIS detention centers in northeastern Syria.
Some in Israeli media are stating “ Qatar gets full recognition. Syrian jihadists get full access. Hamas gets deals. Trump gets a plane. Israel gets sidelined.” And I quote one pundit “If Biden had done the $hit Trump has been doing, the right would be up in arms.” Reuters reports that the US has dropped its demand that Saudi Arabia normalize relations with Israel in exchange for a civil nuclear program. The Times of Israel reported that a “non-governmental individual told Hamas the move to release Idan Alexander would help with Trump’s team and pressure Israel into a complete cease fire.” On Monday Trump called Iran “reasonable and intelligent” in the latest US-Iran talks in Oman. Witkoff blamed Netanyahu for prolonging the war, a Biden era trope.
There is a clear overall impression that has emerged. Trump is willing to twist the arms of Israel diplomatically; go behind their backs; leave them in the dark. In a Breitbart interview, Steve Witkoff trashed the “neocons” (aka Zionists) who feel that war is the only way to solve things. Thus far, Netanyahu, the IDF and the majority of the Israeli public wants the area cleared of the terrorist element. However forcefully that needs to be. Get the job done. End it once and for all and bring back the hostages.
So Idan Alexander was finally set free. The Qatar president along with Trump and Witkoff invited him to a meeting today in Qatar. Why? He could barely walk unsupported from the REped Cross car to the Israeli helicopter waiting to take him home. He’d been chained hand and foot in a cage in a dark tunnel for over 20 months. Cigarette burns and scars on his arms. And he was asked to go to Qatar? As a prize? His father adamantly said no. He was in no condition and was in the hospital recuperating and reuniting with his family. We all breathed a huge sigh of relief here in Israel. Most Israelis were incredulous that the invitation was even proposed at all. The kid needs to rest and be treated for PTSD. He was malnourished from forced starvation and needs time to recover. The absolute gall!!!! On a side note, it is expected that he will meet Trump at the White House some time next month.
Yesterday, Netanyahu stated that Israel might go independent militarily. To be honest, the IDF has proven it is strong enough to hold its own. Israel has the capacity to manufacture its own weapons and military gear and has already started along that path. We should not be dependendent upon another country. Allies, yes. Dependent, no. Diplomatically, Israel should not be beholden to another country. We should be free to defend ourselves and for the IDF and Knesset to make their own decisions about how and when that should be done.
צלה גז,הי״ד. Tseala Gaz, of blessed memory.
And to wrap things up: late last night John and I received news from Samaria. A young couple in their early 30s were driving to the hospital because the woman was in active labor. Arab terrorists used a laser to blind drivers on the road and then opened fire on three cars. Two of the drivers escaped, but the couple in the third car were hit. The man was taken to the hospital in serious condition. The woman was critically wounded. They were transported to the nearest hospital where the woman had a Caesarian to deliver the baby. The baby remains in serious condition. The mother succumbed to her wounds.
This morning we read that the woman, 30, was named Tseala Gaz, (הי״ד), an English teacher and mother of three (now four) small children under 7 years old. The baby is fighting fore its life. This is breaking the hearts of the entire nation. The IDF has launched a manhunt to apprehend the terrorists.
Weeks before her death, Tseala made the most remarkable, most positive video, that left me in complete tears. It’s an incredible clip on resilience and hope. Unfortunately I don’t know how to close caption the English. In essence: when the day is bad, the bags are heavy, the news is grim, you can give in and give up….or you can take a deep breath, a sip of water. Change your attitude. Change your outlook. Count your blessings. Dance! We are strong! We are resilient! Take care of your own needs. Recharge, then go out into the world and be that light…
This tragedy is a strong and important reminder of what we are fighting for. A battle of good versus evil. We cannot let her death be in vain. Go out and do good deeds today in her merit. Pray for those children and her husband. She was on her way to have a child. The terrorist was on his way to kill. We cannot stop until good wins. Let Tseala’s children grow up in a better world. Go out this day and be a light in Tseala’s name.
I was just about to post this when I received a message from my WhatsApp group. The rabbis wife sent this note just written from Hananel Gaz, Tseala’s husband. Now you will get a glimpse into what makes this country so amazing.
Starting off with accentuating the positive. I’ve lived in Israel for a decade now. Hard to believe how fast it’s gone by. There are LOTS of things we can criticize and find fault with, but today I’d like to start off by accentuating the positive. Things I’ve come to love or find really amusing.
I love flying on ElAl with a bunch of Israelis. Seriously. Besides good food (they feed you like a Jewish momma and you’ll never leave the flight hungry), at the end of the flight, just as the plane touches down, everyone breaks into thunderous applause. It’s a tradition and a way of saying thank you to the pilot and crew. Also a way of being thankful for a safe trip. It’s amazing!!!
Now, the pre-flight fun – or any time Israelis are asked to queue up. They have absolutely no concept of how to form a line. Our last flight we passed the counters and check ins for Singapore, Netherlands, American, Italy…. All super straight, super organized, well-formed lines. Israel?
Inability to form straight lines
And don’t get us started about the lines at the grocery store or the inability to have personal space when you use the Cespomat (ATM). It’s totally hysterical.
I love eating seasonally. In America, we always had everything produce wise all season long. I could find peaches in November and grapes in January. Brussels sprouts and gourds could be bought all year long. Oooo, I have a hankering for blueberries. No problem. Here, I’ve come to savor strawberry season from Chanukah to Passover. And then the stone fruits. After what seemed like forever, they finally come out early summer….peaches, nectarines, cherries. Then,they are gone until next summer. In the winter, I look forward to the delicious Jaffa oranges, and the CaraCara and blood oranges, which are available for about a month. Limes can be found late, late summer. So I buy 40 to freeze for use throughout the year. But in general, I’ve learned to miss the transience of some things, while I anticipate the coming of others.
I love that, for the most part, we are all one big family here. Sure, we disagree about everything, but when someone is in need, there is always a stranger or five who step in to help. Great examples of this happened just this week. For the first… on Sunday morning there was a red alert signal throughout central Israel. When the siren goes off, you pull over and take cover the best you can. A young father jumped out of the car, unstrapped his 5 week old baby and rushed to the side of the road seeking shelter beside a wall. A stranger crouched in front of him, wrapping his arms around both the father and child, shielding them with his own bodyfrom any falling shrapnel. We look out for each other.
Yesterday, a friend down in the center of Israel called. Her husband had just been called back to reserve duty in Gaza. He left Or behind with a three year old and a 4 month old. Tomer, the husband, is the kind of guy who fills his wife’s gas tank, brings her coffee every morning, takes care of much business so she can care for her children and run her own small business (Or has an Etsy shop). Or’s neighbor knew how overwhelmed she was with a teething baby and absent husband, so she made her a week’s worth of hot meals. Just because. We take care of each other.
I really find it amusing at how superstitious many Israelis are. G-d forbid you should say anything negative about yourself or your family – you wouldn’t want to tempt trouble. My husband often expresses in public how stupid he is (joking), and it flips these people out. You never say anything bad about yourself. And if there’s talk of impending danger be it health or wealth or other, then khas v’halillah, don’t tempt the evil eye, tfu, tfu, tfu. So I cracked up last week when John spit through his fingers and said tfu, tfu, tfu. He’s really becoming one of them.
I love how connected most Israelis are to nature. Planting trees, Going for hikes. Concerned about sustainability in a good way. How every Jewish neighborhood is mandated to have a park within walking distance.
And how family oriented people are. It is not at all uncommon for couples to marry early and have a large family of 4 or more children. There are little kids running everywhere. It’s really healthy to see. Or how the families come together every weekend for Friday night dinners. And just Fridays in general when the busyness of the week slows down. The DJs on the radio play much more relaxed and mellow music and the noise of the city dissolves away. To wake up every Saturday morning to birds chirping. No leaf blowers. No garbage trucks. No motorcycles or blaring music. Just quiet. I love it. “And what did you do all Shabbat?” “I just rested. Betten gahv.” I love this idiom!!!! It translates ‘stomach back,’ but just means to be a slug. Flip over from one side to the other. Just resting from stomach to back. I did nothing. Betten gahv.
I love making an appointment at the clinic and being seen by a doctor in less than 15 minutes. No waiting in a treatment room for hours. The doctor is right there. You go into the room and sit down and your appointment starts. When I go to my regular doctor in California, I make my appointment months ahead of time, sit in the waiting room for a good hour, and then the treatment room for at least another hour. It’s maddening. It would never be stood for here.
Last week, we discovered a small family of mice who had taken up residence in our larder (downstairs pantry). John went to the hardware store to buy some mousetraps, only to find out that they don’t sell the kind that kill or harm the animals here in Israel. The country is so darned humane and has such a respect for life that the only traps available are catch and release cages. So….John set the bait in the cages and within four days had caught all the mice and released them into far away olive groves. So much for a country bent on ‘genocide-‘
When I lived in the United States I had never heard of Eurovision. It’s a very big deal in Europe and Eurasia. An international pop music contest that has taken place for almost 60 years, it has launched careers of Abba and Celine Dion. Israel has been a participant since its inception.
I got in on the craze for the first time last year with the song “Hurricane” (fantastic) sung by Eden Golan. It was a highly contested entry because the original song, “October Rain” was deemed too controversial. The organizers had complaints that the original song was too political, so it was slightly modified. Eden Golan participated in the contest under heavy protection. She had received numerous death threats and had to be escorted by bodyguards wherever she went. Her song was booed when done live, but the performance (song, voice, set, dancers) was so wonderful, she got fourth place (out of 36 entries). It was the number one song in Israel all last year.
This year, the story gets even better. Yuval Raphael attended the Nova Music Festival with her friends that fated October morning in 2023. When the shelling started and the Hamas terrorists invaded the Israeli border communities, Yuval took shelter in one of the concrete bunkers on the side of the road. Normal capacity is about 20 people, but over 50 young concert goers crowded into the bomb shelter. Yuval was texting her parents through the whole ordeal.
The terrorists came around and started sending volleys of bullets from their machine guns right into the shelters, killing and wounding several kids. One Gazan threw a grenade into the shelter. It was tossed back by a young IDF soldier inside. Then another. He threw the grenade out. Seven times. Over and over. The brave soldier kept catching and throwing the grenade outside where it exploded. Then on the eight time, the grenade exploders inside the shelter killing scores. Yuval and her friend were at the back. Dead bodies piled on top of them.
Her father told her “Play dead. Don’t move. Don’t make a noise.” Hamas kept coming back, shooting into the shelter. It was a living nightmare that lasted for over 8 hours. Finally her father, defying all roadblocks and odds came to rescue her. She survived the Nova massacre, albeit wounded. Now she’s facing hate at Eurovision. Over 70 past Eurovision stars as well as present entries are calling for Miss Raphael to be banned because of her ethnicity/nationality. (Her family has Kurdish, Iraqi, Persian and French roots).
Yuval never sang professionally, but decided to enter into Israel’s version of The Voice, The Next Star, last January. It was part of her healing process. Her performance was so shattering, that she not only won that competition, but was immediately chosen to be Israel’s representative for Eurovision. “I’m coming to Eurovision to sing for all the angels who can’t be here. I survived, I have to make the most out of my life to honor them.” Have we talked of Israeli resilience before???? This is Yuval giving her story and her song on The Next Star. It’s a MUST WATCH AND SHARE! Get your tissues out. Seriously. You’ll cry- (close caption translations…)
Is she not poised, beautiful, amazing, brave?? You can see more, full interviews with her testimony on YouTube. Fluent in Hebrew, English and French (her family lived in Switzerland and now she returns to Switzerland for the competition). Such a talent! Such a person to represent our country. This is the music video that was made for her entry into Eurovision.
The semifinal round is coming up this weekend. Yuval has already had to face threats and is heavily guarded. Wherever she is escorted in Switzerland, this 24 year old has had to face massive anti-Israel/pro-Gaza protests and demonstrations. With the backlash against Israel in the world, it’s pretty much a surety that she will not win. Still- we shall see how it shakes out.
You can follow (and vote for your favorite contestant) the Eurovision contest live. It’s being live-streamed across the internet. Most of the groups and performers are pretty sleezy to say the least. It’s known for its wackiness for the most part. I shall report back on how Yuval Raphael placed.
Israel Dreams 