Category Archives: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

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April 28, 2024

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Day 205 Hippuch

Let me introduce those of you who might not know to a new word in Hebrew. “Hippuch”, pronounced Hee POOKH’ with that guttural sound at the end, is a very common word here. It means flipped. Upside down in an ironic sort of way that you’d never expect. Like the ending of that movie, it was totally hippuch. It’s a great way to describe the world right now.

Good is evil. Evil is good. Genders are completely interchangeable at any given instant and if you don’t acknowledge how a person feels or labels itself, then you are the one with huge problems. What is legal for some is totally against the law for others if certain acts are committed. It’s all about freedom and tolerance unless, of course, you are the one that needs to be cancelled. A person has autonomy over their own body except when it’s mandated that a certain treatment must be given. My friends, we are living in a world of absolute hippuch.

It has been pretty evident by the past few weeks’ display on university campuses across the U.S. What started out as a “grassroots” movement has turned out to be incredibly well funded and incredibly well organized. Yes. I write of the pro-Palestine ceasefire/peace movement. They are all for peace except “Long live the Intifada.” Or as we say, “the infants.” To be clear, an intifada is an armed, Islamic movement that wishes to rid the world of infidels (Jews, Christians, LGBTQBiPOC+++, and other undesirables). As in eradication. Intifada is to bring the whole world under domination of Allah. A peaceful movement for sure.

These are not just young college kids involved in the resistance movement, but professors and outside organizers. These are the people that are fighting injustice and oppression of the Palestinians. Yet Hamas are the ones who have oppressed the people of Gaza (73% of Arabs living in the West Bank of Israel still support Hamas… that’s hippuch). We hear nothing of that.

The people that screamed “Believe ALL women” just two years back are the ones who demand proof, yet still deny rape, torture and sexual abuse of the Israeli women, men and children at the hands of Hamas and the Gazans. The demands that the Red Cross or Red Crescent be given access to the captured Hamas terrorists are the same people who have denied the captive Israelis humanitarian visits and delivery of/access to their lifesaving medicines.

“What do we want? Ceasefire! When do we want it? NOW!” Sounds nice. We all want an end to this horrible situation. Truly. Yet why did these same people at Columbia, NYU, Yale, Harvard and other schools cheer when Iran launched over 300 intercontinental ballistic missiles and suicide drones laden with explosives at Israel??? Total hippuch. Last week the chant was “Bomb, bomb Tel Aviv!”

A beautiful, young, Jewish university student- a senior now- who really has a soft heart for the underprivileged and the victim… someone who we are very, very close with…has recently joined up with the pro-Palestine resistance movement. She is now sending my husband and me regular messages, articles, posts about her most recent cause. The ultimate hippuch.

Even though she was raised in a Jewish home, I don’t believe she understands the definition of “Zionist.” She has informed us that as a Jew, she is not antiSemitic, but anti Zionist. She knows we live in Israel.

Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people have the right to live autonomously and sovereignly in their own ancestral and ancient homeland, Israel. That’s all. Nothing more. To colonize one’s own home, a home that as Mark Twain put it in his travel diary, The Innocents Abroad, in 1885, “…it was a vast wasteland. An uninhabitable wilderness of rock and bleak and barren landscape. Nary a tree or shrub for miles and no one except the occasional Bedouin seeking bakshish.” To colonize one’s own land, keeping the same language spoken for over 3000 years, the same religion, the old cities, is not the definition of colonization.

“An apartheid state” she writes continually. We’ve invited her several times to come see for herself. Take a Birthright tour. She would see a land where all citizens whether, brown, white, black or yellow; whether Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Jew or Baha’i are given the exact same rights and opportunities. Where the LGBT community has Pride ingparades and civil rights. Where true Democracy is happening.

Ms. M (she/her) attended an Interfaith Intersectional Passover Seder last week at the Liberated Zone on her campus. Instead of a commemoration of the Children of Israel’s exodus from slavery under Pharaoh in Egypt, it was a modern day representation of social injustice. The traditional Seder plate was replaced by a large hand-drawn-canvas plate. The evening/night event was held in the morning for brunch. Instead of unleavened matzah, there was a generic Middle Eastern pita and humus, which was ‘culturally appropriated by the Israelis from the Palestinians.’ The Muslims respected the Jews and it was a big loving peace fest. If only the real world was more like this-

Canvas “Seder plate” for the Liberation Seder

She gave us a Podcast to listen to of her Columbia University compatriots. Three Jewish girls demanding the university divest from Israel in all ways: research, exchange programs, funding, products received that are Israeli manufactured. They speak eloquently of the love they have received from the Muslim students. The food shared. The peace movement. And how they have been kicked off campus, arrested, and their tents taken down They have no support- The podcast is called ‘On the Nose’ on open. Spotify and is sponsored by Jewish Currents.

I did my own sleuthing and what do you know? Hippuch! This grassroots movement was well in the planning for months by Jewish Voice for Peace, a radical leftist progressive Jewish organization funded by the Open Society and ultimately George Soros and Peter Beinart. Green and green and white two person tents were distributed by the thousands to campuses all across America over the past three weeks. Leaders were brought in to train the student organizers. Food has been delivered… halal and vegan, of course. Sound systems supplied. Posters and placards handed out. Chants taught. Ultimate hippuch? The podcasters are paid and the interviewees were given honorariums as well as relocation options after dorms were closed to them. The arrests lasted all of 3-5 hours for process and release/no bail/no charges.

The three girls on the podcast decried the fact that Conservative politicians were allowed onto their closed campus as a publicity and propaganda stunt. They said nothing about Ilhan Omar’s visit.

Even though it’s all about peace and tolerance, at Columbia, lead activist Khymani James, has called for the outright murder, eradication and killing of all Zionists “They should not have the right to live. They shouldn’t be allowed to exist.” At USC today, a Hamas supporter graffitied “Say no to genocide” in red paint onto the Tommy Trojan mascot. At UCLA, a journalist was denied entry into the enclave (university square) as it was a student- proclaimed media free zone. Protesting the ‘Open air prisons of Gaza’ the students locked arms, completely encircled the reporter, and refused movement to him unless he surrender his camera. Now that is the definition of hippuch.

To complain they are not being fairly treated by letting the students and professors have their encampments, yet when the Columbia U CEO locks Professor (Shai Davidai) out of the school and fires him is hippuch. To vandalaze the dorm rooms and doors of Jewish students on campuses (spray painting ‘Jew here’ ‘Jew go home’ Zionist sympathizer’ and swastikas and Stars of David). For the campus rabbis, chaplains and Jewish Student Organization heads to call up the students and tell them to leave campus and return to their homes for their own safety….isnt just hippuch anymore. It’s 1939 again. Germany. Nazi regime.Jewish kids are now afraid to live in their once- safe communities. Barred from classes. Barred from businesses.

The war here in Israel has been on delay for the past six weeks as hostage negotiations and US/UN/ICJ appeasements and deals are being made. The Biden administration is supporting the prosecution of Israeli officials for war crimes at the International Criminal Court, which means all of our top democratically elected officials here in Israel including Netanyahu, President Herzi, Defense Minister Gallant, Head of the IDF Herzi Halevi counts face potential extradition and areest (if they leave Israel).

The invasion of Rafah, the last Hamas stronghold is on hold. Awaiting a hostage deal. Awaiting Secretary of State Blinken to arrive in Israel Tuesday, his tenth visit since 7 October. Awaiting an appeasement- an ultimatum by the Biden admin: give up on Rafah and accept a peace deal with Saudi Arabia. Of course this is to cement Biden re-election. A probable Nobel Peace Prize for bringing peace to the Middle East. Hippuch.

Putting pressure on Israel like this, they know, is sure to topple our current administration. It’s by design. The White House wants Bibi gone. If the Rafah operation does not happen after scores of promises and assurances Hamas would be brought down in its entirety and the hostages liberated by force, if necessary, members of the IDF have stated they would personally take off their uniforms, take the government, and finish the war.

And the last example of hippuch: in a meeting between US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the military and Israel’s Secretary of Defense…the US is now expecting a “zero civilian casualty report” in any further stage of the war in Gaza against Hamas. It’s a war. There, unfortunately, will be casualties. It goes above and beyond upside down.

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April 25, 2024

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Passover 2024: Why This Night Was Different From Other Nights

Our Passover Seder has taken many different forms over the past decades. It has swelled and shrunk in number of guests. Some years it has been entirely Jewish, other years, we have had a mixture of Evangelical, Catholic, Mormon and Secular Atheists. A few years (after we made Aliyah to Israel), we had tables full of Lone Soldiers who had no other family here to celebrate with. We have had Teaching Seders, Broadway Seders, Beatles Seders, Children’s Seders and Family Seders. A couple years past, we had our lonely but meaningful COVID Seder, where we were convinced the plagues had begun descending – and now the ‘Thus Far, the Ultimate Seder.’

The Passover Seder is the yearly meal where Jews throughout the world, in a set order of liturgy (Seder means order), remember the first Passover. We remember how G-d, through Moses and Aaron, led the Israelites out of slavery under Pharaoh in Egypt to freedom. We recall the plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, the gifts of protection, water in the desert, manna in the wilderness, and the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. There are symbolic foods. And prayers. And songs. Despite years where we were super creative, the liturgy is set and the story remains the same. We experience it as best we can as if we had personally been delivered through the waters from slavery to liberation. As a people. As a nation. As a religion.

During the Seder, the youngest present recites the Four Questions: Why is this night different from all other nights? Our family celebrations have shrunk in size. We used to have four daughters around the table. They now have their own families in different parts of the world. This year my son was present for the last time. Next year he will be getting his Masters Degree in the UK. He had just returned home from his current job at university and from another tour of reserve duty on a Northern front of Israel. So that, in and of itself, added an additional layer of poignancy. Our son recited the Four Questions, possibly for the last time for us.

This year, our Pesach Seder was remarkably different. We sat at the table, trying to celebrate our collective freedom. Yet there was an empty place setting among us. It was representative of the 130+ hostages still being held by Hamas in captivity in some cell or tunnel. We don’t know their fate: how many are still alive or what condition they are in? We’ve had “news” that some of the girls are now visibly pregnant; that others being held have died or were killed; that some who were kidnapped are just lost. The empty place setting represents all those Israelis who were brutally massacred by the terrorists on 7 October – Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Druze. It made no difference. Age made no difference. Nationality made no difference. Over 1250 people now not among us. The empty place setting also represented the IDF soldiers who have given their lives fighting terror these past six months. Over 600 men and women. The empty place setting also represented those who are serving in active duty who could not be home with their families, because they are protecting this nation from further attack.

There is one part of the Passover liturgy, actually a beautiful song, Vehi sh’amda…” for it was not just one enemy who attempted to annihilate us, but in every generation there are those who have risen up to destroy us.” As we sang this (listen to the song by Yonatan Razel), pro-Hamas demonstrators had taken over the campuses of Columbia University, NYU, Yale, Berkeley, Harvard and others. Jewish students are in fear of their personal safety and are being told to go to their homes and return to classes via Zoom. Israeli American professor of Business at Columbia, Shai Davidai (my hero and modern day Maccabee) had just been fired from his position at the university. A visibly Jewish man in London was arrested for being openly Jewish while crossing the street. He would be too provocative in the mostly Islamist crowd, therefore instigating violence.

Sunday, right before Passover began, US Secretary of State announced that for the first time ever, the United States would be sanctioning an entire IDF unit. There is an Orthodox Jewish (Haredi) brigade that have been fighting terror cells in Judaea Samaria (the West Bank) since the outbreak of the war. They have been uncovering tunnels, smuggled weapons and explosives – RPG parts, grenades, machine guns – and stockpiles of cash. They have found drugs and weapons manufacturing factories hidden under mosques and near schools inside the West Bank. The IDF soldiers have arrested hundreds of terrorists and stopped scores of attempted acts of violence against Israelis at bus stops, driving on the roads, and infiltrating the Israeli towns and villages. They have demolished the homes of terrorists. And now they are being denied any joint military assistance or training. They are being labeled as terrorists and could face arrest should they enter the U.S.

Last Friday a 14 year-old shepherd boy, an Orthodox Jewish ‘settler’ in Samaria went missing. Groups from the village where he lived, along with search and rescue, set out to find him. They were accosted by rock- throwing and bullet-firing Palestinians from a neighboring village. The boy’s tortured and lifeless, mutilated and desecrated body was found just before Passover. And the US is sanctioning IDF in Samaria.

Just before the start of the Seder this year, another blood libel against the Jews (IDF) started and went viral. It was helped along by the likes of US Congresspeople, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. Supposedly, in Khan Yunis, a mass grave of over 2000 (then scaled back to just over 200) innocent Gazans was found. It was more than implied that this was the work of the IDF. In fact, there was a video of Gazan men in February, digging a large trench to bury “martyrs” from inside Nasser Hospital. It was for 38 injured Gazans who had succumbed to their wounds as a result of the war.

The world is crying genocide over the Palestinians. I posted to my social media on Friday a video of thousands of men and children in Gaza on the beach enjoying the beautiful weather and the waters of the Mediterranean on the Gaza beaches. The world is once again calling for a divestment from buying any goods made in Israel, and that all Israeli imports need to be labeled as such. The world is calling for violence against Jewish houses of worship and Jewish businesses in Europe, in Australia, in South Africa, Canada and the United States. The world is calling for Jews to “go home.” And on the other side of the coin, the world is calling for a free Palestine, an Israel free of any Jewish (or Christian) presence.

In the morning, as I was preparing the special foods for our Pesach Seder, to celebrate our freedom and our return to our ancient and ancestral homeland as a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy, I received this lovely reminder in the form of a text from the Homefront Command:

A stark reminder of the times in which we live. Yet just last week, we witnessed the protection of the L-rd. Whether it was in the form of an advance warning so we could prepare; or the coordination of international military; or effectiveness of our multi-layered missile defense systems, the end result was nothing short of miraculous. Last Sunday, Iran fired over 300 intercontinental ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and over 180 suicide drones laden with explosives at Israel. Not one reached its target. Only one little Bedouin girl was injured by a piece of falling shrapnel because the desert-dwelling Bedouin have no access to bomb shelters. We pray she makes a complete and speedy recovery. But it was a miracle nonetheless of G-d’s power to save. The number one google search in Israel after Iran announced its attack was “Tehillim,” Psalms. And ‘prayers and Psalms against missiles.’ This data proved that Israel is united in prayer and in faith in G-d.

I invite you, whether Jew, Christian or Other; whether living in the Land of Israel or abroad; whether an Israeli citizen or not, to pray for us. Pray for G-d’s protection and favor. Pray that you be given the Gift of Courage to stand up and speak the Truth against real persecution. Pray for eyes to see which side is truly disruptive and violent. When you hear calls for violence, report it. Write and petition your elected officials. Vote. Speak out in your homes, your neighborhoods and communities. Be firm, but always act peacefully and in love. And if you are Jewish, don’t delay in making the move to Israel while you still can.

As we say at the end of the Seder, “May we all celebrate next year in Jerusalem!” May those words be taken to heart. I know from experience, moving to a new place, a new life, a new job and culture with a new language is difficult. But it will be the most rewarding experience you can make. We eagerly await your return home and welcome you with open arms.

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April 16, 2024

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A Tale of Two Countries

We spent a month the countryside of England. It was cold and continually rainy, but everything was so green. I’ve never seen so many daffodils!! And tulips! And primroses! And muscari!!! The thatched cottages were so quaint. Antiques shopping amazing (I brought back a whole suitcase full of treasures!). And my daughter and her family… incredible.

She and her husband are the perfect match. And the new baby!!! Just when I thought they couldn’t get any get any cuter or brighter- along came the littlest Bean, Ian Emmet. And Tristan’s family are all just wonderful, kind, big hearted people.

I wish I could have said that about all of England. I was told beforehand: hide any signs of Judaism or Israeli nationality. I begrudgingly obliged. The first day we spent time in Cambridge- old, historical, beautiful university town. Lots of Palestinian flags hanging from windows.

We love the British charity shops. Upscale thrift at great prices. Clothes. Antiques. Cards & stationary. But this time there were signs in the windows that are against the “genocide in Gaza caused by the Zionist military regime.” And “we will donate 10% of proceeds to UNRWA to help the innocent victims of Gaza.” Hello….did you not get the news that UNWRA is complicit with Hamas in terror education, support, and military cover-ups? But it was a university town after all.

When we were introduced by my daughter to her neighbors, friends, coworkers as her “parents from Israel,” there was always the immediate barrage of questions. I found myself in in-depth conversations with people who were misinformed but meant well.

It was no wonder. Every time one turns on the BBC – whether radio or telly – one seems to be bombarded with pro-Palestinian rallies and chanting. Videos of bombed buildings and bloodied children. Starving people. It’s always one sided and decidedly anti-Israel. No Douglas Murray or Nate Buzolic to state the truth on the ground with the voice of reason.

I went to synagogue on Saturday mornings- a stately brick building standing proudly in a once-beautiful, once-upscale neighborhood of brick Victorian townhomes. I was usually the only woman (besides he rabbi’s wife) there, about 15-20 older men carrying on services downstairs. The “younger set” had all moved to Israel or stopped attending long ago.

During COVID, the synagogue board had to make the difficult decision to sell off their large social hall and school to stay fiscally above water. Shortly after the sale, within months, the property was turned around again. It is now the Islamic Center. The entire neighborhood is now Muslim. Kosher markets are now halal. The beautiful Anglican Church down the street (active since the late 1600s) now sits empty. It’s all very sad.

We managed to keep up with all the news from both Israel and the States. Biden continually calling for complete ceasefire; Hamas vetoing 3 separate hostage negotiations; the insistence for more humanitarian aid to be let into Gaza.

In the month we were gone, the IDF, acting on accurate intel, raided the Shifa Hospital Medical Complex in Northern Israel. It was being used as a terrorist command and control center for Hamas. Thousands of weapons were found including RPGs, grenades and guns and ammo. IDF killed hundreds of active terrorists and captured thousands. Important intelligence was retrieved.

Still, the world was decidedly turning against Israel for not ending the war. It became about deposing Netanyahu. The demonstrations (stoked by White House and US State Department officials- I have copies of the leaked documents and messages if you want me to post them – the demonstrations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem restarted. Oust Bibi. Bring home the hostages by any means necessary. Ceasefire now. It was a very small but vocal minority.

US Senator Chuck Schumer actually called for Prime Minister Netanyahu to resign immediately and for new elections to be held. John and I were appalled at the audacity for a foreign government member to do this to a sovereign nation in the midst of an existential war for its survival.

In the meantime…Death to Israel rallies were the latest English fashion. We tried to stay above t all. We watched the airdrops of aid. We watched as many meals were being thrown away because they were not fast enough. We were saddened by the tragic killing (accidental) of the aid workers to the Gazans by the IDF. And horrified at the world’s reaction in blasting the Israeli army and administration.

At the end of March, the IDF blew up IRGC targets in Syria including cargo shipments of weapons being transferred between Iran and Hizbulla. 14 targeted hits were launched including top Iranian intel and communications experts who were eliminated. Then two weeks ago, Israel took down the Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing top level commandos.

As for me, I realized I have a slight case of PTSD. Our daughter lives in the flight path of an active airport. We’d hear the jets during the day and at night. I’d hear, look for and think of IAF jets. Every time I’d look at my red headed baby grandson I’d think of baby, Kfir Bibas who was captured at 9 months. They look so much alike. Is Kfir and his 4 year old brother, the mom and dad (all taken by Hamas) still alive???? My grandson was born that horrific morning… Every time I’d have to explain, re-interpret misinformation, or hear more bad news I’d get anxious.

Every day my red alert sirens would sound. When people would ask, “What is that? What’s that siren? What’s happening?” I’d tell them “Oh, it’s Hamas still launching rockets into Israeli civilian territory. It’s Hizbulla firing missiles at the Northern Israeli border communities. It tells you to immediately get into a bomb shelter if in the area.” No one had a clue this was gong on. Every. Single.Day-

Despite it all, we had a wonderful time. The Cotswolds and Blenheim Palace were beyond breathtaking. Cambridge, Oxford, the Cathedrals, Estate Homes. Seeing family was the best. We actually spent much of our time helping with home improvements, organizing, cooking meals, and of course, enjoying the baby. Such a delight!!!! Grandparenting is way underrated. We look forward to the time hey visit us.

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April 14, 2024

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Welcome Home!!!

Thank you to all those readers out there who expressed concern over my absence.

John & I spent a gloriously cool and wet month in England visiting my daughter, son-in-law and their first child who was born 7 October. Everything is grand with them. Two people completely perfectly matched. A new baby, whose problems and concerns are gone despite his rocky start. I think they’ll be a lovely family -and we get a grandkid with a British accent.

Beginning with the last 24 hours and moving backwards in time, a small recap: We arrived home in Israel Thursday night. It was the last night of the Ramadan festivities and at 6pm every Israeli of the Muslim faith must have gotten into a car to celebrate ‘somewhere else.’ The highways were all gridlocked for hours. It was worse than trying to leave downtown LA on the 5 at rush hour.

We were asked if we were afraid to return to Israel by myriad Britains. No. We are not afraid: slightly nervous as to the course of events, but not afraid. Tensions in the Middle East had been rising exponentially over the past weeks. After Israel made a targeted surgical strike on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus killing some top level IRGC commanders, Iran vowed to soon retaliate.

As we were flying, intelligence reported that there would be a massive Iranian attack on Israel within the next 24 hours. Friday morning brought us an early morning shopping to replace everything in our empty fridge. John has taxes to file. My son, who had been called back to reserves, was given leave for the weekend as his unit was way over staffed. I dove into cooking meals for Friday & Saturday. Unpacking. Cleaning.

We welcomed a day of complete rest on Saturday. Saturday night, after Sabbath, we received messages – notice from Home Front Command that all schools would be closed. Large gatherings prohibited. Stay close to a bomb shelter. We decided to relax and watch a movie and get to bed really early. We were supposed to be at the kennel to pick up our dog first thing in the morning. The text messages started to flow around 11 and a further announcement and reassessment of the current situation would be made at 6am.

Shortly after 11:30, we heard the jets mobilized, screeeeeling overhead. Strafing the sky. Lots of them. Flying low, directly overhead. Iran had launched 50 UAVs. Then 80 suicide drones were launched. And more to come. They would take 3-4 hours to get here. Then we got word of multiple cruise and ballistic missiles launched and headed our way. It was a matter of a couple hours all told. So… our safe room was fully ready. How would we react?

Of course, we prayed. Especially Psalms 27, 83, 91 & 121. We prayed specifically for our leaders, our soldiers, our citizens, our borders. John and Max discussed scenarios – the what, when, why and how. And possible outcomes. Prime Minister Netanyahu and the War Cabinet’s plane was in the air. Israel closed airspace almost immediately. Planes en route to Israel were turned around. Iraq and Jordan soon followed, closing their airspace.

We were completely exhausted. What could we do? We decided to trust whole heartedly in G-d for protection. None of us felt any real anxiety at all. If there was a siren, we’d hear it and move downstairs. We went to bed around one. So much for an early bedtime. And because John & my batteries were low on phones and iPads ((John & I were sharing a power cord that gave up the ghost Saturday sometime), our phones were silenced and powered off.

We woke up at 6 am to a huge amount of texts from news outlets, home front, family and friends. The rundown:

331 drones and missiles were launched around 11:30 by Iran at Israel. 185 out of 185 explosives laden suicide drones were shot down by Israeli, US, UK and Jordanian forces before they could even reach Israeli territory. Of 110 ballistic missiles, 103 were downed. 36 out of 36 Cruise Missiles were shot down. 7 ballistic missiles were shot down or fell over Israel, mostly landing in fields and vacant areas. There was quite a bit of activity in the Golan Heights. Miraculously, only 1 person was injured- a young Bedouin girl in the Negev (no shelter) who underwent immediate surgery for a head trauma. She remains in serious but stable condition and I pray she recovers quickly and fully.

Yes, it was a miracle. Truly G-d’s hand was at work protecting the land, the defenders and the people. He deserves great thanks. As does our magnificent IAF, Iron Dome, David’s Sling and all other defense operators.

This morning, the people at the kennel and several folks we encountered today told us they heard hugely loud booms around 2am. Alarms sounded numerous times in Jerusalem, Beersheva (in the South) and Tel Aviv areas. The Houthis had also fired to the south- one aim was to take out Dimona nuclear reactor in the desert. However, very few people experienced fear or terror. Most folk had put their trust in the L-rd and the IDF and stayed calm.

But- hear me out. This is just my personal theory and opinion not news. Just things to think about:

1) Acting on intelligence, Israel did eliminate top IRGC leaders. So Iran had to retaliate in order to save face. It’s always a tit-for-tat volley of getting even here. In order to stay in the power game, Iran had to have a show of strength.

2) The Iranian terror regime, verified by US and Israeli intelligence, promised a massive retaliatory strike within 48 hours on Thursday night. If you want to do real harm, do a surprise act. Do not announce plans in advance. That’s just idiotic. And strange-

3) It gave Israel time to reinforce, suit up and have allies in place (unannounced). Defensively, all was in order.

4) Iran had moved missiles and troops in advance as recorded by satellite imagery. They announced the launches within minutes of their happening, giving our planes time to scramble.

Coincidentally, simultaneously happening pro-Hamas cease-fire rallies throughout the world (Toronto, London, New York) quickly turned into a “full fire” Death to Israel and Death to America mob scenes…

5) Everything airborne from Iran was shot down by 2:50 am and an all-over/all-clear was sounded in Israel. Air space was reopened by 6am. Coast clear. This attack didn’t last long-

6) Biden declares joint US and Israeli victory. He instructs the Israeli War Cabinet to just “take the win” and not retaliate. Despite an ultimate act of war (or Iranian propaganda), Israel is to move on. Nothing to see here. Nothing doing. Now can you increase Gaza aid?

7) Biden touts his ironclad relationship with Israel and his role in minimizing escalation and maximizing protection- just defensively, not offensively. He wins with both pro-Israel crowds by US air support and with pro- Islamist crowds for calling for an end and vowing not to support an offensive stance. Fair enough. We do appreciate US help. The UK, France, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and UAE also assisted as well as Cypress.

8) Iran begins televising the total destruction of Israel completely engulfed in flames on their national programming. The celebration is also picked up by Memri TV. Except they turn out to be film from past Texas and California wildfires. Iran declares victory over Israel.

9)Sec Gen of UN, Gutierres, condemns Iranian attack

10) China, while not calling it an act of terror or act of war, calls for restraint.

So…. Was it all political posturing and wrangling? A test of iDF readiness and resolve? An invitation to escalation? An attempt to for Iran to show itself a global powerhouse? Just things to think about.

The Israeli War Cabinet meets this evening in a couple hours. They will discuss the next steps in all of this. We pray for them to make right, just and g-dly decisions.

Because events de-escalated rather rapidly ( we slept through the action!!!), our son was released from active reserves. Classes resumed this afternoon and he had a debate team to coach tonight and class to teach tomorrow at Uni. We drove him down to the TelAviv area and came back up North this afternoon. Still have tons to do and I’m still completely wiped, so we are calling another early night.

I shall write more tomorrow. Until then, May we have peace and quiet.

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March 6, 2024

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War Day 150. Journey to the Gaza Envelope & Nova Party Site. 5 March, 2024

The road has been freshly and beautifully repaved. Fresh grass and spring wildflowers fill the meadows. Almond trees are in full array of pink and white flowers. The birds sing full throated glorious songs. And butterflies dance around us reminding us of the young dancers there just 5 short months ago.

It’s a bit difficult to fathom that amidst all this natural beauty in Otef Aza, the Gaza Envelope border communities, thousands were massacred and hundreds abducted. Yesterday John and I went to the places it all started.

The border communities are the breadbasket of Israel. It is wrapped in large swaths of fields, mostly wheat, but also barley, soy, vegetables and some fruit orchards. Small agricultural kibbutzim are scattered among those fields: Nachal Oz, Alumim, Be’eri and Re’im. The first to be hit.

We passed through Ofakim (where Rachel held four terrorists at bay while serving them lunch, cookies and coffee). This small city seemed busy with people on the streets going about their business and everything open. Except for random bullet holes in signs and at bus stops, you’d never know this whole city was crawling with Hamas and civilians from Gaza bent on killing and raping and kidnapping.

Many of the kibbutzim are still closed to people who are/were not residents and their families. We spoke with a security guard at Shokeda. The Thai agricultural workers have returned, houses are being put back together as best as possible, and some residents have come back to work the fields. Most remain elsewhere- with family, in hotels, out of the country. Their flocks of sheep and their goats, which have been cared for by a farm in Rehovot, are back to stay. Life goes on although nothing here will be normal again.

We wound our way down route 232 “the road of terror” until we came to the place of the Supernova Music Festival of Love and Peace. Where there once was a tented dance pavilion with light show and DJs now is a memorial.

6 October, 2023
Dance pavilion
Now a memorial to the murdered and captured

Further off in the distance was the place where vendors, food trucks and picnic tables were set up. Now families have marked with Israeli flags and makeshift memorials, the exact place where their loved ones lay slain. Candles, posters, photographs, letters, jewelry, lanterns are all decorations of lives lived fully. Trees under where the body lay are marked with farewells. It’s beyond sad.

The body of Alon Bered lay here
Not all were slain. The top banner is for one abducted & still in Gaza
“Joy is the root of blessings. Live today like there will be no tomorrow.” Jonathan Azilai,25
Shir Georgie. American Israeli
Daniel Meir Vedai’s family visit daily
Ella Chamoy
At every flag, a person was massacred
Shai Gabbai.
“No time for drama”
Two best friends Raped and slaughtered

Taped with yellow ribbon onto a tree limb were small black flags with yellow Hebrew letters. On the back side, a name and age. Each flag had parts of a most beautiful poem. I don’t know who wrote it, but here is the translation:

And from here we will rise to the beautiful things, a cake on the counter and to dance on the sand at sunrise barefoot a ray of sunshine on transparent water

And from here we will rise to the happy things, a lunch wedding, a table of crackers on Shabbat evening, a bucket with flowers overflowing with smiles

And from here we will rise to the simple things, the light that comes on in the windows of the houses, the silence between the beating of the beating heart, the juice of the fruit sellers standing at the intersections, a hovering kite tied with strings

And from here we will rise to things that have no name alongside the pain that will not go away to build us a warm and whole home.

We will also collect the things that live for the sake of silence in the pocket of love for free summer at sea a picture on the wall a song we loved run increase

We will also collect the things that live for the sake of silence in a pocket love for free summer at sea children’s laughter a sign on the door welcome

We will still find strength in us, we will take the reins, we will fulfill all the promises ourselves

We will still find strength in us, we will take the reins, we will fulfill all the promises ourselves.

A few meters further between the bomb shelters (placed there since the event) and the siren is a wall of the missing. It reminded us of the days post September 11, 2001, when the world changed forever then, too. Photographs and names of those abuducted. 150 days now. 5 months in hell.

The man in the photo under KIDNAPPED is Hersh Goldberg-Polen an American. His arm was shot off before he was taken

Almost 1500 trees have been planted by the families of those massacred in an adjacent field. Each tree has a marker with the name and age of their deceased of blessed memory-

At the exit, the IDF man’s a tent. People can sit and watch a 3D video with Virtual Reality goggles. It’s the 47 minute video of the events that transpired that day. We couldn’t bear watching any more of the footage, so we moved on.

Where there were DJ speakers are now incoming missile siren horns

At the exit, we took a right onto route 232. There, on 7 October, cars that were escaping the shooting terrorists were told by soldiers to go left. Only they weren’t IDF soldiers. Hamas had stolen military uniforms to look official. It was a trap. Scores of people crossed the road, ran into the fields and were picked off like shooting at ducks. Now the fields are full of wildflowers. It is nature’s tribute to those slain.

Kibbutz Re’im just beyond, was experiencing its own hell

About 150 meters down 232 is a bus stop and a shelter. Over 40 terrified young people crammed into that tiny space to escape death. Most never made it out alive. Today the bloodstained walls and ceiling have been whitewashed. You can still see the bullet marks splayed over the entire area. And the “flower” on the wall at the entrance where the grenade exploded. Today, the bullet-ridden bus stop and shelter are memorials.

The walls are riddled with bullet marks
Today the shelter is a shrine
Bullet holes on the ceiling
Bullet holes on the walls
The flower above the heart was where the grenade exploded exploded
Before the shelter was whitewashed
Hand and fingerprint marks where people were clawing to get air

In a remarkable feat of heroism, British Israeli soldier, Aner Eliakim Shapiro, age 22, lobbed seven grenades out of the shelter. They were thrown in by Hamas assassins in attempts to kill the kids trapped inside. Some had been shot beforehand. The eighth grenade killed Aner, but his actions saved several people who were rescued later that night by IDF.

Aner, on leave from the elite Nahal unit, went to the concert with his friend, Hirsh Goldberg. They were separated when the massacre started, but Aner ran into the shelter with several other young people. They were trying to escape the slaughter by Hamas/IDF imposters. He knew keeping the group calm was imperative…

“Hi everyone. I am Aner Shapira, I serve in the Orev unit of the Nahal brigade. My friends from the army are coming soon. I am going to take care of things here, so don’t worry.” Someone responded, “Thank you, Aner, we feel calmer now.”

Realizing that tactically the terrorists would choose to throw grenades into that dangerously small and enclosed space, Aner told everyone: “I’ll catch the grenades and throw them back –  and if I miss any, you throw them back.”

The dashcam video below shows the entire stream of events from outside the shelter. TRIGGER WARNING….Sensitive material does not show blood or murders, but is harrowing nonetheless:

https://youtu.be/OF4VVyRsnUs?si=17hHP-TTNxOe–GR

After visiting the shelter, we went back on the road where the carloads of people escaping the horrors of the concert had been waylaid and shot. Women were dragged out of the vehicles by their hair and gang raped then shot or stabbed. Terrorists laughing as they went from car to car. Vehicles set on fire. The cars were lined up on both sides of the street, horns still honking as the dead lay on top of them. People strewn across the blacktop.

Today there is no trace. No clue except for Israeli flags at odd intervals. The road has been repaved. Spring buds shoot from the trees where bullets once sprayed the air. Grass covers the ditches

‘Reach out and touch them’ Someone has put up a sign where3 friends were shot trying to escape

Most of the kibbutzim were closed to visitors. Besides, it was getting late in the day and we had a 3 hour drive back.

I leave you with something beautiful that totally warmed my heart. When we were at Sheba for John’s oncology checkup, I visited some wounded soldiers. I was going to thank them and somehow cheer them by showing my support. But they cheered me. Their positive outlooks totally bolstered me and gave me hope for the future. No legs. No arm, each soldier thanked me profusely for visiting and expressed gratitude to G-d for sparing his life. All soldiers said they were working hard to return to normal lives with prosthetics.

One soldier, Eviatar, sustained severe burns over 70% of his body in November when a booby trapped building in Gaza exploded. Several of his mates were killed. Three friends from the army were also visiting. They were sitting in a circle singing. Eviatar invited me to join. I want to share this with you( he was a bit embarrassed by no eyebrows…) The song is “The People of Israel Live & Will Continue to Live” –

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March 1, 2024

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War Update Day 147. 1 March,2024

The good news is that I gained a month- I’ve been thinking all morning that it was 1April and wondering what “pranks” life has in store today…only to realize I’ve fooled myself.

In the news Israel released 50 convicted terrorists from West Bank prisons this morning. I can’t imagine what we get in return. Yesterday a 57 year old man (who volunteered his time at ZAKA recovering and preparing bodies for burial from 7 October) and a 16 year old student and farmer were gunned down at a gas station in Samaria (West Bank). The terrorist was a policeman with the Palestinian Authority. He was eliminated by a reservist on home for a two day leave from Gaza.

The radical Islamists have been commanded by Hamas’ Yayha Sinwar to riot on the Temple Mount beginning at Ramadan which starts on the 11th of this month. So, to tighten up control or not? Either way, it could lead to escalation from the Muslim sector. As well as limiting amount of people who can go up. Or granting Palestinians day passes. Or shutting the whole place down to everyone altogether.

In the middle of the country, according to my son, they are beginning to see marked shortages in the supermarkets. Up here in the Northern agricultural centers, we seem to be holding. The Red Sea ports have been greatly affected by Houthi pirates. They cut undersea communications lines between Europe & Asia last Wednesday. Ashkelon port is pretty much Ed closed as it lies adjacent to Gaza. Ashdod is operating minimally. Which leaves Haifa port. So freighters are stacked and there are not enough workers. Delays are expected from both export and import ends.

This week was elections week across Israel. The army was given two extra days to vote in mostly municipal elections. To vote here, you must be a citizen and be registered to vote. All voting is done in person . For national elections, citizens come back into the country to cast their ballots at their designated polling place. Voting card and national ID is shown 3 times. At the door. Then as you are checked in a panel of 6 triple checks on paper rolls. Three people check the work of each of the three registrars. At the third check point you surrender your ID and get your envelopes. You go behind a cardboard booth where there is a table with a box of paper slips with the Hebrew letter for each party. You take one slip and put it in one envelope. Seal the envelope. Come out to the front. A person watches to make sure you’ve put in one envelope. You receive your ID back. It’s really not difficult.

If you hear anything in the news at all, you are probably by now hearing about how the IDF massacred over 100 Palestinians in cold blood yesterday. Israel has been increasing shipments of humanitarian aid. UNRWA was sneaking in armaments so now aid of necessary food and hygiene items are being dropped into designated spots in Northern Gaza (mostly) and Southern Gaza by parachuted bundles. Also 30 truckloads were driven into Gaza by the IDF early yesterday morning. Eight entered Gaza City before the situation escalated with thousands swarming the convoy. There were no tanks in the vicinity, contrary to Palestinian reports of tanks firing into the crowds.

The Hamas Health Authority reported on the Al Rashid Massacre in which innocent civilians waiting for their relief aid were ambushed by the IDF. White House officials examining footage of bodies being loaded onto trucks are calling it a grave situation with Sec. of Defense Lloyd Austin stating that the IDF have killed over 25,000 innocent Palestinian women and children since 7 October. Later yesterday, the Biden admin had rectified this mistake, saying this was total numbers killed, including the Hamas fighters, but it had already been picked up by the AP, Reuters and MSM. Another premature report or misstatement with damage done.

The entire situation was unfortunate in that IDF camera footage from the trucks showed shooting both at the trucks and into the crowds as a riot was occurring to swarm the trucks and get aid. Thousands of people can be seen swarming the eight trucks that made it into Gaza City. In fleeing the scene, two of the trucks ran over several people.

There were flatbed trucks waiting to upload food and supplies driven by Palestinians. These, too, were swarmed by desperate people trying to get goods before Hamas operatives could take them. Many were trampled in the melee. In satellite video, you can see a stampede happening with people getting trampled in the confusion.

Also the IDF fired several warning shots into the air to try to keep people away from the unloading until order could be restored. According to Israeli reports 9 Palestinians were shot in the legs by the IDF. Four of those shot had machine guns. It’s hard to see from the video, but- it was certainly not modus operandi for Israel to create an ambush on innocent civilians and they did not massacre hundreds.

https://youtu.be/JVQnAtDh0n0?si=PLMXj2OvE9KEK44m

Whether we’ll ever know the exact story is anyone’s guess. Most news outlets from BBC to now Fox have been biased against Israel, and the international community is calling for complete ceasefire. This will cause Hamas to regrow, regroup and come back even stronger. It’s all a complete mess.

That said, John and I were able to make a short trip to our favorite store in Deganya on the shores of the Kinneret yesterday. Sea of Galilee. The weather was positively springlike. The mountains lush and green and snow capped the top of Mt. Hermon in the distance. We needed to pick up much desired and requested Israeli items to take to our daughter in England late next week: dates, halvah, Ethiopian techineh, Zataar, sumac, olive oil and shawarma spice among other things.

Next week is a pretty busy one for us, so I’m not sure how many posts I’ll get to. Our trip has been canceled twice since 7 October and we’re excited to see the new baby. I’m praying nothing escalates out of control before then- in the meantime I pray for a peaceful Shabbat!

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February 27, 2024

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Day 143. War Stories. 26 February, 2024

Many of you asked what life is like here in Israel during wartime. It’s a tightrope walk and interesting juxtaposition between laughter and tears, life and death. This week another resident of our town- the neighbor just below our house- lost their son in Gaza.

John and I were out walking the dog when we saw lots of cars with army markings parked along the street. Soldiers, some highly ranked, were standing outside our neighbor’s gate. As we walked across the street three women came out and started screaming and hugging each other. We knew immediately. It’s a sound you never want to hear. After the funeral (the dead are always buried within 24 hours), I went to their house as the Jewish people sit “shiva” or 7 days in mourning. Everyone comes to pay respects. I’d never met them personally until this afternoon , but it really didn’t matter.

There was a soldier, who was a platoon mate of Eyal Shimonov (of blessed memory), the fallen soldier, explaining to the mother and aunt some of the great memories they shared. It seemed that Eyal was a commander of a small unit. The top level always goes in first and leads the other soldiers in the unit onwards. From what I was hearing, the tunnel they entered was booby trapped and exploded. Eyal was killed immediately.

The juxtaposition: directly across the street from the house of mourning was a house of celebration. A boy celebrating his Bar Mitzvah today was having a huge party. Music. Friends. Laughter. Dancing. It’s all so crazy. A reminder that life goes on.

As the fighting in the South is winding down, the situation in the North seems to be intensifying. There has been a surge in violence from both sides creating new levels of instability in the Northern part of the country. More tanks and heavy artillery can be seen on the highways moving to different positions. Over the past 3-4 days there have been missiles strikes into Israel from Lebanon causing several civilian casualties (deaths), including a 45 year old woman and her 16 year old son. Yesterday over 2 dozen missiles were fired into Israel, one reaching Kfar Tavor/Har Tavor. For you Christians out there reading this, you know it better as Mt Tavor in the Lower Galilee. The wild part is Iron Dome took out the missile, shrapnel raining down, as the Christians were celebrating the Feast of Transfiguration on the mountain.

Over 2000 rockets have been fired (most short range) from Lebanon since 8 October. Tonight Hizbulla fired two surface to air missiles at an Israeli reconnaissance, surveillance and communications drone. Iron Dome loudly took out the first missile, but the second one downed the drone.

The IDF has upped the game, targeting weapons depot and transfers from Iran to Hizbulla forces in the Damascus, Syria area. There have been three pinpoint strike assassinations on top level Hizbulla commandos in Beirut and other places in Lebanon. The elite Radwan unit has been pushed back into southern Lebanon several kilometers. IDF forces have blown up many launchpads and two huge ammunitions, chemical storage facilities in Sidon on the Mediterranean coast. Yesterday they pushed the aerial strikes deeper into Lebanon, going as far as 100 km. New boundaries are being crossed daily by each side.

This last week saw the IDF finding the old communications between Hamas head, Yayha Sinwar and a top Hizbulla commander. Hamas counted on Hizbulla attacking Israel in the North simultaneously. The documented commitment obtained by the IDF stated that Hizbulla was “prepared to occupy the Galilee.” The mullah sun Tehran and Lebanon disappointed Sinwar as the plans for both sides to attack never materialized. This delay bought the IDF 2 days time to mobilize and fortify the defenses and stack troops and reservists all along the Lebanese and Syrian borders.

My brilliant husband, John, has come up with an analysis that I’ve heard no one mention thus far. Iran and Hizbulla are Shi’ite Muslims. Hamas and the PA are Sunni. They do not get along or see eye to eye on many things. John feels that Iran made promises to Hamas they did not keep in order to test the strength and response of Israel’s army. In essence, they used Hamas as their Guinea pig. They were waiting to see global response as well.

Since 7 October, they have been playing tit for tat supplying the Houthi rebels in Yemen with missiles and arms to stymie commerce in the Gulf of Aden at the mouth of the Red Sea and Arabian Sea. They have been supplying weapons to different factions in Syria. Last night we had a whole battery of rockets fired into the Golan from Syria. They are most certainly testing us and our capabilities. They are testing both Israel and the United States.

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February 20, 2024

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Day 137 War Stories. 20 February, 2024. “A Short Hiztory”

Shalom from Israel. Because there is so much misinformation and twisting of facts today, and because so few people know what is really happening and who the players are, I shall give a concise history of Hizbulla. They are our friends to the immediate North in Lebanon (and Syria). Even though you don’t hear it on the news, we are at war with them currently. Thank goodness it has not escalated into a major incursion on either side -yet.

As an overview, in 1948, President Truman on behalf of the US, supported the UN Partition Plan of the MidEast and the creation of the Jewish state of Israel. The Pentagon did not voice their support and stated that Israel would be a liability. Most people did not expect the tiny state in the middle of a pool of hostile Arab Muslim nations to last long.

In ‘48, just a day after Israel achieved recognition as a sovereign nation by the UN, she was attacked from all sides by her Arab neighbors. Against all odds, Israel won and gained more territory. After constant skirmishes with Egypt, Israel was forced to give up territory in the Suez area (1956) and there was a prohibition on the sale of US armaments to Israel until 1962. The relationship between the US and Israel was cordial, but kept at arm’s length as by the mid 60s, the US was fully engaged in Vietnam and the Cold War was still raging.

1964 saw an attempt of consolidation of “Palestinian” people. Up until 1948, anyone living in under the British Mandate was known as a Palestinian, whether Muslim, Jew, Christian or other. Before the ‘48 war, the respective surrounding Arab countries told the Muslims to leave Israel. They were told by the imams that after the Arab states had destroyed the Jews, the Arabs could return and take over the land and possessions. Many left for other countries. Many Arabs remained and became full Israeli citizens. The Palestinian Charter called for a type of loose organization of those displaced and for “the complete elimination of the state of Israel.”

In 1967, Israel was again attacked from all sides. She won this war in 6 days, defeating the combined forces of Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Israel also gained large amounts of territory including Jordanian controlled East Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

The PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) was formed with Yassar Arafat rising to power in Jordan in 1969. Fatah and the PLO were making guerilla attacks from Jordan into Israel’s Judaea and Samaria, the West Bank. In Egypt, President Nasser was pressuring the Christian Lebanese government to let the Palestinians in as a launchpad for attacks against Israel. He no longer wanted them in his country. Their entrance into Lebanon started a landslide of problems leading to civil war (1974-1990).

Many Palestinians went from Israel to Jordan. Or to Egypt then Jordan. One of these was Yassar Arafat, born in Egypt and living in Jordan. Two thirds of Jordan was Palestinian by 1970. The Hashemite Kung Hussein came to power. By 1969-70, Arafat was leading the PLO/the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) not only in attacks on Israel, but in a coup against the Hashemites. There were three attempts on King Hussein’s life.

Four jets were hijacked in the summer of 1970. Dozens of hostages were being held. Arafat pledged, “We will turn the MidEast into hell. We will liberate our land.” In addition to planes being hijacked, in 1972, the PLO took over the Munich Olympics, kidnapping and murdering 11 Israeli athletes. Other terror attacks continued throughout Europe.

This marked the beginning of the United States and Israel security relationship. The US was in an Asian quagmire in Vietnam and Cambodia. In September of 1970 (Black September), Syrian militants joined up with the PLO in Northern Jordan. Now there was an all out civil war in Jordan as the Palestinians wanted control. King Hussein asked the US for military backup. The States turned to Israel to do the job.

The United States sent weapons at the last minute in ‘67 so Israel could win the war and it was payback time, in a political sense. Besides, the Israeli Air Force and IDF were already staving off terrorist attacks perpetrated by the PLO in Israel. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger went to Prime Minister Golda Meir. Israel sent IDF planes into Syria to prevent their armies from entering Jordan. A civil war was already raging in Jordan between the Palestinians and the Hashemites.

By July, 1971, the PLO was defeated. Arafat fled from Amman, Jordan to Beirut, Lebanon. Syria’s Assad would not allow the Palestinians to settle in Syria after their defeat in Jordan, so the 300,000 (more or less) moved to Lebanon. This put great strain on the already disorganized Christian controlled nation and helped to tip the population to the Muslims. The Christians were divided into many disagreeing factions: the Maronites, Melkites, Orthodox, Byzantine and Protestants.

The Lebanese Civil War started in 1975 when the Maronite Christian President Bashir Gemayel and 25 of his staff were killed in a terrorist bombing of a Beirut building. This led to a widespread killing spree between Christian Phalangists and the Palestinians. Eventually 30,000 Syrian troops came in to help the PLO and save them from the Christians. Other Arab forces joined. The civil war lasted for years as Lebanon was completely destabilized.

In 1978, the Palestinians infiltrated Israel from several fronts. There were massacres on kibbutzim, kidnappings and bombings of buses and supermarkets. 25,000 IDF troops deployed on Operation Litani to wipe out the Palestinian terrorists. The UN stepped in with a ceasefire and Resolution 425 pushing Israel out of Lebanon and setting up a force of 4000 UN Forces in Lebanon (UNFIL) to keep peace. They were supposed to stay for 6 months…. UNFIL is still here today over 40 years later.

In the interim Syrian and Palestinian Islamic forces were killing Christians. The Christian Phalangists were bent on revenge. Israel aid was sought as the Islamists tried seizing government power. The IDF re-entered and secured Beirut.

In September of’82, Israel allows the Phalangists to enter the refugee camps at Sabra and Shetula to round up the 200 or so suspected terror leaders. Instead, a massacre occurs. 463 were found dead according to Lebanese police. The Israeli intelligence estimated 700-800 were murdered. The Palestinians say it was 3500.

In any instance, Time Magazine wrote an article blaming Israel. The news spread throughout the world that the IDF massacred 3500 men, women and children in Lebanon. It was fake news even back then. Gen Ariel Sharon sued Time, who corrected the piece but the damage was done. Even now Israel is blamed.

To make a long story short, many of the Palestinian troublemakers were pushed into Tunisia, which quickly became a hotbed of Fatah/PLO terrorist activity. Arafat was, for the most part, exiled there from Beirut. He switched from active terror strikes in Israel to diplomacy. His part in the Oslo Accords in which Gaza, under Israeli control, was fully handed over to the Palestinians (all Jews were forcibly removed) in 2005, led to his receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

The remaining PLO and PFLP in Lebanon again banded with Syria and Iran. This Shiite Islamic group morphed into Hizbulla, supplied with arms from Iran, Russia and China. They bombed the US marine barracks in Lebanon. Under the direction of Gen. Alexander Haig, Secretary of State, President Reagan withdrew all forces from Lebanon, leaving a vacuum.

Today, Hizbulla is fully entrenched in the southern part of Lebanon. Most of the Druze and Christian residents have fled north, their homes and schools used as military bases, launch sites for rockets and weapons storage facilities. They have over 150,000 missiles pointed in our direction. They are fully in league with Hamas and the PA.

It’s extremely complicated, but that’s the ‘Hiz-tory in a nutshell.

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February 12, 2024

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War Stories Day 129. The Good The Bad The Ugly & The Miraculous

It’s been a few days since my last post, so to catch you up on everything here in Israel, outside the country, and locally – let’s begin.

First we’ll start with the US & Israel as Blinken has been here 7 or 8 times now, but who’s counting. At first President Biden adamantly stated that Israel had an absolute right to defend itself and that “We are standing strongly with Israel.” Fast forward two whole months. Now about turn. Biden is in an election year and many of his supporters and donors are ardently pro-Palestinian aka pro-Hamas. We all know this. And he is now catering to his base – so his administration said the IDF needs to completely wrap up all activities in Gaza in 45 days. That was two weeks ago. He has become very impatient to the point where last week he said “Israel’s reaction was way over the top.” The US does not support the taking of Rafah and has called for an immediate and complete ceasefire.

Rafah is the last stronghold. The IDF moved as many civilians as it could from North to South in order to clear out all Hamas strongholds, flood some tunnels, collapse and seal off others. They’ve found weapons, missiles, weapon’s manufacturing plants, tunnels, training camps, cash, rocket launch pads. All confiscated or destroyed. All documented.

Now. What do you envision when you hear Gaza? Let’s say pre-7 October Gaza. Hovels and tents because it’s a giant refugee camp? Abject poverty? Open air prison?

Gaza has some of the world’s prime real estate. Situated right on the most pristine Mediterranean beaches. Inland some of the world’s most arable, fertile farmland. Gaza City was had six five star hotels. Beautiful promenades. One of the largest indoor malls stocked with every kind of electronics, designer clothes, perfumes, home furnishings. There was no real lack.

Go to Trip Advisor or any hotel/restaurant app and look up Gaza. The promenades. The cars. There was such an influx of money, it created a class of millionaires. Yes. Lots of corruption. Yes. There were very many poor people. I am not trying to downplay that, but there was also no lack for the many that were in power, medical, managerial, development-engineering jobs.

The money also flowed underground. Literally. It cost millions upon millions to make 3 and 4 stories/layers deep of tunnels with plumbing, electrical, communications, air flow deep underneath the surface. While clearing out Gaza City, the IDF discovered among other things, the personal computer of Muhammad Al Burj, an AlJazeera journalist , but also a senior Hamas operative who managed the anti-tank missile system.

After Jabalya and the North were cleared, there was a push to Khan Younis. The main Hamas command center was found last week. It was directly underneath the main UNRWA building complete with tunnel shafts. The IDF has taken it and found the Hamas computer server system and their entire electronic database. It will provide significant insight into the strategic capabilities of that organization.

Which leads to the miraculous. The best news came this morning. Information was retrieved on the whereabouts of two of the hostages. This morning around 1 am, an elite team operating with intelligence from Shin Bet and Mossad, raided a second story apartment in Rafah, Southern Gaza. After using explosives to break down the door, and incurring a barrage of gunfire, two of the hostages were found and extracted.

They are Argentinian Israelis, Fernando Marion, 60, and Louis Har, 70 from Kibbut Nir Yitzchak. Both men were gaunt and pale, but fully cognizant. After examination at Sheba Medical Center, they were deemed to be in fairly good health, all things considered. The two were immediately reunited with their families, but remain hospitalized as a precaution. We pray there will be more daring rescue operations in the days to come.

On the local side, we have had a full week without storms. So John and I decided to try out a couple more nature trails. KKL (קקל) better known in Anglo countries as the JNF (Jewish National Fund) for over 100 years has planted trees all over Israel. Forest land and lots of nature trail.

Trails everywhere
Council at Rivendell
We found the Garden of Eden
View to the sea
It’s Nurit season
And kalanit season
Is this gorgeous or what??
Many people just seeking to unwind

And now for some bad news:

Rabbi Zachariah Deutch was the chaplain at Leeds University in England. An Israeli, he was called up for reserve duty (not as a rabbi) and returned home to Israel for two and a half months.

Upon his return to England, he and his wife were met with vandalism to their house, death threats, the rape of Nava Deutch and kidnapping and murder of their two children. Upon filing numerous police reports and reports to the university, the couple was told it would be best for them to just move out of the city quietly.

I spoke with my daughter in the UK and she confirmed that the British police have been greatly defunded over the last decade. They are loathe to call out any acts of terrorism and will not report Islamist, Muslim, pro-Palestinian or any other migrant nationality. The police have also been largely de-armed and are overburdened with paperwork and bureaucracy.

More tragic news: many people here have been so greatly mentally affected by this war. Amir Jordani suffered PTSD during Operation Protective Edge with Gaza in 2014. He served in the IDF as a medic and he helped evacuate all the casualties. The events of 7 October and this current war were more than he could bear. He ended his life last week. Amir left his family this note. “This is just way too much for me. I love you. I couldn’t have asked for a better family.”

In the meantime students are preparing meals for reservists camped out on borders, students and retirees are still working in the fields and people are trying to pick up the pieces, adapt and get on with life. We are prayerful. We are resolute. We are united. We are joyful (between the tears). We are hopeful. We are united. Together to victory. It’s within our grasp-

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February 7, 2024

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Day 124. War Update. 7 February, 2024

We’ve had 14 days straight of rain and finally the sun is shining. But more on that later.

The IDF is doing a stellar job of flooding some of the Northern Gaza tunnels and filling in more. Terrorists dressed as civilians have been venturing back into Northern Gaza ‘to check on their properties,’ but it has turned out to be a most deadly ruse on two separate occasions.

Mostly Northern Gaza is cleared. The same with Southern Gaza. The IDF have surrounfed the Hamas stronghold of Khan Younis. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated, “We are completing our mission in Khan Younis , we will also reach Rafah and we will kill every terrorist there.”

The Israeli military, so far, has been skirting around fighting around large civilian populations, trying to minimize the number of casualties. They have limited their air strikes and drone surveillance at the behest of the Biden administration. This means the soldiers are going home to home looking for terrorists, arms, tunnel shaft openings and information. They haven’t been disappointed.

In almost EVERY home, many have to be cleared before entering because they are mined with explosives, the IDF soldiers have found massive amounts of weapons. These include guns and ammo: from pistols (homemade Don Karlo’s), rifles, automatic weapons, grenades, to RPGs. Sometimes they are hidden in kitchen pantries and children’s bedrooms.

Very surprisingly, in almost EVERY home they have uncovered tunnel shaft openings leading to the wider underground “Gaza Metro System.” The underground tunnels are much more extensive then Israel ever imagined, being longer totaled that the London or NYC metro. Each home has an opening leading to multiple layers underground of passageways. (Confirming, unfortunately, the idea that most Gaza residents are at least complicit, if not full blown militants).

The Times of Israel reported in mid January that the Gaza tunnels stretch for at least 350 miles- with up to 6000 separate shafts found thus far. It’s like a giant complex ant farm. And Gaza is only 140 square miles in area.

All of this is being extensively recorded and documented by the IDF for posterity, as it will be defense in probable international court cases. Several tunnels are wide enough for large trucks to pass through. Others are equipped with bathrooms, kitchens, meeting rooms, storage facilities, dungeon-like jail cells, surgical/medical facilities.

Speaking of which:

We’re you aware that there were 83 hospitals in Gaza????? 83!!!! UN sponsored hospitals. Italian Hospital. Scottish Hospital. French Hospital. Irish Hospital. On and on and on it goes. 83 hospitals. In all of the Northern Israel from Haifa up, there are only 16 (some are very small private hospitals). In all of the hospitals, weapons, uniforms and tunnels have been found. With all of their vast medical network, Gazans traveled regularly every day into Israel for treatment- cancers, pediatric, cardiology, even reconstructive plastic surgery for women who have had acid thrown at them.

Speaking of surgeries and recovery, Israel has been blessed with some miraculously quick recoveries. Not always complete, but miraculous nonetheless.

NES gadol!!! Huge miracle!!

Part miracle, part perspicacity. Mayan goes to physical therapy daily. The 21 year old lost both legs in a tunnel explosion, but it is not stopping him. He is totally determined to overcome all odds and get on with life. He will receive prosthetic legs within the month.

On the morning of 7 October, the Golan family was awakened by red alert missile firings. That was nothing new for them as they were residents of Kfar Aza. But it didn’t stop. Soon they heard the noise of gunfire. And Arabic cursing outside their window. Speaking with family members on the phone, they were told to lock themselves inside their safe room.

Evyatar Hogeg, the brother of Elliah stayed in touch with his sister, her husband, Ariel and their 18 month baby, Yael for over six hours. Then Elliah said, “Pray for us. They are inside.” That was the last he heard until he received a call from Sheba Medical Center telling him to go to the ER immediately. The family was there, but in bad shape. Hamas had attempted to burn them alive.

Elliah had 3rd degree burns over 60% of her body. She also suffered extreme laryngeal and respiratory distress . Ariel, her husband had 2nd and 3rd degree burns over his extremities and lower torso. The baby, Yael also had burns over her head, limbs and body and was rushed to the pediatric burn unit. Elliah and Ariel were in the ICU of the burn center, sedated and intubated… placed into temporary comas.

The baby was the first to wake up after 2 1/2 weeks. She was cared for by her grandmothers who took turns at her side. Bandaged over most her body, she is now fairly active and beginning to speak.

Ariel woke up next by hearing his daughter’s voice. When she was able to have visitors, the Sheba staff wheeled Ariel in his hospital bed to see his baby. Soon he, too, was up and walking on crutches with daily rehab. His desire was to see his wife.

Elliah still remains heavily sedated, but is off the ECHO breathing system. Her husband pleads with her,”We are waiting for you. We want you to be strong. We will hear your voice again soon. Enough. Come on. Come back.” He strikes her head. She recognizes him, but still has a long way to go and needs all our prayers.

Elliah & Ariel Golan August, 2023

Ariel now stays with Yael, eats meals with her, and his bed has been moved so they share a room in the hospital. He says, “We didn’t survive all this for only two of us to go back. It must be all three of us. It can’t be otherwise.”

Evyatar, Elliah’s brother commented that “The people doing these atrocities are not people who want freedom. They just want blood. Jewish blood. Whatever happens, we’re waking up in a different country. We’re not going to be the same Israel. Maybe, just maybe, it will be a good thing. A loving Israel, a united Israel.”

Please pray for this family. It will be a long haul for all.

Baltimore’s Elman Retina Group’s Dr. Sid Schechet Heroically Restores Sight to Wounded Israeli Soldier
Beer Sheva, Israel – Feb. 1, 2024 – (BJL) Sid Schechet, M.D. of the Elman Retina Group, took two weeks off from his busy practice to volunteer as a retina surgeon at the Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva. Soroka is the major trauma center for wounded soldiers. Since arriving on Monday, Dr. Schechet has been operating non-stop for more than twelve hours daily, helping to restore vision to severely wounded soldiers and anyone else in need. He has shared innovative surgical techniques he developed with the excellent staff in Israel. Dr. Schechet also arranged for a special laser valued at $200,0000 to be shipped to Israel, which allows for the repair of retinal tears in the ICU in soldiers that cannot be moved to the Eye Clinic. Periodically, he shares his experiences with the Elman Retina Group staff members. Here is one such story.

“I hope all is well on the home front. Today was another doozy but filled with miracles in so many ways. Here’s a nice quick story:

This young hero is a soldier who sustained a bilateral open globe with metallic foreign bodies. He was blasted by Hamas while sleeping with his team, and unfortunately, they all died. He was the lone survivor, with injuries from top to bottom. I honestly didn’t know what would happen to him after I repaired his severely damaged eyes earlier in the week. I was scared for when he’d first awaken to hear what happened to his team and to then to open his eyes only to realize he had no vision.

He woke up last night and realized what happened to his team and that he couldn’t see. Despite this, he immediately requested to return to his battalion to continue fighting against the terrorists. Today, when I examined him again, he miraculously could see parts of the letters I brought from my kids made for wounded soldiers. We both cried. It’s been stuff like that every second, exhausting but very uplifting.”

Given the extent and severity of his injuries, Dr. Schechet was concerned that the soldier, despite the surgical repair, would never be able to see anything again, but the Ribono Shel Olam ( the creator off the world) thought otherwise.

Our G-d truly is good and merciful. There are thousands of victims. People are suffering not only physically but emotionally and mentally. But Israelis are a resilient, determined bunch. There is so much support here in hospitals, with social services, rehab specialists, psychologists and of course, the miraculous from Above that we all depend upon.

As an update to this story : I just found out the main leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniya, living a life of opulence and luxury in Qatari exile, has a sister who lived in Gaza. She is now in an Israeli hospital being treated for an aggressive form of cancer. I’m sure she will get the best of treatment and then be released back to Gaza…. To commit acts of terror as did Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar?????

Today John and I took a long walk, the longest is ages, We went to a nearby mountaintop village. Absolutely spectacular!!!!! The scenery. The sun. The flowers. The homes. Birds chirping. It was such a peaceful break.

Tomorrow I will feature this community. I hope to be starting something new- because there is so much antisemitism, most Israelis are still more than convinced Israel remains the safest place. I will be featuring a different community: a moshav or kibbutz, a village or city, each with a unique flavor. If anyone is interested in making Aliyah, I’ll be more than glad to help. In the meantime, my weekly “Get to know the places better…” Come travel the Land with me vicariously.