"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
Once again, I’d planned a completely different post for today, but sometimes Life (G-d) brings you something so important, something that grabs you by the collar and looks you in the eyes. So it is now.
When my husband was first diagnosed with a “terminal” cancer… that’s what the first oncologist told us…. I realized that this fear that gripped me and stole my breath and my insides was not how I would choose to live. Instead we took a different path – one of faith in HaShem (the ineffable name of G-d); one of life and laughter and love and beauty and gratitude and good report. We were able to change doctors and hospitals in an instant (thank you HaShem and thank you to our dear friend, Efrat!!!). We walked THROUGH the valley of the SHADOW (not real) of death and now seven years later, here we are! Thank you G-d: Todah laShem!
Please. Watch this video. It might be the most important and life changing thing you will do. Nothing is by accident. I bring you an interview with the mother of a former hostage in Gaza, Omer ShemTov (his name actually translates to ‘I say G-d is good”. She eloquently and passionately speaks of how her faith and attitude kept her through his captivity. She is an inspiration!!!
John and I came back from cool British weather, true sweater weather with leaves turning yellow and crimson and bright orange… to the unabated desert heat. We are having a drought here in Israel and the temperatures are still up. There are no autumnal colors, just the Southern California brown and black of heat scorched fields. Hopefully, there is an end in sight and we will have a change in weather by next week.
On the other hand, things are heating up rather rapidly. A different kind of heat. Who ever said “Peace has come to the Middle East” is full of hot air. Up to our north, in Lebanon, Hizbulla has been building up their military apparatus. Despite what President Aoun says, they have been getting new IRGC recruits from Iran and Syria.
UNIFIL observation forces in Southern Lebanon were supposed to ensure that the Trump-brokered ceasefire was standing. So far all they have one is to have shot down an Israeli surveillance drone. UNIFIL have allowed Hizbulla forces to reenter Southern Lebanon, and have overseen their fortifications.
The Israeli Air Force has been selectively striking at Hizbulla’s current leadership. Last week the municipal buildings in Taybeh and Taur Daaba were taken out after intelligence revealed they were
being used as military infrastructure. The people of the towns were given 18 minutes warning to evacuate before the strikes occurred. The IAF is currently carrying out large scale attacks on supply chains and munitions factories and storage facilities there. It is estimated that over 1500 long range missiles and parts have been snuck into Southern Lebanon through Syria in the past couple months alone.
In the meantime, Syrian President Sharaa, former alQaeda terrorist on the ten most wanted list, is in the United States. He no longer wears his turban and camouflage suit, but has trimmed his beard and wears a suit. Besides meeting with Trump and White House Cabinet members, he’s been filmed enjoying a game of pick-up basketball with Centcom members. I guess this leopard has succeeded in hiding his spots. He has sworn to the U.S. officials that the new, reformed Syria is carrying out operations against the ISIS militants who have been ethnically cleansing Southern Syria of Druze and Christians.
Down Gaza way, Hamas is still playing games. Weapons have been found to be smuggled intro the Rafah area on the Egyptian border via drone. So the IDF sealed off the area and declared it an active military zone. Any drones coming in from Egypt will now be shot down. We are hearing from the released hostages that Hamas is using every available young person to go underground and manually dig out the tunnels that have been stopped up. 24 hours a day, these kids (most are boys ages 8-13) are being used as slave labor 24 hours a day.
Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad forces (PIJ) are playing games as always. They say they are having problems locating the remains of the six bodies that they have been holding. This past week, several more were returned including two Americans, Omer Neutra and Itay Chen and a Tasmanian Agricultural student who was kidnapped into Gaza and murdered by the civilians there on 7 October.
Hadar Goldin
Last night the body of Captain Hadar Goldin was to be returned. The Red Crescent came to pick up the coffin and return it to the waiting Israeli forces. But let’s backtrack… Hadar Goldin was one of the first soldiers killed (during a ceasefire) in Gaza in 2014. We were still in California and the news came about Hadar and then Max Steinberg, a Lone Soldier from the San Fernando Valley, CA (I knew his parents). Max’s body was retrieved. Hadar’s taken into captivity to be used as leverage against Israel.
Hadar was engaged to be married to a lovely young girl. When he was abducted, his photo was the first to hang on my fridge. His body has been held hostage for almost 13 years now. The Goldin family have traveled the world over to try to put pressure on the international governments and to raise awareness about the plight of their son. And the remains in the coffin yesterday were supposed to be him. But they were not. More games. Now Hamas says it will hand over his body this afternoon. Another card thrown into the pile- the stakes remain the same.
On the brighter side, and speaking of games, last week the Marine Corps Marathon was held in Washington, D.C. (my brother-in-law competes). Let me share with you this story of a young American Israeli hero you might have never heard of.
Mendel Vile’s family left Chicago when he was 7 to move to Israel. They were committed Zionists, believing in the land of Israel rightfully belonging to the indigenous peoples, the Jews. Mendel grew up and became a combat engineer for the IDF. In December, 2023, deep into the Gaza Strip, a Hamas anti-tank missile struck the vehicle he was in. He was only 19 at the time. Several soldiers were killed in the attack. Mendel’s broken, burned body was pulled from the wreckage, shrapnel embedded throughout his body. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where he spent 3 months of seemingly endless pain.
“This is it. Is my time over?” he thought in those early days. The medical staff told him to focus on his survival. Friends and family visited him to lift his spirits in a never-ending parade. Daily the nurses told him to be patient, take things slowly. He endured 7 surgeries. Mendel kept repeating one mantra, “One day I will run a marathon.” Of course, in his condition, no one believed him. But he knew HaShem would give him the strength and healing to push forward with his rehabilitation.
Mendel believed beyond all hope. The surgeries were followed by months of grueling physical therapy and rehabilitation just for him to be able to stand on his own. But he was a true warrior. With faith in G-d and his own ability to recover. This week, he finished his race – the Marine Corps Marathon. It was the second he’s run in the past three months. Wrapped in the blue and white of the Israeli flag, he crossed over to personal victory,
Mendel Vile did not run alone. He carried with him on the back of his Jersey, his best friend, Oriya Yaakov, a photo of the buddy that was killed alongside him on that day. As he was running, a young man (wearing a kipa/yarmulka) also trying to finish the race, spotted Mendel. He joined the IDF soldier, who gave him strength to continue. Vile said,”We tried to push each other along. Come on, man, you’re my brother. You’re part of the tribe. Together we are strong. Together we can win. I’ve never been prouder to be an American. An Israeli. a Jew.”
But that’s not the only story. Oh no! Barack Elizor was also a critically wounded IDF soldier back in January,2024. Multiple surgeries and almost two years of intense rehabilitation and physical therapy, Barack just completed the New York Marathon, helping to raise funds for Shalva, an organization for children with special needs.
Not all stories are pleasant. I just finished reading the book Hostage, by Eli Sharabi. A riveting and highly recommended true account of what it was like in the tunnels of Gaza being held a prisoner. Some of the released captives are finding a difficult transition to freedom. Where some have vowed to move on with their lives, stronger in faith and spirit and resolve, others are irreparably (almost) scarred.
This past Thursday night an interview with hostage Ron Braslavski was aired on the Israeli news. It was more than difficult to watch as Ron shared his nightmare. He was held in solitary confinement for two years, starved, whipped, burned and brutally beaten on a daily basis. Through tears and shaking, we heard how PIJ differed from Hamas. More brutal. More degrading. Ron was sexually abused in order to debase him and wipe out his humanity. He was shackled not only hand and foot but tied, naked, by his penis, to the bars of his cage. It was the video of Ron, released in July, that changed the course of the war. For then the world saw the brutality that was taking place inside Gaza.
We pray for him and for all the hostages, their loved ones, and the country to be miraculously healed spirit, soul, emotions, mind and body. May they know only love and support. May they find purpose, focus and happier days ahead.
As the former hostages are readjusting to their new lives back home in Israel, stories of faith and hope and encouragement are coming forth. To be sure, what these people experienced was hell on earth, but they clung to their faith in G-d (some finding it for the first time) and the hope of their rescue. This helped to sustain them through the darkest times.
I am currently reading the recently released book, Hostage, by Eli Sharabi. He was held in Gaza for 491 days- almost two years, not knowing that his wife, children, brother, and most of his entire family had been brutally murdered. His one goal was to survive the ordeal. Last week, he buried his brother, Yossi, also taken captive, but returned by Hamas in a coffin. But that is not where the story ends.
Eli has resolved to live. After grieving the loss of his loved ones, he is putting the past behind him. To live the life G-d gave him. Eli has been active advocating for the release of the other captives, and now the bodies that remain in Gaza. This past week, he appeared on the runway at Israeli Fashion Week in Tel Aviv, and has a new girlfriend – his physical therapist. He has been doing countless interviews. Here is a clip from one of them-
Alon Ohel was actually a “neighbor” of ours. We didn’t know him, but he is from Misgav, the next mountain over. He was released with the other 20 after exactly two years of captivity. A gifted pianist and musician, Ohel, now 24, was held for a time with Eli Sharabi, who was an immense support to him. Alon was severely injured while being taken into Gaza front the Nova festival. He still has shrapnel in his eye and head. His time in the tunnels was especially devastating, spending the last seven months in absolute isolation.
Upon his return home, the entire community lined the streets, waving Israeli flags. Hundreds of people stood outside the family home singing to him. t this past week, he made an appearance on national TV, playing piano and singing with many popular stars here in Israel. It was a moment of pure joy.
Bar Kulershtein shared that every Friday evening “underground, beneath the most impure place in the world, we were screaming from the soul and singing praises to the creator of the universe. We would rock the tunnel with our songs for Kabbalat Shabbat. “Shalom Aleichem” and “Lecha Dodi.” We would close our eyes and imagine our loved ones were all present with us at the Shabbat table.” The 21 year old was working as a security guard for the Nova festival. He refused to abandon his post as a guard and paramedics. Bar helped many youth to evacuate the party and stayed behind to nurse the wounded.
Despite being starved, beaten and tortured, he remained strong. He told his mom: “Mom. They beat me but I didn’t feel it – my body was frozen. I trained my mind not to think about the pain.” He never lost hope or faith during the long ordeal. In the tunnels, he dug waste pits, built a little water channel and made a small area where the other hostages he was with could sit alone. He took upon himself the mitzvah of charity. He vowed the 200 shekels he saved in his wallet at home would be donated as soon as he was rescued.
He was not especially religious in his adult life, despite his Modern Orthodox upbringing. Yet, in the tunnels, deep underground he encountered Muslims who prayed five times a day and fasted and observed all their Muslim holidays. Bar told himself that if they are doing that, if they are trying to convince him with bribes to become Muslim,then he would become close to his Creator. He would say the Shema often, and recite all the Psalms he knew by heart.
Former hostage, Matan’s Zangauker miraculously found a worn book of Psalms written in Hebrew on the floor of one of the tunnels. He used it for daily prayer, and credits his faith in *-d for keeping him alive. Besides requesting a tsitsit (fringed undershirt) to wear, one of the first things he did was to don a Kipa and wrap Tfillin on his arm and head and say the Birkat haGomel prayer in thanks for G-d’s deliverance from a life threatening event.
One of the most poignant reunions captured on video was that of Bar reuniting with his father. His dad had suffered a stroke prior to 7October attack. He was paralyzed on one side and unable to walk or talk. He vowed to stand to meet his son when Bar returned home. After two grueling years of rehab, Mr. Kupershtein, with the aid of a walker, rose from his chair and walked over to Bar to embrace him. This was a tremendous gift to everyone.
Beautiful young Agam Berger was one of the seven female captives taken from her army base as a surveillance soldier. Both she and her family, found great strength and deep meaning in keeping their Jewish faith traditions alive. Agam was an inspiration to her fellow hostages, refusing to eat non Kosher foods, keeping the Shabbat, saying her daily prayers, singing to her captors like David sung to King Saul.
Upon her return to Israel, riding in an army helicopter last year, Agam held up a sign that in Hebrew said, “I chose a path of faith and have returned through faith. There is none other/higher than G-d.”
Three weeks after her kidnapping, Agam’s mother had the rabbi bring a Torah scroll into her bedroom. They converted the first floor entrance of their apartment complex into a makeshift synagogue where they held regular services.
Eitan Horn, 37, taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz says that he knew when Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year, took place. He fasted for the first time in his life while in the tunnels.
We cannot begin to fathom the suffering and pain they endured. Yet for all of Israel, every single hostage is a hero just simply for surviving those unimaginable horrors. Even though we celebrate the beauty of renewed lives, their individual pathways to recovery will be difficult. While it is amazing and wonderful that some hostages felt the presence and protection of G-d, others found different sources of strength. Some just clung on one day to the next. Some survivors are giving interviews and speaking openly about their ordeals. Others cannot even begin to open up….and we respect that.
Each freed hostage, each family, has been given a special team of therapists and trauma specialists to help them readjust. All are finding love and healing inm the arms of family. Many have had seudot hodayot, or meals of thanksgiving with all the extended families. Shabbat has become an integral part of their reentry into the world. It has been healing for all to sit at table together thanking their Creator and feasting on comfort food.
Alon Ohel with family celebrating Shabbat together
May we hear only good news. May those that have been returned continue to find renewal, healing and comfort despite the difficult journey ahead. May they resume their lives stronger, kinder, more patient and loving and much wiser. May their days be happy and successful. May they be filled with love and light.
One of my absolute favorite Hebrew songs is “V’Afilu b’Hastarah” or “A Concealment Within a Concealment.” I play it in the darkest of my trials to remind me that G-d is present always – even when I can neither see nor feel Him. He is there standing beside me… within me… even in the most hidden, dark parts of my mind and emotions. The song is often sung at funerals here. And it has sustained many during the hostage crisis.
I had been praying (along with much of Israel and many others throughout the world) that the hostages in Gaza would lean on G-d to sustain them. That He would be a source of hope and strength to them. The stories that are beginning to emerge this week from those who were held in captivity for two years are a testimony to the answer to prayers and the faithfulness of the Holy One and Merciful Father.
“They were starved. A piece of bread in the morning and a spoonful of rice at noon, if they were lucky. That was it. They faced punishments, including physical abuse. No light. No water. No showers. Constant mental stress and fear. Every time the negotiations failed, their treatment would become more extreme. They were dealing with psychopaths.” – Rom Braslavski’s uncle
These are some of their stories:
Rom Braslavski
Rom was held alone by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. He endured both extreme physical and psychological torture. He was offered extra food if he would convert to Islam, or at least fast on Ramadan (they withheld food anyway), or read the Koran. He was abused each time he refused. “it’s important for ROM to maintain his Jewish identity because they tried to force him to convert,” his mother reported. “They tried to tempt him with food and small gifts. He didn’t break down and did in’s do it.”
During a three month period last spring, the abused increased. “Several times a day, thy would beat ROM with a whip and with things that I will not even mention. He absorbed it. He told me, ‘Mom, I always knew G-d was with me and that it would come to an end.”
At some point, after being given just half a pita in the evening every day, and living with hands and feet handcuffed, Braslavski managed to wiggle out of his chains due to weight loss. He found a terrorist’s uniform and a lighter in the pocket. He tried to cook some pasta he found by lighting a book and the uniform inside the tunnel. However, the smoke attracted the attention of civilians outside. He was whisked away by his captor before he could be lynched. Every night he would say the “Shemah” prayer. Before his release, ROM was held with the bodies of slain hostages. He never gave up his faith.
Segev Kalfon
The first thing they do now each morning is to put on their prayer shawls and tfillin (phylacteries) and say morning prayers.
Segev Kalfon, 27, was kidnapped while fleeing from the Nova music festival. He said that he managed to fast the two Yom Kippur holy days that he was in captivity. He counted down the days, weeks and months to the best of his ability. While a hostage he was held shackled hands and feet to a cage in an underground tunnel without light or hygiene. He endured physical and psychological terror, yet held fast to his Judaism which gave him the strength to endure. “I dreamed of crying out ‘Shemah Yisrael’ to the terrorists. In the darkest place, I succeeded in seeing the light.” When asked what message he wants to convey to the public, he responded ‘Emunah, Emunah, Emunah (faith): strengthen your Emunah.”
Matan Angrest
Matan Angrest, now 22 years old, was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. He suffers from acute asthma. Matan asked his captors for a Jewish prayer book. They found one for him after several months of asking. He used it to pray three times a day while in captivity under horrid conditions. He suffered from severe burns in his hands and underwent a medical procedure without anesthesia or follow up care. He was beaten so badly he sometimes lost consciousness. He still bears many injuries from the severe torture. This past Friday, he left the hospital to attend the funeral of his commander, Cpt. Daniel Perez.
His strong ties to his Jewish roots kept him sane. Simple prayers were uttered in darkness. With faith and unity Israel will always succeed was his comment. He desires to go back into Gaza to recover the body of his friend, Itai Chen.
Evyatar David
Evyatar enjoys his first Shabbat at home
Evyatar came to the forefront of the world’s attention just a little over two months ago. Hamas released photos and videos of him in a deep underground tunnel, visibly starving to death and forced to dig his own grave. After releasing false photos of “malnourished Gazan children” who we found out had other severe conditions or who were Ir@qi children from 2016, this footage marked the beginning of the end for the terrorist group.
The relaxed musician received phone calls from his favorite musicians, and on Thursday was invited to join the popular Israeli group Hatikcah 6 onstage to sing “V’yehi Ohr,” “Let There be Light,” a reference to the week’s Scripture passage in Genesis 1.
Omer was in the hostage group returned last February. Taken from the music festival, he was often submitted to extreme abuse, starvation, and psychological torture. He stated that Hamas ordered him to carry out an attack against IDF soldiers. “They put booby traps in the house that was above the tunnel. Then they said to me: “Omer, when the soldiers arrive at this house you blow it up like this.” “I told then,”no.” ‘And they told me ‘You won’t do it, we’ll shoot you in the head.’ I told them: ‘Then shoot me in the head.”
He has spoken throughout the world of the faith that held him through captivity. At the beginning of his captivity, Omer was above ground for 54 days with hostage Itai Regev. “One day a bomb fell fifty meters from us. It was a dud. That was the first time I met HaShem (G-d).”
While held 40 meters underground in total darkness, Omer recalls how he began speaking to G-d each night – not to ask for anything, but to just have a conversation. He would ask the Creatir of the Univese how He was? What was He busy doing? In a pitch dark tunnel, with no space to stand, Omer found his way through prayer. He thanked G-d for each breath he was able to take. For every crumb of food he was given. Eventually, he says he could feel G-d’s presence so strongly, it made him smile- even in the darkness. “I could feel Him. Really, really feel Him standing there with me.” In the last five days the battery of his one flashlight finally ran out. “ I prayed that G-d would get me out of the tunnel. Two hours later, his captors arrived and took him out of the tunnel. After two days, the Hamas commander demanded that he be put back into the tunnel, to return him in the morning. That night, the IDF bombed that tunnel. “It was the second time I met HaShem.” Omer stated. He was protecting me from certain death.
There are many more stories of faith and light to share. Even in the concealment within the concealment, He is there. Horrible things may happen around us and to us, but He is there with us. He suffers with us. He comforts us. He strengthens us and He picks us up.
From one of my favorite prayers:
“Your love sustains the living. Your great mercies support the falling, heal the ailing, free the captives. You keep your faith with those who sleep in the dust. Whose power compares with Yours? You are Master of Life, Death and Deliverance. Holy is Your name. And holy are those that praise You each day.
The greatest miracle is the “hottest trend of secular youth in Israel today.” It was reported on Channel 14 news last night. It is truly a phenomenon what is happening. The youth are keeping the Sabbath fully. Since 7 October, more people are reading Scripture and attending services regularly. “Tens of thousands of Jewish youth in Israel, raised without any religious upbringing, after October 7, they started to see the hostages return speaking of a newfound faith. There’s a thing where people return from Gaza tunnels speaking of G-d. And it’s affecting everyone. They’re experiencing a religious event. Not all of them, but most. Take Omer Shem Tov. Every time I hear him, I say, ‘Wow! This guy is incredible! These people are now on such a high spiritual level. The things they are saying. (Cut to clip: Former hostage: “The thing to remember is gratitude to HaShem. For all things. For small things. Say thank you.Blessed be G-d. When you just say, ‘Blessed be G-d for everything that comes to you, in the end, you…HaShem will be there with you and He will help you.’ ) Host: These words were from the stoner at the rave. He was taken from Nova, long dreadlocks and beads. Look at him now!” (Screen flashes to a before and after photo …. This is a seen miracle. Blessed be HaShem.
To strive for accuracy in reporting. To write with moral clarity. To try to have empathy and to be able to see different sides of a story. To know history and to try to see a path forward. To be relevant and to “entertain” to a point. And to try to present hope and encouragement in a darkened world. It’s not always easy to bring it all together and to keep the proper perspective.
My parents lived (as first generation, full Americans) at the time of the Holocaust. My dad served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. My two uncles who spoke Yiddish helped liberate the death camps. My grandparents on both sides were able to escape the pogroms of Eastern Europe/Russia and the gas chambers and concentration camps of the Nazis in time. Many of my relatives “didn’t make it” and only their pictures remain. The older generation had firsthand stories to tell.
It was always “us” (the Jewish people) and “them” (everyone else). I don’t think it helped that I grew up in the South at the time of segregation, both racial and religious. I vividly remember signs on hotels and restaurants and on the gates of the country club/golf course/swimming pool that said “No Negroes. No Jews. No dogs.” True fact. Often I was the only Jewish kid in my class. Our was the one house in the neighborhood without Christmas lights. It was an area in the country where the KKK was present and active. Outwardly, we did not show any signs of Judaism for our own personal safety.
I grew up with a fear of Christians. They were the ‘other.’ I knew all the atrocities committed throughout history at the hands of the Christians. It wasn’t pretty. Forced exclusions. Blood libels. Ghettoes. Killings. Inquisitions. Expulsions and Holocausts. We were different. We were Jewish. We ate different foods and stayed away from certain foods altogether. We celebrated different holidays. Even spoke a different language (my parents, although well educated professionals, spoke mostly Yiddish at home).
As I grew older, left home and entered university and later the world, most of my friends were various denominations of Christian. The older I became the more I realized that not all Jews are good and not all Christians are bad. We are all human. We are all fallible. We have a good inclination and an evil inclination and are faced with temptation to do the wrong things every single day.
That said, and to be fair, I do not approve of the actions of all Jewish Israelis here. I understand many of the ultra Orthodox still carry a fear and dislike of the “other,” but this past week’s defacement of signage is wrong. Groups of Jewish teens spray painted in black over the highway signs pointing to churches like Capernaum and Tabgha here in the Galilee. The signs for the Mount of Beatitudes were defaced. As were other Christian holy sites signage. It is disrespectful. It is wrong.
I find it repugnant when some of the extremely religious Jewish youth spit on Christians or heckle priests and monks in Jerusalem. It is unacceptable behavior. Fear or no fear. Bad history or none. It does nothing to advance dialogue, community-building or peaceful living.
Many Bible believing Christians are the greatest friends and supporters of Israel. We share the same foundation. The same values, and many of the same Scriptures, prayers and roots. We cooperate in work to preserve the same freedoms, work ethics, education, culture and ideals that form Western civilization.
Here in the Holy Land all Israeli citizens have full rights according to the law. It matters not if one is Jewish, Christian, Druze, Muslim or Baha’i. We share the same benefits – access to health care and education and freedom to worship in the way we choose. Yet age old tensions exist and are very real.
I cannot begin to imagine the Catholic parishioners’ plight in Gaza at this time. At the very beginning of the conflict, the IDF encouraged them to leave for safer places. Several countries and parishes abroad offered to take them in, but for some reason, they decided to stay in their homes and their church. Even the women and children. In the middle of a war zone.
I have been asked why we chose to stay in Israel despite the war. John and I discussed our situation, which was completely different than the families in Gaza. We were not near a front or in a war zone. Israel has spent their money on multiple layers of defense to protect their citizens. Everyone has a fortified room in their home or apartment or nearby. There are concrete bunkers everywhere. Early warning systems and sirens alerting us of the trajectory of any incoming missile. Plus, John and I have extreme faith in G-d and have never once felt our lives were in danger. We do not have children or other family here.
The Holy Family Parish has been well stocked with all the supplies they need. They have received material help from Medical Mission Board, Aid to the Church in Need, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Near East Welfare Association, Catholic Charities, the Vatican, and individual church donations. In addition to UN and international aid, there are warehouses in Jordan chock full of everything from dry goods to hygiene products, medicines to generators, water and fuel.
Yes. It is a war zone. Yes. They have made the choice to stay and not evacuate. Yes. They have been hit by an accidental IDF tank shelling which unfortunately and sadly killed three people and did minor damage to the outside roofing structure of the church. At the beginning of the conflict two women were shot just outside the church (despite what was originally reported) by snipers. That is a true tragedy. But if you look at their church services posted to social media and YouTube, the people are clean and fed. There is electricity. There is always incense and candles and fresh floral arrangements on the altar. That is a good thing. I am glad they have their immediate needs met.
I understand the need to be a light and to be strong in the face of adversity. Partially for this reason, and partially because they had supplies and protection, Holy Family Church has taken in hundreds of their non-Christian neighbors seeking sanctuary or shelter. The church offers a small bastion of security for these people because the IDF neither targets Christians nor their holy sites, despite what you might hear. I have received verifiable information from four separate and trustworthy sources, and I cannot reveal their names at this time for obvious reasons, that Hamas has not booby trapped or targeted this building because they have “protektzia.”
Living in the Middle East, I have learned the term “protektzia.” It is a known fact that there are Russian Mafia who control some of the Russian Israeli population and Muslim/Bedouin Mafia. If a targeted business or family refuses to pay the ‘protektzia money’ they can expect damage and harm to building, home and family…even leading to death. A prime example of this is in Bethlehem (and now Nazareth). Palestinian Muslim thugs demand high payment/graft from the Christian business owners in return for not having physical harm done. As a result, the Christian population has dwindled as they move to safer countries providing refuge.
One of the reasons the church in Gaza has not been hit is that they are paying large sums of money directly to Hamas for protection – the money they get from charitable donations. So, I’m hoping it is inadvertently, at least at first, that terrorism is supported. Also, I have heard directly from priests who have visited that their fresh fruits and vegetables and meat come at an exorbitant monetary price and from those who have been hoarding the stolen food to sell at Black Market cost. Directly from the terrorists. It’s a tangled web.
There is one particular Catholic aid organization run by an American man, that on the surface is slick and glossy and uses some great deception tactics to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. The founder is extremely anti Israel and anti semitic to a degree I have not seen before. He has appeared on EWTN and many podcasts and religious sites making a plea for money. And he has disseminated blood libels like nothing I’ve ever witnessed from a Christian. Absolute dangerous falsehoods. I will not mention his name, but if you are Catholic, you have probably seen his appeal. I have no doubt his original intentions were to be an aid and lifeline for suffering humanity. But something is just not right.
He claims that “Israel had dropped a 2000 pound bomb on the oldest church in Gaza founded by James himself. These were the original believers and the church has stood for over 2000 years.” This is completely false. The IDF does not have a 2000 pound bomb (that’s why they called I the US to help with Iran’s nuclear sites) and they have not targeted and destroyed a Gaza church. He states that “Israel is purposely starving and targeting the poor Christians of Gaza.” Another falsehood. On his presentations he shows the horrific and absolutely pathetic (arousing pity and emotion) photos of the sick children that he says are starving. These are the photos that the BBC and New York Times among other outlets have had to recant as not telling the whole story. The children had preexisting medical conditions. He displays the photos of children lined up with pots and pans begging for food through a metal fence. That entire video has been proven to be a ‘Pallywood’ staged event. The videos and pictures are heart wrenching.
This man talks about the sordid living conditions. Not having fuel or access to clean water. He has reported that just last week Israel bombed two warehouses of diapers and cans of formula and baby supplies. Another falsehood. The warehouses in question were proven upon investigation to be weapons storage units for the Hamas terrorists. Lastly, he says that over 50 of his men were shot and killed while trying to deliver the aid trucks.
I have heard from my four sources who know this man that he has paid tens of thousands of US dollars and European euros to hire Hamas operatives, and sometimes these armed escorts have been shot by other Hamas terrorists who attempt to subvert the deliveries. His libels about the Israeli army have been picked up by Catholic outlets and podcasters and are leading to vast hatred of Zionists, Israel, Jews…and also Christian Zionists, who he also badmouths. His language is incendiary and he always ends his pitch with a plea for monetary donations.
At present the parish is in a vey precarious position. Last Thursday, the IDF started mass evacuations of Gaza City. They handed out tents, yoga mats, sleeping bags, food and hygiene boxes, water and had medics to care for any minor medical problems. The priest, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, reported that they had received tents and directives and were preparing to leave against their will. They do not know what will be left when they return. It is war and it is not pretty.
The next day, the priest said he had not received any word of evacuation. They had not been given tents or supplies or any direction whatsoever. They were staying put. The IDF has plans to move in and completely clear out the area of terrorists. Because of the dignity and value of innocent civilian life, evacuations of women, children and elderly has already begun. It is mandatory. Yesterday Fr. Romanelli said they were evacuating. It is all quite confusing.
There is strong reason to believe that these poor parishioners are being used as human shields, as pawns by Hamas. That is their modusoperendi. If any of these poor people, G-d forbid, is hurt, the onus will be on the evil Israelis (Jews). The church is most likely going to be booby trapped by Hamas or brought down by the IDF as the neighborhood will be an active military zone. I pray that is not the case. I ask you to pray for the protection of these people. They are in an awful place.
The Catholic Church has called for a complete ceasefire and “end to the barbarity in Gaza.” There is no mention of the release of hostages or of the complete disarmament of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Daesh. They have also called for the establishment of a Palestinian state, which has rewarded Hamas and caused them to cease all negotiations. In their eyes, they have won international support and therefore are victorious.
It is the blood libel of targeted attacks, intentional starvation, genocide that have the power to incite violence and antisemitism. Three weeks ago I received an email from a subscriber who follows some of these well-meaning, but vitriolic religious pundits. I was shaken to my core. It was a picture of Crusaders with his message below:
Do you not think it is time for another Crusade? It is time to rid the Holy Land of the Jews and the Muslims. Deus veult. You cannot be both American and Israeli. It is time to make your choice.
I still have lots and lots of Christian friends and supporters from all denominations. I cherish them deeply. But this. THIS. It scares the hell out of me. This is why some Jewish people are still wary and have a fear of the other…..
In this photo, the child had leukemia and was flown on a special transport to Jesu Bambino Pediatric Hospital in Italy. Hassan died last week.
A friend recently reminded me of the goodness of the L-rd. Living here in Israel, John and I are a believing and praying people. We have seen so many prayers answered from large to small almost on a daily basis (We are still waiting for some to be answered. For some of you Special Ones who read this blog, know that your prayers are being lifted up by us on a daily basis.)
It’s really hard for us to be in a state of unbelief or disbelief as we encounter archaeological sites that absolutely prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the words in the Scriptures are at the very least historically accurate. We have visited the oldest city gate in the world that has been uncovered. It’s from pre-Canaanite times and is the place where Abraham met with the kings to discuss the ransom of his nephew, Lot, who was taken captive. You can read the exciting story in Genesis 13. It’s in Dan, on the Lebanese Border. We׳ve visited so many places that attest to the veracity of the Bible, so…..
The ancient city has been closed off. Its sandstone walls were so delicate they began to crumble after excavation.This is the oldest fortified city ever found. It dates to around 1900 BCE !!The city gate where Abraham met with the 5 kings in Genesis 13. The gate has been sealed due to rapid erosion.
Anyway, one of our daily prayers is for the protection of all the IDF soldiers, wherever they are stationed. We pray this in the morning and at dinner. But we have added: protect them from every booby trap and every kidnapping attempt. We have received multiple answers to prayer on this one…
In yesterday’s news –
Yesterday in Khan Younis, Gaza, more than 20 Hamas terror operatives emerged from a tunnel in an ambush attempt on an IDF encampment.They approached firing machine guns and RPGs. Some terrorists actually breached the encampment, engaging in close combat with the Kfir Brigade troops. The IDF radioed for backup and airstrikes killed 15 operatives while 8 escaped back into the tunnel. A kidnapping attempt of 4 soldiers was narrowly averted. The IDF is actively pursuing the remaining operatives. An extensive investigation is underway to draw all necessary conclusions. Hamas has continuously tried to kidnap soldiers throughout the conflict. So far, all their attempts have proved unsuccessful. 3 Israeli soldiers were wounded and medivac’ed to local hospitals in Israel. – Hamal News
In other news, we all keep hearing about “settler violence.” It’s big news. “Settler violence” is the grossly over exaggerated stories of the Jewish families living in Judaea and Samaria (West Bank). Many are farmers and shepherds. The farmers have extensive vineyards and orchards. They grow dates, pomegranates, grapes, olives, and herbs and spices among other things. Many are artisans, making food, wine, ales, cosmetic products, candles, crafts and spice blends. Many are shepherds, grazing their herds of sheep and goats…and cows…across the fields to graze.
I’ve spoken with residents in Tekoa, Itamar, and Efrat. I have read police reports and incidents reports from the Binyamin and Yesha Regional Counsels. There are thousands of incidents of Arab gangs who pull up the plantings of the Israelis, who lie in wait for them in ambush. There are videos of gangs ambushing settlers, throwing large rocks at them and the livestock. There are videos of these marauding gangs setting fire to the grazing pastures of the Israelis. Yet all you hear about is settler violence.
These gangs are not ignorant. They stage attacks and wait for the shepherds to defend themselves, filming everything so that it looks like the settlers are the instigators, not the defenders. And it makes international news.
Today marks theone year yarzeit (memorial of a death) of the murder of Yonatan Deutch, a Maglan Unit soldier who was on his way to Ofra (community in Samaria) to see his fiancée, Emunah. At Mehola Junction on Route 90, just south of the West Bank border line, his car was ambushed and shot at by West Bank terrorists. His car veered off the road and he was shot multiple times.
In the exact spot where his life was cut short, his family and friends chose to respond not with despair, but with hope and strength. They opened a pop-up coffee shop, ‘Cafe Jonni.’ Here travelers can stop for refreshment and remembrance. It is a sign of Israeli resilience. It is a statement to the Arabs and to all the world that “Am Yisrael chai,” the People of Israel live.
Jonni and Emunah, above, Cafe Jonni belowMehola is a tiny Jewish village surrounded by Arab villagesYou can see Mehola, where the killing occurred is just past the border line
As of this morning, the Magen David Adom paramedics were called to the scene of another Arab attack on Israeli shepherds (settlers). One was injured very lightly by a bullet that strafed his head. The other shepherd was shot and is in fair condition in a regional hospital. They were driving in a semi protected ATV, called a Ranger, which overturned while herding their cattle. The pair were ambushed. This is the story from i24 News:
Because i was informed that my blogposts are just way too long, i shall end it here on a positive note.
In other news, just in time for the new school season and the fall holidays, a Nefesh b’Nefesh sponsored plane load of 225 new olim (immigrants) landed at Ben Gurion Airport yesterday morning. These families from the United States have decided to make the exciting journey to live in Israel. The youngest is 9 months old and the oldest is 82. There were also several Lone Soldiers, coming by themselves to enlist in the army. May their absorption and Aliyah experience be easy, joyful and smooth as they transition to their new lives as full Israeli citizens.
They were met at the airport with bands, balloons and crowds of well wishers
“…in those days oracles will see falsehoods, and dreamers speak lies (against Jerusalem/Israel); they comfort with meaningless speech.” -Zechariah 10:2
“ For from its origins, I see them rock-like and from the hills do I see it. Behold! It is a nation that will be relegated to dwell in solitude and not be reckoned among the nations.” – Balaam to King Balak in Numbers 23:9
“The burden of the L-rd for Israel: “ Behold! I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about…I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone forall people.” – Zechariah 12:1-3
For those readers who haven’t looked at yesterday’s post, I strongly urge you to do so as this is a continuation as current news flows in. I have worked hours last week contacting sources who know the events as they unfold, have records, or are eyewitnesses and participants. Some of the sources, I will gladly share; please understand some of the other sources I will give must remain secret as it can damage job security and security in general.
I will always try to bring you the truth. I will try to be fair and balanced presenting all sides, but I will call out fake news, lies and falsehoods and give evidence in its place. I will also feel free to add my own commentary and insights. After being asked many questions about what is actually going on here in Israel, I feel that by living here and being an observer, so to speak, I am more equipped than many to report on current events.
Please realize, Saul Alinski, the anarchist radical who with his cohorts (Cloward & Piven, Bill Ayers, Paolo Freire, and other radicals of the 1960s) wrote how to take down a system in Rules for Radicals. In this book he outlines steps to disguise your true purposes as good and altruistic; feed the target as many lies as they can handle and keep repeating those lies; divide the stronger population into smaller subgroups who fight among themselves; use blame and fear as a tactic to coerce a people into doing what you would have them do; use a top down/bottom up/inside out method of spreading chaos to break the system apart; beginning in the youngest grades of an educational system use academia to rewrite history to serve your purpose and create a new generation of civic activists; use the larger religious institutions to accept teachings of social justice (and liberation theology, my addition, but part of this Marxist/anarchist scheme.
The world has been unwittingly and sheepishly seeing these strategies unfold through the protests in the universities and spread of false narratives in the media (even spreading to the political realm) to divide and conquer once solid and reason-able groups. Class is turning against class. Generation is turning on generation in a way unseen before. Good is being labeled as evil and vice versa. And the masses are falling for outright lies in many spheres…today I will try to tackle Israel.
John and I once again stayed up late into the night, watching news as it came out of the United States. A particularly damning clip from the newer Conservative media outlet, OAN, had Matt Gaetz spouting much antiIsrael propaganda. I will try to right some of these falsehoods and to also add to yesterday’s story.
“ The U.S. tax dollars funds the IDF.” Unequivocally false. Israel has a 18% sales tax and a 100% import tax on all “luxury” items (every new car). The sale of technological and medical developments and the sales of defense technology generate massive income for the nation. Much of this gets sown back into the Israeli Defense from weaponry to salaries, from infrastructure to food and uniforms. Generous private donations make up the lack (in ceramic vests, helmets, drones, camera equipment, boots, medic kits and other needed equipment). The U.S. tax money funds the US armed services. Not Israel’s.
As for the Florida man who was killed. It was quickly labeled Jewish Israeli settler violence. The bodies of a Palestinian youth and of Sayfollah Musallet of Tampa, Florida were found hours after a rock throwing incident and broader skirmish broke out in Samaria (West Bank) near Ma’ale Levona. The one youth had a bullet shot. Musallet had a blunt force trauma to the head according to the persons who discovered the bodies. According to his uncle, who was not present at the scene, Musallet was “kicked and beaten up by a large gang of Jewish settlers for over three hours. He was gagging from the pain as he took his last breaths.” This is NOT reliable reporting.
CAIR and the Musallet family in Florida have demanded that the US step in and do an independent investigation “bringing the Jews who killed their son to justice.“ They have already ruled out any Israel involvement in an investigation. Sayfollah’s body was buried within 24 hours of finding him. He was buried as a martyr with the Palestinian flag draped over the stretcher. The family will not allow autopsy reports nor will they allow his body to be dug up and reexamined, calling it a “desecration of his honor.” We are to believe the narratives we are fed. I showed yesterday that he was a card carrying Hamas member which supports the martyr narrative. And the mainstream media and the world’s politicians run with the story pushed on them by CAIR and the family.
I still see no outlet coming out about Syria – not BBC, not Sky news, not American media – decrying the genocide against the Christians (now over 200 killed) and Druze (now over 560 massacred) or the kidnapping of the Christian and Druze children and young women to be sold as slaves. Israel is boots-on-the-ground fighting the Syrian army/Daesh/ISIS hell bent on ethnic cleansing. The American humanitarian group, the Nazarene Fund is boots-on-the ground elivering humanitarian aid and trying to airlift as many of the Christians out of the area as they can get emergency visas for as refugee status to other countries. A ceasefire was called, but now the Syrian army has adopted the Hamas tactic of dressing in civilian clothes to blend in with the general population.
Last night as we were walking the dog, 4 military helicopters passed overhead, flying low towards the East over the Golan. We found out this morning they were laden with food, baby items, medical supplies and water for the people of Suweida, Syria. It was reported that the Syrian terrorist army was poisoning their water supplies as well, so water drops were also necessary in the humanitarian package. Israel is doing this. Israel is funding this. Americans who donate to the Nazarene Fund are funding and expediting this needed help. Yet the rest of the world is silent.
Then there is the news about “even the most ardent Israel supporter, Ambassador Mike Huckabee has turned against Israel.” This is only partially true. Huckabee, a former Baptist minister, Arkansas governor and truly good-hearted human being is a strong supporter of Israel. He believes in the return of the Jewish person to inhabit and return to their ancient, Biblical and ancestral homeland as the indigenous population. A strong Christian, he fully loves and appreciates the land where Jesus walked and taught, lived and died. It truly is the birthplace of Christianity and he has led many Christian groups of pilgrims in the Holy Land.
Israel is not perfect by any means. We have a lot of serious problems. And one that I have witnessed personally while taking out own visitors to the Old City of Jerusalem. There are groups of ultra-Orthodox ‘Yeshiva Students’ that do heckle and spit on Christian tourists. They are both fearful (from centuries of Christian persecution and forced conversion by the Church in the name of Christ) and hateful of the “goyim.” This is absolutely horrific, disrespectful behavior that I cannot condone. I have witnessed the name calling. I have witnessed ultra Orthodox, Haredi Jews throwing stones at passing taxis on Shabbat (for those who keep Shabbat, it is a sin to drive). This behavior must stop. It is far from holy.
That said, I also know personally Christian groups that are missionary groups. My old California neighbors, Mike and Maureen, lovely people really, are devout non-denominational evangelical Christians. The last time I was back ‘home’ Mike was telling me of their last Holy Land trip and how he and the others took every opportunity to “witness” to their waiters, tour guides, bus drivers, hotel staff, all the Jewish and Muslim people they encountered along the way to tell them about the love of Jesus and the way of salvation.
I know many of these groups mean well and are acting from their heartfelt beliefs, but in Israel as in other countries, the culture must be respected. You do not witness or evangelize Jews, especially the young. It is just not allowed. In Saudi Arabia one must sign a non-proselytizing agreement as well as a modesty agreement before entering. In going to India, under the Foreigners Act, one signs a contract when getting an entrance visa that he/she will honor the Hindu and Sikh peoples. It is against the law there to proselytize. Here in Israel, the Mormons wanted to build a huge research and media center in Jerusalem (1986). Before they were granted that right by the State of Israel, they had to sign a contract saying they would not send missionaries out in any form to convert the Israeli peoples (Jews, Christians, Muslim or Druze) to the Latter Day Saints faith. It’s just the way it is here. Respect it.
Christian tourism provides our lifeblood here in Israel. We love the Christian pilgrims. Our service industry is geared towards tourism. The Israeli Antiquities Authority are tasked with the privilege of preserving both the Jewish and the Christian archaeological sites, and sites of historical preservation are cared for lovingly. It is part of our shared heritage. All places of worship whether synagogue, church or mosque are considered sacred and not to be touched (unless they are harboring terrorists or serving nefarious purposes).
Late last week, Ambassador Huckabee delivered a harsh warning to the Israeli government. It came out of the blue. He threatened in a letter to the Interior Minister, Moshe Arbel, (letter and response leaked to The Times of Israel) expressing “great distress” and “deep disappointment” over the way Israel handles its tourist visa applications for Christian organizations. (This is NOT every individual Christian tourist, but actual ministries who book large tour groups. This point is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT for Mr. Huckabee to understand). “Unfortunately, if the Israeli government continues to cause bureaucratic harassment, I will have no choice but to instruct our consular department to explore the possibility of reciprocal treatment of Israeli citizens applying for visa to the United States (clarification: this is NOT for US passport holders),” he stated.
The Interior Ministry launched investigation into several Evangelical groups, namely the Baptist Conference and the Christian Missionary Alliance because the trips were less about pilgrimage than evangelization to the Jews. I personally think this rebuke was very harsh of the Ambassador and could have been handled in a more discreet manner, and I also believe an amicable conclusion can be reached. Any visitor will just sign an agreement not to proselytize ‘the natives’ out of respect to the culture while on a trip to Israel.
Now for the headline, the one I am sick about having to report. I in no way want to come out against Catholics. Some of my closest family members and dearest friends and neighbors are Catholic. My bonds with people of the Catholic faith run very deep. Until very recently, I have remained silent. I have spoken extensively about this distressing matter with one of my best friends here in Israel who actually works in association with the Latin Catholic Patriarchate and Greek Orthodox Patriarch. So my information is more than reliable.
Since the onset of the war between Israel and Hamas, since 9 October, 2023, the Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa has been no friend to Israel. My husband and I have met him personally on several occasions and he seems like a genuinely nice man and a good listener (he had expressed interest in our Aliyah experience back when he was just a Bishop). I have interviewed him for an American magazine.
Yesterday, I wrote of how the Christians in ”Palestine” aka Judaea and Samaria and especially in East Jerusalem are surrounded by Muslims. They are inundated with hatred towards the Jews as killers of their Messiah and as occupiers of their indigenous land. The Greek Orthodox stand notoriously against the Jewish people, siding with Hamas, the Palestinian Authority and radical Islamists. On the other side of the coin, many of the religious Jewish people have both a fear and harbor an animosity against Christians, Catholics in particular. I discussed this yesterday. It is a huge fault and rupture here in what is supposed to be the Holy Land, and the City of Peace. And as I said, no country is perfect, and Israel surely has its share of problems and faults…. From all sides.
Cardinal Pizzaball’s closest aides and associates in the clergy come from the antizionism and extreme antisemitic ilk. He is ina political tight spot as he is the head of all Latin Rite Catholic Churches in the Holy Land, Jordan. and Syria, as well as being promoted to other positions of high honor within the church. He is surrounded by those who are not favorable toward the Israeli government or the Jews.
In his correspondence to the late Pope Francis and in his statements to the world, Cardinal Pizzaballa from the beginning has been hostile to Israel and to “the Israeli army.” Unfortunately, he has not called out Hamas or their atrocities. He has failed to recognize the delivering of humanitarian aid or the lengths that the IDF takes in order to prevent civilian casualties in a close-range, densely-packed urban war. Unfortunately, the Cardinal does not seem to recognize the fight between good and evil. Over the past two years (almost), when something bad happens in Gaza (and now in Judaea and Samaria), it is always the fault of Israel. Always. You can read all the press releases as well as see videos and transcripts of church services on lpj.org.
Cardinal Pizzaballa as well as the international media, both rely on the word and the statistics of the Gaza Health Ministry, a propaganda arm of Hamas. They often jump to negative conclusions and are quick to swallow and regurgitate news as it comes from the Islamist perspective. There is no reason, evaluation or investigation into many of the alleged accusations against Israel: a tank firing on Holy Family Church in the winter of 2024; the bombing by the IDF of a Catholic School – which was actually harboring four known Hamas commandos. They were all shot, but sadly the school (St. Joseph) was very badly damaged. No students or staff were present. I covered this last year.
This brings us to the Holy Family Church disaster just last week. To begin with, for weeks prior, the IDF had been calling upon all remaining innocent civilians to leave the area (Shejaya-Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, a mixed Christian and Muslim neighborhood) which had the Greek Orthodox and a Baptist Church as well as a non-denominational church and the LatinRite Catholic church -Holy Family. The parishioners have never heeded the warning to evacuate . It had become an active war zone as announced. The Catholic parishioners and others had taken up shelter in the church as a place of sanctuary.
The Israeli army does no target or single out any place of worship to fire upon. This was suggested by Michael Knowles, Taylor Marshall, Candace Owens and others: that the IDF acts in retaliation or revenge against accusations of settler and IDF violence in “the Israeli occupied territories.” This, in itself, is ludicrous.
I am now going to purposely nitpick in order to show you how quickly a news story develops and how false information is propagated. Please bear with me as it is important to see and understand. Some of the news is true, others false, but nonetheless, there are reports without verification.
First, last Thursday morning, the Holy Family Catholic Church was hit by the IDF. Some news outlets were quick to call it an air strike. Other reputable sources classified it as a drone attack on the church that killed many people seeking refuge inside the church.
Vatican sources reported it, at first as “a raid on the church” then soon after as “the only Catholic Church in the Gaza Strip was hit by a tank this morning.” The news was quick to be disseminated without full knowledge of the facts. The loss of life and damage to the church is horrific and grievous. I am not trying to minimize it. The loss of innocent life is horrible. Three people died from their injuries.
In one of his first press releases, Pizzaballa stated “The Latin Patriarchate strongly condemns this tragedy and targeting (emphasis mine) of innocent civilians and of a sacred place.” This word is nothing short of incendiary. The word targeting carries with it implications that the mortar was fired purposely at the Christians.
emphasis. He also called the strike “humanly and morally unjustified.” In Vatican News Pizzaballa made the statement “What we know for sure is that a tank, the IDF says ‘by mistake’, but we are not sure about this, they hit the church directly, the Church of the Holy Family.” He makes assumptions about the validity of a mistake. This throws doubt on the entire situation and the many comments in the comment section below questioned the morality of the Israeli army and its government. Even more antisemitic vitriol followed in the comments.
Pope Leo also expressed his sympathy…and outrage…of the situation calling for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid/rescue mission. He spoke by phone on Friday with Netanyahu. He was right to call and to voice his “concern about the tragic situation and the urgent need to protect places of worship and, especially, the faithful and all people in Palestine and Israel.” Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his regrets and condolences, saying a thorough look at what led up to the morning’s events and the strike itself was under investigation.
Later, the IDF issued a release stating that there was stray mortar fire from a tank in the area and that it was a complete and tragic accident. Now for a very important clarification. It is a war. And not to make excuses, but to give viable explanations and alternatives, accidents do happen. Earlier last week there was another tragic tank accident in Gaza. 5 Israeli soldiers died inside their tank. They were burned to death, a most horrible way to go. It was first listed as an RPG strike from a Hamas terrorist. On closer inspection (reports are filed with every mission, every shot, every incident) it was discovered that there were no external tears, punctures or ruptures to the outer shell of the tank. The turret somehow misfired, causing the mortar to explode internally. It was an accident. Sometimes, parts don’t work the way they were designed. It is unfortunate, but accidents happen.
In a statement the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported: “An initial inquiry into reports regarding injured individuals in the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, suggests that fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly. The cause of the incident is under review. The IDF directs its strikes solely at military targets and makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures, and regrets any unintentional damage caused to them,” the statement added.
As I have said, any loss of innocent life is a tragedy, but think about this: Israel flew over 300 sorties in Iran in 12 days, hitting every single target. They have bombed Hizbulla strongholds I Lenpbanon, weapons depots in Syria, the Houthi port in Yemen. When Israel strikes a TARGETED area more than likely, they do not miss. If they were actually targeting the church, it would be obliterated today. Daily Mass has been held inside the church and Pizzaballa attended last Sunday’s Mass in Gaza City in solidarity. I’m glad the church was not destroyed (contrary to what Taylor Marshall, michael Knowles and other pundits have said)- the church bells still ring out and the interior is completely intact.
But admissions of regret have not satisfied the grieving Catholic community, which has amplified its calls for a ceasefire. President Trump as well as other world leaders (Italy’s Meloni, UK’s Starmer and Macron of France among other heads of state) called Netanyahu to express their concern and outrage, calling for an immediate”end to all hostilities.” I am reprinting an article that appeared first in The Pillar, a Catholic news outlet. It was then picked up by mainstream media as well as other Christian outlets.
Pope Leo XIV and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem have strongly condemned the shelling Thursday of the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza.
While the Israeli government has said that tank fire on the Gaza parish on July 17 was not deliberate, Cardinal Pierrebattista Pizzaballa has expressed doubts.
Sources close to the patriarchate’s chancery told The Pillar Thursday that some officials believe the strike could be a deliberate act of retaliation, after Christian leaders recently condemned Israeli settler attacks on a West Bank Christian town.
Israel’s foreign ministry said in a social media post that “Israel expresses deep sorrow over the damage to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and over any civilian casualty.”
“The IDF is examining this incident, the circumstances of which are still unclear, and the results of the investigation will be published transparently.”
Israel never targets churches or religious sites and regrets any harm to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians,” the statement said.
But Cardinal Pizzaballa expressed doubt.
“What we know for sure is that a tank, the IDF says by mistake, but we are not sure about this, they hit the church directly, the Church of the Holy Family, the Latin Church.”
“We don’t have complete information about what has happened in Gaza today because the communication in Gaza is not that simple,” the cardinal added.
Sources close to the Patriarchate chancery told The Pillar that internally Church authorities were considering the possibility that the tank attack was a direct response to a recent meeting of Christian leaders in the West Bank town of Taybeh on Monday, and a statement that accused the Israeli authorities of facilitating attacks on local Christians.
Taybeh has been the site of several recent attacks by Israeli settlers on local Christians, including a recent arson attack. In a joint statement during the visit, the cardinal and the Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III said that they “call for these radicals to be held accountable by the Israeli authorities, who facilitate and enable their presence around Taybeh.”
At the very best, giving the Cardinal the benefit of the doubt, this is careless and inflammatory wording. At worst it causes antiIsraeli…namely anti Jewish thought and in turn hatred. It is absolutely reckless to say this even after a report of stray shrapnel and cause as accidental and apologies issued. At worst, and I do dare say this, it is bearing false witness.
A joint conference will be held tomorrow at 11 am with the Cardinal/Patriarchate and Patriarch at Norte Dame Church in Jerusalem at 11:00 am.
One more additional bit of information. I contacted a Catholic priest in Beersheva (closest parish to Gaza) who said that even though some of the wounded went to a hospital within Gaza, “the IDF transported several of the wounded from the church in Gaza City to the hospital in Ashdod to treat them.” The father above and another parishioner from the Beersheva community who speaks Arabic went to visit the wounded in the hospital and to pray with them.” Where else is there an army that takes people from an enemy zone and treats them in their own hospitals, even if they are innocent civilians?
To wrap up, why all this? Why is this important? Because AlJazeera (Qatar) and CAIR among other Islamist organizations have taken this material and pushed it to the global media. They demand accountability and justice from the Israelis. The purpose is to cast doubt in the minds of not only political leaders, but the general public…most notably Christians, who have largely been the largest supporters of Israel outside the Jewish communities. And we see this unfolding at an alarming pace – from Colbert and Kimmel to Benny Johnson and Joe Rogan from Marco Rubio to Maat Gaetz. There’s a lot of false assumptions without digging for truth that are leading to loss of support for Israel and a rise in hatred of the Jewish people.
I know this has been a particularly long (but important) post. I do leave you with this very short, spot-on explanatory video of exactly what is happening. It is by my good friend, Avbi Abelow, who I will be meeting with in person next week.
It looks like the prophecy that Israel will be a nation that stands alone is coming to pass as support is waning and accusations rise.
If you find this informative or just interesting, please share this information with others – friends, neighbors, parishioners, church groups or anyone who seeks the truth. Thank you.
This is the absolute hardest post for me to write. I’ve sat on this subject for over a year and a half now. I hate to make waves. I shun confrontation. I just want to live peacefully, yet I can stay silent no longer. I must face head on the misinformation and downright lies that are pouring from certain media pundits, news outlets and social media influencers, many with huge followings and at least some credibility. It is nothing short of antisemitism veiled under the cover of antizionism and it has become very dangerous.
I know I will upset many people who read this blog. I am pretty sure I will lose some of my subscribers. It is the risk I’m prepared to take. Many of my family and friends in the U.S. are Jewish. I also have very close relatives and very close friends who are Catholic. We enjoy dialogue and intimate friendship. For years in Los Angeles I served on the board of Jewish and Catholic Women United in Dialogue. We had rabbis and priests as our advisory council to help guide us in our communication and understanding of one another’s faiths, cultures and tradition. There was no proselytizing from either side. Deep friendships were formed.
Ever since the 7 October, 2023, and the breach of the Israeli border from Gaza with the rape, torture, murder and kidnapping of innocent men, women and children (not just Jewish people, but Muslims, Christians and foreign workers and exchange students), a deep rift has opened up between many Catholics and Jews. It is a chasm that I hope can be bridged and repaired.
Several Catholic news outlets, media groups which were fair and unbiased, delivering not only church news, but covering international stories, have become completely unbalanced and even unhinged in their coverage of Israel. Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War there has been no mention whatsoever of the fight against good and evil. There has not been any statement that acts of terrorism are wrong. There has been absolutely no condemnation of Hamas, Hizbulla or any other group that not only seek to kill Jewish and Israelis, but hold their own countrymen (the truly innocent Christians) hostage. The stories and editorials have consistently been vehemently anti Zionist regime (a.k.a. Israel, the Jews).
One of the main culprits is LifeSite News. From the very beginning of the war, this once reputable media establishment has become very vocal in its anti Israel reporting. At first, the stories were concerned about the plight of innocent civilians, namely the small Catholic community of the Shejaya neighborhood in Gaza City. They were absolutely correct and upright in their concern over innocent civilians and fellow Catholics trapped in a war zone. However, soon enough, complete fabrications of stories were daily occurrences.
Leading stories include – an IDF tank mortar purposely striking the church; the Christians huddled inside for safety were starving and without electricity and their one small generator would soon have no fuel. Israel intentionally would not allow any humanitarian aid to go through and the parishioners were on the brink of starvation. The IDF assassinated in cold blood a woman parishioner and her mother as they left the church. (Only a partial story: The people were told to remain inside because there would be live fire. The woman was found to be a spotter for Hamas. It was heartbreaking and unfortunate that she was shot. Her daughter had run out to help her and was also shot.) The Holy Family school was completely bombed out by the IDF. (This also was a partial truth. The IDF did bomb, go after and eliminate four high ranking Hamas commanders as they hid inside the school attached to the church. Terrorists used it as a base to fire from, and they refused to come out. There actually was an admission by the Patriarch, and the question begs as to why armed terrorists were allowed to seek a hiding place inside the premises?)
Many of the stories proved highly exaggerated at best. In most cases they were completely fabricated. There were feature stories, op eds and news items every day that vilified the Zionist regime. Life Site News relied on the Gaza Ministry of Health, a propaganda arm of Hamas, the Red Crescent and Al Jazeera for sources. Also often quoted are far far left leaning sources like Politico, Haaretz, the Guardian and Axios. Haaretz is a far left leaning Marxist media outlet in Israel that is always against the current government and leans very pro-Palestinian. At times, “Jewish” sources, such as the fanatical and cultish splinter group, Neutrei Karta are used to bolster their stories. Neutrei Karta claim to be ultra Orthodox Jews who are anti Israel. They align themselves with the Palestinian cause and are often seen in their Hasidic garb while wearing keffiyehs and holding Palestinian flags at New York pro-Palestine rallies. They are not reliable witnesses for the majority of Jews. In fact, they are repudiated by most.
As you can see from just some of these headlines collected over the course of two years, LifeSite News is very inflammatory. Israel and the Jews are seen as controlling the world and they are responsible for the start of World War III with every military action they undertake. In Gaza, the IDF is labeled genocidal and evil. And on more than one occasion Israel has been accused directly of going after the Catholic parishioners of Shejaya. This is libelous and slanderous, and is completely false.
The Catholic Mass from the Holy Family parish is often filmed. Many services are live streamed and are posted to YouTube. The late pope, Francis, would call to speak to the children each night, which was a lovely gesture. But if you look at the service, the church is clean and intact, always with lots of fresh flowers (they have fresh floral arrangements in the middle of the war!). There is a range of young and old, all seemingly well fed and in nice clothes. There is electricity and music. How can one claim starvation, genocide, the killing of innocent civilians, and a bombed church? I am very thankful they all seem to be doing so well. It is actually a testament to the fact that they are not targeted for destruction.
Last week, the leading article picked up in The Loop, (another Catholic daily news outlet and subsidiary of CatholicVote, based in the United States led with the following headline:
“It was a massacre,” one Palestinian man quoted by AP News said, describing how Israeli forces opened fire “even as we were fleeing. Many people were either martyred or wounded.”
Another witness said drones hovered overhead before gunfire broke out, creating a “chaotic and bloody” scene. As he fled, he saw at least three motionless bodies on the ground and many others wounded.
According to AP News, the Awda hospital in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp, which received the victims, confirmed 25 deaths and said 146 others were wounded. It said 62 were in critical condition and transferred to other hospitals.
I immediately researched this claim, and have found the story to be completely fabricated. Originating from the Gaza Health Ministry at a time when Gaza was out of the media spotlight during the Iran War, perhaps this story was floated to bring attention back to the Strip. Listen to Col. Richard Kemp, former commander of the UK Armed Forces. He has been an independent observer of the Israel-Gaza War. Just Saturday he came out with this statement:
I am both disappointed and alarmed that the Loop has become another outlet for Islamic propaganda. Antizionism is veiled antisemitism and news stories should be verified before they are published. This dangerous rhetoric leads to violence. It has happened countless times throughout history and needs to be stopped. America does not have boots on the ground in Israel and the United States will not be sending its children to Israel to die. World War III is not an imminent threat because the limited joint efforts by Israel and the U.S. in Iran stopped the Shiite regime from having nuclear arms.
There has also been much damage done by celebrity pundits. Once a fairly reliable conservative news commentator, Candace Owens, who got her start from Dennis Prager before she moved on to The Daily Wire, now spews forth anti Jewish and antiIsrael vitriol. From “the Jews involved in a global cabal to take over the world;” to genocide and war crimes in Gaza perpetuated by Israel, she has discredited herself countless times with false news and overt exaggerations. Sometimes teamed with podcaster, Nick Fuentes, the pair foment a radically unbalanced Jew hatred. They present themselves as devout traditional Catholics who believe the Catholic Church has replaced any covenant or blessing made by G-d upon the Children of Israel. I am very afraid that this kind of talk will one day, ignite a fanatic or mentally unbalanced person to acts of violence. This is just one video clip of Ms. Owens spouting hateful libels against Jews. She is even worse in her rants against Israel and Netanyahu in particular. I selected this one video out of many because it is short and to the point.
Perhaps the worst of all I have saved for last. He is a prolific author and Catholic apologist. Founder of the very based and reputable New Saint Thomas Institute for online Catholic education, Dr. Taylor Marshall in just the past year has become one of the most vitriolic antisemitic people on social media. Dr. Marshall enjoys an extremely wide following, and has several paid sponsorships for his programs, which can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Rumble and YouTube.
The United States is already becoming increasingly divided in a dangerous way. Actual facts can be twisted in such a way to make conspiracy theories appealing. Dr. Marshall’s latest videos have included a dissection of the recent debate between Tucker Carlson and Sen. Ted Cruz. The debate itself is incredibly cringe and uncomfortable to watch. Two former friends have now become now hostile. No love. No peace. No understanding. Just gotcha moments, all of which are anti Israel. And Dr. Marshall lavishes in it. You can watch it on YouTube. His discussion is from his own Catholic perspective. It is against both Protestant Christianity as well as Judaism as he explains the Catholic Church has taken the place of the ‘perfidious branches that were cut off to be thrown into the fire.”
I have listened to several of his programs. A Catholic friend in California sends them to me and asks my opinion. “Is this what Jews believe?” It has been years since I have heard the terms ‘perfidious Jews’ and ‘synagogue of satan.’ His videos include the likes of “Why Christian Zionism is a Dangerous Heresy,” “How a FOREIGN Country CAPTURED American CHRISTIANS,” and “1948 Israel.”
The latest video from Dr Marshall, out just yesterday, begins: “What if I were to tell you, this man, with the Hebrew tattoo around his neck was planning to kill 14 Christian pastors and. Catholic priests?” What a lead in!! In fact, the mentally unstable murderer, Adam Sheaf, is not at all Jewish. No observant Jew would even write the holy name of G-d, in English, Hebrew or any other language, much less as a tattoo on their body. The killer was a lunatic, but Marshall stirs up fears in his mostly Catholic audience, telling them to “stay vigilant in this time of escalating evil“ and to “guard themselves against members of the synagogue of satan who have ill motives against us.”
In 1965, the Catholic Church produced a document, Nostra Aetate, which was a profound statement on the relationship between the Church and the Jewish people. It acknowledges the passages of Scripture that “the gifts and callings of G-d are without repentance,” in other words, they stand the test of time. When G-d makes a covenant with a people, it is eternal. It is irrevocable, not replaceable. Therefore, by definition, the covenants made (Adamic, Noahide, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic) to the Children of Israel are binding and eternal.
In a short history of the reparation of the breach between the Church and the Jews, Pope John XXIII, in 1963 wrote a (nondogmatic) letter to the Catholic Church that set the stage for reconciliation.
We are conscious today that many many centuries of blindness have cloaked our eyes so that we can no longer either see the beauty of Thy Chosen People nor recognize in their faces the features of our privileged brethren. We realize that the mark of Cain stands upon our foreheads. Across the centuries our brother Abel has lain in the blood which we drew or shed the tears we caused by forgetting Thy Love. Forgive us for the curse we falsely attached to their name as Jews. Forgive us for crucifying Thee a second time in their flesh. For we knew not what we did
In ‘65 Nostra Aetate came out as an offshoot of Vatican II. It led to great interreligious dialogue and understanding between the two faiths. When Pope John Paul II became the successor to the Chair of Peter, he called the Jewish people “our elder brothers in faith.” He visited the Great Synagogue in Rome and also Jerusalem (the Western Wall) among other places as a sign of friendship and admiration. His successor, Pope Benedict XIV also worked to repair the breach between brothers.
Entire university departments were set up to foster Jewish-Catholic Studies and Dialogue. Professors of Yeshiva co-taught with Catholic priests (One of my daughters received her Bachelors in this area). Great Jewish theologians and Catholic apologists studied together and co-authored books. It was a great era of reparation. In a spiritual sense, Jacob and Esau were coming together in mutual respect and understanding.
When there are great advancements, there come greater divisions to tear down what was being built. I will not go into the history of the State of Israel, but from its return on the timeline, there have been those that have been opposed to its establishment and its continuance. From the first wave of Jewish immigrants to their ancient Biblical homeland (as covenanted by G-d), there has been stiff opposition, most notably by radical Islamists. And unfortunately today, by some Catholics. I know this does not include most Catholics, but I do feel I must point this out because the voices are seeming to grow louder in their intensity and frequency.
Time and time again, the tiny nation of Israel faced existential threats from invading countries. They developed a sound and strong army to defend themselves against the Arab nations. A democracy was set up, allowing not only the Jews, but Christians, Muslims, Druze, Baha’i, and Circassians full citizenship with all the rights that accompany it. And still, there were naysayers that arose. People that for whatever reason, twisted facts. People and institutions that stood in opposition to the idea of the Jewish State-
There is a nefarious spirit out there that seeks to divide and destroy. Whether through the written word or the twisting of the truth. This spirit will not seek out facts. It will not make a distinction between good and evil, right and wrong. It seeks to divide allies. To come between friends. Division creates weakness in a society.
Let us strive to come together. Let us, and I’m speaking to all members of the Judaeo-Christian faiths, seek to find our commonalities, because we truly are on the same side. There is strength in unity. Let us seek to resolve our differences, seek out the common truths we all hold dear. Let us strive for the higher ground together and stand united against that spirit of destructiveness.
We’re fine. really. Despite little sleep. Despite bouts of surfing the news. Meditating and praying. Watching Mission Impossible 2 and The Dictator for diversion. Despite running to bomb shelters and hearing the loud booms and rumblings of thunder which is how we know there’s been a direct hit – when the floor below shakes for minutes.
The game changed a bit last week, when we realized Iran had kept the Big Boy Toys for themselves. Those hypersonic. Those cluster bomb missiles that create menacing ripples in the sky. That fly under the defense system. That sneak through and hit civilian targets. These are not your friendly Hamas or Hizbulla rockets. Oh no. They are something entirely different with the capacity to flatten city blocks and kill thousands.
But we’re fine. Really. We’ve seen open miracles. The IAF knocking out the entire air defense of the giant in less than 72 hours. The elimination of evil players – a Roayal Flush in the IRGC deck of cards. We’ve called their bluff. Militarily, we have proven our superiority, our determination, our resolve, our courage and our faith that we do not go it alone, but with the hand of G-d to lead us to victory. So we are just fine.
We have seen hospital buildings evacuated just hours before a strike. We are witnessing the Israelis taking the call to shelter seriously. We now know to run to a protected area is to save a life. Although every loss is a tragedy, Israel has a remarkably low fatality rate – less than 30 civilians have been killed thus far since we struck Iran. Missiles have crashed into homes and stuck in the roof without exploding. Babies have been rescued intact from the rubble. People reunited with missing pets they thought killed. Huge pieces of shrapnel fallen from the sky only to land at a front doorstep or side yard. We are doing well. To live in Israel is to believe in miracles.
A home in central Israel this morning
Friday a huge ICBM stuck downtown Haifa. The few people who were out sought cover for the most part. Two mosques down the street from each other along with a recently abandoned building were demolished. An imam was injured. Also a woman who suffered a heart attack due to the siren. And one other person. We could see the smoke rising from our balcony. We knew from the sound of impact it was bad. But we are doing fine.
An IRGC missile on its way to Israel, missed its intended target. Instead, it struck a Syrian oil facility. Another lucky hit, I guess. Most of the ICBMs that have gotten through have landed in empty space. Another lucky miss, I guess. You spend 4 hours trying to find a vacant parking space in central Israel, but the bombs? We’re really doing okay here. A little overwhelmed, a lot exhausted, but we are fine. Really.
Today we woke up to another early alarm. It was a large barrage accompanied by the news of Trump and the US aid the military gave to strike the nuclear powerhouses that we couldn’t reach. I’m actually really glad that threat has been neutralized and pray it will not lead to anything larger. In the meantime,
I appreciate most of the letters I’ve been getting. And those videos. So many videos. Yes I did see the Tucker Carlson kumzits with Ted Cruz. I’ve begun to watch at least some of the homilies you’ve sent me from your pastors. I can assure you. Things are well. They are well. With our souls. John said to tell you we have a large rooftop balcony with patio furniture and ice chest filled with drinks and snacks. We have a front row view of Armageddon which is 18 miles as the crow falls. We are not afraid. We are fine. Really.
As far as missions work. Aid to infants, widows and the still starving, still poor, still innocent victims in Gaza. I assure you. We neither can nor will travel there to help with humanitarian aid. Seriously. There’s much to be done here in Israel. Many ways to help and to be involved. Neither John nor I desire to join a resistance movement protesting the current situation. We will not drive to Jerusalem. We will not drive to Tel Aviv. We will not hold placards to stop the war. We will not take our voices to Bibi’s residence. We are doing just fine where we are. We actually think our u irked government has navigated the entire situation masterfully. We are in good hands.
Yes. Blessed are the peacemakers. Make love, not war. We truly desire peace. Here at home. Here in the Middle East. Throughout the entire world. But there are just wars and we have just collectively cut the head off the viper. Yes. Blessed are those who can forgive their enemies. Forgive the snarkiness, but no one from Hamas, Hizbulla, Houthieville or Iran has called me offering a sincere apology for the years of terror and bald faced threats to kill me and my countrymen on both sides of the globe. I carry no grudge with the people of Iran. I hope the people can be liberated from their evil oppressors and we can resume friendly relations again. We are good with that. We just want peace and to resume our normal routines.
For the ones who are “just absolutely scared to death for you!” Thank you for your concern. If you have ever lived in Israel, you know that we value, cherish and love life. It is a precious and fleeting gift. We do not take ur blessings for granted. And we live every minute as it is our last. Every moment counts. We are not afraid. Exhausted. Overstimulated. A bit anxious even. But not scared to death. We have a firm belief that our lives are in G-d’s hands, and that is not a bad place to be. So stop your doomscrolling social media and listening to the fear mongering of divisive media outlets. Pray. Do good deeds for others today. Pick 3 things to do that will be a blessing each day. But don’t be scared to death. We are fine. We will be fine.
And for those wanting to know what we think about the Final Battle. As my tzaddik of a husband repeats, “It’s all in G-d’s hands. Whatever is supposed to happen will happen and we cannot stop it. He who made all things can turn the worst possible scenario into the miraculous, into blessings. We just need to believe. And pray. And walk in love.” Then we will be fine. Really.
Now if I can just stay away from the bag of chips and get a shower and some sleep….I’ll be fine. Really.
I hope I’ve not offended my subscribers, my old high school fellow students or past neighbors. After I hydrate, get some protein and a few winks, I’ll be back to my old reporting. In the meantime, we’re okay. Really truly-
An IDF sapper this morning carries an unexploded missile out of a house in Haifa
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!
Israel Dreams 