OVENS OR WHY HISTORY MATTERS

Recently a religious newpaper disclosed the location of a Jewish owned cremation facility in Israel. The crematorium was burnt down. However MKs have lined seeking legislation on either side of matter.

The presence of or even a debate over cremation in Eretz Yisrael should shock the conscience. An oven for dead Jews has no place in the Jewish State. It is amazing that some survivors’ organization has not yet found an advocate and filed a petition with the Supreme Court to close down and collect damages from the Crematorium’s owners.

With all due respect to the MKs from both Meretz and Shas this is not merely a religious or civil rights issue, not in Israel. Being contrary to Jewish Law only makes cremation a new frontier in Israel’s on going Secular/Religious kulturkampf. However, failure to recognize this facility as evoking the specter of the Shoah speaks volumes on even a more fundamental plane. Tolerance of cremation in Israel lessens the sense of outrage the depraved cruelty of the Final Solution should arouse. A public sentiment that Putting people in ovens is OK is a foreseeable result especially with the ever decreasing numbers of eye witnesses to these crimes against humanity. Imagine the irony the image of a Jewish operated crematorium in the Jewish homeland! Similarly, only addressing cremation to a civil right should be a warning sign of what happens when a people’s educational and philosophical orientation promotes estrangement from its history and heritage. President Peres this why history matters.

POWERFUL WORDS

Dr. Wiess' response to the commander and his statements were a cry of pain in the face of an intolerable scene. However, what the Professor said was personal, and merely speech.How an expression of an opinion with nothing more, not even encouraging others to do more be actionable in a country that values free speech? If the general is offended by Dr Weiss's words but why not the Arab MK who declared Jews have no right to Jerusalem?
Any retaliation against the Dr. Weiss offends any concept of free speach which is sacred to a democracy. Even though Prof. Weiss should not have said such horrible things to another Jew the consequences of Prof. Weiss' actions are for G-D to deal with and man/

However, the positive spin is the voices raised in protest display an acknowledgement of the statements' potency and the G-D of Israel who invested those words of scripture with their power. Even an errant Jew cannot deny who they are believers the sons believers.

May the spark of sincere Jewish connection with G-D grow from a flicker to a full flame of Torah's eternal message.

If I were an Open Minded Leftist,

Out of the gate Jews belong in Hebron even moreso than other places in Judea and Samaria. The oldest recorded real estate transaction is Avraham Avinu’s purchase of the Machpaleh cave and field (Bereshith 23:17). The continued presence of Jews within Hebron gives the city the status along with Jerusalem, Safed and Tiberius as one the “Four lands of Life” [Arba Artzut Hachaim].

However, what if one was ignorant of all that? True, the city at present is mostly Arab and it seems the Jews living there are inserting themselves where they are not wanted. Therefore, the settlers’ dedication and determination and those of their sympathizers to risk arrest and violence is at best a riddle.

Yet, when the Government can’t pay holocaust survivors more than 83 NIS a month but can finance 3,000 soldiers, police, vehicles and other supports materials to remove some one hundred persons from the Hebron marketplace?

Mr. Olmert cannot get rid of the missiles sent to Sederot nor is he able to fund shielding even only for Sederot’s public buildings but can finance 3,000 soldiers, police, vehicles and other supports materials to remove some one hundred persons from the Hebron marketplace?

The Health Ministry does not have the funds for a comprehensive basket of childhood vaccines claim Israeli Doctors can finance 3,000 soldiers, police, vehicles and other supports materials to remove some one hundred persons from the Hebron marketplace?

During the 2006 election campaign it was asserted that one out of three Israeli children lived below the poverty line, this problem remains but the funds are available for 3,000 soldiers, police, vehicles and other supports materials to remove some one hundred persons from the Hebron marketplace?

The former residents of Gush Katif for the most part have not been reintegrated within Israel’s society or economy but the government can finance 3,000 soldiers, police, vehicles and other supports materials to remove some one hundred persons from the Hebron marketplace? This exercise is being touted as the beginning of relocating the majority of 250,000 Jews of Judea and Samaria !!

What are the government’s priorities?
As it is so often the Question contains the Answer. Clearly, Jews who assert the Jewish nature of the land, its connection with its Biblical roots threaten Olmert, Barak, Tamir et al more than any arab could. An orange nationalist Jew stands in the way of a secular Israel as a country of it s citizens.

Why are Israel’s leaders pre-occupied with securing a “right to exist”? Why does there seem to be no concession too painful to PM Olmert or President Peres agree to? Why should anyone care where anyone else lives? Why is a leader without any significant public support charting the course for the state’s future?

The sycophantic need of Israel’s leadership/far left /peace now et al for others’ approval for a sense of self worth is reminiscent of those pathetic Jews of the 1930’s, 40’s, 50’s who gladly jettisoned any vestige of Jewish identity either religious or ethnic in pursuit of acceptance in general society. Their sad conclusion would be very often remorse that they or their children were estranged from their heritage and not fully welcomed by the Von Shaygetzes at the Country Club.

Even if one came from a non-nationalist point of view these questions should take center stage. Similarly, what motivates the settlers and their supporters to risk arrest, prison a criminal record and possible injury?

Additionally, while a soldier’s duty to follow orders is of paramount importance. A soldier’s second guessing commanders may have disastrous results since the soldier on the ground may not have the big picture intelligence available to command. However, when soldiers’ conduct even under combat conditions carry the potential for personal liability blindly following orders is a luxury that is no longer viable. So to set troops even police against civilians would imply either these troops actually agree with the policy being carried out or have been psychologically manipulated to loose whatever part of the brain that makes moral judgments.

All in all the evacuation from Hebron’s marketplace should be turning point, for morality, real self esteem, national pride and purpose.

WHO DEFINES WHO YOU ARE?

Mr. Olmert with his mandate of 3% support is negotiating a declaration of principles for final status issues in the Israel-Arab conflict with Abu Mazen,who has lost control over Gaza and remains in power only through the support of Washington and to a lesser degree Olmert himself.The Final status of borders, Jerusalem, resettlement of Jews from Yesha(after all Israel did so well relocating the 8,500 folks from Gush Katif imagine how well it will do with 250,000!)and the contiguity between Gaza and Yehuda/Shomron etc . . .is going to be left to these two?

Is there anything that would motivate Arab compromise or concession to Israel? Please understand not engaging in and policing against terrorism, struggleism or jihad is not a concession or compromise, this is the minimal behavior expected from a responsible government.

Is there a demand to which Olmert will not acquiesce? Is there price for peace that the people of Israel will be unwilling to allow their government to pay on their behalf?

To consider the present as a Historic Opportunity for Peace is so profoundly out of touch as to call in to question Secretary Rice's grasp of reality. Dr. Rice to proclaim Israel's future lies in the Galil and Negev and not Yehudah and Shomron demonstrates at best embracing the leftist Post-Zionist/Post-Nationalist philosophy espoused by PM Olmert and President Peres. Or at worst a slap in the face of all the generations of Jews who wept for Temple's destruction and exile on Tisha B'Av or punctuated Yom Kippur or Passover Seder with the desire/prayer that "NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM". Jerusalem,Judea and Shomron as well as Gaza are part of my legacy as a Jew. These places connect me to both the past and future. Heritage offers context for where one has come and offers direction where to go from here.

Olmert's Israel (3%)needs Abu Mazen and Washington's blessing to claim a right to exist. The Other Israel(97%)exists because of their Heritage, because of the Mothers and Fathers buried in Hevron, for Mother Rachel in Beit Lechem, because of generations of ancestors who looked three times daily in prayer towards Zion. These are not mere ghosts but the wellspring of Jewry's identity,pride, self esteem and
D-vinely ordained mandate. Even if one is not personally observant where does one's sense of self? from within or without?

To paraphrase Hillel in Pirkei Avot "If I,myself do not define who I am than who will? And if others define me than who am I? . . . ." How fascinating one's arrogance can obscure such a simple fact. Can the ship of state remain in such hands unless as a D-vine message to illustrate there is no logic outside faith in Hashem and His Torah.