New York City wasn't the only place in which the treatment of Israel at the United Nations was under discussion recently.
On Sunday evening, September 25, 2011, Penn Friends of Israel and the International Affairs Association hosted Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, at Houston Hall on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
UN Watch is a non-governmental organization the goal of which is to measure the performance of the UN according to its founding mission. Neuer's topic was, "From Eleanor Roosevelt to Qaddafi: An Insider's Account of the Rise and Fall of Human Rights at the U.N."
I begin with a belated beracha: "Shehechiyanu v'kimanu lazman hazeh," giving thanks to God that I lived long enough to attend an AIPAC Policy Conference.
When in the long history of the Jewish people has it been possible for 13,000 Jews to gather together in peace, for our own purposes and to exercise our natural right as citizens to present our concerns to the representatives of our government? 2,000 years of Jewish lives would call this a miracle. It is the miracle of America and we should not take it for granted.
Before I share any other highlights from the conference, let me describe one in particular that could equally justify my saying the beracha. The opportunity to be in the same hall with Shimon Perez was unforgettable. To stand and applaud a man who stood next to David Ben-Gurion in the founding of the State of Israel, to re-live imaginatively the transformations that he has lived and from Polish refugee, to Kibbutznik, to soldier in the War of Independence, to political leader, Defense Minister, Foreign Minister, Prime Minister, architect of peace even when it fails, committed to strength for the purpose of achieving peace — I felt like I was given the opportunity to listen to George Washington, but a George Washington whose rabbi grandfather, at the train station when he left Poland for Palestine, whispered in his ear: "Be Jewish." He never saw his grandfather again. His grandfather was locked in his shtetl's synagogue with the rest of his congregation and the synagogue was burned to the ground. President Perez made it clear that "being Jewish," articulating through his love and devotion to Israel those values that define what is means to be Jewish, has been his life's work and is our life's work. Whether via an Israeli national identity or an American national identity, "being Jewish" is the transcendent theme of a Jewish life.
On 28 April, the fifth largest supermarket chain in Britain, the Co-operative Group, voted to stop trading with Israeli companies that source some of their products from Jewish settlements in the West Bank. It is the first British supermarket chain to do so.
For those of us who oppose boycotts targetting the Jewish state, it is easy to dismiss this as irrelevant. After all, it's not like the Co-op voted to ban all Israeli products. In fact the Co-op went out of their way to say precisely that. They're not boycotting Israel, they said. They're just boycotting "companies that profit from the occupation".
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs' 14 national member agencies and 125 Community Relations Councils debated and adopted five resolutions expressing the consensus view of the American Jewish community at the JCPA's annual Plenum in Detroit. The resolutions deal with anti-Semitism on campuses, collective bargaining, education equity, gender segregation in Israel, and hydrofracking for natural gas and oil.
Countering Anti-Israel and Anti-Semitic Activity on Campus This resolution calls for education about and support for the "important remedy" that is now available under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and calls on campus leaders to do more to make students safe. It embraces a range of responses to hostile campus atmospheres including dialogue, education, and legal remedies.
Collective Bargaining This resolution continues longstanding support for collective bargaining for public employees and opposes efforts to narrow or eliminate it.
Equal Education Opportunity This resolution addresses inequity in educational opportunity in public schools. This resolution calls for research, education, and community attention directed to closing the achievement gap in our nation's public schools and heightening awareness of this issue on the national Jewish agenda.
Gender Segregation in Public Spaces in Israel This resolution was ultimately supported by the National Council of Jewish Women along with the Conservative, Reconstructionist, Reform, and Orthodox Jewish movements. It states that enforced gender segregation in secular public spaces is inconsistent with Israel's founding principles of equality and, at the same time, that there may be circumstances where accommodation of gender segregation may be appropriate such as the consideration of religious and cultural sensitivities in the delivery of municipal services
Hydrofracking This resolution addresses natural gas and oil extraction by the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as hydrofracking. The resolution calls for studies, disclosure, safeguards, and oversight.
Yesterday, President Barack Obama joined with the sweeping majority of American Jews in supporting marriage equality for all Americans. Leading Jewish organizations including the NJDC lauded the President's show of support.
"To put it plainly, the vast majority of American Jews are behind the President in support of marriage equality," commented NJDC President and CEO David A. Harris. "In recent decades, many of our community's mainstream institutions have worked to welcome and include gays and lesbians-to the point where it is now a widely accepted norm, with certain Jewish clergy routinely performing same-sex marriages. But perhaps most notably, the recent poll released by the Public Religion Research institute found that at least 81% of American Jews support marriage equality — showing that grassroots American Jewry, our communal institutions, and now the President are united on this important civil rights issue."
A roundup of their statements appears below.
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
We enthusiastically welcome President Obama's endorsement today of marriage equality for all couples. History will regard his affirmation of this core right for the LGBT community as a key moment in the advance of civil rights in America. ... Civil marriage has historically connoted social acceptance and the recognition of not just a legal relationship between two individuals, but as the Supreme Court has recognized, is 'the most important relation in life' (Maynard v. Hill); it is 'a coming together for better or for worse, hopefully enduring, and intimate to the degree of being sacred' (Griswold v. Connecticut). These rights are due no less to same sex couples than heterosexual ones, as the President's comments today acknowledge....
The support of the President on this issue is particularly meaningful to us as Jews. Our holy texts teach us that all people are created b'tselem Elohim (in the Divine image) (Gen. 1:27), and as such are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. We are inspired by our faith and history to stand up for the rights of LGBT Americans, including civil marriage, for we have known the experience of being victims of group hatred, persecution, and discrimination. We feel a keen empathy for those who are still be victimized, deprived of opportunities, and discriminated against because of who they are.
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
We are gratified to know that President Obama has said publicly what so many of us have known for some time — that civil marriage is a basic civil right. It should not be denied to anyone. We stand firm in our belief that civil marriage, which is not bound by halacha [Jewish law] but conveys many civil rights and privileges, should be open to all. That comes from our belief that human beings are created b'tzelem Elohim — in God's image — and therefore have an inherent dignity.
Keshet, which works to "ensure that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Jews are fully included in all parts of the Jewish community" sent the tweet on the right.
This Mother's Day Give the Gift that Lasts A Lifetime
This Mother's Day, honor the women in your life with a living tribute — one that will last longer than the traditional bouquet of flowers. Help replant the trees lost last year in Israel.
Reprinted courtesy of Yaakov (Dry Bones) Kirschen www.DryBonesBlog.blogspot.com.
— by Yaakov Kirschen Today's Golden Oldie is from the Lag Ba'Omer holiday back in 1999. I'm running it today because tonight we'll be celebrating the bon-fire holiday.
Back then we were having an election and Mr. Shuldig had saved all the campaign literature for burning. This year we're also having an election but it hasn't quite started and it's too early to have a stock of campaign leaflets to burn yet.
Vice President Joe Biden addressed the Rabbinical Assembly National Convention today, in Atlanta, and spoke on issues such as the U.S-Israel relationship, the military cooperation between the two countries and the Obama Administration's commitment to Israel's security.
In his speech, Vice President Biden also expressed his concern about the State of Israel and the international assault attempting to delegitimize Israel as a Jewish state, saying, "I'm more worried about Israel today than I have been any time in my career, because it's a different struggle."
Israel's Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren
Israel was the featured nation at the Equality Forum, a worldwide LGBT rights conference based in Philadelphia, in May 3-6, 2012.
The forum began with a VIP kickoff reception held at the Gershman Y, Broad and Pine streets. In the lobby of the Gershman, the works of Israeli photographer David Adika were displayed, as part of the 13th Annual Gay and Lesbian Art Exhibit. Titled Equator, Adika's photographs were displayed on the north, east south, and west sides of the lobby, representing similar regions in Israel.
Over the weekend, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough spoke in front of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Weinberg Founders Conference. McDonough covered a wide range of topics regarding the Middle East, but spent a significant amount of time discussing the United States' special relationship with Israel.
Have you ever wondered what people talk about in a bomb shelter during a war? I found out in 1973. The Yom Kippur War was raging around me. My father was away, fighting on the Syrian front. In the middle of the night, the air raid sirens were sounded. My mother, brother, and I stumbled down the stairs to the bomb shelter of our building. Our neighbors were having a tempestuous discussion about the stupidity of the design of our air raid retreat. One neighbor had the last word when he commented, "even if we survive a direct hit, our building's propane tank is here with us. It will explode, killing us instantly!" I sat with them, watching over my infant brother and thinking about my dad. We had no way to communicate with him. I also thought about another neighbor who was on the front, a fighter pilot. The next day we got the terrible news: our fighter pilot had been shot down. He was killed in action. His father, Albert, owned the grocery store on our street. I adored Albert! One month later, his grocery store was locked, and a notice had been glued to the door. Albert had died. "Of a broken heart," I was told. "Once his son died, he had nothing to live for anymore." At that moment, my five-year-old heart shattered as well. I never forgot Albert or his brave son. A few months later the Yom Kippur War ended, and my family was sent to Venezuela.
For the past several days, the United Methodist Church has been meeting in Tampa, Florida for its General Convention that is held every four years. At this convention, the delegates approved a resolution calling for a boycott of Israeli products made in the West Bank.
The assembly also rejected a resolution that would require the denomination's Board of Pensions and Health Benefits to sell its stock in three companies that do business with Israel — Caterpillar, Hewlett Packard and Motorola.
Yesterday's video of processeds regarding these two resolutions:
The defeat of the divestment proposal was a bitter pill to swallow for many of the activists that descended on the UMC's General Convention. Jewish Voice for Peace was out in force at the assembly, as were a number of anti-Israel activists from inside the denomination.
As is to be expected at the national assembly of any mainline church in the United States, the proceedings bespoke of a monomaniacal obsession on the alleged sins of the Jewish state and absolute silence about the misdeeds of other countries in the region.
Search the legislation before the assembly for resolutions regarding Coptic Christians in Egypt or Assyrians in Iraq and you will find nothing.
One of the more outrageous moments of the assembly took place after it became apparent that the proposal to demand that the UMC sell stock in the three companies mentioned above was not going to pass. A woman who introduced herself as Margaret Novak said the following to the gathered assembly:
I would just ask us all to imagine we were United Methodists in the 1930s and 40s [and] that our Board of Pensions held stock in the very successful manufacturing firms in Germany that bid and received the bids to manufacture the ovens for the concentration camps. At what point would we decide it was time to divest? How much evidence would we ask for before it was time to stop the wholesale destruction of people?
The moderator did not call her out of order, but merely asked if her speech was for or against the non-divestment resolution then before the assembly. (She was against.)
Margaret Novak compared Israeli policies in the West Bank to the destruction of Jews in Europe. She made this statement in front of several hundred people and the moderator of the assembly let her statement pass unchallenged.
Israeli para-athlete Moran Samuel won an international rowing competition in Gavirate, Italy. The organizers weren't expecting her to win, so they hadn't bothered to secure a recording of the Israeli national anthem, "Hatkivah." When Samuel found out there would be no anthem played when she was on the podium, she asked for the mic and started singing herself.
Ben-Zion Netanyahu died today at the age of 102. He was the father of current Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (1949-); Entebbe-raide here Lt. Colonel Yonatan Netanyahu (1946-1976); and Israeli physician, author, playwright Iddo Netanyahu (1952-). Benzion was born in Warsaw and made aliyah in 1920 and studied history at the Hebrew University. His younger brother, mathematician Elisha Netanyahu, also studied at the Hebrew University, and later became the Dean of Sciences at the Technion. (Elisha's son Nathan is a distinguished professor of Computer Science at Bar-Ilan and Elisha's wife Shoshana is a former Israeli Supreme Court Justice.)
Benzion was an active Zionist writer in Palestine editing Betar and then Ha-Yarden until the paper was closed by the British. He traveled to New York where he was the secretary to Ze'ev Jabotinsky and then executive directory of the New Zionist Organization of America. He obtained his Ph.D. from Dropsie College in Philadelphia.
He returned to Israel after 1948 and edited the Encyclopedia Hebraica. He returned to work in academia in the United States becoming the chairman of the department of Hebrew language and literature at Dropsie College. Later he taught at the University of Denver and Cornell University. He finally returned to Israel in 1976 following the death of his son Yonatan leading the daring Entebbe hostage rescue on July 4, 1976.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Prime Minister and the Netanyahu family. May Ben-Zion Netanyahu's memory always serve as a blessing.
A Green Kippah, a film directed and produced by Philadelphia's Sally Mitlas, was aired numerous times throughout Yom HaZikron on Israel's Channel 10.
This moving documentary, originally created for Philadelphia's 2011 Yom HaZikron ceremony, chronicles the lives and tragic death of three Pennsylvania Jews: David Solomonov (z"l), Rita Levine (z"l) and Michael Levin (z"l).
All three heroes died in the prime of their lives — through an act of terror, a sniper's bullet and defending Israel's border — reminding us that when Israel loses a son or daughter, it is felt by every Jew around the world.
Following the Channel 10 screenings, Sally received a flood of emails from Israelis who were moved by the documentary. One said
I have just finished watching the movie Green Kippah on Israeli television. I would like to thank you for sharing these stories with us. It is because of families like you, who have a deep love for Israel, that all of us can have quiet peaceful lives. My heart and love is with you...
A Green Kippah was screened at many memorial ceremonies and educational programs across our region (and in the U.S.) including locally at Drexel University, Kohelet Yeshiva High School, and Politz Hebrew Academy.
An addition to this year's Israeli Film Festival of Philadelphia was a showing of the 2007 film, The Band's Visit, followed by a Q&A with the director, Eran Kolirin. It was held on April 15 at the new home of the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr.
The film is a bittersweet account of what happens when the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra mistakenly heads to the remote fictional desert town of Bet Hatikva, where there is no Arab Cultural Center ("no Arab Cultural Center, no Israeli culture, no culture") to stage their concert performance. They are stranded there, with little Israeli money, until the inter-city bus arrives the next day. Despite the tension between their two countries, they're greeted with a range of generous and grudging hospitality.
Biden: "No president since Truman has done more for Israel than Obama."
— by Max Samis
Speaking at New York University, Vice President Joe Biden gave an address on President Barack Obama's foreign policy successes that directly refuted many of the claims made by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. According to Biden, Romney has a "profound misunderstanding" of the role of Commander-in-Chief and a clear record of "distorting" the President's record. Beth Fouhy of the Associated Press wrote:
In a campaign speech delivered at New York University Law School, Biden laid out a robust defense of President Barack Obama's foreign policy record while eviscerating Romney for lacking vision and for 'distorting' Obama's record in a way that has been counterproductive to U.S. interests.
'If you're looking for a bumper sticker to sum up how President Obama has handled what we inherited, it's pretty simple: Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive,' Biden said, saying Obama's decisions on both foreign and domestic policy had made the U.S. safer.
Biden cast the former Massachusetts governor as an inexperienced foreign policy thinker who would delegate decisions to staff and advisers. He also hit Romney on his reputation for flip-flopping on issues.
'We know when the governor does venture a position it's a safe bet that he previously took or will take an exactly opposite position,' Biden said, noting that Romney had originally supported setting a time frame for pulling U.S. troops from Afghanistan only to later criticize Obama's plan to do so by the end of 2014.
Biden repeatedly used Romney's own words against him, such as when Romney downplayed the significance of capturing Osama bin Laden during Romney's 2008 presidential bid and, more recently, when Romney said Russia was the United States' gravest geopolitical foe.
'As my brother would say, "Go figure,"' Biden said to laughs.
Biden made special note of Obama's commitment to Israel's safety and security, accusing Romney of twisting the president's positions. Fouhy wrote:
On Israel, Biden said Obama has stood firm in support of the Jewish state - often alone and facing criticism from other allies. He noted that Romney had accused Obama of 'throwing Israel under the bus.'
'The governor is falling back on one of his party's favorite tricks of late - distort and mischaracterize your opponent's position. Keep repeating the distortions and mischaracterizations over and over again,' Biden said.
Biden also criticized Romney's positions on Iran, firmly stating that the governor continues to attack the president without offering any difference in opinion or strategy. Fouhy wrote:
On Iran, Biden said Romney's call for crippling sanctions and a U.S. military presence in the Persian Gulf to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon simply mirrored Obama's approach.
'The only step we could take that we aren't already taking is to launch a war against Iran. If that's what Gov. Romney means by a "very different policy," he should tell the American people,' Biden said.
Above left: The remembrance ceremony at Jerusalem's Western Wall honoring Israel's 22,993 victims of war and terrorism.
Above right: Cartoon courtesy of Yaakov (Dry Bones) Kirschen www.DryBonesBlog. blogspot.com. Letter from US President Barack Obama to Israeli President Shimon Peres
Dear Mr. President:
On the 64th anniversary of Israel's independence on April 26, I wish to extend warmest regards and congratulations on behalf of the American people.
Based on shared values and interests, the bonds between our two countries are deep and strong. In a time of momentous change, the United States remains steadfast in its commitment to Israel's security and a comprehensive peace in the region.
As we work together to pursue common goals and meet shared challenges, I wish the State of Israel continued prosperity and a peaceful future.
The Guardian: "Jerusalem is not the Capital of Israel, Tel Aviv is"
CAMERA and many others routinely expose the subterfuge at the heart of The Guardian's coverage of Israel. This deceit was clearly demonstrated in a correction issued for a photo caption appearing on April 20 which inadvertently revealed that Jerusalem was the capital of Israel.
The caption on a photograph featuring passengers on a tram in Jerusalem observing a two-minute silence for Yom HaShoah, a day of remembrance for the 6 million Jews who died in the Holocaust, wrongly referred to the city as the Israeli capital. The Guardian style guide states: "Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel; Tel Aviv is".
Israel's Knesset and government resides in Jerusalem. That is a material fact. The Guardian could have remained consistent with its hostile stance towards Israel by stating that the paper does not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. But to deny reality by stating that Tel Aviv is the capital, when it demonstrably is not, provides an example of a news source allowing dogma to overrule physical reality. It is even more ironic that the photo caption dealt with the Holocaust, an incontrovertible reality subject to denial by individuals inimically hostile to Jewish interests.
Childhood memories strongly color our image of a place. My husband, Eyal, fondly remembers petting the cats under his Saba Israel's house in Tel Aviv. Meir Shalev's family memoir, My Russian Grandmother and Her American Vacuum Cleaner: A Family Memoir tells us about his birth and childhood into a pioneering family in Nahalal, a moshav in the Jezreel Valley, in northern Israel. Founded in 1921, it was the first moshav ovdim, a workers' cooperative settlement. When Shalev's larger-than-life, cantankerous Grandma Tonia was interviewed for national television and asked what is the difference between a moshav and a kibbutz, she unhesitatingly replied, "We went to a moshav because we wanted freedom and privacy. A lot of people left the kibbutzim and went to moshavim. Nobody left the moshav for a kibbutz."
Editor's Note:On the eve of Yom Ha'atzmaut — Israel Independence Day — Jews throughout the world mark Yom Hazikaron — Israel's Memorial Day — to remember the soldiers who gave their lives. Israel needed heroes like these to win its independence and facing existential threats around it, Israel continues to need heroes like these to safeguard its independence.
I just read A Voice Called: Stories of Jewish Heroism by Yossi Katz. I heartily recommend this collection of articles about some of the great Jewish heroes of modern times. The stories are written to shed light on Jewish history and to inspire the reader to live in the present with pride and dignity and to help build a better future.
The Philadelphia Jewish Community can be proud to count among its ranks one of these heros: Michael Levin. We thank Yossi Katz and Gefen Publishing for permission to reprint his story. (All rights reserved by Gefen Publishing.)
Michael Levin: Acharai!
Born in Philadelphia 1984 — Made Aliyah to Israel in 2003
Joined Israeli Paratroops, fulfilling a personal dream
Rushed back to Israel to rejoin fellow soldiers in battle when Israel attacked
Fell in battle against Hizbullah terrorists on August 1, 2006
"You can't fulfill your dreams unless you dare risk it all"
Michael Levin grew up like most American-Jewish kids. Born on February 17, 1984 and raised in Philadelphia, he graduated from Council Rock High School in 2002. Michael's maternal grandparents were survivors of the Holocaust and passed on to him a legacy of pride and strength in his Jewish heritage. As a teenager Michael was active in the HaGesher Region of United Synagogue Youth (USY) and attended Camp Ramah in the Poconos. He loved sports and was an avid fan of Philly teams especially the Philadelphia Phillies.
In February 2001, Michael came to Israel for two months to study the 4000-year history of the Jewish people at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI). While in Israel Michael expressed his desire to make Aliyah (move to Israel and become an Israeli citizen) and serve in ZAHAL-the Israel Defense Forces. Michael proved to be an outstanding student at AMHSI and was especially moved by the stories of Jewish heroes like Judah the Maccabee, Shimon Bar Kochba, Rabbi Akiba, Hannah Senesh, Eli Cohen, Avigdor Kahalani and Yonaton "Yoni" Netanyahu. The most moving moment at AMHSI for Michael was on the last day of the program when his class visited the grave of Yoni Netanyahu, hero of the 1976 Entebbe rescue mission, at Mt. Herzl in Jerusalem. Michael looked up to Yoni as a role model and a hero and was touched by Yoni's words from a 1975 letter:
By 'past' I mean not only my own past, but the way in which I see myself as an inseparable part, a link in the chain of our existence and Israel's independence.
Like Yoni, Michael also saw himself as a link in the chain of Jewish history and felt an obligation to defend his people and dreamed of serving in the Israel Defense Forces.
After graduating high school, Michael attended "Nativ" — USY's Year Course in Israel and in his "Nativ" yearbook wrote the words that would become his motto:
"You can't fulfill your dreams unless you dare risk it all"
Michael was neither a daredevil, nor a gambling man. He was a sweet, funny, humble, kind, loving human being who loved life and lived it to the fullest. He simply believed that life wasn't worth living unless there was some ideal
you loved so much that you'd be willing to sacrifice your life for it. For Michael — that ideal was Israel.
In 2003 Michael made Aliyah to Israel and began studying Hebrew at an Ulpan (intensive course in speaking Hebrew) on Kibbutz Yavne. Like all Israelis, Michael was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and reported to the Army Induction Center at Tel Hashomer. As he was being processed, the officer in charge noticed his papers had not been finalized due to his new status in the country. The officer told him that he couldn't ben drafted at this time. Undeterred, Michael went outside the Army Induction Center and climbed up a trash dumpster and snuck into the 2nd floor of the building. When the officer discovered him, he hollered at Michael and said, "No one can get thru the front door here without papers" to which Michael smiled and replied, "What makes you think I came thru the front door?!!" The officer pulled some strings and arranged for Michael to be processed as an Israeli soldier. He later remarked, "I've been here at the army induction center for 20 years and some kids don't want to be here and look for ways to get out but Michael was the first kid I ever met who 'broke in' to be inducted into ZAHAL!"
Once in ZAHAL, Michael volunteered for the IDF's finest combat unit, the red-bereted Paratroops. During his basic training Michael learned to parachute. Small in size, 5'6" and weighing only 118 lbs, Michael was blown off course on his first jump. Afterwards his officers had to tie weights to his parachute to keep him from drifting. Despite his small size, Mike was a fierce fighter with a lion's heart. At the end of their basic training the Paratroops go on a 90-kilometer march to Jerusalem where they receive their red berets at Ammunition Hill, a famous battle site from the 1967 Six Day War. In 2001, while at AMHSI, Michael had learned about the heroism of the Paratroops in
that battle from one of the surviving veterans who spoke to his class. Now he was receiving his red beret on that hallowed ground. Michael described that day as one of the happiest in his life!
Mike was not only a brave soldier but he remained a loving son and brother. He once said, "I'm not worried about dying! I'm just worried about what
it would do to my family." Michael held a special status in ZAHAL called Chayal Boded, given to lone Israeli soldiers whose parents do not live in the
country. Military service is tough enough for most young Israelis but they are comforted knowing they will come home on their Shabbat leaves to a warm and loving family. Michael had none in Israel, making his service that much tougher.
In June 2006, Mike received a 30-day leave from the IDF to visit his family back in Philadelphia. Michael, who had a great sense of humor, wanted
to surprise his mom and dad and worked out a cute prank with his older sister, Elisa. When he arrived in Philadelphia that summer he had Elisa put a gigantic cardboard box with real Fed-Ex markings on the front steps of their home. Michael got into the box and had his sister tape it up and ring his parents' doorbell. When Mrs. Levin saw the package, she tried to carry it into the house, but it was too heavy. Suddenly Michael jumped out of the box and screamed, "Surprise!!" This story is indicative of Michael's loving heart and playful spirit.
Michael spent quality time with his family and visited friends at Camp Ramah in the Poconos. When some friends expressed their worries to Michael about his safety in an elite combat unit of the Israeli army, he responded philosophically, "I'm doing exactly what I want to do and going exactly where I want to be, and if God should decide to call me home, I'm fine with that." During his visit to Philadelphia, Michael told his parents that if anything ever happened to him, he wanted to be buried on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. On July 12, 2006 the Lebanese terrorist organization, Hizbullah attacked Israel and kidnapped two Israeli soldiers — Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. The Hizbullah, dedicated to Israel's destruction and armed by Iran, began shelling Israel's northern cities. Michael heard that his unit was sent into battle and he promptly told his family that he had to cut his visit short to rejoin his comrades at arms. He rushed back to Israel and rejoined his unit — the 890th battalion of the Israeli Paratroops, then fighting inside Lebanon. Michael's unit was on a mission in the Lebanese village of Ayta al Shab, a Hizbullah stronghold, when they came under heavy missile — gunfire. Held up in a house, Michael fought bravely but on August 1, 2006 he was tragically killed by a Hizbullah sniper. His fellow soldier and friend, Shlomi Singer,
described Michael's last moments:
I heard a round of gunfire and saw Michael lying on his stomach. I knew in my heart he was dead. I lifted him to one of the houses where I tried to revive him, but there was no chance. I said quietly in English, "I love you Michael and I am so sorry." He was wearing a big green kippah and before we went into Lebanon, I put his kippah on my head and said the Shema... praying that we all come back safely. After Michael was killed we placed his body on a stretcher and carried him for several kilometers between the cliffs and rocks to bring his body to safety. It was the final honor and respect that we could give him.
Michael's family was notified in Philadelphia of his death in battle and they immediately flew to Israel for his funeral. One of their biggest worries was if they'd be able to find a minyan (a quorum of 10 necessary for communal
prayer) for the ceremony, as they had no family in the country. They arrived at Ben Gurion Airport on August 3, 2006 and drove right from the airport to the National Military Cemetery on Mount Herzl. When the car arrived at the cemetery, the Levins saw thousands of people gathered there. Michael's father was confused by the large crowd and thought there were 10 or 15 other funerals taking place at the same time. The soldiers escorting the family told them that Michael's was the only funeral being held at this time and all the thousands of people in attendance, most of whom who had not known Michael, were there to honor their fallen son. Immersed in their shock and grief but embraced by a loving and grateful nation, the Levins buried their son on the hills of Jerusalem, the city he loved with all his heart... just a few yards from the grave of his hero — Yoni Netanyahu.
Michael's mother, Harriet, at first had wanted her fallen son buried near her home in Philadelphia but her Rabbi convinced her that it was Michael's last wish to be buried in the land he loved. She said that when she and her husband, Mark, saw all the people who had come to honor Michael; they knew they had made the right decision.
Harriet said that about a month after the funeral, a friend of hers from Philadelphia went to visit Michael's grave on Mount Herzl. When the friend reached the burial site, she was shocked to see there was an Israeli soldier sitting on the grave drinking a cup of coffee with a small gas burner and finjan (coffee pot) next to him. Thinking he was acting improperly in the cemetery, the woman asked him what he was doing there. The young warrior answered softly, "Michael was my best friend in the army and every Friday afternoon just before Shabbat, we'd sit down and drink a cup of coffee together and shmooze about life. Now, just like before, I come visit Michael every week just before Shabbat and drink a cup a coffee and chat with my best friend."
Harriet Levin said that if Michael had been buried in Philadelphia, probably only a handful of family would visit his grave but at rest at home in Israel, hundreds come every week to pay their respects to the young hero from Philly with the contagious smile and the heart of a lion.
Michael was buried on the afternoon of Tisha b'Av on August 3, 2006. Tisha b'Av is a fast day where we commemorate the many tragedies that have befallen our people on this black date in our history: the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, the fall of Betar during the Bar Kochba revolt, the expulsion of the Jews of Spain in 1492 and the transportation of over 300,000 of Warsaw's Jews to the gas chambers in Treblinka in July 1942. As a sign of mourning we do not wear Tefillin during the morning service on Tisha b'Av but we do put on Tefillin during the afternoon service that day as a sign that life must continue and we must move on from destruction and mourning to comfort and rebirth. It is fitting that Michael was buried on the afternoon of Tisha b'Av and not in the morning. His death was a tragedy that tore into the hearts and souls of all who loved him but Michael's legacy to us is one of hope and commitment. As he smiles down on us from above, his memory will best be honored not by remembering so much how he died but more importantly how he lived. The motto of the Israeli Paratroops is "Achari!" ("Follow Me!") Michael set a dugma isheet — a personal example of how to live a life as a committed Jew with passion and pride dedicated to the Jewish People, to the Torah and to Israel. His legacy commands us all — "Achari!"
Postscript: Michael Levin's mother, Harriet Levin, once told this author that Michael was a normal American-Jewish kid. She said he was just like you and me and added," You know he wasn't always an angel... at times he made mistakes and could get into trouble." In many ways though, that makes Michael even more inspiring. He wasn't a "Superhero"! He was just the kid from down the block, but when his people and Israel needed him- he was there!
Google Maps now offers Street Views of Israel for the first time.
According to the Jewish Telegraphic agency:
The project, which will feature 3-D images of the streets of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and other attractions in Israel, such as the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth and the Ramon Crater, will be launched with a ceremony in Tel Aviv on April 22, Israel's business daily newspaper Globes reported.
Israel's Justice Ministry in approving the project set several conditions on Google Street View, including the right for Israelis to request further blurring of residences and license plates. Israeli officials reportedly had been concerned that terrorists would use the service to plan attacks in Israel.
The Google cars and tricycles, fitted with 360-degree cameras to take panoramic images, began collecting the images last September.
Mike Wallace passed away last Monday at age 93. In 1958, he interviewed Abba Eban on the occasion of the Israel's 10th birthday.
You'll have to bear with Wallace shilling for the sponsor, Parliament cigarettes, but Eban's eloquent, yet unapologetic response to Wallace's at times aggressive questioning is impressive.
Israel will be the featured nation in the 20th Annual Equality Forum, a worldwide summit for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) issues, held in Philadelphia on May 3-6, 2012.
On Tuesday, May 1 through Sunday, May 6, the 13th Annual Gay and Lesbian Art Exhibit will feature the works of Israeli photographer David Adika in the lobby of the Gershman Y, Broad and Pine streets; Adika will also give a lecture at the University of the Arts and meet with the artistic community of Philadelphia.
At many seders, the topic of politics will more than likely come up-often because one of the guests received one of the many false and malicious emails floating around the internet. That dinner guest should be replied to with these four questions:
Why has President Obama provided record amounts of military aid to Israel — including double the amount of supplemental funding for missile defense programs, like the Iron Dome, that are saving Israeli lives today?
Why has President Obama worked so hard and succeeded at uniting the world against Iran's illicit nuclear weapons program, while voting with Israel 100% of the time at the United Nations — earning the plaudits of Israel's leaders?
Why has President Obama achieved the historic passage of "Obamacare," which has already permitted 2.5 million young adults to remain on their parents' health care plans — and will end discrimination for those with pre-existing conditions, ultimately providing coverage to 34 million more Americans?
Why has President Obama fought to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid, keeping our commitment to our seniors — and our collective commitment to help those in need through shared responsibility?
The answer to all of these questions is:
President Obama cares deeply about the safety and security of the Jewish state. He has been Israel's leading advocate from day one and has done more than any other President to meaningfully bolster its defenses and provide for its future. He also cares deeply about the welfare of all Americans, including our seniors and the needy — and our commitment to them.
For these reasons, President Obama deserves our thanks.
The National Jewish Democratic Council today demanded that former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, the Republican Jewish Coalition, and their conservative allies apologize for pushing a debunked story from Mark Perry-a former unofficial advisor to Yasir Arafat (Jewish Ideas Daily) and someone who widely-respected Israeli journalist Ehud Yaari refers to as a "veteran anti-Israel warrior"-regarding America's supposed role in the Israeli-Azeri strategic relationship. (The Times of Israel)
National Jewish Democratic Council President and CEO David A. Harris said:
It is pathetic that in their zeal to score political points, John Bolton, the Republican Jewish Coalition and their allies in the conservative blogosphere would go so far as to amplify this ridiculous, debunked story by standing with Mark Perry-a former Arafat Advisor and a 'veteran anti-Israel warrior,' to coin vaunted Israeli journalist Ehud Yaari's phrase. They should be ashamed of themselves for pushing this dangerous and offensive smear of the Obama Administration, for purely partisan purposes-damn the cost. Now that it has been debunked both in Washington and by Israeli military sources, those advancing this false story should apologize-especially the RJC, which issued a press release touting Perry's words as holy writ. Not that we think they will, but the time has come once and for all to put Israel's and America's security above partisan politics. Enough is enough.
Background on Perry's false report follows the jump.
Yetagain, Ha'aretz provides an example of how its distorted coverage provides fodder to anti-Israel writers abroad. Yesterday Ha'aretz's Web site published the following headline:
This dismal headline implies that the Israeli army is seeking to upgrade means in which to harm civilian populations. Indeed, one must read the article itself several times to understand the new brigade's actual purpose: to increase precision of attacks on combatants so as to minimize harm to civilians. But the dismal online headline, coupled with the lack of clarity in the article itself, points falsely instead to IDF intentions to massacre, a notion that anti-Israel blogger Richard Silverstein jumps on.
One need only look at the English print edition for a straight-forward headline: "IDF plans to set up first short-range rocket battalion." Ha'aretz editors take note: an accurate subheadline would read: "New rockets would reduce casualties among non-combatants during strikes against terrorist targets in populated areas."
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— By Eric Lee
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs' 14 national member agencies and 125 Community Relations Councils debated and adopted five resolutions expressing the consensus view of the American Jewish community at the JCPA's annual Plenum in Detroit. The resolutions deal with anti-Semitism on campuses, collective bargaining, education equity, gender segregation in Israel, and hydrofracking for natural gas and oil.
Keshet, which works to "ensure that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Jews are fully included in all parts of the Jewish community" sent the tweet on the right.
This Mother's Day Give the Gift that Lasts A Lifetime
This 
Reprinted courtesy of Yaakov (Dry Bones) Kirschen www.DryBonesBlog.blogspot.com.
Benzion was an active Zionist writer in Palestine editing Betar and then Ha-Yarden until the paper was closed by the British. He traveled to New York where he was the secretary to Ze'ev Jabotinsky and then executive directory of the New Zionist Organization of America. He obtained his Ph.D. from Dropsie College in Philadelphia.
— by Hannah Lee
The Guardian: "Jerusalem is not the Capital of Israel, Tel Aviv is"
Childhood memories strongly color our image of a place. My husband, Eyal, fondly remembers petting the cats under his Saba Israel's house in Tel Aviv. Meir Shalev's family memoir, 
Once in ZAHAL, Michael volunteered for the IDF's finest combat unit, the red-bereted Paratroops. During his basic training Michael learned to parachute. Small in size, 5'6" and weighing only 118 lbs, Michael was blown off course on his first jump. Afterwards his officers had to tie weights to his parachute to keep him from drifting. Despite his small size, Mike was a fierce fighter with a lion's heart. At the end of their basic training the Paratroops go on a 90-kilometer march to Jerusalem where they receive their red berets at Ammunition Hill, a famous battle site from the 1967 Six Day War. In 2001, while at AMHSI, Michael had learned about the heroism of the Paratroops in
Israel will be the featured nation in the 20th Annual Equality Forum, a worldwide summit for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) issues, held in Philadelphia on May 3-6, 2012.
At many seders, the topic of politics will more than likely come up-often because one of the guests received one of the many false and malicious emails floating around the internet. That dinner guest should be replied to with these four questions:
The National Jewish Democratic Council today demanded that former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, the Republican Jewish Coalition, and their conservative allies apologize for pushing a debunked story from Mark Perry-a former unofficial advisor to Yasir Arafat (
