ASK NOT WHY WHY PEOPLE

What Does it Take to Get Them Here? How do we get the Jews out of exile before it's too late? The festive holiday of PURIM with its time-honored practice of ’turning facts upside down' in levity is fast approaching. When reading the daily news reports in Israel one can easily be forgiven for thinking that Purim reigns throughout the year in the Jewish State. As evidence, allow me to cite a sampling of the stories that have recently made headlines in the Israeli media. The new President of the Land of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, has reportedly called for the establishment of another Arab State (in addition to the 22 Arab sovereign countries that already exist!) He seemingly believes this would help solve the ongoing atrocities, wars and terrorist attacks perpetrated against Israel by strengthening Arab rights instead of Jewish rights to our one Jewish homeland! Alas! His statement was not a Purimshpiel but, unfortunately, all too real! Let us now turn to the Jewish communities in France and Denmark after the recent tragic murders of Jews by bestial Arab terrorists. Can any sane person comprehend the reaction by the spokesmen of these countries including Rabbis and organizational leaders, to the warning issued by Prime Minister Netanyahu that European Jewry is in danger and should emigrate to Israel now before it’s too late? \"No, thank you\" came their swift response! 51

\"We are French Jews\" ...\"We are Danish Jews “We will remain here and demand protection from OUR governments\" Apparently, forgotten and ignored is the bitter lesson of the Holocaust when in a classic case of denial, German Jews declared they are Germans first and foremost: \"Hitler does not mean us\" was their delusional thinking! \"He means the East Yidin. The Jews in Poland, Hungary and other European countries.\" It was the height of tragic irony as these German patriots learned too late and they shared the same fate as their Jewish brethren in Auschwitz, Treblinka Buchenwald and other places of Nazi infamy. What does it take to make Jews in the Diaspora understand that today, with gratitude to G-D, Blessed is He, there is a homeland in Eretz Yisrael for the Jewish people which awaits them with open arms. Yet the majority of Jews worldwide apparently choose to remain in the exile and place their fate in the hands of gentile governments where they are at best, tolerated, and at worst eliminated. At this troubling time, let us pray that Am Yisrael will once again merit the miracle of Purim! May the evil plans of all enemies of the Jews, just as in the time of Haman, be reversed and descend instead upon them! 52

The Die has been Cast In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, literally volumes of news reports have been written about the deaths and destruction caused by this killer storm in areas of United States where it was once thought such natural devastation could never take place. Analogously, another type of storm has been steadily bre wing..one that ominously threatens the very survival of the Jewish community where it was also once believed \"it\" could never happen in America. This storm's name is anti-Semitism! No longer is this irrational hatred manifesting itself in the form of quotas for Jewish university students or by barring Jews from prestigious country clubs. Today, aided and abetted by the creation of the Internet, countless neo-nazi and white supremists groups are allowed to spew their venomous message that Jews are to blame for the worsening U.S. economy, as well as for social and racial problems affecting American society. (see website: www.shuva.net) One need only to read news reports about the increasing anti- Semitic attacks on Synagogues and other Jewish institutions, (as well as physical attacks upon Jews) throughout the United States, to understand that for these haters, one Holocaust was not enough. In New Jersey, and other states with large Jewish populations, the words \"Kill the Jews” were scrawled on Jewish Federation buildings! 53

The popular website: Facebook allowed the posting of a \"Kill a Jew\" Day that received countless replies with names and pictures of those willing to commit the horrendous act! Recently a giant swastika was burned into the grass of a huge golf course in California that had been already targeted in the past. The New York City Subway, which is utilized daily by millions of people, graphically displayed huge graffiti with this unmistakable Hitlerian message: \"The world would be a better place if all the Jews were lampshades.\" These are but a sampling of a myriad of similar or more violent \"incidents\" which reveal the sickness of virulent anti-Semitism that has been festering for some time. Incredibly, U.S. Jewish leaders, Rabbis, and Organizational heads tend to ignore or minimize these warning signs and are seemingly content to place their trust in U.S. democracy and the Constitution which they view as a guarantee of the survival of the American Jewish community. The most crucial lesson of Jewish history is that a \"Constitution” is only as good as the will of the people to uphold it. Even more worrisome is the fact Israel's leader who are engaged in battling one another for political power, have failed to openly speak out about this critical issue and warn Jews to emigrate now to Israel. As for the recent U.S. elections, it is my strongly held belief that for Jews in America, it doesn't matter who was elected President. In the minds of countless not so genteel gentiles in the United States who have lost their jobs, who cannot pay the mortgage on their homes, and who have difficulty in making ends meet for barest necessities, (let alone the curtailing of luxuries to which they had become accustomed), it is the Jew, the eternal scapegoat, who is responsible for their misfortune and must be made to pay the piper. May the Merciful G-D of Israel, awaken the millions of sleeping Jews in America, and indeed, in the entire Diaspora, not to misread the threatening times once again, but to pick up, pack up and come home now to the Jewish homeland, Eretz Yisrael before it is too la 54

Wall Street or the Western Wall? Living here in Jerusalem, I have been reading about the rise of anti- Semitic attacks upon Jews in the United States, where there is a prevalent myth that what happened to European Jewry could never happen there. Sundry experts optimistically predict that the downturn in the economy (which has already unleashed strident voices blaming Jews) will soon rebound. I shake my head in disbelief as a leader of the Orthodox Union, one of the largest Jewish organizations, reportedly called for American Jews to relocate not to Israel, but to various parts of the United States. During the many years before my own Aliyah (with G-d's help, we will soon mark 22 years in the Jewish homeland), at the behest of the late, great visionary, Rabbi Meir Kahane, of blessed memory, I would often embark upon lecture tours in which I would cite the growing preponderance of synagogue torchings, swastika desecrations and virulent physical attacks, which pose a clear and present danger to the American Jewish community. What bodes ill, I fear (and fear more instinctively daily), is an economic collapse in the United States which could propel every Jew-hater to emerge from the woodwork and put into action that which they held in abeyance during more affluent times. Indeed, the 'prophetic' (sic) words of the founder of the American Nazi Party, George Lincoln Rockwell, keep reverberating in my mind. \"Our battle\" he said, \"is not for the day when every American has two cars and a soft cushion for his lardy bottom.\" The battle for the mind of John Q. American, he predicted, will be won when the good life is over. Then, Americans will turn to the 'real patriots' (The 55

American Nazi Party) and a new dawn will begin for \"the idea whose time has come.\" What possesses American Jews, I silently ponder, to sit in the midst of a probable financial depression and remain with anti-Semites of every ilk and stripe, both black and white, who have been waiting with bated breath for just such an opportunity to scapegoat Jews and who are joining the White Supremacist movements and militias. Where are the voices of Jewish leaders, particularly those who saw what happened in another civilized country - Germany - barely six decades ago? There is no comparison, you say? America is a democracy with a strong Constitution, you say? Have we learned nothing from the unspeakable Holocaust? A constitution is only as strong as the resolve of the populace to uphold it. And so, the majority of Jews remain in the United States and worry about whether the future will restore the value of the stocks that could make them millionaires, but worry little about whether they have a future in the not-so “goldeneh medina”, (golden land). Listen to the prognosis of a Cambridge-educated economist: \"The hundreds of billions of dollars of paper wealth that were knocked off prices have disappeared in a puff of smoke. Those who borrowed or spent against it, whether individuals or corporations, are going to be in a great deal of trouble.\" This dire prediction (buoyed by recent scandals in major corporations) could ignite the fuse that sets off a time-bomb of Jew- hatred in America. In the final analysis, the sage Jewish adage, \"Der Mentsch Tracht, un G-tt Lacht\" (\"Man composes and G-d disposes) is a truism that could prove more logical than a myriad of economic predictions about Wall St. Is it not crystal clear that HaShem Yitbarach is mercifully issuing a strong warning to American Jews and, indeed, to all Jews in the Diaspora: your destiny lies not with Wall Street, but rather with the Wall, the Kotel HaMaaravi in Eretz Yisrael? As I stand before this last remaining reminder of our holy Temple in Jerusalem, I whisper a fervent prayer: 56

\"Thank you, dear G-d for the ability you have given me to discern that which is true wealth in this volatile and unpredictable world. Not shares of stock on Wall St., which in one moment can turn to dross, but rather the sharing of our Jewish faith with my people in Eretz Yisrael - and Your Divine promise of an even greater blessing, a share in the World to Come. 57

Wailing at the Wall Following the miraculous victory of the Six Day War which with G-D’s help, liberated Judaism's sacred Jewish shrine, I naively believed Jews in the reborn State of Israel would no longer have to shed bitter tears because of a threat to our existence by internal enemies. Truth be told, I have always had an aversion to the term the \"Wailing Wall\", a humiliating misnomer that, for generations, was utilized by Jew and Gentile alike to identify the Kotel Hama'aravi (the Western Wall, remnant of our Holy Second Temple) as the place where Jews cry. Regretfully, I was sadly mistaken; Jews are wailing at the Wall again. Each week, while praying at the Kotel, I cannot help but shed a tear as I empathize with the heart-wrenching sobs that emanate from the very souls of both native Israelis and Jews from around the world who have come to entreat Almighty G-D on behalf of Eretz Yisrael. Rarely, however, are Israel's political leaders to be found at the Western Wall, unless it is before an election, when they are certain to have a photo opportunity. Ironically, it is precisely they - the architects of the ill-fated Oslo \"peace process\" and the disastrous \"disengagement\" plan - who should be coming to the Western Wall to beat their collective breasts and ask G-D for forgiveness. It is they who are rewarding Arab terrorist murderers with Jewish land by uprooting Jews from their homes in Eretz Yisrael. Yes, Jews are wailing at the Wall again. We cry that our one Jewish State is being rent asunder, as Jewish soldiers and residents of so-called \"illegal settlements\" confront each other, thus encouraging the murderous Arab enemies. We cry that in the much-touted Jewish and democratic state neither democracy, nor true Judaism is adhered to. The Sharon government not only flagrantly disregards ominous warnings elucidated in our holy Torah (e.g., \"Do not make a treaty with the inhabitants of the Land....\"), but Ariel Sharon himself also ignores 58

the decision taken against \"disengagement\" by his own political party. We cry that countless Jewish terror victims and their bereaved families are all but ignored and forgotten, as the Israeli government releases Arab terrorist prisoners. We cry that Israel allocates millions of shekels to the so-called \"Palestinian Authority\", comprised mostly of Yasser Arafat clones who seek to annihilate our one Jewish country. And finally, a shameful and painful truth about which, perhaps, the Western Wall itself is crying. More than five decades since Hashem Yitbarach, in His infinite mercy, brought the Jewish people back to our homeland, Eretz Yisrael, the majority of Jews prefer to live in the Diaspora. They prefer to live amid virulent anti-Semites rather to come home to build and settle every inch of our Promised Land. Let us pray that the tears of anguish which are being shed daily by Jews at the Kotel will, with G-d's help, speedily be turned into tears of joy, as Israel defeats its many enemies. And never again shall wailing at the Wall be heard. 59

Laws and Outlaws The heart of the problem confronting Israelis is not whether the Israeli government or any other government has the right to decide what is best for its citizens by imposing their will on the people of Israel. The true core of the conflict lies in the long-festering, unresolved issue of which law, Torah or secular, should govern a Jewish State. The core of the problem is whether or not such action will bring Israel closer to peace with our Arab enemies. This searing debate has served to polarize Israeli society to the degree that the specter of civil war, G-d forbid, hovers ominously in the air. Moreover, the question of whether or not IDF soldiers should disobey orders to dismantle settlements has elicited diversified rabbinic responses, further adding to the widening rift, even among the religiously observant. As one who believes that the entire Land of Israel was given by G- D to the Jewish people, I have long been opposed to any concessions to chief PLO terrorist Yasser Arafat and his murderous henchmen. Fully cognizant that the climate today for those who speak out and warn against the danger of disengagement has become increasingly precarious under the Sharon administration, it is nevertheless incumbent upon all who love Eretz Yisrael to continue to raise our voices and cry out against the obscenity of Jews being 'transferred' by a Jewish government to reward Arab terrorists with Jewish land (even after experiencing beatings at the hands of Jewish police at peaceful demonstrations against the Oslo Accords). 60

Thus, in the democratic, secular State of Israel, Justice Minister Tommy Lapid warns rabbis who call for Jewish soldiers to disobey orders to evacuate settlements in accordance with Torah law, saying they will be prosecuted. Thus, in the democratic, secular State of Israel, a devoted lover of Zion, Nadia Matar, who sent a letter to Yonatan Bassi calling upon him not to participate in the \"disengagement\", is subjected to a criminal investigation. Thus, in the democratic, secular State of Israel, thousands of courageous, dedicated Jews who follow the Zionist dream of building the Land of Israel, who, in an uncommon display of self-sacrifice, willingly endure the hardships of living in mobile homes on hilltops, are branded \"outlaws\", as their government sends in troops to destroy their makeshift synagogues and houses. Not for this were countless generations of the Jewish people reciting the \"Shema Yisrael\" prayer with their last breath, sacrificed in pogroms, crusades, Inquisitions and the Final Solution of the unspeakable Holocaust. Indeed, if Jewish law is trampled and those who remain loyal to the Torah are vilified and demonized, then in what way does Israel claim the Jewish right to Eretz Yisrael is based on the Bible and -G-D's promise to the Jewish people (\"Unto thy seed will I give this land as an eternal inheritance....\")? In the final analysis, it is this lack of understanding by Israel's leaders that has emboldened our enemies and placed the State of Israel in grave danger. Our leaders fear the nations and are willing to throw their own brethren to the wolves to appease the world; rather than standing firm with faith in G-D and declaring, \"Not one inch of our sacred soil will be given up.\" 61

ARTICLE REPRINTED FROM 'VOICES' MAGAZINE IN JERUSALEM May, 2000. CAN A HOLOCAUST HAPPEN IN AMERICA? By Shifra Hoffman Among the fondest myths held by American Jews, perhaps the most treasured and sacrosanct is their inviolate belief that a HOLOCAUST could never happen in the United States. Anyone who dares to broach the subject, is more than likely to elicit a defiant response that \"America is not Germany; it is a multicultural society based on tolerance for all ethnic minorities\". So firm is this conviction of the \"I- am -an- American first\" die-hard Jew, he often tends to dismiss increasingly overt violent anti-Semitic acts-such as the shooting of Jews in major cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and most recently, in Pittsburgh, as well as the preponderance of swastikas and hate message smeared on Synagogues and Jewish centers throughout the country - as \"mere fringe elements, who are not at all representative of mainstream America.\" On hardly knows whether to bitterly laugh or cry at such a myopic assessment. For the 'goldene medina\" (golden land) of today's America, is surely not the America of yesteryears The advent of the civil rights movement in the 60's, brought an ill- wind of change to America, which, in response to affirmative action, gave rise to white power movements seeking to \"put blacks in their place “and punish Jews who supported black liberation. These movements quickly attracted white supremists who basically follow Hitler's Nazi ideology and are \"equal opportunity haters -both blacks and Jews: The myth of America being a tolerant society - is exactly that, - A Myth. 62

On the surface, things seem to be \"I\"m O.K. - Youre O.K. In reality however, many gentiles perceive the Jews as having as 'having too much money and too much power.\" \"Jews run the media.\" Jews are all communists or spies like Pollard\"; and the coupe de grace” Jews corrupt Christian values by deviant social behavior\"! Ironically, while HOLOCAUST AWARENESS is being taught in school curricula in the United States and presented in the media, too many not-so-tolerant gentiles have expressed the view that \"Jews deserved the HOLOCAUST\"! It is they who are joining hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, American Nazi Party, Aryan Brotherhood and anti-government militia at a frightening rate. Tragically, American Jewish Spiritual and organizational leaders have been reluctant to come to grips with this growing danger and to plan for immediate emigration to Israel. Instead, despite the bitter lessons of the SHOAH, they continue to cling to the worn out cliché \"It can't happen here.\" Since \"All Jews are responsible one for another\" SHUVA (Return), the Israel Emergency Aliyah Movement has undertaken the arduous task of \"sounding the alarm\" to warn and awaken sleeping Jews in America that it can, and indeed, it is happening. THE SHUVA Organization also provides information concerning emigration for those ready and willing to come home to Israel now, before G-d forbid, it becomes too late? In the words of a survivor of the death camps, \"Once the world does it ...SHAME ON THEM; - TWICE...SHAME ON US! 63

64

THE LEGACY OF RABBI MEIR KAHANE OF BLESSED MEMORY 65

Wisdom is Like Rain Media and government antagonism to Rabbi Kahane blurred his fight for Soviet Jewry and defense of elderly, helpless US Jews. Twenty years after his murder, his warnings about Arab enemies and the United States seem prophetic. A friend remembers. Each year at this time, which marks the Yarzheit (Memorial Day) of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, of blessed memory, brutally murdered by an Arab assassin twenty years ago, I humbly attempt to put into words what his loss means to me personally, as well as to the Jewish people. Having been granted the privilege by Hashem Yitbarach (the Lord, Blessed be He) to work closely with this dedicated and selfless Jewish leader for many years, both in the United States, and later in Israel, I was privy to witness the true meaning of Ahavat Yisrael, love of the Jewish people, which he exemplified. Rabbi Kahane loved the G-D of Israel, the land of Israel and his Jewish brothers and sisters. His first and foremost concern was to do whatever had to be done to alleviate the suffering of fellow Jews, whether they were refused the right to emigrate from the former Soviet Union, or they were the poverty stricken, elderly Jews in America abandoned in changing neighborhoods and left helpless against the hoodlums who preyed upon them as easy victims. As Founder of the Jewish Defense League, his courageous activities and rallying cry \"Never Again\" shocked the world but succeeded in changing the image in many gentile minds of the passive Jew who \"went quietly to the gas chambers\" during the Holocaust. Regardless of the countless beatings and 66

imprisonments he suffered for his belief in his Torah true ideology, Rabbi Kahane never faltered in his commitment to Jewish survival. I vividly recall one particular incident which occurred in the l980'S during the struggle to free millions of Jews behind the Iron Curtain. Knowing that the leader of the Kremlin would be coming to America to try to encourage detente between Russia and the United States, the Rabbi sent a letter to a J.D.L activist, urging that Jews not be silent at this crucial time. The letter was intercepted by the Israeli government and turned over to the U.S. Attorney general which meant that due to his previous arrests, Rabbi Kahane faced a possible 5-year imprisonment. On the day of sentencing, the courtroom was filled to capacity. The presiding Jewish judge stated that if Rabbi Kahane would declare an end to his aggressive campaign against the Soviets, perhaps the court would consider leniency in handing down its verdict. “Your Honor\" came his reply \"I stand before you today, who are a flesh and blood judge;, One day, I will have to stand before a HEAVENLY JUDGE, G-D BLESSED BE HE, who will ask me, \"Meir Kahane, what did you do to help free millions of your Jewish brothers and sisters who are virtual prisoners in Russia for wanting to emigrate to Israel? Therefore, Your Honor...you must do what you must do...and, with G-D'S help, I will continue to do what I must do.\" After making Aliyah with his family in the seventies, Rabbi Kahane exhibited the same steadfast commitment to Eretz Yisrael, the Jewish homeland, enduring imprisonments and hunger strikes for warning in his classic books and lectures to transfer those Arab enemies living in Israel, whose growing radicalization and nationalism both in and out of the Knesset, endangered Israel's survival. His last words at the fatal speaking date in New York were to a prophetic call upon Jews to leave America and come home to Israel before the rising tide of virulent anti-Semitism might once again make them the scapegoats of the economic and racial problems facing the world, this time in American society. 67

Today, 20 years later, events have shown that his prophetic words have become a grim reality. Yet successive Israeli governments continue with the charade of the Oslo 'peace process', in which thousands of Israelis have been murdered and wounded while Israel keeps offering suicidal concessions to its implacable Arab enemies. An anonymous philosopher once said, \"Wisdom is like rain; it hits the highest mountain peaks and then descends to the valleys. How tragic that Rabbi Meir Kahane, of blessed memory, a true and wise Jewish leader of our generation was taken from us, as Israel's present leaders, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge that \"Kahane was right\", remain in the \"valleys\" untouched by the rain. 68

In Memoriam: Rabbi Meir Kahane (of blessed memory Z”T”L) In this generation of fleeting allegiance and loyalty, particularly in the realm of Jewish leadership, it seems inexplicable that today, years after the brutal murder of Rabbi Meir Kahane, he is mourned by so many Jews throughout the world. Although demonized by both left-wing and right-wing Israeli governments for his prophetic warnings concerning the rise of Arab nationalism and the dire consequences of making concessions to these implacable enemies, Rabbi Kahane remained undaunted. In his view, the Torah was the only timely and relevant 'road map' for the Jewish people. During his election campaign for the Knesset, despite an Israeli Court decision that obliged television and newspapers to cover him as they did all other candidates, these 'democratic media outlets’ refused to do so. This compelled the Rabbi to travel to speak each day in communities throughout Israel, often returning late at night in a state of complete exhaustion. Against all odds, he was elected to the Knesset, and following his unexpected success, began to use the Knesset podium to sponsor the exact legislation upon which he based his pre-election platform. This, as we know, is an unusual 69

phenomenon in Israel, where once elected, politicians feel they have the right to diametrically change their policy. Rabbi Kahane believed that the only solution that could prevent a repeat of the Holocaust “final solution” in the Jewish state is the separation of Arabs and Jews. To underscore his commitment to this belief, he announced that he would go to Um El-Fahm, a hotbed of Arab terrorists and their supporters, to suggest that they leave the Jewish State, offering them compensation for their property. This was despite the fact that Jews received nothing when they were 'transferred' from the homes in Arab lands that they had lived in for generations. The reaction to Rabbi Kahane’s first Knesset speech in which he presented this plan was countless phone calls that I received, many of them from “closet Kahane supporters” (as he used to refer to those Jews that secretly held his views, but feared to openly express them), urging me to implore the new MK to \"tone down his rhetoric and change his image\", now that he was an official member of the Government of Israel. Knowing what his answer would be, I nevertheless dutifully related their requests. \"Change my image?\" he replied as an amused smile crossed his face. \"I worked too long and too hard to present this image. I want the citizens of Israel to know I am the same Meir Kahane they voted for.\" He then travelled to Um El-Fahm to deliver his message. A lesser known facet of the Rabbi's boundless “Ahavat Yisrael”, the overriding love and compassion for the Jewish people, was a special charity fund from which he distributed thousands of shekels to hundreds of poor and often hungry Jews who came to his door each week. Those Jews shed bitter tears at his funeral, lamenting, \"Who will help us now that Rabbi Kahane is gone?\" The Chasdei Meir Fund established in his memory currently enlists dedicated volunteers who continue to provide and deliver large cases of donated food to poverty stricken Jewish families. A further tribute to the Rabbi's influence can be found today in the hearts and minds of the young courageous Jews in Israel, who make 70

their homes in caravans on the hilltops the Land of Israel, and who, at great personal sacrifice, defend the right of Jews to settle anywhere in our G-D given homeland. There are countless tales that deserve to be told about the life of this noble Jew, the personification of the Jewish scholar warrior in the tradition of the Biblical King David. However, the legacy which Rabbi Meir Kahane left the Jewish people and the world are his penetrating, insightful thoughts, expressed in the many popular books he authored. Among them are: Never Again, Why Be Jewish?, Uncomfortable Questions for Comfortable Jews, Our Challenge, They Must Go. The Story of the Jewish Defense League, Forty Years, and his magnum opus, The Jewish Idea, written shortly before his murder by an Arab terrorist. In one of the volumes he signed for me personally, is an inscription I treasure dearly: \"In every generation, there are always a few who understand; Always understand... even if you remain among the few.\" 71

And Then There Was One: In the annals of Jewish history, it is a known fact that great people are often unrecognized and even vilified during their lifetime. Much to the detriment of the generation in which they live, their dire warnings about an impending disaster that looms ominously for the Jewish people, go unheeded. Ironically, their warnings become the cause of much personal suffering for them. Looking at Jewish history from the Biblical Prophet, Jeremiah, to the modern visionary Jabotinsky, one sees over and over that such leaders' burning desire to save Jews from the disastrous fate they so clearly perceived, was ridiculed and ignored. Only when tragic events which that they predicted became a reality, did history discover their greatness. In our generation, there was one courageous leader who despite being vilified, imprisoned and beaten in futile attempts to silence him for exposing the truth concerning the dangerous policies of successive Israeli governments regarding Arab enemies in Israel and anti-Semites in the Diaspora - relentlessly continued his often lonely battle to warn of the dangers that Jews are now facing throughout the world. 72

His courage to be politically incorrect and eventually exiled from mainstream political life stemmed from his deep love for the Jewish people and his inability to bend his truth to be palatable to the powers that be. In his last address, given just before being murdered by a bestial Arab terrorist more than two decades ago, Rabbi Meir Kahane zz’l, Hy\"d (may G-d avenge his blood.) implored American Jews to leave the United States because of predictions of the rising tide of Jew hatred which he clearly saw would make them the scapegoat once again for the economic, racial and social problems facing the society in which they lived. \"Come home to Israel before it's too late\" was the last warning of this most noble Torah-true Jewish leader of our time. Today, as we witness global news media reporting the growth of virulent Anti-semitism, with Jewish neighborhoods in America targeted with swastikas, the torching of Jewish owned automobiles and graffiti promising another Auschwitz; with movements such as 'OCCUPY WALL ST' brazenly exhibiting protesters holding aloft signs blaming Jewish bankers for the economic crisis , only those Jews afflicted with \"madness and blindness\" choose to remain in the United States and refuse to see that Rabbi Kahane, unfortunately, is being proved right ! In the more than two decades that I had the great \"zchus\" [merit, ed.] to work closely with Rabbi Kahane of blessed memory, his last request of me was to head the Emergency Aliya Movement, SHUVA (Return) that would spotlight the need for immediate mass emigration of the American Jewish community to Israel. (website: www.shuva.net) At this significant moment marking the 2lst Yahrtzeit of his having been taken from us, I pray that with G-d's help, Rabbi Meir Kanane's sacred legacy will enable me to continue expressing his warning and influencing Jews to return to Eretz Yisrael, the Jewish homeland - where their lives will become meaningful by joining and actively affecting Jewish history - before it's too late. 73

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JEWISH HOLIDAYS 75

Who Will Ask Forgiveness? The spirit of Jewish camaraderie is seemingly prevalent throughout the country during the holidays. Yet, if we are to be totally honest, then we must ask: Can every wrong that is done by a fellow Jew be forgiven? Each year at this special time of the High Holy Days, one can sense a change in the air, as it were, as Israelis of every religious persuasion greet each other with the traditional greetings, \"Shanah Tovah\" and \"G'mar Chatimah Tovah\" (May you be inscribed for a good year). This spontaneous salutation is often extended \"even\" to Egged bus drivers, who previously may not have endeared themselves to those Israelis whom they kept waiting unnecessarily at bus stops, or to other would-be passengers, breathlessly running to catch their ride, whom they deliberately ignored or bypassed. No matter. They are Jewish bus drivers and this is a time for forgiveness. Yet, if we are to be totally honest, then we must ask: Can every wrong that is done by a fellow Jew be forgiven? Indeed, the teachings of our holy Torah instruct us that G-D, Blessed Be His name, forgives the sincere penitent, but not for those sins committed by that penitent against his fellow man. Those sins must be rectified by seeking forgiveness from the person who suffered the injustice. Who, then, pray tell, (pun intended) of the politicians that ostensibly pass for the \"leaders\" of Israel and who perpetrated the ill-fated Oslo Accords - which resulted in the murder and wounding of thousands of Israelis - will now ask forgiveness from their bereaved, suffering families? Which of the myriad of power-hungry Israeli government officials who were responsible for the disastrous Disengagement Plan will, with a contrite heart, humbly ask forgiveness from the thousands of Jewish citizens they forced from their homes in Gush Katif and other Jewish hallowed land? Who will ask forgiveness for rewarding Arab enemies after countless terrorist attacks? Will the minister of defense, the IDF Chief of Staff, as well as all those involved in the recent tragic war in Lebanon, now ask forgiveness from the people of Israel they have sworn to protect? Instead, they seek to deflect the blame from themselves for recent events because the stated aims of freeing our captive soldiers and 76

stopping Katuysha and rocket attacks not only were not accomplished, but worse, the bloody hands of the murderous Hizbullah were strengthened. On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, Jews will gather in synagogues throughout the world and beat their breasts while reciting the litany of sins committed throughout the year, petitioning the Almighty to blot out all our transgressions. Yet, as our sages, of blessed memory, admonished, there can be no forgiveness unless there is true repentance. It is, therefore, incumbent upon all of the aforementioned Israeli officials - whose willful or unwittingly disastrous actions have placed the State of Israel in its present precarious situation - to admit their failure and immediately turn away from the destructive path of appeasement and concessions to the implacable Arab enemies. In the merit of such repentance and by truly seeking forgiveness, may HaShem Yitbarach, in His infinite mercy, send His promised redemption to the Nation of Israel and to Eretz Yisrael, speedily in our days. 77

In Every Generation... This year, as Passover approaches, the atmosphere here in Eretz Yisrael is decidedly different from previous pre-holiday times I remember. Although the streets are still bustling with shoppers rushing to and fro, eagerly purchasing \"kosher for Pesach\" products, as well as new clothes to properly honor the Jewish Festival of Freedom, a sense of apprehension hovers in the air. It seems to curb the traditional unrestrained joy that has always marked this special time. Indeed, the well-worn question, \"mahyiyhe?\" (what will be) has resurfaced. It permeates the conversation of both religious and secular Israelis searching for an answer that will provide a 'quick fix', as it were, to the grievous problems faced by the Jewish state. However, there are no 'quick fixes' in sight. Tragically, the threat to Israel's survival has now taken on a new identity, as a Jewish government led by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon begins to implement his \"Disengagement Plan\" - bringing to reality that which was once thought impossible: the expulsion of Jews from their homes in Eretz Yisrael. But wait, am I perhaps being too hard in judging the Great Warrior, as he returns from a 'triumphant' (sic) meeting with US President George Bush? For after all, didn't the Great White Father, in the White House, praise Sharon, even while making it very clear that Israel must stop building \"settlements\" and not construct new homes in existing areas such as Maaleh Adumim? 78

After all, didn't the prime minister of the sovereign State of Israel garner additional praise from President Bush after promising to destroy all so-called \"illegal outposts\" (read: \"settlements\" - and does that include Tel Aviv?) and to dutifully fulfill \"Israel's obligations under the Road Map\" leading to a Palestinian State? And after all, didn't Prime Minister Sharon, in a prime time American television interview, publicize the crucial issues that concern him - an impending civil war in Israel and his own safety, which he feels is threatened by fellow Jews? Never mind the fact that, in addition to more than l,700 Israelis murdered and over 6,000 wounded since the Oslo Accords were signed, Israel's recently brokered 'cease fire' with our new peace partner, Abu Mazen, has resulted in an almost daily bombardment of rockets on Gush Katif. That same Gush Katif that, in Sharon's view, must be Judenrein in order for the 'Palestinians' (and the world) to be placated. One can only shudder at the thought of what will transpire, Heaven forbid, if an enemy 'Palestinian State' on Israel's border comes into existence. Each Passover, at the Seder table, Jews recite the prophetic words of the Haggadah: \"In every generation, they [enemies of the Jews] rise up against us, but the Holy One, blessed is He, saves us from their hands.\" This year, in view of the ominous harbinger of potential danger to the Jewish people brought about by the Sharon government - weakening the State of Israel through his policy of enslavement to the dictates of foreign nations, rather than an obedience to the Torah's commandment for Jews to settle every part of our reborn homeland - let us pray that G-d will save us also from the hands of our own leaders; and that He bring His promised redemption to the Jewish people speedily, in our days. 79

‘And for the Sin of....’ Once again, the Days of Awe are upon us. Traditionally this period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is a time of introspective soul-searching in which Jews are admonished to reflect upon our misdeeds of the past and resolve not to repeat them in the future. Although the intent to do so is honorable, since we are only mortal beings who experience the trials and tribulations of life, these resolutions are all too often forgotten and fall by the wayside. Knowing well our human failings, perhaps this was the reason the Torah sages, of blessed memory, decreed that Yom Kippur services should include the recitation of an entire litany known as ‘al chait’ (‘for the sin of...’), which enumerates transgressions committed against G-d and our fellow man. Living here in Eretz Yisrael, in the Jewish State, for which so much blood has been shed (most recently, that of a 7-month old baby, Shaked Avraham, who was brutally murdered together with a friend of her family, Eyal Yeberbaum, as they were celebrating Rosh Hashanah in a caravan near Hebron), I pondered the fact that there are no ‘prayers for forgiveness’ for successive Israeli governments whose implementation of the Oslo ‘peace process’ (sic) resulted in the murder of l,473 Israelis and the wounding of more than 5,000 other victims. It occurred to me, therefore, to compose the following mea culpa for some of Israel’s ‘leaders’, as well as our sundry leftists, to recite on the Day of Atonement, asking forgiveness from the Al-mighty for prolonging the disaster of Oslo and its equally dangerous successor, \"the road map\", which is bringing untold tragedy to the people of Israel. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon: ‘For the sin of negating the promise to ‘never’ support the establishment of a ‘Palestinian state’ or the evacuation of Jewish settlements. Bibi Netanyahu: ‘For the sin of giving to the implacable Arab enemies 80% of the Holy City of Hebron and releasing the venerable terror instigator Sheik Yassin.’ Ehud Olmert: ‘For the sin of placing political interests above principle by not voting against the release of Arab prisoners.’ 80

Shimon Peres (here one hardly knows where to begin): ‘For the sin of reportedly initiating and then supporting the suicidal Oslo Accords, in which Israel elevated chief PLO terrorist Yasser Arafat to prominence on the world arena, provided him with weapons - which are used to murder countless IDF soldiers and civilians – and transferred millions of shekels to the coffers of the so-called Palestinian Authority - which foments, rather than fights, terror.’ Die-hard, renegade leftists Uri Avnery, Yossi Sarid, Shulamit Aloni and their soul-sick compatriots: ‘For the sin of constantly giving aid and comfort to Israel's Arab enemies, while turning a blind eye to the murder and wounding of thousands of our own Jewish brethren.’ This Yom Kippur, as Jews gather in synagogues throughout the world to pray for G-d's merciful judgment, may the New Year bring the demise of all Israel’s enemies and true peace for Eretz Yisrael and the Jewish people. 81

A 'Purimshpiel' for Real The Arab world has staged unparalleled theater. Of all the jovial events with which the holiday of Purim is identified, perhaps the most popular is a satiric theatrical play known as the Purimshpiel. For generations, Jews have marked this festive day by attending either professional or amateur productions in which reality becomes topsy-turvy, and everything is considered fair game in pursuit of mirth and levity. Yet, if one considers what has transpired in the Middle East since the start of the Oslo Accords, it is not the Jews, but rather the Arab world that has staged an unparalleled Purimshpiel. Artfully masking their true intentions by masquerading as Israel's 'peace partners', Arab leaders have succeeded in convincing a majority of the nations (and the obtuse prime minister of Israel) that they no longer wish to annihilate the Jewish State. Led by their star performer, the late and unlamented PLO chief terrorist Yasser Arafat (let us give the devil his due, as his performance earned him a Nobel Peace Prize), some of Israel's sworn Arab enemies have suddenly became “baalei Tshuvah” (penitents). They agree to live \"side by side\" with Israel if - and here's the rub - the so-called \"Palestinians\" will be given a state. Not just any state, mind you, but one with contiguous territory. That means an Israeli retreat to the l967 borders. Other players in this bizarre production, such as Hamas and their compatriot murderous ilk, demand a retreat to pre-l948 borders. Of course, this peaceful \"Palestinian State\" must have Jerusalem as its capital. One can only imagine the incredulous look on the face of Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak when the wily Arafat, of unblessed memory, related that Israel would be willing to make insane concessions, if only he and all the other Arab leaders would continue to play the part of peacemakers. Thus, Egypt (which, thanks to 82

Divine intervention and our heroic IDF, was not able to \"drive the Jews into the sea\") has become the \"peace negotiator\" between Israel and the so-called \"Palestinians\". Mubarak's acting talents have even persuaded the government of Israel (among other suicidal concessions they have made) to allow Egyptian soldiers to patrol strategic areas vital to the security of our Jewish State. The Arab Purimshpiel, however, does not end there. It continues with Theater of the Absurd - the \"two-state solution\" endorsed by former US President George Bush and now promoted by President Barack Obama and his new Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. This, despite the barrages of rockets that continue to be lobbed into Israel, making the lives of Israeli citizens a living hell. Nevertheless, in order to create a 'happy ending' for this Arab Purim- shpiel the United States, \"our only ally\", insists that other demands of our ostensible \"peace partners\" must be met; i.e., Israel must free countless murderous terrorists to obtain the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit; and Israel must stop building \"settlements\" and prepare to evict even more thousands of Jewish residents from their homes in Judea and Samaria. To be saved for \"final negotiations\" is the demand that all so-called \"Palestinian refugees\" (albeit there was no Arab state of Palestine from which they were made refugees) have the \"right of return\" to Israel proper, and the division of Jerusalem, Israel's eternal capital. In the Book of Esther - which is read in synagogues throughout the world ever since the original Purim centuries ago - it is recorded that the evil plans of Haman, the arch-Jew-hater, were miraculously overturned and, instead, descended upon him. Today, too, we pray that the Almighty, Blessed is His Holy Name, will cause the evil designs of Israel's enemies - disguised as actors in an Arab Purimshpiel whose intentions are to destroy the Jewish State - to be overturned and, instead, descend upon them. 83

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Defying G-D 85

Defying G-D For some time now, as I reluctantly turn on television to see the evening news, a strange reaction seems to overwhelm me. This unidentified illness is often accompanied by symptoms of extreme headache and nausea, particularly when Israel's re-hashed politicians appear on the screen to present their 'new' images, with which they hope to influence potential voters to elect them as 'leaders' of the Jewish State. Incredible! Not one of the re-cycled former prime ministers or the 'wannabes' waiting in the wings for that coveted position, who denounce each other with a passion rarely exhibited against the Arab enemies, seems to understand exactly what is required of a true Jewish leader, particularly at this critical juncture of Israel's existence. Ironically, it was the late and unlamented arch terrorist murderer, Yasser Arafat, (may his name be forever erased) who well understood the 'Achilles heel' of Israeli politicians. Through the deceptive, so-called 'peace process', the diabolical PLO leader succeeded in portraying his gang of terrorist henchmen as 'freedom fighters' for the liberation of Palestine, even as each successive Israeli prime minister eagerly rushed to shake his bloody hand and offer him more concessions of the sacred land of Eretz Yisrael. Yet, after thousands of Israelis have been murdered or wounded as a result of the ill-conceived Oslo Accords, having learned nothing and forgotten everything, the present prime minister, Ariel Sharon, and his potential challengers are again falling all over themselves to find a \"new peace partner\". For this purpose, they have to choose 86

from among the myriad of Arab terrorists whose qualifications, seemingly, are how many Jews they have slaughtered or attempted to kill. Giving the devil his due, the 'preferred' candidate, Abu Abbas (whom our inane politicos view as a moderate), has honestly stated innumerable times that he intends to continue in the exact path as Arafat. Furthermore, Abbas, a Holocaust denier, demands the establishment of a 'Palestinian state' not later than the year 2005. What on earth could cause such madness and blindness in Israel's leaders? Many of them even have impressive military backgrounds, yet are incapable of understanding that the conflict between Jews and Arabs is not political. It is a religious war to eradicate Israel and, indeed, the Western world. The only possible explanation for the warped policies of Prime Minister Sharon, and that of both the left-wing and right-wing governments that preceded his, is an ostensible belief that they, and not the G-d of Israel, know the best solutions that they decide the fate of Eretz Yisrael. Thus, in disregarding the expressed admonitions of our Holy Torah, which prohibits selling, much less giving up, even one inch of our hallowed soil to non-Jews, the 'leaders' of Israel are guilty of defying G-D. In continuing to 'negotiate' with sworn Arab enemies of Israel instead of defeating them, as commanded by our holy Torah, the 'leaders' of Israel are guilty of defying G-D. In sacrificing our precious IDF soldiers' lives in order to spare the lives of so-called innocent Arab civilians, who by-and-large support suicide bombings and other means of murdering Jews, the 'leaders' of Israel are guilty of defying G-D And in what is perhaps the most blatant chilul Hashem (desecration of G-D’s holy name): by appeasing and ceding to the demands of gentile nations, rather than trusting in the Rock of Ages as did the Macabees of old by continuing to engage in the so-called 'peace process' that has proven detrimental to Israel's survival, the 'leaders' of Israel defy Israel's truest and Eternal ally-Almighty G-D. 87

The War Against G-D in Israel \"And you shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land... but you have not obeyed My voice.\" (Judges 2) It is an open secret that the best efforts of 'experts' in the Israeli government have not been able to stem the increasingly downward spiral of the pariah-like status in which the Jewish State finds itself today in the world arena. For believing Jews, however, this is not a mystery, since it is clearly evident that the source of the Middle East conflict, as well as its solution are to be found in the eternal 'road map' for the Jewish people - our holy Torah. \"And you shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land... but you have not obeyed My voice.\" (Judges 2) \"Those which you allow to remain shall be as thorns in your eyes and as pricks in your sides and they shall harass you in the land wherein you dwell.\" (Numbers 33) \"And thou shalt eradicate the evil from thy midst.\" (Deuteronomy 13). Yet, despite these ominous Biblical warnings, Israel's 'leaders' continue to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by retreating from the precious land of Israel, thus rewarding Yasser Arafat and his murderous ilk for their ongoing war of terror. Compounding this disgraceful and dangerous policy, is Israel's seemingly masochistic need to win approval of every action it contemplates, from the world in general and from America in particular. Witness the urgent haste with which the Prime Minister Ariel Sharon dispatched Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to Washington to 'explain' his intention to uproot 17 Jewish settlements in Gaza. And what \"good news\", following his recent 'hat in hand' White House visit, did Olmert bring us? Oh, joy of joys! The United States accepts the Gaza pullout plan! One hardly knows whether to bitterly laugh, or cry, at the spectacle of 'Jewish leaders' of the sovereign State of Israel - which, with G- d's help, arose after two thousand years of persecution perpetrated 88

by gentiles in Crusades, Inquisitions, pogroms and the unspeakable Holocaust - now rushing to receive the approval of gentile leaders in the United States. And this, in order to expel countless numbers of their own Jewish brethren from their home in the Jewish homeland! Ironically, what was the response of Chief PLO terrorist Yasser Arafat (who continues to ply his trade) to Sharon's shameful capitulation? \"It's not enough! Israel must pull back to the l967 borders in order to sign a 'peace' [sic] treaty.\" Measure for measure. The more Israel refuses to abide by the sacred Covenant of the Al-mighty, who promised the land of Israel to the Jewish people as an everlasting inheritance, the more the Arab enemies abide by their \"covenant\" to destroy us. Generations ago, the great warrior and Psalmist King David understood that a war against Jews is a war against the G-d of Israel. His stirring words ring as true today as in ancient times. \"And they that hate Thee have lifted up the head... and take counsel against Thy treasured ones. They have said, 'Come and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be no longer remembered.' For they have counseled together with one consent: Against Thee do they make a covenant.\" (Psalms 83) Tragically, the painful lessons of history have been lost on the present-day leaders of Israel. Ultimately, it is the Jews of faith and courage, not those of fear and compromise, who will win the battle for Jewish survival. 89

G-D Always Wins There is no greater desecration to the memory of victims of terror, be they the countless Jews who are daily murdered and injured by Arab terrorists in the name of “liberating” Palestine, or the thousands of men, women and children who were murdered in the dastardly attacks in New York and Washington by killers who justify these insane acts in the name of their “religious beliefs.” The unparalleled, barbarous terrorist attack that struck an unsuspecting America and decimated the Twin Towers in New York and segments of the Pentagon in Washington has become a symbol of the violent world in which we live. Along with the thousands of innocent people who died, another death, that of the long-held illusion that such atrocities cannot happen in the United States - \"the land of the free and the home of the brave\" - was forever put to rest. In innumerable media interviews with Americans who witnessed the horrific disaster and who, miraculously, were spared from the tragic fate that befell so many hapless victims, one question kept recurring: \"Why do they hate us?\" It is a familiar query, asked by generations of Jews who were persecuted in crusades, inquisitions, pogroms and Hitler's intended 'final solution'. Yet, neither the unspeakable Holocaust, in which one third of the Jewish people were annihilated, nor the State of Israel that rose, with G-D's help, from the ashes of Auschwitz, has eliminated the need to ask that searing question. To those soul-sick, bleeding hearts, just as to the cruel terrorist perpetrators of continuous violence in the Middle East and recently, in the United States, the \"reason\" is the existence of Israel. As a recent Newsweek poll ominously reports, when asked why the Twin Towers and Pentagon were targets for terrorist attacks, 58%of the Americans questioned responded that Israel is in some way to blame. This, of course, is \"grist\" for the mill\" for hundreds of Jew- hating movements, like the American Nazi Party, the Ku Klux Klan, the Storm troopers, Aryan Nations and a myriad of militias who openly preach Hitler's \"final solution of the Jewish Problem\" to growing numbers of their followers. Not surprisingly, Jews are once again being singled out to be the scapegoat for whatever ails humanity and Israel is being increasingly isolated by both 'friend' and foe. Incredibly, these \"wake up\" calls have not caused Jewish leaders to arouse from their lethargic slumber and call for an immediate mass emigration to the Jewish State. 90

However, the world would do well to remember: G-D, blessed be his holy name, chose the Jewish People as His own particular treasure and promised that we would never again be exiled from our eternal Homeland, Eretz Yisrael. Let the nations plot their plots and plan their plans, but in the end G-D always wins! 91

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JEWISH DESTINY 93

\"Judging\" G-d's Ways Among the plethora of expressions which have become accepted and quoted throughout the generations, the words \"blind faith\" seem particularly incongruous to me. Seemingly, they are applied to those individuals who remain loyal to our Creator through triumph or tragedy. Yet, it is precisely the people of faith who do see - what others often do not or cannot. After all, which human being has not been tried and tested? When our hopes and aspirations are dashed about in the stormy sea of life; when dear loved ones, chas v’shalom are taken from us; when our valued personal relationships fail and we are left emotionally drained - the eternal question, \"why did this happen to me\" often plagues us, For the Jewish people collectively, the trials and tribulations in this short existence are compounded many times over. Historically, even some of the greatest heroes in the Tanach were subjected to excruciatingly painful experiences. Our Forefather Abraham, King David and Job are just a few that come to mind. Yet, they accepted their afflictions as the will of the Almighty with an all-encompassing faith that their suffering had a Divine purpose and in the end G-D'S mercy would once more shine upon them. 94

By contrast, many Jews today denounce Judaism's teachings. They question why Jews suffer throughout the ages, while our enemies seem to proliferate in every generation. If, however, one were to carefully examine Jewish history, particularly the events in recent times which, with help of the Almighty resulted in the rebirth and establishment of Medinat Yisrael after the unspeakable Holocaust, it is more than likely that one can begin to understand the Torah's concept of reward and punishment. It is common knowledge that if a contract exists between two parties, should one of the parties break that which is legally binding, he is responsible to pay the consequence of his action. How much more so does this principle apply between G-D and man? Two thousand years ago, an Eternal Covenant was entered between G-D Blessed is He, and the Jewish people. We were chosen to be \"a light unto the nations\" and by adherence to the Holy Torah to set an example for all mankind. With great love and mercy for Am Yisrael, Hashem ended the long and bitter Exile in our time with the establishment of our resurrected Jewish homeland. \"I will take you out from among the nations and plant you on your land in order for the world to see that I am your G- D\". And what have Jews allowed to happen in Eretz Yisrael under Jewish sovereignty? After countless wars launched by Arabs against Medinat Yisrael in which, with G-D'S help, we were victorious, Israel has snatched defeat from victory by giving up parts of our sacred land to the Arab enemies! Israeli \"leaders\" have allowed Arab terror to accelerate by releasing terrorist killers from prison who often repeat their murderous atrocities against innocent Jewish men, women and children after they are free! The government of the Jewish State continues to tolerate the desecration perpetrated by Arab mobs on the Temple Mount and forbids Jews from praying at JUDAISM'S HOLIEST SITE! 95

By these shameful transgressions and others, Jews defy the Covenant at Sinai which we pledged to uphold eternally. At this special time of the Days of Awe, let us pray that Jews everywhere will do \"teshuva' and \"shuva\" by returning to G-D and to the Jewish homeland Eretz Yisrael. In this merit, may G-D, blessed is He, “judge us\" with great love and mercy. 96

For Elul: Israel's Most Powerful Weapon In the month of Elul, we must remember that there is a special avenue to success open to G-d fearing Jews. Were it not so potentially tragic, the response by leaders of the Jewish State to the ongoing threat of physical annihilation by Iran, would be almost humorous. For years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a reputed expert on the nuclear intentions of the Iranian government to wipe out Israel, (whom they view as the little Satan, as well as the United States, \"the big Satan\") continues to request permission from America to attack this Hitlerian enemy of both nations. While ignoring the sage Biblical admonition, \"If one comes to kill you, you must kill him first\", Netanyahu's procrastination and foolhardy attempt to influence U.S. President Obama to strike Iran, has resulted in the Iranian leader, Ahmadinejad's, reported ability to obtain the dreaded nuclear weapons with which, G-D forbid, he can fulfill his nefarious plan By what convoluted thinking does the Prime Minister of the Jewish State believe that the world which by and large stood silently by as six million martyred Jews were murdered in the unspeakable HOLOCAUST, will now come to the defense of Israel Does he depend on the United States, which did not grant asylum and turned back to Germany the St. Louis, a boatload of pitiful Jewish refugees who managed to escape the Nazi inferno? Does he count on the British who incarcerated Jews in detention camp after they had fled the worst persecution known to mankind and hoped they had found a safe haven in England? 97

Or does he indeed believe the United Nations, that bastion of morality who regularly condemns Israel while turning a blind eye to the thousands of victims of Arab terrorist attacks, will suddenly support the Jewish State in its rightful quest to obliterate Iran's potential nuclear threat? Its high time Israel's leaders, both left and right realize and understand that except for our Eternal Ally, G-D, Blessed is He, the Jewish people stand alone! With faith and determination Israel must stop trying to influence the world and do what must be done for its own survival Israel's most powerful weapon against its many enemies is through \"tshuva\" and “shuva\", the Jewish return to the Torah's Divine command to settle all of our sacred homeland, a mass return by Diaspora Jewry to Eretz Yisrael, and the rebuilding of the Third Holy Temple in Jerusalem! 98

The Silence of the Jewish Lambs To maintain good relations with the government of Israel, American Jews should \"keep their mouths shut and their pocketbooks open.” A recent article about the Israeli Consul-General in New York that appeared in the Jerusalem Post, headlined \"Most American Jews Support Realignment\", brings to mind the veracity of the following humorous anecdote. At a support group designed to strengthen the relationship between parents and married children, participants were asked to relate situations that caused friction and how they reacted to them. After each member had voiced their mostly negative experiences and complaints, one woman rose to address the group. \"As a mother and mother-in-law, I can inform you that the solution to maintaining a good relationship with married children is simply to keep your mouth shut - and your pocketbook open.\" This, in effect, was the message to American Jewry from Israel's Consul-General in New York, Arye Mekel. The Jerusalem Post's Gal Beckerman summarized his interview with Mr. Mekel last week as follows: \"American Jews largely support Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's realignment plan, and those who don't will be told to keep quiet so that the global Jewish community can maintain a united front.\" Furthermore: Mekel said he had been spreading this message to many American Jewish groups lately and that to a large extent, the response had been positive. Even the Orthodox Union, which could 99

offer the greatest American opposition to the plan, had agreed not to broadcast its disagreement to the greater Jewish community, he said. There you have it. This directive by the Consul-General in New York, the official spokesman of the government of Israel, is aimed at silencing any legitimate opposition by the American Jewish community to Ehud Olmert's dangerous new Disengagement - known as the Convergence or Realignment Plan - even after the disaster in Gush Katif. The Olmert plan will further reward Arab terrorism by uprooting many more thousands of Jewish residents from their homes in Judea and Samaria, the heart of our G-d-given Jewish homeland in Eretz Yisrael. Of course, this outrageous attempt to stifle dissent presumably does not preclude American Jews from continuing to send their humongous financial support to Israel. In other words (as the above parable illustrates) to maintain good relations with the government of Israel, American Jews should \"keep their mouths shut and their pocketbooks open.\" Superseding this outrageous act of unmitigated chutzpah by Consul-General Mekel is the reaction, or rather lack of same, by Jewish organizations in America, such as the Orthodox Union. Their agreement to Mekel's demand not to broadcast their opposition to Olmert's plan to the greater Jewish community reminds one of the darkest days during the Holocaust, when some influential American Jewish organizations, espousing the silence of the Jewish lambs, ignored the desperate pleas of their doomed European brethren. In the final analysis, the question of whether or not American Jews support Olmert's evil plan to remove Jewish residents from their homes in the Jewish State is not relevant. The truly important question is whether the Jews in the Diaspora are willing, 'for the sake of peace', to give up their homes and emigrate now - to Israel. 100