The Cahans in Israel

 

Finally, because we love her so much, here she is.....the Bat Mitzvah girl.

 

 

Just two weeks ago we celebrated the Bat Mitzvah of Adeena, our niece.

 

 

Another stunning picture of the sun setting over Modiin. Ilene loves to watch this.

 

 

Here's a picture of some of the family that was able to attend this great event.

 

 

Isn't the sun setting lovely?

 

 

Where did the Macabees live and die? Not here. This grave dates to the Byzantine era.

 

 

This could be it. Located just off of Highway 443 are these graves that date back to the time of the Macabees.

 

 

Ilene loves to watch the sun set over Modiin.

 

 

Just sitting around the tepee drinking tea at the Eco Farm

 

 

Recently, Uri and his class took a trip to an Ecological Farm near Modiin

 

 

Ilene and I went on a trip to find the "real" Modiin. Some think this is the grave of Mattiyahu. Not!

 

 

Some of you might be happy that today is the last day of voting in the Best Life in Israel category of the JIB awards sponsored by the JPOST and Israellycool.com, click here to vote. With just hours to go in the voting, we are slowly closing in on the lead versus the venerable Treppenwitz and as of this writing we trail only by two percentage points. How more fitting could it be going into Super Bowl weekend to see this race come down to the wire?

So, if you have not voted in the last 3 days, now is your chance for your vote to mean something to someone. Thanks again for all your support.

 

 

Yesterday, I watched the events at Amonah on television. Maybe, I shouldn't have knowing that nothing positive was going to happen there. However, what took place yesterday at Amonah, was not something that I could distance myself from for so many reasons some personal, some because I am a citizen of this country, and some because I am a student of government and a news "junkie".

One of the houses that was destroyed belonged to a person who I would call part of my "extended family". However, putting aside my own personal connection, let us try to take a look at what happened from an objective perspective. Let us assume for arguments sake that the Government was right and that these houses that were built are illegal structures, fine. Therefore, we can simply say that we are country with laws and the government has the right to enforce the law and the police were doing their jobs, fine. I will also say that people have the right to demonstrate and use every legal means to protest government decisions, even the use of civil disobedience is a legitimate means of protest (which of course you can get arrested for).

Now, let us start to step back from the situation and look at the bigger picture. Today, we are less than two months from election day and we have a care take government in place as the Prime Minister remains hospitalized in a coma. We also know and it is apparently well documented that there is a great deal of illegal building that goes on in Israel both within the "green line" and in Judea and Samaria. Illegal building is done by both Jews and Arabs. Government has limited resources and therefore, can not destroy all illegal building just like it can not stop all speeders on the nations highways. Therefore, when government does decide to use those resources it does so because it has decided what its priorities are and what they want to accomplish.

Ehud Olmert made two decisions this week, the first to reach a compromise in Hebron and the second not to do the same in Amonah. It immediately became clear that those on the "right" were not going to let Amonah have the same fate as Gush Katif. However, let's set the record straight, I don't believe that most people on the right are in favor of throwing rocks at the police and other acts of violence against law enforcement. In any case, it became very clear that things would be very ugly at Amonah and that there might be violence. Knowing this, Olmert had a choice to make which was to either back down or throw the strength of the police force at the demonstrators. When I first witnessed the brutal beating and clubbing that the demonstrators got from the cops I was repulsed that I have anything to do with the Israel National Police. Then I realized that my anger really should be directed at Olmert for having made a conscientious decision to put some many lives at risk. Sure, I said at the beginning that we should take the assumption that the Government had the legal right to do what they did. A government certainly does have the right to use the tools at its disposal, such as the police to enforce the law. However, government must also be judicious in its decisions to use force, especially the extent of the force that was used in Amonah.

Governments are also bound not only by law, but by ethics as well. I would argue that when Ehud Olmert rejected a compromise deal, he made a decision that while legal was certainly un-ethical and most definitely political in nature. I am angry and saddened that Olmert decided to use this situation and these lives to make a political statement, which was to solidify his position as the heir to the Sharon legacy. In the short term, we will know if his strategy worked on March 23rd. However, the longer term effects of his actions will be felt for many years. The pictures of Jews raising arms against their fellow Jews sends a message to our enemies in which I am sure they are rejoicing. Two hundred of our fellow Jews were injured, for what? Just to send a political message?

Allow me to end on this note. Thousands of years ago, from among these very hills of Modiin, Judah Maccabee led a revolt. The revolt was not as much against the Syrian Greeks as it was against the Hellenized Jews who were intent on pleasing their Syrian Greek masters. The battle was for the heart and soul of the Jewish People. We all know that Judah led his people into battle with the cry of "Whoever is with G-d after me". My hope and prayer is that we will soon be able to realize a true victory over those that want to destroy us and our religion and see a rebuilt Jerusalem in our day.

 

 

Readers, today's events at Amonah have been heart wrenching on many different levels. A loyal reader, decided to pen a guest blog about his recent visit to Amonah to attend the brit (circumcision) of his great nephew. We'll call our writer Mo Udall as he tends to be more of the left wing Democratic variety. However, seeing how our government has gone over board can cause people to re-think their political persuasion.
Dear Elliott,

In light of today’s events in Amonah, I decided that today I needed to write some thoughts on this subject. This morning I heard about the compromise that was brought before the High Court of Justice, so I hope that some sort of solution is found. This may happen before I finish this.

Unfortunately, since sending this to you, I see that the compromise was over ruled. Five houses have been destroyed and tens of people injured, some critically. What happened this summer in Gush Katif apparently was just child's play.

On Friday, January 20, Erev Parshat Shmot, we went to Amonah to attend our niece's son's brit. We were told that it would be better off to go there via Jerusalem. Amonah, if you asked me, should be considered a neighborhood of Ofra. Ofra is one of the first modern Jewish Settlements in Judea and Samaria. The first families arrived their in the mid 1970’s. My brother in law and his family moved to Ofra from Mevaseret Yerushalayim in the early 1990’s shortly after Oslo accords. This was their way of protesting the accords. Actually, not all of the family was keen about this move. Since they are in Ofra, we see much less of them as compared to when they were in Mevasaret which was just of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Highway.

The highway from Jerusalem to Ofra is relatively new. It leaves the neighborhood Pisgat Zeev and bypasses Ramallah. On the way you pass maybe one Arab village that is certainly not on the road. This bypass highway was built as a result of the Oslo accord. After Oslo and the start of the Intifada many such roads were built so that Jewish traffic would avoid attacks from the local population. You must pass through Ofra to reach Amonah. Ofra is situated in a valley and Amonah is on top of a hill.

Amonah looks like a bunch of rack shacks, caravans (trailers) that are too small for the families that live there. This was our third visit there. Our First visit was also a brit. During our second visit, we had a chance to see the caravan that our niece's family lives in and the cherry tree groves they maintain on the other side of the Hill , not facing Ofra, but that face an Arab village.
We were able to see the houses that are in dispute from the synagogue where the brit was held. They seem rather modest compared to those in Ofra and certainly in other places I have seen in Israel. It is sad if they will be destroyed. On the other hand if they are moved to Ofra (per the proposed compromise), then what will be with the land in Amonah? I will get back to that after describing the brit.

The brit took place on Friday morning and there was a small group that gathered to attend, which consisted mostly of family. What was unique about the brit is that the Rav of Amonah recited a special prayer in which he asked for the settlement to remain as is and that the “decree” of the government be annulled.

The baby was named Oded – which means encouragement. My niece explain that there are three verses in the book of Psalms where the word is used and also mention a prophet whose father's name was Oded. However, her main message was that the birth of the baby should give them encouragement to continue to build Amonah.

I have mixed feelings about this situation. Obviously it is sad that homes need to be destroyed and people moved. But here the reason is different. Apparently the houses in Amonah were built on private Arab land. I understand from my niece that the inhabitants of Amonah have tried to reach the registered owner, but to no avail. Apparently they do not live in the vicinity, or it may be an inheritance. What is beyond me is if this is the situation why did people come to Amonah and why were the houses built in the first place? This situation was a time bomb waiting to explode. Another thing that really bothers me is the demonstrators that fight the soldiers and police that are there. Many of these demonstrators are students who should be in school learning to Torah to improve the situation of the people of Israel.

Under the proposed agreement, the houses will be moved from Amonah to another part of Ofra that is on "administrative" land, whatever that means. It appears acting Prime Minister Olmert is opposed to this agreement, and seems intent on having the houses destroyed. Olmert seems stubborn and I reminded of the hardenipharaohharoah’s heart.

On the way back home we took our soldier son back to his base outside of a major Samarian city (yeah Joseph happens to buried there) On the road from Ofra North, we passed the large settlements of Eli and Shiloh. There were a few Arab villages along the way as well. I saw a great deal of campaign posters. Little did we know what the Hamas would take the elections walking a few days later.

The road from Jerusalem north is scenic and pastoral filled with rolling hills and olive trees. The olive tree is a symbol of peace and it is my sincere hope that, one day soon we will have a true peace that the olive tree has come to represent.

If you are interested in reading more about Amonah please see the links below.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/672743.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/674691.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/675859.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/676627.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/676695.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/676670.html

 

 

Last week, the Hebrew daily, Maariv reported that both Nefesh B' Nefesh and the Jewish Agency are in negotiations to bring a group of 60,000 Hasidim from Brooklyn to a new neighborhood that would be built on to Ramat Bet Shemesh. If this is indeed the case it is an astounding number and would by far top any of the previous predictions of aliyah from North America. However, while the country certainly loves the theory of aliyah can it practically support and provide the funding and infrastructure for this group of people? If you have more information on this news item please let me know.

 

 

.....And Does He Want You in Modiin?

It's hard to live in Modiin and not have heard the name Ofer Glanz. Glanz, is one of a number of religious members of the city council and holds the education portfolio in Mayor Moshe Spector's coalition. Glanz, is a member of the Meimad (Religious Leftists) faction of the Labor Party and is ranked 33rd on the Labor list in the upcoming elections. Religious Jews in Modiin should view Mr. Glanz as an ally in their efforts to see an increase in the number of synagogues, religious schools, and other religious institutions. He is a passionate advocate of religious "pluralism" which is certainly admirable.

I would define pluralism, as an acceptance toward multiple view points or even "open mindness". In the educational arena, I guess the best example of this concept would be the community day school. Jewish community day schools tend to describe themselves as being Orthodox in practice, but having a student and parent population that is largely non-religious. These schools when teaching a certain subject might present a plethora of view points specifically Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox. Such a school existed in Baltimore and it certainly met the needs of many in the Jewish community and that's fine. The Mesuat Neriah school in Modiin is very similar (at least in philosophy) to the school that our kids went to in Baltimore. Glanz for some reason is no fan of this school and has not made life easy for what we call Dati Leumi Torani (Nationalistic, Religious, Torah oriented) schools. I have written extensively on the other school in town, Netiv Zvulun and the horrible experience our kids had there last year.

Recently, Glanz has been sounding more and more like a member of the secular Shinui party then someone that wears a kippa. He believes that many of the new olim (immigrants) who are primarily religious North Americans should not be moving here because the city can not offer the services that they seek and has clashed repeatedly with Deputy Mayor Harlop on this and other religious topics. Harlop has worked hard on efforts to advance the needs of the olim as well as the religious.

This past week, one of the local papers, Zman Modiin did a hatchet job on our beloved Chief Rabbi, Rabbi David Lau, son of the renowned Rabbi Meir Lau, who is the former Israel Chief Rabbi and current Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv. It appears that Glanz was behind an effort to paint Rabbi Lau as some type of zealot by taking an answer that Lau gave to a question posted to him on an internet forum and then applying to a certain situation here in Modiin. The paper does not appear to have interviewed Rabbi Lau to address or clarify his remarks to the situation, but quotes Glanz extensively in means of vilifying Rabbi Lau. Glanz, should be ashamed of himself.

More to follow at a later date.

 

 

One of the many reasons that people find Modiin attractive is that it sits inside the so called "Green Line" or pre-1967 borders. I guess that this must give people some peace of mind or illusion that by being here they are more removed from the hated "settlements" and are more secure. When I say being more secure, they feel that being within the Green Line gives them some guarantee against future government unilateral withdrawals and there certainly is a great deal of rationale to that. Then there is physical security, that there is less risk of some type of "incident" occurring within the Green Line than outside, but that's not really true just see some of the recent bombings in Tel Aviv, Netanya, and Beer Sheva as proof. Then there probably is the feeling that "they" (you know those people, the Arabs) are farther way because of this "line" that really appears only on maps, but is becoming more of a physical barrier with the creation of the fence. Yesterday, someone in the States wanted to make sure that we didn't live in those "settlements". You have to laugh when you hear these things, because people are just so naive about the distances in this country. Well friends, Occupied Palestine ain't so far away! Today, I was approaching the army checkpoint, which is about a mile out of town, when I noticed a bunch of cars filled with Arab youth hanging out the windows holding large flags of the Palestinian Authority on the new "security road" that the army has built near the fence around Highway 443. It was nice to see that our brethren were enjoying Election Day, but for those of you who think that Fatah and Hamas are some where "out there", you are wrong. Think about that.

 

 

Haaretz has an interesting article today on how the real nature of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was concealed for political reasons. Is that really a surprise? In other Banana Republics do they also try to prop up a sick leader to look healthy?