My second love.....

After Israeli politics and Judaism, is, of course, sports.

The French Open is ongoing, the first round being complete. An Israeli woman, Shahar Peer, ranked #31 in the tournament, easily defeated her opponent, Olga Savchuk, 6-1, 6-1.

Why do I mention ms. Peer?

Well, she has won 3 tournaments already this year (Istanbul Cup, Pattaya Open and ECM Prague Open). While she is still a dark horse to do some damage in Paris, I have this sneaking suspicion that this tournament will be her graduation into the top echelon that is women's tennis.

As the Israeli national soccer team was a mere point from qualifying for the World Cup in Germany this month, coupled with Peer's and Anna Smashnova's resurgence in women's tennis, is a great sign that Israelis are preparing to make their mark on the international sports scene.

How important is this to Israel? Not so much, in my (sometimes) humble opinion. It is even more important to the international world. As our fellow countries begin to realize that Israelis are taking sports seriously (Gal Friedman last summer Olympics; Macabbi Tel Aviv basketball, etc...) it provides the best platform for Israel advocacy.

While Israel, and the region, is constantly being portrayed as a war-torn area of the world, Israelis are proving to themselves and to the rest of the world that they are ready to make their mark.

So, Behatzlach Rabba Peer and Smashnova.......bring the trophy home!!!!

Sneak peek.....next blog will discuss the difference between charity and tzedaka.

Here's an oldie.....

Me, Jess and Esther at Terabin during the NJCL trip, summer 2004.

The Schwartz's love the Apters.......

A little less conversation, a little more action

So before I explain my reference to Elvis, allow me to tell my parents that I am alive and well; breathing and learning. I know I don't call home (ever), but like I say, that just means I am having a very good time. So, dear family and friends, know I am well.

I spent this last Shabbos with the Stenge clan (Mott, Sara, Yehuda Tzvi, Shoo, cousin Erin) and Esther in Ramot Bet. It was great. Wanna hear something crazy? I didn't smoke. That's right. I totally kept Shabbos. And for that I am pretty proud. Sure I totally sucked one down after Shgiya like nobody's business, but that's not the point. Point is, this past Shabbos was spiritually, as well as physically (Sara's cooking.....yum) fulfilling.

Elvis. Singer, entertainer, lyricist. He affected a lot of people, but the heading for this entry is what I know of him. And what better way to define the West's (in)action concerning the growing international crisis that is terrorism.

If I look at today, May 28th, 2006 in a vacuum, I would feel pretty darn good. The conservative movement is gaining worldwide....George W Bush, Angela Merkhel, Stephen Harper, etc...But when put into context, I start to worry about our society post 2008...and here's why......

Democracy v. theocracy/dictatorship.

In a democratic country, leaders are not only accountable to their citizens for their actions and policy, they are subject to their whims. So, even if a leader is truly a great leader, chances are, his term as leader will be limited. Whether by constitution or simply growing voter apathy when things are good, in a democracy, leaders time are quite finite and short. In a theocracy/dictatorship, it is the reverse. It is almost impossible to remove a leader, even if he runs his country into the ground. This is also the difference between a Free Society and a Fear Society (coined by Natan Sharansky.....The Case For Democracy, 2004).

What does this mean for us?

Well, it means that when W's run is done, whomever is elected in his stead (Clinton, McCain, etc...) will definitely take a softer, more diplomatic approach to the issue of international terrorism. But who will be leading Iran? Syria? PA? The same old guard, bent on Islamic world domination; subjugation of minorities and women's rights; destruction of freedoms and injecting the world with anarchic cancer. Who will answer the call then? Who will stymie these nutballs when our present leaders are gone?

Who knows.....

I heard a very interesting idea in class today. Something that all Canadians will understand.

Multi-culturalism.

You know what multi-culturalism really is? It's neo-paganism. Allow me to explain....

Paganism was the belief that ethics (from the Greek ethos...meaning customs) was the primary focus of the definition of right and wrong. Meaning that there was no absolute right or wrong. A great example is infanticide. The great Greek philosopher Aristotle argued that infanticide is necessary for numerous reasons, one being a form of population control. This is what the world was until the Jews came and explained the idea that no, Right and Wrong, Morality, is absolute. It is unquestionable. It is not for us to determine. Today, no one questions the fact that infanticide is a gross miscarriage of injustice and plain old wrong.

Multi-culturalism states that who are we, the West, to push our own values, morals and ethics on others? The Western world has adopted much of the Jewish views on these issues, and we are all better for it. But now, in today's age of political correctness, we have begun to revert back to those Pagan days of yore. We now say...."Oh, if that's your custom, who am I to question it?"

How stupid have we become?

Truth is absolute. Morality is absolute.

For us to dilude this idea is paramount to taking a giant leap back in history. Killing babies is wrong. Targeting civilians is wrong. Declaring a state, and people, should be wiped off the map is wrong. How much further will we take this neo-liberalism down the path towards chaos? How much longer before we take a step back and realize this is not how humanity is supposed to function? How many more words will fall on deaf ears before the unwilling are willed into action?

Take heed, my friends. Society is changing and not for the better. Our lives continue to reflect this change, and our souls suffer for it. Please....find a cause you believe in and fight for it. Nothing in this world is worthwhile unless you are willing to stand up for it.

Aish Hatorah Rosh Yeshiva Weinberg says:
"You can't start living until you know what you would be willing to die for...."

I can't say it any better than that.

The beginning of the end...again

Israel agrees on arms transfer to Abbas' presidential guard

By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz accepted recommendations from defense officials to allow for the transfer a limited amount of weapons and ammunition to the Palestinian Authority's presidential guard in light of growing threats to Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' life.Olmert and Peretz reached the decision prior to the prime minister's departure for the United States earlier this week, Channel 2 reported Thursday.Senior defense sources said Thursday that the arms will be delivered to the guard by way of a third-party state (all indications are either Egypt or Jordan) solely for the purposes of protecting Abbas.

How stupid is the government? Remember Oslo? We're still paying the price for that with Jewish blood, soaking the ground due to Jewish bullets given to Arafat. And now, while the memories of burnt flesh and charred bodies are still vivid in the Israeli collective consciousness, Olmert is making the same mistakes again.

The Jewish people continue to pay with their lives for the decisions made by those who have lost their way. I'm gonna say it again, so listen closely....

PEACE IS DEAD.

The Palestinians do not want peace. The Arab world does not want peace. The sooner the Israeli government admits this all too obvious fact (ummmm....70+ years of Arab terrorism?), only then can we identify the problem and try to solve it. This area of the world is diseased; cancer-ridden; a sick, dying invalid that sorely wants to be put out of his misery. So what to do?

Convergence? Ha! Olmert's "convergence plan" is a death wish for the Zionist state. It is the poison that will slowly incapacitate this country I love so much. It will prop up the terrorists who, daily, call for my blood and yours. It will allow these animals the opportunity to strike at our urban popualtion centres; Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa. It will allow Al Qaeda to grow. It will allow evil incarnate to roam the streets that we, the Jews, built with our sweat and our tears.

Do I have a solution? No. I only point out the problems. That's my purpose. What's your purpose?

As we celebrate Yom Yerushalayim, I am comforted with the knowledge that Hashem will continue to protect his children, allow us to prosper and, should we deserve it, defeat our enemies will the vengeance and fury of a thousand burning suns.

Pedal to the Metal

Personal Update---- Aish is going great....I totally feel spiritually enriched. Religiously, I still have issues, but spiritually, I feel my soul getting lighter, my thoughts purer and my outlook on the Universe broader. The stuff I'm learning, while religious and Torah based, provides me with the insight necessary for me to define my purpose in life and have faith in Hashem that he will grant me the strength and courage to fulfill it. How did Avraham come to the conclusion of one, true G-d when his entire world worshipped numerous idols? What is Shabbos, really? What can we learn about our own nature from the stories of Cain and Abel & the Flood? How can the Torah provide me the blueprint for my life? These are the questions I am studying, and the path towards the answers, the journey I am presently undertaking, is making all the difference in the world. Screw the answers; it's the questions that get me!

Political Update----We are going to hell in a handbasket. The world, as we know it today, will soon cease to exist. The State of Israel has more of an existential threat today than any other period since the early 1920's. War, famine, pain, suffering, hurt.....it's so easy to tap into those emotions, as it seems the entire world suffers from it. It is much more difficult to tap into the happiness, beauty and clarity that is our physical world, a gift from Hashem, as less and less people espouse these emotions.

There is a great and horrible horizon ahead of us. There will be a time when all of us will have to ask ourselves what we believe in; what we are willing to die for. Better start preparing.

The word "Peace" only exists in the dictionary. If anyone talks to you about bringing peace into our world, you can tell them they are crazy. The best we can hope for is "End of Conflict".

The real question here is do we try and cure the cancer that is ripping the fabric of society apart? Or, do we simply band-aid it, and hopefully not die of the disease before we can cure it?

Either way, good days are behind us....hard days ahead. Fortunately, as long as we continue to believe Torah as truth and know that Hashem loves us and will take care of us, the Jewish people will continue to thrive, as we leave behind countless dynasties and empires and fulfill our collective purpose as a light onto the nations and the beacon of hope in a sea of chaos.

Good Shabbos.....

Chefetz Chashut

So, about 20 minutes ago, I was eating lunch with the Hasbara Fellowships group at the Aish FCO (Fleishik Cheder Ochel). Once satiated, I made my way outside for a smoke, only to get yelled at to go back inside by a member of the Israeli police, bomb division. Not 10 feet from where I was standing, the police identified a bag without it's owner. Now let's take a moment and reflect on that.

Back in Canada, if I were to find a bag sans-owner, I would try and be a good samaritan and search for the owners name, phone number or address. Not in Israel. Here, we live in a different reality. Here, anything unidentifiable is a possible threat. Here, good will takes a back seat to safety and security. Here, we don't take any chances. It is called a Chefetz Chashut.

As a testament to both the efficiency of the Police, and the frequency for which these events occur, the situation was resolved within 20 minutes.

All pedestrians were moved away, preferably inside, when a policeman placed a protective covering over the bag in question, closed it, then proceeded to detonate the bag with an explosion that boomed throughout the Old City.

And that was it. People started to walk through the cordonned off area. Students went back to class, tourists went back to the shops and the scene, which was serene and quiet only moments before, returned to the normal hustle and bustle that is Jerusalem during tourist season.

Sure, people took pictures of the remnants; mostly snacks---bamba, bisli, some fruit---but this whole event was quite telling. A threat was identified, and within minutes it was removed. As a reflection on Israeli society this is both disturbing and fortunate....Disturbing because this is life in Israel. After 6 years of terror, this is accepted as a part of society. Sure it was a pain in the tuchus, but it was done. No second thoughts after the fact.

Can you imagine what would happen back home if this were the norm? Today's events, while thrilling to myself and others, doesn't even deserve the attention of the media. It is simply done. No international press coverage. Nothing. Does that make any sense at all?

Thank G-d all is safe. For me, the craziest part of it all is that by tomorrow at this time, everyone will have forgotten about it.

2 truths and a lie......

1) I spoke at the Parliament Hill rally in 2002 in Ottawa on behalf of all Canadian students. I spoke in front of 14,000 Jews, right after Rabbi Melchior and before Irwin Cotler.

2) I have visited Israel over 15 times.

3) I quit my job today and will be remaining in Israel for the forseeable future.

Or maybe 3 truths and no lie??????

This Week's sign the apocalyse is upon us....

The U.S. restored full diplomatic relations with Libya Monday, marking the end of a quarter-century of enmity and signaling to Iran and North Korea that similar rewards await countries that scrap their weapons of mass destruction. (Washington Post)

The road less travelled

Morning!

In about an hour, I start my first day of classes at Aish....kinda feels like the first day of school all over again. While hesitant at first, I'm pretty excited to learn. Growing up at Hebrew Academy, I took the words of my rabbis and teachers as words of truth and fact. Today, with opinions and subjectivity in my pocket, I am prepared to build on the foundation I received at HA, and hopefully challenge and question to better understand my place in Judaism.

The brain is like any other muscle in one's body...if you don't use it, you lose it! These next few weeks should re-kindle my intellectual and spiritual spark, providing me the opportunity to delve and discuss into matters previously mysterious.

I have an odd feeling. It's really weird. I'll give you an example....If I was back in Canada, I would shave. The fact is Lag Baomer has passed, and shaving is now permissible. Yet, I have decided not to shave until I return to Canada. Why? Because back home, with the beard, I stick out like a Canadian in Laos. Here, with the beard, I feel more accepted. Weird, huh?

I think that points to the fact that even today, as a man who is comfortable with his station in life, I still seek approval from those around me. To an extent that actually bothers me, but, on the other hand, if this feeling is to act as a sort of "conscience" for me, I am appreciative for it. I guess it's like anything else in life; it is what we make it.

Hope all is well back home. Go, Oilers, Go!!!

Back home, again....

Weird that I seem to write more when I'm away.....oh well!!!

I love Jerusalem! Whether it's seeing Esther, Mott and family and others, I always get this warm, fuzzy feeling all over...like coming home, again, for the first time. The weather is beautiful, the peeps gorgeous....all is right in the world.

I just wanted to post a quick comment on the NHL playoffs. I heard that the last game in San Jose, the fans were relentless in their booing of our Canadian national anthem. I remember not too long ago, during the confusion surrounding the most recent Iraq War, Canadians exercised their right to freedom of expression by booing the American national anthem. Even then, when the motivations were political and not athletic, Canadian media pundits denounced the move as stupid and useless.; I think the same can be said of the so-called "fans" in San Jose. Do they not realize that their top 3 players (Cheechoo, thornton and Marleau) are all Canadian? Guess not. The good news was that the Oilers slapped the Sharks silly in game 5 and are ready to close out the series demain.

The best response would be a victory. Put those "fans" in their proper place....

Lata!!!