Quotes of the day...

Regarding the recent arrest of homegrown terrorists in Toronto, Mark Kelly of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. wondered, "Maybe multiculturalism is just a nice idea for people who haven't been bombed yet."

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is.....for good men to do nothing."
-Edmund Burke

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

Did Paris Hilton score with NHL goalie?

John Kennedy, canada.com
Published: Monday, June 19, 2006

Paris Hilton swears she’s not looking for love – but did she find a little bit of lovin’ in Toronto?
The actress/singer seemed quite taken by Colorado Avalanche goalie Jose Theodore at a party following the MuchMusic Video Awards.
Witnesses say Hilton, 25, chatted with Theodore, a 29-year-old native of Laval, Quebec, at the Courthouse in Toronto before leaving together. The pair showed up at another club and partied until the wee hours of the morning.
“They were clearly into each other,” reports an eyewitness.
Earlier in the evening, Hilton said she was relishing the single life.“I’m single and I love it,” she said. “This is the first time that I haven’t had a boyfriend so I’m having so much fun just getting to know myself and just focusing more on my career.”

Lessons from World Cup 2006

Shavua Tov!

The Edmonton Oilers are pushing towards a deciding game 7!

Absolutely amazing! Let's bring the Cup home where she belongs....in the frigid Winter that is Canadia!!!

Lesson #1......

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/727910.html
Check out the above link...a Ghanan soccer player at World Cup in Germany whips out an ISRAELI FLAG after a teammate scores a goal! The Ghanan player, John Pentsil, plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv and obviously has great pride in his team and the nation where he plays. I got chills when I first saw this pic....absolutely amazing!

Lesson #2......

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150355512336&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Once again, Germans protested Iran at the World Cup today. Check out the link for a great pic equating Ahmedinejad to Hitler.

Just goes to show all the life lessons sports has to teach us. Good luck to the Oilers in game 7 monday night...my money's on Pisani, an Edmonton native, scoring the winning goal. Get ready to celebrate!!!

Avi's crisis of being

1. I believe, without any doubts, in Hashem, as the one G-d that created the Universe and that created me.
2. I believe, without any doubts, that Hashem gave the Torah to the Jewish people on Har Sinai.
3. I believe, without any doubts, that the Torah is the blueprint for life.
4. I believe, without any doubts, that the purpose of life is to get as close to Hashem as possible; to strive to know Hashem.
5. I believe, without any doubts, that the ultimate way to accomplish this is through the study of Torah.

All this being said, why would I go home?
How can I know what I know and still choose to return home?
Assuming I want to get as close to Hashem as possible, (which I do as I believe it to be my purpose) and I know the best way is to stay and learn in Yeshiva, how can I possibly go home?
How can I return to the Diaspora?
How can I even be thinking about going home?

I try to justify to myself that I will slowly become more scholarly back home, and then come to the point where I will return to Israel to study. But, will I have another chance? Is this the one, true opportunity for me to see with absolute clarity my purpose? Will I get another shot? What sort of mental state will I be in in the future? Will it allow me the clarity I feel today?

I don't want to go home. I want to stay in Yeshiva to fulfill my purpose. If not, how will I answer Hashem on that day when I am judged? How will I explain my choices, when I know what I know....and I know it to be true?

Poetry?

Yup, that's right..poetry. So for the last week I've been trying to post a poem that I really enjoy on my sidebar, under the archives. But, being that I have no computer literacy skills whatsoever, it proved futile and fruitless. So I took the easy way out. You might notice a new link; Avi's Poetic Adventures. It's a new blog I started, where I will be posting works of literature that I find intriguing and inspiring. While I will not be updating it as frequently as I do this one, I thought I'd mention it should anyone want to visit it.

More blogging to come.....

One dimensional

Friends, in an effort to show that my worldly opinions are not solely dependant on Israel and Judaism, I will now only comment on Israel every second post. This way, I can share with you my other worldly interests and commentary. While I could invariably speak volumes about Israel today (Hamas ends truce; continued Qassam missiles hitting Sderot; American Jew abducted and subsequently released in Nablus; Gaza beach disaster; continued Hamas/Fatah hostilities; increased terror alert), I will refrain. After all, tomorrow's another day...

First item....hockey. With their backs firmly against the proverbial wall, the Oilers managed to squeak out a 2-1 win last night. Jussi Markannen made 24 saves for the win, and the Oilers are playing Oiler hockey once again. My head still says the 'Canes will sip from Lord Stanley's Cup, but my heart says it's Oiler destiny. Oilers in 7.

Second item....Alanis Morrisette has broken up with her boyfriend/fiancee of 4 years, Ryan Reynolds (Van Wilder). All I can say is YAY! She can do much better. Like me, for instance.

Third item...This one is serious.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id
=7c2a27a4-542f-4f31-8d56-a1202bf80fe4&k=82471

Here's the link to the article. I was sickened when I read it. Especially as my grandparents played such a huge role in my formative years as a child, I find it hard to believe the actions these grandparents took. Anways, read the article; I warn you though, it's quite disturbing...

Finally, today marks 2 weeks left in my unbelievable, awe-inspiring, spiritually enriching stay at Yeshivat Aish Hatorah. I cannot believe how quickly time has gone by. Only 2 weeks left for everyone to convince me to stay. I am seriously thinking about it, but the only REAL things holding me back are my responsibilities and commitments back in Canada, and Bubby. Otherwise, I'd never leave. Who ever does want to leave home?

Shavua Tov....

Satan's new additions....

Satan is welcoming 2 new additions to his domain today; Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (pictured), leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and Jamal Abu Samhadana, leader of the Palestinian Resistance Committee, director general of Hamas' Interior Ministry, and Number 2 on Israel's most wanted list.

This is a great victory for the resistance against worldwide terror. These 2 separate acts show that the intelligence world is catching up to the terrorists; an optimisitic view that sooner or later, all those who support the murder of innocents will meet their maker, at the hands of those who value liberty and freedom.

We must continue to support the US, the Iraqi government and the IDF, and all those who espouse the view that our civilisation is responsible to root out these weeds and send them straight to hell. We must keep the proverbial pressure on; forcing these animals out of the woodwork so we can destroy them, their infrastructure, and their popular support.

As we enter the holy day of Shabbos, let us be thankful thank there are 2 less threats to our ideals, beliefs and values. Let us thank Hashem for taking these 2 from our midst, thus making our lives a little bit safer. Let us pray that the IDF et al. will renew their strength and courage to finish the job that has begun. No more political correctness. No more pacifying those who wish to murder us. Let us all have the strength to shape this world in the image of Hashem; an image of peace, courage and of G-dliness.

Let us also remember those who have fallen at the hands of these terrorists. May their souls in Heaven find a measure of peace, and may the families still here, on Earth, rejoice, as those responsible fry for all eternity in the flames of hell.

TA overnight...

So I went to Tel Aviv last night to spend some time with Joelle. She's doing really well, working as an engineer for some company.....(to me it sounds quite boring, but Jo's happy!!!)

I must mention the superb parking job she pulled off. I did not think that any vehicle could fit in the space, let alone a bicycle, but Jo put her in as well as the Hurricanes put the puck in the net against the Oilers and Jussi Markannen last night (Oilers lost 5-0).

Next we went for dinner at China Lee, a delicious, kosher Chinese food restaurant not too far from the beach. The food was delicious. The company, amazing. There's nothing like reminiscing about the "good old days"....Sure, it's a little sad, but it was great! It was also crazy expensive.

After that went back to Jo's and I actually got to watch some telly.....some Israeli soap opera (yawn), but then I watched ESPN Sportscenter! It was a welcome change to surfing the web for my sports updates. And that was it. Woke up early, hopped on a sheirut and now I'm back in the Old City.....class in 25 minutes!

So that was my first time out of Jerusalem this trip, and I could totally tell a difference right away. The people, the atmosphere, the whole aura of the place was different. That, and the stench of moral decay permeated throughout the city.....just kidding. Not really. Anyhoo, I'm glad to be back "home".

The "Peace Plan"

Okay, so before I go off on this proposal and on the media, I urge you first and foremost to read the document and not just take my word for it.

You can find the document at.......
http://www.jmcc.org/documents/prisoners.htm

Excellent. Are we ready? Great. First a little sidenote...
My personal entry/forray into the world of international politics was actually expedited by one of the authors of this plan, Marwan Barghouti (pictured top left). The first letter to the editor I ever wrote was in response to an article that portrayed this terrorist (presently in jail serving 5 life sentences for spilling innocent Jewish blood) as a "moderate" and "militant". Ha.

Anyhoo....seems like me and Marwan have come full circle...me in Jerusalem, him rotting behind bars.

To the matter at hand. The media (New York Times, Daily Telegraph, Washington Post, CNN, Boston Globe, BBC, etc...) has portrayed this proposal as a breakthrough for the prospects of peace in the Middle East. They claim this proposal as a "co-existence plan" with a Palestinian state living alongside Israel, pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital, and acceptance of the State of Israel. Did these "journalists" even read this plan?

The first thing I noticed was the document's title...."National Conciliation Document of the Prisoners", May 11, 2006. Fine. Next thing I noticed was that the State of Israel is not even mentioned in the entire document! That, coupled with the title, proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that this plan is an internal document; one meant to strengthen the Palestinian leadership (read Hamas v. Fatah civil war) in order to fully concentrate on their goal of "self-determination" and "full sovereignty" (read throw the Jews to the sea & eliminate the Zionist state from the map). They also call on the Arab world to fully back the Palestinians in their efforts to "resist occupation" (read continued terrorism aimed at Israeli civilians) and implement Arab summit decisions vis-a-vis the Palestinians. Summary: The document says let's get our shit together at home so we can unite and kill the Jews. Peace Plan? Please....

Now let's get a little more specific....

The Israeli government, from 1948, no matter who leads the government, has unequivocally stated that we will not accept the claim of the "Right of Return". It would spell the end to the beautiful experiment that is Israeli democracy. It would kill the Jewish character and nature of Israel. IT WILL NOT HAPPEN. So....how many times does the document mention the "Right of Return"? 6 times...(opening paragraph, last line; point 1, second line; point 1, fourth to last line; point 4, third to last line; point 9, fourth line; point 9, second to last line). 6 times!

• Point 1 of the document---"liberate the land" (read kill the Jews)
• Point 2 of the document---"...joining of Hamas and Islamic Jihad to the PLO..." (read "Terrorists All-Star Group")
• Point 3 of the document---"the right of the Palestinian people in resistance and clinging to the option of resistance with the various means..." Hello? They are stating plainly they still want the Jews dead!!! Hello?
• Point 4 of the document---"...and to present best possible care for the sectors that carried the burden of steadfastness and resistance and the Intifada and who were the victims of the Israeli criminal aggression, especially the families of the martyrs, prisoners and injured ..." OK, I just threw up. Seriously. How disgusting is this? Glorifying the vileness of suicide bombers, justifying the slaughter of children because they were Jewish?
• Point 5 of the document---"To liberate the prisoners and detainees" precedes the "need to double efforts to support and care for the refugees"....interesting, no? Hmmmm, who wrote the document? The prisoners. Whose rights come first? The prisoners. Hmmm. Funny how the refugee issue is at the fore when it comes to Israeli responsibility, but when it's about the internal Palestinian hierarchy of needs and demands, no one cares. Israel cares more about the refugees than the Palestinians do!!!! Anyways, I can bitch about the Arab/Palestinian hypocracy all day.
• Point 6 of the document---"to work on forming a unified resistance front under the name "Palestinian resistance front" to lead and engage in resistance against the occupation..." Right, that's what we need, terror built on terror built on terror.

Paragraph 16 states:..."maintain security and public order and implement the laws and end the state of chaos and security chaos and end the forms of public armed presence and parades and confiscation of the chaotic weapons that harm the resistance and distort its image and that threaten the unity of the Palestinian society and the need to coordinate and organize the relation with the forces of resistance and organize and protect their weapons."

This is the entire document in a nutshell. It's saying: "Let's stop killing each other and ruining this David v Goliath image we've worked so hard to maintain. Let's get together and kill the Jews once and for all. Why waste bullets on each other when there are Jews to blow up?"

Sickening.

Obviously, if put a referendum, the Palestinian people will overwhelmingly vote in favour of it. Kill the Jews; Palestinian State; end to internal chaos;etc, etc, etc. Hell, if I was Palestinian, I would vote for it! So what's the problem?

The problem is that the world, because of the media, will actually see this as a step forward on behalf of the Palestinians. Because of the way this document has been portrayed, people actually believe it's a "Peace Plan." Most people are either too ignorant or too stupid to read it for themselves, so they rely on the media to inform them. In this case, as many others, the media is dead wrong! They are perpetuating the problem instead of helping alleviate it. If the Palestinians were smart, they'd take advantage of this HUGE opportunity. But, like every other time in history, they won't. Thank Hashem.

Still, it is incumbent on us, defenders of Judaism and the State of Israel, to set the record straight. Write letters to your local newspapers, inform your friends and co-workers, support those who stand up for what we all believe in, and, most importantly, pray to Hashem that He will help guide us through yet another round of putrid Palestinian propaganda.

Ok then.....nobody's perfect!

24 hours ago, all seemed right in the sports world....today, reality set in.

Shahar Peer, Israeli tennis teen sensation, bowed out of the fourth round of the French Open, losing a tough 3 set match to former tennis queen Martina Hingis. This marks the furthest an Israeli woman has survived in a Grand Slam event, the last being Anna Smashnova in 1998. Who eliminated Smashnova 8 years ago? Martina Hingis....

And yet I am still quite proud of Peer's performance, and my expectations for her career are high. We will hear of her again, and she will, eventually, win a Grand Slam. Yasher Koach, Shahar!!!

Now to hockey....Oilers blew a 3-0 lead last night, and even worse, Dwayne Roloson suffered a season ending knee injury with 6 minutes to go in the game (picture above). Roloson, picked up at the trade deadline by savvy GM MacTavish, was the difference maker for the Oilers this postseason. Now, with backup Ty Conklin in nets, it seems the Carolina Hurricanes are in excellent position to win their first Stanley Cup in the franchise's history.

With role players like Recchi and Weight (picked up at the trade deadline), and the off season signing of defending Cup champ Cory Stillman, coupled with the excellent play of rookie netminder Cam Ward, it seems only a matter of time before Rod Brindamour and company hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. While I have a deep disdain for the club (they knocked out the Habs after going down 2-0), it just goes to show that the best teams win the championship, not the teams with the best players.

While nothing in hockey is a guarantee, look for the 'Canes to take care of business promptly.

And even if the Oilers get swept(not gonna happen, but even if they do), they still had an amazing run, and lots to look forward to for next year. The front office in Edmonton always claimed that they would succeed under a salary cap system; a system that "leveled the playing field", and their continued success has proved themselves right. Good on them...and good on the "New NHL"!!!

Later, I will comment on this proposed "Peace Plan" (authored by terrorists like Marwan Barghouti) that the media has grasped as the last chance for an end to the conflict in Israel. While at face value it seems like a nice plan, anyone who actually reads it will know how wrong that assumption is.....but I'll leave that to later.

Left in the dark....

Yesterday's blog was a lil' heavy, so this one will be light.....

Shahar Peer, (right)Israeli tennis teen sensation, is quickly becoming a beacon of hope in this country. Last night she faced former world #1 and queen of female tennis, Martina Hingis. Hingis, who retired a few years back due to foot and ankle injuries, has picked up her play of late, trying to regain her former glorious Grand Slam form. Peer got off to a slow start, dropping the first set to Hingis 6-3. It was the first set she has lost all tournament. But, like most young prodigies facing their idols, chalk it up to inexperience. The second set was a different story as Peer manhandled Hingis with her aggressive play and took set 2 by a count of 6-2. Hingis, the savvy veteran she is, complained to the chair umpire of the pending darkness, and play was suspended. The 2 stars pick up where they left off today, with the winner facing Kim Clijsters on Tuesday.

I believe Peer will prevail. She will face Clijsters in the quarter-finals, marking the furthest any Israeli female tennis player has advanced at any of the 4 Grand Slams. And even if I am wrong, her showing at the French Open has catapulted her into the top 20, and she has a brilliant career ahead of her. I just hope this French Open will be her coming out party to the tennis world; with her bringing the trophy back to Israel.

Hockey. I love it. I miss it. Probably the number 1 thing I miss most about not being home is that I cannot watch the Stanley Cup Finals (again....for like the 4th year in a row). Don't get me wrong, I love Israel (minus the mosquitos that seem to cross-breed with rhinos and subject me and my lily white skin to non-stop itching and pain)....... but I also love hockey.

That being said, Go Oilers Go!!! My prediction is a tough, 6 game series, with the good guys prevailing. Conn Smythe will go to Dwayne Roloson(pictured above), who will literally stand on his head and bring the Cup home to Canada.

My Canada includes Jerusalem

What a weekend!!! CUPE decides to "boycott" Israel, and our RCMP arrests 17 people in relation to planned terror attacks on Canadian soil (names of those arrested listed below). What struck me right away was that 2 of the arrested terrorists (yes, they are terrorists, not freedom fighters or militants) are from my adopted hometown of Kingston. Kind of makes the saying "I feel safer in Israel than back home" ring truer than ever.

My first reaction when I heard about the arrests was..."wow....". My second reaction, once I thought about it for a moment, was...."wow....I'm surprised this hasn't happened already...".

If you remember the travesty that was 9/11 as vividly as I do, you will recall Bin Laden declaring open jihad against the 5 "Christian" countries; USA, Australia, Spain, UK and Canada. It is no wonder that terrorists were planning attacks on Canadian soil, the only thing to wonder about is why they took so long to get here after the success they achieved in the other 4 countries?

These terrorists that were arrested are all "homegrown", which makes this scenario far scarier than if they came for Middle Eastern countries. If that was the case, it would be much easier to shrug our shoulders and say "these guys really don't represent any Canadians...they simply had Canada as a target". But now, as all 17 were Canadian residents and citizens, the illusion of Canada as a haven from these types of things has been shattered. Our multi-culturalist culture has allowed this disease to fester and grow unchecked. Mosques are breeding grounds for hate and prejudice....and now we know our mosques are not immune to that disease.

Canada is a target. Canadians planned the attacks. We have terrorists living within our midst.

Flashback to 1970. FLQ crisis. Politician Laporte kidnapped. PM Trudeau declares Martial Law. Terrorists kill Laporte. Using this as a precedent, what should our response be?

Well, let's see. As Canadians, our first collective instinct will tell us that not all Muslims are terrorists and we shouldn't punish the Muslim community because of a few rogue Islamists.

Let's ponder that for a moment.....

Take a look at the names below...all Muslim. Who should we putting pressure on? The Sikh community? Maybe the Asian community? COME ON, PEOPLE!!!! WAKE UP!!!! We must put pressure on the Muslim community to stop this disease of jihadism and Islamism from claiming innocent Canadian lives!!! Screw political correctness! Lives are at stake and we are not immune!! No more excuses!!! Do what needs to be done in order to protect Canadians civilians from the monsters that live next door.

I've said this dozens of times with regards to Israeli domestic policy, and it saddens me that the day has come that I can now say it with regards to my own safety and security in Kingston, or Montreal, or Ottawa, or Toronto.....The number one responsibility our government has to her citizens is to protect us from elements that seek our destruction. That is Political Philosophy 101. It is simple. I expect my government to protect me. Fortunately, the RCMP and collective intelligence agencies have done just that. And I am proud of them and their willingness to ensure that safety. Kudos to you all, a job well done. But it's also a job that is not finished. How many sleeper cells are there in Canada? How has our lax (and liberal/Liberal) immigration policies contributed to the rise of jihadism and Islamism within our borders? What needs to be done to quash these terrorists before they are succesful?

We must answer these questions honestly, without fear of labels, political correctness or typical Canadian apathy.

Remember the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995? A truck bomb was used to blow up a fedral building, killing 168 people, using one tonne of ammonium nitrate. The Canadian terrorists captured over the weekend obtained three times that amount! A full 3 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. Who knows how many attacks they were planning? Who knows the devastation that would have been caused had our intelligence forces not uncovered this heinous plot in time? Just thinking about it makes me sick. If Canadians need to actually feel the devastation of a successful terror attack to finally understand what Israel and her citizens go through on an almost daily basis, today is a very sad day. We were lucky. We were fortunate. But what if we weren't?

Juxtapose that with the decision of CUPE to "boycott" Israel. How stupid are these people? You know, it wasn't too long ago that the political left was ideological and practical in its ideology. It worried about human rights abuses, the environment....things that mattered. But what does this move by CUPE demonstrate? Not solidarity with the "poor Palestinians". Not any positive ideological, philosophical or socialist ideal. It is simple Anti-Semitism. They hate Jews. Therefore, they hate the Jewish State. And that's what Israel is, the Jewish State. Built by Jews from nothing. Sustained by Jews during almost 60 years of ongoing war. It will always be a Jewish State. Why? Because of people like you and me who know what we live for, and what we are willing to die for.

My message to Canada is welcome to the jihadist 21st century. This is not the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It's not even the Arab-Israeli conflict. This is a war between 2 ideologies...one which loves and covets life, the other which destroys it. One which espouses the ideals of democracy and freedom, the other, disgusted by liberty and justice. One which holds that are men are created equal, under G-d, the other who's sole purpose is to convert the world to its disastrous beliefs. I've written it before, and I write it again....

What side are YOU on?

Please, my friends, consider this question carefully. It is of the utmost importance. Our future, and our children's future, depends on our reaction to this disease. Cure it now and save the country......or else we have no one to blame but ourselves when we fail to learn from the past.

Names of terrorists arrested:
List of those arrested Canadian Press Published:
Saturday, June 03, 2006
TORONTO -- A list of the adults arrested and charged with offences under the Criminal Code of Canada. Five youths, who cannot be named, were also charged:

1. Fahim Ahmad, 21, Toronto; 2. Zakaria Amara, 20, Mississauga, Ont.; 3. Asad Ansari, 21, Mississauga; 4. Shareef Abdelhaleen, 30, Mississauga; 5. Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 43, Mississauga; 6. Mohammed Dirie, 22, Kingston, Ont.; 7. Yasim Abdi Mohamed, 24, Kingston; 8. Jahmaal James, 23, Toronto; 9. Amin Mohamed Durrani, 19, Toronto; 10. Steven Vikash Chand alias Abdul Shakur, 25, Toronto; 11. Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, 21, Mississauga; 12. Saad Khalid, 19, of Eclipse Avenue, Mississauga.

Shahar Peer update

PEER WINS: Shahar Peer upset 2004 French Open runner-up Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-4, 7-5 Saturday to become the first Israeli woman to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament since 1998.
''We have maybe four clay courts in Israel,'' the 19-year-old Peer said. ''The rest is just hard courts. But I think the way I play and the way I move, I can improve and play better and better on clay.''
She'll face five-time Grand Slam champion Martina Hingis of Switzerland for a quarter-final berth.

Keep it up, Shahar!!!

Tomorrow I will comment on the foiled terror attacks in Ontario, the CUPE boycott of Israel, and the connection between both events....charity versus tzedaka will have to wait......

Shavua Tov!!!

Happy Birthday Ma!!!!

May this year bring you all the blessings Hashem can grant. May it be a year of great health, happiness and good fortune.

May we all be fortunate enough to have this year be our best, for ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Israel.

Chag Sameach....And remember those 2 little words that granted the Jewish people the honour to inherit the Torah and be deemed G-d's chosen people...

Na'aseh V'Nishma!!!