Has anyone READ it? "Jewish State" Law

 

Headlines around the world are up in arms about the chutzpah of Israel planning a law declaring it to be a (the) Jewish State.

Right now I will admit I have not seen the law; not in Hebrew and not in translation.

Despite all the agony and gnashing of the teeth, I suspect most of the people commenting on the proposed law also have not read the law - in Hebrew or in translation.

But consider this: Israel was created as a "homeland for the Jewish people" and ratified as such by UN member states, even officially Christian ones. It was mostly Jews who died defending Israel.

The Arab people have - how many Muslim-controlled states? And these are most assuredly Muslim countries; if your not a Muslim you might not be allowed in (unless you are a soldier defending the Muslim country from other Muslim countries).

The Christian people have their countries. How many nations identify themselves as officially "Christian?" The United States is "Christian-dominated," but not a "Christian by law" country - for which I thank HaShem. Unlike some Muslim-controlled countries, non-Christians are allowed to have citizenship in (most) officially Christian countries; albeit some have limited rights.

Who would complain if the Vatican City declared itself officially a "Christian" country? It is, although there is (was) a Jewish quarter.

What about North Korea; it's atheist and you best not bring any religious material into that land. Saudi Arabia is Muslim; bring a Bible into Saudia and you will be punished - severely. Jordan is a Muslim country and you may not display any signs of Jewishness on pain of punishment.

So I ask: "What's the big deal about Israel being a Jewish state?"

Is the bill DENYING rights to any non-Jewish Israelis? Does the bill prohibit non-Jews from running for, and being elected to, public office? Does the bill preclude non-Jews from judgeships, even on the highest court? Will non-Jews under the bill be kept out of the military (a situation that often prevents upward mobility in post- service jobs)?

Will Egged, the bus company, allow only Jews to ride the buses? Will it have special sections for Jews and other sections for non-Jews?

Will highway signs suddenly stop showing Arabic and English and become, as they are in PA-land one-language only (Arabic, obviously)? I understand Arabic no longer is an "official" language; English never was an official Israeli language, nor is French, although it appears (appeared:) on Israeli passports.

As long as the PA-land issue was opened, will the law be like the PA laws that prohibit non-Arabs from living in the state? Jews are not allowed to live in PA-controlled areas, and Christians are finding life increasingly difficult in Muslim-dominated areas (e.g., Bethlehem) where they have long been a presence.

Will the law toe the Torah line? Given that many haredim are against it, I suspect it will not. (What do they care anyway; many of them would prefer to be back under Jordanian rule.)

As I wrote early on, I have not seen the law and I suspect that those railing against it also have not read the law. It's a political football that was introduced at an inopportune time. Israel has enough problems on its political plate without adding another.

It MAY be a good law - that is if anyone takes the time to read it. It may not be a good law. If it deprives any ISRAELI of rights he or she now enjoys, then it is a bad law. I am not concerned with non-Israelis who come into the country to work for a day or a year other than to assure they are treated fairly and with the respect they show Israelis.

I would NOT want schools in Arab communities to stop teaching Arabic; they should teach Arabic AND Hebrew, just as schools in Jewish communities should teach Hebrew AND Arabic - if we cannot communicate, how can we have peaceful coexistence? The current situation suggests that without communication, things will remain as they are: dangerous for all concerned.

Let me be 100 percent clear: When I wrote "Israeli," I mean all Israelis: Jews and non-Jews alike.

Maybe someone ought to take the time to read the law, preferably in Hebrew, but a translated version is "better than nothing."

Sefardi or Ashkenazi? Who calls Ashdod & Ashkelon home?

 

It would be interesting to see who lives in Ashdod and Ashkelon; who are in the majority.

I'd wager that the majority of the residents are from - or descended from Jews who once lived in - Moslem-dominated countries; e.g., North Africa, Syria, Iraq and Iran, Egypt.

Most of the people I know here in the States who claim Ashdod or Ashkelon as their home are Sefardi.

At the same time, most of the people who bewail the efforts of the mayors of these two Israeli towns to protect their citizens are Ashkenazi. Those criticizing the mayors include the Ashkenazi prime minister, the Ashkenazi mayor of Jerusalem - one must wonder about his position given the terrorists attacks in his city - the president, and others none of which are Sefardi.

Why is this?

Perhaps because the Sefardim understand the Moslems, and because they know the reality of Israel's "talk the talk but don't walk the walk" government that, if you would poll the pols, is mostly Ashkenazi.

I'm not going to suggest that all Ashkenazim are fools or appeasers; Begin was neither and he was Ashkenazi.

And I am not going to suggest that all Moslems - Israeli Moslems or otherwise - are planning terror attacks against Israeli Jews and non-Jews.

I AM suggesting that the Sefardim are better equipped to deal with Moslems.

My Father-in-Law (ע''ה) grew up in Morocco. He worked with Moroccan Moslems; he competed with Moroccan Moslems; he co-existed with Moroccan Moslems. He showed them respect and it was returned.

My Father-In-Law was a big man, physically. He would not be pushed around.

When the family made aliyah in the 1960s, he was settled in Bet Shean, a town in the Jordan Valley that was too hot for the Ashkenazim - besides, Bet Shean is on the Jordan border so if attacks came from that direction, the Sefardim could buffer the Ashkenazim farther from the border.

If you think that is a "sepur Savta," I suggest you look at all of the places the Ashkenazi governments settled immigrants from Moslem countries.

Moslems have an Eastern mentality, akin to the Chinese and Japanese. Sefardim, having lived with Moslems for centuries, understand that mentality. Understanding it means being able to deal with it.

The Ashkenazi, with his European mentality cannot comprehend the Moslem mind and lacks the ability to deal with the Moslem mentality. The Ashkenazi simply wants to do what is "politically correct "and damn the consequences" - the murders on the streets and in the synagogues, the rockets raining down on civilians.

At one time several Moslems invaded Bet Shean and killed several residents.

The residents and the Army killed the terrorists. The residents, 90% of whom were from North Africa, doused the Moslems' bodies with gasoline and set them afire. Moslems believe they won't get their promised 70 virgins if the body is burned. It was decades before another Moslem tried to attack anyone in Bet Shean - and he was caught as he rode an Egged bus toward the town.

Burning bodies is not "politically correct" and I am certain the Ashkenazim in government "tisked-tisked" and rung their hands over what the cruel Sefardim did to those poor Moslem terrorists - but it sent a message that kept Bet Shean "terrorist free" for decades.

My personal, American, attitude is similar to my Father-In-Law's: if you push me, I'll push you back - harder. I won't start something, but I intend to finish it.

It's time the Ashkenazi leadership realized that its threats to act against terrorists and its promises to protect Israel's citizens are just words with no value; the Moslems know that between the Ashkenazis' desire for "political correctness" and Europe's (and, unfortunately North America's) bleeding hearts will protect them from justified retribution.

It's time the Ashkenazi leadership learned a lesson from the Sefardim and became more concerned with Israel's citizens and less concerned with "political correctness."

Synagogue decorum Only in America?

 

I know small children need to go to synagogue with dad (and mom, too, if she's willing) so they'll feel comfortable with the service.

Note I wrote "comfortable," not "at home."

I am a curmudgeon. I won't deny it.

I also raised three children in a synagogue environment. My three did not run around disturbing others, my wife and I saw to that. (I also let them leave the sanctuary for parts of the service - how long was dependent on their age at the time.) I am not bragging, just stating a fact.

I have been in Ashkenazi and Sefardi congregations in the U.S. and Israel. I have been in observant, Conservative, and - one Purim - Reform synagogues.

But only in Sefardi congregations in America are children allowed to run wild.

But then . . .

DECORUM

There are some things that you learn by being a regular or by having a parent teach you as a youngster.

For example, you do not walk immediately in front of a person praying the Shmonah Esray (18/Amedah).

The reason I gave my children is that the person could be bowing as the unlearned person crossed in front, making it appear that the person praying the prayer was, G-d forbid, bowing to the person.

It also is distracting even to a person with his (or her) nose buried in the sedur (as it should be; the prayer is not to be recited by rote; it must be read).

Today we had a young lad - maybe 6 or 7 years old - going in front of people trying to read the pray, insisting that those praying stop and shake his hand. He's a good boy, but his father needs to keep him close by his side.

Unfortunately there were several adults who also insisted on walking in front of people at prayer.

It's one thing to walk in front of a person on the way to the bathroom, but on the way back … wait until everyone has taken their three steps back.

This, unfortunately, is not limited to Sefardi congregations nor to observant congregations; I've seen it in Conservative congregations as well.

My tradition (Moroccan) holds that if you are standing when someone begins to recite a kadesh, you remain standing until the last "amen." Based on what I see where I regularly make minyan, this is not universal. (Many north African traditions seem not "universal." Pity.)

I don't know why people think that when the haftarah is being read it is time to get up, walk around, and chat with your neighbor. Didn't they get a chance to chat when the Torah was being carried from the ark to the amud?

Maybe someone should paraphrase the Fiddler song Tradition to Decorum and list how synagogue goers should behave.

It really is upsetting for a curmudgeon to have to suffer inappropriate behavior, but I don’t think it will get any better anytime soon.

 

TRIVIA What can you do with the U.S. and Canadian flags that you cannot do with the Israeli flag?

Fly them upside down as a sign of distress (typically on a floundering ship at sea).

Government is appalled Mayors said "racist" For protecting people

 

The mayors of the city of Ashdod and Ashkelon are making it tough - albeit not impossible - for Arabs from the Aza and PA-controlled areas in Yesha.

The mayor, Yehiel Lasri, along with the mayor of Ashkelon, Itamar Shimoni, have clamped down on non-Israeli Arab construction workers by having the gall to demand their Israeli-citizen employers carefully check their papers. (Try and get a job in the U.S. and, unless you are an "undocumented" [illegal] alien, it won't happen unless you have a passport two forms of pseudo-ID, "pseudo" since there is no way to prove a Social Security card belongs to the person presenting it.)

The mayors are holding up construction of some child-related projects in order to protect the children in the neighborhoods. (What do we do in the U.S. to protect our children from known predators? Do we let them work in/near schools?)

While not all Moslems in Israel, Aza, and Yesha are terrorists, there are enough that precautions are necessary. It is the primary responsibility of a government's CEO - be it a town or city government such as Ashkelon or Ashdod or the national government - that seems to have abrogated its responsibility - in Israel and, indeed, throughout the world.

Rhetorical question: Would Obama allow ISIS terrorists into the U.S. for any reason? To learn to fly jetliners? To learn to pilot huge ships carrying containers or oil? Remember, the question is just rhetorical.

The mayors are being attacked buy both the left and right, including Israel's prime minister and its president.

It seems the only people who favor the mayors' actions are the people in Ashdod and Ashkelon.

In Ashkelon, dozens of residents demonstrated in support of their mayor, bearing signs reading "guard the children," and "Bibi wake up - our children won't be abandoned."

According to an article in Arutz 7, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein weighed in on the case Thursday, claiming the move was in violation of the equal employment law. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said Thursday morning she had contacted Weistein demanding such action, and called the move illegal

For all that, the same article quotes Knesset Member Moshe Feiglin (Likud), who notes:

"There's so much hypocrisy in the media crackdown on the Ashkelon Mayor - Mr. Itamar Shimoni - and calls of 'racist' against him," Feiglin wrote on his Facebook page Thursday afternoon.

"After all, Arab workers don't enter IDF bases or sensitive facilities of the Defense Ministry," noted Feiglin. "So why is the security of kindergarten children in Ashkelon less sensitive? Why is the concern for security racism?"

In his remarks Feiglin echoed comments made by former MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, who noted earlier that from his experiences no Arab workers are employed for manual labor in the Knesset.

"Not a single Arab contractor or Arab laborer can work in the Knesset. It's a fact. I was there for four years, all of the contractors are Jews and there are no Arab laborers. Not in flooring, not in carpentry, not in cleaning," said Ben-Ari. "Let the hypocritical Bennett and (MK) Miri Regev first fight against the 'racism' in the Knesset!"

Attorney Uri Tzipori on the legal department of the Derech Chaim movement that pushes for Israel to unite behind the way of the Torah, there is nothing illegal about the move.

Tzipori argued that the equal employment law does not need to be applied in the current case, given that the layoffs are made in response to a serious security situation and a sense of immediate danger, and not out of a mere desire to fire Arab workers, in which case one would expect such steps to have been taken long ago.

IN THE BEGINNING most of the construction work in Israel was done by Jews for Jews. In fact, most of the work in Israel was performed for Jews by Jews. Slowly the Jews became "too good" to do the less than glamorous jobs and the Arabs filled the gap.

Today, more and more construction jobs are filled by Chinese. Almost all residential health care work is done by women from the Philippines. (Israel already is starting to pay the price for importing foreign workers.)

Palestine 1939 Tell me again, Whose "Palestine?"

The image above, less the call out, is from Larousse French dictionary of 1939. I believe credit for discovery of the "Palestinian" flag belongs to the Riposte Sefarade blog. The blog noted, in French,

Le petit jeu de la nuit par CGQDI (source)

Ceci est la page des drapeaux nationaux du Petit Dictionnaire Larousse édition 1939. Si vous ne le croyez pas, vous avez un élément incontournable avec la Croix Gammée comme drapeau allemand. Donc, même si vous ne nous croyez pas, vous admettrez que ce dico est au moins d’avant 1945.

Maintenant cherchez patiemment, il y a un drapeau appelé « Palestine ».

Allez, arrêtez de subir, cherchez bien! En 1939 ou avant guerre, quand on parlait d’un état de Palestine et de Palestiniens, voilà de quoi on parlait!

Vous avez trouvé? Vous n’en revenez pas? Surprise, non? Ca, c’est ce qu’on appelle la PMG (Pédagogie de ma Main dans ta Gueule) posté par sil

(I am not conversant with French; were it not for my Moroccan-born, French-speaking Spouse I would still be trying to find my way out of Charles de Gaulle Airport.)

The United with Israel folks picked up the flag and, under a heading The Jewish Flag of Palestine – 1939! explains in English that

A picture of the flag of Palestine reported to be found in the appendix of a Larousse French dictionary in 1939 is circulating. The flag, as pointed out by the factualisrael.com site , contains the Star of David, a universally recognized Jewish symbol that is also engraved in the State of Israel’s blue-and-white flag.

This is certain to surprise many. The biased media would have one believe that the Jewish people “occupied” the land, brutally expelling and murdering the “Palestinians” who were there.

This flag – besides archaeological evidence – is another clear indication that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people, and this fact was widely known for centuries. In fact, in 1917, in the famous Balfour Declaration, British Foreign Secretary Lord Balfour declared his government’s support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in what was then called Palestine.

(Known as Judea since biblical times, the land was renamed Palestina by Roman King Hadrian 2,000 years ago in order to erase any Jewish historical claim. There was never a Palestinian state.)

The United with Israel entry continues with a brief history of the Jewish presence in the land now again called Israel.

For a little more about "flags with a Mogan David" visit
http://www.factualisrael.com/moroccan-flag-nazis-rewrote-history/.

Immature system Israel HaYom debate Illustrates the problem

 

There is a debate in the Knesset - Israel's parliament - about allowing a free-distribution newspaper to continue as a free distribution newspaper.

Israel HaYom's email/web edition for Sunday, November 16, 2014, included a head that read: Israel Hayom, tomorrow and forever!. One paragraph in the article caught my attention:

We regret the behavior of the MKs who supported this bill in its preliminary reading. The bill represents a serious blow to democracy, and the Israeli Knesset became the only parliament in the democratic world to have backed, even in just a preliminary reading, a bill that, if enacted, would interfere with the free market, reach into the public's pockets and impose a single ideological line on society. MKs who support this bill have turned their backs on their constituents.

The editorial writer blames the bill on a competitor paid-circulation newspaper; the truth of that accusation is subject to debate.

There are a number of problems with the Israeli form of government, at least from the perspective of a U.S. voter.

If a Republican and a jackass run for office, vote for the jackass

FIRST, in Israel voters vote for a party list, not individuals.

The party places its chosen few on a list, with the most marketable candidates at the top of the list.

For a brief period Israel tried electing the prime minister separately from the rest of the Knesset, but while popular with the people it was quickly discontinued by the professional politicians.

The higher on the list, the greater chance the candidate has of gaining a seat in the Knesset - IF the party doesn't rearrange the list after the votes are countered.

In the not-so-long-ago in many U.S. states, voters could vote by ticket; pull one lever and the vote was cast for all candidates of the particular party. Back in the day, the U.S. really had only two parties represented on the ballot by their cartoon identities. The statement above, "If a Republican runs against a jackass…" was often heard in rural (and sometimes not so rural) America. Unfortunately, some people still vote a "straight" ticket, never mind the quality of the candidates.

Bottom line: The Israeli voter is voting an ideology. While Israel has no lack of political parties, it's possible a voter cares about more than a single issue and there are candidates that would better represent the voter in specific issues.

Knesset members live where?

Voters in the Several States elect two senators from every state, and a number of representatives based on the state's population. The senators may live any place in the state they represent. The representatives must live within the district from which they were elected.

Because they are relatively local to the voter base, the representatives, more than the senators, are supposed to be responsive to all voters' appeals. (That isn't always the case; in my district the representative ignores appeals from Israeli-Americans while rubber stamping everything her boss puts forth.)

Usually the "representative in the neighborhood" works out well for all - both the politician (who gets re-elected) and to the voter who has a voice.

In Israel, most - not all, but most - Knesset members live in or near Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. There was a deputy prime minister - David Levy - who lived in Bet Shean, and there was another Knesset member who lived in the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, but they were the exceptions to the rule.

Transparency in blogging

For many years I worked in U.S. newspapers; first as a printer, then as a reporter, and finally as an editor. Israel HaYom, despite being free, is a newspaper - as versus a "shopper" that is more than 70% advertising. (By the way, ALL commercial media is supported by advertising, not the number of issues sold or listeners listening/ viewers viewing.)

I also lived and worked in Israel, both in the hinterlands (Zefat) and in the Tel Aviv metro area (Ramat Aviv, Holon). I have relatives in Yavne, Haifa, and Bet Shean so I have first hand experience with Israeli politics.

Two of the hardest things for a person who grew up in the U.S. to accommodate are the Israeli political system - based on, but hardly identical to, England's system - and the number and frequency of strikes.

Israel may not have more strikes than in the U.S., but most U.S. strikes are localized and there are many alternative products from competitors. The U.S. government, when it has strong leadership, also is more likely to take action in a strike that has a nationwide impact (e.g., most recently the air traffic controller's strike).

I won't suggest the U.S. political system is perfect, but for this scrivener, it certainly is superior to England's and Israel's.

Kosher vs. Kosher Irish whiskey "By the barrel"

 

Compared to scotch drinkers, Irish whiskey drinkers have little choice. Jews who are makpeed and insist on foregoing any whiskey aged (matured) in casks that once contained wine have slightly less selection.

While there used to be a number of firms making Irish whiskeys, today there are basically three organizations:

Beam Suntory from the US, owns Cooley

Pernod Ricard from France, owns Irish Distillers

Pernod Ricard acquired fewer brands, but it did buy what is said to be the Number One name in Irish whiskey, Jameson.

The nice thing about Beam nee' Cooley is that all Cooley whiskeys are aged in former American Bourbon barrels. (A win-win for Beam.)

Bushmills is small compared to Beam and Pernod. Bushmills distills only the Bushmills label.

The following table lists the more common Irish whiskeys; there may be more on the shelves in your neighborhood and, depending on place of residence, mail order may be an option.

The table below shows if the product is a blend, single malt, or single pot, and it also identifies the type cask in which the whiskey is aged - Bourbon, oak, Wine, or Mixed (Bourbon or oak and wine). As with all things, the list's contents are "subject to change."

If your favorite Irish whiskey is not listed but another from the same distillery is listed, assume the missing whiskey is matured in a wine cask until you check with the distiller.

Irish Whiskeys	Comments
Bushmills Single Malt 10 y/o	Single malt, Bourbon
Clontarf 1014	Bourbon
Clontarf Single Malt	Bourbon
Connemara Single malt 8 y/o (Cooley)	Single malt, Bourbon
Connemara Single malt 12 y/o (Cooley)	Single malt, Bourbon
Feckin (Cooley)	Blend, Bourbon
Finnegan 4 yr (Cooley)	Blend, Bourbon
Finnegan 8 yr Single malt (Cooley)	Single malt, Bourbon
Greenore (Cooley) 15 y/o corn	Bourbon
Greenore (Cooley) 18 y/o corn	Bourbon
Greenore (Cooley) 6 y/o corn	Bourbon
Greenore (Cooley) 8 y/o corn	Bourbon
Jameson Black Barrel 12 y/o	Blend; Bourbon
Jameson 18 y/o Limited Reserve	Blend, Bourbon & oak
John L. Sullivan (Cooley)	Blend, Bourbon
Kellan	Blend, Bourbon
Kilbeggan	Blend, Bourbon
Kilbeggan 18 y/o	Blend, Bourbon
Kilbeggan Distillery Reserve	Blend, Bourbon
Knappogue Castle 12 y/o	Single malt, oak casks
Lockes (Cooley)	Single malt, Bourbon
Michael Collins (all) blend	Blend, Bourbon
Michael Collins 10 y/o Single malt	Single malt, Bourbon
Middleton Barry Crockett	Pot still, Bourbon
Middleton Very Rare	Blend, WINE
Middleton Single Cask series	Single malt, Bournon
Paddy (Irish Distilleries)	Blend, Oak casks
Powers John's Lane Release	Single pot, Bourbon & Spanish oak
Irishman Single malt	Single malt, Mixed
Irishman 12 y/o Single malt	Single malt, Bourbon
Irishman Cask Strength	Single malt, Bourbon
Irishman Founders' Reserve	Blend, Bourbon
Tyrconnell Single Malt (Cooley)	Single malt , Bourbon

Knesset's heavy handedness Democracies don't Shutter newspapers

 

The Israeli government is moving to shut down the county's major advertising-supported newspaper, Israel HaYom (Israel Today).

Despite its name, it has no connection to Gannett's Today newspapers in the U.S.

All newspapers are, of course, paid for by advertising. Israel HaYom is distributed free, gratis, six days-a-week. There are other free-circulation papers in Israel, but only Israel HaYom is published 6 days a week, and the law being pushed in the Knesset - Israel's parliament - is aimed at only the newspaper with BOTH (a) free distribution and (b) published 6 days-a-week.

I don't know if another paper is behind the push to put Israel HaYom out of business - that's one of the stories I read in the email media. It really doesn't matter.

It is sufficient that Israel's politicians are even considering the proposal that causes me to question "democracy" in Israel.

This is not the first time the Israeli government has shut down free expression.

Although I am a solid Beginite, Menachem Begin while Prime Minister, did one unpardonable act: he forced Nekui Rosh (Brain Wash) off the television. He was too thin skinned to accept the caustic humor Nekui Rosh applied to all politicians. America's Laugh-in and later Saturday Night Live were/are akin to Nekui Rosh.

Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin
Warriors turned peacemakers

But he never shut down a tv station or a newspaper, despite the fact that at the time, almost all Hebrew
language newspapers were party tools.

Israel HaYom is a right-of-center publication. It's online edition at /www.israelhayom.com/ provides a sampling of its political position.

Israel HaYom, unlike most free distribution papers in the U.S. is a true newspaper. Free papers in the U.S. generally are "shoppers" containing more than 70% advertising; most "news" is nothing more than puff pieces for the advertisers. (My qualifications of writing this opinion: I was a newspaper printer, reporter, and editor for many years. I see Israel HaYom's printed edition when I visit kin in Israel.)

If shutting down Israel HaYom is Israeli democracy in action, "democracy" - such as it is in Israel - is about to disappear.

News from Israel Balanced reporting? Even handed editing?

 

Headlines:

Israeli man escapes lynch as tensions flare in Arab sector followed by
Netanya man manages to flee masked assailants who beat him and set fire to his car in Tayibe.

Jewish Driver 'Lucky to be Alive' After Attempted Arab Lynch followed by
Serious incident caps day of violence by Arab citizens of Israel, supposedly sparked by shooting of a crazed knife wielder.

Israeli Almost Lynched by Arabs, Saved by an Arab followed by
An Israeli man was nearly lynched Sunday night by a violent Arab mob. The potential victim was saved – by an Arab.

Which headlines and initial paragraphs are sane and which are fear mongering and inciting to violence?

Only the last one, the one from United with Israel.

The first headline is from Israel haYom; the second headline is from Arutz 7 - Israel National News.

And now, as Paul Harvey once intoned, the rest of the story.

Israel haYom ( Israeli man escapes lynch as tensions flare in Arab sector) gets around to telling some of the story
After escaping his attackers, two locals helped German and called an ambulance. A large police force was dispatched to the scene to search for the perpetrators, though as of Monday morning no arrests had been made.
before moving on to recap the day's riots and mayhem.

Arutz 7/Israel National News (Jewish Driver 'Lucky to be Alive' After Attempted Arab Lynch) reports in its second paragraph that
Rioters near the Taibeh bridge forced a car, in which a resident of Netanya was driving, to stop, and proceeded to set it on fire. The driver received treatment in an ambulance and filed a police complaint.

The United with Israel (Israeli Almost Lynched by Arabs, Saved by an Arab) report was the only one with any depth.

First its rewrite person reviewed multiple sources, including IDF Radio and Ynet. According to the United with Israel article,
“I came back from work in Netanya. When I came to the stoplight, they stopped me and started talking to me but I didn’t understand a word because I don’t speak Arabic. So they started throwing stones at my car and then set it on fire. A few Arabs helped me to get out of the car from the passenger side,” the potential victim told Israel’s IDF Radio on Monday.

“I was afraid I was going to die and the car was about to go up in flames any second. Suddenly, someone pulled me out of the car and put me into his car that had his children in it. He saved my life. What happened to me was really on the level of a miracle. I got out with just a few scratches. I didn’t even have to go to the hospital. An ambulance came, but I only had to wash my face. I just wanted to give many thanks to the people who helped me.”

An eyewitness to the attack told Israel’s Ynet about the extreme violence he saw: “More than 20 people, a few of them masked, stopped the car and began to throw stones and launch firecrackers. They took the driver out of the car and began to beat him all over his body while shouting Allah Akbar.”

An Arab who was driving by, identified only as Makdy, saw the developing lynch and went to save the Israeli. He told IDF Radio that “during the first moments I did not think twice. Someone threw rocks but I stopped him. I took him [the Israeli] into my car and drove away quickly, and then dropped him off at a police checkpoint.”

IT SEEMS TO ME that the headline should have read Arab saves Jewish driver from Arab mob showing all readers that not all Arabs or Muslims behave like animals.

This is not the first time Jews have been saved from Arab mobs by Arabs. I personally know of one instance. I also know that it was an Arab who stopped to offer assistance to a sister-in-law who fell on a Haifa sidewalk . . . good Jews ignored her compound fracture.

There is enough tension in Israel without editors and writers adding to the problems.

We need more media akin to United with Israel - media that tells "the rest of the story."

Kosher vs. Kosher Scotch for A makpeed

 

According to the Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc) Liquor List, The cRc policy is that Scotch is permitted unless the label states that its aged in a wine cask, has special finish, or an extra maturation.

Star-K's liquor list states that all scotch is Acceptable WITHOUT CERTIFICATION EXCLUDING when labeled aged in Sherry or wine casks OR Highland Mist House of Stuart and Inver House. (Emphasis Star-K's.)

While that's "good enough" for most observant Jews, there are a few who believe that deliberately putting a potable into a cask formerly used to hold wine to deliberately add color and tastes from the wine residue renders the liquor non-kosher - unless, of course the cask held a kosher wine. To them, the 1/60th rule does not apply.

Finding out which single malt scotches are kosher, or at least not matured in former wine barrels, was a time consuming exercise with the results "subject to change." In most cases, I culled the casking information from the distiller's Web site; a few times the information came as a result of an email exchange. Most distillers seem pleased to tell us which of their products are aged in former Bourbon barrels or virgin oak barrels or were aged partially or entirely in former wine casks. I only encountered one that was reluctant to share the information.
CAVEAT: I looked only at distillers. Bottlers can buy from multiple distillers, so the following list is far from "all inclusive." All the whiskys below are, to the best of my knowledge, single malt; the list therefore does not include many popular blended brands (e.g., Chivas).

Note: I am NOT a rabbi nor do I play one on tv. The "OK by me" comment means that the product meets my kashrut standards, nothing more.

In the following table, "OK by me" means the whisky is aged solely in former Bourbon barrels or virgin oak casks.
"Mixed" means the whisky is matured in both Bourbon or virgin oak barrels AND former wine casks.
"Rum" means the whisky is aged in a cask that formerly contained rum of undisclosed type (may not be kosher).
"Wine" means the whisky is aged solely in casks that formerly held wine.
"Unknown" means I was unable to determine the type cask used for aging/maturing the whisky.
"KLBD"="London Beth Din Kashrut Division

Name	Remarks
Aberlour (all)	Wine
anCnoc 16	OK by Me
anCnoc 18	OK by Me
anCnoc 35	OK by Me
anCnoc Peter Arkle Casks	OK by me
Ardbeg 10 yr old	OK by Me
Ardmore	Unknown
Arran (all)	Mixed
Auchentoshan American Oak	OK by Me
Balveni -Caribean Cask 14 Year	Rum casks
Balvenie 21yr Port Wood	Wine
Balvenie Single Barrel 12	OK by Me
Benromach Organic	OK by Me
Benromach Peat Smoke	OK by Me
Bowmore Legend (Bourbon)	OK by Me
Bowmore Small Batch	OK by Me
Bruichladdich	Mixed
Bunnahabhain Distillery (all)	Mixed
Caol Ila	Wine
Cardhu QUERIED 29 OCT	Unknown
Clynelish	Unknown
Cragganmore	Unknown
Cu Bocan`	Mixed
Dalwhinnie 15 year old (per email)	OK by Me
Deabston Spanish Oak	OK by Me
Deanston 12 yr old	OK by Me
Deanston Toasted Oak (Scotland only)	OK by Me
Deanston Virgin Oak	OK by Me
Dorus Mor	Wine
Dramguish -Any age	Unknown
Glen Garioch Vintage 1995	Unknown
Glen Garioch Vintage 1997	OK by Me
Glen Garioch Virgin Oak	OK by Me
Glen Grant 10 y/o	OK by Me
Glen Grant 16 y/o	OK by Me
Glen Grant Major's Reserve	OK by Me
Glen Moray	OK by Me
Glencadam	Unknown
Glenfiddich	Unknown
Glenlivet - Nadura 16 y/o	OK by Me
Glenlivet 12 y/o	OK by me
Glenlivet 15 y/o	OK by Me
Glenlivet 18 y/o	OK by Me
Glenmorangie 10 y/o (a/k/a Original)	OK by Me
Glenmorangie -Astar OU*	OK by Me
Glenmorangie -Ealnta	OK by Me
Glenrothes -Alba Resrve KLBD*	OK by Me
Hamashkeh	OK by Me
Highland Park	KLBD
Isle of Jura	Unknown
Lagavulin	Unknown
Laphroaig Cairdeas Port Wood	Wine
Laphroaig QA cask	OK by Me
McCleand's -Lowland	Unknown
McCleand's -Speyside	KLBD
McClellands	KLBD
Midleton -Bary Crocket Legacy	Unknown
Monkey Shoulder	OK by Me
Oban	Unknown
Old Ballantruan	OK by Me
Old Pulteny -12 Year	OK by Me
Prince Lordon	Unknown
Scapa	OK by me
Speyburn Bradan Orach	OK by Me
Tomatin 12 year old	Wine
Tomatin 14 year old	Wine
Tomatin 18 year old	Mixed
Tomatin -Legacy	OK by Me
Tomintoul -10 Year OU*	OK by Me
Tomintoul -14 Year OU*	Unknown
Tomintoul -16 Year OU*	OK by Me
Tomintoul -21 Year OU*	OK by Me
Tomintoul -33 Year OU*	OK by Me
Tomintoul -Peaty Tang OU*	Unknown
Tomintoul -Vintage 1976	OK by Me
Tormore	Mixed

A NOTE ON IRISH WHISKEYS

The cRc policy is that Irish Whisky is permitted unless the label states that it is aged in a wine cask, has special finish, or an extra maturation. The cRc lists several Irish whiskeys that, although not stated on the label, are aged in former wine casks. For a list of Irish whiskeys that are aged only in either former Bourbon barrels or in virgin oak casks, see Ahh, Ireland A little about Uisce Beatha

Star-K lists the most often found Irish whiskeys as "Not Acceptable."

Opuscula Vehicles now Arabs' "Weapons of choice"?

 

Recently Muslim terrorists in Israel seem to have traded bombs for vehicles.

A SAMPLING:

Reports began to trickle in Wednesday evening of a Palestinian terror attack against Israeli soldiers in which a car ran into a group of IDF troops, injuring three, less than 12 hours after a similar incident in Jerusalem that saw a Palestinian man drive into a throng of people at a bus stop, killing an Israeli Druze soldier and injuring more than a dozen others.

5 November 2014: Israeli police say one dead and 13 hurt as car rams crowd in East Jerusalem

5 November 2014: Second vehicle attacks Israeli soldiers

22 October 2014: Three-month-old baby dies in 'terror' attack on Israeli tram station

9 September 2013: Wrong Turn: Arab Car Thieves Ram through Ben-Gurion Airport Security

In many cases the attacks are "kamikaze" attacks - the terrorist driver dies at the scene, but only after murdering or injuring many.

Stealing a car or truck is less expensive, and much safer than making and delivering a bomb.

A Muslim behind the wheel of a car in Israel is commonplace, so the driver does not arouse suspicion as would a bomb-laden terrorist wearing a winter coat in the summer.

The attack may not be as dramatic as a bomb explosion, and it may not cause as many deaths or injuries, but it IS effective, especially when the victim is a three-month-old infant.

A link to a youtube video in a Times of Israel article, Video warns ‘Zionists’ more car attacks are coming, confirms the preceding that "Vehicles now Arabs' 'Weapons of choice'"

Wait for it How loudly will Liberals scream? SodaStream move from "West Bank" Will leave Palestinians without a job

 

Be careful for what you wish.

The BDS*ers wanted SodaStream to be blackballed for having an operation in Occupied Israel, a/k/a the west bank of the Jordan River.

Never mind that SodaStream employed both Israeli Jews and PA Muslims in equal numbers; no matter that SodaStream offered equal pay for equal work.

The BDSers wanted to punish SodaStream for daring to have an operation in Occupied Israel.

So now SodaStream is pulling out and moving to the south.

The BDSers won, but did their clients, the Muslims of the PA who soon will be unemployed?

According to an article in the Times of Israel, Ramah Kudaimi, membership and outreach coordinator for the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, which represents 400 organizations said today’s news is just the latest sign that these global BDS campaigns are having an impact on changing the behavior of companies that profit from Israeli occupation and apartheid.

Apartheid? Working together for equal pay is apartheid? I think Mr. Kudaimi need to revisit a dictionary. **

The article continues: But Kudaimi’s group, as well as the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee, say they will continue to boycott SodaStream because they claim its new factory abets dispossession of Bedouin land in Israel, even though the factory will be in an existing industrial park.

Instead of PA employees, SodaStream will have to hire Bedu for diversity, assuming they want to work in a factory rather than remain on the land.

Israel is at once trying to increase the Jewish population in the south and to wean the Bedu from their nomadic lifestyle. Like the Roma of Europe, this may be easier said than done, and in the end, if they Bedu don't violate Israeli law, they probably will be able to keep their old ways.

One thing is clear: no matter is Israel were to withdraw completely from its land - as it did in Gaza - the liberal, anti-Israel voices would not be stilled. It's not where Jews live, its THAT Jews live - period.

The leadership of the PA - with or without Hamas - make it abundantly clear with their frequent calls to wipe Israel off the map and all the Jews with it.

And Israel's supposed to make peace with these people? Only in Obama's dreams.

 

* BDS = Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions

** Apartheid, according to Merriam-Webster online is defined as:
racial segregation; segregation or separation
SodaStream does NOT qualify as an apartheid organization.