As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart,

With eyes turned toward the East, looking toward Zion,

Then our hope - the two-thousand-year-old hope - will not be lost:

To be a free people in our land,

The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

What else can you say?

Something remarkable about a moment of silence where a whole nation comes to a stop, gets out of their cars, and commemorates & remembers something as monumental as The Holocaust.

When you were a kid, you had a book fairs at your grade school. I am willing to bet money you did. Somehow I have a feeling that it was slightly different than the Paris Book Fair. Not only in the scope, but in the language, awards, and controversy:

Algeria, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Yemen announced in advance they would shun the fair in response to a call from the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO). The Morocco-based organization said last month it had urged the boycott to protest against Israel’s actions against Palestinians.

This begs the question, why do these people hate books so much? It would seem they do not like the fact that the notoriously anti-Semitic French invited 39 Israeli authors for awards.

As I talked about a few days ago, I have become a little obsessed with putting my photos on Panoramio and mapping them to Google Earth. It is kind of fun, I love maps and I love photos! A natural combination.

There is a feature on Panoramio where you can see “all” photos posted in a certain map area. I clicked on it today and found the photo to the left.

I have no idea what animal that is, but is a FREAKING CUTE!!!!! and I also wonder if I would have the nerve to pick that up like that guy did. It looks like a porcupine.

Check this out : the position on a photo I took in Israel last year in Google Earth. Zoom in pretty close and notice this road goes right into the Alpha Line of the UNDOF, then back. If you look very closely there are these immense rock piles along the road forcing an intense zig-zag. My guess is these are to slow advancing forces. As we stood here, we wondered how close to the line we were. Looks like we walked right up to in and crossed!

A lot can be said about the recent events in our Jewish homeland. I feel a mixture of rage and pride for my people and a land I love.

Rage at the quick trigger of the UN Security Council to condemn Israel for trying to protect her self from Gaza rockets, but the failure to condemn this attack. Rage that Palestinians throw a party.

Rage that we are compared to Nazi’s, making our own Holocaust in Gaza. Do you ever read a fucking history book? When were we lobbing rockets at Germans all day? There is no question the Holocaust was a simple case of Christian based hatred for Jews. You always hate the ones that hold the secret to your lies. More pathetic is the use of this term, which is loaded and used with a particular kind of double sided hate; as it undermines the power of the term and simultaneously enrages Jews.

Rage at the restraint of Israel. If you are going to be damned either way, just level the place. Push them into the ocean.

Rage that no matter what concessions we give, we lose.

Pride that my people will bounce back and not let this slow the only democratic nation in the region. A nation which is not perfect, but affords the Arab citizens a hell of a lot more latitude than the other way around.

Pride that this is the first attack since 2004 and it vindicates the security fence.

Pride at the restraint of Israel. We are not barbarians, we calculate and surgically strike.

Pride that when Israel does respond it will matter.

Pride that our heritage helps us understand this battle:

A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheritance; they have defiled Thy holy temple; they have made Jerusalem into heaps.

2 They have given the dead bodies of Thy servants to be food unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of Thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

3 They have shed their blood like water round about Jerusalem, with none to bury them.

Psalm 79

After more than a couple years of being in the area, Idan decided to bring his dog over from Israel. Bono is a 10 year old male Chow Chow. While known as a cat killer, he is actually remarkably gentle with other dogs and children. As of right now he seems to want to mount Ellie and Blue over and over. Both ‘the girls’ are a but annoyed at him, but I am certain they will just get over it!

Israel is 60 this year, I am 35, and Tel-Aviv is about 100.

Yeah us!

Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakki wept and said, “Fortunate are you, O Israel. When they do the will of the omnipresent, no nation or tongue can rule over them, but when they do not do the will of the omnipresent, he delivers them to the hands of a lowly nation. And not into the hands of the lowly nation itself, but into the hands of the animals of a lowly nation.” Ketubot 66b

Lunchtime today was a field trip to the UN to see the anti Amadingaling protest. I had a bit of the “Bangor, ME” kid come out in me as I was awed by the international political super starts that graced the stage. My co-worker and pal Eric said to me, “This is the UN, why are you surprised?” He as a great point, but still. I was amazed. 3 noteworthy points:

1. Neutered Cat was there protesting.
2. The Christian Leaders were really troubling. Whatin the world does the Jena 6 have to do with Iran? It would seem every Black Christian leader who spoke thought there was some link. *Yawn*
3. Tzipi Livni, wow, see the video