Tremping Update - Ariel

26 of Eighth Month 5769

The northern entrance into Ariel from Road No. 5 now has a kikar of sorts (roundabout, glorieta, circular thingy in the middle of the street). This junction seems to be tremping friendly, at least for now, while work is still being done.

For tremps (rides) westbound toward Morasha Junction, B'nei Braq and Tel-Aviv, stand at the bus shelter before the kikar. The road going north out of Ariel has thinned. It is a lot more common now for rides to stop at the bus shelter. Previously, the other option was to stand at the destroyed bus shelter on the westbound side of Road No. 5, where cars turning left out of Ariel could not usually make it over the right side of the road, even if they wanted to, making it very frustrating to wait there, while watching the countless cares pass you by.

The kikar also seems to help trempistim in all directions, as it forces cars to slow down.

There is another trempiada near the southern entrance into Ariel, near the Judea and Samaria University Center, and used mostly by students. It is usually very crowded, and I do not know how efficient it is to wait there at night, unless you don't mind hopping on the bus if it comes first.

For tremps eastbound toward Tapu'ah, the Jordan Valley, and Elon Moreh, stand in the usual place, on the eastbound side of Road No. 5, catching cars as they exit the kikar at a reduced speed. The bus shelter is still there, and it is now more logical to wait there.

Reminder:
If you're tremping southbound to Rehelim, Eli, Shilo, or Jerusalem, many people wait on the road into Ariel, at the bus shelter just after entering from the kikar. This is instead of tremping to Tapu'ah first, and continuing on from there. People coming home to the towns listed mostly make their way along the shortcut through Ariel these days.

Of course, there is the other trempiada at the southern exit from Ariel. People like to catch tremps from the bottom of the hill, at the northern entrance, for the increased likelihood of the availability of space.

Please add your tremping updates for this area in the comments section.

Also, don't forget to check out my comprehensive Tremping Guide for the major travel routes in Israel.

Crazy Settlers?

25 of the Eighth Month 5769

Thursday night I got off the bus at Tapu'ah Junction with my big bags of Shabbath shopping. As I was crossing through the make-shift border crossing area, I was debating whether to wait for a tremp (ride) up the hill to Tapu'ah, or to schlep up the hill on foot. Almost to the tremping post, I saw a neighbor of mine (I'll call him "David.") who had also just arrived, and was just getting out of his tremp.

That made up my mind for me. I would wait for a tremp, while I chatted with David, whom I hadn't seen for a while. I met up with him, and we continued on to the tremping area together.

As we were walking the short distance to the bus shelter, David pointed out the three Arab men standing nearby, waiting for their own ride,...to Yasuf or Salfit. They were standing more in the street than at the bus shelter, so I didn't think anything of it.

David said that we needed to do "something" about this. I'm thinking to myself, "Do what? The most important thing to do is to go about our own business, sending the message that we're not afraid of them. After all, they're already afraid of US. We're 'crazy settlers' from Tapuah. Warranted or or not, Tapu'ah has a reputation. They're not going to mess with us."

Out loud I only said the "Do what?" part.

"Well, something needs to be done about this," David said, beginning to show signs of frustration.

At this point we had almost arrived. Ignoring the Arabs, I sped up to the bus shelter, and plopped all of my bags down on the bench, and declared, "There. I have now conquered this bus shelter, and am occupying it."

David laughed. He has a good sense of humor. I knew that he would appreciate that. Still, he looked back and forth between me and the Arabs, and repeated his insistence that "something" must be done [about the Arab incursion into our sovereignty over the bus shelter]. The whole time, I'm sure he asking himself, "If I start 'something,' will Ya'aqov back me up?"

I looked at him, with a face that clearly said, "אין לי כוח" (I do NOT have the energy for this). It was a long day; it was a long week.

David is one of those Jews who chooses his shots,...wisely. I doubt he would have done anything more than point out the more convenient tremping location for Arabs up the road. (*grin*)

Fortunately, it never came to that. An Arab taxi pulled up, and the three Yishma'elim got in. Just when it started off, I ran toward it yelling [in English], "Yeah, go ahead! Run away, scaredy cats!...just when I was about to...."

I walked back toward David, wiping the palms of my hands off, in classic Daffy Duck fashion, saying, "There. All taken care of...."

David laughed and rolled his eyes.

Yep. We're crazy settlers alright. Crazy, with a capital "T."

*********

P. S. This post is not an attempt to try get you like us "crazy settlers" by portraying our"human side." I couldn't care less if you like us. It's better you should think that we're nuts. Maybe then, you'll leave us alone (based on an opinion of Rav Binyamin Kahane HY"D).

I'm just giving you a peek into the day to day life of settler, which sometimes includes silly "only in Judea and Samaria" incidents.

P. P. S. This post contains no intention of diminishing the threat of the Yishma'elim, their lack of any right to be here, and the need for them to go, nor is it intended to diminish the seriousness of what is currently taking place in Hevron, Yitzhar, Adei Ad, and other places where heroic Jews reside.

This Week's Blog Carnival Links

25 of the Eighth Month 5769

Ima on [and off] the Bima hosts this weeks packed Haveil Havalim #192 - The Thanks and Giving Edition. To participate in next week's edition, submit your post via Blog Carnival's on-line submission system. Contact Jack at talktojacknow (at) sbcglobal (dot) net, if you would like to be a host sometime.

I'll Call Baila hosts the November (#35 - "Procrastinator's") edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival. To participate in next month's edition, submit your post via Blog Carnival's on-line submission system, or when it's down, e-mail Batya at shilohmuse (at) yahoo (dot) com. You can also let her know if you would like to be a carnival host.

$50,000? ...To Stay In Babylonia

Erev Shabbath Qodesh Hayei Sarah 5769

OK, so you already heard about this from Rafi, Batya, and Yisrael,... AGES ago.

I thought they covered all that needed to be covered. The story came and went, but it still irks me. So I cannot help, but give my 10ag.

When I first saw the following report, my jaw dropped:

Family Relocation Project

Jewish Family Service's bold objective is to relocate at least twenty families to Dothan, Alabama during the time period January 2008 to December 2012.

Achieving this objective will truly advance the Jewish religion in Dothan by significantly increasing Temple Emanu-El's membership and will be a cause to celebrate as we recognize the Jewish community's 120th anniversary as a vibrant and respected part of greater Dothan.

We welcome your application for financial assistance from the JCS Family Relocation Project....

(Tip-off credit to relatively new blogger JeffGator)

$50,000? Why not ditch the community, and pay $50,000, or even $20,000 to some of the families still living there to help them move to Israel?

I'll bet the thought never even occurred to them.

Even leaders this particular community's umbrella organization are saying that you should consider "aliyah."

This community is the quintessential example of the mentality in which many American Jewish communities are still stuck. Religious or secular, right-wing or left-wing, so-called "Zionist" or so-called anti-"Zionist," it doesn't matter.

Am I being too harsh?

There is a story of Resh Laqish,.... Well, see for yourselves....

תלמוד בבלי יומא ט,ב
ריש לקיש הוי סחי בירדנא אתא רבה בר בר חנה יהב ליה ידא א"ל אלהא סנינא לכו דכתיב (שיר השירים ח:ט) "אם חומה היא נבנה עליה טירת כסף ואם דלת היא נצור עליה לוח ארז" אם עשיתם עצמכם כחומה ועליתם כולכם בימי עזרא נמשלתם ככסף שאין רקב שולט בו עכשיו שעליתם כדלתות נמשלתם כארז שהרקב שולט בו

Babylonian Talmud Yoma 9b
Resh Laqish was bathing in the Jordan [River] Rabba bar bar Hana came, and shook his hand. He [Resh Laqish] said to him God detests you Babylonians, as it is written (Song of Songs 8:9) "If she be a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver; and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar." If you had made yourselves [as strong] as a wall, and all went up in the days of Ezra, you would have been likened to silver, which cannot rot; but as you did not, you were likened to cedar [wood] doors, in which rot can take hold.

There's a saying here in Israel which has become almost cliche.

"If only wealthy Jews from North and South America, Western Europe, Australia, Morocco, Turkey, etc. would stop sending money, and instead would bring it with them when they make aliyah, we could transform the Negev Desert, transform the economy, transform the region....

If only....

I try to remember that it's not their faults. It seems that two thousand years of galuth (diasporan living) can really cement a people's disconnection from its homeland.

Still, it is one of the jobs of those of us, Yehudei Eretz Yisra'el, to warn them, the Babylonians.

Do you want to be part of the 20 percent making it out of Egypt, or the 80 percent who didn't?

It's your decision.

A Hanukkah Conundrum

18 of the Eighth Month 5769

It was recently pointed out to me that Festivus falls during Hanukkah. OK, I saw that coming. But, what I did not immediately realize was the serious shailah which comes up as a result of the conflict:

Is one allowed to meqaym the Festivus minhag of the "Airing Of Grievances" during Hanukkah?

Two years ago, Festivus fell on Shabbath, and the last day of Hanukkah. The solution was easy, to postpone it until after Shabbath and Hanukkah went out.

Last year, Festivus fell a good week and half after Hanukkah. So, there wasn't any conflict with Hanukkah to deal with, but I took the opportunity to answer some crucial Festivus shailos.

It appears from my notes that I inferred in one of my rulings, that one may not air grievances during Hanukkah:

Instances when e-mails cannot be sent on December 23 include Shabbath and Hanukkah for Jews.

However, I believe that further research is necessary. So, I have asked resident mumhim on such matters, Jacob Da Jew, Frum Satire, and Erica to review the relevant literature, consult their own rabbonim and hevrusas, and to provide us with tshuvos.

(Erica, this is not a meme,...not exactly anyway. I know you hate memes.)

I have also asked Benjy Lovitt, whom I have only recently met on-line, to chime in. Let's see what this new Jew-rusalem transplant from Tel-Aviv has to say.

Please leave your tshuvos or links to tshuvos in the comments section. Everyone is welcome to chime in,...well, almost everybody.

I realize that Festivus and Hanukkah still five weeks away. But such intricate halachic discourse requires time and care, as does the crucial matter of publicizing the various opinions and rulings to the tzibur.

Any additional Festivus shailos? Post them here in the comments section.

Haveil Havalim #191 Is Up!

18 of the Eighth Month 5768

Haveil Havalim is being hosted this week at West Bank Mama. Check out the posts on Rahel Imenu's yartzeit, Rabin, Kristnacht, the Israeli Scene, Elections Wrap up, and more.

Rabinism Wrap-Up

Erev Shabbath Qodesh Parshath Wayera 5769

So many bloggers have covered this, I am not sure why I am bothering.

Actually, yeah, I do know why. There never seems to be enough coverage. If there were, then people would start to wake up, right?

Probably not, but I'll give my 10ag anyway.

So, Rabinfest this week included the relatively new Ta'anith Rabin (Fast of Rabin), which some Am HaArtzim have decided is more important that Tisha b'Av. What? Do you think these people fast on Tisha b'Av?

Settler-bashing was on the agenda. It started particularly early this year, probably due to the impending national elections. Baraq and Livni have to do something to get votes. So, they have decided to strike the "fear of settlers" into the electorate. Olmert is standing in for Livni in this regard, sort of. That way she can always disavow herself of his statements when she campaigns in the more conservative areas of the country.

The truth is that Olmert is gambling that a good dose of settler-bashing could gain him some sympathy in the leftist higher courts, when he appeals his all but certain conviction. After all, it worked for Sharon. He sold out Azza, even though his own Likud Party members voted against it. In exchange his son Gil'ad got off scott-free, and son Omri got off with a short stint in jail.

But, I digress...

Many bloggers and journalists have made mention that Rabin's last policy speech has been conspicuously absent from any of the latest publications and Rabin worship services.

It's good that they mentioned this. Even though it will no doubt fall on deaf ears,...an annual custom. However, it is still important to make mention of the Altalena,...you know that ship carrying weapons to Israel so that Jews could fight against the British? Well, "someone" gave an order to shoot at the crew of the Alta Lena, murdering 16 Jews. The Wikipedia entry on the Altalena Affair does not even mention his name. Surprised?

Here is rare footage of the attack on Altalena, along with eye witness accounts of the shooting of Jews while they were struggling in the water, courtesy of Voice Of Judea (Tip credit to The Jewish Fist).



The Left, of course, uses that old hat, "he was just following orders."

The man was, at the very least, complicit in the murder of Jews, not to mention the Jewish lives lost in recent years due to the Oslo Death Accords and the providing of weapons to the PA so-called "police" squad.

And we're supposed to mourn his loss?

Why some might even say that's forbidden. But, who am I to suggest such a thing?

A soldier gets 21 days in jail for yawning during a memorial ceremony. Settlers and other religious Jews get demonized for not wanting to participate.

What punishments are in store for next year?

*********

The "forbidden" link may also provide you a hint as to why his face is partially blacked-out.

Read "On Assassinations and Attempted Assassinations" by Rav Binyamin Kahane H"YD, posted at The Jewish Fist. He wrote it shortly after after Rabin's death.

See Tamar Yonah's piece for your Questions Still Unanswered surrounding his death.

Haveil Havalim #190 Is Up!

13 of the Eighth Month 5769

Haveil Havalim #190 is up at Jewlicious.

It the Post Election Panic edition.

CK did a great job with annotation, saving readers a lot of time and effort.

Rav Kahane ZTZ"L HY"D Memorial - 18 Years

12 of the Eighth Month 5769

(Click to enlarge)

An azkarah (memorial) will be held for Rav Me'ir Kahane ZTZ"L HY"D, marking 18 years following his murder.

Mossa'ei Shabbath Qodesh Parshath Wayira
Saturday night, Nov. 15, 2008, 7:30
K'far Tapu'ah Central Synagogue

*Torah learning le'illui nishmath HaRav
*Hiddushei Torah of the Rav
*Stories of the Rav
*Melaweh Malkah meal

Adv. Gershon Mesiqa Samaria Area Council Head	Rabbi Baruch Kahane
Rabbi Dr. Michael Ben-Ari	Rabbi Shmu'el HaCohen Rav of K'far Tapu'ah

Additional Rabbis and Community Leaders

Musical accompaniment will be provided by Yerachmiel "Rocky" Ziegler and his band "Optimystical," and singer Ari Ben-Yam.

For more information on the azkarah, limited Shabbath guest space in Tapu'ah, and transportation from Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, contact Yekutiel by phone: 054-4876909.

From Tel-Aviv/B'nei Braq, take Dan bus #186 or #286 to Ariel, then tremp from the [northern entrance]. See the Dan On-Line Schedule.

A Suggestion For The "Conservatives"

9 of the Eighth Month 5769

Recently, I saw a woman, probably in her 20's walking down the street in Jerusalem, wearing a kippah.

She was dressed quite modestly, too.

The combination of kippah and woman has never looked right to me, even when there has been an attempt to feminize the kippah.

Am I against women covering their heads? No, quite the contrary. I believe that women should cover their heads, yet for different reasons than those identifying with groups of Jews, embracing such concepts as "egalitarianism."

My suggestion is this, cover your heads with something more authentically Jewish. Sure, as long as I do not don a massar or turban or the like, and continue to wear a kippah myself, I suppose I can't talk per se. But just humor me for a moment.

After all, I'm only making a suggestion. You can take it or leave it.



Not married? So what? "Feel" like you need a "vote from the past?" (Oh, right, that's "reconstructionism.") Then check out the view of the Ramba"m:

הלכות אישות כד,יא [יב] ואיזו היא דת יהודית, הוא מנהג הצניעות שנהגו בנות ישראל; ואלו הן הדברים שאם עשת אחד מהן, עברה על דת יהודית: יוצאה לשוק או למבוי מפולש, וראשה פרוע ואין עליה רדיד כשאר הנשים, אף על פי ששיערה מכוסה במטפחת;

Laws of "Ishuth" 24:11 [12] And that which is Jewish Law is the custom of modesty which B'noth Yisra'el have been practicing; and these are the things that if she had done one of them, she has transgressed Jewish Law: going out to the shuq or to an [occupied] alley, and her head is uncovered, and does not have a shawl upon it like all of the other women, even though her hair is covered in a kerchief....

And, before you ask,...Yes, he is referring to all women and girls, not just the married ones.

The added benefit of covering your hair is that you can show how much "frumer," and "authentic-looking" you are than the many "datti" women who unfortunately do not cover their hair, perhaps even giving added legitimacy to your group or "movement."

Think about it....

*********

Post Script: A few years ago, when I first spent Shabbath in the town of Eli, I noticed my host's daughters coming home from kindergarten with their respective heads covered. Since my host holds by the Ramba"m, I commented on his daughters coverings, saying that really IS a "Ramba"mist." He laughed, and said that no, his young daughters do not cover their hair due to the Ramba"m, but rather it is an effective way to prevent them from catching lice.

Apparently, this custom was instigated by the large French immigrant population, which brought this practice from France.

I suggested that gradually we are being led back to authentic Jewish practices, albeit sometimes in roundabout ways.