And Speaking of the Erev Rav, "Peace Now's" Continued Delusions!

י״ג לחודש השביעי תשע״ה

Arutz 7: Peace Now Head: Golan Withdrawal Still a Good Idea
What if Israel had surrendered the Golan? Had that happened, says Yariv Oppenheimer, Syria might not have had a civil war....

Yariv Oppenheimer
Tzafoni Extraordinaire

...One Israeli who still regrets not withdrawing from the Golan when Israel had the chance is Yariv Oppenheimer, head of far-left group Peace Now. Speaking to the Galei Yisrael radio station, Oppenheimer said that he did not think that leaving the Golan would have been a mistake. “If Israel was at peace with Syria everything would have been different,” Oppenheimer said. “Of course, if things had not worked out we could have retaken the Golan anytime.

“If we had signed a peace agreement with Syria, there would have been no Second Lebanon War in 2006, because we would have been at peace with Lebanon too. It is possible that peace could have even prevented the civil war in Syria, and IS and Al-Nusra would not have taken over the Golan in the first place. But if they did, we may have had to reconquer it.”

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
As sick and deluded as Yariv Oppenheimer is, he is much less of a hypocrite than those pseudo-"right-wing" Jews, who claim to follow Torah. They do follow, but only when convenient, when their State puppet rabbis tell them to, and when it does not interfere with their "holy" State's wishes.

Oppenheimer, whose first name aptly means "opponent" or "rival," is simply following what his Western/assimilationist/mix-everything-together mentality tells him to do.

Jews like Oppenheimer are so steeped in it, are so distanced from Torah, that they see no other alternative than to blend in, to be like everyone else, part of the global community of humans. Yet, as Jews, they seem to want to outdo the goyim at their own game, at being goyim.

They believe that being part of a distinct and separate people is racist or Still, their accommodation of the "other," the Arabs/Yishma'elites, is to the point of self-destruction. This is how they see the Torah concept of mesiruth nefesh (self-sacrifice) manifested in the world. But, it is not; it is just suicidal behavior, sacrificing oneself for a misguided sense of peace which will never come to fruition, because it is an endeavor of emptiness, the chaos and void before Creation.

Whether those like Oppenheimer are descendants of the Erev Rav, or simply tinoqoth shenishba (like Jews raised as children by goyim), is immaterial. Although it would be ideal for all Jews to do teshuvah (repentance). Unfortunately, the damage that such Jews have done, and continue to do, to Am Yisra'el, to Eretz Yisra'el (Land of Israel), and thus, to the world in general, cannot be ignored. We cannot sit idly by, and allow them to continue to lead us on their path of destruction, our people's destruction, our Land's destruction.

Oppenheimer claims that "If Israel was at peace with Syria everything would have been different." Perhaps this would be the case in the details of our conflict with them, or in the particular lies the Arabs would choose to employ over others. But, the vision of the Arabs would not have changed.

PA President Mahmud Abbas's vision for a "Palestinian" state:
The annihilation of Israel.

The Arabs wants our Land, with or without a "Palestinian" state.

While Oppenheimer "mixes" together various elements of the world, which should actually remain separate, he continues to make the same error, most Jews make, the distinction between various groups of Arabs. These group differ only in strategy and levels of patience. The individual Arabs, here and there, supportive of Jewish sovereignty over the Eretz Yisra'el, are few and far between, and thus insignificant, both statistically and according to halakhah (Torah Law). The end goals of the Arabs are all the same

The Yom Kippur/Sukkoth Edition of Haveil Havalim, plus Why I'm Leaving this Blog Carnival.

י"א לחודש השביעי תשע"ה

The Yom Kippur/Sukkoth Edition of Haveil Havalim, the Jewish-Israeli Blog Carnival is up at AliyahLand.

Incidentally, this will be (bli neder) the last edition of Haveil Havalim in which I intend to participate. Like to know why? Here is the comment I left on the Haveil Havalim Facebook Group:

Haveil Havalim was a lot more exciting and interesting when we were more open minded about what went into our editions. If you haven't noticed, there haven't been ANY left wing bloggers contributing for ages. They had no issue including my items, and I had no issue including theirs, because we provided commentary, sometimes very intense. I used to get two to three times more hits when hosting an edition, than I do now. The loss of those bloggers was a big loss. The team spirit was greater then, too.

And now all we have are mostly pseudo-right-wingers. VERY BORING, not to mention the fighting over policy, long before this week's edition. I also know that several bloggers have tried to push me out of the picture. So, I am going to devote my time and efforts elsewhere. Good luck everybody, and have a fantastic year!

You Are Not A Therapist!

י״א לחודש השביעי תשע״ה

This post offers some of my personal experience to English-speaking psychotherapists immigrating to Israel, or already here, and who intend to work with English speaking clients. Let this serve as a warning as to what you will be up against.

To those therapists operating with some of the "odd" and unethical practices I list and describe below, and to those individuals believing themselves to be therapists, when they are actually not, perhaps this piece will inspire you to do teshuvah (repentance), particularly during this week right after Yom Kippur.

For the purposes of this piece "qualified psychotherapist," will be defined by the following standards:

1. The minimum of a Master's degree in a mental health related field.
2. The minimum of a Master's degree from a school's program, recognized by at least one professional organization, in or even outside of Israel (eg. אגודת פסיכולוגים קליניים, האיגוד הישראלי לפסיכותרפיה, איגוד העובדים הסוציאליים, APA, AAMFT, NASW, NASP, etc.).
3. One who is licensed, credentialed, or certified, or eligible to become one of the above, based on coursework and supervised training.

I believe these standards to be minimal, and have stated them to be as lenient as possible.

Coaches are coaches. Laypeople are laypeople.

Counselors are counselors, and not necessarily psychotherapists. Counselors put on bandages, replace bandages, sometimes even provide alternatives to bandages. They only irrigate the wounds if it is within their training and scope of their practice.

Psychotherapists do surgery, minor or major, according to that which is within their training and scope of their practice.  

This is not to say that counselors, coaches, and even laypeople cannot be "therapeutic." They are simply not therapists.

Buy My Book!
I saw an episode of a television show once, in which a therapist, before beginning her session with a couple, suggested that the couple buy her book.

The sad part was that except for the obligatory comedic punchline at the end of the therapy session, the fictional therapist wasn't half bad.

But, the main point here is the potential conflict of interest in encouraging clients to buy your book. Would they feeling intimidated, guilted, manipulated into buying it? Is the book absolutely necessary to their treatment? Sure, I suppose a therapist could give clients "homework," and sure that homework could be based on the therapist's book. But, there is a slippery slope here, one to be navigated with caution.

Well,...I'm a Rabbi...
Regarding the many members of the clergy who serve in counseling roles. Some are particularly good at it, and some are not. Still, those members of the clergy who seem to have a knack for counseling, are good at, because they recognize not only their own personal strengths, but their limitations as well.

During my graduate studies, I had some contact with two fellow students, one, a Catholic nun, a year ahead of me in her studies, and another, a Christian minister in a parallel program. Both seemed to be very sharp, and had strong theoretical backing to support their approach to treatment, something which I strongly believe to be problematic when absent.

This is most certainly not meant to be an attack, nor even a criticism on members of the clergy, as long as they are working within their role/assigned position, and have been properly trained for role/assigned position.

Once I entered a crowded cafe. I had to ask to share a total stranger's table, not uncommon in Israel. We introduced ourselves to one another, and chatted briefly. When he said that he was a therapist, I immediately asked him where he studied. His response, though, was, "Well, I'm a rabbi...."

I was taken aback. I pursued the issue with, "Well, what's your training?"

His response to this query was, "Both of my parents are therapists."

At that point, I did what I could to close the conversation politely.

Now, in all fairness to this individual, he may actually be a qualified psychotherapist. Perhaps his his degrees, training and experience far surpass my own. Yet, for some reason. But, my experience warns me not to be optimistic. However, based only on the information I received within the span of our brief conversation, I would certainly not consider him to be a psychotherapist.

You should only be treated with MY therapeutic approach. All others are useless.
Funny, I was always taught that "should" statements were irrational beliefs. But, what do I know, right?

Talk about a conflict of interest!

(See also "Referrals? What are those?" below.)

All you need is MY six month course to be a therapist.
I was so shocked to hear that such a statement was made, I cannot even begin to write about this practice with a high level of potential for damage to the mental health of the English speaking public, here in Jerusalem and surrounds...

Would someone please tell me what the heck Clinical Sociology is?
"A subfield of public sociology is applied sociology, also known as clinical sociology or sociological practice, which applies knowledge derived from sociological research to solve societal problems."

OK. So, how does this qualify clinical sociologists as psychotherapists? Counselors, maybe. But, psychotherapists? Unless, of course, this degree could be used as some sort of front for getting around professional scrutiny? Just a thought...

I will leave this one as it is,...for now.

Referrals? What are those?
If I am unable to treat a client, either because I know that I will not be effective in doing so, not probably trained in the particular area of mental health practice required, or even if I am simply not taking on any new clients, I will refer the client to another therapist. My rule of thumb is to provide a list of at least three therapists. I will not just include those who share my theoretical orientation on this list of referrals, either, especially if I am uncertain as to this prospective clients present issue, or for that matter, the real issue or issues requiring attention.

Some people believing themselves to be therapists will unconsciously, or not so unconsciously, miss the boat when it comes to differentiating between genuine "resistance" and the caregiver's own inability to help the client effectively, if at at.

Unfortunately, parnassah (financial support) can be the culprit, blinding them from the truth (See Deut. 16:19). Yet, parnassah is the worst excuse of them all, and not to be tolerated. This care provider will at best, get lucky, and help someone solve a minor problem, or at worst, cause major, even potentially irreparable damage.

When I had finished graduate school, and moved back to my hometown of San Diego, I wanted to continue my own psychotherapy, I had begun inup north, I called the San Diego Association of Psychologists' [SDAP] referral line. The volunteer on the phone asked me to tell her about my interest in finding a therapist. I told her that I wanted to continue my therapy, and added that I was looking for a therapist with a particular theoretical orientation, and who specialized in working with other therapists.

She tentatively included her name on the list. I write tentatively, as she was concerned with even the appearance of a conflict of interest, serving on the referral line in order to add to her own client base. Yet, when I looked her up in the SDAP's members list, I found that she did, indeed, foot the bill of the requirements I stated to her. Nevertheless, she included a fourth referral, and put her name last on the list. I am not sure how better one could have handled the situation, save for silence regarding her practice. However, what if she did turn out to be the best therapist for me? I would have missed out on the opportunity, if she had been silent.

And probably these most insidious, most dangerous, and and most confusing issue facing therapists, both real and fake....

Profession Competence
The topic heading thus far could also be place under this one, "professional competence."

My favorite pet peeve has yet to be listed, and so it will be stated now. It is one in which even well-meaning, really therapists and counselors cross the line, and that is interpreting assessment results, for assessment devices for which he or she has not had the proper training to do so. And quite frankly one graduate course in assessment in simply not sufficient to interpret the Stanford-Binet or Wechsler scales, let alone the Thematic Apperception Test [TAT] or Rorschach. Of the Rorschach test, some have suggested said that it be applied only under supervision for five years. That may sound a bit extreme to some. But, it will hopefully send home the message that assessment devices are not things which can be picked up and used by anyone. And they are most certainly not toys.

Are you an "addictions counselor?" I know several, and some of them are excellent! I believe that is mainly because they deal with "addictions," and they recognize that they are "counselors." They are not marriage therapists, educational psychologists, nor psychiatrists; they are "addictions counselors."

The same goes for "coaches," probably the most out of control, unmonitored profession there is today. Some coaches are excellent. Here is one of my favorites, Dawna Walter from the BBC reality show "Life Laundry," in which she not only helps people declutter their homes, teaches them strategies to stay declutter, and helps them deal with the emotional issues surrounding their clutter and cluttering behavior. In my opinion, her work is definitely therapeutic, but she is not a therapist, and does not try to be one. She stays within her training, experience, and scope of practice.


Unfortunately, not all coaches maintain the same professional ethics that Dawna Walter does, and end up doing a great deal of damage, without having a clue that they have done so.

Dual Role Relationships
You would be amazed, and perhaps even as disgusted as I am, at just how many "therapists" I have encountered, who are completely ignorant of this concept.

Dual relationship 
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the mental health field, a dual relationship is a situation where multiple roles exist between a therapist, or other mental health practitioner, and a client.^[1] Dual relationships are also referred to as multiple relationships, and these two terms are used interchangeably in the research literature.^[1][2] The American Psychological Association (APA) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (also referred to as the APA ethics code^[3]) is a resource that outlines ethical standards and principles to which practitioners are expected to adhere. Standard 3.05 of the APA ethics code outlines the definition of multiple relationships. Dual or multiple relationships occur when:

• a professional and personal relationship take place simultaneously between the psychologist and the client
• the psychologist has a relationship with a person closely related to or connected to their client
• the psychologist has intentions to enter into a future relationship with the client or someone closely related to the client

In addition, the standard provides a description of when to avoid multiple relationships (e.g., when the relationship causes harm to the client or impairs the psychologist's competence) and when these relationships are not considered unethical (e.g., when the relationship does not exploit the client or impair competence).^[4][5][6]

Before you get too excited about those instances when a duel role relationships are not considered unethical, the citations above lead to professional journal articles related to practice in RURAL areas, in order words, when the duty to treat may override a dual role relationship, which has minor implications regarding the impairment of the service providers effectiveness. Last time I checked, Jerusalem was not considered "rural," just loaded with English-speakers calling themselves therapists, who are hard up for work, and who lack the sophisticated level of language skills necessary to work with native Hebrew speakers.

Informed Consent
That's right! Not only must a therapist receive consent from a prospective client, before assessing and/or treating that client. But, the therapist must provide information related to the structure of the assessment and treatment, such as confidentiality. The prospective client [in the State of California, for example] is entitled to know the therapist's education and training, licenses and certifications, and theoretical orientation. So, don't be surprised if a prospective client asks such questions. It is his right.

If you do not have the answers, then you have no business doing what you are doing.

Not only that, but "informed consent" does NOT mean checking out, what you might think to be "analyzing," friends' prospective dates or roommates or employees WITHOUT their knowledge.

Client Endorsement
Ethical or not, I believe this practice to be damnable.

Imagine a therapist who advertises, and has endorsements from clients listed, even anonymously, on his advertisement or brochure. In fact, let's assume, for the sake of argument, that these clients volunteered to provide their therapist with an endorsement, without being solicited.

Let us go a step further, and say that said therapist announces such endorsements at a speaking engagement

What? At the very least, this "therapist" never thought of the implications this would have in the client's therapy? What about the conflict of interest?

Anna Freud might call this a form of "acting-out" of therapy, on the part of the client. I hate to ask what she might say that the therapist was doing.

Of course, if you are not really a therapist, then you have nothing to worry about, do you? All you have to do is to stop calling yourself a therapist.

The Israeli Ministry of Health is overwhelmed, and for the most part, lacks the necessary resources to monitor such individuals, real therapists crossing ethical lines, and fake therapists, leaving a trail of damage, often untraceable and unprovable.

You can see that this list of headings of potential problems here is endless.

I will assume that many of the fake psychotherapists out there have good intentions. However, this reminds me of the proverb...

"The road to hell was paved with good intentions."

Of those real psychotherapists out there, doing one or more of the above, you have absolutely no excuse.

*********

A note on gishur:

After posting the above, I had an afterthought of sorts. What about Gishur?

Roughly translated, gishur is bridge-building, and is used to describe work often done with couples, to assist them with communication.

I have met both members of clergy and attorneys who are very skilled in this work, even though they are trained in gishur, and not in any other type of counseling. Of course, like any in profession, there is always the potential for the appearance of bad apples.

Those I have met also acknowledge that they are not therapists, nor try to be, and would refer couples to qualified therapists when the need arises. I hope that this includes sexual issues, which are often overlooked, even though marital relations are integral part of a couple's communication, not to mention a deep component of their relationship. I do not know the extent of the training these professionals receive regarding sexual issues, hopefully enough to pick up on the subtle hints members of a couple may reveal that something needs to be addressed in this area.

Sexual therapy is a specialty often underrated, one in which not all psychotherapists have been sufficiently trained work with clients with sexual dysfunction.

Ramat Bet Shemesh C Residents Get Upset. Boo-Hoo!

 ח׳ לחודש השביעי תשע״ה

Life In Israel: RBS C residents upset about lack of shuls and infrastructure
The residents of RBS C are complaining once again about the lack of infrastructure in the new neighborhood.

The first time (that I know of) was about the lack of a mikva in the neighborhood. No mikva has yet been built, and the city has not yet even begun construction on the one that will eventually be built. The mayors response is that the mikva is two and a half years away. New neighborhoods don't have all the necessary resources, and that's the way it is. People need to be patient. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
AAAWWW! Poor babies!

True. This is an important halakhah regarding the building of a miqwah (mikveh). But, what about the women in Siberia who toiveled in secret, or the men who secretly built miqwa'oth, or had them rigged to be heated? What about the women in the Shomron who schlep with their armed husbands guarding them, and more than one neighborhood away at that? Or for that matter, what about those women in the U. S. who had to schlep two or more hours away and back?

Gimme a break! Sure, I appreciate that they do not want to let the guv'mint to step all over them, and that they expect the guv'mint to follow through on any promises which it had made, but still,...

This sounds like a bunch of spoiled, whining JAP's (Jewish American Princes and Princesses)!

What's next? No sparkling water flowing freely from the kids' playground water fountains?

No one said Israel was easy, except for some silly public relations guy or two, for certain organizations which will remain nameless. In fact, what HaZa"L said centuries ago still applies (TB Berakhoth 5a). How 'bout them apples?

And to those native Israelis in this neighborhood: Seriously? You actually trusted the guv'mint? You made your bed, now sleep in it.

And while you're sleeping in it, soundly, think of the Jews getting kicked out of their homes, given stay away orders (so that Arabs can pick olives which are not even theirs) unable to visit nor support their families for two months, and otherwise harassed by security forces.

Residents of Ramat Bet Shemesh C, you will receive absolutely no sympathy from me.

Dear Rabbi Melamed, You Made your Bed, so now You'll have to Sleep in It.

ה׳ לחודש השביעי תשע״ה

I used to have a great deal of respect for Beth-El's Rabbi Zalman Melamed. That's right. "Used to," as in distant past.

Rabbi Zalman Melamed

Rabbi Melamed and his wife being a force behind Arutz 7's founding was enough in and of itself to gain my respect. The founding of Arutz 7 alone made the profound statement that the Labor Zionist, State of Israel's mainstream media was, in fact, insufficient for the needs of the Religious Zionist public.

Standing up against the raids by police, and the time spent in jail by Mrs. Melamed, David Shapira (French A7), and others only served to increase my respect for him.

For years, Rabbi Melamed, along with Merkaz HaRav Kook classmate Rabbi Dov Lior (Hevron-Qeriyath Arba) and Merkaz HaRav Kook Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Avraham Shapira ztz"l, was one of the very few to remind the Religious Zionist public that the State of Israel was not always in line with Torah, and that the Torah took precedence.

In fact, Rabbi Melamed has done quite a few things, which have impressed me, not the least of which was that he was one of the last Jews to leave Azza (Gaza), at the end of then Prime Minister Sharon's "Disengagement" Jewish Expulsion plan in 2005/תשס״ה. Along with Rabbi Lior and many Jewish teens and young adults, he remained barricaded on the roof of the K'far Darom synagogue, until the last possible moment.

But, now, this has all changed. What happened exactly? Perhaps something as simple as Rabbi Melamed not taking the statement ושנא את הרבנות ("despise the government"- Avoth) to heart. I cannot say for certain. Why is my respect for him buried deeply in the past? Read on.

PM Netanyahu

In the report below, not so ironically from Arutz 7, Rabbi Melamed complains that Prime Minister Netanyahu went back on his word, and that the Jewish Home Party has taken no action to try and reverse the housing freeze in Yehudah and Shomron (Judea and Samaria), which has been in effect for the last six months. He also criticizes the Jewish Home Party, because it "keeps on retreating, going on the defensive and compromising – instead of attacking and strengthening the Jewish character of the state."

Naftali Bennett
Jewish Home Party Leader

However, this is not the first time Rabbi Melamed has expressed his feelings of being deceived, including by the very Jewish Home Party he has so strongly supported: Rabbi Melamed Claims Deception.

Below, Rabbi Melamed expresses concern over the destruction of another housing structure. Yet, the last time around, in the end, whose followers were the ones helping to throw Jews out of their homes?

It seems to me that when you make a with people who have proven their reliability, not to mention their sneakiness, time and time again, then you deserve exactly what you get.

In the report below, Rabbi Melamed insists that “the public will not agree to this [destruction of more housing]," and that "there will be a really harsh war over this. There will be people who are willing to be hurt, to be injured and even worse than that, and not allow the destruction of these buildings that are in the very heart of the community. We cannot agree to this thing.”

A word of advice: After the last debacle, in which there were accusations made of Rabbi Melamed's people involved in doing the "hurting," I suggest that Rabbi Melamed lead the way himself, just like he did in K'far Darom, and just like his own teacher Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook ztz"l did in Shavei Shomron, over 30 years ago. It will at least take this much to break though the State loyalist indoctrination, creaping in, let alone have any effect on those Jews on the other side of Beth-El, following its other "rabbi."

Oh, and, Rabbi Melamed, if you feel that the Israeli Government has turned on you, and that your fellow Religious Zionists have turned on you, then stay tuned, and keep an eye of those Christian donors of yours.

Arutz 7: Beit El's Rabbi Melamed: Netanyahu Cheated Me
Rabbi Zalman Melamed says there will be 'a real war' over government's intention to raze a building in the community.

By Uzi Baruch, Gil Ronen, September 22, 2014

Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed, Rabbi of Beit El and one of the leading religious Zionist rabbis of this generation, accused Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of cheating him, when he promised to build 300 housing units in the community in exchange for the destruction of the Ulpana neighborhood.

Beth-El Ulpana Neighborhood apartment buildings, standing 13 years, before being destroyed.
"Settlement" or suburb? You be the judge.

The High Court recently decided to tear down a building constructed by contractor Meir Dreinof, which holds numerous housing units. But according to Rabbi Melamed, Netanyahu promised him – during the negotiations over the Ulpana neighborhood – that the building would remain standing.

“The public will not agree to this,” said the rabbi about the court decision. “There will be a really harsh war over this. There will be people who are willing to be hurt, to be injured and even worse than that, and not allow the destruction of these buildings that are in the very heart of the community. We cannot agree to this thing.”

Asked if he would be willing to calm the spirits as he did during the Ulpana controversy, Rabbi Melamed said that he could not, after the prime minister deceived him as he did.

The rabbi added that the prime minister's reneging on his promise harms him, Rabbi Melamed, personally. “When 30 housing units and the yeshiva building are built, the public says that the rabbi took care of his own business, and that he does not really care about the 300 houses that the prime minister promised. This is a very grave affront to me and I will not be able to interfere and tell people to avoid this struggle.”

The rabbi added that he is disappointed with the way the Jewish Home is conducting itself on this matter and others. “There is an onslaught of laws that detract from the state's Jewish character, and the Jewish Home keeps on retreating, going on the defensive and compromising – instead of attacking and strengthening the Jewish character of the state.

"As regards the Land of Israel, there is a freeze [on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria] for the past six months, and the Jewish Home is not taking any action to prevent this situation, so it is little wonder that the public is frustrated.”

The Jewish Home should demand that Netanyahu press ahead with the promised 300 housing units, the rabbi added. “I do not like to say words of criticism on the eve of Rosh Hashana,” he explained, however, “and I wish that the Jewish Home and the Prime Minister will carry out their duties next year – Shana Tova to everyone.”

(Tip: Kalashnikover Rebbe)

Jewish and Israeli Blog Round-Up: Rosh HaShannah 5775!

ה' לחודש השביעי תשע"ה

Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish and Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week, jointly coordinated through our Facebook Group. To find out how to submit your posts or to offer to host an edition, see the information provided on our Hosting Calendar. The term 'Haveil Havalim,' which means"Vanity of Vanities," is from Qoheleth, (Ecclesiastes) which was written by King Solomon. King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other 'excesses' and realized that it was nothing but 'hevel,' or in English, 'vanity.'

Tzivia at Adventures In AliyahLand will be hosting next week's edition. Send her your submissions by e-mail: tzivia@aliyahland.com.

Rosh HaShannah
Rabbi David Bar-Hayim talks about Rosh HaShannah: One Day or Two?

Avraham Ben Yehuda enlightens us with The Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Services According to the Vilna Gaon. I doubt that you were expecting this, but it is an important read.

Shmuel Sackett writes on What to Pray for this Rosh HaShanah.

Tomer Devorah brings us an important message in "Go Up to the Island and Don't Come Down."

Ben-Tzion Spitz writes about The Holidays, Again.

A Jewish Israel brings us Praising the Holy Land in the Holy Month of Elul.

Monitoring The Land
Donny Fuchs wakes us up to the Spiritual War In Samaria.

Tomer Devorah tells us that It's That Time Of Year (for the onslaught of avodah zarah in Eretz Yisrael).

Jewish Israel warns us that a Christian missionary and his family were able to "make aliyah." Gee. I always thought that this was reserved for Jews!

Jewish Israel also exposes the ICEJ's Colaboaration with an Israeli Messianic Missionary Leader!

I write about how Israel's Chief Rabbinate Understands the Real Threat from Christians.

Ariel at The Torah Revolution reports on The New and Terrible High Court.

I do the same in New Israeli Supreme Court Justices, Same Worthless Court. Then I criticize The "Unbreakable" New Israeli Sheqqel, in particular the new 50 sheqqel note.

Shemita - Sabbatical Year
Wondering how your garden and house plants are, and are not, affected during the coming shemitah year? Rabbi David Bar-Hayim vlogs (video blogs) on these very topics: Shemitah and Your House Plants and Shemitah and Your Garden.

Rafi at Life In Israel reports on Hetter Mekhirah done differently this year. Hey, maybe they finally got it right this time. Check it out, and you decide.

Batya at Shiloh Musings writes on Shemitta, Jewish Land Sabbatical, The Pros and Cons.

Life In Israel
Avraham Ben Yehuda teases us with A Strange Historical Trend.

Batya at Me-Ander brings us Scenes from Tefillat Chana, Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh, 5774.

The Jewish Libertarian believes that Moshe Feiglin Makes a Mistake on Zero VAT, and elaborates in Why sales taxes do not affect prices directly.

Rafi at Life In Israel writes on Rejecting the Rule of Law.

And finally, we finish off this edition with A Soldier's Mother's Ending and Beginning Again...or...Their Aim Was True.

New Israeli Supreme Court Justices, Same Worthless Court

ערב ראש השנה תשע״ה

Arutz 7: New Supreme Court Judges: Mazuz and Baron
Menachem Mazuz was Attorney General during the Gaza Disengagement and the Katzav case.

Gil Ronen, September 21, 2014

The Committee for Selection of Judges has picked former Attorney General Menachem (“Menny”) Mazuz and Judge Anat Baron to serve as Supreme Court judges.

They will replace Edna Arbel, who retired three months ago, and current Supreme Court President Asher Grunis, who will retire in January upon reaching age 70.

Judge Miriam Naor will become the new court President. She is considered very leftist, and her term as president is viewed with trepidation by nationalists.

Mazuz was appointed attorney general in 2004, as Ariel Sharon's government was preparing the Gaza Disengagement. At the time, nationalists suspected that the appointment was conditional on Mazuz's cooperation with the legally problematic Disengagement, but no collusion could be proved.

He was also criticized by women's organizations for agreeing to a plea bargain with disgraced president Moshe Katzav, who had been accused of sexual offenses. Katzav, who insisted upon his innocence, eventually rejected the bargain but was found guilty and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Baron was appinted to the Tel Aviv Magistrates' Court in 1991 and was promoted to the District Court 11 years later.

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
There really aren't any surprises here. The court is continuing on the same ol', Erev Rav, anti-Torah, assimilationist path it has always been on.

The court is the primary Erev Rav force behind the chipping away at the Torah, the chipping away at our status as a separate and distinct, Jewish people, and the chipping away at any and all boundaries, between genders, between peoples, between religions, between Torah and foreign concepts.

The erasing of borders has also been occurring right under our noses. Shimon Peres and his "Post-Zionist" protege Yossi Beilin have alluded to 

All of this goes above and beyond the "double standards," decried by the right, double standards which favor secular over religious, "Reform" over Orthodox, State over Torah, and the ever present and daunting, Arab over Jew.

Of course, the court has taken the opportunity to throw us an occasional bone, fooling the religious mamlakhtim (diehard State loyalists) into their ever renewing "faith in Israeli democracy."

Current Justices
Israeli Supreme Court
with former President Shimon Peres
(Photo Credit: Orel Cohen)

However, even if the Israeli Supreme Court had not been doing all of the damage which it has been doing, it still lacks any Jewish authority to rule on Jewish matters. Um,...excuse me, but I thought that Israel was supposed to be a Jewish state.

Women are not qualified to serve as witnesses before a [proper] Jewish court, under most circumstances, and are disqualified from serving as judges. I imagine that some of you have already thought of the example of Devorah (Judges 4-5). Devorah was a prophetess who taught the judges, and gave advice, not to mention one of the few women in our history who knew Torah sheb'al Peh. Leadership was thrust upon her, when the men failed to step up to the plate.

I await the feminists' hate comments, accompanied by their crazy "logic" and rationalizations, with baited breath.

Goyim are disqualified. Do you really have to ask why?

Jews who are not Torah observant are disqualified from serving as well.

Oh, yes, and regarding the token (are there more than one?) justice with a kippah, I will let you do the research, and decide for yourselves

"Oh, but Israel is a democracy!!" you cry!

(eyes rolling)

Well, actually, if you have been paying attention over the years, you would have realized by now that Israel is a not a democracy, but rather, a deMOCKracy. Furthermore, what does democracy have to do with proper, Jewish (ie. Torah) governance?

Not a whole heck of a lot.

*********

For more information on Jewish Governance, see Governance of a Jewish State and Jewish Torah Governance.

Israel's Chief Rabbinate Understands the Real Threat from the Christians

ערב ראש השנה תשע״ה

Arutz 7: Chief Rabbis Decry Mass Christian Prayers Near Temple Mount
For first time since liberation of Old City, mass Christian prayer at southern wall of Temple Mount planned for Hoshana Rabbah.

Shlomo Pyotrkovsky, Ari Yashar, September 22, 2014

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel, together with rabbis of the Derech Emuna organization rabbis of Jerusalem's Old City, have launched a campaign against a new mass Christian prayer initiative at the southern wall of the Temple Mount.

For the first time since the liberation of the Old City in the 1967 Six Day War, the Christian groups are reportedly poised to hold a prayer service for the "return of Jesus" on the morning of Hoshana Raba, the last day of the Sukkot holiday, which falls on October 15 this year.

The prayer service, which is to be open to all, will be held at the feet of the Hulda Gate on the southern wall of the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism.

Derech Emuna rabbis point out that the prayer service is part of a recent troubling trend of expanding control by the Christian Church in the Old City.

That expansion has most notably included a secret deal revealed in July in a Knesset Interior Committee, by which Christians received permission to hold fixed Mass prayers in the David's Tomb Compound in a breach of the status quo of the site, and a breach of the law regarding holy sites.

"For those responsible for giving the permit for this: prevent the gathering," the Chief Rabbinate demanded in a statement responding to the prayer service.

The Chief Rabbis likewise called on Jews not to join the prayers, saying "to our brothers in the house of Israel, it must be said not to join a prayer meant to prevent the true redemption of Israel."

"The goal of the organizers is to get their hands on the (Old) City and the Holy Land, and to disconnect our brothers the house of Israel from the Land of the Living," added the Chief Rabbis in a reference to the Torah. "According to our holy Torah we must distance from this event, and it forbidden under any circumstance to join them."

Esser Agaroth (2¢):

Rabbi Yitzhaq Yosef and Rabbi David Lau
Israel's Chief Rabbis

To those of you who still want to claim that Christianity is not avodah zarah, not the same as the Christianity during the time of HaZa"L, not avodah zarah for them, but just for us, Catholics are different that Protestants, Evangelicals shun paganism, etc., etc., let me tell you that this simply doesn't not matter. Nor does it matter that many of you ignore the shared texts and the shared mythology, doctrine, and shared belief in a final outcome, which is the antithesis of Torah.

The stealing of precious, Jewish souls and their corruption, is just a side benefit for those Christians who have decided to be patient, and to move on to the next stage in their agenda.

They want our Land.

They believe that they are entitled to it, that they are the true inheritors of The Almighty's favor, and thus, the Land of Israel as well.

Some Christians believe they will mingle with us, and take it all, our souls and our Land.

Some believe that they will inherit the northern kingdom, and re-institute Torah commandments (even though they had previously done away with them, due to rejection of the Oral Law), while Jews take the southern kingdom, and add Christian mythology to their belief and practice (חו״ח).

Christians have already been "volunteering" in the Shomron (Samaria) and Binyamin.

One hilltop near the town of Har B'racha, is now absent of any Jews. The town is filled only with Christian "volunteers." The last Jew "left," after various charges by the town were tripled. I don't call that "leaving;" I call that being run out of town!

Incidentally, the set up of a "worship tent" on this hilltop was recently approved by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed. Who exactly do you think they are worshiping, Rabbi Melamed?? Gimme a break! And, by the way, who exactly do you think they are worshiping in your vineyards??

Even Israel's Chief Rabbis appear to see the threat of Christian influence and objectives to usurp us, physically and spiritually, in our own Land. Through all of the Christian money, through the Members of K'nesseth, such as Danny Danon (Likud), with Christian friends, and through the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, Rabbi Yosef and Rabbi Lau were still able to recognize this threat, and had the courage to expose it.

Either way you slice it, in a forthcoming post, I will reveal why it does not matter whether Christians of the status of practitioners of forbidden worship or not. They still may not be considered B'nei No'ah, let alone become gerei toshav (resident aliens), and they still may not reside in the Land of Israel, even temporarily. 

Stay tuned!

In the meantime, I recommend that you read Spiritual War In Samaria by Donny Fuchs.

The "Unbreakable" New Israeli Shekel

כ״ו לחודש השישי תשע״ד

Wikipedia: New Israeli Sheqqel
The 20 sheqqel banknote is the first, as of April 2008, to be made of polypropylene, a polymer substrate, which is superior to the current paper note with a circulation life of a few months only. The polymer note is printed by Orell Füssli Security Printing of Zürich, Switzerland. 1.8 million of the new banknotes were printed with the writing "60 years [anniversary] of the State of Israel" (in Hebrew), in red ink.

Ripped 20 Sheqqel Note

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
When these fancy-shmancy polypropylene 20 sheqqel notes first came out, "they" were raving about how amazing they were, and that you simply could not rip nor cut them. Well, perhaps these polymer notes have a better circulation life than paper, but they are certainly not invincible.

The pattern of this tear may even suggest some sort of flaw, which has now been exposed.

Irregardless, it is still difficult for me to fathom that plastic has a "value" of 20 sheqqels, or even one sheqqel. Gold-backed, paper certificates were one thing. The gold backing was taken away, and the wool was pulled over our eyes. Now, here in Israel we are not only carrying around plastic, credit cards, but plastic currency as well.

It is no secret that Israel, and many other countries, have been forcing the move toward a completely, plastic, or electronic, economy, for our "safety and convenience," of course.. It is now almost impossible in Israel, to have ones salary paid by check which can be cashed or deposited into a third party's account, let alone receive cash, period!

It would be a welcome awakening and relief, if we were finally to realize that the value of paper or polymer currency is only an illusion, created by the banksters and their governmental pawns, and continually enabled by us, the masses over whom they want to maintain control.

Believe you me. There may very well come a time when a bag of rice will be worth more than a piece of plastic, a piece of paper, or even a piece of metal.

Speaking of "value," the new 50 sheqqel note is worth even than the 20 sheqqel note. Its value is equal to one big fat embarrassment plus a symbol for the annihilation of the Jewish People.

Arutz 7: 'The Symbol of Assimilation, Now the Symbol of Israel'
Netanyahu's brother-in-law Dr. Ben-Artzi calls on Israelis not to use new Tchernichovsky 50 shekel note; asks 'where is Jewish Home?'

By Uzi Baruch, Ari Yashar, September 19, 2014

A new 50 shekel banknote bearing the likeness of Russian-born Hebrew poet Shaul Tchernichovsky (1875-1943) entered circulation on Tuesday, but Dr. Hagai Ben-Artzi of Bar Ilan University refuses to use the new note and calls on others to follow suit.

Ben-Artzi, who is the brother-in-law of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and lectures on the Torah and Jewish Thought, told Arutz Sheva that the new banknote is a disgrace to the state of Israel.

The noted lecturer reminded that Tchernichovsky was married to a Christian woman his entire life, and refused the insistent pleading of former Chief Ashkenazic Rabbi Shlomo Goren to have her convert to Judaism as befitting the wife of a key Hebrew poet in modern Israel.

"Shaul Tchernichovsky became a symbol of assimilation - the ideology of assimilation. It cannot be that a man like this, even with all his importance as a poet, should become a symbol of the state of Israel," said Ben-Artzi.

The new note sends exactly the wrong message at a time when "in Europe there's an 80% rate of assimilation and in the United States 60% assimilation," argued Ben-Artzi. "The Jewish people are becoming annihilated due to assimilation; how can the state of Israel be capable of turning precisely Tchernichovsky into a symbol?"

Ben-Artzi also criticized the Jewish Home party for not speaking out against the committee recommendation to use Tchernichovsky in the new bank note; the criticism comes at a time of talk in the party of splitting due to fears of a changing focus away from religious Zionism.

"Where is the Jewish Home?" asked Ben-Artzi. "Where are the hareidi parties? Where is the Likud party that declares itself to be Jewish and nationalist?"

Calling for a boycott on the new banknote, Netanyahu's brother-in-law stated "each any every one of us is obligated to explain the problem with the note. We must not accept this miserable decision to push this man into every home in Israel."

"Is the state of Israel deriding us? We will turn the decision into a public discussion. In every street corner they will talk about the problem. If a million citizens will not use the note, the state will have no choice but to remove it from financial circulation," concluded Ben-Artzi.

(Tip: The Torah Revolution)

The New Israeli Sheqqel made be holding against the dollar and the euro, but it is truly broken.

Update:
A reader pointed out that...

American bills say "In God We Trust". The new Israeli ₪50 bill, the one featuring Tchernichovsky says "In Man We Trust," roughly translated. Don't believe it? Take a look for yourself. It's on the reverse side, right under the serial number. - Hillel Levin, Shiloh (red arrow)

Sure enough, on the reverse side of the new 50 sheqqel bill, there is a quote from one of Tchernichovsky's poems, אני מאמין (I Believe).

כִּי עוֹד אַאֲמִין גַּם בָּאָדָם, גַּם בְּרוּחוֹ, רוּחַ עָז

For I shall yet have faith in mankind, In its spirit great and bold

You can read the entire poem in Hebrew on Wikipedia, or in English translation on Ha'Aretz.

Would you believe that it has been suggested, and apparently a lot, that this poem replace HaTiqwa (The Hope) as the Israeli National Anthem? Not surprisingly former K'nesseth Speaker Avraham Burg (Labor), and an Arab MK are included with those in those in favor of this proposal.

The Last Haveil Havalim of 5774 Is Up!

כ"ו לחודש השישי תשע"ד

The last Jewish-Israeli Blog Round-Up, Haveil Havalim, of the year 5774 is up at Shiloh Musings!

The Last Haveil Havalim of 5774!