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October 19, 2011, 2011| 21 Tishrei 5772 Vol. 7, Iss. 38

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GILAD SHALIT RELEASED — IN EXCHANGE FOR MORE THAN 1,000 TERRORISTS ISRAEL FREED HUNDREDS OF CONVICTED MURDERERS Jamil Khamis Muhammad Tarahan

6 Life Sentences

Taleb Ismail Ibrahim Abu Mustafa

2 Life Sentencces

Mazen Muhammad Ismail Jarad

1 Life Sentence

Maher Hussein Muhammad Abu Karash

4 Life Sentences

Muhammad Afif Ashur al-Far

2 Life Sentences

Muhammad Awda Muhammad al-Sakran Nasser Yussuf Mahmud al-Qadhi Ibrhim Muhammad Sha'aban Ibrhim Handi Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed Plit Ahmed Salam Hamdan Sa'er Ahmed Suleiman Ahmed Fajjam

Hamdi Amin Muhammad Zawidi

1 Life Sentence 8 Life Sentences 11 Years 1 Life Sentence

Chaled Saleh Jaber Al-Mughir

3 Life Sentences

Khaled Matawa Muslem Gaidi

2 Life Sentences

Halil Muhammad Muhammad Abu Alba

8 Life Sentences

Raid Ahmed Salim Haleq

2 Life Sentences

Rayid Amar Abdulhamid Abu Labda

1 Life Sentence

Rafat Ali Muhammad Aruqi

1 Life Sentence

Ruhi Jamal Abd-Al-Nabi Mushtahi

18 Years

1 Life Sentence

Zuhir Salah Anis Shashaniyah

4 Life Sentences 1 Life Sentence

5 Life Sentences Sami Chaled Suleman Al-Qatshan

Ahmad Abd-Al-Rahman Husein Abu-Hasira 35 Years 1 Month Ahmed Abdulkarim Ali Abu Taha

27 Years

Ahmad Ata Chalil Al-Hatu

25 Years

Ismail Musa Hussein Bahit

12 Life Sentences

Ahsraf Hassan Yusuf Baluji

3 Life Sentences

Ashraf Muhammad Yunis Awdat

1 Life Sentences

Akram Salamah Atiyah Said

24 Years

Akram Abd Al-Rahman Husein Salamah

30 Years

Akram Abdullah Muhammad Qassem

27 Years

Anwar Ahmad Abd Al-Chaleq Hamed

20 Years

by JV Staff In an exchange that began Tuesday morning, Israel is exchanging Sgt. Gilad Shalit, who was abducted by Hamas terrorists in 2006 and held for the past five years (without contact to his family, or access to the Red Cross, as required under international law), for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, many of them convicted terrorists with blood on their hands.

o give our readers some idea of the scope of this exchange, we are printing here a partial list (indeed, only a small part) of the prisoners Israel is sending out into the world, along with the sentences they were supposed to serve. Note that many are serving multiple life sentences for murder, and during interviews have expressed pride, not regret, in their heinous deeds. There is no reason to believe that these terrorists will not resume their operations immediately upon their release.

Said Muhammad Aashur Sakik

20 Years 3 Life Sentences

Salim Ali Ibrahim Kiyal

1 Life Sentence

Shaaban Salim Abdallah Hasuna

1 Life Sentence

Aatef Suleman Daud Almasri

5 Life Sentences

Muhammad Yussuf Hassan al-Sharatha

3 Life Sentences

Abd-Al-Rahman Rabi Abd-Al-Rahman Shihab Abd al-Rahman Fadel abd al-Rahman Qiq Abdulaziz Muhammad Abdulaziz Masri

35 Years 1 Life Sentence 3 Life Sentences

Brief profiles detailing the heinous crimes of just a few of the terrorists being released in exchange for Gilad Shalit’s freedom can be found in this week’s Israel section, on page 5

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

BREAKING NEWS

PAGE 3

Iran’s Murder Plot a Major Development, Says Top Israeli Diplomat The recently uncovered Iranian plot to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States and blow up the Saudi Arabia and Israel embassies in Washington is a significant development in Iran’s escalating terrorist activities, according to a top diplomat in Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “This is part of a wider, aggressive pattern of relentlessly pursuing a nuclear military program and developing long-range missiles,” Jeremy Issacharoff, deputy director general for strategic affairs for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said at a briefing in New York with a major media outlet. The briefing was part of a media tour with The Israel Project. Issacharoff continued, “The conspiracy demonstrates Iran’s capability to precipitate major crises.” U.S. officials announced the Iran-backed plot Oct. 11 when they unsealed a criminal complaint against two men from Iran allegedly planning to carry it out. Manssor Arbabsiar and Gholam Shakuri were charged in New York. Shakuri is part of Iran’s elite Quds Force, a branch of the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that conducts terrorist activities

hire; conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction (explosives); and conspiracy to commit an act of international terrorism transcending national boundaries.” The plot, Issacharoff said, “was not something outside of the Iranians’ lexicon.” Until now, Issacharoff said, Iran has focused on terrorist activities such as smuggling weapons to Screen capture of the ambassador from C-Span terrorist groups including Hezbollah abroad. Shakuri is at large; Arbabsiar, who and Hamas and to countries ranging from holds dual Iran-U.S. citizenship, was arrestAfghanistan to Iraq and Nigeria. “The only ed in September. thing that surprises me is why this didn’t According to a U.S. Justice Department happen bigger and sooner and in different statement, the two men were charged with ways.” “conspiracy to murder a foreign official; Iran has been diverting attention from its conspiracy to engage in foreign travel and nuclear weapons program, which continues use of interstate and foreign commerce to move forward, said Issacharoff, adding facilities in the commission of murder-forthat Iran has enough low-enriched uranium

to produce three nuclear bombs. “People have taken their eye off the ball.” Iran is the world’s largest state-sponsor of terrorism. The Islamic republic’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has said Israel should be “wiped off the map,” denied that the Holocaust occurred and often makes statements condemning Israel and the West. Ahmadinejad also has suggested that 9/11 was a U.S. conspiracy and the killing of Osama bin Laden was part of a cover-up. Issacharoff has been involved for years in Israel’s diplomatic efforts vis-à-vis Iran and is regarded as an expert on U.S.-Israel relations as well as arms control, as demonstrated by his membership in the U.N. Secretary-General’s Advisory Board for Disarmament Affairs – a body consisting of 20 experts in arms control and disarmament from around the world. As deputy director general, Issacharoff is responsible for Iran, non-proliferation, arms control, counter-terrorism, Israel defense exports and regional security. Among his many posts, he served from 2005-2009 as deputy chief of mission for the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

More Arab Attacks on Eve of Shalit Swap BY CHANA YA'AR On the eve of the terrorist prisoner exchange that will bring home kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, Arab terrorists are gaining confidence and becoming inspired to increase attacks on the road and in Israeli cities. n at least two locations on Highway 60 in Judea, Palestinian Authority Arabs terrorists attacked Israeli travelers. At about 8:30 PM terrorists hurled a firebomb at an Israeli bus as it passed the village of El Aroub south of Bethlehem, just

five minutes down the road from Gush Etzion. No one was injured, but the bus was damaged. IDF soldiers launched a search for the attackers. About two hours earlier, Arab attackers also hurled rocks at an Israeli bus and a private vehicle traveling with Israeli registration plates near Hevron, somewhat farther south along the same road. No injuries were reported in either attack, but both vehicles were damaged. Rocks and firebombs hurled at passing vehicles are intended to kill. Last week there were a number of rock attacks in Jerusalem. Arabs hurled rocks at a

bus near the Jaffa Gate in the Old City. As a result, the driver lost control of the vehicle and hit a wall. Although the passengers did not sustain any physical injuries, they were traumatized and the driver was lightly wounded. On September 23, two Arab terrorists from the Halhul area just north of Hevron hurled a rock at a vehicle driven by Asher Palmer, smashing the windshield and causing him to lose control of the car. Palmer and his infant son were killed instantly. Just prior to tonight's firebomb attack (Monday, October 17) Israeli soldiers had administered first aid to an Arab resident at a village next to Hevron. The troops spotted

the Arab man waving his arms and calling for help, and a unit was immediately sent to assist him. Several hours earlier in the evening, in the coastal city of Herzliya, an Israeli Jew was attacked by an Arab who stabbed him in the head and hands. The victim was treated at the scene by medics from the Magen David Adom emergency response service, and then rushed to a nearby hospital. A police spokesperson said the attack “appeared to have been driven by nationalist motives.” ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS

Syrian Forces Kill 25; Government Accused of Targeting Doctors Syrian security forces killed at least 25 people Monday when they attacked the opposition stronghold of Homs, while activists accused the government of intensifying its persecution of doctors who treat wounded protesters. esidents and activists say tanks firing heavy machine guns swept into Sunni Muslim districts of Homs, where large protests demanding the removal of President Bashar al-Assad have taken place regularly. Monday's clashes followed the deployment of loyalist militiamen into Sunni districts, fanning tension between the city's Sunni majority and members of Mr. Assad's minority Alawite sect. Army deserters helping local inhabitants defend their neighborhoods are said to have

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killed five government troops in the clashes. Battles between soldiers and defectors have been increasing in the province, as authorities press a harsh crackdown on political opposition to Assad. In Switzerland Monday, United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon urged the Syrian president to end the killing of civilians and accept an international inquiry into allegations of human rights abuses. The U.N. says more than 3,000 people have been killed in Syria since anti-government protests began seven months ago. The Local Coordination Committees, a major Syrian activist network that helps organize the protests, said it has documented the arrests of 25 doctors from private clinics and hospitals in the past few weeks.

Defense News

The group said 250 doctors and pharmacists have been detained since the uprising began. Last month, New York-based Human Rights Watch said Syrian security forces “forcibly removed” patients from a hospital and prevented doctors from reaching the wounded during a military siege in Homs. The group cited testimony from witnesses, including doctors. The Arab League said Sunday it would bring together Syria's government and opposition groups in an attempt to end the violence. The league's secretary-general said the group plans to start the dialogue within 15 days. Some league members sought to suspend Syria's membership in the pan-Arab organi-

zation, but deep divisions among the group's 22 members prevented passage of the proposal. The Arab League suspended Libya earlier this year after then-leader Muammar Gaddafi began a bloody crackdown on anti-government protesters. The league later reinstated Libya under the country's new leadership. In Syria Sunday, activists said security forces in the east opened fire on mourners as about 7,000 people attending the funeral of a slain activist with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. They also said government forces continued arrests near the capital, Damascus. Syrian authorities have blamed much of the country's violence on gunmen or what they call terrorist groups.

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Libya's NTC Forces Take Most of Gaddafi Stronghold By Edward Yeranian Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) forces are claiming to have taken most of the town of Bani Walid, where loyalists to former leader Muammar Gaddafi have been holed up and mounting a spirited resistance since late August. Fierce resistance by Gaddafi loyalists continues, however, in the coastal enclave of Sirte.

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October 19, 2011

nterim government forces fired shells and mortar bombs at a pocket of resistance inside the coastal town of Sirte Monday, amid fierce fighting by a small but tenacious band of loyalists to Gaddafi. Farther south, interim government forces are claiming to control 85 percent of the Gaddafi stronghold of Bani Walid. Reports say the Warfalla tribe, Libya's largest, is trying to negotiate the surrender of Bani Walid with the NTC. The tribe, to which Gaddafi's wife belongs, is seeking a deal with Libya's new rulers. Col. Abdullah Naker, who heads the Tripoli Revolutionary Council told journalists that NTC fighters have taken the center of Bani Walid, where they raised the flag of the new interim government. Naker says NTC forces are making progress in finishing off resistance from

Gaddafi loyalists in Sirte, but he is worried that one of Mr. Gaddafi's sons, who is leading the resistance there, might find a way to escape the city. NTC gains, however, may be shortlived. Omar Ashour, who teaches political science at the University of Exeter in Britain, says the new interim government has a weak national army and that most of the country is controlled by hundreds of small militias. “There is a national army more or less controlled by Gen. Suleiman Mahmoud of Tobruk. The problem with it is that it's not the only armed force in Libya right now and it has very limited influence on possibly 100 or so armed militias. In Tripoli, you have a militia controlling part of the north, another militia controlling part of the south, a third militia controlling the airport, and obviously this makes things very decentralized and at some points chaotic.” Libya's new leaders have said they will begin the political process of forming a democratic government once they have captured Sirte. But Ashour worries how armed factions could hinder that process. VOA NEWS

Israel Releases Terrorists? U.S. Will Have to Pursue Them RESEARCHER NOTES LAW THAT OBLIGATES U.S. TO PURSUE ARABS WHO KILLED AMERICANS By Elad Benari & Yoni Kempinski David Bedein of the Center for Near East Policy Research reminded on Monday that the United States government, by law, will have to pursue some of the terrorists who will be released as part of the Shalit deal. edein told Arutz Sheva that the U.S. implemented the Koby Mandell Act, named after 13-year-old Koby Mandell, an American citizen who was killed by Arab terrorists in Wadi Tekoa in May of 2001, along with his friend Yosef Ishran. Bedein said that according to the Koby Mandell Act, which has been passed and is part of American law, “the American government must pursue anyone who has murdered an American citizen in an act of terror.” He added, “Now you have a situation where at least 40 Arabs who were part of different PLO and Hamas groups who were convicted of murdering American citizens. They have been set free through the ransom

deal that Israel made with Hamas, but that doesn’t matter. The United States is obligated to act in order to pursue, to prosecute and to jail those who have murdered American citizens.” Bedein said that any person can write to the American Ambassador in Israel, Dan Shapiro, or other Congress members, demanding they act to pursue these terrorists. “The fact that [President Shimon] Peres gave a pardon to these killers does not excuse them from the crimes they have committed against American citizens,” he emphasized. ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

ISRAEL

PAGE 5

Gilad Shalit Released... CONTINUED FROM COVER

MEET SOME OF THE “POLITICAL PRISONERS” AND “FREEDOM FIGHTERS” BEING RELEASED BY ISRAEL IN EXCHANGE FOR SHALIT’S FREEDOM:

EDITORIAL AND EXECUTIVE OFFICES 2154 East 4 th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11223-4037 1-800-998-0885

www.JewishVoiceNY.com DAVID BEN-HOOREN Publisher AVI BEN-MORDECHAI Editor-In-Chief DANIEL PEREZ News Editor Ahlam Tamimi, the first woman to join Hamas. She helped with the planning and execution of the 2001 bombing of the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem. 16 people were murdered in that attack and the person who drove the suicide bomber who carried out the attack at the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem in August of 2001. In a documentary on Palestinian prisoners, an interviewer asked Tamimi whether she knew how many children had been killed in the attack. She did not. When told the number was eight, she smiled. Tamimi has previously declared, “Despite the fact that I’m sentenced to 16 life sentences I know that … I will become free from prison.” It appears that her prediction will soon be proven correct.

Ibrahim Shamasna, who confessed to participating in the murders of four Israelis: the youths Ronen Karamani and Lior Tubul, taxi driver Raf i Doron and IDF soldier Yehoshua Friedberg.

NORMA OROPEZA Editorial Assistant

Abdel-Aziz Salha, whose claim to fame is his participation in the gruesome lynching and mutilation of Vadim Nurzhitz and Yossi Avrahmi, who committed the unforgiveable crime of accidentally wandering into Ramallah. He then gleefully waved his blood-soaked hands in the building’s second story window, in a gesture that has come to inspire many Palestinians who have followed in his footsteps, while simultaneously horrifying the rest of the world. British photographer Mark Seager, who tried to photograph the event before being assaulted and having his camera destroyed by the angry mob, called it a “murder of the most barbaric kind.”

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Gilad Shalit’s Father Blames Bereaved Families for Murderers' Release create pressure on the Israeli government to turn leverage on Hamas," Shalit said. "During that period we asked to stop transfer of money and goods to Hamas, and the buses of visitors to terrorists in prisons, but the state failed to produce any other

after filing a brief asking Israel's High Court of Justice to ignore petitions by bereaved families to annul the deal. "We would have preferred if Gilad had been released under more palatable terms." "The deal is not easy, but nevertheless there are some bereaved families with great pain, who support the exchange, including the release of those with blood on their hands," said Shalit. "Refusing to go through with the exchange won't bring back those killed in the attacks, but will seal Gilad's death," Shalit said, brushing aside concerns the deal was a great injustice to the slain and their families.

alternative," he explained. "We're aware that it is difficult," Shalit said

Continues on following page

By Gavriel Queenann Noam Shalit says, had bereaved families of terror victims joined his crusade for his son's release, a better deal could have been reached oam Shalit implied the bereaved families of terror victims were to blame for the release of their relatives’ murderers on Monday, saying a better deal could have brokered if they had joined his crusade to secure his son's freedom. "I regret the bereaved families who oppose this deal were not with us at the time we tried to

Noam Shalit

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ISRAEL

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

Gilad Shalit’s Father Blames Bereaved Families for Murderers' Release... CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Critics of Shalit say his single-minded pursuit of his son's release has not taken into account that success would likely result in more families suffering as his has - or worse - as the bereaved families of those murdered by terrorists have. They also say Shalit's campaign, which has been a persistent cause célèbre in Israel's media for the past five years, was co-opted by Hamas as leverage during negotiations. Security officials have said they expect

the terrorists-for-Shalit deal will result in more terrorism causing tens if not hundreds of Israeli deaths at the hands of terrorists, who will be emboldened by the exchange. Hamas, who vowed the released terrorists will return to the 'resistance,' has also promised more kidnappings, saying the Shalit deal is proof positive that kidnapping is a working tactic for the terror group. ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS

Rabbi: Next Time, Just Shoot to Kill Terrorists should be given the death penalty, whether formally or quietly, says former chief IDF rabbi

Rabbi Avichai Ronsky, during his time as Chief Rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces By Maayana Miskin Terrorists who spill blood should get the death penalty, former chief IDF rabbi Avichai Ronsky said Monday. Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Rabbi Ronsky suggested that if necessary, terrorist murderers could be killed “in the field.” “In many cases, it doesn’t need to reach a court,” he said. Soldiers could simply shoot to kill instead of doing their utmost to bring terrorists in alive, “without giving the matter too much publicity,” he explained. “It happened in the past,” he added. The Supreme Court has ruled that IDF soldiers must bring terrorists in alive whenever possible, saying that to do otherwise is illegal assassination. If terrorists do make it to court alive, the

court should apply the death penalty, he said. The Biblical verse, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” applies to all of humanity, he noted. By failing to apply the death penalty, courts are actually increasing the chances of bloodshed, Rabbi Ronsky warned. For one thing, he said, the release of terrorist killers provides Hamas and other terrorists with additional manpower, making future attacks more likely to succeed. In addition, those whose loved ones died in attacks could be driven to vigilantism if they see killers walk free, he said. The rabbi noted that he does not personally support vigilante acts, but can understand those who turn to extrajudicial action out of despair. ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

INTERNATIONAL

PAGE 7

Indictment Alleges Syrian Plot to Silence U.S. Protestors A Virginia man has been indicted on charges he helped the Syrian intelligence service spy on dissidents in the United States. ccording to a six-count indictment released Wednesday, Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid, also known as Anas Alswaid, taped anti-Syrian protests beginning last spring, sending recordings to handlers within the Syrian Mukhabarat intelligence service. He also obtained the protestors' email addresses and telephone numbers, which he allegedly provided to his Syrian handlers.

______________________ He transmits such information to Damascus to initiate criminal conduct against the families of the identified Syrians." ______________________ He is charged with conspiracy to, and acting as, an agent of a foreign government. "The ability to assemble and protest is a cherished right in the United States, and it's troubling that a U.S. citizen from Leesburg is accused of working with the Syrian government to identify and intimidate those who exercise that right," Neil MacBride, U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia said in a statement. "Spying for another country is a serious

Syrian dissidents in the United States and elsewhere in the world have raised concerns that their activities were being monitored threat to our national security, especially when it threatens the ability of U.S. citizens to engage in political speech within our own borders." Soueid allegedly recruited unnamed coconspirators who would record rallies in an attempt to "undermine, silence, intimidate, and potentially harm persons in the United States and Syria who protested against the Government of Syria and President alAssad, all at the direction and control of the Government of Syria and Syrian offi-

cials." Soueid is a naturalized citizen from Syria, the indictment said. Syrian dissidents in the United States and elsewhere in the world have raised concerns that their activities were being monitored. And Soueid was included as a defendant in civil litigation filed by Syrian dissidents in May, described as "an integral part of the criminal conspiracy to torture, maim and kill Syrians. Through his efforts, the al-Assad regime learns the

identities of Syrians based in the United States, who are trying to assist in the efforts to counteract the tactics of the alAssad regime. He transmits such information to Damascus to initiate criminal conduct against the families of the identified Syrians." In an April email allegedly sent to a Syrian handler, Soueid wrote "that violence against protestors was justified, raiding the homes of protestors was justified," the indictment said, "and that any method should be used to deal with the protestors." Soueid met with President Bashar alAssad during a trip to Syria in late June, travelling Syria "on behalf of the Government of Syria," the indictment said. He also met repeatedly with the Mukhabarat handler. Upon returning, Soueid allegedly emailed his handler a picture of himself with Assad. Days later, he bought a Beretta .40 caliber pistol from a dealer in Lorton, Va. and gave a false address. The indictment offers no explanation for the weapon purchase. But the transaction led to two counts. He denied everything when FBI agents interviewed him Aug. 3, leading to two counts related to false statements. The day after that meeting, he changed his long distance calling card and alerted his Syrian handler, the indictment said. Soueid is scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court Wednesday afternoon. Report by IPT News, www.investigativeproject.org.

PAGE 8

NATIONAL

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

ADL: 1,239 Anti-Semitic Incidents Reported Across the U.S. in 2010 STATES WITH HIGHEST TOTALS INCLUDE CA, NY AND NJ Following a consistent trend over the last several years, the number of antiSemitic incidents in the United States remained constant in 2010, with a total of 1,239 incidents of assaults, vandalism and harassment reported during the calendar year, according to the AntiDefamation League (ADL). he ADL Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, released earlier this month, found that the number of anti-Semitic incidents increased slightly in 2010, to a total of 1,239 incidents, compared to 1,211 incidents reported in 2009. It is the first increase reported by ADL since the numbers hit a record high in 2004, when the U.S. experienced 1,821 incidents of anti-Semitism. Since 2004, the total number of anti-Jewish incidents had declined incrementally each year. The ADL Audit tracks incidents of vandalism, harassment and physical assaults against Jewish individuals, property and community institutions across the U.S., using reports and data gathered by the League's 30 regional offices and law enforcement. "While we have come a long way in society as Jews have been accepted into the mainstream, America is still not immune to anti-Semitism and bigotry," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "The

Anti-Semitic vandalism in a Jewish screencap good news is that we have continued to enjoy a period of relative calm, where the overall numbers are mostly unchanged and the incidents isolated. But the bad news is that for all our efforts to educate, to raise awareness and to legislate, anti-Jewish incidents remain a disturbing part of the American Jewish experience." The 2010 ADL Audit identified:

• 2 2 physical assaults on Jewish individuals (down from 29 in 2009); • 9 0 0 cases of anti-Semitic harassment, threats and events (up from 760 in 2009); • 3 1 7 cases of anti-Semitic vandalism (down from 422 in cemetary -- CBS 2009). The 2010 Audit comprises data from 45 states and the District of Columbia, including official crime statistics as well as information provided to ADL's regional offices by victims, law enforcement officers and community leaders and members. The Audit encompasses criminal acts, such as vandalism, violence and threats of violence, as well as non-criminal incidents of harassment and intimida-

tion. Majority of Incidents Concentrated in Handful of States Continuing a longtime trend, the states with the highest totals were those with large Jewish populations. The top four states were California, with 297 incidents in 2010, up from 275 in 2009; New York, with 205 incidents, down from 209; New Jersey, with 130 incidents, down from 132; and Florida, with 116 incidents, up from 90. According to the ADL Audit, other states with double-digit totals in 2010 include Massachusetts (64, up from 55 in 2009); Pennsylvania (42, down from 65 in 2009); Colorado (38, up from 14); Connecticut (38, up from 24); and Texas (37, up from 28). The Audit has never included the thousands of anti-Semitic events and expressions occurring in cyberspace, as it is virtually impossible to quantify. "As a barometer of anti-Semitism in America, the Audit helps us to identify trends across the country and to take stock of how and where anti-Semitism is manifested," said Robert G. Sugarman, ADL National Chair. "This information helps us to work with law enforcement and others in cities and communities to address the problem of hatred of Jews." Selected Incidents in 2010

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

Canadian ‘Rabbi’ Arrested for U.S. Immigration Fraud A disbarred former attorney has been arrested in Toronto and is facing extradition to the U.S., where he allegedly ran a massive immigration fraud scheme.

Prosecutors maintain that David was the mastermind behind a multimillion-dollar scheme that had provided fraudulent documents for thousand of “undocumented immigrants” for 15 years. He was arrested in Toronto on October 11. David, a Canadian citizen, was admitted to the New York bar in 1988 and practiced law in the United States until his license to practice law was suspended in 2004. The suspension was a result of an unrelated incident that, according to the JTA report, involved stock manipulation and money-laundering, and in which he had managed to avoid prosecution by coop“Rabbi” David is one of 27 defendants being erating with the authorities. charged in connection with the scheme He fled to Canada two years after his suspension. “Rabbi” David is one of ccording to a report by JTA, the man 27 defendants being charged in connection calling himself Rabbi Avraham with this scheme, which was allegedly operDavid, aged 47, lived the life of a ated through his law practice in Manhattan. rabbi, writing Jewish article and books, and According to authorities, David and his engaging in the study of gematria (Jewish accomplices would charge up to $30,000 to numerology). “In online postings,” says the provide phony documentation to immigrants, report, “he said he was descended from a stating that they had been sponsored in the Hasidic dynasty.” The “rabbi” (real name: immigration process by U.S. employers, Earl Seth David) had affiliated with an according to a report by Canada’s Globe and Orthodox synagogue in downtown Toronto. Mail newspaper.

NEW YORK

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WAR ON TERROR

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

WAR ON TERROR ACLU and Islamists vs. the FBI...Yet Again The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issued an open letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller earlier this month calling for reform of Bureau training materials the ACLU claims are biased against Muslims. The ACLU letter cited a July article by Spencer Ackerman on WiredNews.com concerning training materials that, in part, allegedly depicted Muslims in a derogatory way. The FBI responded by saying it no longer used that particular training material, which was reported to be only a segment of an overall counter-terrorism presentation. he ACLU letter also principally focused on an FBI Intelligence Assessment document dated May 10, 2006 on homegrown Islamic terrorist radicalization titled, "The Radicalization Process: From Conversion to Jihad," claiming the assessment portrays converts to Islam in America as targets for radicalization who should primarily and mostly be viewed as suspects. The ACLU letter offers criticism of the FBI assessment by stating: "For instance, a 2006 FBI Intelligence Assessment "The Radicalization Process: From Conversion to Jihad," which was published in May 2006 but restricted from public distribution until it was leaked on the internet sometime later, identifies a four-step "radicalization cycle" in which religious converts purportedly become "Homegrown Islamic extremists." According to this analysis, "indicators" of a convert's extremism include: • Increased isolation from former life

• Wearing traditional Muslim attire • Growing facial hair • Frequent attendance at a mosque or a prayer group • Travel to a Muslim country • Increased activity in a pro-Muslim social group or political cause • Proselytizing. Such innocuous behaviors may indicate strong religious beliefs, and each is entirely protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. Millions of MuslimAmericans may engage in some or all of them on a routine basis. Claiming these behaviors are indicative of a progression toward extremist violence is therefore both factually unsupportable and improper under the law." While the assessment lists the segments identified in the ACLU letter, the context given in the ACLU letter is notably skewed. It indicates the full sum of the FBI assessment focused on those listed "indicators" that, in and of themselves, could well be innocent constitutionally protected activities. In fact, there are 14 total "indicators" in three separate categories, not the seven listed individually in the ACLU letter. Among the other seven in the assessment are: - Association with new social identity - Attendance at a training camp or participation in paramilitary training - Conducting surveillance activities - Travel without obvious source of funds - Suspicious purchase of bomb making paraphernalia or weapons - Large transfer of funds, from or to overseas

- Formation of operational cells The three separate categories are "identification," "indoctrination" and "action." The ACLU letter offers criticism of the FBI assessTaken in that more ment by stating: detailed context, these "indicators" are sig"For instance, a 2006 FBI Intelligence Assessment nificantly more "The Radicalization Process: From Conversion to Jihad," focused on the pertiwhich was published in May 2006 but restricted from nent issue of jihadist public distribution until it was leaked on the internet radicalization. sometime later, identifies a four-step "radicalization The 12-page cycle" in which religious converts purportedly become detailed FBI assess"Homegrown Islamic extremists." According to this ment repeatedly states analysis, "indicators" of a convert's extremism include: that conversion to • Increased isolation from former life Islam does not always • Wearing traditional Muslim attire lead to radicalization. • Growing facial hair The assessment cites a • Frequent attendance at a mosque or a prayer group series of steps a • Travel to a Muslim country homegrown jihadist • Increased activity in a pro-Muslim social group or likely undergoes in political cause the radicalization • Proselytizing. process, and notes that Such innocuous behaviors may indicate strong reliprocess is fluid and gious beliefs, and each is entirely protected by the First subject to significant Amendment to the Constitution. Millions of Muslimexternal influence. Americans may engage in some or all of them on a rouThe assessment offers tine basis. Claiming these behaviors are indicative of a its findings as a result progression toward extremist violence is therefore both of investigative case factually unsupportable and improper under the law." analysis and academic sources. The FBI assessment is rooted in experience where the In contrast to what the ACLU states is radicalization of American Muslim conthe FBI's posture in its assessment, a chart verts has real world consequences. A numon page four identifies a series of factors ber of such cases have proven the FBI that may indicate a path toward radicalizaassessment correct: tion among converts, and those factors mir• Radicalized prison converts Kevin ror circumstances identified in the real James and Levar Washington pleaded world cases of radicalized American guilty to federal terrorism charges in 2007 jihadists. in a California plot to attack military Among those factors, the assessment recruitment centers, the Israeli consulate chart: and Jewish synagogues. Two other codefen• notes that being a "Jihad Believer" dants were also convicted and sentenced to can be a motivation for conversion; long prison terms. • identifies the Internet and prison • Daniel Patrick Boyd, a convert, as places where opportunities for radicalled a group of seven terror suspects in ization are presented; North Carolina who became radicalized • lists receiving basic paramilitary jihadists intent on launching attacks within training overseas as a key component to the United States, according to federal identifying radicalization; charging documents. Boyd pleaded guilty • identifies "increased vetting to federal terrorism charges in February, opportunities" for radicalization to include and his two sons followed suit while proattending a jihadist training camp, conductceedings are wrapping up against the other ing surveillance activity, and engaging in defendants. jihadist support finance; and • American Mohammad Zaki • identifies a radicalized person Amawi who became radicalized and was engaging in extremist activity when they or charged in Ohio with planning to commit she participates in jihadist recruitment, violent attacks against Americans overseas, financing or other attack operations. including U.S. troops in Iraq. Amawi The FBI assessment was clear in its became "more radical in his appearance, description of the radicalization process as behavior and expression of his beliefs" being far more than mere innocent constiafter returning from an extended trip to tutionally protected religious and political Jordan in 2004, his sentencing memo said. activity, but rather, it noted such activities Amawi was convicted in 2008. may be part of the process leading to the • American Carlos Bledsoe, aka radicalization that results in jihadist terror. Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, was The ACLU letter, joined by several Islamist sentenced to life in prison for the terrorist organizations including CAIR, MAS and murder of two U.S. Army soldiers outside a ISNA, cherry picks elements from the Little Rock recruiting station in 2009. assessment, takes them out of context and Bledsoe converted to Islam in 2003 shortly offers them for slanted criticism. after enrolling at Tennessee State University. Bledsoe later traveled to Yemen, Report by IPT News, www.investigawhere it is believed his radicalization contiveproject.org. tinued.

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

DEFENSE NEWS

PAGE 11

IDF Chief of Staff Visits Shalit Family Regarding Gilad’s Return Lt. Gen. Gantz along with other officers visited the family of the kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit regarding operational details of his return he Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz visited the family of the kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit on Thursday (October 13) and updated them on details regarding Gilad’s return. Commander of the Manpower Directorate, Lt. Gen. Orna Barbivai, and IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yoav (Poly) Mordechai attended the visit as well. The agreement to free Gilad Shalit was approved during a night cabinet meeting held on Tuesday (October 11). During the meeting, defense establishment leaders including Yoram Cohen head of the Israel Security Agency, the Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Director of the Mossad, Tamir Perdo and the Prime Minister’s representative David Meidan, evaluated and approved the agreement. Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu said, “This is a difficult decision, though leadership is tested in times like these, in the ability to make difficult decisions. I

Along with several other Israeli defense officials, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz (INDICATE L or R) personally visited the family of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit a few days before Shalit’s scheduled release.

am returning Gilad Shalit home, to his parents Noam and Aviva, his brother Yoel, his sister Hadas, his grandfather Tzvi and to the Israeli people.” Gilad Shalit (rank at the time: Cpl.) was kidnapped early on Sunday June 25, 2006. A terrorist cell attacked Shalit’s tank that was defending the security fence near the southern Gaza Strip. The terrorists crossed the border using an underground tunnel dug near the Kerem Shalom crossing. During the attack, the tank commander, First Lt. Hanan Barak, and another soldier in the tank, Staff Sgt. Pavel Slotzker were killed. Four of the soldiers in the post were injured and terrorists kidnapped Shalit into the Gaza Strip, using the tunnel they dug. In response to the kidnapping, the IDF began Operation Summer Rains in the Gaza Strip on June 28, 2006 and lasted through November 26, 2006. Ground forces entered the Gaza Strip for the first time since the unilateral disengagement was executed. The IDF operated in the various parts of the Strip, including the Shuja’iyya district, Beit Hanun and at the Philadelphi route. Three soldiers, two Israeli civilians and approximately 270

Palestinian terrorists were killed during the operation. The operation ended with a one-sided ceasefire and in it a guarantee from terrorist organizations to terminate any missile launchings into Israeli territory. While captive, a connection was kept with Shalit via letters and recordings: in 2006 the Shalit family received a letter from their son that was recently published; in June 2007 an audio recording of Staff Sgt Shalit reading a letter written by his captors was received; in February another letter was received without any details of his condition; in April 2008 the Shalit family received a letter from their son via French President Nicolas Sarkozy; in June 2008 a third letter is received with the assistance of Jimmy Carter. In October 2009 a first video recording documenting Gilad Shalit in captivity was received. Commander of the Manpower Directorate at the time presented the videotape to the Shalit family. The tape was later viewed by Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister, Ehud Barak. Report by IDF News Service

IDF Navy observers watch over Israel's waters BEHIND COMPUTER SCREENS, THE ALL-FEMALE UNIT DEFENDS ISRAEL'S MARITIME BORDERS Post. "They know everything: who is at sea, who is coming home, where they are going and why. And if a mark on the radar isn't recognized, the observers send ships to identify it." "Despite the long hours, the girls are dedicated to their jobs and understand the responsibility they have. They the all-female unit watches over Israel's waters day understand they're and night behind computer screens at the Navy's defending human life," Cpt. Dvir secured control posts explained. " M a r i n e Marine control observers are crucial in observers must be responsible, have high ensuring the security of Israel. Some sta- endurance and most importantly have selftioned near the Gaza Strip, the all-female control," said Pvt. Dana Badlov, an observer unit watches over Israel's waters day and at the post. night behind computer screens at the The observers are required to determine Navy's secured control posts. whether ships are mere fishing vessels or rather threats to Israel's security. "Their observers are in direct contact Simultaneously, they contact vessels entering with the ships," said Cpt. Or Dvir, and leaving the Ashdod port, listen to civilian Commander of the Ashdod Regional Control frequencies to identify crises and guard

Israel's border with the Gaza Strip. These girls thwart attacks before they even take place, by sending ships and providing them with information about the vessels at sea. "People outside don't actually know what happens here and we're not really allowed to elaborate. There aren't any fences at sea, it's only us," explained Cpl. Shir Anisimov.

The information collected by the observers is analyzed by senior observers and later by high ranking officers. Marine observers go through a threemonth course at a Navy training base and are stationed at one of the posts along Israel's shores. There, they learn how to use the necessary equipment.

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POLITICS

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

ZOA: “J Street Doesn’t Represent American Jews – We Do” SURVEY SHOWS MAJORITY OF U.S. JEWS, UNLIKE J STREET, OPPOSE PAL. STATE, RE-DIVIDING JERUSALEM According to a statement issued to the press earlier this month the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) “has exposed the fraudulence of the claim made by the extremist leftwing, George Soros/Arab-funded J Street that it represents the majority of American Jews in its views and policies regarding Israel, the Palestinians and the Middle East.” he ZOA has pointed to the detailed results in the 2011 American Jewish Committee (AJC) Sur vey of American Jewish Opinion showing that American Jews do not support J Street’s positions in favor of creating a Palestinian state; re-dividing Jerusalem; U.S. funding for Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority (PA); opposing militar y action against Iran if it fails to stop its quest to obtain nuclear weapons, and so on.

Instead, the 2011 AJC Sur vey found that: • A majority of American Jews (55%) oppose the creation of a Palestinian state, whereas only 38% support its creation; • An overwhelming 76% of American Jews agree with the statement that ‘The goal of the Arabs is

not the return of occupied ter ritories but rather the destruction of Israel,’ whereas only 19% disagree with it. • 59% of American Jews oppose re-dividing Jerusalem in the context of an Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty, while only 37% f avor this course. • A majority of 53% disapprove of President Obama’s handling of U.S./Israel relations, whereas only 40% approved of his performance in this sphere. • Conversely, 54% of American Jews approved of the Netanyahu government’s handling of U.S./Israel relations, whereas only 32% disapproved. • An overwhelming 73% of American Jews favor the Cong ress withdrawing U.S. aid to Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority (PA) if it for ms a unity gover nment with Hamas, whereas only 21% would oppose this. • 56% of American Jews favor the U.S. taking military action against Iran if diplomacy fails to halt its march towards acquiring nuclear weapons, whereas only 38% oppose this. • 68% of American Jews favor Israel taking military action against Iran if diplomacy fails to halt its march towards acquiring nuclear weapons, whereas only 26% oppose

this (AJC 2011 Annual Sur vey of American Jewish Opinion, September 6-21, 2011). ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “This survey offers a detailed and devastating rebuttal to the totally false claims of J Street and other extremist leftwing activists masquerading as supporters of Israel that they represent the majority of American Jewry. When attacking ZOA

________________________ American Jews understand that such a state would mean a terror state on Israel’s longest border, increasing danger and creating the possibility of rockets slamming into Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.” ________________________ and others with whom they disagree, J Street asks in its ads – ‘Do they speak for you?’ This poll clearly shows that ZOA speaks for American Jewry – not J Street. “If most American Jews oppose establishing a Palestinian state; if

three-quar ters of American Jewr y believe that the Arabs seek to destroy Israel; if most American Jews do not want to divide Jer usalem, even in return for a permanent peace agreement, and if most American Jews support either American or Israeli militar y action to stop Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, then most American Jews clearly do not support the positions espoused by J Street. “At the time of its establishment, J Street posted a video showing me speaking against the establishment of a Palestinian state, arguing that this does not represent the majority of American Jews. We now know that the positions of ZOA best reflect the positions of American Jews – J Street does not. “It is remarkable that, when the Obama Administration, most countries and the world’s media and academia (and even Israel with conditions), are supporting the dangerous notion of establishing a Palestinian state under cur rent conditions, less than half of American Jews support the idea because they understand the dangers such a state would pose to Israel. American Jews understand that such a state would mean a ter ror state on Israel’s longest border, increasing danger and creating the possibility of rockets slamming into Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.”

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

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REAL ESTATE

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

Israeli Treasury: Home Sales Hit 9-Year Low PRELIMINARY Q3 FIGURES SHOW LOWEST NUMBER OF SALES SINCE 2002 By Nadav Neuman The Ministry of Finance reports that preliminary f igures of home sales for the third quarter show the lowest number of sales since 2002. he ministry also reported that 5,900 homes were sold in August 2011, the lowest f igure since January 2009. August home sales f igures were 25% lower than in July and 32.5% lower than in August 2010. New home sales were 47% lower in August than in August 2010, and second-hand apart-

________________________ Sales of apartments for investment accounted for Home sales hit low 24% of all sales in August. 2010, and sales in Tel Aviv were ________________________ August down 55%. Sales of apartments for ment sales were down 28%. Sales were down nationwide, with the exception of Tiberias. Prices for new apartments were 1.3% lower in August than in July. Home sales in the Central District were 68% lower in August 2011 than in

investment were down 22% compared with July and down 40% compared with August 2010. Sales of apartments for investment accounted for 24% of all sales in August. Report by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

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The Jewish Voice

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October 19, 2011

ISRAEL BONDS - A LIVING LINK

Contrary to what many believe, Israel is more than one big desert. It is home to almost every ecosystem imaginable, from rocky mountains to lush fields and forests By Eliezer Rivlin The link between the land of Israel and the people of Israel, throughout the centuries of dispersion, has been unbreakable. Adversity could not sever it; Holocaust-era documents discovered in Holland and elsewhere reveal that the bonds were never breached even in the most trying and tragic times. In the nineteenth century, even when the land could boast little agriculture and less industry, a strong sense of awakening responsibility among worldwide Jewry for its ancient homeland was ever present. n May of 1948, the Jewish state arose three years after the end of the genocide of World War II. The leadership of the

Jerusalem has a special status in all the Abrahamic faiths, but it is first and foremost the eternal capital of the Jewish people

yishuv, then numbering a total of 600,000 souls, realized that the devastated continent of Europe held more than two-and-a-half million surviving Jews yearning to return to Eretz Yisrael. The yishuv's dismal economic situation made the support of the Jewish people crucial; without it this noble and necessary venture would turn into mission impossible. In light of the pressing need--an agriculturally-based economy with little industry--Israel Bonds was created. At its very inception, it charged with the responsibility of building homes and creating work to restore a people's hope and dignity. How did the Jewish people achieve this? In 1951 Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion originated the idea of Israel Bonds, perhaps the first time in Jewish history that a leader asked people for partnership rather than charity.

Situated halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa, Caesaria is an ancient city with many fascinating historical sites

At the Fifth Zionist Congress in 1903, Professor Shapiro of Germany appreciated that a world-wise Zionist movement must tie the Jewish world to a relationship with and a responsibility for a future Jewish state. To better accomplish this laudable goal, he established the JNF (Jewish National Fund), whose mission was to collect money to buy land and construct a reservoir for scarce water, and later to plant trees-an enterprise lasting down till the present day. From the beginning, Jews in Israel and in the Diaspora understood the importance of such partnership. For millennia, Jews had lived landless, without a state, without freedom and dignity, often subsisting at the edge of existence. A Jewish state would now protect the Jewish people from another Holocaust. Israel's birth in 1948 brought

with it unmistakable Jewish pride and an unshakable sense of place. For the present and future of a viable Israel, no better instrument for continuity and connection exists than Israel Bonds. With the passage of years and the succession of new generations of Jews not directly affected by the hailstorm of oppression or the tragedy of history-generations born into plenty and freedom-Israel Bonds affords an enduring relationship with an Israel on the cutting edge. The unity of Israel and worldwide Jewry builds confidence in combating the scourges of terrorism and anti-Semitism. A strong Israel bulwarked by the support of international Jewry makes our prospects beyond measure. Israel Bonds enables each and every Jew to become a living link in the ultimate Jewish project.

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EDITORIAL

The Jewish Voice

Negotiating with Terrorists

EDITORIAL

Act of War Committed on U.S. Soil; Obama Hides behind Sanctions

Saying that the impending release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit—along with 1,027 Palestinian terrorists—is a touchy subject would be the ultimate understatement. It’s a difficult topic to approach, because how can one oppose the release of an Israeli youth, kidnapped and held by terrorists for half a decade, without seeming heartless? But then, how can one support the means by which Israel is securing his release (namely, by exchanging him for hundreds of self-assured, unrepentant terrorists, many of them mass murderers) without coming across as completely brainless? n one hand, freeing the terrorists (most of whom take pride in their deeds, and who will be triumphantly returning to a hero’s welcome in their respective home towns) will enable them to pick up where they left off, endangering the Israeli public. On the other hand, how can we condemn an innocent Israeli to death, or indefinite captivity among terrorists (which may, in fact, be worse), because of what might happen? Because it is a virtual certainty, critics of the deal will say. When the architect of the Sbarro’s bombing, Ahlam al-Tamimi, was informed for the first time that among those murdered in her attack were eight children, she couldn’t help but smile. There is no reasoning with people like this. People (and I use the term loosely) who are that far gone, shouldn’t be released. They shouldn’t enjoy the luxuries afforded to terrorist prisoners either, but when it comes to Israel’s compassion for its enemies, I suppose those of us retaining our sanity need to pick our battles. At the very least, how about some semblance of proportionality in the exchange itself? We think it’s nice that Hamas is willing to implicitly acknowledge that the lives of 1,000 of their “freedom fighters” are equal in value to one of our boys. Or maybe they’re recognizing that Shalit’s captivity is 1,000 times more inhumane than life inside Israel’s prisons? Many oppose Israel’s decision to surrender to Hamas and pay their exorbitant ransom. Indeed, rather than encouraging and incentivizing the terrorists by showing them that kidnapping works, some political commentators argue that the Israelis, who have the economic and military edge,

Once again, the Islamic Republic of Iran has declared war on the United States but this time around a deadly plot has been thwarted by the FBI and the DEA. While the alleged scheme to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States in a popular Capitol Hill restaurant (along with plans to bomb both the American and Israeli embassies in Washington and Buenos Aires, Argentina) represents a significant provocation that demands a bold military response from the U.S., it is hardly the first time the Iranians have sought to engage the U.S. in a violent manner. ather than responding to the Iranian cabal in the only language that these harbingers of terror and bloodshed truly comprehend, President Obama has promised even "tougher sanctions" against the cadre of ayatollahs in Iran who conceived of this potential massacre. Falling back on his usual rhetoric about garnering the support of the international community in standing strong against the Iranian miscreants in his comments after the news broke, the President no doubt aroused more than a few hearty chuckles in Tehran. President Obama is well aware that beyond Iran's unshakeable determination to amass an arsenal of nuclear weapons, for years now Iranian weapons and trainers have been directly responsible for the murder of our soldiers in Iraq. The New York Times has reported that Shiite militias who were armed by Iran were the culprits in the killings of 13 out of 15 Americans killed in Iraq this past June.

Let's also not forget the fact that the lives of thousands of Iraqi citizens have been snuffed out by roadside bomb attacks utilizing Iranian made weaponry along with clandestine Iranian suicide bombers. It has now been revealed that the same folks who instigated this wave of murders in Iraq now stand accused of organizing the foiled D.C. plot; namely the elite military and intelligence group called the Qods Force. For those not in the know, the Qods Force is aligned with the Taliban in Afghanistan, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Need we say more? If this isn't an act of war, then we humbly ask, what is? Just imagine the blood curdling images that would have been splashed all over our televisions and newspapers. While dining at a popular Washington restaurant, the young Saudi Arabian ambassador is blown to smithereens along with countless innocent civilians. Due to a fortuitous confluence of events this heinous atrocity never came to fruition, but there is always tomorrow and the day after that. When will the President become cognizant of the fact that Iranian-backed terror on a grand scale ominously looms over us constantly and obsequious political pandering and half-hearted threats just don't cut it anymore. Mr. President, surely you know that words aren't going to pacify insatiable killers, and even sanctions with teeth aren't going to get the job done. Nobody wants yet another military conflict in the Middle East but the Iranian viper has slithered its way into our back yard and it's time to unceremoniously squash his head before anyone else gets bitten.

October 19, 2011

should turn the whole situation upside down, cutting off power, water, and supplies to Gaza until Hamas is forced to either relinquish Shalit, or face being overthrown by their own people. Perhaps it’s naïve to think that your average Palestinian, deprived of food, water, and electricity will conclude that maybe his government’s decision to kidnap and detain an Israeli citizen is the cause of his plight, rather than the insidious Zionist entity against which he has been brainwashed his entire life. More importantly, Israel will become even more of a pariah for inflicting “collective punishment” against the Palestinians. International consensus seems to be that it is better for the Jewish state to collectively punish its own citizenry by unleashing hundreds of murderous psychopaths in and around Israel. The PR battle is lost. When the world reports that “militants” have “captured” an Israeli soldier (as if it happened on the battlefield; it has a much more legitimate ring to it than the more accurate terms “abduction” or “kidnapping”), it’s clear that sides have been chosen. Israel might as well go for a tactical victory. This writer has just one more question: How can it be that Hamas’ terrorist “military wing” can kidnap an Israeli youth, but the “political wing” with whom the Israelis negotiate still constitutes some sort of legitimate governmental entity? The next time the U.S. bombs a country, I say we blame it on our government’s military wing! “What can I do?” our president should ask, “It’s our military wing.” In fact, if our country’s “military wing” were to show up in Gaza and say, blow up a few bomb factories, I hardly see how our political leadership can be held responsible. They’re completely different departments, after all. And if that’s not true for us, how can we accept the same line from the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority without at least laughing in their faces or, ideally, bombing them into the Stone Age? As a Jew and a human being, I am thankful and relieved that young Gilad will be with his family again, possibly by the time this paper reaches newsstands. But I am dismayed that Israel has sacrificed its own security, and permitted an unspeakably grave injustice in order to make it so. May G-d have mercy on us all.

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

Gilad Shalit and the Sea Turtle by Rabbi Ken Spiro A couple of years ago I remember seeing an incredible contrast on YouTube. A very large and very old leatherback sea turtle (which is on the endangered species list) had been caught in a fisherman’s net off the coast of Gaza. The beautiful creature was hauled ashore and surrounded by a large crowd of Gazans. One of the men in the crowd explained to the reporter how the meat of the turtle would feed Gazan children, who were suffering due to the Israeli occupation, and the blood would help cure various ailments. The turtle was dragged behind a truck, flipped on its back and then slaughtered. urther up the Mediterranean coast in Israel, a much younger and smaller sea turtle had been injured by a boat and lost one of its limbs. The turtle was rescued by some Israelis and then taken to a special turtle sanctuary where it was operated on, nurtured back to health and then released back into the sea. The contrast couldn’t have been more extreme. When I heard about the impending exchange of Gilad Shalit for over a thousand Palestinians prisoners, many with “blood on their hands,” I was reminded of those two turtles. To me those two turtles represented a microcosm of the values of Israel and the Jewish people versus the enemies that surround us. In the summer of 2006, after Israel had withdrawn from Gaza, Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from an Israeli tank guarding Israel’s border with Gaza. The terrorists had tunneled under the security fence and after killing the other members of the crew, dragged Shalit back to Gaza. In violation of international law no one was allowed to have contact with him, not even the Red Cross. Israel has thousands of Palestinian security prisoners. All are treated humanely according to international law. They have the right to legal representation, visitation from

family and the Red Cross and even educational opportunities while they are in prison. The most striking contrast is the attitude of the two sides towards freeing these captives. The Israeli government has worked tirelessly for the release of Gilad. So important is the life of one soldier that the government of Israel is about to repeat what it has done numerous times before: embark on controversial, lopsided prisoner exchanges in order to free a few or even one Israeli prisoner. These exchanges have proven to be very problematic; hundreds of Israelis have been killed or wounded by terrorist who were released in one of these exchanges and then returned to terrorism. Controversy aside, the concern for the life of one soldier is a powerful testament to the humanity and moral strength of Israel and the profound concern that Judaism has always held for the value of life, a value which the Jewish people taught the world. The contrast with Israel’s adversaries in the Middle East couldn’t be more extreme. The first question the International community should really be asking is why does the Arab world have so little respect for its own people that it thinks the life of one Jew is worth a thousand plus Arabs? Aren’t these exchanges usually a one-for-one deal? Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. These are the people who brought to the world hijackings and suicide bombings, who raise their children to want to be martyrs and who fire rockets from schools and hospitals. They have demonstrated time and time again that human life, even the life of their own people, has very little value. Former Prime Minister Golda Meir once said, “We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.” Sadly the Arab world seems to moving further away from this goal and real peace still seems like a distant dream. But let’s not end on a negative note. The Jewish people are celebrating the Holiday of Sukkot. A major theme of Sukkot is joy, to appreciate the beauty and wonder of God’s creation and focus on the specialness and the unique mission of the Jewish people. As we celebrate Sukkot this year let us be aware that even though the Jewish people and Israel face many dangers and challenges, there is much to take pleasure in. Let us take particular pleasure in the values that we the

OP/ED

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OP/ED

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

Gilad Shalit: The Least Terrible Deal By Haggai Huberman If I were a cabinet minister, I would vote for the deal to ransom Shalit, not because it is a good one, which it most definitely is not, but because for once, just this once, this is a deal that we can live with – barely. he choice in this case is not between a good and a bad deal. The cabinet ministers had to choose between a terribly bad deal and one that is the least terrible. And this deal is the least terrible of them all. I wish to examine the deal from one aspect only – the security aspect, not the moral or the political aspect – as those deserve separate consideration. Hamas gave in on two significant points – it is important to remember that Hamas has agreed to leave the most hardcore terrorists in jail, such as the commander in chief of terror in Judea and Samaria, Marwan Barghouti, the Hamas commander there, Ibrahim Hamid and his operations officer Abdallah Barghouti. Abbas al-Sayed who carried out the 2002 Netanya Park Hotel massacre on Passover, Ahmed Sa'adat who was responsible for the murder of MK Rehavam Ze’evi HY”D, the Hamas chief officer in Gaza Hassan Salameh and others, will remain imprisoned. The ISA’s agreement to the deal was not

Hamas militants. based on “how many they murdered” but on “how many they will be able to murder once freed”. The fear was that releasing commanders would lead to a renewed awakening of terror in Israel. If the commanders remain in jail, the danger of that, while not completely eliminated, is much less likely. Add to that the second issue on which Hamas gave in: expulsion. Until last July, Hamas adamantly refused to agree to the expulsion from Yesha (Judea and Samaria) of the 450 terrorists who will be freed in the first stage. They insisted that they be allowed to go to Yesha, not to Gaza, Jordan, or anywhere else – only to Yesha. They were adamant at first and they backed down. The 203 terrorists who were Yesha residents will be sent to Gaza or out of the area, a number

that Hamas did not imagine agreeing to, until four months ago. 110 will be allowed to return to their homes in Yesha and East Jerusalem. Is this an ideal situation? It most certainly is not. But it is one which we can manage. It is not easy to plan terror attacks on Israeli soil when in Gaza or out of the area. These changes in Hamas’ position can help answer the criticism leveled at Netanyahu for waiting five years, or three years, to agree to this deal. This is precisely the reason: Netanyahu, in standing firm to his declaration to Hamas that there would be no deal that includes freeing the terrorist leadership and the most vicious terrorists, and that there would be no deal that does

not include freed terrorists leaving the country – succeeded in getting Hamas to back down from some of its principles. Let us not belittle that accomplishment. Other changes in our area have helped, such as Mubarak’s downfall (now we realize just how much he torpedoed the contacts with Hamas) and the chaos in Syria that has weakened hardline Halad Mashaal’s status in Hamas. In return for this change, Netanyahu also retreated from some of his principles, and agreed to release Israeli and East Jerusalem Arabs. This is highly problematic morally and politically, but not more problematic from the security aspect. I harbor no illusions; the terrorists who are to be freed will attempt to murder again, to carry out terror attacks. That’s how it has been in the past, that’s how the future will look. The heads of the ISA will have to work harder now. I tend to think that the ability of the terrorists to return to terrorist acts will be more difficult, given the present situation in Yesha. After all, the Hamas in Yesha has not stopped attempting to perpetrate terrorist acts for one minute. However, because the ISA intelligence is free to operate in all of Yesha today, and because there is cooperation with the PA security forces against Hamas since it is furthers their interests as well (in preventing a Hamas takeover a la Gaza), none of these attempts succeeded. The Shalit deal, under these conditions, creates a renewed challenge for the ISA and the IDF, but one which I feel they can meet. This would not have been the case had the previous deal been accepted, the one calling for the freeing of terrorist leaders and for allowing them to remain in Yesha.

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

PAGE 21

Facebook: Israel's Shaker ‘is the next BIG thing’ By David Shamah Shaker revolutionizes the chat room, inviting the social media giant's 800 million users into a virtual pub where they can make new friends. hat started out as a college marketing project a year ago has turned into one of the most popular new Facebook applications -and the hottest web app of the year, snatching a $50,000 prize at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco. This is the show where startups that lead the way to future technologies often make their f irst appearance. And in the case of this year's winner, Shaker, which followed the win with news this week that it had raised a further $15 million, that future looks like it's going to be fun. In a creation story that parallels Facebook's, says Dr. Yaron Timmor of the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), the f ive students behind Shaker f irst proposed their idea at the start of a seminar on marketing. Their concept was to let users virtually meet Facebook members with whom they are not linked as "friends." "They came in with the idea ... before the application had even been written. Eventually Shaker became a reality, and they opened it up for a test run among students here at the IDC, and it got a great reception," Timor, who directed the seminar, tells ISRAEL21c. "Just like with the creation of Facebook, they began tests in one college and then moved on to others. Now that the application won TechCrunch, they have tens of thousands of users." Facebook, home of some 800 million users, was designed as an online community of individuals whom you trust enough to "friend." But it's much more limited when it comes to meeting new people. That's where Shaker comes in. Users of the program can see each other in a virtual pub, and make contacts there. Prof ile pictures and names are

Shaker-sort of a Facebook generation update to the old chat room, with cool music playing in the background displayed as avatars, and you can tap anyone on the virtual shoulder and start a conversation using text entry. It's sort of a Facebook generation update to the old chat room, with cool music playing in the background. Anticipating a need Adam Rakib, one of the co-founders of Shaker, has said that the idea came about when one of his partners, Yonatan Maor, went to a bar with his father and noticed some people interacted with others, while some did not. He saw a group of friends and went over to say hello, and others did the same -- and before you knew it, he said, "They were talking to half the people in the bar. It made the experience much more interesting." The Shaker app transports this concept to Facebook. "With Shaker, you can do everything you would do in a real pub -- talk to people, listen to music, dance." Some 80,000 people used Shaker in the f irst three months it was open to the public, and that number skyrocketed following the TechCrunch award. While the story of Shaker itself is

fascinating, the back-story of how it came to be is just as interesting. "The marketing seminar that I direct usually pairs up teams of students with large companies that provide assignments," explains Timmor. "For example, this year we had projects from 3M and IBM. The f ive students who were on the Shaker team [Rakib, Ofer Rundstein, Yehonatan Maor, Andrew Fruchter and Gad Maor] already had the idea, and they presented their marketing plan even before the application was written." The team's f inancial backing grew as the application came online and

became more popular. Before the TechCrunch win, f inancial newspaper Globes reported that Shaker's business entity, Scene 53, had raised some $3 million from Pitango and investor Zaki Rakib, toward what Facebook is hyping as "the next BIG thing." "When they were ready, they asked for permission to recruit IDC students for the application, in order to get feedback -- which turned out to be mostly positive," says Timmor. Mission accomplished, they then tried it at two American universities -- Stanford and NYU -- where the reception was just as warm. "And now, the rest is history, which is actually just beginning to be written," he adds. The new investors in the current round of fund raising are Menlo Ventures, Michael Arrington's CrunchFund, Pitango, Eric Schmidt's Innovation Endeavors, and Lady Gaga's manager Troy Carter. Shaker is now opening an off ice in San Francisco, which will be the company's new headquarters. In the new Uncrunched blog, Menlo Ventures Shervin Pishevar said: "I was blown away by talent of the Shaker team. I’ve been searching for many years for what only Shaker has accomplished. Shaker is going to touch and transform human connection and entertainment worldwide. Within a minute, I knew what I saw was the future. I had been looking for this for years." www.israel21c.com

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PAGE 22

COMMUNITY

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

YACHAD PRESENTS ANNUAL ELECTION DAY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCES, NOVEMBER 8; DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, EXTRA DAY ADDED TO PROGRAM Jacob. The Election Day conferences, with the shared theme of "Talmud Torah Al Pi Darko (Learning Torah According to His Own Way): Reaching all of Our Students," will run simultaneously and will concentrate on general, Judaic studies, and special education, as well as on serving children with special needs, providing educational advocacy, leadership development, teacher recruitment and training, and developing programs of Inclusion. Keynote speakers for Tuesday, both of whom will address the conferences before they separate into respective schedules, feature leading specialists in the field. The first,

Teachers become the students at the conference, once again held at the Kushner Academy. Election Day in New Jersey traditionally has been the time when The National Association of Jewish Schools Serving Special Children, an affiliate of Yachad/The National Jewish Council for Disabilities (NJCD), a program of the Orthodox Union, has presented dual conferences: The New Jersey Statewide Professional Development Conference for Elementary, Junior High School and Special Education; and The National Special Education Professional Development Conference. his year, because of popular demand, the program has organized an additional day for a National Special Education Professional Development Conference, to be held Monday, November 7, preceding the two conferences on Election Day, November 8. The Monday conference will be held from 8:30 AM-4:30 PM at Orthodox Union Headquarters in New York. The Tuesday conferences will be held from 8 AM to 3:15 PM at the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston, NJ. NJCD, which is directed by Dr. Jeffrey Lichtman, provides educational and social Inclusion programs through its two major components, Yachad, for children and adults with learning and developmental disabilities,

and Our Way for the deaf and hard of hearing. The conferences will once again be an opportunity for teachers in New Jersey Jewish Day Schools as well as for their counterparts from around the country to improve their teaching skills. “We are seeking to bring together day schools and yeshivot which are teaching children with various special needs in their classrooms throughout the North America,” declared Batya Jacob, Director of Educational Services of NJCD, and Associate Director of both the New Jersey and the National Associations. “We added the additional conference on Monday to specifically focus on the classroom professional needs within the Jewish community. We look forward to welcoming representatives from schools throughout the country and to continue working with schools as the year progresses.” In addition to New Jersey educators, special education teachers from around the country are expected to attend. As in past years, more than 800 educators are expected to participate. On Monday, Dr. Lichtman will present the keynote address “Partnering with Parents for Effective Collaboration.” The emphasis of the day will focus on autism; classroom behaviors; and study challenges, noted Mrs.

“Care and Be Fair,” will be presented by Dr. Rona Novick, Director of the Fanya Gottesfeld Heller Doctoral Program of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration at Yeshiva University. It will be followed by “Fairness: The Key to Effective Mainstreaming,” with Rick Lavoie, national leading Education Consultant. Travel subsidies are available for educators traveling from outside the New Jersey and New York areas. For registration costs and for more information contact Batya Jacob at 212-613-8127 or 551-404-4447, batyaj@ou.org.

Yiddish Signs Telling Women to “Step Aside” Removed by Parks Department By JV Staff The blogosphere erupted when, thanks to a reader’s tip, the Failed Messiah blog posted a story about Yiddish signs reading “Precious Jewish Daughter: Please move to the side when a man approaches!” The series of colorful signs directed at women were posted in the predominately Orthodox Hasidic neighborhood of South Williamsburg. According to the tipster, the signs were “bolted to publicly owned trees along Bedford Avenue.” City officials yanked the signs last week; a Parks Department spokesperson told PIX11 News, "It is illegal to nail any sign to a street tree, regardless of the sign's content. The signage was subsequently removed by Parks employees." ssemblyman Dov Hikind, who does not represent the district, credited PIX11 with the story, saying the matter was offensive and he's personally glad the signs were taken down. "It was a great story that you brought to everyone's attention. And the signs are now down. Good job," said Hikind.

Nobody knows who put them up, but some neighborhood residents were apparently annoyed that they were taken down. Faye Grwnfeld, 70, said the signs were “a private thing” though they were posted on public property. The Daily News quotes 17year-old Abraham Klein, who said, “The signs don’t bother anybody…Men and ladies don’t go together. It’s just our religion.” Many others have used that quote in order to make it seem like it is an issue of

Continues on page 39

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

COMMUNITY

PAGE 23

POLLARDS URGE ORGANIZERS TO DROP COUNTERPRODUCTIVE WHITE HOUSE PETITIONS The Pollard family released a statement last week, wherein they asked that groups acting on behalf of imprisoned Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard stop promoting petitions directed to the Obama administration seeking his freedom. The full text of their statement is below: he White House petition for Jonathan Pollard is counterproductive. It is not a means to seek justice for Jonathan Pollard. It acts like a lightning rod to diffuse concern and disperse it, without achieving any tangible or effective goal. It trivializes the issue and deflects public attention from the real efforts to secure Pollard's release without further delay. Jonathan Pollard and his close associates call upon the initiators of the latest petition to please take it down and abandon this counterproductive activity. If this kind of petition were capable of assisting in the struggle for justice for Jonathan Pollard, the Pollards themselves would have initiat-

Picture courtesy of J4JP, www.jonathanpollard.org

ed and publicized a petition. Several online petitions for Pollard on the White House website have already been abandoned at their request. The coverage of the latest petition inaugurated by an Israeli author is creating waves in the media and thereby distracting attention, energy and effort away from the real issues at this time. It does not have the support of the Pollards, who call for it to be dropped without delay. The public is urged to phone, fax and email American Jewish leaders to press for a date for their meeting with Vice President Biden to promote Pollard's release. It is critical that this promised meeting, which was recently announced in the media by Mr. Malcolm Hoenlein, take place before the General Assembly of Jewish Federations on November 6th which will be attended by President Obama. The public is invited to consult with Justice for Jonathan Polard (www.jonathanpollard.org) before launching any high profile public activities on this sensitive case.

PAGE 24

NEWS IN REVIEW

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

NEWS IN REVIEW INTERNATIONAL Budapest mayor defends appointment of anti-Semitic theater directors stván Tarlós, the mayor of Hungary’s capital Budapest, has rejected criticism of his decision to name the radical Hungarian nationalist György Dörner and the head of the anti-Semitic MIEP party, István Csurka, as joint directors of the city’s New Theater. The Hungarian Jewish community federation of Hungary Mazsihisz called the move “an advance for circles with Nazi ideology.” Csurka has repeatedly voiced the opinion that Hungarians were being exploited and oppressed by Jews, Bolsheviks and freemasons and he has claimed that Jews dominate the economy. He also spoke of a Jewish conspiracy whose perpetrators were sitting in New York and Tel Aviv. In the past, his party – which is not represented in parliament – has hosted controversial figures such as the British Holocaust denier and revisionist David Irving. “It is the mayor’s right and responsibility to appoint someone to a post, and one will be able to see in a year’s time whether it was a good decision or not,” Tarlós – a member of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party – said. A number of public figures have accused the mayor of using public funds to establish the Hungary’s first nationalist and fascist theater. Dörner and Csurka have already announced that the New Theater would be renamed and in future only show “Hungarian national drama” and not “foreign garbage.”

ference” in regional affairs. Earlier Monday, the state-run IRNA news agency said Iranian Foreign Minister AliAkbar Salehi has urged the U.S. to present Iran with any existing documents in the case. Iran has denied the allegations, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday that any “inappropriate” political or security-related action by the U.S. on the issue will bring a “decisive response.” Like Ahmadinejad's subsequent comments, the supreme leader said the U.S. allegations are an attempt to divert attention from its domestic problems. The highest-ranking U.S. senator on intelligence matters, Diane Feinstein, told Fox News Sunday that U.S. authorities have collected ample evidence showing the involvement of Iran's elite Quds force in the plot. The U.S. held a face-to-face meeting with Iranian officials about the alleged plot in order to make it “absolutely clear” that Washington considers the allegations “unacceptable” and a violation of U.S. and international law.

ISRAEL

Jordanian Prime Minister Quits ordan's Prime Minister resigned Monday a day after members of the parliament called for him to be fired, reports said. The parliament has been trying to pass a reforms package proposed by King Abdullah II, and Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit had not been working conscientiously enough to implement it, the parliamentarians said. One official said that the deputy chief of the International Court of Justice, Awn alKhasawneh, was the most likely candidate to be appointed to the job. He must first be approved by Abdullah.

Iran’s Ahmadinejad Rejects U.S. Plot Allegations

Qatar and Turkey Accept Shalit Swap Terrorists

ranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says an alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to the United States was fabricated by Washington to cause a rift between Tehran and Saudi Arabia, and to divert attention from U.S. economic problems. In an interview on Al-Jazeera television late Monday, Mr. Ahmadinejad said the U.S. will achieve nothing by accusing Iran. He denied that the Islamic Republic and Washington are on a “collision course” toward military conflict, but he condemned what he called widespread American “inter-

atar and Turkey have agreed to accept the Palestinian Authority Arab terrorists to be deported under the prisoner swap deal to free IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy politburo chief of the Hamas terrorist organization that held Shalit hostage since June 2006, praised Egypt for its part in mediating the deal. The Hamas official told the Londonbased Arabic-language daily Al-Hayat newspaper that several countries offered to facilitate the negotiations, but final mediators had to be agreed upon by both Israel and Hamas. According to the report, Syria was anoth-

er country that “might be willing to receive released detainees.” Many are multiple murderers who were serving life sentences, their hands stained with Jewish blood. Marzouk apologized in the interview over a “misunderstanding” about the number of female prisoners being held by Israel; 27 females are to be released under the agreement, leaving nine still incarcerated. Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal had released a statement saying that the terrorist group had managed to free every woman being held by Israel. Marzouk has confirmed that nine Palestinian Authority Arab women will remain in prison. Mashaal meanwhile has allegedly traveled to Cairo to meet the released terrorists, according to the Bethlehem-based Ma'an news agency. Ma'an also quoted Turkish media as saying that Ankara was willing to “accept all those exiled abroad.”

PA Police Operate in Israeli Town alestinian Authority Arabs showed up at the Jewish village of Adei Ad on Monday to harvest olives – olives from trees that were planted and nurtured by local Jewish farmers. The PA group was accompanied by PA police, who stood watch as the harvesters gathered Adei Ad’s produce. Residents of Adei Ad explained that the trees were planted years ago, and that PA Arabs recently filed a claim for ownership, arguing that an Arab family owns the land the trees were planted on. Local Jews say the claim of land ownership is false. The trees in question are located just 100 meters from homes in the small Shomron (Samaria) community. Residents said regional IDF commander Saar Tzur had given the PA Arab group, and the accompanying PA officers, permission to enter Adei Ad’s city limits. “How far will this disgraceful situation go? Arabs harvest in Area C, and who protects them? Palestinian Authority soldiers – what is known in ‘PC’ as the PA police,” said Itzik Shedmi, head of the Binyamin Residents’ Council. “This contradicts all the agreements. It contradicts basic logic. What’s next? Should we put Arab guards at the entrance to IDF bases? Or to Jewish towns?” asked Shedmi. Jews living in Judea and Samaria have

long argued that the PA uses the annual olive harvest as an excuse to bring Arabs into Jewish communities, where they launch attacks. The harvest is also used to slander Israel. The IDF continues to allow PA Arabs into Jewish communities to take olives, despite the fact that past harvests have been used to plan horrific attacks.

Eretz Yisrael Shelanu: A Dark Day for Israel he Eretz Yisrael Shelanu movement said on Monday that while it welcomes the return of Gilad Shalit, it condemns the release of terrorists in exchange for his return. “Despite the great joy of the coming home of Gilad Shalit and of his rescue from Hamas captivity, it is a black and dark day for the people of Israel due to the mass release of the greatest killers of the Israeli people,” the movement said in a statement. The movement added that the Shalit deal poses “terrible dangers for the future; it is clear that hundreds of Jews, G-d forbid, could pay with their lives because of this deal.” “We will not be a part of the media festival taking place these days,” the statement read. “Israel will soon find the meaning of this terrible deal. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who has betrayed his past values, will pay the price big time. On this day we embrace the bereaved families, whose loved ones were murdered twice.”

PFLP Threatens Israel If Sa'adat's Health Worsens in Prison he Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) has threatened a “harsh response” if Ahmed Sa'adat's health worsens in prison. The terrorist group leader was left out of the prisoner exchange deal for kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit that will free 1,027 terrorists incarcerated in Israeli prisons. In December 2008, S'adat was sentenced by an Israeli military court to 30 years in prison for the 2001 assassination of Tourism Minister Rechavam Ze'evi. The PFLP head was also responsible for a suicide bombing in Netanya that killed three Israelis in 2002. Sa'adat, 53, had been participating in a prisoner hunger strike for the past 20 days. He was admitted to the Al Ramla Prison Hospital “due to health complications.”

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

NEWS IN REVIEW

PAGE 25

NEWS IN REVIEW NATIONAL ADL Says Susan Sarandon Should Apologize for Calling Pope a ‘Nazi’ he Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today called on actress Susan Sarandon on Monday to apologize to the Catholic community and all those she may have offended in referring to the current pope as "a Nazi." The League said the comment, as reported in news accounts, was "disturbing, deeply offensive and completely uncalled for." In discussing her 1995 f ilm "Dead Man Walking," Sarandon reportedly told an audience last week that she had sent a copy of the book on which the f ilm is based to the Pope. "The last one," she said, "not this Nazi one we have now." Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement: We hope that Susan Sarandon will have the good sense to apologize to the Catholic community and all those she may have offended with this disturbing, deeply offensive and completely

uncalled for attack on the good name of Pope Benedict XVI. Ms. Sarandon may have her differences with the Catholic Church, but that is no excuse for throwing around Nazi analogies. Such words are hateful, vindictive and only serve to diminish the true history and meaning of the Holocaust. Iranian Terror Suspect Known in Texas as Disorganized Manssor Arbabsiar, the man the U.S. government has charged with taking part in a plot with Iranian government off icials to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States, lived for more than two decades in Corpus Christi, Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico, before moving to a suburb near Austin, the Texas capital, a few years ago. Most people in this tourist destination had never heard of Manssor Arbabsiar before his arrest last week. He was mainly known by people who dealt with him at this used automobile sales lot near downtown. One of his former business partners, David Tomscha, describes Arbabsiar as a simpleton who failed at even menial tasks. “He would always lose keys; he was always disorganized with the numbers, he might try to sell you a car and say it was a 1989 [model and year] and it might be an '85...I don't know if it was that he was trying to cheat you or that

he just could not remember,” said Tomscha. In spite of his irresponsible nature, Tomscha says Arbabsiar was well liked by most people who knew him here. “He was a nice, likable guy, friendly and easy to get along with,” he said. But Tomscha says the lure of money may have taken hold of Arbabsiar. “I cannot believe he could set anything up. It could be someone just said 'you go do this and we will give you some money,' but I am sure he was not the mastermind,” he noted.

'Occupy Wall Street' Movement Gains Size, Support ne month after the Occupy Wall Street protesters moved into New York City's Zuccotti Park, the movement has spread globally, and gained momentum at home. Inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement, about 100 anti-corporate activists camped out across from the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany. A protest in Rome turned into a riot, leaving torched cars and broken bank windows in its wake. A march on the American embassy in the Philippines denounced alleged U.S.

imperialism and wars of aggression. Similar protests have been held in scores of other cities around the globe. The Occupy movement has no apparent leaders or common message. In Sydney, Australia, for example, about 300 demonstrators accused the world’s richest one percent of hoarding wealth. In New York, performance artist Benny Zable, an Australian native, blamed that same one percent for environmental pollution. “The one percent are the very wealthy, who have become wealthy by creaming off at any cost," said Zable. "There’s no morals behind it. They’ll dig up, they’ll contaminate.” On Sunday, President Barack Obama acknowledged the movement by invoking the name of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. Obama spoke in Washington at the dedication of the monument to slain American civil rights leader. "If he were alive today, I believe he would remind us that the unemployed worker can rightly challenge the excesses of Wall Street without demonizing all who work there," said President Obama. In Switzerland, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said f inance ministers from the Group of 20 leading economies should listen to the protesters and develop workable plans to address their concerns.

PAGE 26

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Simchat Torah Live THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011 AT 6:00PM VENUE: 309 EAST 94TH ST. (BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND AVE) 4TH FLOOR Chabad Israel Center of the Upper East Side invites you to celebrate Simchat Torah with them. During the month of Tishrei, we prayed and we praised; we accepted G-d and we asked to be accepted by Him. On Simchat Torah, we let pure joy take the stage in celebration of our Torah, our tradition and the blessings we have received during the High Holidays and Sukkot. It's a wrap party of sorts and you're invited. The event features a Sushi Bar, premium open bar, dancing with the Torah, children’s Torahs and flags, children’s Hakafot, singing, dancing, and many a L’Chaim. On Friday October 21st we will be meeting for another round of dancing, lechaims & Hakafot at 9:30 am at the Marriott. RSVP and donations appreciated. For more information: 212-831-2770 • rabbi@chabadic.com _______________________________________________

Jewish Speed Dating Event at Bamboo 52 for ages 28-38 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 7:30-9:30 PM LOCATION: 355 W. 52ND ST. BETWEEN 8TH AND 9TH, MANHATTAN COST: $35 WEBSITE: WWW.THESPEEDDATING.US FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONATACT: INFO@THESPEEDDATING.US

Jewish Speed Dating for professionals. Since 2003 we have been hosting Jewish speed dating events worldwide including London, UK, Tel Aviv, Israel and Paris, France with great success, over 50 couple married and many dating. This evening isn't just about finding your dream partner, it’s also about meeting new people and making new friends, you never know who knows who. Top venues, Quality crowd. ________________________________________________________

OU, LINCOLN SQUARE SYNAGOGUE, AND CANTORIAL COUNCIL OF AMERICA PRESENT SIMCHAT BEIT HASHOEVA CELEBRATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 17 AT 7:00 PM VENUE: LINCOLN SQUARE SYNAGOGUE SUKKAH 200 AMSTERDAM AVENUE, MANHATTAN

The Orthodox Union Department of Community Services, Lincoln Square Synagogue, and the Cantorial Council of America present a Simchat Beit HaShoeva, a celebration during the holiday of Sukkot of music and dance, commemorating the joyous drawing of the water during Temple times. The program will feature Rav Hershel Schachter, Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva at the Rabbi Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) of Yeshiva University. The evening, which includes a catered buffet dinner, will also feature music by Zev Muller, Chazzan at the West Side Institutional Synagogue in New York. Pre-paid online registration is $25 and $30 at the door. Reservations can be made by calling or by calling (212) 613-8300 or via the OU Community Services website, www.ou.org/community_services/simchat_bait_hashoeva.

Gilded Age New York: Through the Eyes of Emma Lazarus HOSTED BY THE MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE SUNDAY OCT 30 2011, 2:00 PM LOCATION: UNION SQUARE, MANHATTAN

Walk with us as we explore Emma Lazarus’ 19th century New York and learn more about her lively intellectual and artistic social circles, her family, and what inspired her to write the famous poem that graces the Statue of Liberty. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Emma Lazarus: Poet of Exiles, opening October 26. Space is limited to 60. Pre-registration is required and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Walking tour begins in Union Square and ends at Madison Square Park. Bus transportation is not provided. For more information, visit www.mjhnyc.org, or call 646-4374200

The Koren Mesorat HaRav Siddur Landmark Publishing Event MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH AT 8:00 PM VENUE: THE JEWISH CENTER 131 WEST 86TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10024

OU Press and Koren Publishers cordially invite you to a celebration in honor of the publication of The Koren Mesorat HaRav Saiddur, The Berman Family Edition. With a Commentary based on the teachings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and an address by Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter. Long-awaited, this magnificent Siddur presents the Rav's brilliant and inspiring insights on tefillah, complemented by an elegant presentation of the tefillot in the renowned tradition of Koren Publishers Jerusalem, translation by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, and extensive introductions to the thought of the Rav by Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, Rabbi Sacks and others.

_________________________________ Acclaimed Israeli Author Meir Shalev SUNDAY OCT 30 2011 3:00 PM VENUE: FOREST HILLS JEWISH CENTER 106-06 QUEENS BLVD. FOREST HILLS, NY 11375

ONGOING EVENTS

For more info: (212) 294-8330.

TUESDAY NIGHT LEARNING PROGRAM AT OZ

An internationally best-selling and critically acclaimed author, Meir Shalev is one of Israel's best loved novelists. Shalev's "Blue Mountain" was one of Israel's five top best-sellers ever. In his hilarious new memoir, Shalev tells the story of his family and the generation of halutzim who gave his childhood on a moshav its spirit of wonder. He remembers the grit and humor of people rebuilding their lives in a harsh new land.

TUESDAY 7:00 PM VENUE: CONGREGATION OHEV TZEDEK - OZ 118 WEST 95TH STREET NEW YORK, NY CONTACT 212.749.5150 WEBSITE: WWW.OZNY.ORG

This event is sponsored by the Central Queens YM & YMHA

7:30 - 10:00 PM - Open Beit Midrash, Chavruta Learning Partner Learning You pick the subject and we will match you with a chavruta.

Cost: $18.00 - $23.00

_______________________________ THE DELEGITIMIZATION CHALLENGE: THE FORECAST FOR THE JEWISH STATE

7:00 - 7:30 PM - Introduction to Halacha with Moshe Schwartz

7:45 - 8:30 PM - THE WOMEN’S CHABURA: Join the women from the community as we study the classic work of Sefer Hachinuch. With Rabbi Akiva Willig. 8:30 - 9:10 PM - AHAVAT YISRAEL FOR WOMEN with Dr. Nava Silton-Brandwein.

NOVEMBER 2, 2011, 7:30 PM VENUE: PARK EAST SYNAGOGUE, 163 EAST 67TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10065 COST: $15 IN ADVANCE, $25 AT THE DOOR CONTACT: MARILYN GOLDMAN, 617-428-0012 EXT. 1146 OR MG@DAVIDPROJECT.ORG

8:30 - 9:30 PM - UNDERSTANDING THE DAVENING: The Vocabulary of Prayer. Hebrew Class with Joel Goldman. Learn Hebrew and become familiar with the key and common words of the prayer book to make your prayers more meaningful. 8:30 - 9:30 PM - GUEST SPEAKERS: To be announced— Check your e-mail inbox for updates.

The David Project invites you to a lecture on Israel's current crisis and future prospects by the internationally renowned Israeli author, Yossi Klein Halevi, at Park East Synagogue in Manhattan. Lecture followed by dessert reception. Limited space available; reservations strongly recommended. To register, visit www.thedavidproject.org/events.

9:00 - 10:00 PM - CHABURA CLASS FOR MEN with Rabbi Akiva Willig.

YACHAD DINNER AND AWARDS PRESENTATION WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2011 6PM RECEPTION; DINNER AND PROGRAM: 7:30 PM VENUE: BOHEMIAN NATIONAL HALL 321 EAST 73 STREET NEW YORK CITY, NY 10021

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Yachad National Dinner & Awards Presentation, a gala evening of tribute. The event will be l’zecher nishmas Marilyn David a”h. The IVDU High School will be renamed in her memory by her family. Sarah Taub will receive the Professional Leadership Award, and Dr. Ron Hoffman will receive the Our Way Award. Invitation and online registration to follow! For more information, contact grossmane@ou.org

_______________________________________________

TALMUD WITH REB JOSEPH WARREN EVERY MONDAY 9:00 PM VENUE: SIXTH STREET COMMUNITY SYNAGOGUE, 325 E. SIXTH STREET, NEW YORK, NY CONTACT WEBSITE: SIXTHSTREETSYNAGOGUE.ORG/CLASSES/

The Sixth Street Community Synagogue will be offering a Talmud class taught by Reb Joseph Warren, for men and women. Masechet (tractate) Megillah is a wonderful excursion through many fascinating topics. These include, of course, the background to the institution of the Purim holiday, but also the nature of sacred writing in general, torah reading, translation, the role of women, and even a classic rabbinic discussion on the use of alcohol… plus many side trips through the byways and backwaters of the stories and wisdom of our sages. No experience necessary, but all levels will enjoy this class. Don’t miss it!

If you would like your event listed in the Jewish Voice Calendar, send details to editor@jewishvoiceny.com

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

JEWCY NEWS

PAGE 27

Mitchell Gross: Author Dupes Women after Meeting them on Jewish Dating Site Actor Jesse Eisenberg “Unsure if he will ever work again”

Apparently Jesse Eisenberg has decided that James Franco’s way of doing things is the way to go. Though he earned a Best Actor nom for last year’s “The Social Network,” Eisenberg is still unsure of himself. It’s a pretty irrational fear, but it could happen to anyone. Eisenberg told the New York Post that he thought he’d be satisfied with this movie role or that, but “then I get there and I’m not satisfied… Then I think, ‘If I get that kind of recognition, I’ll be fine.’ Then I get that kind of recognition, and I have that same feeling of instability. Then I think, ‘If I just had that person’s career, I’d be fine.’ Then you meet that person and they’re miserable.” Eisenberg’s not joking; he really thinks that acting parts will dry up for him. So he’s branching out, following Franco’s example, only with fewer grad degrees. Currently his

“hyphen” is actor-playwright, for “Asuncion.” After all, what better way to keep yourself in business than to write your own play with you as the lead? “One of the reasons I wanted to write this was because I wanted to explore part of myself that’s underdeveloped,” he told the Post. “The character in the play knows a lot about politics and history and he’s read a lot, but he has no life experience. The play explores that disconnect.” Eisenberg has also been writing an as-yetunproduced musical, which is a passion of his ever since he was a kid on stage living with his family back in East Brunswick. He is also trying to focus on school. (Somewhere, Franco is smiling benevolently and nodding his approval) He majored in something called Democracy and Cultural Pluralism at the New School, but he remains three credits short of graduating. He plans to take one class per semester, perhaps online, starting in the winter to finally complete his degree.

Bloomberg Bashes Protestors In his weekly radio address, ParentAdvocates.org reports, billionaire autocrat Michael Bloomberg took the

opportunity to criticize the groups of students, labor unions, and other demonstrators who have been trying to take over Lower Manhattan for the past weeks. "They're trying to take away the tax base we have, because none of this is good for tourism," Bloomberg said. ParentAdvocates.org points out that the mayor apparently doesn’t realize that the tourists are eating it up and that some of the protesters are tourists themselves. Bloomberg also claimed that those in Zuccotti Park were "trying to destroy the jobs of working people in this city." “If the jobs they’re trying to get rid of in the city—the people that work in finance, which is a big part of our economy—go away, we’re not going to have any money to pay our municipal employees or clean the parks or anything else,” he said. Bloomberg began talking about the protests after a caller who claimed to live above Zuccotti Park said the park was "unusable" and complained of the group's "incivility." The mayor concurred. According to the Times, he also compared the protests to those in Vietnam for a second time this week, noting that today's anti-war protesters are respectful of veterans. "The Vietnam War, which was my generation, we treated our vets who came back terribly, just terribly," he said. Both these protests have one thing in common: being pointless, jobkilling nuisances.

The Daily Mail reports that Mitchell Gross, author of legal thrillers and a fantasy trilogy, was accused Thursday of bilking women out of millions of dollars after meeting them through an online Jewish dating service. Mitchell Gross, whose books include the suspense story 'Circle of Lies,' duped at least two women into investing about $4.4 million in a sham company he set up. The funds went directly to his bank account. He used some of the money to buy expensive artwork, a luxury car and a golf club membership, according to federal prosecutors. The wire fraud and money laundering charges he faces could carry a prison sentence of decades behind bars, according to authorities. Gross, a 61year-old author who writes under the pen names Mitchell Graham and Douglas Alan, pleaded not guilty. He has turned out at least a half dozen books, but told a judge he only had limited funds. At a brief court appearance Thursday, Gross said he couldn't afford an attorney because he only had $2,000 in cash and no money in any other accounts. His courtappointed attorney Judy Fleming declined to comment on the case.

PAGE 28

HOLIDAY

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

Shmini Atzeret: G-d adds a special day at the end of Sukkot for extra personal time with His people By Rabbi Shraga Simmons Imagine this: you throw a huge party and invite everyone you know. This is no "regular" party; it's one solid week of food, music and fun. Eventually things wind down and people begin to leave. As the host, you quietly go over to a few of your best friends and whisper: "Stick around after everyone else leaves -that's when I'm breaking out the good stuff." ach year G-d has a weeklong celebration called "Sukkot." In ancient times in Jerusalem, the service in the Holy Temple during the week of Sukkot featured a total of 70 bull offerings. This, the Talmud explains, corre-

sponds to each of the 70 nations of the world. The Temple was not just for Jews. When King Solomon built the Temple, he specifically asked G-d to heed the prayer of non-Jews who comes to the Temple (1Kings 8:41-43). And the prophet Isaiah refers to the Temple as a "House for all nations" (Isaiah 56:7). The Temple was the universal center of spirituality, a concentrated point where the Shechinah filtered down into the world. In fact, the Talmud says that if the Romans would have realized how much benefit they themselves were getting from the Temple, they never would have destroyed it! And then, at the end of Sukkot, G-d added a special day. It's called Shmini Atzeret, literally the "Eighth Day of

Assembly." On that day, only one bull was offered, representing the Jewish people. It is a day of great intimacy with our Creator, as He asks His Jewish children to remain with him for extra personal time together. (Talmud - Sukkot 55b) Shmini Atzeret is a full public holiday, as described in Leviticus 23:36. Even though it immediately follows the sevenday Sukkot festival and is often considered part of Sukkot, it is, in fact, a separate holiday. This means that the She'hechiyanu blessing is recited, and the obligation to sit in the Sukkah does not apply. TAPESTRY OF SEVENS Nachmanides (12th century Spain) explains a beautiful kabbalistic concept: Seven is the number of the natural world. There are seven days in the week, seven notes on the musical scale and seven directions (left, right, up, down, forward, back and center). "Seven" -- represented by the seven days of Sukkot -- is the world of nature. "Eight" -- represented by Shmini Atzeret -- is that which is beyond nature. The Jewish people, says the Talmud, are beyond nature. We have survived every imaginable persecution, exile, hardship and expulsion. And still, we have achieved and thrived far beyond our numbers. As Mark Twain wrote: "All things remain mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?" The "secret," as we know, is the special gift that G-d gave to the Jewish people: The Torah. As Rabbi Emanuel Feldman

writes: "Torah is the mysterious bridge which connects the Jew and G-d, across which they interact and communicate, and by means of which G-d fulfills His covenant with His people to sustain them and protect them." Therefore it is no coincidence that on Shmini Atzeret we also celebrate the completion of the yearly cycle of Torah readings and the beginning of a new cycle. This event is lovingly referred to as "Simchat Torah," literally "Rejoicing of the Torah." (Outside of Israel, Simchat Torah is celebrated the day after Shmini Atzeret.) Why are we accustomed to both finish and re-start the reading of the Torah on the same day? The Sages explain: "To show that the Torah is beloved to us like a new object and not like an old command which a person no longer treasures. Since it is brand new to us, we all run to greet it." We sing and dance for hours around the bima (the platform where the Torah is read), carry the Torah Scroll, and express our joy at having the opportunity to come so close to G-d. On Shmini Atzeret, as we complete this holiday season, we offer a special prayer to G-d for rain. Rain represents the blessings of growth and abundance. Through all the hard work of Elul, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Sukkot, we have come a long way. Our task now is to carry that energy throughout the year. This article is courtesy of Aish.

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

PAGE 29

KASHRUT

PAGE 30

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

Ask OU Kosher: “What’s Bugging You? Checking Vegetables for Insects” By Rabbi David Bistricer OU Kosher Rabbinic Coordinator Q: Are there any kashrut concerns with plain vegetables? A: Yes. Different varieties of certain fresh or frozen vegetables could potentially contain insects, which are considered not kosher and prohibited. Vegetables that have this concern must be checked before they are prepared or consumed, to ensure that there aren’t any insects hiding in cracks, crevices, or grooves of the vegetable. Moreover, canned vegetables could potentially be cooked in equipment that also processes genuinely non-kosher products, such as pork and beans. Vegetables that are from Israel are also subject to additional requirements of mitzvos hateluyos be’aretz. The prohibition of eating insects is very serious, as multiple Torah level transgressions are associated with consuming even a single insect. Q: What types of vegetables need to be checked for insects? Which kinds do not require checking? A: The vegetables that most commonly require checking are the green, leafy vegetables or herbs. This commonly includes, but is not limited to: asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuces (bibb, boston, iceberg, and romaine), and spinach. The herbs that are most often found to contain insects include, but are not limited to: basil, cilantro, dill and parsley. Berries, such as blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries also must be checked beforehand. Some examples of produce that are assumed not to require checking are fruits, such as apples or pears, or vegetables, such as potatoes and tomatoes. There are others; this isn’t an exhaustive list. Q: What determines whether a fruit, vegetable, or berry requires checking? A: This depends on the likelihood that the

Target and eradicate bugs that could be lurking in your produce produce could contain insects. If there is a halachically significant chance that a particular type of fruit, vegetable, or berry may contain insects, it must be checked. However, if the probability is considered halachically insignificant, even if the theoretical possibility exists, checking is not required. What is considered halachically significant or insignificant is a point of dispute. The underlying assumption is that in order to be considered significant, the occurrence must be consistent and expected. Rav Yaakov Karliner in Mishkenos Yaakov suggested that a chance of 10% or greater is considered significant. Other authorities take a more strin-

Who Would Have Believed? KOSHER WINE FROM CALIFORNIA OUTSCORES BEST OF FRENCH WINES

Israelis pay a great deal of attention to an annual wine tasting in Paris that for 35 years has crowned some of the best tasting wines. Surprising as it was to the Israelis and certainly the French who learned that their competitors came from the Western United

States, it was a huge boost to the Herzog family whose Californian Herzog Special 2005 was amongst the winners. The tasters considered some of the best wines from the Boudreaux region as well as a magnificent and highly valued Burgundy collection. The tasters showered accolades at the Herzog wine. They used words like “rich,” “elegant,” “dynamic,” and “bombastic.” But the reportage in Israel also focused on the fact that the wines were kosher, which to many is the real story. The fact that a kosher wine is in the competition is in itself a story, but to be judged by international experts who for years have reserved their best accolades for the worldclass wines from France is an accomplishment kosher hopes to take to mainstream wine connoisseurs. Story courtesy of Kosher Today

gent approach and set the standard at an even lower rate of consistency. Q: What about dry goods, such as beans, nuts, pasta, and rice? Is there an insect issue? A: In the U.S., generally speaking no, assuming that they are stored properly. If kept under dry and clean storage conditions, there should be no problem. However, if someone is concerned, they should check for any visible signs of damage or lacking cleanliness, which could also be a sign for insects. In certain parts of the world, dry goods routinely develop storage pests and require

checking. Q: Is it necessary to use a magnifying glass or light box to check vegetables for insects? A: There are varying opinions amongst authorities whether it’s necessary to use mag-

nification. Many respected halachic authorities, such as Rav Shlomo Kluger in Tuv Taam VeDaas, Rav Avraham Danzig in Chochmas Adom, and Rav Moshe Feinstein in Igros Moshe, write that magnification is not necessary. Nevertheless, there are authorities that disagree. That is the opinion of Rav Yaakov Emden and Chazon Ish. A light box is intended to provide a good source of light to facilitate checking. It’s a useful tool that gives ample light, which is understandably important if you are looking for something. If a light box is not used, vegetable checking must be done carefully in a well-lit area. Q: Can anyone check vegetables for bugs? How does one become qualified? A: Yes, with enough experience. It’s important to become accustomed to know what you are looking for. This can be done through a neighbor, friend or relative who has experience. But some people are actually able to intuitively pick up this skill quite well on their own. It takes time and patience, though There are books and manuals available about vegetable checking that can serve as excellent guides and are very helpful. The OU published a guide entitled, “The OU Guide to Checking Fruits, Vegetables and Berries.” The book may be obtained on the OU Press website, http://www.ou.org/oupress/category/1676, or by contacting the OU Kosher Consumer Hotline at 212- 613-8241.

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

Crunchy Taco Salad by Chef at Home Cookbook Last Shabbat thejewishhostess.com contributor Marlene M. made a crunchy, colorful chopped taco salad inspired by her favorite new gourmet kosher cookbook, Chef At Home, which is published by the Magen David Yeshivah PTA. She wants all cooking moms to know that if they haven’t heard about this new 400 page kosher cookbook yet, make sure you order a copy soon from Yvonne Franco. In the meantime, add this healthy new salad to your holiday lunch menu. It’s a great change from the traditional boring salads that we’ve gotten used to. or this healthy kosher recipe, Marlene used healthy organic tacos from Omni Health located on avenue U in Brooklyn. She also added fresh chopped jicama which adds a delicious low calorie crunch to the mix. Ingredients: • 1 head romaine chopped • 2 small ripe tmatoes • 2 cucumbers • 1 red onion chopped • 1 can chickpeas • 1 can red kidney beans • 1 avocado cubed • 2 corn on the cob, steamed and shucked • jicama cubed into small pieces • several tacos, toasted and broken into 1 pieces Dressing: • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • 1/2 cup of olive oil • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

KASHRUT

PAGE 31

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PAGE 32

AUTO

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

Jaguar Land Rover Wins Two "Best of Auto Show" Awards From Autoweek Magazine Jaguar’s Land Rover DC100 Sport wins Autoweek "Best Concept" and “Best in Show” Award. LR shows industry design and technology leadership, winning two key honors at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Show-stealing concepts will make their North American debuts at the 2011 Los Angeles International Automobile Show on November 15. Jaguar Land Rover displayed its global product leadership and brand strength by winning two of the most important media awards, from Autoweek, at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, one for each brand, Jaguar and Land Rover. Autoweek's editorial team selected the Jaguar C-X16 as its "Best in Show" winner and the Land Rover DC100 Sport as its "Best Concept" at the premier European motor show. "Winning two of the top media awards in our industry here at the Frankfurt Motor Show is a tremendous achievement for the Jaguar and Land Rover brands,” said Frank Klaas, Global Head of Communications, Jaguar Land Rover. “This recognition from the editors at Autoweek confirms the strength of design and engineering at Jaguar and Land Rover and the momentum we have at JLR." Jaguar C-X16 The Jaguar C-X16 is a concept 'One plus One' (2 seat) sports car that explores future performance hybrid options via an innova-

tive supercharged 3.0-liter V6 producing 375HP (280kW) and 332 lb-ft of torque. The production concept's seductive looks indicate the next evolution of Jaguar's bold design direction. Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director for Jaguar Cars calls the C-X16 “our compelling vision for a 21st century Jaguar sports car. It embodies the established Jaguar strengths of sensual design, animallike agility and inspirational performance and combines these with attributes that set us on a course to create sustainable sports cars of the future." "Jaguar's Design Director, Ian Callum, has done it again with the Jaguar C-X16 Concept," said Wes Raynal, Editor for Autoweek. "With its long hood and beautiful curves, the C-X16 has unmistakable Jaguar presence. This is Callum's secondstraight "Best in Show" award from an International show, as his C-X75 Concept won at the Paris Motor show last year. He's on a roll and we truly love this car." Land Rover DC100 Sport Concept The Land Rover DC100 Sport and DC100 are new concepts from Land Rover which investigate the future possibilities of the iconic Defender. The concepts capture the flexibility, adaptability and configurability that have always been key attributes of Land Rover and continue in today's Defender, but incorporate cutting-edge sustainable, and hi-tech materials. DC100 demonstrates the future of Land Rover

Jaguar C-X16 production concept wins Autoweek 'Best in Show' Award capability and versatility. DC100 Sport is an active expression of freedom and adventure. “These could not be designs from any other company. Defender became a global icon because of the integrity of both its design and engineering. In creating these concepts, we took the functional design cues from the past and reinterpreted them for the 21st century. These studies represent our thoughts on how we will forge an entirely new generation of Defender models which will prove that design can work in harmony with function." Gerry McGovern, Design Director,

Land Rover "We debated long and hard about the "Best Concept" award," said Raynal. "We liked the Kia GT, and the Jaguar C-X16, but the DC100 Defender Sport concept came to Frankfurt as a complete surprise and in the end, we decided this was our winner. The DC100 Sport is loaded with a bunch of cool technology, such as a terrain scanner and a sonar-depth sounder for water crossings, just to name a few, and these are things Series I, II and III owners could not conceive of. We hope Land Rover builds it and sends it to the States,” Raynal added.

AMP Mercedes ML Electric Vehicle Featured at Michigan Business of Plugging In Conference AMP Mercedes “Generation 3 Drivetrain” driven for first the time by EV proponents and automotive journalists at 2011 Center for Automotive Research Conference. Refined AMP drivetrain delivers improved power, range and the expected performance of a Mercedes. MP Holding Inc., a company engaged in the emission-free electrification of OEM SUV’s, had its new AMP Mercedes ML EV, with new Generation 3 Drivetrain on-hand for test drives at the Business of Plugging In (BPI) Conference, in Dearborn, Michigan. “The BPI conference will be a great opportunity for journalists and visitors to take a test drive in our latest generation of the AMP Mercedes ML EV” said Jim Taylor, CEO of AMP in a press release a few weeks before the conference. “Our new Generation 3 Drivetrain delivers a great driving experience with plenty of pick up and is very refined. We feel the fact that the AMP EV carries the known pedigree of Mercedes-Benz will be very attractive to our EV customers.” The AMP zero emissions design delivers impressive specs, not expected from a fullsized five-passenger EV SUV: driving range of up to 100 miles per charge; 0-60 in less than 10 seconds; top speed electronically limited to 90 mph. The vehicle complies with J1772 charging stations, and will charge from

110 or 220 volt outlets. The current AMP EV Team is steeped in automotive background. Company management includes many former top GM and Chrysler executives. AMP has partnered with an impressive array of industry experts, which include Roush Industries chosen for vehicle performance, ESG for electrical and software integration, and AVL providing energy system analysis. The AMP Mercedes ML EV heads up an impressive array of on-hand EVs at the BPI Conference. Also included are the Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf, Ford Transit Connect, and Tesla. About AMP Holding Inc. AMP was founded in 2007 by entrepreneurs who have created several hi-tech companies. Currently, the AMP team is comprised of top automotive industry veterans and business executives, as well as two key pioneers of GM's EV1 project. AMP's first all electric demonstration models were the Saturn Sky and the Chevrolet Equinox. Since its inception, AMP's unique electrification technology has proven to be an idea that has generated an extreme amount of interest, with inquiries coming from around the world. AMP's intent is to electrify a range of OEM SUVs, and expects to announce new model additions in 2011. The Company expects its vehicle electrification technology will provide new solutions to America's energy demands.

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October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

HEALTH

PAGE 33

U.S. PANEL NIXES PROSTATE SCREENING FOR HEALTHY MEN By Fern Sidman According to a draft recommendation by the United States Preventive Services Task Force due for official release next week, healthy men should no longer receive a PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) blood test to screen for prostate cancer. According to the Task Force, the test does not save lives over all and often leads to more tests and treatments that needlessly cause pain, impotence and incontinence in many. he government's findings were predicated upon the results of five controlled clinical trials and could substantially change the care given to men 50 and older. According to a report in the New York Times, there are now 44 million such men in the United States, and 33 million of them have already had a PSA test, sometimes without their knowledge, during routine physicals. The task force’s recommendations are being followed by most medical groups. Two years ago the task force recommended that women in their 40s should no longer get routine mammograms, setting off a firestorm of controversy. The findings of the panel were successfully challenged by women's health organizations. The recommendation to avoid the PSA test is even more forceful and applies to healthy men of all ages. “Unfortunately, the evidence now shows that this test does not save men’s lives,” said Dr. Virginia Moyer, a professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and chair-

woman of the task force. “This test cannot tell the difference between cancers that will and will not affect a man during his natural lifetime. We need to find one that does.” Some doctor’s groups and cancer patient advocates, however, have initiated a campaign to Advocates for convince the nation that the those with advice is misguidprostate cancer, ed. Their hope is to including former replicate the success that the New York City women’s groups had in persuading Mayor Rudy much of the counGiuliani, have try that it was a promised to fight mistake for the same panel to recthe recommenommend against dation routine mammography for women in their 40s. Both sides in the battle have marshaled distinct arguments; both have said that their only goal is to protect patients. Thanks to the PSA test, a large percentage of men have undergone biopsies, surgeries, radiation therapy and even drug treatment that results in a form of chemical castration. Many have suddenly confronted the thought, perhaps

for the first time, that their pain and suffering could have been prevented. Members of the government panel said they knew that they would have to defend their recommendation and delayed issuing their report for two years to prepare for the battle that was certain to ensue. Dr. Michael L. LeFevre, co-vice chairman of the task force, said the panel originally voted against routine screening for prostate cancer in 2009 but due to the enormous flack over the mammography issue, Dr. LeFevre said he deliberately slowed down the process. “I looked at this and said, ‘I know this is going to happen with prostate cancer for all the same reasons, and we absolutely have to have the science right,’ ” he said. As for the resulting delay, Dr. LeFevre said, “I will take full blame and full credit.” If the panel’s analysis of the science is correct, thousands of men were probably harmed by unnecessary tests and treatments during the delay. Advocates for those with prostate cancer, including some high profile personalities such as former major league baseball manager Joe Torre, financier Michael Milken and former New York City mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, have promised to fight the recommendation. They are among tens of thousands of men who believe a PSA test saved their lives during their own bouts with prostate cancer. The task force can also expect resistance from some drug manufacturers and doctors. Treating men with high PSA levels has become a lucrative business. Some in Congress have criticized previous decisions by the task force as akin to rationing, although the task force does not consider cost in its recommendations.

“We’re disappointed,” said Thomas Kirk, of Us TOO, the nation’s largest advocacy group for prostate cancer survivors. “The bottom line is that this is the best test we have, and the answer can’t be, ‘Don’t get tested.’ ” His views were shared by Philip Kantoff, MD, director of Dana-Farber's Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology in Boston, Massachusetts: "This is the wrong message at this point in time. The whole issue of PSA-based screening is complex. It involves multiple steps and multiple decision points. The blanket statement saying that PSAbased screening is of no value is the wrong message right now." "There is no question that we need to be more careful with whom we screen, and we need to recognize that not every man needs to be screened," Dr. Kantoff explained. He acknowledged that the PSA test has issues with specificity and sensitivity, but he concludes that it is a useful screening tool when used appropriately. This is a stance similar to the one taken by the American Urological Association (AUA), which has long emphasized that the PSA test needs to be considered alongside other data, and that, when interpreted appropriately, it offers "important information." The current clinical guidelines of the AUA support the use of the PSA test, although they are due to be updated soon. The AUA reacted immediately to the news, warning that the recommendation might "ultimately do more harm than good to the many men at risk for prostate cancer, both here in the United States and around the world."

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ART & CULTURE

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

YESHIVA UNIVERSITY PRESENTS FOLKTALES OF ISRAEL: A FESTIVAL OF JEWISH STORYTELLING CENTER FOR ISRAEL STUDIES NOVEMBER 6 EVENT TO HONOR PROF. PENINNAH SCHRAM Yeshiva University’s Center for Israel Studies will present “Folktales of Israel: A Festival of Jewish Storytelling” on November 6, 2011. The festival, co-sponsored by Stern College for Women, the Yeshiva University Museum and the American Zionist Movement, is free and open to the public and will take place at the YU Museum, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street from 10 AM to 5 PM. ringing together internationally renowned story tellers and scholars, the festival will be dedicated to the art of storytelling in and about the Land of Israel. The festival will highlight the beauty of Israel and its peoples, presenting through scholarship and performance some of the ways that storytellers have transmitted their love of Israel through the ages. The festival honors Peninnah Schram, a world-renowned Jewish folklorist and storyteller who is professor of speech and drama at YU. Schram is a recipient of the

prestigious Covenant Award for Outstanding Jewish Educator (1995) and has been awarded the National Storytelling Network’s 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award “for sustained and exemplary contributions to storytelling in America.”

_______________________ “At this moment in Israel’s history, telling Israel’s stories is an act of hope and promise.” _______________________

World-renowned Jewish folklorist Prof. Peninnah Schram

“There is power and beauty in shared stories,” said Schram, who has authored ten books of Jewish folktales. “Since storytelling is a dialogue, it creates more understanding and community between people serving as a thread between hearts. This event will celebrate the stories of Israel that are so connected to each of the storytellers and the keynote speakers. I feel

blessed to be honored by this magnificent festival.” Featured storytellers at the festival include: Arthur Strimling, Barry Bub, Cherie Karo Schwartz, Ellen Frankel, Goldie Milgram, Jennifer Rudnick Zunikoff, Laura Simms and Noa Baum. Keynote presentations will be given by Prof. Dan Ben Amos, Professor of Folklore & Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Pennsylvania; and Rabbi Saul Berman, associate professor of Jewish Studies at Stern College. “Folktales of Israel brings together scholars and performers, students and rabbis to celebrate all that is good about Israel,” said Steven Fine, Director of the Center for Israel Studies and Professor of Jewish History. “At this moment in Israel’s history, telling Israel’s stories is an act of hope and promise.” For more information, to view the full schedule or to register for the festival, visit www.yu.edu/cis.

The Israeli-born, Ivy League b-girl By Abigail Klein Leichman Break-dancer ‘Bounce,' aka Ephrat Asherie, broke into an urban art form that's unusual for Barnard grads. Her parents' Israeli attitude helped. t's probably safe to say that Ephrat Asherie is the only summa cum laude graduate of Barnard College who makes her living break-dancing. It's also likely she's the only Israeli-born b-girl to excel in a genre dominated by b-boys. Asherie does her moves with FoxForceFive and MAWU, and recently performed in the European show Magnifico, choreographed by the famed Pilobolus. In September, she curated "Looking Back," an evening of underground and contemporary dance at the Manhattan experimental theater Dixon Place. Living in Harlem, teaching at Broadway Dance Center and performing and choreographing around the world, Asherie -- aka "Bounce" -- was born in 1981 in coastal Netanya north of Tel Aviv. Her parents moved with their four sons and baby daughter to Italy 10 months later and to suburban Larchmont, New York, six years after that as a result of her father's job.

Yet even far from the land of her birth, she tells ISRAEL21c that she always felt as Israeli as the passport she still uses to travel to her homeland at least once a year. "I felt a difference between myself and American Jews because we were raised with a very practical attitude: We were taught that we

Ephrat 'Bounce' Asherie shouldn't complain about anything since we had what to eat and what to wear. Looking back, I realize that was something very Israeli." And so was the overall parental message to "do what you love and enjoy and excel at." What she loved was dance. "I wanted to be my brothers when I grew up," she admits. "I didn't want to be a boy, but I wanted to run as fast as them and be as smart as them." Her recent solo, Brothers, is about the evolution of that desire. Her mom encouraged her to ditch soccer for ballet lessons when she was 10. This training pointed her in a new direction. "My build isn't right to be a ballerina but I knew there would be another way to dance," she says. "I

had the feeling I'd find it." ‘I have a lot of energy' And she did, during college. The pivotal moment was watching Rennie Harris Puremovement's hip-hop version of Romeo and Juliet (Rome & Jewels). "It was phenomenal. I saw it twice and fell in love with it," she recalls. In 2002, she began training with the legendary Brooklyn break-dancer Richard Santiago (aka Break Easy), who nicknamed her "Bounce." "I was completely hungry and devoted. Through rain, sleet or snow, I'd go to Bushwick from Harlem to go to practice," she recalls. To support herself, she worked as an administrative assistant at a modern dance company and waited tables. "I have a lot of energy," she says, comparing herself to her "super Zionist" maternal grandfather, "a dancer and a fighter" who moved to Israel from Europe and worked in the mines of the Dead Sea. He danced with her at a wedding shortly before he died 16 years ago. Asherie has come close to fulfilling her childhood fantasy of becoming her brothers, because break-dancing is mainly the purview

of males. Attracting attention as one of few bgirls at "battles," high-energy break-dance competitions, she signed with an agency, quit her other jobs and began teaching break, hiphop and "house," an underground style born in Chicago. She also teaches at the Peridance Capezio Center, owned by Igal Perry, whose roots are with the Israeli dance companies Jonathan Karmon and Bat-Dor. Asherie also taught several young Israelis in a hip-hop class at the Joffrey Ballet School. "I adored them," Asherie says. "They have a great deal of vitality. I say to myself that if I had stayed in Israel, this would have been me, and I feel a sort of camaraderie." She has also taught in Israel the past two years. "Israel has a thriving b-boy scene," she says. One of the key players is Dvir Rozen, director of the Israel Breakdancing Association and his own company, Street Art Productions. "Break-dancing keeps developing and changing because the essence of all urban dance is to keep creating and to strive for originality," says Asherie, who has performed and taught in Europe, Peru and South Africa. She's appeared on television and at Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden. Coming full circle, she has even become a regular guest artist with Philadelphia-based Rennie Harris Puremovement. The Asherie siblings are scattered among Jerusalem, London, and New York. They work in fields ranging from physics to jazz piano. "Our parents raised us to do what we believe in," says Asherie, acknowledging that dance is not the most secure of professions and takes its toll physically; she's already had one knee surgery. "Any artist comes to terms with the fact that nobody holds a gun to your head to do your art. If that's what you choose to do, you have to deal with the instability. Don't complain about it; just do it. That is a very Israeli approach." www.israel21c.com

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

PARSHA

Sitting in the Sukkah on Shemini Atzeret

Parshat Bereishit (GENESIS 1:1-6:8) THE DEVELOPMENT OF CIVILIZATION

By Rabbi Rafi Rosenblum

There was one person who did attempt to deal directly with G-d's directive to work the land. Rashi tells us that Noah invented farming tools and this made the working of the land more successful. By Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen, Aish HaTorah After Cain's heinous act of murdering his brother Abel, G-d decreed upon him to be a wanderer around the earth. He was never to have a permanent dwelling. It is a basic tenet of Torah that any 'punishment' that G-d decrees upon a person is not arbitrary, rather it is intended to rectify that person's mistake. By adhering to the conditions of the 'punishment' a person can rectify his initial mistake; living in this state of exile was intended to be the rectification for Cain. ut it seems that Cain did not adhere to the form of rectification that G-d decreed for him; he tried to avoid it. Immediately after this, the Torah tells us how Cain proceeded. "And Cain was a city builder." The Ramban notes that the wording of the Torah hints to the fact that Cain was constantly building cities but they would immediately collapse because of the curse that he be in constant exile. However, instead of learning from this and accepting his status as a wanderer, Cain continued to build cities throughout his life. Cain's actions seem to have generated a trend in his descendants to continue avoiding the forms of rectification that G-d had ascribed to mankind to fix the sin of Adam. He told Adam after his sin that his form of repentance was to work the land with his own hands in order to earn his livelihood. Cain's descendants preferred to avoid working the land and turned to other forms of earning a livelihood. The Torah describes how they did this: ""And Adah bore Yaval; he was the first of those who dwell in tents and breed cattle. The name of his brother was Yuval; he was the first of all who handle the harp and flute. And Zilla, too - she bore Tuval-Cain, who sharpened all cutting implements of copper and iron." Rashi explains that these innocuous verses are of great significance because they represent the development of some of the basic aspects of modern civilization. Yuval chose to be a shepherd, avoiding G-d's instructions to work the land. It is also possible that the 'dwelling in tents' in the verse represents the development of business activities, also something not consistent with the form of rectification that G-d ascribed to mankind. Yuval was the first to develop the art of music; this represents how mankind tried to avoid the pain of working the land by distracting itself with entertainment. And TuvalCain was the first to develop weapons which

enabled man to survive by overpowering others, another way in which he could avoid the curse to work the land. We can see from this how the development of mankind was based on a desire to avoid the method which G-d had given them to rectify the sin of Adam in favor of an easier lifestyle which would not fix Adam's sin. Consequently, mankind developed in a state of ignoring G-d's will, which culminated in their subsequent moral degeneration and destruction in the Great Flood. There was one person who did attempt to deal directly with G-d's directive to work the land: "Lamech… begot a son. And he called his name Noah, saying, 'this one will bring us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands, from the ground which G-d had cursed .'" Rashi tells us that Noah invented farming tools and this made the working of the land more successful. Noah was the first person who did not try to avoid the curse of Adam. He faced it directly. This helps explain why Noah was also the one person who G-d did not destroy. Unlike the rest of the world, his life was dedicated to fulfilling G-d's will, therefore he was not subject to the moral degeneration that plagued mankind. A significant lesson that can be derived from here is that very often G-d places us in a situation from which He wants us to grow but we have a tendency to avoid seizing that opportunity. The rabbis teach us that G-d communicates us through challenges - this does not just refer to major tragedies, but also to the general difficulties that we all face in life. For example, a person can know which area of growth to focus on in his marriage by noting in which area there is the most friction and how his failings contribute to this problem. G-d is sending him these difficulties as a way of telling him that he should work on this area of his character traits. One may prefer to focus on aspects of growth that come more naturally to him and ignore the challenge in his marriage. For example, a person who has a leaning to kindness may devote a significant amount of time and energy in helping other people, but he may neglect his obligations to his wife and children. This week's Torah portion is far more than a historical description of the early generations in history. It is an account of how G-d communicated to mankind how they should rectify their mistakes and how the vast majority of them refused to heed His instructions. It is upon us to heed their mistake and directly learn from Divine Providence how we can do what He desires from us. AISH.COM

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The Gemara (Sukkah 47a) clearly states that on Shemini Atzeret in chutz l’aretz one should sit in the sukkah, but not make a bracha. While the Rishonim are busy explaining this dichotomy[1], it doesn’t appear that there is any discussion about the obligation to sit in the sukkah. This makes the custom of many not to sit in the sukkah all the more intriguing. In the subsequent paragraphs, I hope to bring a number of reasons that will hopefully explain the basis for this somewhat prevalent yet perplexing minhag[2]. osefot in Sukkah (ibid. D”H Misav) ask the following question. Why is it that we sit in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret, because of sfeka d’yoma, but we don’t take the lulav and esrog for the same reason? They answer, that since the daled minim are muktzah on Shabbos and Yom Tov, and the only reason that we can take them on Yom Tov is because we are obligated. If we would take them on Shemini Atzeret, it would be obvious that we are taking them due to the safek, and it would look like a violation of baal tosef. However, when it comes to the sukkah, there are many times that we enjoy sitting outside on the porch. Therefore, it isn’t obvious why we are sitting there, and we are therefore obligated to do so because of the safeka d’yoma. This is what is written in the Tosefot that we have on the page in Meseches Sukkah. However, if you look at the Tosefot Rabbenu Peretz, he adds a few words. He writes that there was a custom for people to eat in the sukkah only during the day on Shemini Atzeret, but not at night. The reason for this may be because at night it is very cold and it is obvious to all why they are sitting in the sukkah, whereas during the day it could just be that they enjoy eating outdoors. This is echoed by the Korban Nisanel (perek 4 ois 7), who writes that if it is a cold or windy day, one should refrain from eating in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret. It is for this reason that R’ Yaakov Kamanetsky rules in the Emes L’Yaakov on Shulchan Aruch, that if someone forgot to leave a light on in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret which falls out on Shabbos[3], he should eat his meal in the house, because otherwise it would be obvious that he is eating outside to fulfill his obligation. Another line of reasoning not to require eating in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret comes from the reading of the Gemara that the obligation is based on. The Yichutai Hatanaim V’Amoraim says that there are those who say to follow the second opinion of the Gemara like we do in most instances in Shas, and the second opinion says that there is a machloket if you should sit in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret, and we paskin that you don’t need to sit in the sukkah. These people

hold like the second opinion in the Gemara, even though the Gemara clearly writes that the halacha is that you should sit in the sukkah and not make a bracha, because they understand that line to have been added by the Baal Halachot Gedolot, and they disagree with it. Another defense of this practice which is based on the reading of the Gemara is found in the Sfat Emet. He writes that when the Gemara writes that one should sit in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret, it doesn’t mean that he has to eat in the sukkah, rather, he is allowed to sit there. Since there is no obligation to sit in the sukkah, the Gemara says that you sit there, but don’t make a bracha. Accordingly, someone who doesn’t want

to sit in the sukkah, doesn’t need to. The minhag of eating inside for both meals, is but one of the minhagim that we have nowadays. There are those who eat inside only at night, and those who eat in the sukkah only at night. The important thing for us to remember is that like the minhag of eating inside for both meals, these minhagim are based on credible sources in the Rishonim and Achronim[4]. By recalling this, it will be easier for us to accept and relate to people whose minhagim are different than ours. YUTORAH.ORG Footnotes: [1] See the explanation of the Ritva and the Ran in Sukkah ibid. in the opinion of the Rif. Also, see the Mordechai (772), the Meiri, and the Rambam (Teshuvat P’eir Hador siman 26) where these Rishonim offer different answers to the question. [2] Note; this article is not meant to condone the practice of eating outside of the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret, which goes against the Shulchan Aruch (siman 668 seif 1) and the majority of the Achronim. Rather, the purpose is to gain an understanding to why the minhag exists, and what it is based on. [3] Presumably in a manner that he would be required to eat in the sukkah during Sukkot, because if he wouldn’t need to eat there on Sukkot, like the Rama (siman 640 seif 4) paskins, then of course he wouldn’t need to eat there on Shemini Atzeret. [4] See the Tur (siman 668) and the Beit Yosef and Bach (ibid.) who discuss the minhag of eating in the sukkah for the day and not the night. See the Taz (siman 668) where he talks about sitting in the sukkah only at night.

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The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

Schumer: Home Heating Costs in New York Metro Region 25% Higher Than Last Year NY COULD LOSE OUT ON MILLIONS IN HOME HEATING AID AS WARMER STATES TAKE NYâ€™S SHARE U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on Congress to pass Senate legislation to protect New York seniors and working families from losing their traditional share of home heating assistance under a new formula proposed by the House that benefits warmer states and could result in a net loss of $85 million for New York. With home heating oil prices in the New York Metro region up approximately 25% compared to this time last year, Schumer is pushing for passage of Senate legislation that ensures the current funding formula, which benefits colder states, is preserved, which would provide New York with $428 million in funding this year. urrently, dual appropriations bills moving through the House and the Senate would provide similar total levels of funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) overall ($3.4 billion in the Senate, $3.39 billion in the House), but the House bill makes

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US Senator Charles E. Schumer is pushing for passage of Senate legislation that ensures the current funding formula, which benefits colder states, is preserved

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

Continued from previous page changes to the allocation of LIHEAP that would result in New York receiving a significantly smaller percentage of the funding pot. If the House bill became law, New York would lose up to $85 million in funding for home heating assistance to seniors and lower income New Yorkers. If the House bill passes, New York could be forced to deny benefits to seniors and residents that received them in the past and award smaller benefit to those who are still eligible for funding. Schumer opposes changes to the LIHEAP program that would disproportionately hurt New York and is pushing for passage of a Senate version of the bill that keeps intact a funding formula that is geared toward colder states. “New York has one of the toughest and coldest winters in the nation and the formula for distributing home heating assistance should logically focus on colder states,” said Schumer. “Our seniors and working families depend on home heating assistance to keep warm and now more than ever, in what has been an exceptionally difficult economic climate, they need this assistance to simply keep warm. I’m going to fight tooth and nail to protect New York’s fair share so that our seniors and families across the state get the relief that they need.” The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) program, which benefited 709,694 households in New York City, 63,078 households on Long Island, and 53,210 households in the lower Hudson Valley last year, assists seniors and low income households in meeting their immediate home energy needs. LIHEAP provides direct assistance to aid individuals in paying their utility bills. Under legislation proposed in the House of Representatives, New York’s share of LIHEAP funding compared to other states would decrease dramatically. Under the Senate bill, New York would receive about 12% of the proposed total, for a total allotment of $428,328,000 in LIHEAP funding for the coming year. However, the House version of the same appropriation bill would slash New York’s share to about 10% of the total funding, for a total of $343,482,000. Schumer believes this cut would seriously impact the state’s ability to meet demand for LIHEAP services, potentially leaving thousands of seniors without LIHEAP assistance or with payments below the level that they need. The Senate Appropriations Committee proposal, which would give New York $85 million more in LIHEAP assistance than the House Committee proposal, relies on a socalled “cold formula” developed in 1980, that puts more emphasis on the heating needs of cold weather states in determining the share of funds that each state receives. This formula would be replaced by the so-

called “warm formula” that the House Appropriations Committee proposed for distributing LIHEAP funds, shifting total share of funds from cold weather states, primarily Northeast and Upper Midwest, to southern, warmer states. If the House bill is enacted, cold weather states like New York would see a smaller percentage of total LIHEAP funds (about 10.2%) compared to the share in the Senate bill (about 12.7%). Schumer believes that slashing this funding for New York would also have a negative impact on the state’s economy. Economists Mark Zandi and Alan S. Blinder have calculated that every dollar from LIHEAP that helps alleviate skyrocketing heating costs produces $1.13 in economic activity. Schumer’s push to protect LIHEAP funding for New York comes as home heating oil prices across New York City, Long Island, and the lower Hudson Valley are rising dramatically over last year. According to New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) the cost of home heating oil is up dramatically over last year: In New York City, the price per gallon of home heating oil has risen 23.3% over the same period last year, from $3.21 per gallon to $3.96 per gallon. The average increase per New York City household based on annual per household usage of 803 gallons of heating oil is up from $2,577.00, based on the price of oil in October 2010, to $3,179.88, based on the price of oil in October 2011, representing a $602.88 increase. On Long Island, the price per gallon of home heating oil has risen 25.4% over the same period last year, from $3.10 per gallon to $3.89 per gallon. The average increase in cost for a Long Island household based on annual per household usage of 803 gallons of home oil is up from $2,486.3 based on the price of oil in October 2010, to $3.123.67 based on the price of oil in October 2011, representing a $637.37 increase. In the lower Hudson Valley, the price per gallon has risen 25.6% over the same period last year, from $3.03 per gallon to $3.80 per gallon. The average increase per lower Hudson Valley household based on annual per household usage of 803 gallons of home oil is up from $2,433.00, based on the price of oil in October 2010, to $3,051.40, based on the price of oil in October 2011, representing a $618.40 increase. “LIHEAP helps keep seniors and thousands of families from having to make the terrible choice between heating their home or buying prescription drugs, food, or paying the mortgage,” continued Schumer. “Families are reeling from tough economic times and we to ensure the home heating assistance is available for the people and the regions that need it most.”

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PAGE 38

October 19, 2011

Al Davis a Tzadik... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 44 came from Terry Bradshaw. Now for those of you who did not follow football in the 70's, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders had (and still have) a bitter rivalry. It was the Yankees/Red Sox, Ali/Frazier, Celtics/Lakers of the National Football League. Bradshaw was the starting Quarterback for the Steelers, winning 4 Super Bowl championships. Perhaps if Bradshaw did not play for the Steelers, Al Davis would have won some of those 4 titles. Nevertheless, when Bradshaw retired he got a call from Al Davis. Davis,

generally concerned of Bradshaw's financial status, as many players in the 70's ended up broke after their playing career was over, told Bradshaw if he needed anything all he had to was call. What did Davis stand to gain by helping his rival? What did Davis have to gain in helping a retired football player who couldn't play for his team or any other? What did Davis have to gain in giving some of his hard-earned money to a non-friend, non-family member? Perhaps this was Davis's secret to being a

tzadik. He helped someone, even if they were his rival, even if he had nothing to get in return, even if he was not going to get credit for it. Davis had no idea Bradshaw would tell the story of his phone call 30 years later on a television show. At the end of the day all our actions, whether they are good or bad, whether we believe them to be in public or private will all be revealed and all be known someday. In Al Davis's case we learned he did some good and we learned we had no idea of his good

actions. I have a funny feeling there are a lot of Al Davis/Terry Bradhsaw stories out there. I'm sure it was more than once or twice Al Davis secretly offered his help to someone just because he wanted to do some good in the world. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Ari Louis is a lifelong sports fan. He currently resides in Israel, and is co-founder of IsraelSportsRadio.com, Israel’s top Englishspeaking internet sports radio station.

ADL: 1,239 Anti-Semetic Incidents Reported Across the U.S. in 2010... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Assaults (Total 22 incidents reported, or 2 percent of the total): Illinois: Two suspicious packages, later determined to be explosive devices, were intercepted on cargo planes were addressed to Chicago-area Jewish institutions. The packages were thought to have originated in Yemen as part of a terror plot by Al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula. California: At a high school party in someone's home, one boy said to another, "you kike" and punched him in the face, breaking his jaw. New York: A man was approached by another man on the street who pushed him and yelled "Go Back to Aushwitz." Florida: On the day before Yom Kippur, a group of students said to a Jewish student, "Jews starve themselves because they hate G-d." The victim was struck six or seven times in the head and suffered a concussion. New Jersey: Two identifiably Jewish individuals were walking down a street when a pick-up truck drove past them and approximately five paintballs were fired

from the driver-side window. Vandalism (Total 317 incidents reported, or 25 percent of the total): Indiana: One campus saw a spate of incidents where a rock was thrown into the window of a Jewish facility, a menorah was vandalized, a display case in the Jewish studies department was smashed and several Hebrew-language texts (including some sacred texts) were stolen and were urinated on. California: Vandals spray painted antiSemitic graffiti on the wall of a Jewish institution's parking lot. Vandalism included a swastika with "88,"which is a commonly used number symbol meaning "Heil Hitler" Massachusetts: A 10th grade student found a swastika, "F--- the Jews" and "Hitler was right" written on a bathroom stall. Connecticut: Graffiti written on stone in Jewish section of a cemetery, stating "Damn right you kikes aren't gonna forget," with a swastika below the words. New York: Eight posts were defaced

with blue magic marker reading: "Down with Jews (3 times)…," "Down with the racist Jews, exterminate them all the world will be a cleaner place," and "Down with racist Jews." Harassment, Threats and Events (Total 900 incidents reported, or 73 percent of the total): Georgia: Someone posted "stupid Jewish bitch" on a teenager's social networking page. Florida: A cantor received a threatening phone call that said, "Be careful Hitler's behind you, and he's going to put an axe in your neck." Colorado: 3 Boulder Jewish communal organizations had their websites hacked and language including "Jews are terrorists. Child Organ Smugglers. F--- The Jews! and F--- Israel" was posted. New Jersey: A father and 12-year-old son, both identifiably Jewish, were walking to synagogue when a driver stopped and shouted anti-Semitic comments.

New York: Slips of paper with the words "kill Jews" were found scattered across New York City and Nassau County. California: Complainant received an anonymous letter at her work address that said "F--- you kike, too bad Hitler didn't finish the job." About the ADL Audit The Audit identifies both criminal and non-criminal acts of harassment and intimidation, including distribution of hate propaganda, threats and slurs. Compiled using official crime statistics, as well as information provided by victims, law enforcement officers and community leaders and evaluated by ADL's professional staff, the Audit provides an annual snapshot of a nationwide problem while identifying possible trends or changes in the types of activity reported. This information assists ADL in developing and enhancing its programs to counter and prevent the spread of anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry.

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The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

PAGE 39

Yiddish Sign Telling Women to Step Aside Removed By Parks... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 modesty, but Rabbi Levi Brackman begs to differ. In an article for Ynetnews, the Rabbi Brackman explains that the issue actually lies with a passage found in the Talmud which states, “There are three who must not pass between, nor may others pass between them, and they are: a dog, a palm tree and a woman” (Pesachim 111a). The Talmud

(Horiyot 13b) indicates that the reason a man should not walk between two women has to do with the superstition that it may impair the man’s ability to remember the Torah he learned. Various media outlets suggest that the sign were placed by a “hardline rabbinical group” who, according to ex-Hasid and

author Deborah Feldman, were likely attempting a crackdown on rebellious behavior by women. “This is standard practice in Hasidic communities all over…it’s a way or the community reminding people to stay in line, so to speak,” Feldman told the Daily News. Other sources note that similar signs can be

found in upstate Hasidic strongholds such as Kiryas Joel and New Square. They just don’t make the news as the sign from Williamsburg did. Perhaps it is because Williamsburg is now home to more than just Hasidim; the “isolated bubble” the neighborhood was in is no longer.

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PAGE 40

EDUCATION

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

ISRAEL SUPPORTERS TAKE ON ANTI-ZIONIST ACTIVISTS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY By Fern Sidman Tensions flared between dozens of proIsrael demonstrators and members of "Students for Justice in Palestine" on Sunday afternoon, October 16th outside of Columbia University on the third and final day of the 2011 National Students for Justice in Palestine "teach-in" organized by members to prepare for their upcoming Israel Apartheid Week events across college campuses throughout North America. olding aloft both Israeli and American flags and signs saying, "SJP Brings Stealth Jihad to Columbia University," "Stop Hamas Terror Against Jews and Christians," and "Occupy Columbia With Truth and Justice - Not Lies and Anti-Israel Incitement," the pro-Israel activists represented such organizations as Americans For a Safe Israel (AFSI), the National Conference of Jewish Affairs (NCJA), Amcha - Coalition for Jewish Concerns, and the Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam (HRCARI). Rancorous debates and raucous arguments broke out between the two sides as the Zionist contingent engaged the SJP members as they exited the university on the corner of 116th Street and Broadway. "Our conference is about advocating for human rights in Palestine. Our Palestinian brothers and sisters are being subjected to the most severe degree of oppression on a daily basis by the Israeli colonialists and occupiers and we are here to put forth our message that a Jewish

A scene from Sundayâ€™s proIsrael demonstration. In the middle (with the Star of David necklace) is Helen Freedman of AFSI state is a fundamentally racist concept as are the apartheid practices of that state", said Amina Fayyid, a SJP student organizer. According to the SJP web site, one of the objectives of the conference is to "facilitate and support the advancement of existing campaigns and the development of new campaigns with particular (but not exclusive) emphasis on Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) of Israel." Among the multifarious seminars and workshops taking place at the conference is one entitled, "Indigenous Struggles: situating Palestine as a settler-colonial project" which ostensibly explores "understanding Palestine within comparative settler colonial framework while seeking to re-align the Palestinian movement within a universal history of decolonization,

and imagining new possibilities for Palestinian resistance, solidarity and common struggle." Helen Freedman, executive director of Americans For A Safe Israel (AFSI), said, "Israel is the only stable democracy in the Middle East and these student activists know very well that Palestinians living in Israel have a much better lifestyle than they would in any other Arab country; yet their goal in organizing such a conference is perpetuate the myths, incessant lies and blatant distortions that they use in their quest to demonize Israel. What we are witnessing here today is nothing short of the most egregious form of anti-Semitism cloaked in the clever subterfuge of anti-Zionism." Taking aim at Columbia University for allowing their campus to be used for the conference, Glenn Richter, former chairman of the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry movement and the current director of Amcha -CJC said, "This university has a long and shameful tradition of anti-Semitic policies, dating back over 70 years ago when brave students protested against the pro-Nazi policies of the institution's heavy-handed president, Nicholas Murray Butler. Butler then had a leader of the protests expelled. Today we are here protesting against a different form of racist ideology, commonly known as Islamofascism." Calling the members of SJP, "IslamoFascists for An Arab-Only Palestine", the Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam issued a flyer declaring that the motivation for the conference was predicated on "bigotry, violence and genocide against the

Jewish people." Dr. Marvin Belsky, a retired New York City physician and spokesman for HRCARI said, "In Israel, Christians, Muslims and gays have full human rights, protection and dignity. Arabic and Hebrew are the official languages and Arabs who comprise over 1.2 million citizens serve in government, as well as assuming positions as judges, doctors, ambassadors and police and Israel remains a refuge for the world's oppressed from Asia to Africa." Larry Domnitch, a prolific author, academic and historian, said he came "to express my support for Israel in the face of so much misinformation that is being disseminated on this campus and others as well. In a few weeks will be the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration which expressed the inherent and historical right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel. 94 years later that right is still being contested." Julian Rappaport, one of the demonstrators engaging with passers-by at the university's gate, contended that the anti-Israel conference inside was not an expression of free speech, but "to give only one, incorrect side of the picture. Columbia has the responsibility to be more critical of what's going on." During a heated confrontation with an SJP member who called for "the complete obliteration of the racist Zionist entity", Mr, Rappaport was arrested by police for allegedly kicking the student and was charged with disorderly conduct. He was released soon thereafter and returned to the demonstration.

October 19, 2011

The Jewish Voice

PAGE 41

The Jewish Voice

October 19, 2011

TRAVEL

PAGE 43

Spotlight: Ashkelon

Ashkelon is the southernmost city on the Mediterranean shoreline. In recent years, its 12 kilometers of beautiful beaches have attracted both Israelis and foreign tourists. Ashkelon was named after an ancient city whose remains can be found on Tel Ashkelon in the Ashkelon National Park. The city is mentioned in the Bible several times. But the main stories connected to it are about Samson and the fact that Goliath the Philistine was “a man of Ashkelon.” The city has been inhabited throughout the ages, but has had its ups and downs. It has been settled

and abandoned, bloomed, prospered and then fallen. Its location on the coast has often made it an important port city. shkelon has become a tourist center, and offers new attractions alongside interesting archaeological sites. The city’s major attraction is the National Park south-west of the city, which includes the ancient Tel Ashkelon. The Tel (the Hebrew name for abandoned ruins that often appear as hillocks in the countryside) contains ancient remains, starting with the impressive city gate from the Canaanite Period

(about 4,000 years ago), a public building and many sculptures from the Roman Era (about 2,000 years ago), and up to the ruins of fortifications from the Crusader Period (about 1,000 years ago). The National Park extends about the Tel, and has spacious lawns and a public beach. The city’s remaining public beaches stretch out to the north of the National Park, with an abundance of holiday facilities and hotels. The seashore also has a Marina. Nearby there is a beautiful promenade, and the Ashkelona Water Park, offering families an attractive water experience. Ancient sites are dispersed throughout the city, including an Archaeological Park

with two magnificent coffins from the Roman Period (on Ha-Gefen Street in the Afridar neighborhood), the remains of two Byzantine churches (on Tsvi Segel Street in the Barne’a neighborhood), two splendid Roman graves and a Sheik’s grave from the Mamluk Period (next to the Marina). Buildings from the Arab city of Majdal have been preserved in the Migdal neighborhood, including the city’s big mosque and the Khan. Today, the Ashkelon Museum is located in the mosque, which houses an exhibition of the history of modern Ashkelon alongside archaeological findings, while the Khan houses artists’ studios.

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SPORTS

The Jewish Voice

Are you Jewish? (or Knowledgeable about Jewish Culture)

Crazy about sports? Enjoy writing? GOOD NEWS! The Jewish Voice is looking for volunteer reporters and columnists in all areas, including our Sports page! If youâ€™ve ever wanted to break into the exciting field of journalism, hereâ€™s your chance! Just send your cover letter and rĂŠsumĂŠ to dperez@jewishvoiceny.com with the word â€œVOLUNTEERâ€? in the subject line. Still in school and need an internship credit? We can help make that happen! The Jewish Voice: Your source for the very best in Jewish news and opinion!

October 19, 2011

Al Davis, a Tzadik? By Ari Louis When I heard Al Davis, the Jewish kid from Flatbush who grew up to become owner of the Oakland Raiders died on Shabbat/Yom Kippur I paused and reflected for a few moments. There is a Jewish tradition that states that tzadikim (saintly individuals) pass away on Shabbat, so I thought: â€œAl Davis, a tzadik? Al Davis died on the same day as (lâ€™havdil) Moshe Rabbeniu, David HaMelech, Rebbe Nachman? Now before I continue it's important to say if a Jew passes away on a day not on Shabbat it doesn't mean they are not a righteous person, G-d forbid, but the point I am trying to make is it is considered a zechut, a merit of sorts, to pass way on the Sabbath, all the more so the Sabbath of Sabbaths that is Yom Kippur. o what was so special about Al Davis to get this merit? Wasn't he secular? Wasn't he boastful, outlandish, and egotistical? Al Davis did everything in football; owner, coach, general manager and he even served as commissioner at one point. Didn't he do this out of ego and a desire for control? Davis was despised in Los Angeles for moving the team to the 2nd biggest market in America and then pulling them away (back to Oakland) as if someone gave a child a toy and then took it back. The Raiders were known as the rebels of the NFL, "the black hole" â€“ nickname given to the place where the Raiders played was known as playing host to low life fans. Bikers with tattoos, getting drunk and watching football did not seem like the most spiritual of endeavors, yet Davis was in charge of this fan base. His

It isnâ€™t easy being an NFL fan in Israel!NFL Exec Al Davis c 1970 motto "Just win, baby" did not sound so Torah-inspired. So again, what did Al Davis do that was meritorious? We are not G-d and we were not privileged to see all of Al Davis's actions, but we were able to see what people had to say about him after Mr. Davis passed away. On a television program called â€œNFL on Fox,â€? Howie Long, who used to play for Davis, had nothing but glowing words for his former boss. Jimmy Johnson, who used to coach against Davis's Raiders talked about how Davis and Johnson would stay up late discussing football, as the two were close friends. However, the most telling account of Davis' goodness

Continues on Page 38

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