Category: Frontlines

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[WATCH] Newest Jewish Owned Store in Jerusalem Brings Israel to the Foot of the Temple Mount

In a short and poignant ceremony David Wiseman, spoke about his connection to the Land of Israel the desire to make a real difference in Israel’s struggle to build in Jerusalem that led him to buy a small storefront steps from the Temple Mount.  With a small group of activists on hand, including Rav Aviner and City Council Member and head of the Israel Land Fund, Aryeh King, the storefront felt alive.

“Everyone is supposed to own a piece of Israel,” Wiseman said. “So I decided to buy this small place to make a real difference here.”

The strategic importance of the storefront, while small in size is vital as it provides a Jewish presence on a major thoroughfare to the Kotel and the Temple Mount.  The South side of Shalshelet Street known as the “Arab Shuk” was traditionally Jewish.  Most of the stores while currently occupied by Arabs had been fully owned and operated by Jews until the final expulsion by Jordanian forces in 1948.  The reclamation of this area and return of these properties to Jewish hands is part of a larger struggle to ensure a Jewish Jerusalem. Although Wiseman bought the storefront from a Jewish educational institute, it had been previously unused due to the location.

Rabbi Ben packer of the Heritage House, who has been an integral part in preparing the property for use said the following:

“Today at the dedication of another Jewish store in the “arab shuk” of the Old City we strengthened the Jewish Presence both physically and spiritually. This is the correct formula for total victory, may it come soon.”

The Heritage House has been increasing its role in the past two years by providing young Land of Israel activists a platform to help secure and renovate returned Jewish property in Jerusalem and Hebron.

Watch the event below:

David Wiseman leads a group including Rav Aviner and Aryeh King to his store, just steps from the Temple Mount.

 

David Wiseman, owner of the store with Rav Aviner

 

Gershon, the manager of the new store next to Rabbi Ben Packer of the Heritage House.
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Hebron: Connecting to Our Roots

Today is called Yom Hevron (Hebron Day). It is the day where the Nation of Israel through one Rabbi, Rav Goren conquered an entire city during the Six Day War.  Hebron is the burial place of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs as well Ruth, Yishai, and many more ancient graves. It is our roots, our past, and the foundation for our future Kingdom. More than anything it is the testament that this Land is ours. The Cave of the Patriarchs is the oldest Jewish building stills standing dating back nearly 2000 years, built by Herod as a monument over the ancient cave where Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah are buried.

Hebron is a city of conflict.  It is a place where we the Jewish people have struggled, fought, lost, and now have returned.

Our roots are our source of strength and faith. These roots are what gives us our ability to push forward even at times where we have no strength.

When the 12 Spies entered the Land under the orders of Moses, Joshua and Caleb understood that they would be on their own. Joshua was given an extra letter to his name to strengthen him, yet Caleb had no extra protection.  He split off from the group and the midrash says he went to Hebron, to the Cave of the Patriarchs and laid upon their graves.  This gave him the faith and trust in his true purpose to not fall into the sin of the spies.  Caleb merited to inherit Hebron upon his entering into the Land years later.

We as a nation have come home.  The source of our amazing and miraculous return is the roots that dig deep into the Land.  When Abraham bought the Cave where he buried Sarah and where he himself would be buried, he understood that its acquisition is for perpetuity.  This is the strength of Hebron and this is why the war over it is fought so strongly by our enemies. Without Hebron there is no past and therefore no future, even in Jerusalem.

Over 15 years ago when I first went to Hebron, I was nearly gunned down. Most people would have never returned, yet I was drawn to the struggle, to be close to my ancestors. I returned over and over again and my family and I eventually made our home just South of the city. There has been both joy and pain over the years, but Hebron has been our divine motivation to hold on and build our path to Redemption.

I thank the Almighty for the merit to have returned to the place where my ancestors began their journey to connect with the Divine and where King David began his rule.

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Bibi Netanyahu: “The People of Israel have Returned home to their Land”

Prime Minister Netanyahu said the following at Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva in commemoration of Yom Yerushalyim (Jerusalem Day):

“I have a deep obligation to continue to maintain a united Jerusalem, to protect the Western Wall, the Temple Mount and all the holy sites of Israel. Jerusalem will not return to being Aelia Capitolina, and Jerusalem will not go back to being a divided city like it was after 1948,” Netanyahu said.

“I hear people describe what happened to us [in the Six Day War] as a disaster. But that was our salvation, that was our redemption. We all felt that way then and I feel the same way today.”

“Is there anybody who wants us to go back in time? What would we go back to? A divided city? With ISIS on the Temple Mount? The northern branch of the Islamic Movement was there (in Jerusalem), have you heard of them? We outlawed them. They warned us not do it but we outlawed them anyway and nothing bad has happened.”

“They want us to turn this small square kilometer into what we see in Palmyra or Aleppo or Mosul, and that’s what will happen [if we divide Jerusalem]. Only under Israeli sovereignty is there freedom for all religions, and we will not give up the Temple Mount or the Western Wall and will not divide the city.”

“This fundamental truth stands before my eyes when I stand firmly and resolutely against elements in the world who seek to deny our sovereignty in Jerusalem and seek to return us to indefensible borders, and I never forget where we came from and where we are headed, and I am not talking only about Jerusalem, but about our entire homeland, the Land of Israel.”

“I say to the world – the people of Israel have returned home to their land. We are clinging to our land and our capital Jerusalem, we will deepen our roots and continue to send branches upwards…There is no existence for the Jewish people without the State of Israel in the Land of Israel and this is what I am entrusted with as Prime Minister, and with the help of God and with your help I do not forget that even for a fraction of a second,” said Netanyahu.

“The world of Torah is flourishing and the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva is one of the flagships that lead it proudly. We will continue to strengthen the capital of Israel, and add a measure of beauty and depth to strengthen its soul. Happy holiday to you my friends, and blessings from Zion to the lovers of Jerusalem in Israel and abroad.”

(Translation by Arutz 7)
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Emergency Knesset Committee on BDS Activity in Ben-Gurion University

Today (Wednesday), the Knesset Education Committee convened an emergency session to discuss the concern that Ben-Gurion University is promoting the BDS movement.

The committee was initiated by MKs Bezalel Smotrich (Jewish Home), Anat Berko (Likud) and Oded Forer (Yisrael Beiteinu) following the University’s recent promotion of a controversial workshop run by far-Left NGOs and sponsored by the European Union, which taught students how to effectively film protests.

Ben-Gurion University has come under fire in the past for its affiliation with anti-Zionism and BDS. In 2011, Israel’s Council for Higher Education recommended shutting down the University’s Department of Politics and Government unless changes were implemented.

Education Committee Chairman MK Yaakov Margi (Shas) said: “It is outrageous that such a phenomenon is occurring within Israel. We need to deal with whoever is promoting it.”

MK Bezalel Smotrich added: “You cannot talk about freedom of expression when [the professors] are signing in their name and in the name of the University on petitions against the State of Israel.”

“You cannot invoke freedom of expression on the one hand and protect the professors, yet not allow a member of the Board of Governors to express his opinion,” said Smotrich referring to an alleged attempt of the University to kick out a member of its Board of Governors who spoke out against this issue.

Ben-Gurion University President Rivka Carmi was also present at the discussion and rebuffed the claims that the University is involved in promoting BDS.

“The University is spearheading the battle against BDS,” said Carmi. “Again and again empty allegations arise [against the University]. The organizers of this discussion will not frighten us.”

Carmi also rejected the accusation that the University was trying to silence a member of its Board of Governors: “It has been said that we are silencing Michael Gross. We have listened to all of his comments. Michael Gross called me personally a ‘Kapo,’ and that’s the way he treats the University.”

Ahead of the discussion, the Zionist organization Im Tirtzu distributed reports citing a number of what it referred to as “anti-Israel” statements from Ben-Gurion University faculty, including public calls to boycott Israel.

“It is impossible to deny the involvement of Ben-Gurion University and its faculty in the delegitimization of Israel and IDF soldiers, and in the promotion of boycotts and international pressure against Israel,” said Im Tirtzu CEO Matan Peleg.

Peleg called on Carmi to “take responsibility” and immediately deal with this issue.

MK Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) shot back at Peleg, calling Im Tirtzu a group of “hooligans.”

“You have been pestering the Knesset for a long time now. Everyone works for you. You are engaging in a witch hunt,” said Zandberg.

At the conclusion of the session, Education Committee Chairman Margi remarked that he was pleased that the discussion convened. “Whoever calls to harm Israel, we must fight against them,” concluded Margi.

 

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Manchester, Trump, and the Lies of Abbas

On December 1, 2001, two suicide bombers detonated themselves on Ben Yehuda Street, followed by a car bomb set to go off as paramedics arrived. There was mayhem and fear.Thirteen people were killed, including a number of soldiers out of uniform, and 188 were injured. I was 23 then and had been learning in Yeshiva for close to six months.  That night my friends and I decided to finally get out of Yeshiva and do to downtown Jerusalem.  We were sitting in a nearby cafe when the blasts went off. Our hearts were pounding.  We had friends up in the area of the bomb blasts and did not know their condition.  As we waiting inside the cafe, the owner’s boy came inside in a state of shock.  He was holding a bag and inside was an organ from one of the bomb blast victims or even the bomber.  Someone quickly ran to get Zaka to ensure the body part was properly taken care of.  The suicide bombers and the car were packed with nails. One of our friends from yeshiva was hit and spent the next days in the hospital until he recovered.

This was not the first time I had experienced “Palestinian” terror.  Months earlier I was shot at while spending Shabbat in Hebron.  My group and I ran down the street as groups of Palestinian Authority funded terror gangs opened fire on all of us.

In those days Arafat was in control and he had made a direct covenant with Hamas to fight Israel. It was Arafat who came up with the idea of the suicide bomber who would decimate countless innocents with nail bombs. This was his gift to the world.  Suicide bombers with nail bombs.  This was the weapon of choice used to kill at least 22 people in Manchester.  Arafat’s deputy is the very same Mahmoud Abbas who President Trump claims is serious about peace.  The problem with this is that Abbas knew, funded, and supported the suicide attacks on Israel.  In fact it his Fatah who killed many people in last year’s spate of stabbing and car ramming attacks, including our first grader’s rabbi and son, our daughter’s friend, and father to her schoolmate.

For the President to condemn the Manchester attack as undertaken by “evil losers” while standing next to Mahmoud Abbas, a man responsible for the murder of thousands, including the 1976 Israeli Olympic Wrestling team as well as those murderous attacks on innocent Jews throughout Israel that continue today is nothing sort of hypocritical.

I believe Donald Trump is serious about peace, but if he truly want to move it forward the arch terrorist and Holocaust denying dictator of the PA should be the first person he boots if not arrests. By displaying Abbas as a pedestal of peace, President Trump will only encourage more attacks like the terror attack in Manchester. In fact as long as Abbas is not taken to task for his crimes, there is little hope for peace.

The choice is President Trump’s.  He can stop worrying about his image or grandstanding and either decide to stay out of the region or engage it with a bit more humility. After all, it is not the lives of his family or friends that will suffer for misguided policies and peace overtures that keep repeating themselves. Rather it is my family and friends that will ultimately be burdened by his ill fated attempt to make peace in a region whose parties have never been held accountable for their past actions.