ARABS ADMIRE THE ISRAELI JUSTICE SYSTEM

In Israel no one is above the law.

 

"If Olmert were in Kuwait, his case would have been shelved and he would have received a senior position in government."Yasalam, Al-Aan."How many Arab leaders would be left if they went on trial of similar cases of bribery and corruption?" — Zuhear al-Karim, Arabic CNN.

 

"Law is above all and this is real democracy. Israel is the only real democracy in the Middle East." — Saad Sayad, Arabic CNN.

 

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4317/arabs-want-democracy-israel

ELDER OF ZION: The scenes that the media doesn't show you on "Nakba Day"

Commenter "Joe in Australia" has found some "Nakba Day" video from last year, at the exact same site as the Beitunia incident.

In this video we see more of what the press does during these demonstrations: They stand right next to the people throwing Molotov cocktails. Cheers erupt when one of the firebombs hits a Jeep.



Presumably, this is the sort of stuff that was happening around the corner, in the blind spot of thefamous CCTV video.

But just try to get the mainstream media to release this footage of them hanging around with their firebomb-throwing pals. No, they are looking for footage that appears to show Israeli police firing at people who are taking a break from the fighting.

You know CNN and AP and AFP have footage from this year that looks exactly like this - but they don't think it is newsworthy.

Just another example of how cameras can lie.

Keep in mind that essentially every cameraman in these situations is a Palestinian Arab stringer.

6 Days - 1 Journey: The Story of the Six Day War (Part 3)

6 Days - 1 Journey: The Story of the Six Day War (Part 2) Join Dr. Hagi Ben Artzi as he tells the story of the 2nd day of the 1967 war - the liberation of Binyamin, Samaria & the Jordan Valley.

Message to the Pope Jerusalem won't be split in two

Madrid - Spain Village Votes To Change Its 'Kill Jews' Name

Madrid - Voters in the tiny Spanish village of Castrillo Matajudios, whose name means “Camp Kill Jews,” overwhelmingly decided Sunday that it’s time to change the name their town has had for nearly four centuries.

Mayor Lorenzo Rodriguez said the vote was 29-19 in heavy turnout for the village with just 56 registered voters about 260 kilometers (160 miles) north of Madrid.

Documents show the town’s original name was Castrillo Motajudios, meaning “Jews’ Hill Camp.”

The “Kill Jews” part of the name dates from 1627, more than a century after a 1492 Spanish royal edict ordering Jews to become Catholics or flee the country. Those who remained faced the Spanish inquisition, with many burned at the stake.

Although Jews were killed in the area, researchers believe the town got its current name from Jewish residents who converted to Catholicism and wanted to reinforce their repudiation of Judaism to convince Spanish authorities of their loyalty, Rodriguez said.

Others suspect the change may have come from a slip of the pen.

Castrillo Matajudios wants to attract more tourists and townsfolk thought highlighting its Jewish past could help. Some residents are also embarrassed by the name.

Although no Jews live in the town today, Rodriguez said many residents have ancient Jewish roots and the town’s official shield includes the Star of David.

Spain’s government earlier this year apologized to Jews by offering citizenship to descendants of those who were forced to flee centuries ago.

Most voters who wanted a change want to revive the “Jews’ Hill Camp” name but a final decision won’t happen until a town hall meeting is held in June.

Leno, Netanyahu, At ‘Genesis Prize’ Awarded To Michael Bloomberg

Jerusalem - Feted by a veritable who’s who of Israeli society – including American comedian Jay Leno as MC and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu – billionaire philanthropist Michael Bloomberg was awarded the first Genesis Prize in Jerusalem Thursday night.

The prize, endowed by the Genesis Philanthropic Group, awards the world’s leading contributor to “Jewish values,” with respect to philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, preserving human rights and generally improving the world through innovation and compassion.

“The Genesis Award is being called the Jewish Nobel Prize,” quipped Leno, as Bloomberg and Netanyahu sat side by side a few rows away in the Jerusalem Theater. “That’s news to me – I thought the Nobel Prize was the Jewish prize. I mean, who else wins it?”

In another zinger, Leno asked, “Did you hear Ehud Olmert’s defense strategy? He said he blamed it all on the Jews… I was stunned by how many Israeli politicians have gone to prison. When you ask a former politician here what his cell number is, it takes on a whole new meaning.”

One of the biggest laughs of the night came when Leno took aim at US President Barack Obama, noting that he “describes America’s bond with Israel as unbreakable, because he’s been trying to break it for five years.”

In another jab against the US administration, Leno said that according to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the most popular name for a child in Israel is Noam. “The least popular?” he asked.

“John Kerry.”

After introducing his “Israeli pen pal” and “new best friend” Netanyahu, the prime minister took the stage to honor Bloomberg, whom he described as an “exceptional man.”

Eschewing hot-button political topics, Netanyahu focused on the enduring nature of Jewish tradition, values and thirst for knowledge and innovation, while drawing parallels to Bloomberg’s many accomplishments.

“We cherish our heritage, but are always seeking new things,” he said. “I think that’s what the State of Israel is about, and I think the world marvels at that… Michael has revolutionized an industry, opened vast quantities of information and placed one of the most challenging cities in the world on solid footing.”

Netanyahu continued, saying “Like Michael, we have taken giant risks and shown the world what chutzpah is… He is a man with the ability to identify solutions, and before that, the problem. Thank you for making this a better world.”

The former three-term New York City mayor said he would use the million- dollar prize to fund the “Genesis Generation Challenge,” an inaugural global competition to find the “next big idea and invest in it to ensure the next generation of Jews will be inspired.”

“This is a particularly meaningful award for me because it will hopefully help someone become inspired and make positive contributions to society,” he said. “My parents taught me about responsibility, hard work and caring for others, and this money will be used to support young people who give back to society.”

While contestants for the new prize do not have to be Jewish, Genesis Philanthropy Group President Wayne Firestone noted that the winning project must embody Jewish values, and contribute to areas including environmentalism, public health and other social entrepreneurial endeavors.

With respect to his Jewish identity, Bloomberg said that while he is “very proud of being a Jew,” he believes all religions must be respected equally.

“I’ve never believed that we should tell someone else what to believe, or how to pray,” he said. “Look, no one religion has a lock on great people or terrible people. The values I learned from my parents are probably the same values I hope Christians and Muslims and Hindus and Buddhists teach to their people.”

Bloomberg continued, saying “God put us on the earth to take care of others, and it’s important not to talk about it, but to do it.”

Applications for the prize will open August 1 and anyone between the ages of 20 to 36 is qualified to enter.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (C) and his partner Diana Taylor (R) look at Bloomberg’s tablet device as they and Prime Minister Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) listen to a speech of Genesis Group co-founded Mikhail Fridman (L) when Bloomberg is presented with the first Genesis Prize in Jerusalem, 22 May 2014. Bloomberg was presented the first ever Genesis Prize worth one million US dollars which he donated to the Genesis Prize Philanthropy to award 100,000 US dollars to each of ten recipients selected by the Genesis Group. (Credit: EPA)

US television comedian Jay Leno (L) speaks with Israeli former Chief Rabbi Meir Lau (R) before Leno hosts the Genesis Prize ceremony in Jerusalem, 22 May 2014. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was presented the first ever Genesis Prize worth one million US dollars which he donated to the Genesis Prize Philanthropy to award 100,000 US dollars to each of ten recipients selected by the Genesis Group. (Credit: EPA)

US television comedian Jay Leno hosts the first Genesis Prize ceremony in Jerusalem, 22 May 2014. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was presented the first ever Genesis Prize worth one million US dollars which he donated to the Genesis Prize Philanthropy to award 100,000 US dollars to each of ten recipients selected by the Genesis Group. (Credit: EPA)

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (L) with his partner Diana Taylor (2-L) as they listen to the speech given by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (unseen) in Jerusalem, 22 May 2014, when Bloomberg is awarded the first one-million dollar Genesis Prize. At right is Natan Sharansky, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel and (2-R) is Genesis co-founder Mikhail Fridman. Bloomberg was presented the first ever Genesis Prize worth one million US dollars which he donated to the Genesis Prize Philanthropy to award 100,000 US dollars to each of ten recipients selected by the Genesis Group. (Credit: EPA)

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (2-R) laughs with his partner Diana Taylor (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (3-L) with his wife Sarah, and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat (L), as they listen to US television comedian Jay Leno (unseen), who is hosting the Genesis Prize award evening in Jerusalem, 22 May 2014. Bloomberg was presented the first ever Genesis Prize worth one million US dollars which he donated to the Genesis Prize Philanthropy to award 100,000 US dollars to each of ten recipients selected by the Genesis Group. (Credit: EPA)

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks with the Genesis Prize on the podium during a ceremony in Jerusalem, 22 May 2014. Bloomberg was presented the first ever Genesis Prize worth one million US dollars which he donated to the Genesis Prize Philanthropy to award 100,000 US dollars to each of ten recipients selected by the Genesis Group. (Credit: EPA)

Parker Mantell Indiana University Commencement Speech

PM Netanyahu meets with comedian Jay Leno

How To: Sensitive Nichum Aveilim

Yael Hanover, who sat shiva for a child, advises the proper conduct when comforting a family who has lost a child.

By Yael Hanover


If you are going to be Menachem Avel a family who has lost a child, please consider the following, and trust me because I speak from experience having sat Shiva for my own child:

• If you are overcome by emotion and cannot stop crying, do not go. The family is dealing with their own emotions, they do not need to deal with yours as well.

• There is a reason there are posters printed with what to say on them. Say little or nothing else. If you are wondering if you ought to say anything in particular, do not. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT begin a statement with, "At least," "You need," "You should," or "Don't."

• Do not compare losses. If you have mourned a parent, spouse, sibling or friend, it is not the same. If you have lost a pregnancy, it is not the same. Your loss is valid and deserves respect, too. If you need to talk about it, someone else's Shiva is not the place.

• Do not bring your children. They can be a distraction or say things that while appropriate to their age, are not appropriate for the situation and could cause the family greater discomfort.

• Do respect the family's wishes and feelings. If they want privacy or to eat nothing but milkshakes or eat nothing at all, do not try to change their minds. Try asking what you can do to facilitate their requests.

• Do not question the circumstances of the child's death. Do not bring up preventability. The cause of death is absolutely irrelevant in light of the simple fact - He is gone, help them survive that by being sensitive.

We should know only simchas and good news between now and Geula, it should be immediately.

Yaakov Shwekey Sings During Interview

New "Apartheid?" Poster: Jerusalem Light Rail This photo has been floating around social media. So I added it to my viral poster series.

Rav Yaakov Adas: 'The Pope is Metamei' - Don't Look At Him

In a class lecture given by Israeli kabbalist Rabbi Yaakov Adas, Adas ruled that Jews should not look at the pope when he visits Israel this weekend because he is “metamei” – an impure person who causes others to be come impure, Yeshiva World reported.

A person who sees the pope should “quickly run and immerse in a mikva [ritual bath] to remove the impurity [that has now attached to him from seeing] this person who represents the avoda zara (idol worship), may God protect us,” Adas said.

In the name of millions of Jews around the world he does not represent, Adas also called on the pope to stay away from the Kotel (Western Wall), from King David’s purported tomb on Mount Zion, and from other Jewish holy sites.

“It’s not the man, nothing personal, but [it’s] what his position represents. This is a religion [Roman Catholicism] with a purpose of combating Judaism, [it is] a religion that spends millions [of dollars] on converting Jews…,” Adas said.

The Church hasn’t had a mission to convert Jews for decades and has no active missionary activities aimed at expressly at Jews – facts Adas appears to be unaware of.

Adas also told a story of being injured in a car accident as a child and hospitalized as a result.

His father allegedly arranged for him to have non-Jewish male nurses so women would not have to touch him and to minimize violations of Shabbat.

Adas claims that one of those male nurses tried to convert him to Christianity.

Like many haredi rabbis, Adas appears to unaware of the different branches and denominations of Christianity and views them as one unified entity – which they certainly are not.

Adas is Sefardi but has taken on many of the customs of Ashkenazi Jews.

His unusual style of praying and related behaviors that many outside observers believe strongly point to various mental health issues including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, have made him both a curiosity in and a favorite kabbalist of the Ashkenazi haredi community.

[Hat Tip: Seymour.]

Civil trial attorney Baruch C. Cohen reunites with alumni and former Chavrusahs (study partners) from the Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva, Rabbinical Seminary of America - at Striks-Palgon Vort, Valley Village, CA

RSA Alumni (L-R) Rabbi Avrohom Stulberger, Rosh Yeshiva Valley Torah Center, Rabbi Mordechai Palgon, Rosh Yeshiva Yeshiva Toras Chaim/Toras Emes Academy of Miami, Simcha Striks (Chosson),  Civil trial attorney Baruch C. Cohen, Yehuda Cohen, Junion Intern at NAI Capital


RSA Alumni (L-R) Rabbi Mordechai Palgon, Rosh Yeshiva Yeshiva Toras Chaim/Toras Emes Academy of Miami, Civil trial attorney Baruch C. Cohen, Rabbi Aryeh Striks, Rosh Yeshiva Valley Torah Center


RSA Alumni (L-R) Rabbi Mordechai Palgon, Rosh Yeshiva Yeshiva Toras Chaim/Toras Emes Academy of Miami, Civil trial attorney Baruch C. Cohen

"Protect You" Original Music Video

In a bomb shelter in Israel, a father in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reserves assures his daughter that he will keep her safe. But what happens after he puts on his IDF uniform? Watch "Protect You" to find out.

In an original music video brought to you by Orit "Settler Miley" Arfa of "Jews Can't Stop" fame, "Protect You" is a family-friendly production that can be used as an educational tool for children about the horrors of war and a fake peace. 

Lyrics/music: Orit Arfa and Sharon Arfa (sisters)
Father: Isaac Nagel
Daughter: Shyelle Nagel
Mother: Aviva Nagel
Artwork: Aliya Nagel
Musical arrangement: Mendy Portnoy
Music recording: Little Apple Studio
Video production/direction: Orit Arfa
Video editing: Maor Winetrob

LYRICS

Girl: 
Daddy, I keep having a bad dream 
It's dark outside and bad guys are chasing me 

Father:
Let me put my arms around you 
Protect you from harm they want to do 
Tomorrow I'll be gone for a little bit 
I'll fight so that we won't get hit

Girl:
I'll wait for you in this shelter

Father:
I'll keep my girl out of danger

Father, Girl:
Oh, when can we go back to our home, the life we know 
Stop our cries, who hears our plight?

CHORUS
Girl:
Make this go away now 
Daddy, find a way out 
I don't want them to hurt us 
I trust you to protect us

Daddy: 
My sweet, I will protect you 
So now I need to leave You
It's always for you that I fight
So you sleep sound tonight

VERSE II

Girl/Father Harmony:
I used to dream of a future bright
Can I go back to see the light?
The fear that you feel on this cold floor 
This shelter won't be home anymore 

I used to be scared when you'd leave
But now I know you're fighting just for me
I'm the one who hates to leave you 
But I'm the one who has to see this through

Oh, when can we go back to our home, the life we know
Stop our cries, who hears our plight?

CHORUS
Girl:
Make this go away now 
Daddy, find a way out
I don't want them to hurt us 
I trust you to protect us

Father: 
My sweet, I will protect you 
So now I need to leave you
It's always for you that I fight
So you sleep sound tonight

BRIDGE
Girl: For too long, I wanted this to end
Father: I'll be back soon, I just can't tell you when
So now I'll go, put on my uniform
And once and for all, you'll feel safe and warm

MUSICAL BREAK

VERSE III

Girl: 
Daddy, is the nightmare over?
You're back so soon, and it's just tomorrow

Daddy:
Let me put my arms around you 
Girl: Protect me from harm they want to do?

Daddy: Turns out I won't be gone for a little bit
They signed a deal. 

Girl:
So we won't get hit
Can we now leave this shelter?

Daddy
(whisper) I can't tell her we're still in danger

Daddy:
Oh, when can we go back to our home, the life we know
Stop our cries, who hears our plight?

Make this go away now 
Who will find a way out?
I know they want to hurt us 
God, who will protect us?

18 Israeli inventions that could save your life

As Israel marks its 66th year of statehood today, ISRAEL21c takes a look at 18 lifesaving innovations from the startup nation.

 

 

The Blizzard Baby Wrap.

Every day, ISRAEL21c reports on Israeli innovations that are making life easier and better across the globe, from medical and agricultural advances to social-action initiatives and high-tech wonders.
To celebrate the 66^th Israel Independence Day on May 6, we bring you 18 innovations from Israel specifically designed to save lives – some already on the market and some coming soon. In Hebrew, the number 18 corresponds to the word “chai” (“life”). We’re sure you will share our pride in Israeli ingenuity benefiting humankind everywhere.
1. The First Care Emergency Bandage (also known as the “Israeli bandage”), invented by an Israeli military medic, is used to stop bleeding from hemorrhagic wounds in trauma situations. Credited for saving the life of US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in a 2011 shooting, the bandage is widely used by military medics and civilian first-responders the world over.
2. A fatal car crash can happen in a split second. That’s why Jerusalem-based Mobileye technology for identifying and alerting to driving hazards is being built into virtually every new vehicle in the world. Mobileye is the largest private high-tech company in Israel and the world’s largest R&D center for artificial vision.

Preventing road deaths.

3. SensAheart  a product made by the Israeli diagnostic technology company Novamed, can be used at home and in the hospital to detect a heart attack coming on.

Sensing a heart attack in progress. Image via Shutterstock.com

4. Tel Aviv’s Cheetah Medical invented the NICOM non-invasive cardiac output monitor to prevent sepsis, a life-threatening blood infection that causes one in four hospital deaths and is one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States. Using a patented technology, the NICOM monitors hemodynamics – the movement of blood from the heart to the body’s organs – via four sensors and enables medical professionals to better diagnose and treat the patient.

Sepsis is a top killer in hospitals.

5. The adjustable, disposable Lubo Airway Collar by Inovytec is a novel airway management and cervical collar device for cases of severe trauma to the neck and spine. It is the first-ever non-invasive device that can open an airway by imitating a jaw-thrust maneuver while protecting the cervical spine en route to the hospital.
6. The Agilite Instant Harness, the world’s smallest Class II rappelling harness, saved the lives of South African miners trapped underground in 2013, The same Israeli company also makes the Injured Personnel Carrier, a novel hands-free device that allows one rescuer to carry an incapacitated person like a “human backpack.”

Agilite’s instant harness.

7. The Babysense breathing monitor by HiSense alerts parents of respiratory cessation (apnea) in babies. The Israeli breakthrough technology has helped protect more than 600,000 babies from crib death around the world, and has been copied by numerous other manufacturers.

Babysense slips under the crib mattress.

8. XSight Systems’ award-winning FODetect advanced runway sensors keep runways around the world safe from foreign object debris (FOD), birds and wildlife with a unique hybrid optical-radar remote-sensing technology. Direct damage to aircraft caused by FOD is estimated to cost the aviation industry some $4 billion each year. FOD-related damage caused the supersonic jetliner Concorde to crash in 2000, killing 113 people.

XSight for safer runways.

9. Hyginex makes a smart bracelet to be worn by every staff member in a hospital to make sure that all personnel wash their hands after contact with patients. Clean hands can practically eliminate most hospital-borne infections. Nurses, doctors and even candy-stripers know it, but Hyginex enforces it.

A reminder to wash hands after patient contact

10. When the iMayDay iPhone app senses that your car has been in a collision, it sets off an alarm and emails five pre-determined addresses (or generates up to 50 SMS messages) to inform emergency workers and/or loved ones about the accident. It works anywhere in the world. iMayDay App
11. PerSys Medical’s Blizzard Survival line of products, including blankets and jackets, leads the market in hypothermia care. The Blizzard Jacket was pivotal last March in the rescue of a mother and son by the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team in Wales. The lifesaving wraps withstand temperatures as low as -4 F/-20 C.

The Blizzard Baby Wrap.

12. Micromedic Technologies specializes in developing and commercializing novel and innovative cancer diagnostic kits enabling early intervention. The company’s portfolio spans cancer and cancer-related indications including colorectal cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer, and diagnostic tools for personalized treatment.
13. It started out as a rescue “spider” in 2005, and today the Israeli-made Skysaver is deployed to help evacuate skyscrapers in emergency situations. The device is worn like a backpack and includes a fire-resistant cord that can rappel rescued people to safety.
14. The NowForce smartphone app uses GPS crowd-sourcing tech to rally first-response teams quickly. NowForce was developed jointly with United Hatzalah, a Jerusalem-based non-profit that trains thousands of neighborhood volunteers to respond to emergencies on foot or ambucycle before ambulances arrive. United Hatzalah teaches its model of community-powered call centers throughout the world.
15. Wearable devices are becoming the rage for doing everything from counting calories to counting reps at the gym. The Oxitone watch is a wearable device that could save your life by measuring blood oxygen levels and alerting to a potential heart attack well before it happens. It’s expected on the market within a year.

Keeping watch on your heart.

16. Autotalks – maker of the world’s first automotive-grade chipset for series-production for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication – aims to keep drivers and passengers safer by allowing cars to exchange data. The technology analyzes data transmitted by the on-board processing units of nearby vehicles and warns drivers of any imminent danger. The Israeli company expects all car manufacturers will integrate its systems by 2015.

You’ll see these in cars by next year.

17. BiondVax has completed trials of its universal flu vaccine first developed at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Pending commercial agreements with governments around the world to continue development, the vaccine could be in the market within two years. Influenza can be deadly. Between 1976 and 2006, flu-associated deaths in the United States alone were estimated to be in the thousands, possibly as many as 49,000. The 1918 flu pandemic killed three to five percent of the world’s population at the time.

The Biondvax production room.

18. Wherever disaster strikes in the world – be it natural or manmade – Israel is always among the first to send medical and search-and-rescue teams and supplies, even when it lacks diplomatic relations with the country in crisis.
Governmental and non-governmental agencies (including Israel Flying Aid, IsraAID, Israeli Humanitarian Aid-Latet, Israel Trauma Coalition, ZAKA, Magen David Adom, Tevel B’Tzedek and many others) have been among those on the scene saving lives after disasters including:
The 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka; Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005; the 2007 earthquake in Peru; the 2008 cyclone in Myanmar; Philippines typhoons in 2009 and 2013; the Haiti earthquake in 2010 ; a 2010 hospital fire in Romania ; the Japan earthquake and tsunami and the Turkish earthquakes in 1999 and 2011 ; and Hurricane Sandy on the US East Coast in 2012.
Israel also set up a field hospital on its border to treat victims of the Syrian civil war, and continues to provide – without charge — lifesaving treatment of wounded Syrian civilians at its northern hospitals.

An Israeli mobile hospital in Haiti. Photo by Ambassador Daniel Saada.