considering the end of the ceasefire last night with no new agreement, this video might have been a bit premature...

Normally the main complaint against the army, by the Haredi community, is that the IDF is not Jewish enough. The IDF is not a place for a good Jewish boy. It is too difficult to keep ones Jewish values and ideals, and level of observance, while in the IDF.

It seems a "more jewish" army isn't what is really wanted (at least by some).

The Peles newspaper wrote an angry editorial about the new rapprochement between the Haredi community and the IDF. It notes the emotional prayers in the yeshivot, the tremendous chessed by members of chessed organizations donating food and equipment to soldiers in the south, and especially noteworthy of Givati Commander Ofer Vinter - who gave an interview to haredi newspaper Mishpacha.

They especially don't like Vinter, whom they accuse of using his kippa and taking advantage of the atmosphere of war to grant an interview in the Haredi media and influence Haredi youth to enlist.

They attack the assistance given in tying green tzitzis to be sent to the front.

According to them it is all part of a plan to re-educate the haredi community.

read more details about it in Kikar.

Not Jewish enough, or too Jewish. Either way it seems to be no good.

This Beit Shemesh initiative is helping English speakers from around the country who are stressed, overwhelmed or simply seeking information relating to the war.

I'll be honest - I really don't understand what is going on by Gaza right now with Operation Protective Edge.

Not because I disagree with the decision, but I really don't understand.

A soldier was abducted/captured, a couple more killed, during a ceasefire, and rockets have been shot since. And Israel announced we are pulling out most of our troops.

Why? What did we accomplish? What about our missing soldier, even dead - are we just leaving him behind? If the missiles are still being shot at Israel, what have we accomplished? We went in to stop the missiles, but they haven't stopped. Even if we hurt their capabilities, it seems that the objective has not been reached, nor have the objectives that came up in the middle - like the tunnels and the terrorists.

I just don't understand what is happening. It does not make any sense to me.

Dermer has turned out to be a great spokesperson...

another war miracle:

as reported on the Radio Kol Hai program, by the people involved.

The article was already translated by JewishMom.com so I am just ripping it from there, instead of translating it myself..


when you eat your matza next Pesach, think about how the matza might just be bigger than just a piece of matza, and how thigns we do have effects on so many other things, even without us necessarily knowing about it

This commander of Givati, Ofer Vinter, who got criticized for his pre-battle letter to his soldiers in which he said they will be fighting God's battle and should say Shema Yisrael when going out to battle, is something special.

NRG excerpts part of an interview Vinter has given to Mishpacha magazine (I assume the Hebrew edition - you probably should go out and buy this week's edition to see the whole thing). As well, Ynet has some video talking to Vinter and more of his comments on the battle.

Vinter said that now, during this time of war, when the desire to join the armed forces is strong, now it must be stressed that what is really needed for the nation is that the yeshiva students should be learning Torah even more and with more force. It is the Torah that protects the nation of Israel more than anything else. Whoever can sit and learn - must do so now.

Vinter also describes how his forces have seen miracles in their battles. One story he relates is when they were fighting in Hirbat Hizaah, Vniter says he saw something he had not seen during his entire career in the army to date. Vinter describes that they had decided to attack the area in the week hours of the morning, before daybreak, so the enemy would not notice them. The extraction team arrived at the location on time, but the fighters arrived late. Vinter says they did not know what to do, as the sky was already starting to light up and the soldiers were becomign visible, yet they needed to attack. Suddenly, Vinter says, a cloud cover came over them and protected them. Clouds of glory (ananei kavod). Suddenly it covered us, the fighters, a heavy fog, that stayed there throughout the attack.Nobody saw us. Only after the houses targeted were destroyed and there was no longer any danger to the soldiers did the fog disperse. Exactly as it says "For Hashem will go with you to save you".

There is more on NRG, and I assume there will be more in the full interview in Mishpacha.

It is with the increasing number of people like Ofer Vinter in command positions in the Israeli army that they IDF will become not just Israeli but more Jewish in nature.

these are Bet Shemesh people!

Israel's tank battalion

This evening in RBS there will be a rally of solidarity with the soldiers who are out there on the front lines defending us.

The event will not be political. Everyone is invited.  Large attendance is important to show that all of Bet Shemesh is united in our hakarat hatov for the chayalim who are literally saving our lives on a daily basis..
Today, Wednesday, at 19.30 at the top of the Ayalon park in RBS.

Police permission has been obtained.

As an aside, prior to this, from 3pm (from 15:00 until 20:00), there will be a "fair" at the Matnas on Nahal Dolev to support businesses from the south. You can buy things directly from merchants who will be selling at the fair, and support the beleaguered businesses...

9 days music alert..

One of the problems with the tremendous outpouring of solidarity and support from the people of Israel for the soldiers down in and around Gaza is the kashrut of the food sent to the soldiers.

The IDF Rabbinate has decided that they have to figure out how to keep track of the food that is being sent to soldiers to ensure that it is kosher. To that end they have turned to kashrut supervisors from around the country to assist in keeping track of the food donations sent to soldiers in the south.

Specifically they ask the mashgichim to inform them about businesses that donate food for the soldiers. This information, what business is donating what food and if they are supervised by a kashrut organization, will help the mashgichim in the field better control what food is brought to the soldiers and ensure that the food brought is kosher.
source: Ladaat

While the IDF Rabbinate letter to mashgichim refers to food donated by businesses, restaurants and catering halls around the country, it seems to me that that is a relatively controllable situation. The more difficult part is the food sent by private people. How do soldiers know if the food they receive is kosher or not, and how can the mashgichim and IDF Rabbinate know?

this must be a major task on the Rabbanut...

and for the same price, here are the recent statements by PM Netanyahu, DM Yaalon and COS Benny Gantz