Traditionally Israelis go out on Yom Haatzmaut and hit the trails, see the sights, bask largely in nature. The weather is beautiful today. 

We went out with friends to his on Gan Emek HaEla up to Shaaraim, an old archaeological site dated to King David and is thought to have been the location of one of his palaces... Because Israelis traditionally go out and hit the trails before having a bbq celebration, there is always lots of traffic on Yom Haatzmaut, and popular sites can fill up very quickly. We try to avoid the traffic by going out a little buit earlier, and doing things closer to home. Shaaraim is right outside Bet Shemesh, and you can even see RBS D from the archaeological site. We accomplished our goals and did not sit in traffic, had a lovely hike and saw some people, though it was not crowded when we were there.

Befitting the day, the trail marker for our tiyul was blue and white...

and on our way out to the tiyul, just as we were heading out of Bet Shemesh, we spotted an eagle doing the air force's regular Yom Haatzmaut and performing a flyover... The Air Force flyovers are canceled this year due to the situation with Iran, so the eagle made sure we did not miss out...

Happy Birthday Israel!

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

The revelation was actually that Elaitzur has decided to perform without his glasses so he wont have to see the female dancers in the performance. He is careful about "shmirat Einayim" - I would add as is common in Breslav as it is but many people not Breslav also are. Some people turned this into a scandal of sorts that he is disrespecting the ceremony or the event and the other performers, and how dare he.

I think it is a good thing. I am happy he found a way he could honor the event with his performance that was requested and still hold to his ideals. We get upset when people walk out of such events with female performers, we can't also get upset when they find a way to stay in and participate. So he wont be wearing glasses - big deal. People can think maybe he is wearing contact lenses or maybe people dont even notice - I wouldn't have as I did not know he needs t wear spectacles to see. Had I seen him singing and jumping around the stage without glasses I would not have even thought about it.

Good for Elaitzur for finding a solution. I saw a report that Rav Arush, his rav, was uncomfortable with him participating at all alongside female dancers and want it cancelled. I guess we'll see on Yom Haatzmaut what happens (I think it is being pre-recorded again like last year but not sure) and what was or will be decided, but good on Elaitzur for finding a way acceptable to him to make it happen. It makes me like him more, not less.

I dont know if this is CYA or a real concern, but considering the recent wildfires just last week that burned down thousands of dunam of forest and fields, along with forcing the evacuation of the residents of several towns, it is probably better safe than sorry.

My guess is that before Lag BaOmer we'll get similar announcements, as we do pretty much every year.

This year, as we approach Israel's 77th birthday, the numbers look like this:

Israel has finally crossed the 10 million mark with a official population of 10,094,000 (is it really such a round number?).

That 10+ million is made up of 20.9% Arabs (2,114,000), 2.5% foreign workers (248,000), and 77.6% Jews and non-Arab "others" (7,732,000).

In the past year the Israeli population has increased by 135,000 people. During the past year 174,000 new babies were born in Israel. 5% of Israelis are under the age of 10.

96% of Israelis are satisfied with their lives and with their relationships with family. 92% are in regular contact with friends, and 78% do not feel lonely on a regular basis. 

There are 15.8 million Jews in the world today. In 1939 there were 16.6 million, so we are on the cusp of getting back to that level. In 1939 3% of world Jewry was in Israel (Palestine at the time), and today we are at about 49.9% in Israel. In 1948 right before the State was founded there were 11.5 million Jews in the world with 6% in Israel.

but we are not counting.

kenaina hara. 

There is a lot of buzz online about this invitation, saying Shapiro is not worthy. People point to some of his harsh statements against gays and lesbians, and to his positions on transgender issues, and I think also to his anti-abortion stance and say he is divisive and should not be honored at the torch-lighting ceremony.

Nobody is the perfect candidate. Every person will have something wrong with him or her..be it a public position or stance they promote or a character flaw or whatever it may be. Ben Shapiro has been a strong supporter of Israel and has been a vocal supporter of Israel, especially throughout the war. Shapiro has used his massive platform to support Israel and has traveled around the world supporting Israel. Shapiro also has had the ear of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, at least at times recently if not always.

Shapiro is a great candidate for lighting the Torch of Diaspora Jewry, even if some of his personal position on other issues not related to Israel might be somewhat divisive or perhaps a better description is "disliked" by some. 

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

members of the security forces, some of whom had to have their faces covered to keep their identities secret, lit one of the torches of the Yom Haatzmaut ceremony

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------

The Satmar congregation in Kiryas Yoel discovered the the daily schedule of saying some chapters of Tehillim after the morning services would have them saying today, 5 Iyar Yom Haatzmaut, the chapters of Tehillim that make up the Hallel service - chapters 11-115.

So as not to God forbid be confused as if they might be saying Hallel on Yom Haatzmaut, the Rebbe has instructed them to change the chapters for the day and say some other chapters and then will replace these on another day..

This reminds me of the psak, or hanhaga, of Rav Chaim Kanievsky. that possibly originated by the Chazon Ish, that if he was invited to be a sandak at a bris on 5 Iyar he would specifically say tachanun, even though normally when a sandak is present in a minyan tachanun is skipped. He did this so nobody would suspect him of skipping tachanun because of Yom Haatzmaut.

Satmar's perspective in interesting. Some other people maybe have taken this as a sign from God perhaps that this is what is supposed to be said today. Either way it is highly ironic

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------