Here are the next 2 parts of the Foxnews video "Escape from Hamas"..

Part 3:


Part 4:

Operation Cast Lead is clearly being run and managed supremely better than the Second Lebanon War.

While it is difficult to say we won or lost that war, it clearly was poorly managed, no clear gains came out of it, and we lost any deterrence factor we were holding at the time.

The IDF has implemented many organizational lessons learned from the failures of the Lebanon war.

The big difference, I think is just who is running it. In the Second Lebanon War, the war was run by three people who were not right for the job - PM Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz (he of the backwards binoculars), and Chief of Staff Dan Halutz (who was an Air Force brat and did not trust the ground troops or understand them).

This war is being managed by army masterminds. The two main players are DM Ehud Barak and Chief of Staff Gaby Ashkenazy. While I think Barak would make a horrible Prime Minister, he knows the army and he knows army strategy. Ashkenazy is a real pro.

These two people are the main difference between the failures of Lebanon and the successes of Gaza. Yes, anything can happen in the future and we can stay too long, get bogged down, Hamas can come up with some small "victory" to wave in our faces and try to demoralize us with, but right now we are dealing them a heavy blow and not making any of the mistakes made in Lebanon. Hopefully it will stay that way, and the future will not put a question mark on the war, and we will pound the bejeebees out of them until it is time to get out with our objectives accomplished.

So here is a shout out to Ehud Barak and Gaby Ashkenazy for making the difference.

(HatTip: Chana)

I found this video series on an up and coming Hamas leader who "escaped from hamas".

Here is part 1 and 2. I will add more later.

Part 1:


Part 2:


I found it thanks to yitzer's twitter page.

Al Jazeera picked the wrong guy to interview...



(HatTip: Daf Neighbor)

Hamas vowed to "fight until the last breath,"

----CNN

I must say, we are happy to oblige. We will fight you until your last breath as well. Hopefully you will breathe that last breath soon.
We have had enough of your rocket attacks. Now you pay the price.

The following signs have been distributed around the various shuls in RBS.

The initiative is an attempt to bring together what some might call a splintered community.

I spoke to the organizer of the initiative, and he agreed to be "interviewed" and answered a few questions about the program.

1. Why this initiative?
A: The purpose is to open the doors of communication and increase the interactive between various kehillos. What ties us together as a community is much, much stronger than what divides us. All too often we focus on the 10% division, instead of the 90% similarity. This similarity is focused on the aspects of Torah and Avodas Hashem, not on political affiliation, social interests, or personal agendas. By building a stronger Ramat Beit Shemesh, by cooperating in growing in torah and mitzvos, we will create a Kiddush Hashem and a model for all of klal yisroel.

2. How did you get this range of rabbonim to agree to sit together, which is unprecedented in RBS? Unless of course they will be there at different times and not really sitting together...
A: Each Rav was approached personally, one by one. The mission as mentioned above was laid out to each one. Concerns were discussed, and addressed, and eventually all the listed Rabbeim agreed to participate, SO LONG as the event and future programs were focused on torah, shiurim, etc. and not politics or social agendas.

3. Who is behind this - a private person/people, political or clerical?
A: Private

4. why now - what is different now than the past 10 years of RBS history in which nothing like this has taken place and the communities have not been so together?
A: The initial impetus grew from the great conflict and tension which evolved from the elections last month. It was a clearly dividing event, reflective of the 10% division mentioned above, not the true 90% similarities. Secondly, RBS A has "matured" to many large, established kehillos that by-and-large, work independently of each other. The time has come to bring the strengths of these kehillos and rabbeim together. Finally, with the growing dangers of the Gaza war and its repercussions, this initiative has taken on more significance now.

5. why are the initiators of this remaining anonymous?
A: No particular shul or group is taking responsibility for this initiative - it is a community endeavor, backed by all the Rabbonim and kehillos.

Final note - this Melava Malka is simply the launch, the kick-off. The hope is that the programs (which will be explained in detail on Motzei Shabbos) will gain momentum and establish a new working-norm in RBS A; this event is not a one-time anomaly.

Today marks the third anniversary of the day Ariel Sharon was brought down by a massive stroke. Sharon still remains in his coma.

"In his honor", today Israel has returned to Gaza and specifically to the former Gush Katif settlements of Netzarim, Eli Sinai and Dugit. More Gush Katif settlements will be reconquered over the course of the next few days.

Whoever really believed the disengagement would solve any of our problems and that we would not have to return to Gaza was clearly smoking something serious.

This one is aptly called "The We Can't Stop Twittering/Blogging/Reading/Worrying/Watching/What's Going On in Israel Right Now Edition...."

At the same time, this si a good opportunity to remind you that Jameel and his crew is live blogging the war with updates more frequently than you can find on any news site.

Also, Jack has been posting roundups of Gaza War related posts. His latest is version 7.5, and I am sure he will have 8 up soon.

This is the latest pashkevil to be found in RBS B. People are continuing to say that they will no longer allow the hooligans to act like they run the city and decide who can walk where, when and how.


If the police and the mayor will not stand up to them, at least the neighbors and the neighboring community most affected by them are standing up to them.

In the words of one of the local people in the group who will no longer "take it", this is what happened on Friday night"

Friday night was interesting. There were about 100-150 of us out on Herzog opposite Friedman's apt building. Mostly it was teens mobilized to take some action to stand up to the brutes. There were many adults, mishmar ezrachi, and undercover cops. Oh and several dogs. (The chareidim are scared of dogs.) We also had some adult couples walking up and down through Bet. Needless to say things were quiet as the terrorists are basically cowards and would never confront such a large group.

At one point Moshe Friedman showed up with a couple of guys. One person approached him. Friedman was shocked that all these people were there.The guy basically told him that this was all his fault. If they would just leave us alone things would go back to normal. If not, this very well could become the de-facto hang out spot for the local teens.

A Message about the War from Lemaan Achai

Day 6 of the War in the South,
Bet Shemesh, Israel.
------

* "Dad, What's a Killer-meter?" *

Here in Israel, innocent sounding measurements of distance, have turned into death threats.

One killermeter (km) is the distance/range from a Hamas Sniper in the Gaza strip, firing at the Israeli farmer working in the fields of Kibbutz Nahal Oz.

2 km is from the Hamas mortars ("Patzmarim") to Israeli families in the town of Sderot (time of flight/warning to take cover: 15 seconds).

8 km is from the Hamas rocket launchers ("Kassamim") to the 110,000 battered residents of the City of Ashkelon

20 km is from the Hamas missile launchers ("Ketushas") to the Town of Kiryat Malachi

40km is from the Hamas enhanced missiles ("Gradim") to the bunkered-down towns of Ashdod, Beersheba and Kiryat Gat (one minute warning, to take cover or be blown up)

44km is where a "Grad' Missile has to reach, to hit my home, the kids' school, our shul - to hit me at this desk, here in Bet Shemesh.

My home is located a half-liter of rocket-fuel away from the bombed out sites throughout the South of Israel.

It puts our community in the position of being close enough to be fearful that "we're next", while giving us the tremendous opportunity to bring help to our brothers and sisters now under missile-fire, who are living in bomb shelters, or risking their very lives to go out to get a bottle of milk....just a five minute drive from us.

The Bet Shemesh community has therefore now initiated a grass-roots "War Relief Program" to:

a. bring practical immediate help to those who need it;
b. to bring those families who need to leave the war zone, to take refuge in Bet Shemesh; and
c. to prepare for the "we're next" scenario.

This program is in partnership with the Bet Shemesh Municipality, various well-established non-profit organizations, such as Lema'an Achai, Amutat Kehilla, Shaalei Torah, Ezrat Achim, Bat Ami, and many many good hearted individual volunteers, who are putting their own lives on-hold, to help our fellows in danger and distress.

This is the same cross-community team who joined together during the 2nd Lebanon War in 2007, in an amazing & unique program which hosted over 1000 Refugees from the North of Israel for 30 Days, in Bet Shemesh schools, community centers, sports halls and in private homes. Dubbed "City of Refuge", that program was highlighted in the Ben Gurion University Non-Profit Sector Report, for special accolade, and was awarded the Bet Shemesh Mayor's Prize for 2007/8.

The programs now being delivered include:

1. Delivering practical objects to families in bomb shelters: mattresses, blanket, food, heaters, TV's & Radios, toys, books...
2. Helping families & institutions in Bet Shemesh to host families from the South (eg. extra food, for extra mouths).
3. Educational & emotional relief programs for the kids (schools throughout the South of Israel are now closed down by law).
4. Crafts & Trades Fair: a nationally publicised event, for small businesses which have been closed down due to the war, to exhibit and sell their wares and services.

In preparation, is a large scale "City of Refuge" program, with the initial objective of Bet Shemesh again hosting 1000 refugees, should this be needed.
And, G-d forbid, preparations for the unthinkable situation that we in Bet Shemesh will turn from being helpers, to ourselves being victims of missile attack.

All Bet Shemesh "War Relief" programs are being funded via an exclusive fund established for this purpose, "The War Relief Fund", under the management of Lema'an Achai.

This follows the model Lema'an Achai successfully developed for both the 2nd Lebanon War "City of Refuge" program, and for the 2006-8 Gush Katif Evacuees Relief Fund - probably the two most successful Emergency Relief programs in Israel's recent history.

* What Can I Do To Help? *

Lema'an Achai is a community organization, without big-time fundraising budgets. The cheapest, fastest and most effective way for us to raise the money we need right now and for the duration of this war, is for you to send this email on (only! please do not spam!) to your friends and relatives, your community/shul list, and other individuals and organizations who may be willing to donate & support this zero-waste, grass-roots, immediate, practical War Relief program.

And (most important!) please add you own personal recommendations and verification (ie. "this is For Real!") at the very top of the email.

Online Donations: www.israelwar.org
USA Tax Deductible: "US Friends of Lema'an Achai", PO Box 532, Oceanside, NY 11572-0532, USA.
UK Tax Deductible: "British Friends of Lema'an Achai", c/o Nava Kestenbaum, 96 Rigby Street, Salford, Manchester, M7 4BQ, ENGLAND.
Canadian Tax Deductible: "Shaarei Tefilla Charity Fund", C/O Murray Shore, 31 Marvill Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 3L2, CANADA.
Israel Tax Deductible: "Lema'an Achai", The Lema'an Achai Center, 40/7 Nahal Lachish, Ramat Bet Shemesh, 99093, Israel.
By Phone 24/6 Donations Hotline (Hebrew): 02 99.999.33

* What Else Can I Do? *

For local residents to volunteer their time, their hospitality or to offer objects for families in the South, please call the Hotline: 02 9999822 (Ezrat Achim)

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact me directly.

Besorot tovot - we should hear good news.
David & Avrohom
Bet Shemesh - 45 Killer-Meters from Hamas

SMALL PRINT: In the happy event that the war finishes, and any funds remain, they will solely be used for helping families in need.

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

Considerign the increasing distance Hamas has been successfully hitting with missiles, these are the latest distance maps from the Pikud HaOref (Home Front Command)

Since the violent incident in Bet Shemesh on a Friday night a few weeks ago, many have asked what the police and the new mayor are doing to curtail the spread and increase of such incidents. The answer given has been, from the police, that they are investigating. From the mayors office we have heard that they will not tolerate violence and there must be talks between groups and he is checking out the situation. blah blah blah.

I was wondering how long it takes to investigate an incident that everyone in Bet Shemesh, and many elsewhere, know exactly who perpetrated. It has started to seem like the police and the mayor have simply just been trying to push people off as a way of buying time hoping everyone would forget as the flames die down, and just hope no more incidents happen to re-enflame the situation.

I personally am a big fan of the Sam Malone method to problem solving (i.e. If you ignore a problem long enough, it will go away). but I am not the mayor of a city.

The following update appeared yesterday on the Bet Shemesh email list:

I have been informed that the police chief has notified people in our community that:

1. he does not plan on having an increased police presence at the Hayarden location to protect the people who will undoubtedly show up
2. he actually plans on arresting anyone from our community who shows up to that location on Friday night as "instigators".
   

It is therefore clear to me that the police in no way intend to help protect the citizens of Bet Shemesh from continued violent attacks by those elements of the chareidi neighborhoods who are the true instigators of the confrontations and the violence.

I asked someone about it and he told me that Oz Eliasi, the head of the Bet Shemesh police, called in a number of activists in Sheinfeld and Aviv for a meeting.

Eliasi told them that the police will not protect them. Moreover, Eliasi told them that if anyone from Sheinfeld tries to protect their children from the kannoim, they will arrest them!

There are basically two possibilities as to what happened - either the police have been threatened by the rabbonim of the kannoim (mainly Rav Rosenberger and Rav Kopshitz), and the police, as usual prefer to not stand up to the threats of rioting and violence. Or, and this might be even worse, the mayor himself told the police to back down.

So, because the police are afraid of the hooligans, now the victims are under threat of arrest if they dare to protect themselves. Looks like when Abutbol said he wants to give the city back to the residents, and to let the residents win, he meant only a few residents who threaten violence.

This guy was spotted schnorring in shul with a wireless credit card machine for ultimate schnorring!

After the apple packing plant, we decided to head north, after much debate, and go to the Mt. Hermon to see the snow. We knew the ski site is still closed, as not enough snow has fallen yet, but we wanted to go anyway.

As we were getting hungry, we decided to eat lunch at a restaurant we had found the card from (the various sites and attractions all advertise themselves with series of cards placed in the hotels and at various other sites) that said it was mehadrin and happened to be pretty close to where we were.

As we were driving to the restaurant, we were surprised to the following...

Had we made a wrong turn and ended up in Gush Katif?

It turns out this restaurant is owned by someone who was evicted from Kfar Darom in Gush Katif. He and a few others from his community have made their new home in the Golan, in a moshav called Avnei Eitan, and he opened a restaurant. He decorated the restaurant with memorabilia from Gush Katif, such as the street signs above and other items recalling the days of Gush Katif.

The food was absolutely amazing. We could not ask for a better restaurant to find in the middle of nowhere!

After lunch, we still decided to continue northwards to the Hermon. The road is pretty direct. Up until a certain point. As the road goes through a couple of Druze villages, it starts to get very narrow and full of potholes. And there are very few signs, with a number of turns in the road.


We ended up driving on the continuation of the road through someone's fields, until we got to the following barrier at the top. Yes, we had gone slightly too far east and ended up at the border with Syria! The funny thing was that on the way up this narrow road, we had passed two army jeeps, and a UN jeep. None of them stopped us to ask where we were going, especially since there was nowhere to go!


We turned around and maneuvered our way through the narrow roads to find the narrow turn we had originally missed, and continued on our way.

Finally, we arrived at the Hermon. The sign says no entry after 15:30, and it was already 15:50. And this is still lower down on the Hermon, We still had to make our way up to the higher section to see the snow.

Good thing there is not enough snow, so the whole site is closed. Nobody was manning any gates, so we drove right through to the top. Despite all the other cars that were only driving in the opposite direction - leaving the Hermon, we continued upwards to the snow. We had gone this far, we were not turning back until someone told us to!

At the top, we saw the snow. It was not really that much, and it was mostly frozen over already. We then decided to drive into the site itself, and not just stay in the parking lot. We went a bit further in, and saw the mountainside covered with a light layer of snow.


After that, we headed back down to Tiberias, maneuvering again through the back roads of the Druze villages, to Tiberias for dinner and then collapsing in bed after a long day.

Wednesday only gave us half a day or so to tour before we would have to start heading home..

We decided to go for a drive through some of the southern Golan communities, including Nov, Hispin and Avnei Eitan. Then we went to a village called Natur to see the studio of an artist who works with glass. She makes some beautiful things there, and we got to watch her work for a bit, She was very interesting, and she told us that she and her husband just moved to the Golan a few months ago from central Israel. She described, while she worked with the glass, what it is like to make such a drastic change...

As we left Natur, we found the site of an ancient synagogue behind Natur that was once covered by an Arab village. Now both are in ruins, and the synagogue is being recovered by the antiquities authority. The synagogue is n a site called Um al Kanatir.

Due to the size of this post, I have split it into 2 parts...

I had some vouchers from work for a vacation stay in a hotel. I received the vouchers as a bonus for my part in a successful (large and very important) project I was part of. A year and a half ago.

Due to our procrastination, and having 7 children that make scheduling vacations without them extremely difficult, we had not found the time to use the vouchers. Finally, as they were about to expire on December 31, we used them for the last 2 nights before the expiry. It was down to the wire, with us either throwing them away or going away, and we just made it.

Thanks to my mother in law who stayed with our kids and managed them better than us for a couple of days so we could go... we were actually able to work it out...

So here goes the post about touring the Golan Heights in the winter...

We decided to go north, because everybody else goes to either the Dead Sea or Eilat at this time of year. The Golan is always beautiful, summer or winter, and having it practically to ourselves held its own attraction.... So the Golan it was.

We stayed in the Kinar Classic hotel, which is a mehadrin hotel on the north-eastern shore of the Kinneret, which is the foothold of the Golan Heights.

The problem is really what to do in the Golan in the winter. During the summer season it is pretty much a no-brainer. Just decide which of dozens of hikes, trails, and waterfalls to visit. Three days of nearly non-stop rain kind of precludes the hiking in the mud and the water trails.

So, We got up to the Kinar Monday evening and settled in. We drove over to Tiberias to walk around a bit and have dinner. Tuesday morning we had to figure out what to do. We went with no plans, and "at worst" we would have just driven around the Golan a bit and relaxed without looking to keep busy the whole time.

But we found appropriate activities. We first went to Katzrin. Katzrin is the largest of the cities and moshavim in the Golan. Aside from the city itself, Katzrin is famous for its wineries, the Mei Eden mineral water factory, the ancient ruins discovered there, and more.

We started off with a place called "Kesem HaGolan" - or "Magic of the Golan". They have a movie beautifully describing the Golan. The movie is semi-interactive with water spritzing you (lightly) when water comes up in the movie, and wind blowing at other times, etc. The crowd was small and intimate with only a few other people there, so that added to the atmosphere.

After the movie, they take you to see a model of the Golan and explain its landscape and its history.


Then we drove around a bit trying to decide what to do. We debated between the Mei Eden factory and the ancient Talmudic Village Park. The decision was made for us. We decided on the Mei Eden factory, as we had been to the Talmudic Village previously (many years ago).

When we got there though, there was a sign o the door that the visitor's center is temporarily closed due to refurbishing of the center.

So, not being interested in the wineries or the olive oil factory, we decided on the Talmudic Village. Seeing a reconstruction of how they used to live about 2000 years ago is always interesting....




After Katzrin, we went through some of the tourist papers we had taken from the hotel, and came across what looked like it might be a decent "time-killer" that was nearby. An apple packing plant.


The "Breishit" apple (and other fruit) packing plant is the largest of its kind in Israel, and one of the most advanced in the world (maybe I made that up, but I think that is what our guide said).


Who knew that packing apples could be so complex and so fascinating? You go to the supermarket and put a bag of apples in your shopping cart - you have absolutely no idea what the apple has gone through to get to your cart.

The process is absolutely amazing, and I highly recommend a tour of this facility on our next trip to the Golan Heights.


They clean the apples, by the ton, they sort them, they measure them, they put them through Quality Control, they sort them again, and again, and again. It really is a fascinating process.


Stay tuned for Part 2...