Thursday, October 20, 2005
http://www.gnews.co.il/index.phtml?c=1
The link above will bring you to the e-version of one of our local weeklies, חדשות העיר.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Another Reason to Live in Tzfat
Tzfat is the home town of Supermodel Hava Mond.
If you come you may catch a glimpse of her on a visit home from Milan or Paris or New York or...
Hava was named one of Tzfat's Persons of the Year this year.
This is Hava Mond, Tzfat's claim to fame: http://tinyurl.com/bc6na
If you come you may catch a glimpse of her on a visit home from Milan or Paris or New York or...
Hava was named one of Tzfat's Persons of the Year this year.
This is Hava Mond, Tzfat's claim to fame: http://tinyurl.com/bc6na
The Micol HaLev Charity
Reasons To Live In Tzfat? YAY! There are some!
This is the type of thing that will never be broadcast in the major world media, but I think it is of tremendous import.
A new charity program, called Micol HaLev (From the Whole Heart) was devised and launched in my home town, Tzfat, of which I am very proud.
It is a charity set up to help provide food and necessities for needy individuals and families. The fund is named after Rav Lev Bistritsky, who was the Chief Ashkanazi Rabbi of Tzfat until he passed away at a young age a few years ago.
The charity fund works by buying a membership for 18 shekels per month. That money goes directly to the charity. In return, the membership holder receives discounts at several dozen stores, restaraunts, optometrists, etc., in Tzfat that have voluntarily reduced their prices for card holders so that they can get goods they need at discount prices. They are doing this because the economy in Israel is very difficult now and almost everyone is having trouble making ends meet. The discounts range from 3% to 25% depending upon the business. Effectively, people are buying discounts for themselves from participating businesses in exchange for giving 18 NIS per month to needy families. We are all benefitting from one another's need and helping one another out mutually.
Further to this new Tzaeddakah:
They were on vacation during the High Holiday season. They are back now.
They've been calling people asking if they want to join.
You can reach them via www.chasdeilev.com
I received my card recently and took it to Cafe Bagdad. They were delighted to receive it and said that they'll be happy to give the 10% discount to anyone who presents the card.
The first card you receive is a temporary card. That's just until they verify that the bank order or credit card info you gave them is OK. Then they send the regular card in a short while. Most places accept the temporary card. Shefa Shuk accepts only the permanent card.
In addition to the businesses that are already on the list as participating in the program, three more have joined:
Super Birkat HaShem on Moshav Or HaGanuz - 3% discount.
Super Birkat HaShem in Chatzor HaGlilit - 3% discount.
The Shiv'at Deganim Bakery - 10% discount. On purchases of more than 100 NIS they'll give you Ugat Muffins for 3 NIS.
I think this is one of the nicest things that a community has undertaken to do.
Making it a success will be a boon to everyone - most especially to the needy in Tzfat and the environs.
Tzfat is a town of 30,000 people and most of the residents know one another. Many residents' families have lived here since the Expulsion of the Jews from Spain and Portugal. The small size of the town and the intimacy is conducive to allowing programs like this to be launched. Actually, though, there is no reason why the program cannot be reproduced in the neighborhoods of large towns and cities.
Tzfat has a long and illustrious history of being a place in which the poor were well taken care of. Widows, orphans and others in need were aided in a way that not only gave them what they needed, but preserved their dignity. For instance, there was a large charity box that was sent up that a person put their hand directly into. No one knew if the person putting their hand into the box was depositing or withdrawing.
There are over 100 charity funds and programs in Tzfat today. There are free loan societies that lend money without interest and there are people who lend goods to people in need for no charge. Anything from baby pacifiers to drills to books on health can be borrowed for free from the people who operate the various programs during their free time and gratis. We have a special fund to make weddings for indigent brides they can be proud of. The woman who runs that program owns a second hand store. Part of the revenues from the store, which is a charity program in and of itself, go toward the Brides' Fund. A wealthy couple opened a home for unwed young women who are pregnant and wish to keep their babies. There they are housed, counseled and either placed in an appropriate educational setting or in a vocational training program so that they may be self-sufficient and can take care of their babies after they are born.
This is the type of thing that will never be broadcast in the major world media, but I think it is of tremendous import.
A new charity program, called Micol HaLev (From the Whole Heart) was devised and launched in my home town, Tzfat, of which I am very proud.
It is a charity set up to help provide food and necessities for needy individuals and families. The fund is named after Rav Lev Bistritsky, who was the Chief Ashkanazi Rabbi of Tzfat until he passed away at a young age a few years ago.
The charity fund works by buying a membership for 18 shekels per month. That money goes directly to the charity. In return, the membership holder receives discounts at several dozen stores, restaraunts, optometrists, etc., in Tzfat that have voluntarily reduced their prices for card holders so that they can get goods they need at discount prices. They are doing this because the economy in Israel is very difficult now and almost everyone is having trouble making ends meet. The discounts range from 3% to 25% depending upon the business. Effectively, people are buying discounts for themselves from participating businesses in exchange for giving 18 NIS per month to needy families. We are all benefitting from one another's need and helping one another out mutually.
Further to this new Tzaeddakah:
They were on vacation during the High Holiday season. They are back now.
They've been calling people asking if they want to join.
You can reach them via www.chasdeilev.com
I received my card recently and took it to Cafe Bagdad. They were delighted to receive it and said that they'll be happy to give the 10% discount to anyone who presents the card.
The first card you receive is a temporary card. That's just until they verify that the bank order or credit card info you gave them is OK. Then they send the regular card in a short while. Most places accept the temporary card. Shefa Shuk accepts only the permanent card.
In addition to the businesses that are already on the list as participating in the program, three more have joined:
Super Birkat HaShem on Moshav Or HaGanuz - 3% discount.
Super Birkat HaShem in Chatzor HaGlilit - 3% discount.
The Shiv'at Deganim Bakery - 10% discount. On purchases of more than 100 NIS they'll give you Ugat Muffins for 3 NIS.
I think this is one of the nicest things that a community has undertaken to do.
Making it a success will be a boon to everyone - most especially to the needy in Tzfat and the environs.
Tzfat is a town of 30,000 people and most of the residents know one another. Many residents' families have lived here since the Expulsion of the Jews from Spain and Portugal. The small size of the town and the intimacy is conducive to allowing programs like this to be launched. Actually, though, there is no reason why the program cannot be reproduced in the neighborhoods of large towns and cities.
Tzfat has a long and illustrious history of being a place in which the poor were well taken care of. Widows, orphans and others in need were aided in a way that not only gave them what they needed, but preserved their dignity. For instance, there was a large charity box that was sent up that a person put their hand directly into. No one knew if the person putting their hand into the box was depositing or withdrawing.
There are over 100 charity funds and programs in Tzfat today. There are free loan societies that lend money without interest and there are people who lend goods to people in need for no charge. Anything from baby pacifiers to drills to books on health can be borrowed for free from the people who operate the various programs during their free time and gratis. We have a special fund to make weddings for indigent brides they can be proud of. The woman who runs that program owns a second hand store. Part of the revenues from the store, which is a charity program in and of itself, go toward the Brides' Fund. A wealthy couple opened a home for unwed young women who are pregnant and wish to keep their babies. There they are housed, counseled and either placed in an appropriate educational setting or in a vocational training program so that they may be self-sufficient and can take care of their babies after they are born.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
BIGOTRY :0(
I wrote the following post on the Tzfat Yahoo! group, entitled "Which Half of Me is the Real Ubermensch?":
Within just a few days I was directed by Irish extremists to the first site shown below and by Israeli extremists to the second site shown below. Note that they posit the identical theory and base it on the very same claims. The Jewish site claims that the Celts are descendants of one of the10 lost tribes.The Irish site claims that the Celts are the aboriginal settlers ofnot only Europe, but the Americas as well and are the true Aryans(Eireann).http://www.britam.org/http://www.galacforums.com/nafiannaeireann/viewforum.php?f=2Oh, deary me! I'm really in a quandary now. I don't know which half of me really is the Ubermensch and progenitor of Western Europe and the Americas. Imagine how I feel being told that on the one hand I hold the rightto Western Europe because I am the true Aryan, while on the other Iam told that the Celts (Eireann) are descendants of the Semitic Jews. Anyone else see the irony in this? To someone who is Jewish the claims on the first site might seem perfectly reasonable and natural. To someone who is Irish the claims on the second post might seem perfectly reasonable and natural. To me, being both, I see that the claim asserted by both is beyond ethnocentric and foolish. It is insane.
galilarat from the Tzfat yahoo group posted the following response:
Unless Doreen believes in the kabbalistic concept that she is a reincarnated male soul in a female body, she should really consider herself an "uberfrau" rather than an "ubermensch"! An examination of Yair Davidy's site (he himself is an Australian convert to Orthodox Judaism) www.britam.org shows that it's important to know if Doreen's goy father was an Eire Catholic or an Ulster Protestant*, as the two come from different "yichus" [meaning 'lineage', my insert] (the symbol of the latter is a red Star of David!). Davidy makes some daring claims, but he does seem to have some controversial historical evidence. Needless to say, contemporary sallow-skinned frum Semite Jews of today are none too plussed at the idea that your average uncircumcised, uncouth, none-too bright "Bog Irishman" red-nosed Guinness-downing Murphy is not a white Japhetite, but is from theLost Tribes of Israel!
*This point is utter nonsense. As is well known, the Bells were originally a Scottish clan. Most of those who migrated to ROI became Catholic.
To which I responded:
Decide which is funnier, galilrat's response to me, or that of an Irish parallel of galilrat's in response to a question I posed to him as to whether or not I'd be a welcome repatriate in Ireland if he had his druthers: "Now it is well recorded that the Eire ruled over its subject people all across the world, what is not greatly publicised is that nearly every ancient text that refers to our race records the origin legends of the Sacred Isle (Eire). It was the belief of our people that only those who were of the Noble and pure Celtic stock should ever reside in the motherland of the master race, and as Genetics has proven this was the case up untill the Norman invasions of our country. I would ask you, do you believe that you if you are only 50% or 75% of Celtic stock should you get preference to reside here over the people who are 100% Celtic stock. Would you accept that like the thorough breeding of animals you should set to breed out the bad blood from your genes and restore the virtue of your ancient origin.Would you accept that in a class system, you are below those of absolute purity, and that those above you should be cherished for being the centre of gravity for your nations. Also would you consider that as a Celt who has being tainted genetically (even if only very poorly maybe even 1% or less), that you should be to the forefront of building new Celtic colonies across the world and urging that your motherland be kept free andsacred from foreign migrants. Finally since our country is sadly run by the politics of democracy who would have veto over the supreme ruling and sovereignty of our country. The race mixers or the pure nobles of absolute Celtic stock."
If that isn't funny enough I read today that there is a book that is called WHIRLWIND that claims that the Iranians are the true Aryans. The contenders for True Aryan seem to be legion. Good thing I'm not part Iranian or I'd be totally confounded by now not knowing whichpart of me is the ultimately superior.I think my point has been amply demonstrated and with this I closethis rather stomach-upsetting topic on this board, thought thepresence of atitudes like this is cultural and spiritual rot nomatter where it is found, including Tzfat.
galilarat from the Tzfat Yahoo group again:
In comparing Judaic nationalism to Celtic supremacists, Doreen is hopefully not equating the two. Is she disavowing the Torah's message that "Hashem has chosen and elevated us from among the nations", something that not even the Irish claim?!"And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising...and the sons of strangers shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you...the sons of them that afflictedyou shall bending to you...and all they that despised you shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet" (Isaiah 60). We cannot be more "elitist" or "supremacist" than the Creator Himself! Many misguided Jews searching for universalism abandon the Jewishpeople completely. But True Universalism can only be found throughTorah.
metzuda from the Yahoo! group Tzfat:
And even Doreen's Irish father may have some Israelitish Simeonite (asopposed to Jewish ie from the tribe of Judah) blood in him!http://britam.org/simeon.html
I wrote on the Tzfat Yahoo! site:
It's a blessing to have a Gentile father. Not only do I have all of the rights and privileges of being a Jew, I am not subject to the misunderstandings about Gentiles and our relations to them that so many Jews who have two Jewish parents have. My children and I also have Irish citizenship, which allows us to live and work anywhere in EU if we wish too. That's a lot of haven if Israel falls apart and the US starts to draft people for their wars. Where will you go? And your kids? My father, BTW, was a post doc in theoretical math, complex analysis specifically. And your father?
xonter46 from the Yahoo! Tzfat group:
If it ever gets to the stage of Israel falling apart, no one gets out: not Jew or Gentile! In the Yom Kippur war, tourists were trapped in Israel for the 5 week duration of the hostilities.How many people a day could escape through Ben Gurion airport? As forgetting a yacht to sail the 200 miles to Cyprus: dream on. The Irish are unlikely to send one of their minesweepers to pick up Irish expats! Some say that the EU is "the 10 horned anti-Israeli beast" of Daniel's prophecy. Ireland was probably better off not being a member of the EU: "unity for the wicked is bad for them and bad for the world" (Talmud Kiddushin 72). More important than the "rights and privileges" of being a Jew, are the duties and obligations of being a Jew. Although she may not be aware of it, has Doreen a a bit of a chip on her shoulder, no doubt from one of her miscegenated ancestors?
Joseph Cleary wrote:
Dear Friend:
I know that this wasn't addressed to me but being as it's an Irish man talking about Jews and other Irishmen, I once defended a fellow I'd never met, a few years back a Mayor of Dublin was elected, he was said to have been one of the best that they'd ever had. He was born in Ireland, and he was a Jew. I realize that the girls father isn't. I too have a Irish last name, and yes I'm Jewish, and very proud of it too.
Friend if you're living there now be glad, know that I've plans to be there too, you're just there a few days before me that's all.
Shalom, Shalom, Yosef
I wrote the following on June 17th, 2005:
To All of the Members of the Yahoo! Group Tzfat:
I wrote the Owner/Moderator and told her that this group contains bigoted and defamatory content.
I gave her time to delete the posts and issue and apology.
She chose to ignore those two messages.
I told her that if my demand that the offending and illegal posts are not deleted and an apology from her for allowing those posts to go up is not met that I will issue a Complaint against this group because it is in violation of Yahoo! Terms of Service.
I interpret the fact that the Owner/Moderator allowed this to be posted as an agreement to bigotry and defamation because this is a moderated group and she moderates that which she finds offensive. Evidently she does not consider bigotry and defamation of Gentiles within the purview of slander. Yahoo. com and the law does. I will hold her personally responsible for the posts having gone up.
I intend to do so and will report this group to a number of both Jewish and non-Jewish bodies who are concerned about prejudice and bigotry in the world.
This is ugly.
I do not see any protest statements here except for the one from Joseph Cleary.
You should be ashamed of yourselves, and if you are not I will bring public attention to you.
All of the messages here have been copied and will be forwarded to any and all legitimate concerned parties that I see fit to send them too.
Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Tzfat, Israel
The fact that the Owner/Moderator of the Yahoo! Group "Tzfat" allowed these messages to go up is all the more ironic given the fact that the Group's description is:
Tzfat/Tsfat/Safed/Zfat/Zsfas/Tsfas/Tzfas/Safas......there are as many ways to pronouce the name of this mystical city in the North of Israel as there are types of people who live here.This forum is for residents of Tzfat and others who are interested in the city, its development, its character, and its future.This forum has been established for people who wish to exchange opinions, ideas, knowledge, and information about Tzfat. No posts will be allowed up which insult any individuals or groups of people. No Lashon Hara (Slander, my translation).
Evidently the Owner/Moderator of the Yahoo! Group "Tzfat" does not consider Gentiles people.
The Owner/Moderator of the Yahoo! Group Tzfat posted:
Doreen,
Several months ago, when I edited a message that I thought was offensive to YOU, you wrote back telling me that you had requested that the poster send the message to you so that you could see what had been deleted, and announced to the whole group that I was guilty of unnecessary censorship because you, in fact, did not find the message offensive. Now you do.
Frankly, I think that the person who wrote it was a jerk, and that the message says more about the writer than it doesabout either you or your father. But censoring messages is tricky, and I'm not prepared to go nuts about it.
Nor, by the way, am I prepared to feel guilty because I didn't have my computer on for several hours and see your earlier letters to me -- I have a life outside this computer, and don't feelparticularly guilty about it.
Feel free to complain to whichever authorities you wish. If they see fit to take down the group, I won't object. However, I will continueto do my best to moderate the group as carefully as I can as long asthe group is up, and as long as the other members wish.
Shabbat Shalom
I wrote:
I recall the incident, but frankly not the content of what I wrote in that particular message, as I typically write for anwhere between 8 - 18 hours a day.
I do recall too that I wrote to you and explained why I wrote what I wrote and justified it.
I have *NEVER* sent a post containing the kind of bigotry and racist description that is contained in the posts that anyone can find on this group simply by searching "Irish" or "goy".
You know there are people who are disturbed on this group and that is why you set this group up as moderated. That is why the Group's description reads as it does.
I'm gratified that you realize that those people are "jerks" (it's more than one), but don't even try to convince me that you found moderating in that case was "tricky". Had someone written something like that about Jews your judgement would have been right on target.
Those posts are in direct contradiction to Yahoo's TOSs and in direct contradiction to your stated description of this group.
They are also against Israeli law. The posters may be anonymous, but you, who allowed them to go through can be found easily enough.
You ignored the messages I sent you offline asking you to delete the posts and issue an apology so that I wouldn't have to take action.
One more time: Delete those posts from the message archives and issue a formal apology here or I take the matter further.
Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Tzfat
Within just a few days I was directed by Irish extremists to the first site shown below and by Israeli extremists to the second site shown below. Note that they posit the identical theory and base it on the very same claims. The Jewish site claims that the Celts are descendants of one of the10 lost tribes.The Irish site claims that the Celts are the aboriginal settlers ofnot only Europe, but the Americas as well and are the true Aryans(Eireann).http://www.britam.org/http://www.galacforums.com/nafiannaeireann/viewforum.php?f=2Oh, deary me! I'm really in a quandary now. I don't know which half of me really is the Ubermensch and progenitor of Western Europe and the Americas. Imagine how I feel being told that on the one hand I hold the rightto Western Europe because I am the true Aryan, while on the other Iam told that the Celts (Eireann) are descendants of the Semitic Jews. Anyone else see the irony in this? To someone who is Jewish the claims on the first site might seem perfectly reasonable and natural. To someone who is Irish the claims on the second post might seem perfectly reasonable and natural. To me, being both, I see that the claim asserted by both is beyond ethnocentric and foolish. It is insane.
galilarat from the Tzfat yahoo group posted the following response:
Unless Doreen believes in the kabbalistic concept that she is a reincarnated male soul in a female body, she should really consider herself an "uberfrau" rather than an "ubermensch"! An examination of Yair Davidy's site (he himself is an Australian convert to Orthodox Judaism) www.britam.org shows that it's important to know if Doreen's goy father was an Eire Catholic or an Ulster Protestant*, as the two come from different "yichus" [meaning 'lineage', my insert] (the symbol of the latter is a red Star of David!). Davidy makes some daring claims, but he does seem to have some controversial historical evidence. Needless to say, contemporary sallow-skinned frum Semite Jews of today are none too plussed at the idea that your average uncircumcised, uncouth, none-too bright "Bog Irishman" red-nosed Guinness-downing Murphy is not a white Japhetite, but is from theLost Tribes of Israel!
*This point is utter nonsense. As is well known, the Bells were originally a Scottish clan. Most of those who migrated to ROI became Catholic.
To which I responded:
Decide which is funnier, galilrat's response to me, or that of an Irish parallel of galilrat's in response to a question I posed to him as to whether or not I'd be a welcome repatriate in Ireland if he had his druthers: "Now it is well recorded that the Eire ruled over its subject people all across the world, what is not greatly publicised is that nearly every ancient text that refers to our race records the origin legends of the Sacred Isle (Eire). It was the belief of our people that only those who were of the Noble and pure Celtic stock should ever reside in the motherland of the master race, and as Genetics has proven this was the case up untill the Norman invasions of our country. I would ask you, do you believe that you if you are only 50% or 75% of Celtic stock should you get preference to reside here over the people who are 100% Celtic stock. Would you accept that like the thorough breeding of animals you should set to breed out the bad blood from your genes and restore the virtue of your ancient origin.Would you accept that in a class system, you are below those of absolute purity, and that those above you should be cherished for being the centre of gravity for your nations. Also would you consider that as a Celt who has being tainted genetically (even if only very poorly maybe even 1% or less), that you should be to the forefront of building new Celtic colonies across the world and urging that your motherland be kept free andsacred from foreign migrants. Finally since our country is sadly run by the politics of democracy who would have veto over the supreme ruling and sovereignty of our country. The race mixers or the pure nobles of absolute Celtic stock."
If that isn't funny enough I read today that there is a book that is called WHIRLWIND that claims that the Iranians are the true Aryans. The contenders for True Aryan seem to be legion. Good thing I'm not part Iranian or I'd be totally confounded by now not knowing whichpart of me is the ultimately superior.I think my point has been amply demonstrated and with this I closethis rather stomach-upsetting topic on this board, thought thepresence of atitudes like this is cultural and spiritual rot nomatter where it is found, including Tzfat.
galilarat from the Tzfat Yahoo group again:
In comparing Judaic nationalism to Celtic supremacists, Doreen is hopefully not equating the two. Is she disavowing the Torah's message that "Hashem has chosen and elevated us from among the nations", something that not even the Irish claim?!"And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising...and the sons of strangers shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you...the sons of them that afflictedyou shall bending to you...and all they that despised you shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet" (Isaiah 60). We cannot be more "elitist" or "supremacist" than the Creator Himself! Many misguided Jews searching for universalism abandon the Jewishpeople completely. But True Universalism can only be found throughTorah.
metzuda from the Yahoo! group Tzfat:
And even Doreen's Irish father may have some Israelitish Simeonite (asopposed to Jewish ie from the tribe of Judah) blood in him!http://britam.org/simeon.html
I wrote on the Tzfat Yahoo! site:
It's a blessing to have a Gentile father. Not only do I have all of the rights and privileges of being a Jew, I am not subject to the misunderstandings about Gentiles and our relations to them that so many Jews who have two Jewish parents have. My children and I also have Irish citizenship, which allows us to live and work anywhere in EU if we wish too. That's a lot of haven if Israel falls apart and the US starts to draft people for their wars. Where will you go? And your kids? My father, BTW, was a post doc in theoretical math, complex analysis specifically. And your father?
xonter46 from the Yahoo! Tzfat group:
If it ever gets to the stage of Israel falling apart, no one gets out: not Jew or Gentile! In the Yom Kippur war, tourists were trapped in Israel for the 5 week duration of the hostilities.How many people a day could escape through Ben Gurion airport? As forgetting a yacht to sail the 200 miles to Cyprus: dream on. The Irish are unlikely to send one of their minesweepers to pick up Irish expats! Some say that the EU is "the 10 horned anti-Israeli beast" of Daniel's prophecy. Ireland was probably better off not being a member of the EU: "unity for the wicked is bad for them and bad for the world" (Talmud Kiddushin 72). More important than the "rights and privileges" of being a Jew, are the duties and obligations of being a Jew. Although she may not be aware of it, has Doreen a a bit of a chip on her shoulder, no doubt from one of her miscegenated ancestors?
Joseph Cleary wrote:
Dear Friend:
I know that this wasn't addressed to me but being as it's an Irish man talking about Jews and other Irishmen, I once defended a fellow I'd never met, a few years back a Mayor of Dublin was elected, he was said to have been one of the best that they'd ever had. He was born in Ireland, and he was a Jew. I realize that the girls father isn't. I too have a Irish last name, and yes I'm Jewish, and very proud of it too.
Friend if you're living there now be glad, know that I've plans to be there too, you're just there a few days before me that's all.
Shalom, Shalom, Yosef
I wrote the following on June 17th, 2005:
To All of the Members of the Yahoo! Group Tzfat:
I wrote the Owner/Moderator and told her that this group contains bigoted and defamatory content.
I gave her time to delete the posts and issue and apology.
She chose to ignore those two messages.
I told her that if my demand that the offending and illegal posts are not deleted and an apology from her for allowing those posts to go up is not met that I will issue a Complaint against this group because it is in violation of Yahoo! Terms of Service.
I interpret the fact that the Owner/Moderator allowed this to be posted as an agreement to bigotry and defamation because this is a moderated group and she moderates that which she finds offensive. Evidently she does not consider bigotry and defamation of Gentiles within the purview of slander. Yahoo. com and the law does. I will hold her personally responsible for the posts having gone up.
I intend to do so and will report this group to a number of both Jewish and non-Jewish bodies who are concerned about prejudice and bigotry in the world.
This is ugly.
I do not see any protest statements here except for the one from Joseph Cleary.
You should be ashamed of yourselves, and if you are not I will bring public attention to you.
All of the messages here have been copied and will be forwarded to any and all legitimate concerned parties that I see fit to send them too.
Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Tzfat, Israel
The fact that the Owner/Moderator of the Yahoo! Group "Tzfat" allowed these messages to go up is all the more ironic given the fact that the Group's description is:
Tzfat/Tsfat/Safed/Zfat/Zsfas/Tsfas/Tzfas/Safas......there are as many ways to pronouce the name of this mystical city in the North of Israel as there are types of people who live here.This forum is for residents of Tzfat and others who are interested in the city, its development, its character, and its future.This forum has been established for people who wish to exchange opinions, ideas, knowledge, and information about Tzfat. No posts will be allowed up which insult any individuals or groups of people. No Lashon Hara (Slander, my translation).
Evidently the Owner/Moderator of the Yahoo! Group "Tzfat" does not consider Gentiles people.
The Owner/Moderator of the Yahoo! Group Tzfat posted:
Doreen,
Several months ago, when I edited a message that I thought was offensive to YOU, you wrote back telling me that you had requested that the poster send the message to you so that you could see what had been deleted, and announced to the whole group that I was guilty of unnecessary censorship because you, in fact, did not find the message offensive. Now you do.
Frankly, I think that the person who wrote it was a jerk, and that the message says more about the writer than it doesabout either you or your father. But censoring messages is tricky, and I'm not prepared to go nuts about it.
Nor, by the way, am I prepared to feel guilty because I didn't have my computer on for several hours and see your earlier letters to me -- I have a life outside this computer, and don't feelparticularly guilty about it.
Feel free to complain to whichever authorities you wish. If they see fit to take down the group, I won't object. However, I will continueto do my best to moderate the group as carefully as I can as long asthe group is up, and as long as the other members wish.
Shabbat Shalom
I wrote:
I recall the incident, but frankly not the content of what I wrote in that particular message, as I typically write for anwhere between 8 - 18 hours a day.
I do recall too that I wrote to you and explained why I wrote what I wrote and justified it.
I have *NEVER* sent a post containing the kind of bigotry and racist description that is contained in the posts that anyone can find on this group simply by searching "Irish" or "goy".
You know there are people who are disturbed on this group and that is why you set this group up as moderated. That is why the Group's description reads as it does.
I'm gratified that you realize that those people are "jerks" (it's more than one), but don't even try to convince me that you found moderating in that case was "tricky". Had someone written something like that about Jews your judgement would have been right on target.
Those posts are in direct contradiction to Yahoo's TOSs and in direct contradiction to your stated description of this group.
They are also against Israeli law. The posters may be anonymous, but you, who allowed them to go through can be found easily enough.
You ignored the messages I sent you offline asking you to delete the posts and issue an apology so that I wouldn't have to take action.
One more time: Delete those posts from the message archives and issue a formal apology here or I take the matter further.
Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Tzfat
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
"רק בצפת" (Only In Tzfat)
B"H
On 20.05.05 "Chadash HaGalil's" correspondent, Me'ir Yanko, published an article entitled "רק בצפת" (Only In Tzfat), in which he lists a number of absurdities that can only happen in Tzfat. He then called for the public to add some absurdities of their own. So, here's mine:
Only in Tzfat can a man who is barely literate be fired from his former job for the reasons that were published in the local press and, through a personal favor of a friend, who was a fine journalist in Tzfat, who took pity on him, get a job as a correspondent for the local paper where that man used to work. Only in Tzfat, could the fine journalist be ousted from the journalistic community, precisely because he is an incisive thinker and fine journalist, while Yanko remained in his stead. Only in Tzfat could Yanko have the chutzpah after all that had transpired to write denigration after denigration about every sector of Tzfat society: the residents of the South, in toto, (from whence Yanko himself hails); the "Anglosaxim" who, Yanko claims, have "taken over" the Old City, the Ethiopians; actually, just about any sector you can think of. Finally, only in Tzfat could this same Yanko write an article about the absurdities that transpire in Tzfat in his usual barely literate, um, "style".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B"H
Yanko responded to the letter that I sent him. The version that I sent him is in Hebrew and he responded in Hebrew.
I won't post his response here for a few reasons:
1) It's in Hebrew and not everyone will understand it.
2) I do not publish private mail that I receive unless I get express permission to even if "Personal and Confidential" isn't written on it.
From what I write you'll be able to get the gist of what he wrote to me.
For years I suffered this man's humiliations silently. I've had it with him!
Here's the English version of my response to him:
Let's go point-by-point, Yanko:
It is simply impossible that you and the journalist to whom I refer were of equal stature. You never had the respect as a journalist that he had in this town. I, for one, considered him a true intellectual and a person who genuinely cared about people as individuals and residents of Tzfat. In fact, if he wasn't the person he is, he'd still be here working in Tzfat
So, you're still in touch with said journalist? Am I to believe that that makes you equals? Your powers of reasoning are weak. Mine are not. You'll have to do better with me.
You use the term "democracy". I see you applied yourself with the same assiduousness when learning the principles of democracy that you did when learning the rudiments of spelling, grammar and syntax. Your understanding of democracy is shallow and primitive indeed if you think that democracy means denigrating people and misrepresenting them just because you can without being thrown in jail for it.
How *dare* you represent everyone in the South of Tzfat as unemployed, uneducated, unwashed miskeinim just because we don't have a lot of money?
Just in my building alone, there is my husband who is an expert in the Hebrew language, world history, machshevet Yisra'el, a published author, translator and librarian.
I accomplished an MA in Jewish Philosophy at age 20 and my field of expertise is mathematical linguistics. I have been published in every English-speaking country in the world, most recently two comedy pieces that I wrote were published in "The Journal of Irreproducible Results", a prestigious journal that is distributed to academics all over the world. (You might consider writing comedy too, Yanko. You're missing your true calling.)
Some of the other residents in the 214 building of Ofer, wherein we reside, include: a composer/conductor; a published poet; at least two specialist physicians that I know of (They are a couple. Their son, a neurologist, used to live in the building too.); an engineer whose husband practices alternative medicine; a sofer Sta"m; and a certified English teacher from the former SSSR - that I know of. I am not acquainted with everyone in the building.
You can't hold a candle to many of the residents of Ofer intellectually or experientially. How dare you denigrate us? How dare you make us all out to be of one (threadbare) cloth?
How *dare* you cast aspersions upon us - in Hebrew that a grade school child should be ashamed of no less?! My husband has stopped reading your articles altogether. He couldn't stand the level of Hebrew and got tired of getting annoyed. If I try to read some of your "stuff" to him for a laugh he tells me to spare him.
Thoroughly disgusted by the level of Hebrew of the paper, my husband once offered his services to "Chadash B'Galil" as an editor and proofreader some years ago. They were more than willing to accept him - on a volunteer basis. Chadash B'Galil wasn't willing to pay for a part-time proofreader? The paper isn't embarrassed to appear as it does? The level of Hebrew in "Chadash B'Galil" has deteriorated since the time my husband called to offer his help. We would not have believed that possible. Doesn't anyone proofread there? Doesn't anyone who works at the paper know Hebrew above grade school level?
The "Anglo-Saxim" have not "taken over" the Old City. First of all, the English-speakers in this town are effectively powerless. Second, what do you care if most of the English-speakers who come to this town resonate with the vibration of the Old City?
Your critique of City Hall is the same old same old. You merely parrot that which you've heard your intellectual betters say about the City and regurgitate it onto paper, looking like a wannanbe, pseudo-intellectual in the process.
You have the audacity to take personal credit for the Mamlakhti Gimmel grade school not being closed? Any journalist who would be working in your stead would have covered the story. It was the hottest item in Tzfat. How could that story not have been covered? What did you do that was above the minimum expected of a local journalist? Not only would any journalist have covered the story, any journalist covering the story would have written exactly what you wrote. What you wrote was the expected thing to write.
There are some very interesting, intelligent and productive people in the Southern neighborhoods of Tzfat, Yanko. Find them, first for your own edification. You might consider doing and expose on the topic of interesting people in the South as a public service to the city and to make amends for the hurt you've caused to our image.
Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Ofer Neighborhood, Tzfat
On 20.05.05 "Chadash HaGalil's" correspondent, Me'ir Yanko, published an article entitled "רק בצפת" (Only In Tzfat), in which he lists a number of absurdities that can only happen in Tzfat. He then called for the public to add some absurdities of their own. So, here's mine:
Only in Tzfat can a man who is barely literate be fired from his former job for the reasons that were published in the local press and, through a personal favor of a friend, who was a fine journalist in Tzfat, who took pity on him, get a job as a correspondent for the local paper where that man used to work. Only in Tzfat, could the fine journalist be ousted from the journalistic community, precisely because he is an incisive thinker and fine journalist, while Yanko remained in his stead. Only in Tzfat could Yanko have the chutzpah after all that had transpired to write denigration after denigration about every sector of Tzfat society: the residents of the South, in toto, (from whence Yanko himself hails); the "Anglosaxim" who, Yanko claims, have "taken over" the Old City, the Ethiopians; actually, just about any sector you can think of. Finally, only in Tzfat could this same Yanko write an article about the absurdities that transpire in Tzfat in his usual barely literate, um, "style".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B"H
Yanko responded to the letter that I sent him. The version that I sent him is in Hebrew and he responded in Hebrew.
I won't post his response here for a few reasons:
1) It's in Hebrew and not everyone will understand it.
2) I do not publish private mail that I receive unless I get express permission to even if "Personal and Confidential" isn't written on it.
From what I write you'll be able to get the gist of what he wrote to me.
For years I suffered this man's humiliations silently. I've had it with him!
Here's the English version of my response to him:
Let's go point-by-point, Yanko:
It is simply impossible that you and the journalist to whom I refer were of equal stature. You never had the respect as a journalist that he had in this town. I, for one, considered him a true intellectual and a person who genuinely cared about people as individuals and residents of Tzfat. In fact, if he wasn't the person he is, he'd still be here working in Tzfat
So, you're still in touch with said journalist? Am I to believe that that makes you equals? Your powers of reasoning are weak. Mine are not. You'll have to do better with me.
You use the term "democracy". I see you applied yourself with the same assiduousness when learning the principles of democracy that you did when learning the rudiments of spelling, grammar and syntax. Your understanding of democracy is shallow and primitive indeed if you think that democracy means denigrating people and misrepresenting them just because you can without being thrown in jail for it.
How *dare* you represent everyone in the South of Tzfat as unemployed, uneducated, unwashed miskeinim just because we don't have a lot of money?
Just in my building alone, there is my husband who is an expert in the Hebrew language, world history, machshevet Yisra'el, a published author, translator and librarian.
I accomplished an MA in Jewish Philosophy at age 20 and my field of expertise is mathematical linguistics. I have been published in every English-speaking country in the world, most recently two comedy pieces that I wrote were published in "The Journal of Irreproducible Results", a prestigious journal that is distributed to academics all over the world. (You might consider writing comedy too, Yanko. You're missing your true calling.)
Some of the other residents in the 214 building of Ofer, wherein we reside, include: a composer/conductor; a published poet; at least two specialist physicians that I know of (They are a couple. Their son, a neurologist, used to live in the building too.); an engineer whose husband practices alternative medicine; a sofer Sta"m; and a certified English teacher from the former SSSR - that I know of. I am not acquainted with everyone in the building.
You can't hold a candle to many of the residents of Ofer intellectually or experientially. How dare you denigrate us? How dare you make us all out to be of one (threadbare) cloth?
How *dare* you cast aspersions upon us - in Hebrew that a grade school child should be ashamed of no less?! My husband has stopped reading your articles altogether. He couldn't stand the level of Hebrew and got tired of getting annoyed. If I try to read some of your "stuff" to him for a laugh he tells me to spare him.
Thoroughly disgusted by the level of Hebrew of the paper, my husband once offered his services to "Chadash B'Galil" as an editor and proofreader some years ago. They were more than willing to accept him - on a volunteer basis. Chadash B'Galil wasn't willing to pay for a part-time proofreader? The paper isn't embarrassed to appear as it does? The level of Hebrew in "Chadash B'Galil" has deteriorated since the time my husband called to offer his help. We would not have believed that possible. Doesn't anyone proofread there? Doesn't anyone who works at the paper know Hebrew above grade school level?
The "Anglo-Saxim" have not "taken over" the Old City. First of all, the English-speakers in this town are effectively powerless. Second, what do you care if most of the English-speakers who come to this town resonate with the vibration of the Old City?
Your critique of City Hall is the same old same old. You merely parrot that which you've heard your intellectual betters say about the City and regurgitate it onto paper, looking like a wannanbe, pseudo-intellectual in the process.
You have the audacity to take personal credit for the Mamlakhti Gimmel grade school not being closed? Any journalist who would be working in your stead would have covered the story. It was the hottest item in Tzfat. How could that story not have been covered? What did you do that was above the minimum expected of a local journalist? Not only would any journalist have covered the story, any journalist covering the story would have written exactly what you wrote. What you wrote was the expected thing to write.
There are some very interesting, intelligent and productive people in the Southern neighborhoods of Tzfat, Yanko. Find them, first for your own edification. You might consider doing and expose on the topic of interesting people in the South as a public service to the city and to make amends for the hurt you've caused to our image.
Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Ofer Neighborhood, Tzfat
Monday, May 30, 2005
CAUTION! LAND MINE FIELD! HYPERNETO, RASCO
B"H
I filed a COMPLAINT today against the HYPERNETO in the Rasco shopping center in Tzfat. I told them the last time that they cheated me that the next time it happened I would complain and make the matter as widely and publicly known as possible, and so today I am doing so.
This is the gist of my complaint:
"COMPLAINT Against HYPERNETO, Rasco Shopping Center, Tzfat
I shop in the HYPERNETO in the Rasco shopping center in the Southern part of Tzfat. Shady business practices there are de rigueur:
These practices include, but are not limited to:
a) Advertising sales on items in the stores that are not to be found in the stores during the time period that the ad indicates.
b) Often an item is tagged as being on sale. Another, similar item is placed above the tag that shows the sale, but it is not the item on sale. It may be a very subtle difference, like large peas being on sale, and cans of medium size peas of the same brand are put above the tag. Or medium peas are marked at a reduced price if you buy 2 or 3 cans, and they intersperse those medium size peas with cans of large and small, such that the chances of picking up the right size cans is greatly reduced.
c) The actual item that is on sale may be half way down the isle. Sometimes, as I indicated in item "a" above, it is not present at all.
d) Often the price on the item is not the price I am charged. Of course I am always charged more than the price that appears on the item. When I bring this to the managers' attention they tell me that they do not have time to change the price on every item in the store.
e) Often when something is marked on sale and it is the item that is marked on sale the cash register registers the whole price.
f) Often if something is marked two items for the price of one, the cash register doesn't register the deal."
I sent the above complaint to The CONSUMER PROTECTION OFFICE in the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the address of which is: 30 Agron Road, Yerushalayim 94190.
I tried to send the Complaint via e-mail as listed on their site, but it came back to me indicated undeliverable three times. So, I suggest that if you wish to lodge a Complaint against any business that you send it in physical form to the address above.
and to:
FAULTY PRODUCTS - The Israeli Consumer Council Complaints Division, which deals with matters regarding not displaying correct prices, misleading advertising, and faulty products. Contact the Consumer Council by Fax: 03-560-0180 and/or by mail: 76 MaZA"H Street, Tel Aviv 65789.
I urge anyone who is being cheated by supermarkets to complain to The Israeli Consumer Council at the address or fax provided just above this paragraph and to the Consumer Protection Office, whose e-mail is found on the site provided above.
Although big businesses don't like complaints, they are far more sensitive to the threat of losing business in mass. So, voting with your feet is really the way to go.
My experience has been that most of the outrageous advantage is being taken by the large supermarket chains. The "Mom and Pop" operations seem to be more honest. So, patronize Mom and Pop.
Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Tzfat
I filed a COMPLAINT today against the HYPERNETO in the Rasco shopping center in Tzfat. I told them the last time that they cheated me that the next time it happened I would complain and make the matter as widely and publicly known as possible, and so today I am doing so.
This is the gist of my complaint:
"COMPLAINT Against HYPERNETO, Rasco Shopping Center, Tzfat
I shop in the HYPERNETO in the Rasco shopping center in the Southern part of Tzfat. Shady business practices there are de rigueur:
These practices include, but are not limited to:
a) Advertising sales on items in the stores that are not to be found in the stores during the time period that the ad indicates.
b) Often an item is tagged as being on sale. Another, similar item is placed above the tag that shows the sale, but it is not the item on sale. It may be a very subtle difference, like large peas being on sale, and cans of medium size peas of the same brand are put above the tag. Or medium peas are marked at a reduced price if you buy 2 or 3 cans, and they intersperse those medium size peas with cans of large and small, such that the chances of picking up the right size cans is greatly reduced.
c) The actual item that is on sale may be half way down the isle. Sometimes, as I indicated in item "a" above, it is not present at all.
d) Often the price on the item is not the price I am charged. Of course I am always charged more than the price that appears on the item. When I bring this to the managers' attention they tell me that they do not have time to change the price on every item in the store.
e) Often when something is marked on sale and it is the item that is marked on sale the cash register registers the whole price.
f) Often if something is marked two items for the price of one, the cash register doesn't register the deal."
I sent the above complaint to The CONSUMER PROTECTION OFFICE in the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the address of which is: 30 Agron Road, Yerushalayim 94190.
I tried to send the Complaint via e-mail as listed on their site, but it came back to me indicated undeliverable three times. So, I suggest that if you wish to lodge a Complaint against any business that you send it in physical form to the address above.
and to:
FAULTY PRODUCTS - The Israeli Consumer Council Complaints Division, which deals with matters regarding not displaying correct prices, misleading advertising, and faulty products. Contact the Consumer Council by Fax: 03-560-0180 and/or by mail: 76 MaZA"H Street, Tel Aviv 65789.
I urge anyone who is being cheated by supermarkets to complain to The Israeli Consumer Council at the address or fax provided just above this paragraph and to the Consumer Protection Office, whose e-mail is found on the site provided above.
Although big businesses don't like complaints, they are far more sensitive to the threat of losing business in mass. So, voting with your feet is really the way to go.
My experience has been that most of the outrageous advantage is being taken by the large supermarket chains. The "Mom and Pop" operations seem to be more honest. So, patronize Mom and Pop.
Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Tzfat
Sunday, May 29, 2005
QAZRIN – A Wonderful Place to Visit (And I Bet To Live Too)
We recently returned from an overnight stay in Qazrin. We fell in love with the town.
There are sites on the net that will give you an idea of what Qazrin has to offer. I'll list the sites here in order to save you the time of doing a redundant search:
http://www.golan.org.il/park/evisit.htm
http://www.qatzrin.muni.il/ts.exe?tsurl=0.76.0.0.0&tsstmplt=zoom
http://museum.golan.org.il/
http://museum.golan.org.il/epre.htm
http://www.qatzrin.muni.il/
Having arrived in Qazrin around noon we hurried over to the Museum on the first day. The rest of our day was spent meeting people and getting to know modern, thriving Qazrin. Qazrin is not just about an ancient settlement, interesting though that may be. Modern Qazrin is about Zionism and chalutziut at its very best. A lot of love, effort and funds were invested to make modern Qazrin a model Israeli town and it is well worth taking the time to drink all that it.
The second day we were there was dedicated to the other side of town, where the antiquities are.
I am always amazed to see modern malls next to archeological reconstructions. Qazrin has wisely placed its mall next to its hottest tourist attractions.
A Visitors' Center is presently being built right next to the mall as well.
There are a number of fast food places in the Chutzot HaGolan Mall, the mall that is near the antiquities. One of the places is Henry's, a French crepes bar that is a bit more up-scale than the other eating places in the mall. Henry's honors Gold Dinner cards. There is also a Burger Ranch in Chutzot HaGolan, A quick Chinese food place, Pizza and Shwarma.
I could not find any bed and breakfasts listed in Qazrin on the net when I was planning the trip. So, I called the Head Secretary of the Mo'etzah Mekomit, a lovely lady by the name of Ya'el, and asked with whom we might stay. She recommended a neighbor of hers by the name of Ge'ulah Arad (spelled with an aleph).
I called Ge'ulah and asked if we might stay in a room at her place. She said: "A room? You can stay in my villa." I asked how much that would cost. I was stunned that the price she asked was less than we might expect to stay in a room. Ge'ulah adjusts the prices according to how many people stay overnight. Ask her directly to quote her rates.
Ge'ulah, it transpired, is a craftswoman and her lovely villa, situated in a beautiful and verdant neighborhood, is decorated with much of her own handiwork.
There is a lovingly cared for garden in front of the house and a backyard with a table and chairs. The spacious salon leads into the kitchen, which is not kosher. That is no problem as there is a makolet very near Ge'ulah's house. The rates that Ge'ulah charges to stay at her villa make having to buy breakfast well worth while.
The bedrooms are up winding stairs.
There is a Beit K'nesset less than a five-minute walk from Ge'ulah's home. My husband, Dani'el, told me the Beit K'nesset is large and well-appointed and some 40 – 50 people showed up for the minyan on a weekday.
Ge'ulah's home is minutes away from the Shuq (every Tuesday) and a short walk from the field school.
All in all I would recommend staying at Gu'elah Arad's lovely villa highly.
Her phone number is (04) 696-1517.
Her cell phone number is 050 – 7324565
Tell her that Doreen and Dani'el Dotan from Tzfat recommended her place to you.
There are sites on the net that will give you an idea of what Qazrin has to offer. I'll list the sites here in order to save you the time of doing a redundant search:
http://www.golan.org.il/park/evisit.htm
http://www.qatzrin.muni.il/ts.exe?tsurl=0.76.0.0.0&tsstmplt=zoom
http://museum.golan.org.il/
http://museum.golan.org.il/epre.htm
http://www.qatzrin.muni.il/
Having arrived in Qazrin around noon we hurried over to the Museum on the first day. The rest of our day was spent meeting people and getting to know modern, thriving Qazrin. Qazrin is not just about an ancient settlement, interesting though that may be. Modern Qazrin is about Zionism and chalutziut at its very best. A lot of love, effort and funds were invested to make modern Qazrin a model Israeli town and it is well worth taking the time to drink all that it.
The second day we were there was dedicated to the other side of town, where the antiquities are.
I am always amazed to see modern malls next to archeological reconstructions. Qazrin has wisely placed its mall next to its hottest tourist attractions.
A Visitors' Center is presently being built right next to the mall as well.
There are a number of fast food places in the Chutzot HaGolan Mall, the mall that is near the antiquities. One of the places is Henry's, a French crepes bar that is a bit more up-scale than the other eating places in the mall. Henry's honors Gold Dinner cards. There is also a Burger Ranch in Chutzot HaGolan, A quick Chinese food place, Pizza and Shwarma.
I could not find any bed and breakfasts listed in Qazrin on the net when I was planning the trip. So, I called the Head Secretary of the Mo'etzah Mekomit, a lovely lady by the name of Ya'el, and asked with whom we might stay. She recommended a neighbor of hers by the name of Ge'ulah Arad (spelled with an aleph).
I called Ge'ulah and asked if we might stay in a room at her place. She said: "A room? You can stay in my villa." I asked how much that would cost. I was stunned that the price she asked was less than we might expect to stay in a room. Ge'ulah adjusts the prices according to how many people stay overnight. Ask her directly to quote her rates.
Ge'ulah, it transpired, is a craftswoman and her lovely villa, situated in a beautiful and verdant neighborhood, is decorated with much of her own handiwork.
There is a lovingly cared for garden in front of the house and a backyard with a table and chairs. The spacious salon leads into the kitchen, which is not kosher. That is no problem as there is a makolet very near Ge'ulah's house. The rates that Ge'ulah charges to stay at her villa make having to buy breakfast well worth while.
The bedrooms are up winding stairs.
There is a Beit K'nesset less than a five-minute walk from Ge'ulah's home. My husband, Dani'el, told me the Beit K'nesset is large and well-appointed and some 40 – 50 people showed up for the minyan on a weekday.
Ge'ulah's home is minutes away from the Shuq (every Tuesday) and a short walk from the field school.
All in all I would recommend staying at Gu'elah Arad's lovely villa highly.
Her phone number is (04) 696-1517.
Her cell phone number is 050 – 7324565
Tell her that Doreen and Dani'el Dotan from Tzfat recommended her place to you.
Friday, February 25, 2005
B"H
The message Jack wrote about Jane Fonda on the Yahoo! e-group "Galil Notice Board" has nothing to do with the Galil. But, heck, when did a rabble rouser ever consider propriety, time, place and appropriateness when rousing rabble? My response below does relate to the Galil directly.
I have read this too too emotionally stirring account to be entirely true entirely too many times. The emotional shock has long since worn off. Ultra right-wing, neo-Con, religious fanatics in the US post this all over the board to arouse the emotions they want to be aroused and they succeed to a large extent. They don't know when to stop, though, and they keep dragging out this same dog-eared "account" again and again. Yawn.
I have yet to see Ms. Fonda's response to this story. Somehow her version and/or response never appears together with this "account" when it is posted.
Here in Israel a parallel ultra right-wing, neo-Con, religious fanatic movement is growing to match that of the Christians in the States and the fanatic Muslims. Due to the actions of one of these people there are now operatives of the Shaba"k checking out Messianic movements in my home town of Tzfat. How sad this makes me. It gives me the creeps to think both that there may be really dangerous elements here in Tzfat, people who take out their impotent rage and emotional disturbance on politicians' cars) and that there is a need on the part of the Shaba"k to keep a presence here and monitor their activities.
We are being unindated with emotionally charged *propaganda*. I urge everyone to keep their emotions under control when they read posts that are obviously crafted to blast them out of their seats and do the homework to determine whether it is true or not, and to what extent.
There is a very takhlis negative outcome to Tzfat, all of Tzfat, as a result of the action of one of the ultra-right, neo-Con, stoned on chazarah b'teshuvah characters that populate Tzfat, the one who attacked Bibi's car and abused him verbally. Politicians have been warned by their advisors to stay away from Tzfat because they may be in danger here. When Yishai Maimon became Mayor we lost our direct line to the offices of Likud MKs. We lost untold revenues because there is no Mafda"l power base in the Knesset and the Likud had no particular sentiments for Maimon. Now the precious little funding that he was able to get might be lost because the MKs who came here no longer will.
Shabbat Shalom U'Mevurakh,
Doreen Ellen-Bell, Tzfat, Israel
The message Jack wrote about Jane Fonda on the Yahoo! e-group "Galil Notice Board" has nothing to do with the Galil. But, heck, when did a rabble rouser ever consider propriety, time, place and appropriateness when rousing rabble? My response below does relate to the Galil directly.
I have read this too too emotionally stirring account to be entirely true entirely too many times. The emotional shock has long since worn off. Ultra right-wing, neo-Con, religious fanatics in the US post this all over the board to arouse the emotions they want to be aroused and they succeed to a large extent. They don't know when to stop, though, and they keep dragging out this same dog-eared "account" again and again. Yawn.
I have yet to see Ms. Fonda's response to this story. Somehow her version and/or response never appears together with this "account" when it is posted.
Here in Israel a parallel ultra right-wing, neo-Con, religious fanatic movement is growing to match that of the Christians in the States and the fanatic Muslims. Due to the actions of one of these people there are now operatives of the Shaba"k checking out Messianic movements in my home town of Tzfat. How sad this makes me. It gives me the creeps to think both that there may be really dangerous elements here in Tzfat, people who take out their impotent rage and emotional disturbance on politicians' cars) and that there is a need on the part of the Shaba"k to keep a presence here and monitor their activities.
We are being unindated with emotionally charged *propaganda*. I urge everyone to keep their emotions under control when they read posts that are obviously crafted to blast them out of their seats and do the homework to determine whether it is true or not, and to what extent.
There is a very takhlis negative outcome to Tzfat, all of Tzfat, as a result of the action of one of the ultra-right, neo-Con, stoned on chazarah b'teshuvah characters that populate Tzfat, the one who attacked Bibi's car and abused him verbally. Politicians have been warned by their advisors to stay away from Tzfat because they may be in danger here. When Yishai Maimon became Mayor we lost our direct line to the offices of Likud MKs. We lost untold revenues because there is no Mafda"l power base in the Knesset and the Likud had no particular sentiments for Maimon. Now the precious little funding that he was able to get might be lost because the MKs who came here no longer will.
Shabbat Shalom U'Mevurakh,
Doreen Ellen-Bell, Tzfat, Israel
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