The Second Matmid

The Second Matmid

July 29, 2002

Shalom.

Last Thursday night I left for a Shabbat program in New York. Before leaving I asked some friends to left me know immediately, if, G-d forbid, anything happened. Only a few hours after arriving on Friday morning the phones started ringing. The first accounts were of four Israelis killed by Arab terrorists, a few miles south of Hebron. Then we received a name, Elazar Lebovitch, who was, according to the reports, critically wounded. And then, a little while later, the news that he had been killed. The tragedy was compounded by the report that a couple, parents of ten children, and one of their sons, had also been murdered by the same terrorists who killed Elazar.

A few hours later, arriving at our Shabbat destination, the Hamptons on Long Island in New York, I realized that many of those present at the summer resort had very little knowledge of Hebron. Quite a few people asked me “why are you even staying in Hebron – it’s so dangerous, why don’t you leave?” Understanding the questions, I had to find a way to rationally explain the current situation, including the murder of Elazar Lebovitch, as well as an explanation of how we see the future. I’ll try to briefly relate to you a little of what I said to them on Saturday afternoon, in the hope that more people will comprehend.

“Today, the 18^th day of Av, is the 73^rd anniversary of the 1929 Tarpat massacre, which left 67 dead and over 70 wounded in Hebron. The survivors were evicted from the city by the British three days later.

On Thursday, the day before the riots started, four Jews, three men and a woman, all of whom belonged to the Hagana, the Jewish defense force in Israel, arrived in Hebron. They brought with them weapons and a fateful message. They told Hebron’s Jewish leadership that the Jew-hating mufti, Haj Amin el-Husseini was again inciting, and that a violent outburst was likely. They offered to leave the weapons in Hebron, or even to stay and help protect Hebron’s Jews against Arab aggression. However, the Jews refused, responding that the presence of weapons would be viewed as a provocation by their Arab neighbors. They claimed that the Arabs were their friends who would protect them in any time of need. Hebron’s Jews sent the Hagana representatives back to Jerusalem that same today, together with the weapons.

The next day, Friday, the mufti sent messengers throughout Eretz Yisrael, saying that the Jews were attempting to conquer Temple Mount and that Arab blood was flowing through the streets of Jerusalem. This was, of course, a lie, but it acted as a signal and the Arabs began rioting. The rumors reached Hebron on Friday afternoon. Leaving their afternoon prayers, Hebron’s Arabs began rioting. Their first stop was the famous Hebron Yeshiva, which came to Hebron from Lithuania in 1924. Due to the summer break, many of the students were on vacation. Others were preparing for Shabbat. One man was sitting in the study hall, learning Torah. His name was Shmuel HaLevy Rosenhaltz. He was nicknamed the ‘Matmid’ a person who is diligent and consistent. Shumel HaLevy Rosenhaltz was always studying, never closing his books, constantly learning. The Arab mob discovered him alone in the study hall and killed him. He was the first Jew murdered in Hebron during the riots, on Friday afternoon, only a short time before Shabbat.

Yesterday, Friday, the 17^th day of Av, exactly 73 years to the day when Shmuel HaLevy Rosenhaltz was murdered, we lost another Matmid, Elazar Lebovitch, at about the same hour, the exact time that Rosenhaltz was killed.  Elazar, killed on the eve of his 21^st birthday, a Sergeant serving in the Israeli army for over two years, was also a ‘Matmid.’ He was a ‘Matmid’ for Eretz Yisrael, he was a ‘Matmid’ for Hebron, he was a ‘Matmid’ for everything that was pure and holy.

Elazar Lebovitch was driving a young couple, married only two days before to Hebron, for their first Shabbat together as husband and wife.  Neria ben Yitzhak, one of thirteen children, whose family lives in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood of Hebron, together with his new wife Sarah, from the Shomron community of Itamar, were on their way to Hebron to celebrate their two-day old marriage. When the terrorists attack their car, Elazar was hit, but continued driving. When he collapsed, Neria took the wheel from him and continued until they reached security and rescue forces. But it was too late to save Elazar, one of ten children, who lived in Hebron since the age of two, who was to have celebrated his 21^st birthday the next day.

People ask, how can you continue on, how do you not reach despair?  Last week we read in the weekly Haftorah, the section of the prophets recited following the Torah reading, from the book of Isaiah. In chapter 40, verse nine, we read, “O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah: 'Behold your G-d!' We read this verse in conjunction with the announcement of imminent redemption and the coming of the Messiah.

Why is it necessary, according to the verse in Isaiah, to stand on a high mountain while hearing of the forthcoming redemption?

If one looks straight ahead while standing on a flat surface, one sees only what is directly in front of him, whatever it may be.  The range of vision is severely restricted to an area close to the viewer. However, if one stands high up, as exemplified here by a mountain, one can see for great distances, in all directions.

Today, when we look in front of us, many times, it seems that all we see is darkness, pain and sorrow. That is, however, an optical illusion. For if we stand up high, and look from afar, we see, not only the darkness but much light – the light of Avraham Avinu and of David HaMelech. We see the strength of Am Yisrael through the generations, we see Am Yisrael, leaving the ovens of Aushwitz to fight a war of Independence only three short years later, taking on all the Arab armies of the world and defeating them. We see the light of 1967, of our return to Jerusalem, Hebron and Shechem.

We read these verses from Isaiah on the Shabbat immediately following Tisha b’Av, commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temple in Jerusalem, over two thousand years ago. Tisha b’Av represents, perhaps, the darkest moments of Jewish history, a time that could have easily lead to total despair. That is why we read these verses immediately after Tisha b’Av, in order to restore faith and confidence in the hope for the future.

So it is today, a time of terror and bloodshed. Rather than despair and lose hope, we must see Am Yisrael as it really is, not the darkness of the present, rather the greatness  of our people over the centuries. When we understand who we really are and our role in the world through a perspective of history it is much easier to look forward, past the present trials and troubles, to what will undoubtedly be a magnificent future. Just as we have overcome attempts to annihilate us in the past, so too today, we will overcome the terror and warfare declared against our people. Trusting in G-d, and doing what we must, we will be victorious.

To this end Elazar Lebovitch, Hebron’s second ‘Matmid,’ dedicated his short life. It is our obligation to continue in his footsteps, and in the footsteps of the hundreds and thousands of others who have fallen, having sacrificed themselves for Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael and Torat Yisrael."

With blessings from Hebron,

This is David Wilder

An Israeli Twilight Zone

An Israeli Twilight Zone
July 22, 2002

Shalom.

A few weeks ago I introduced the evening’s commentary as a “fairytale,” my own cynical way of dealing with true episodes, which are stranger than strange. Tonight, rather than label the following story a fairytale, I’ll leave it at, what some of you might remember as, ‘The Twilight Zone.’

Hebron resident Noam Federman has long been at odds with the police and security forces. He has been arrested and indicted countless times, and very rarely, convicted. His notoriety stems, in part, from his connection to the late Kach organization, of which he was spokesman.

A couple of months ago Federman was again arrested, this time in conjunction with the new, so-called terrorist underground. Three men from the Bat Ayin community, in Gush Etzion, were arrested and charged with attempting to detonate a bomb near a hospital in East Jerusalem. Following their arrests, the three reportedly admitted to their wrongdoing and the cooperation between them. However, after about a week and a half of intensive interrogation, one of the three changed his story and implicated Noam Federman, who was then apprehended and charged with being the mastermind behind the plot. He was accused of receiving and passing on explosives to an unknown person or persons, for use in the attack.

Noam Federman denied any and all connection to the alleged crime, fully answering police questions. The only evidence against Federman was the account given by one of the original three men arrested – it was his word against Federman’s.

When the court ordered Federman be remanded in prison until his trial, he appealed. The appeal reached the Israeli Supreme Court. Judge Turkel, rebuking the prosecutor, declared that the state was trying to implicate Federman in crimes that he had nothing to do with, that he was not dangerous, and should not be kept in prison. His decision allowed that Federman be released from jail with restrictions. The case was returned to the Jerusalem municipal court. The judge there decided that Federman would be held under house arrest, in Kiryat Shmona, one of the northern-most cities in Israel, on the border with Lebanon. Federman refused. Eventually it was agreed that he would be held in house arrest at his in-laws home in Kiryat Arba, five minutes outside of Hebron. His father-in-law was required to be at home with him at all times, ‘guarding the prisoner’ so to speak.

Now for the good part.

In a couple of days Noam’s sister-in-law is getting married in Jerusalem. After being denied permission by the police to attend the wedding, Noam appealed to the courts. On Friday, accompanied by his father-in-law, Noam attended a hearing in Jerusalem. While Noam sat in the courthouse, his father-in-law did some errands in the city. When the case was called, in walked the Shabak, Israeli intelligence officers, who claimed that they had obtained ‘secret material,’ which would prove why Federman could not attend the wedding in Jerusalem. Not having expected this, and not having his lawyer present, Noam requested, and was granted, a delay in the hearing until Sunday. As the hearing ended, the prosecutor demanded that Noam explain why his chaperon wasn’t present, to which Federman responded, “he’s running some errands and will be back shortly.” After a little while his father-in-law arrived, and together they returned to Kiryat Arba.

A couple of hours later, the police arrived, knocking on the door, and demanding to speak to Federman. “We’ve been issued a complaint that you violated the terms of your release,” they said, and took him in for questioning. Noam showed the court protocol, explained where he had been and asked why he’d been again apprehended. The police, not Noam’s best friend, looked at him with question marks in their eyes, and replied, “we don’t really know.” After consultation with senior officers, Federman was allowed to go back to his in-laws.

Yesterday, Sunday morning, Federman returned to the Jerusalem court, which refused to allow the Shabak to introduce secret evidence, demanding that the two sides reach a compromise. Eventually Noam was granted permission to attend the wedding in the middle of the week, but would be denied permission to attend the following Shabbat’s wedding celebration.

Federman and his father-in-law left the court, stopped for a bite to eat, and then proceeded to south Jerusalem to pick up Noam’s wife, in the Talpiot neighborhood, before heading back to Kiryat Arba and Hebron. Suddenly, out of nowhere, in the middle of the road, two plainclothes men jumped on Federman’s car, and while demanding that he get out and identify himself, called the police and ordered him arrested. When the police arrived, they too were stunned. Again, Federman showed them the court protocol, accounted for every moment of his time, and told them that he was on his way home. The plainclothes agents who had stopped the car, also intelligence agents, claimed that Federman’s car was ‘suspicious,’ and that he had again violated the terms of his release. Again, Noam was taken to the police station for further interrogation. The officer questioning him said, “I’ve never seen anything like this. I don’t know what they want from you.”

By this time Noam’s father-in-law and wife had gone home, leaving him with the police. When, at 9:30 at night they finally agreed to release him, he refused to go, exclaiming, “I don’t have an escort. If I leave alone, again, I’ll be arrested and charged with violating my terms of release.” So, the police issued him a special, one-time permit, allowing him to drive home in the presence of his friend and former Kach colleague, the infamous Baruch Marzel.”

One more little goodie – the indictment still standing against Federman charges him with possession of, and selling, explosives. When the indictment was presented in court, the defense attorney asked, ‘who was Federman accused of selling the explosives to?’ The prosecutor’s response, “I don’t know.” The judge then asked, “a man, woman, a child, who?,” to which the prosecutor answered, “I don’t know.” The judge then asked, “how will he be able to defend himself if he doesn’t know who he is accused of selling explosives to,” and the prosecutor again replied, “I don’t know.”

That’s the Israeli D.A.’s office for you – the Twilight Zone.

With blessings from Hebron,

David Wilder

Noam Federman's Twilight Zone

Noam Federman's Twilight Zone

July 22, 2002

Shalom.

A few weeks ago I introduced the evening’s commentary as a “fairytale,” my own cynical way of dealing with true episodes, which are stranger than strange. Tonight, rather than label the following story a fairytale, I’ll leave it at, what some of you might remember as, ‘The Twilight Zone.’

Hebron resident Noam Federman has long been at odds with the police and security forces. He has been arrested and indicted countless times, and very rarely, convicted. His notoriety stems, in part, from his connection to the late Kach organization, of which he was spokesman.

A couple of months ago Federman was again arrested, this time in conjunction with the new, so-called terrorist underground. Three men from the Bat Ayin community, in Gush Etzion, were arrested and charged with attempting to detonate a bomb near a hospital in East Jerusalem. Following their arrests, the three reportedly admitted to their wrongdoing and the cooperation between them. However, after about a week and a half of intensive interrogation, one of the three changed his story and implicated Noam Federman, who was then apprehended and charged with being the mastermind behind the plot. He was accused of receiving and passing on explosives to an unknown person or persons, for use in the attack.

Noam Federman denied any and all connection to the alleged crime, fully answering police questions. The only evidence against Federman was the account given by one of the original three men arrested – it was his word against Federman’s.

When the court ordered Federman be remanded in prison until his trial, he appealed. The appeal reached the Israeli Supreme Court. Judge Turkel, rebuking the prosecutor, declared that the state was trying to implicate Federman in crimes that he had nothing to do with, that he was not dangerous, and should not be kept in prison. His decision allowed that Federman be released from jail with restrictions. The case was returned to the Jerusalem municipal court. The judge there decided that Federman would be held under house arrest, in Kiryat Shmona, one of the northern-most cities in Israel, on the border with Lebanon. Federman refused. Eventually it was agreed that he would be held in house arrest at his in-laws home in Kiryat Arba, five minutes outside of Hebron. His father-in-law was required to be at home with him at all times, ‘guarding the prisoner’ so to speak.

Now for the good part.

In a couple of days Noam’s sister-in-law is getting married in Jerusalem. After being denied permission by the police to attend the wedding, Noam appealed to the courts. On Friday, accompanied by his father-in-law, Noam attended a hearing in Jerusalem. While Noam sat in the courthouse, his father-in-law did some errands in the city. When the case was called, in walked the Shabak, Israeli intelligence officers, who claimed that they had obtained ‘secret material,’ which would prove why Federman could not attend the wedding in Jerusalem. Not having expected this, and not having his lawyer present, Noam requested, and was granted, a delay in the hearing until Sunday. As the hearing ended, the prosecutor demanded that Noam explain why his chaperon wasn’t present, to which Federman responded, “he’s running some errands and will be back shortly.” After a little while his father-in-law arrived, and together they returned to Kiryat Arba.

A couple of hours later, the police arrived, knocking on the door, and demanding to speak to Federman. “We’ve been issued a complaint that you violated the terms of your release,” they said, and took him in for questioning. Noam showed the court protocol, explained where he had been and asked why he’d been again apprehended. The police, not Noam’s best friend, looked at him with question marks in their eyes, and replied, “we don’t really know.” After consultation with senior officers, Federman was allowed to go back to his in-laws.

Yesterday, Sunday morning, Federman returned to the Jerusalem court, which refused to allow the Shabak to introduce secret evidence, demanding that the two sides reach a compromise. Eventually Noam was granted permission to attend the wedding in the middle of the week, but would be denied permission to attend the following Shabbat’s wedding celebration.

Federman and his father-in-law left the court, stopped for a bite to eat, and then proceeded to south Jerusalem to pick up Noam’s wife, in the Talpiot neighborhood, before heading back to Kiryat Arba and Hebron. Suddenly, out of nowhere, in the middle of the road, two plainclothes men jumped on Federman’s car, and while demanding that he get out and identify himself, called the police and ordered him arrested. When the police arrived, they too were stunned. Again, Federman showed them the court protocol, accounted for every moment of his time, and told them that he was on his way home. The plainclothes agents who had stopped the car, also intelligence agents, claimed that Federman’s car was ‘suspicious,’ and that he had again violated the terms of his release. Again, Noam was taken to the police station for further interrogation. The officer questioning him said, “I’ve never seen anything like this. I don’t know what they want from you.”

By this time Noam’s father-in-law and wife had gone home, leaving him with the police. When, at 9:30 at night they finally agreed to release him, he refused to go, exclaiming, “I don’t have an escort. If I leave alone, again, I’ll be arrested and charged with violating my terms of release.” So, the police issued him a special, one-time permit, allowing him to drive home in the presence of his friend and former Kach colleague, the infamous Baruch Marzel.”

One more little goodie – the indictment still standing against Federman charges him with possession of, and selling, explosives. When the indictment was presented in court, the defense attorney asked, ‘who was Federman accused of selling the explosives to?’ The prosecutor’s response, “I don’t know.” The judge then asked, “a man, woman, a child, who?,” to which the prosecutor answered, “I don’t know.” The judge then asked, “how will he be able to defend himself if he doesn’t know who he is accused of selling explosives to,” and the prosecutor again replied, “I don’t know.”

That’s the Israeli D.A.’s office for you – the Twilight Zone.

With blessings from Hebron,

David Wilder

Blind Love

Blind Love
July 17, 2002

About four years ago I was invited to attend a Bar Mitzvah in Toronto, Canada. A few of our friends from Toronto arranged a number of speaking engagements for one of my colleagues and myself, and we flew to Canada for the weekend. 

In order to get from my host?s home to the synagogue I had to walk about 3 hours in not too warm weather. However, as far as I was concerned, it was worth the walk.



Well over a decade ago Rebbetzin Gitl Rozensweig made a major contribution to Hebron?s Jewish community, sponsoring the 1929-Tarpat Memorial room in the Beit Hadassah Hebron Heritage Museum. This room, commemorating the 67 Jews murdered in Hebron on that infamous Saturday 73 years ago, is a must stop for anyone visiting our holy city. Understanding the vital importance of such an historic exhibit, Rebbetzin Rozensweig generously funded this room in memory of her late husband, Rabbi Shraga Feival Rosensweig zt"l, from Kitchner, Canada.



Since then, every time she visited Israel, she made it a point to spend a few hours in Hebron. We came to know other members of her family, some of whom live in Jerusalem, and who are also very attached to Hebron.



About five years ago the Rebbetzin?s son-in-law, David Rosenzweig, brought in a number of Toronto Jews, who knew very little about Hebron, but following an intensive tour, became staunch supporters of a strong Jewish presence in the city of the Patriarchs. Before leaving Hebron, he told me of his son Ezra?s upcoming Bar Mitzvah and invited me to attend.



Truthfully, I don?t remember too much about the party, except that it was exceptionally happy, as mostsmachot, Jewish festive events, tend to be. However, what I do remember left a lasting impression. Ezra?s father, speaking to the large group of participants during lunch, insisted on speaking about Eretz Yisrael. Only a few days before two Jews had been murdered by terrorists in Israel, and Ezra?s father made it a point to speak about them, despite his family?s festive occasion. Usually, at such parties, it is not customary to speak of such sorrowing events. As we say, ?There is a time to laugh, and there is a time to cry.? Bar Mitzvah parties are a time to be happy and laugh, not the opposite. But Ezra?s father broke the rule, saying that we must remember what is happening to our brethren in Israel, never forgetting them.



This past Saturday night, Ezra, now almost 17 years old, was involved in a minor traffic accident in Toronto. He called his parents, telling them he was waiting for a tow truck, and not to worry, he?d be home soon. Ezra?s father, celebrating that night his 49th birthday, decided to join his son, and left the house. After meeting, while waiting for the tow truck, the two decided to go into a nearby Pizzeria, perhaps to buy a slice, or maybe to use the phone. Just as they approached the restaurant, two skinheads walked out of it. They had caused a large commotion in the pizzeria, having attempted to stab one of the waiters. Seeing Ezra and his father standing outside, two religious Jews, they walked behind them and stabbed Ezra?s father, David Rosenzweig, hy?d in the back, killing him almost instantly.



David Rosenzweig, married to the Rebbetzin?s daughter Chavi, leaves six children, including a 12 year old son whose Bar Mitzvah will be next January and an eight year old. So ironic it is that David?s parents were holocaust survivors, only to have their son murdered by neo-Nazis, in of all places, Toronto, Canada.



Toronto is not the kind of place one expects to read about anti-Semitic hate killings. According to the Toronto media, this was only the 15th murder in Toronto this year. There is a large Jewish community in the city, both religious and secular, as well as many synagogues and Jewish community centers. Some people, hearing of the murder, exclaimed, ?Things like this don?t happen in Toronto.?



Unfortunately though, they do ? all around the world. Wherever there are Jews, there is someone who hates them and is willing to kill them, for no other reason, without any excuse, except that they are Jews. And it?s nothing new. It?s been happening for about two thousand years. Here in Israel we too are familiar with the phenomena. Here the killing is not perpetrated by crazed individuals or fanatic groups ? here we face the killing of Jews in Eretz Yisrael just because they are Jews living in Israel.



This Thursday will mark the annual anniversary of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, the Temple in Jerusalem almost 2,000 years ago. It is written that the 2nd Temple was destroyed because of Sinat Hinam ? blind hatred between Jews. Even in the year 2002 we still face hatred, from without, as with the tragic and senseless murder of a righteous man such as David Rosenzweig, as well as hatred from within. There?s no need to detail the massive and unnecessary infighting between Jews, especially in Israel, or wherever they are. Perhaps, if all of us, Jews and gentiles alike, take it upon ourselves to accept our fellowman, for whatever he or she is, the blind hatred we know so well, will, in the words of Rav Kook, be transformed into blind love, and no longer will we mourn such heartrending atrocities, such as the murder of David Rosenzweig in Toronto this past Saturday night. May our blind love be a consolation to the family.

A good way to start the week

A good way to start the week

July 8, 2002

Shalom,

Over the past two days I’ve been exposed to a number of interesting encounters. I’d like to briefly relate them to you.

Yesterday morning I met Chavi and Daniel Eisenberg at Ma’arat HaMachpela, following morning prayers. They had called me a few days before, asking to see some of Hebron.

Chavi is the United States national director Tehilla. Tehilla is an international organization, defined on its web site [www.tehilla.com] as a “voluntary movement for religious aliya. A non-political movement, established in 1982 to assist religious olim in preparing for and adjusting to their aliya, Tehilla began providing concrete, practical assistance in the areas of employment, education and communities. Tehilla has offices in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, New York, London, Paris, Johannesburg, and Kiev.”

When I asked Chavi how many people she has working with her, she basically answered, ‘me, myself and I.’ The reason for lack of manpower is, as almost always, financial. They have very little money. Despite this, working practically alone, Chavi and Tehilla are major partners in helping Jews come live in Eretz Yisrael. This week a plane full of almost four hundred people, that’s over 150 families, will land at Ben Gurion Airport, all coming to live in Israel. The plane is sponsored by a new organization called Nefesh b’Nefesh [www.nefeshbnefesh.org], in English, ‘Jewish souls united.’ Their goal: “To revitalize North American Aliyah and to expand it for generations to come by removing the financial, professional, social and logistical obstacles that are preventing many "would-be" Olim from fulfilling their dream. In the process, we hope to send an unmistakable signal of North American-Israeli Jewish solidarity and joint determination to strengthen the State of Israel.”

 The organization is led by executive director Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, a young, dynamic, charismatic and very dedicated Jew, who abandoned a very promising career as an influential pulpit Rabbi to take the reins of this holy project.

Together, Tehilla and Nefesh b’Nefesh are fulfilling the epitome of the Zionist ideal: getting Jews to Eretz Yisrael.

Kol HaKavod!

This past Shabbat I had a very interesting visitor. I met him during Shabbat prayers at Ma’arat HaMachpela. A tall man, wearing shorts, Daniel was called up to the Torah to recite the blessings over the holy scroll. He later told me this was the first time he’d ever been called up to recite the Torah blessings.

I invited Daniel home with me for Shabbat lunch, and while walking to Beit Hadassah he told me some of his story.

Daniel was a flight attendant for United airlines, regularly flying to California, either to LA or San Francisco.  On September 5 Daniel fell down some stairs, wrenching his back. Realizing that he couldn’t stand for hours on a plane, a few days later he called in sick.  A couple of days later, on September 11, one of those planes, on its way to California, was turned around by al Qaeda terrorists in an attempt to crash it into the White House. That was the plane that went down in a field over Pennsylvania, intentionally brought down by heroic passengers.

Daniel, hearing about the crash, realized that he very well could have been one of its victims. Friends of his from United perished on the flight. On September 15 Daniel was  in Israel, having left his job, deciding to adopt a religiously observant lifestyle, in thanks for his still being alive. Presently he’s studying at a Yeshiva in Jerusalem, plans to sell off whatever he still owns in the US, becoming, as soon as possible, an Oleh Hadash, a new immigrant.

Wow, what a story!

And here is one for the road: A few months ago, while visiting in Fairlawn, New Jersey, I was approached by Mrs. Zhenia Fleisher, who told me about her son Yishai’s dream, to get married in Hebron, this summer.

Yishai is, by the way, one of the leaders of Kumah [www.kumah.org], which means Arise, an organization dedicated to encouraging and facilitating mass Aliya to Israel.

Yesterday, Yishai, and his Kallah, bride-to-be, Melissa, visited Hebron, in preparation for their wedding, which, with G-d’s help will take place in a couple of weeks, soon after Tisha b’Av. The couple is in law school, with one year until graduation. They plan on making their home, here in Israel, upon completion of their studies. Their Rabbi, Rabbi Benjamin Yuden, from Fairlawn, is making a special trip to Israel to marry them, here in Hebron, at Ma’arat HaMachpela.

A dream come true.

With blessings from Hebron,

This is David Wilder 

There really is more to life than football

There really is more to life than football
July 1, 2002

Shalom.

Last night, while sitting down for a bite to eat I turned on the radio. What was the talk of the day? Yesterday afternoon were the World Cup Finals – as we call it in Hebrew, the Mondial. According to radio stats, over one quarter of the world’s population viewed the games over the past week.

The interviewer was speaking to an Israeli in Brazil – the Brazilians beat the Germans for the Cup, and the Israeli was describing the celebrations in the streets, dancing, singing, and the like. He made a comment which caught my ear, “Nothing is more important in Brazil than football.”

That really hit me. The most important facet of life is, no more, no less, football. All life revolves around football.

It’s not only in Brazil. An interviewee from Germany describing the feelings of the defeated, mentioned that the Germans, not expecting to lose, were planning a four year celebration, climaxing with the next World Cup championship, which is to take place in Germany in 2006.

I thought to myself, I wonder what its like to have a life where everything is so unimportant that the nucleus of one’s life is a national sport. The truth is, it is rather disappointing. Not that sport is bad – there is nothing wrong with good exercise and some competition, but to think that nothing is more important than football – well, it seems a little shallow.

Let me suggest an alternative.

This weekend we are celebrating Shabbat Eretz Yisrael.  One hundred and fifty  couples from Judea, Samaria and Gazza will be visiting cities all over Israel, from Beer Sheva in the south to Akko in the north. Men and women will be speaking to various groups, in shuls, at community centers, at youth groups and other functions, focusing the discussions on one item: Eretz Yisrael.  The purpose: to strengthen our ties, our personal and public link, our religious and nationalistic relationship to our land.

Why is this so important? It is clear that our People are still in the late stages of a metamorphosis, a transformation from being scattered amongst the nations of the world, in Galut, Diaspora, to a people living in its own land, amongst ourselves, interrelating with the nations of the world, but not as an persecuted minority, rather as one amongst equals.  In order to interrelate with others it is essential that we know ourselves, including, of course, the significance of where we live. If we question our identity and we query key elements of our existence, it is difficult to attempt to deal with others who not only know who they are, but also have very clear and defined attitudes about us. For example, many Jews are still unclear as to our genuine right to live in Eretz Yisrael, and actually doubt the legitimacy of all of Eretz Yisrael as our homeland. At the same time there are many, throughout the world that do profess to really know about Eretz Yisrael, claiming that it certainly does not belong to Am Yisrael, to the Jewish people. How can we convince them that they are wrong if we don’t know ourselves?

So this Shabbat, as we conclude the fourth of the five Books of Moses, Sefer Bemidbar, or Numbers as it is called in English, one hundred and fifty couples will spend the day speaking about and discussing why Eretz Yisrael is important to the Jewish People.

At the present, perhaps no subject is more vital or important.  Our enemy has designs on all our land. Most of the world favors a so-called ‘two-state’ solution. Many amongst our own people are ready to give up all of Judea, Samaria and Gazza, some because they do not comprehend its intrinsic importance as part of Eretz Yisrael, and others, simply due to despair.

Israeli Defense Minister ben Eliezer, with the backing of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, has begun uprooting so-called illegal outposts and communities throughout Judea and Samaria. During this time war, when our enemy is trying to take our land away from us, rather than strengthen our grip on our land, the Israeli leadership, showing unbelievable weakness, is doing the very opposite. Rather than call on Israelis to massively settle the Land, all the Land, they are trying to uproot us from our Land.

A special poster was written, to be publicized throughout Israel. It is titled:

One people in One land.

Announcing a grand Shabbat of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael.

Let this be a time of blessing, faith and aspiration.

Coming at a time when we all sense the growth, the thirst and the opening of hearts, on one side, and the difficulties, the pain and the challenges on the other side.

In cities and in towns, in the center of our country, and by the border, we sense that the time has come to reinforce our bond to our people and to our land. This is a time of strength and renewal, deepening our dedication, a commitment that we must all take upon ourselves.

We turn to all, from the depths of our hearts, to participate, both in quantity and in quality, during this special Shabbat, in the north and south, in the center and by the sea, throughout the land.

When all brothers and sisters will partake together, a day of study and of uplifting spirit. Each will say to the other, Have courage, enhancing the potency of  Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael, a sign unto ourselves and a sign unto others.

I add to this poster, and call upon you, wherever you are in the world, to participate in strengthening the Jewish presence in Eretz Yisrael, in all of Eretz Yisrael. Be it at home at work, at the shul, or at a picnic, talk about Eretz Yisrael, about Jerusalem, about Hebron, about Shechem. Talk about the hills and the valleys, the desert and the sea, the wondrous land that G-d gave us, the promise made to our forefather Abraham so many centuries  ago.

Don’t just speak about it – come here this summer to visit – for a few days, for a week, for a month. Tour the land, showing all, Eretz Yisrael belongs to Am Yisrael and we are here to prove it!

And remember, there really is more to life than football.

With blessings from Hebron,

This is David Wilder

Foothold in Hebron

Shalom.

It’s just over a week and the heartache is still close to unbearable. So much blood has been needlessly spilled, and the murder of Elazar Lebovitch has left its mark.

There are two topics I’d like to discuss tonight. First, but not for the first time, the police. Hebron’s police force has to be one of the most heartless security organizations in the world, and that is not an exaggeration. Yesterday morning Hebron residents, including our youth who were Elazar’s friends, joined the Lebovitch family for a graveside memorial service, following the first week of mourning. Following the service a busload of the youth boarded a bus which was to take them to the Golan Heights for a much needed and well deserved few days of vacation – out of the city and its turbulence – breathing some fresh air from another part of the country. About twenty minutes outside Hebron, at the Gush Etzion junction, Hebron police ambushed the bus. About 40 riot squat police jumped onto the bus, pushing their way through the narrow isle, selectively removing several of the participants who were ‘wanted for questioning.’

The police, on the first day of this year’s summer recreation program, burst into the kid’s recreation room in Hebron with their guns drawn, looking for a Hebron ‘suspect’ whose crime was so serious that two hours after being dragged into the police station for interrogation, he was released. For that, they had to search for him with their guns out. And now, today, following a very difficult week of mourning for their friend, on their way to rest and relax for a few days, they are ambushed, again, wanted for ‘questioning.’

Following the arrests, the head of Hebron’s security contacted the Hebron police chief, Ali Zamir, and notified him that the kids were on their way to the Golan – why not just issue them summonses for questioning, setting the date for a week from now, and let them go. But no – Hebron kids cannot be let off so easy.

Only after the other kids staged a street demonstration at the El Arub refugee camp, a few minutes from Gush Etzion, did Zamir show up and tell Hebron leaders, “I didn’t know they were on their way for a vacation.” This same Zamir gave the orders to police to throw Anat Cohen over a police barrier about a year ago, leaving her flat on her back.

This kind of treatment at the hands of Hebron police is grossly inexcusable and must be put to a halt by those having the authority to do so. We call on Internal Security minister Uzi Landau to put a stop to the constant harassing of Hebron’s men, women and children by a police force, whose actions, unfortunately, bring back memories of days past, when Jews did not have their own state, and were forced to deal with regimes who where after their blood.

The second topic of tonight’s discussion concerns last week’s funeral in Hebron. Media reports world-wide have again vilified Hebron’s residents for a ‘pogrom,’ as many have so described it.

It is imperative to set the record straight. Following the start of the funeral, mourners were attacked by Arabs throwing rocks, cement blocks and iron bars from rooftops. I personally have investigated this matter and have no doubt whatsoever that it is the one and only true account of what happened. And this is not the first time such attacks have occurred. At the funeral of Mordechai and Shalom Lapid, in December, 1994, the same thing happened.

This time though, people were not about to stand around and just take it, so to speak. The reaction was not long in coming. However the reaction was not solely of civilians. Israeli soldiers, brought into Hebron to protect the public from continued Arab attacks, realizing the danger to human life, did anything and everything possible to safeguard the Jewish mourners. The danger was so great that they were forced to open fire. An Arab girl was killed, most probably by IDF gunfire, due to the massive attack on the mourners at the time of the funeral.

It is true that there were people who did get carried away. Not very many, but it did happen, not to the liking of Hebron’s leadership. The Arab attack, the emotions of the moment and the continued killing of innocent civilians by Arafat terrorists climaxed in an outpouring of rage. However, it must be said that there were close to 10,000 people at the funeral. A vast majority of these people were not from Hebron. Even the HaAretz newspaper, not known for its love of Hebron, specified that the unnecessary violence of civilians at the funeral was not committed by Hebron residents. Former Colonel Moshe Givati, appointed by Minister Uzi Landau to act as a go-between between Hebron’s Jewish community and the police said the same thing.

So why blame Hebron’s Jewish community and residents?

I think that these two topics of tonight’s commentary are related. There are those who simply don’t want us in Hebron, and will do anything and everything to get us out, including the persecution of children and use of counterfeit material to influence public opinion. But, don’t despair, because we surely will not. Our foothold in Hebron is not dependant on newspapers, radio, TV, politicians, or police. Our foothold in Hebron is not one layer deep, it is 4,000 years deep. And little nuisances here and there, as annoying as they are, will not loosen the Jewish people’s grip on their homeland and their heritage. For in the long run, that’s all they really are, little nuisances, irritants which will eventually be brushed aside.

With blessings from Hebron,

This is David Wilder