Technical Difficulties

The Gemara relates the story of how Jerusalem was conquered in the times of the Hasmonean kings. While city was under siege the Jews would lower money in a basket and the people outside would take the money and place sheep in the basket. This allowed the Korban Tamid to continue. A Jewish traitor told King Hyrkanus that the Jews will never be defeated so long as the Tamid was offered...

"The next day when a basket of coins was lowered the people placed a pig in it instead of the lambs. When they lifted the pig up it dug its hooves into the walls of Jerusalem and the land trembled for four hundred leagues all around. This was a sign of Divine Wrath." (Meam Loez on Shemini p. 239)

And so - perhaps that explains why just a few days after we post pictures of pigs on the Kumah site the main server has a massive stroke destroying a month's worth of posts. Or not.

Whatever the case may be we have switched over to our backup NeoZionist.com server for a few days till the main server could be rebuilt. Almost everything works though some images seem lost, perhaps forever, or at least until we reload them to the new server. In the meantime please pardon our appearance and keep commenting!

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"Post" or "Anti" Zionism?

State Sponsored Anti-Zionism
(Too bad we don't we have a Label for "Jewish Self-Hatred")

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Can We Lose with Zibbi and the Homos on Our Side?

Homos in camos scaring off dem Arabs

Hey - remember a while back, Zibbi Livni came up with that wonderful idea, to enlist the homosexual community to Israel's aid and promote gay tourism to Israel?

Well Zibbi is a woman of her word! Oh yes she is!

Look at the bottom (no bun intended) of this page: what does it say?

It says Pictures and texts courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism, that's what it says.

[oopsie - she's not in charge of that ministry is she? She's got the foreign office. But it seems there is cooperation with the Tourism Ministry here - G.R.].

Oh thank you Zibbi, for bringing as many faygelehs as possible into Tel Aviv. This is definitely going to scare off the Arabs!

- Hey Achmed, wanna go conquer Tel Aviv?

- You crazy Mahmoud? There's all these macho Jewish gay guys there! Deyll beat us up!! Let's go back to Saudi!


I recommend taking a few minutes to read this text too:

The development of a gay identity was difficult for many at a time when Israeli society was still in the midst of its Zionist revolution. Zionism, the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, sought to create a "New Jew" as part of the rebirth of Jewish sovereignty. The New Jew would work the land or engage in blue collar jobs, rather than in the "bourgeois" professions taken up by Jews in the Diaspora (the early Zionists were resolute socialists).

The security problems facing the Jewish state also precluded for many years discussion of a variety of social issues and problems. Pleading more pressing issues, the public agenda did not include the place of Mizrachim (Jews who immigrated to Israel from the Arab countries) in a society dominated by European-born Jews, women's liberation, equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel, or gay rights. Moreover, the collective values preached by the early founders of the Jewish state likewise left little room for exploration of personal identity.

(...)

Yet, gay identity and politics still did not go public. The close-knit nature of Israeli society made coming out exceedingly difficult, as did Israeli society's emphasis on family and reproduction. So it fell on non-gay supporters of gay rights to move things forward.

(...)

Mainstream Success
The reasons for gay and lesbian political success during this period from 1988 through the mid-1990s were many. Chief among them was the fact that gay activists pursued a very mainstream strategy, seeking to convince the wider public that gay Israelis were good patriotic citizens who just happened to be attracted to the same sex.

This strategy, pursued until recently, reinforced the perception that gay rights was a non-partisan issue, unconnected to the major fissure in Israeli politics, the Arab-Israeli conflict and how to resolve it. Embracing gay rights enabled Israelis to pat themselves on the back for being open-minded, even as Israeli society wrestled less successfully with other social inequalities.

Another reason for success was that the only source of real opposition to gay rights in Israel stems from the country's religious parties. This may seem contradictory, but it is not. While religious parties have played a role in every Israeli government since the establishment of the state in 1948, in recent years, as their power has grown, so has the resentment of secular Israelis. Thus, the opposition of religious parties to gay rights has engendered the opposite reaction among non-religious Israelis.

The Revolution Begins
The mainstream path started to grate on some gay and lesbian Israelis in the late 1990s.

(...)

But the radical critique has not been all-encompassing. The Israeli LGBT movement has not embraced feminism (in fact, sexism and tensions between gay men and lesbians are both quite prevalent), and until recently, the place of gay Arabs in the community was neglected, reflecting the wider society's indifference to Israel's Arab minority (some 20 percent of Israel's population).

Hagai Elad's article, "Gay Israel: No Pride In Occupation" thus comes at a rather grim time for Israel, and possibly, at a turning point for queer politics. Against the backdrop of clashes between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the 2001 Tel Aviv's Pride Parade, typically a celebratory, hedonistic affair, got a dose of politics when a contingent called "Gays in Black" marched with a banner proclaiming, "There's No Pride In Occupation."

All this courtesy of our tax shekel.

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PS

One great reason to elect Tzipi is the way her name will be pronounced by our neighbors.

Zibbi.

You have to know gutter Arabic to get that one. 'Nuff said.

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Tzipi, Save Us!

this is even worse than a picture of a pig, trust me

O Tzipke, now that Olmert is tottering please take over from the good-for-nothing men so that the Female Underground may become the Female Overground and finally bring peace between us and our virile neighbors who simply need a good motherly hug from our women to come to their senses and let us live.

For Tzipke my Tzipke, we know that women can make peace while men are silly neanderthal war machines. May we live to see UNSC Resolution 1325 implemented in the Middle East, and may all those hirsute Israeli men go away and be buried under a mountain of child support payments while the rest of us eat shawarma and knafeh with those husky mustachioed Ayerabs and their great after-shave. Yay!

PS: how do I know nobody is actually going to bother to click that last link and read it and try to understand that the feminist movement is the most potent force for Western appeasement out there? Because I do, I'm smart like that. Who in his right mind is going to bother trying to find out what 'gender mainstreaming' even means? It's much easier to walk to Homesh and say hayo lo tihyeh, which is all the Israeli right is there for I guess.

Yippee! We walked around the Border Police! Messiah is coming for sure.

(Gil Ronen and his silly rants. What did his mother do to him?).

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An Open Letter To Yishai

Dear Yishai,

I love you but this latest post of your's doesn't sit well with me. I don't feel it has a place on the Kumah website. Just as a picture of Neturei Karta burning an Israeli flag, which I posted, has no place here. Do people really need to see these pictures of pigs? You may be the co-founder of Kumah but the Kumah message has taken on a life of it's own. And that post is not Kumah. Perhaps it's Kumah-style but it's not Kumah!

Let's go straight to the point? Jews living in Chuz L'Aretz are responsible for Yerida? That's like saying the Israeli aggression is responsible for Arab attacks on Jews.

Who is responsible then? There are only two correct answers.

A. Hashem.

OR

B. The Yared.

As I wrote in my comment, if Hashem decrees you can not enter the Land you could be Moshe Rabbanu himself and you are not going to enter the land. By your logic you could be Moshe Rabbanu - and even want very much to live in Eretz Yisrael - but nevertheless your presence in Chutz L'aretz makes it easier for Yardim. So are you saying Moshe C"V is a Chazer? Are you saying our own beloved Shulamis, by residing in Chu"L is responsible for Yardim?

Another point. Do you think most Yardim are Dati? And actually think they say about American Jews, "I could be just as frum as these American Jews?"

Reality check: Most Yardim are not Dati and never even heard Lecha Dodi sung on Shabbat. They grow up in places like Haifa and Ramat Gan raised to be like the other nations especially America. And so where better to live the American dream but America. That's why they choose America! Not because there are Jews there but because there are cars and big houses and because money grows on trees in America.

And do you know what happens to these Yardim? Some Yardim who are after the American dream end up in places relatively void of Jews. But others - since they have the option - choose to live in Jewish areas because they might as well be near Jews. And do you know what happens? They start going to shul on Friday night because it's right next door. The shul in Haifa was a mile away. And they start getting closer to Hashem. Closer then they ever could have gotten in their setting in Eretz Yisrael. I have seen this happen with my own eyes countless times!

And then you know what happens next? They return. They come home. And then they get even closer to Hashem here than is possible anywhere else in the world. I see this happening too!

Ultimately every Jew has Eretz Yisrael inside of them. Every Jew has the yearning for her. That yearning is awakened best by positive thoughts. (It's easier for the Yared to come Home since they have the language and the culture.) A Jew native to America will need an even more positive message as they will face more challenges to make Aliyah successfully.

Yishai, it bothers me too that it doesn't seem enough American Orthodox Jews seriously consider Aliyah or even give a single thought to it. But the way to get them focused on it is by promoting the positive aspects of Aliyah and the beauty of life in Eretz Yisrael. This is a message Kumah has been building up for years since it's inception and it is the proper authentic Kumah message.

Everybody out there - click on this link !!!

This is link if FULL of Klassic Kumah posts. Scroll through the whole thing! Authentic Kumah. Go on click it! Look at those post. Each and every one of them. Then tell me what we should be posting on Kumah.

B'Ahavat Yisrael,
Pinchas

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While You Were BBQing... (Disturbing Photo Warning)

The following is an AP photo that appeared in papers and websites around the globe.



This is the caption that ran with it:
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish followers of Neturei Karta burn an Israeli flag against Israel's Independence Day in the Mea Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem, Tuesday, April 24, 2007. Neturei Karta, which means 'Guardians of the City', is a small group of Haredi Jews who oppose Zionism and believe that Jews are forbidden to have their own state until the coming of the Messiah. Israel is celebrating its annual Independence Day, marking 59 years since the founding of the state in 1948. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

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Orange alive in NY and FL

Hey all hope you had an amazing Independence Day.

While looking at some pictures from here and here I notices that Orange was still popping up everywhere. So I decided to check and see if we here in America still have "it" and here is what I found....









So this is to show, that even after all this time, and an ocean away, we still remember and we still support and we still believe that eventually we will get Gush Katif back, and the WHOLE land of Israel, that was promised to us. Amen!!!

Have a good one, don't forget the omer

~ Shulamit

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Kosher-Style

Recently, a listener to my show took exception when I said that American Jewry was Kosher-Style. "How", the incredulous listener asked, "could you compare the treif misrepresentation of the restaurants to living in America?"

So please let me explain: American Jewry is not kosher-style, it's American Orthodox Jewry which is kosher-style.

There they are, parading their black hats to everyone, making sure to keep Shabbos, and Kashrus. But Eretz Yisrael? Even though every page of the Siddur mentions it in one way or another, even the Torah seems obsessed with it, the American-Orthodox seem Exile-content.

Is this Kosher? No, its Kosher-Style. It has the trappings of Kosher - looks like a Jew, seems like a Jew, but in the final analysis, not acting like a Jew. A Jew needs to strive to get closer to Hashem, to serve Him, and not to serve himself. Our forefathers gave up everything to live here and they set an example for how we should behave. The Matriarch Rachel cries waiting for her children to come home, but we say "whatever". For American Jews "Next Year in Jerusalem" means "next year… maybe - but definitely not now."

Kosher-style is, of course, treif, a harsh accusation. Is it fair for me to call all those good Jews treif, when they may be very pious? Yes, there is one thing that makes American Jewry totally treif, and it's not only that they don't make Aliyah - rather it's the fact that AMERICAN JEWRY CAUSES YERIDA!

Have you ever wondered why Israelis who make Yerida almost invariably move to the States? The US is of course a great place to live, but it is American Jewry which gives secular Israeli's the legitimization to move there. An Israeli who is fed up with Israel's challenges needs only look to his Orthodox Jewish-American "brother" and ask himself: "Am I frumer than he is? He goes to Shul, he eats Kosher, he lives a Jewish life. So what do I need this Israel for, for ideology? Not. I'm not more idealogical then he is. Let me move to the US where I won't have to send my kids to the army and I'll get to live the good life - Kosher-Style!"

We all know that American Jewry transgresses a sin of omission in not making Aliyah. But the real truth is that American Jewry can be faulted for a sin of greater severity: taking Jews away from the Holy Land. Yerida, going down, choosing the exile. Choosing the Exile.

This sin can be overcome in an instant; this mitzva is beckoning at every moment.

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Oopsie-daisy - Spoke Too Soon

Sue me baby one more time.

See, I thought yesterday's soldier-from-the-back shot was a pretty good combat pose but look at this - Ynet's photo for an item about yesterday's alternative Yom Ha'atzmaoot - the Arab cryfest over the fact that they lost their war of genocide against us. This would be more or less the same as the Nazis holding an alternative V-E Day, or Japanese marking an alternative V-J Day in the USA.

Just look at that picture: right out of an Arab Braveheart, innit? You can see there is adulation for the masculine Arabs in Ynet's desk.

Turns out some Israeli mangalistas in Megiddo Forest were caught unawares by about 5,000 Arabs who had come to attend their event at the ruins of Lajun - a former Arab village so named because the Roman 6th Legion parked there during the Bar Kochva Rebellion - a rebellion that took place when the Jews who never existed tried to shake off the yoke of the Romans who had sacked their Temple which never existed either.

Quite a few talkback reactions to this item on INN, there certainly were a lot of reactions to the story about an Arab attack in Yafo the other day, which makes me think the idea of creating a 'Shalom House' in Umm El Fahm really is a very good idea in terms of its PR value. We will get the best PR if we do something like that in pre-1967 Israel.

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Holy Fifth Columns, Batman!

The actual pic that appeared on Ynet. Sue me

One small picture for Ynet, one giant leap for Ynetkind.

Get this: Ynet is actually featuring a photo on its homepage that shows an IDF soldier in an action pose. He doesn't look ridiculous, doesn't look like a fool, and an Israeli photographer took it - not AP.

I'm pretty sure few people notice this stuff, but it's very important IYAM.

Also, I like the tone of the talkbacks. Way less wussy than a year ago. Lots of people tearing into Gal-On even when she isn't featured in the article. Of course, I could be hallucinating this.

Of course, Ynet still employs Ali Waked and still thinks stories about bad, mean IDF soldiers who slapped an Arab make excellent news copy. They also like to say '2 Killed' in the headline and make you look inside the article to find out if the two are IDF soldiers or Arab terrorists. The concepts of 'us' and 'them' have yet to percolate into their advanced post-modern minds. Lets hope it does before those advanced brains are splattered on a wall, courtesy of an Arab AK-47.

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Yom HaZikaron, Golan Style

I'll admit it, I'm a crier. It's in my DNA. My mother is a crier. My Grandmother is a crier. I'm a crier. Lot's of things can set me off. Certainly saying goodbye to my crying grandmother, not knowing when I'll see her again makes me cry. A "realistic" Holocaust film portraying the Selection often makes me cry. Avinu Malkeinu during the Neilah service of Yom Kippur is one of the most powerful moments of the year for me. As I watch the Gates of Heaven closing for the last time of the year my heart is wrent in two as I beseech, beg really, Hashem for an ounce of His endless mercy to keep me and protect me one more year. I'm usually pretty certain He'll oblige, but the Grandness of the moment always overtakes me and leaves me sobbing in my Talit.

Yom HaZikaron can have the same effect on me. Last night's ceremony on Moshav Yonatan was one of the most moving Yom HaZikaron ceremonies I've been to since making Aliyah. Moshav Yonatan is named for Yonatan Rozenman, z"l who was killed on the Golan Heights in the Yom Kippur War and is the brother of one of the founders. The ceremony, like all Yom HaZikaron ceremonies began with the shrill siren, like a mechanical, monotone shofar. After a beautiful slide show of all the family and friends killed serving our country my son got a little tired, so I picked him up and held him the rest of the ceremony. Next everyone sang the seemingly simple request from Psalms: May there be peace within your wall, serenity within your palaces. That's when I lost it. A seemingly simple request, yet we're so far from it. As I sang that Psalm and nuzzled my nose into the sweet, musky, sweaty peyot of my three and a half year old boy, it finally hit home how badly we want peace within our wall and serenity within our palaces, but what it takes to achieve it. I felt pride at one day seeing my boy defend our Homeland but immediately was struck with the horrific, unspeakable sacrifice that could entail. I began sobbing into his little sweaty head. He let me sob for a few minutes, then took my wet cheeks in his little hands, kissed my lips, said, "Daddy, I love you" and put his head back on my shoulder.

After that it was difficult to regain composure, but I tried. We then sang one of Rambam's Thirteen Priciples of Faith: I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Mashiach, and even though eh may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come. Here is a community that does believe with complete faith in our final Redemption, but that inevitability hasn't left them paralyzed in the Diaspora. In fact, it is the opposite; this is their, our, my, true inspiration that motivates us every second of the day to make this Home of ours better, holier and ever more prepared for our destiny.

There is no doubt the future is uncertain, but the memory of my boy taking my wet cheeks, kissing me and telling me that he loves me as I cry for our difficult past and dangerous future on Yom Hazikaron 5767 will be with me eternally.

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Yom HaZikaron Photo Essay

It has been a very meaningful Israeli Memorial Day. I was hoping to have time to put all my pictures on the blog, but unfortunately I only had time to add them to a Facebook album. Very worthwhile - many pictures from Har Herzl today. Read the comments for the pictures too. IY"H I'll do a more extensive photo essay here on the blog later. Click here for the pictures: Yom HaZikaron Photo Album

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Zikaron

Also check out my Yom HaZikaron article.

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The "Nafnaf"

I would like to devote this post to the mitzvah of the day: MANGAL (BBQ).



Israeli's take this mitzvah very seriously. You could even be the most non religious, pig eating, Shabbat chilluling Israeli Jew- but you would never consider missing this great mitzvah.

When the coals are just right, you stack up some nice fresh pieces of meat and "mangal" them. There is really nothing like it...

Israeli's have a special devise called the "nafnaf". The nafnaf is usually a piece of cardboard you use as a fan to ventilate the air around the coals to keep them glowing just enough for the meat to cook. the word nafnaf comes from waving ones hand as if to say hello: "le'noffef". And from the sound you make when you blow air out your mouth: "fuuuuu". It also comes as a verb: "le'nafnef" as in: "don't stop le'nafnef, or the coals will go cold".

Lately I have seen this devise being sold for 30 shekels in the supermarket. It looks modern, nice and clean. But I don't like the new nafnaf, I like the old fashioned one that is dirty and broken. I don't know why, I think it's nostalgia. kind of reminds me of this country- broken and dirty, but keeps the coals alive.

Have a happy mangal day

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Yom HaZikaron 5767

You can feel the heaviness of the day. It's nothing at all like Memorial Day in America - which to most Americans is simply about sales and the beginning of Summer. Here almost all Israelis know of one (or sadly more) soldier personally that fell so that Israel could be. Here it's personal.

The flag on the Knesset is lowered to half staff (above.) And the nation grinds to a halt to remember who made this all possible as the siren sounds (below.)

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JIBs: Round One Voting Open (Mostly)

So what do these awards matter you ask? Why do we care? Is this third grade? Of course not! If you notice Kumah doesn't even display the awards we already won in previous JIB contests. But as "Aussie Dave," founder of the JIBs explained the purpose of the JIBs is to bring new readers to your blog. To let the world see what's out there and hopefully pick up more loyal readers who will make Aliyah! Or keep on making Aliyah! So there you have it. A vote Kumah is a vote for the Aliyah revolution!

We laid out things real easy for you. The whole thing takes a few seconds.

1.To vote click on a link below.
A new window should open. (Or right click and "open in new window.")
2.Vote!
3.Close the window and right click on the next link...

Best Group Blog (Group B)

Best Pro-Israel Advocacy Blog (Group C)

Best Slice of Life in Israel Blog (Group B)

Best Designed (Group B)

Best Contribution / Blog that Made a Difference (Group C)

Best Jewish Religious Post - Delayed a week
Best Live Event Coverage Post - Delayed a week

Malkah's Eyshet Chayil - Best Kosher Food/Recipe Post - FINALIST!

Ze'ev's Israel Perspectives - Best Right-Wing Political Blog (Group B)


Point of Pinchas -
Best Personal Blog (Group D)

Best Photo/Graphics Blog (Group B)

Best Series - Delayed a week
Best Picture or Video in a Post - Delayed a week

Thanks for your support!

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Pride - In the Name of Love

I am really excited for this years Israel Independence Day. Why? I had a dream the other night, and I have no idea what it was about, I only remember the conclusion. The State of Israel is the greatest thing that has happened to us. Yup, the State, not only the Land. Jewish sovereignty, problematic as it is, is simply a gift.

It's beyond my mind, it's in my heart and soul. I can simply feel that Israel is the greatest blessing, and while I am understanding and sensitive, I feel awful and angry about the continued exile.

There hasn't been a day in the past 4 years where I haven't thanked G-d for letting me live in Israel, for helping me eek out a living. What did you think, that you could marry the greatest girl in the world and be filthy rich as well. No, something must give, and making a living in Israel is hard - but at least it's a really LIVING, unlike being loaded but partially dead. Lo Toda.

40 years since the Six-Day War when G-d showed His true hand, when He revealed Himself in the greatest of revelations. Man, it's hard to fathom how incredible it is when Hashem fulfills His promise. And we... why do we merit it? I don't know. All I know is, we are here, so might as well make it a good run.

Sometimes you need to put on some loud pump-up music, and go crazy, feel the energy and passion coarse through you. Sometimes you need to breath in the warm evening air and remember being young and alive. There is something so ALIVE in Israel. Life is a gift, and life in Israel is the greatest gift of all, living with this crazy government and these amazing stiff-necked brothers.

I saw a low-flying big-eagle today as I was walking my dog and I remembered two separate ideas involving the eagle in our sources:

1. "Be light like an eagle" - Don't let things get to you, fly above them, look from above, have equanimity.

2. G-d is like an eagle, brooding over His young, tending to His chicks.

The first idea is that you shouldn't let things get to you like the situation in Israel, be patient, be above it, have a birds-eye-view.

The second is that there is providence watching out for us - so have faith and DO NOT FEAR.

Happy Israel Independence Day - celebrate with pride. Mazal tov!!

Here is a great audio about a modern day Jewish pioneer - Rabbi Menachem Listman

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The Sound

Just moments ago, the yearly siren sounded signaling the beginning of Yom HaZikaron, Israel's Memorial Day. I come from a place where Memorial Day means an extra 30% off at JCPenney. But tonight in Israel, Memorial Day takes on signficance - I feel the sobriety of the evening.

As I stood in the heavily fragrant (and for people of my immunological sensitivity, pollenated) night of Beit El, hearing the wail of the siren, I was reminded of a thought I've had many times before.

I've always wondered at the great sound that must be heard in Heaven throughout the course of the day. I'm not talking about the cars, construction sites, or squeaky shoes of the world. I mean the giant conglomeration of sound created by the thoughts, sighs, prayers and cries of man (and of course, I often think most specifically about how this pertains to the Jewish people), at all hours, in all places around the world. I've spent time trying to comprehend the magnitude of the collective sound, with predictably little real comprehension.

Tonight, I wondered to myself, "What a tremendous roar of sadness must be heard by G-d at this moment. Right now, right this second, the heartrending sobs of mothers and fathers, of wives and husbands, of children and siblings, the muffled tears of dear friends and comrades, and the silent sorrow of offspring who would never be must be rising up in such a rushing wave of pain - how can Heaven bear the magnitude of Jewish anguish and suffering this night? How can G-d stand to allow one more Jew to die for the sanctification of His name after such an explosion of pain?"

My great hope is that He won't, although I have prayed that prayer before. I believe that in moments, on days like this, G-d has mercy on His children, and is roused by the mightiness of our collective cries to save His people and crush those who hurt them. I pray that together we will raise a great noise to Heaven, that G-d will hear our cries, be overwhelmed by our sound, and redeem us.

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Israeli Chutzpah

Check out this funny intro to Israeli's chutzpah (attitude problem).

Enjoy !!!!

~ Shulamis

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Zionist Photo Album

If you need some inspiration this Yom Ha'Atzmaut, I put together an album of 40 Zionist pictures I took (a few are from Johnny Stein).

Feel free to use them and be inspired!!! Click here for the album.

Also, if you need a great one-page Sefira calender - check out this dandy one from YU (thanks to EphShap!)

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Students on Strike!

In Israel, it is normal for there to be a strike. It seems that certain workers are often not paid or not paid enough. For instance, high school teachers are having on and off strikes these days. But this post is about university students, most (some 250,000) of whom have not returned to school after their Pesach vacation. A government appointed commission to discuss changes in the education system is reportedly planning on raising college tuition substantially (tuitions in Israel are government regulated) and understandably, students are not happy about this. Thus they have decided to stop going to their classes. The strike is due to enter its 11th day Sunday. You can read more here and here. The college that I'm attending (and graduating from in a month and a half G-dwilling), Machon Lev - Jerusalem College of Technology has joined the National Union of Israeli Students in striking. Here are some pictures of strike signs and strike day activities (from singing and dancing Bezalel students at Kikar Tziyon to a Machon Lev blood drive):

right: higher education is not only for the rich
left: they're dancing on our account

My father is not called Olmert, on a picture of Olmert's face

right: I just wanted to learn
left: it's impossible to privatize the soul

left: You have to think about [play on Hebrew words] educational finances
right: Olmert sign, see above

We don't want to strike, we have to!

singing and shouting

Don't milk the students! Give a future to higher education!

box 1: Hey Dad! I need extra pocket money!
box 2: No problem son, how much? 10, 20, 30?
box 3: Yes... 30 thousand!!!
text: Future: Next year you will pay 30,000 NIS (New Israeli Shekels) tuition.

Singing in Kikar Tziyon

Dancing students perform in Kikar Tziyon

My father is not called Olmert. I don't have 30,000 NIS for tuition!

Music student poses with sign: They want us to stop singing - students from the Academy for Music and Dance in Jerusalem [abbreviated]

The protest and performance in Kikar Tziyon

Yuli Tamir [Education Minister], get out of our wallet!

Yuli Tamir, Education Problem [play on words with minister - tzarat instead of sarat]

Machon Lev's Campus with protest signs

Signs on a Machon Lev bulletin board alerting students to the strike and warning them that if anyone goes to class, they will ruin it for everyone, the tuition will go up - the education budget was decreased and so too the level of education and we will eat it.

Blood drive sign, Magen David Adom blood mobile reflection.

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Kumah Nominated For 8 JIBs + 6 more JIBs!!!

The 2007 JIB awards are here and Kumah is very honored to be nominated EIGHT times. Round one voting starts Sunday night (Israel time) so check back here for details on how to vote.

Kumah was nominated for the following awards:

• Best Group Blog
• Best Pro-Israel Advocacy Blog
• Best Slice of Life in Israel Blog
• Best Jewish Religious Post
• Best Humor Post
• Best Live Event Coverage Post
• Best Designed
• Best Contribution / Blog that Made a Difference

Aside from those, Kumah bloggers (blogging elsewhere) were nominated for another 6 awards.

Malkah's Eyshet Chayil was nominated for Best Kosher Food/Recipe Post

Ze'ev's Israel Perspectives was nominated for Best Right-Wing Political Blog

And your's truly's Point of Pinchas was nominated for Best Personal Blog, Best Photo/Graphics Blog, Best Series, and Best Picture or Video in a Post

Congratulations to the whole team on these well deserved nominations and good luck to everyone!

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100 Brochos A Day (Music Clip)

Probably best not to analyze this new Yair Orbach (no relation) music clip. Just enjoy and laugh...



Hat Tip: Life in Israel via Sam

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Down on Maon Farm, Songweaver and the ADL: A Roundup

• NRG has a great video of famous Israeli singer Sharon Rotter ("Ani Arutz Aleicha") visiting her relatives, the Dribbens, at Havat Maon (slated for destruction). She performs there for the hilltop/forest community's women. "It's like going to India without leaving Israel" she tells the interviewer.

• A creative oleh spent his time in the bomb shelters last summer developing a way for musicians worldwide to collaborate and build upon each other's work. He calls it Songweaver. Sounds awesome, haven't fiddle with it yet, though.

• This article takes a phenomenon caused by a pretty clear policy-choice and draws the completely wrong conclusion.

• Jonathan Mark puts more delicately and less emotionally the sentiment I tried to convey in this piece from before the Disengagement.

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There's No Place Like Home

Unfortunately, I spent Pesach in New York this year, but at least it was with my parents who still live there. I returned to Israel Monday morning. Now I'm sure that most countries have some sort of welcome sign when you land there, but I enjoy the greetings at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel so I took some pictures of it.
The following picture is an advertisement for the Orange cell phone company, but it can be used as an advertisement for any Jew to make Aliyah. It means: "London is cultural, Bangkok is lively, New York is trendy, Barcelona is sexy, Prague is gorgeous, Tokyo is surprising, but, there's no place like home!

Here are a few more pictures, including a few from the flight:

The 1st greeting upon exiting the plane and entering the terminal

In memory of the 1st Israeli Astronaut, Ilan Ramon

I think this a satellite image of the Sinai Peninsula, and any part of Israel included is under the clouds

Now some Israel flight pictures:
For the record, I didn't pay for business class, but El Al was overbooked in coach and underbooked in business, and I'm a "matmid" (frequent flyer club) member, so they bumped me up and it was amazing!

Here's some people davening on the plane

Israeli Coast


Tel Aviv

The plains just before landing

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