Via Israel HighWay: Most Jews in Israel and throughout the world barely remember a time when the Old City of Jerusalem and the rest of east Jerusalem were not an important part of the fabric of the city and the country. For 19 years, from the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 until the Six Day War in 1967, Jerusalem was a city divided by barbed wire and dangerous “no-man’s land” running roughly north to south separating the Jewish people from the Old City of Jerusalem. The Old City, the City of David, was the cornerstone of 2,000
Read More +Yom HaAtzma’ut – Israel Independence Day
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Via Hebcal: Yom HaAtzma’ut commemorates the declaration of independence of Israel in 1948. Note that Hebcal displays modern holidays like Yom HaAtzma’ut according to the Israeli schedule. Although Yom HaAtzma’ut is normally observed on the 5th of Iyyar, it may be moved earlier or postponed if observance of the holiday (or Yom HaZikaron, which always preceeds it) would conflict with Shabbat. List of Dates Yom HaAtzma’ut begins at sundown in the Diaspora on: Mon, 23 April 2007 (6th of Iyyar, 5767)Wed, 07 May 2008 (3rd of Iyyar, 5768)Tue, 28 April 2009 (5th of Iyyar, 5769)Mon, 19 April 2010 (6th of
Read More +From INN: For as yet unknown reasons, a massive Hamas terror attack intended to take place in the Tel Aviv area during the Passover Seder was averted. A similar attack five years ago killed 30 people in Netanya and triggered the IDF’s Operation Defensive Shield. The General Security Service (Shabak) has acknowledged that a Hamas terrorist successfully entered the Greater Tel Aviv area in a car laden with 100 kg. (220 lbs.) of explosives before Passover. Besides the explosives, it contained large amounts of shrapnel material, intended to maximize carnage. For reasons that are not yet known, the attack was
Read More +Please add a prayer at your Passover seder for Israel’s kidnapped and missing soldiers.
Read More +And Thou Shall Tell Thy Son
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Written by Rabbi Meir Kahane ZT”L HY”D The essence of Passover is the commandment of the Hagadda, of telling and retelling, of passing on to our children, the story of Passover, its concepts and lessons and commandments. Passover is the beginning of Judaism, its very birth, hence its direction and directive to pass on to our sons and daughters, its fundamentals and teachings. However, the problem with a commandment to parents to pass on lessons to their children is that so few know what to pass on. Indeed, through honest ignorance or honest receipt of confusion from those who passed
Read More +L’shana Tova — Ketivah vi-chatima Tova
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Rosh Hashana begins today at sundown. Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year. The Jewish New Year is celebrated by reflecting upon the past, correcting one’s mistakes, planning for the future, praying for a healthy and sweet year and celebrating with holiday meals. Rabbi Nachum Braverman teaches us that “On Rosh Hashana we make an accounting of our year and we pray repeatedly for life. How do we justify another year of life? What did we do with the last year? Has it been a time of growth, of insight and of caring for others? Did we make use of
Read More +The High Holiday period actually begins in Elul, the Hebrew month preceding Rosh Hashana. Elul is an important period of introspection, of clarifying life’s goals, and of coming closer to God. Because when the big day of Rosh Hashana comes, and each individual stands before the Almighty to ask for another year, we’ll want to know what we’re asking for!During Elul, many people perform a daily cheshbon – a spiritual accounting — where we step back and look at ourselves critically and honestly, with the intention of improving. In order to arouse us to this task, it is the Ashkenazi
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