Like Thieves in the Night

The Israeli government seems to like the drama of entering Jewish areas and destroying homes and settlements and synagogues in the cover of darkness, like thieves in the night.

That's how they entered my town of Efrat this morning at 5 AM. With policemen and soldiers, the government's tractor destroyed the foundations of a synagogue in the very center of the community.

The Koresh synagogue was meant to provide prayer services for residents of Western Dekel, but right now the foundations of that shul like in ruins.

The media said that US Vice President Joe Biden was in a better mood today than he was yesterday after he found out that there would be a 1500-unit building project one day in Jerusalem's Ramat Shlomo neighborhood. The world went into a tremendous uproar when they realized that 1500 more Jewish families would call Jerusalem home. Aghhhhhhhhhhhhh!

But today, Biden is in a better mood. The Civil Administration and security forces destroyed some buildings in Gush Etzion's rural town of Bat Ayin and the synagogue foundation in central Efrat.

Mayor Oded Revivi told Voices that Efrat had applied for permission for the synagogue to be built, but the government has demonstrated clearly that it does not want synagogues, just as it does not want outposts or any other building in Judea and Samara, or Jerusalem for that matter.

I wrote about this issue only a few days ago, http://voices-magazine.blogspot.com/2010/03/our-country-do-or-die.html.

Voices videoed the site of the destruction this morning, and spoke to Mayor Oded Revivi about the event. You can see it on VOICES TV http://voices-magazine.com/voices-videos.php?id=116 .

Sue's Coolinary Show - Banana Cream Crumble French Toast

Today I videoed Voices Magazine Food Columnist and reviewer Sue Epstein in her latest episode of Sue's Cool-inary Show. The show can be seen on VOICES TV at http://www.voices-magazine.com/.
Meanwhile, here's the recipe for everyone to follow. It's a perfect Pre-Pesach recipe. Enjoy.

Banana Cream Crumble French Toast (Serves 7-8)

This is a great and extremely versatile dish to use up leftover or stale bread. You can mix and match any filling ingredient to suit your taste. Spread the bread with cream cheese or cheese slices, peanut butter and jelly; sprinkle with nuts, raisins, craisins or any type of canned or fresh fruit.
Spray a 10 x 15" glass baking dish with Pam Spray. Place 14-16 slices of bread* into the dish.

8 eggs
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 bananas, sliced

Mix together and pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 250 degrees. Let baking dish set out while oven preheats. Top with Brown Sugar Crumble mixture and bake 45 minutes, until puffy and golden. Cover with foil last 5-10 minutes of baking so top doesn't overbrown.

Brown Sugar Crumble:

In food processor with steel blade, pulse just until combined:
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup molasses or other syrup

(This can be made ahead and stored in freezer until needed.)

Our Country?? - Do or Die??

When I was a kid in America, I remember the expression, "Our Country - Do or Die." What did that mean?? I really had no clue then, and I'm not so sure today, but I have a guess.
A country that cannot grow, that cannot go forward, cannot develop does not stand stagnant. It withers and dies.
Perhaps America's motto, "Our Country - Do or Die", meant that America had to spread from sea to shining sea, had to develop its cities, build its skyscrapers, establish its booming industries or it would wither and die.
Now Israel is faced with a situation of its own foolish doing. Our Prime Minister announced months ago that we would NOT build in Judea and Samaria for ten months (read: we will never build in Judea and Samaria if certain folks can help it). The towns of Yesha (Judea and Samaria) are facing a crisis. Their young people cannot move into their towns, because there are no homes available for building, no apartments available for rent, no vacant caravans. Okay, so young people won't move in? Not so simple. An aging population in Judea and Samaria means that without throwing one Jew out of his home, the communities of Yesha will die sad, but "natural" deaths.
Who needs Yesha anyway, the government might think? We've got Tel Aviv and Raanana and Petach Tikva, and with our "united" capital of Jerusalem, we're fine.

THE TRUTH

Many years ago, I wrote that the Arabs and the rest of the world know the TRUTH. The Israeli government makes a very definite distinction between Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria.
Yesha is beyond the green line. It is the West Bank. It's ours today, but tomorrow is unsure. Jerusalem, on the other hand, is our capital and must always be united, or at least we've got to say that until we can sway public opinion into agreeing to give away Eastern Jerusalem.
However, the Arabs and the rest of the world know, there is no difference between Yesha and Jerusalem. And since Netanyahu has proclaimed a freeze (read: stoppage) on buildling in Judea and Samaria, the Arabs and the world want the same freeze (read: stoppage) in Jerusalem as well.
The Israeli government proclaims its sovereignty over Jerusalem with shaking knees. But the world hears the rattling knees and doesn't hear the proclamation.
The vote on building in Ramat Shlomo came up and was passed during United States Vice President Joe Biden's visit. Israel announces it's building in Jerusalem. The US throws a fit.
Instead of saying, "This is our capital, and we'll build where we want," all kinds of government ministers are screaming and yelling at the stupidity of the plan, of the announcement of the timing.
How tragic that our own government ministers don't know whose land this is, and especially whose capital it is.
In the past few months, I've been pretty disappointed in Minister Benny Begin, but he said something today that is true. Jpost reported on Begin: "When would be a good time?" he asked rhetorically. "If it happened 10 days before, they would have said we did it to harm the visit of the US vice president, and if we did it 10 days later, they would have accused us of saying certain things while he (Biden) was here and acting differently afterward."
All this is part of the problem I wrote about a few days ago. We just don't know/believe/understand that the Land of Israel truly belongs to the Jewish People. We do not have the faith to go forward to our national destiny. http://voices-magazine.blogspot.com/2010/03/were-not-sure.html
I hope we wisen up very soon, because if our capital cannot expand and prosper, it will, G-d forbid, just die. And without a heart, the body doesn't have much of a chance.

In Honor of Our Hesder Soldiers

Most of my friends and relatives are mothers of soldiers, and the vast majority are mothers of Hesder students that will become soldiers.
Hesder Yeshiva is an institution in which national religious teenagers learn after high school. Its five year program combines advanced Torah learning with service in the Israel Defense Forces. Today, my friend Judy (who is also the ticket chairperson of my newest show DAMES of the DANCE 3 – The 7 DAYS of CREATION) told me that her son Yoni is going into the Army on Sunday, IY"H.
She'll be bringing him to Tel Aviv to the Bakum (the induction center) on Sunday morning along with hundreds of other mothers.
I told her to bring cookies. She said she doesn't think she'll be handing out cookies, because she'll be crying too much.
I remember when my two of my sons went into the Army. That was a long time ago. They've long since finished their regular service and have become commanders and achieved all kinds of reserve duty ranks that I can't even translate.
But the scene was the same then as it will be on Sunday morning. The boys were there with their backpacks, excited, happy to meet their friends who were entering the Army on the same day. In fact, the boys were dancing – dancing and singing. They feel so "shalem" (whole) with their choice to enter the IDF and defend their country that they can't help dancing.
So they dance, while their fathers snap photos and their mothers gently sob.
IsraelNationalNews.com reported that there are more Hesder boys entering the Army now than ever before, and they're entering combat units and special units – places they feel they can serve their country best.
At a time when leftwing teenagers and organizations like New Profile are teaching secular Jews how to act to prove they are unfit psychologically to serve in the armed forces, Hesder soldiers and religious officers are on the rise. Their motivation is high. They're the best soldiers in Israel today, and they'll protect our country with G-d's help, literally.

War and Peace Never Change
So, my friend will be crying with a nervous pride on Sunday morning. Jewish mothers have been doing that for thousands of years. Two of my other friends Toby Klein Greenwald and Yael Valier are writing a new show for the Raise Your Spirits Summer Stock Company, which I was privileged to found nine years ago.
In the new show, Judge – The Story of Devorah, the prophetess and the women of the time sing a song of prayer for the troops, a song of hope that this (millennia ago) would be the last war. Unfortunately, it wasn't the last war then. War has been a constant fixture in our Jewish homeland, but as our sons enter the Israel Defense Forces we still pray for peace, for peace, for peace.
May Hashem watch over all our soldiers and bring them home safely into the arms of their mothers, who, IY"H, will be crying from joy and thankfulness.
Shalom.

Been Busy with Good Things

My apologies to anyone who's been to the blog or the VOICES website and hasn't found new uploads. I have been busy producing a show. It's called DAMES of the DANCE 3 - The 7 Days of CREATION, and I realized after drowning in both responsibilities that I'd better just finish the show and get back to real work!!
It's a dance extravaganza with more than 100 women. It tells the story of Creation.
Bli ayin hara, the dances are fabulous. The choreography is innovative and terrific.
The dancers are enthusiastic and full of life.
The show is B"H bli ayin hara a smash hit.
Sunday night was our first show. B"H, we sold every seat and the audience members were full of life. They were clapping and cheering and having the absolutely best time. Actually, there was more dancing backstage at times than there was in front of the curtain.
The best part of the evening was the unity of all the women and girls. We are from all parts of Gush Etzion and perform on all different dancing levels, but we are united in our desire to use our talents to raise money for Kimcha D'Pischa. That's a special fund that helps the needy buy food for the Passover Holiday.
Passover Expenses
On Passover, Jewish people change over their kitchens and all the food in them. Everyone is busy shopping for Kosher for Passover products that are ultimately more expensive than during the rest of the year.
These expenses are hard on everyone, but it is especially difficult for families that are having trouble making ends meet.
Our DAMES of the DANCE helps the local councils provide assistance vouchers for needy families. With these vouchers they can shop in local stores (helping local economy :) ) and buy what they need for the holidays.
There's More to Come
Last night's show was a WOW!!
IY"H, we're performing again on Thursday evening, March 11. That show is totally sold out to the rafters, thank G-d.
But if you don't have tickets yet, you're in luck. We're performing, IY"H, one last time on Monday, March 15, at a special Matinee in the Matnas of Efrat. Order your tickets here: http://voices-magazine.com/dames_survey.html , and then drop off a check to your local ticket seller so we can issue tickets for you.
Hope to see you all tapping your feet on March 15.

We're Not Sure

If you decided to fix up your house, you'd call an architect and a contractor, a plumber and an electrician. You'd have meetings and start the renovation process with great anticipation. And you'd be so thrilled with the outcome, that you'd invite friends over for a l'chaim.
But if you weren't sure whether the deed to your house is really sound, and if the house actually belonged to you, you'd possibly start the plans, keep them on top of your desk or in your drawer and call your spouse a thousand times, "Do you think we should really do this?? What if the house is NOT really ours?"
Well, Israel announced two different plans in the past few days to fix up its house. Every country spruces up its special places once in a while. This is no different.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced that the Cave of the Patriarchs (Me'arat HaMachpelah) and the burial place of our Matriarch Rachel (Kever Rachel) would be all shined up. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat announced that Gan HaMelech (one of the most deeply-rooted Jewish areas in Jerusalem) will be totally renovated. Right now Gan HaMelech in the bottom of the Silwan Valley - Ir David - has about 88 illegally built Arab homes in it. It's a shanty town.
Barkat wants to tear down those homes, and instead of tossing the illegally squatting families in the street, he actually wants to give them brand new apartments in Gan HaMelech.
And he wants to make Gan HaMelech into a beautiful place with stores and restaurants and a national park.
So what of these two plans?
Well, the world is an uproar. How dear PM Netanyahu talk of preserving Me'arat HaMachpela and Kever Rachel? How dare Mayor Barkat want to destroy decrepid buildings and construct a beautiful neighborhood in its place?
The world is at its shouting best.
The Prime Minister and the Mayor have backed down. Or they've put the plans on top of their desk, or perhaps inside the top drawer.
The tragedy of the situation must be that they're not sure if the house is really theirs, if the deed is good.
If the Prime Minister of the State of Israel is not sure if the deed to his land is good, there's much more to lose than the status of two burial sites. Further, if the Mayor is not sure that Jerusalem belongs to the Jewish people, then no political speeches about a United Jerusalem have any meaning either.
Woe to a country whose very leaders are not sure whose country it is!

Singin' in the Rain

All of us in Israel have many reasons to have danced in the rain in the past few days. The blessed rain actually elicited yelps of exhilaration from just about everyone. On Friday night, as my family sat at the Shabbat table, we kept our curtains open and were entertained by the spectacular light show that the sky provided us. The rain was beating so hard on the windows, it seemed to have a base drum all its own.
The rain remained a welcome guest on Shabbat day and then on Sunday for Purim. Even though folks had to deliver their Mishloach Manot (gifts of food) in the rain, they exclaimed their joy at the stormy weather.
Today at 12:30 PM, I dropped my husband off at Mincha (the afternoon prayer), but got detoured on the way home, because in the middle of the street - Rechov Netzach Yerushalayim - a dozen or two men and children were dancing. Actually, Rechov Netzach Yerushalayim has a street-dance (the original mob dance) every Purim. It's been doing the dance for the past nine years since Efrat's MIRACLE.
Nine years ago, an Arab came into Efrat and tried to blow himself up in our supermarket. B"H, an alert and able Efratian noticed something was not right with the Arab, followed him into the supermarket, and shot him just as the Arab pulled his switch.
A preliminary mini-blast occurred but, B"H, this local hero saved Efrat from the big boom.
That day giant posters were hung everywhere, "Nes gadol haya po" (a great miracle happened here); "Layehudim hayta ora..." (The Jewish people had light and joy and happiness). And they simultaneously poured out into the street to dance and celebrate the miracle.
The neighborhood residents of Dekel, Efrat, have been celebrating ever since.
And even though, today it was pouring heavily, the residents of Netzach still came out into the streets to dance and celebrate and thank Hashem for the miracle He created for the people of Efrat.
The music played and the folks sang and danced in the rain.
Thank you, Hashem, for making a miracle for us in our day.