Jewish Destiny; The Return To Chomesh; Out Of The Frying Pan.....

Jewish Destiny

"You are the children of Hashem, your G-d," the Creator tells His children, tying His tortured nation to Him with an unbreakable bond that does not allow the Jewish people to disappear from the world stage. The nations of the world look at the children of G-d, who bear testimony to the ethical essence of humanity, with a mixture of anticipation and hatred --marveling at the riddle of the Jewish Nation. Over three hundred years ago, Louis the Fourteenth asked the famous French philosopher Blaise Pascal if he had proof of the existence of the supernatural. Pascal answered, "Surely it is the Jews, your majesty, the Jews." The prominent Russian author Lev Tolstoy wrote the following about the Jews: "The Jew is the symbol of eternity. He is the one who for so long had guarded the prophetic message and transmitted it to all mankind. A people such as this can never disappear. The Jew is eternal. He is the embodiment of eternity." - Lev Tolstoy (What is the Jew?) Famous American author Mark Twain concurred: "The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed; and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?" - Mark Twain ("Concerning The Jews," Harper's Magazine, 1899) The Jew may be able to deceive himself, but he cannot deceive the non-Jewish world. The burden of his testimony to G-d's oneness weighs heavily on his back -- even when he convinces himself that he is no longer a "Jew," but rather "enlightened," a "Zionist," an "Israeli," or a "liberal." The source of the dead end in which Israeli society is trapped today is its attempt to build a "normal" Jewish state -- a state that denies its historical destiny. To emerge from the crisis, the Jewish People must reconcile the State of Israel with its Jewish destiny. The State of Israel must consciously become the conduit to the fulfillment of the historical destiny of the Nation of Israel. If it does not fulfill its role, the State loses the essence of its existence and rapidly disintegrates. The Jewish People, whose very existence testifies to the oneness of G-d, must be an exemplary model for all of humanity. The Jewish Nation must rectify the world according to the Divine dictates that it has borne since it received the Torah at Mount Sinai. Only a new leader motivated by the ancient/new Jewish destiny can take control of the helm, steer the ship off its collision course and bring it to safe shores. We need Jewish leadership --leadership with faith and the desire to walk in G-d's ways. Manhigut Yehudit is leading the way toward the Jewish leadership that the Nation of Israel -- and the entire world -- so sorely need. Return to Chomesh A wonderful group of people, among them Manhigut Yehudit members, have organized a return to Chomesh -one of the Northern Shomron settlements destroyed in last summer's government-instituted pogrom against the settlers. The return to Chomesh is an extremely important act, and Manhigut Yehudit supports and encourages all those who participate in it. It is important to remember, though, that the forefront of the battle for the Land of Israel no longer runs through the settlements. It is important to return to Chomesh. But even if the return is successful, it will not stop the State from collapsing. The classical Zionist approach of another acre and another trailer-home may have been relevant to its time. Today, though, the formula doesn't work. In our struggle for the Land of Israel, we are sometimes enticed by the ritual with which we are familiar. But the front lines of the battle for the future of the State are in the race for leadership. The hundreds of thousands that struggled for Gush Katif could have established authentic Jewish leadership long ago -- and with just a fraction of the effort. If they had channeled their energy into creating new leadership for Israel they would have succeeded. And Gush Katif would still be flourishing. May G-d bless the loyal Jews returning to Chomesh. With His help, we will also return to Gush Katif. We will settle the entire Land of Israel and make it flourish, under Jewish leadership that will be committed to the Jewish People, its Land and its G-d. The return to Chomesh will take place this Monday, Nissan 7 (March 26). Meet at 13:00 at Shavei Shomron. Organized groups will make their way toward the ruins of the settlement. Please bring food, warm clothing and other basics for two days. For more information contact Shaul Cohen: 052-607-0117, shaulc@mahigut.org. You can turn the State of Jews into the Jewish State. Join Manhigut Yehudit Today Joining Manhigut Yehudit is much more than just a donation. Now you're part of the team! Learn about our special Members Club From the Frying Pan into the Fire Again?: By Moshe Feiglin We cannot ignore the fact that it was Right wing governments that relinquished most of the territories liberated in 1967 to the Arabs. Sadly, the only governments that destroyed flourishing and completely "legal" settlements were those elected with the votes of the Jews faithful to the Land of Israel. The Labor government built Gush Katif. Those elected under the Likud ticket destroyed it. It wasn't only Olmert and Livni who voted for the destruction and expulsion. Netanyahu and Shteinitz also raised their hands in favor of the crime. These facts may be uncomfortable, but they are true. So it is not surprising at all that the public that has remained loyal to the original ideology of the National Camp finds itself in a quandary. What is better? Olmert with 3% public support and with no legitimacy to perpetrate consequential strategic damage, or Netanyahu, with 30% public support, ready and willing to carry out the dictates of the Left and the US? In truth, the question is strictly academic, because the National Camp has almost no influence on this issue. Never has such a failure of a Coalition merited such a silent Opposition leader. Fear of the Left has rendered the Right silent and paralyzed. Its silence has become strategy bordering on ideology. That is how things look today from the comfortable Opposition corner. We can only imagine how they will look after the "victory." In the current state of affairs, without charismatic Opposition leadership, the future of the government is in the hands of every force in the arena but the Likud. Netanyahu is certainly a bit more honest and much more talented than Olmert. During the primaries, when I expressed my opinion that Netanyahu is the most talented man to have served as Prime Minister of Israel since Ben Gurion, the political commentators rubbed their eyes in amazement. But ideological backbone and leadership skills are not among the talents with which Netanyahu has been blessed. Those who expect the other elements of the Nation Camp to do the work for Netanyahu and topple Olmert's government are in effect highlighting the fact that Netanyahu is not a leader. So which is preferable? To perpetuate the current dismal state of affairs or to support Netanyahu? Neither. The Left is the brain and the soul of Israel's collapse. But the Right -- lacking an alternative ideology -- has become the arm that executes the Left's policies. "Sharon wants a Palestinian state and you tell me that I lost?" said Yossi Sarid after his Leftist party, Meretz, lost the 2003 elections. Unfortunately, he was right. The Left -- regardless of what the voters determine -- has taken control of Israel's reality. It is the Left alone that dictates the national agenda. "And what is your alternative?" Peres called from the Knesset lectern to then-Opposition-head Netanyahu. Netanyahu, despite all of his rhetorical skills remained speechless in the face of the demagogue that had just brought the Oslo Accords to the Knesset. And thus, when Netanyahu was elected on the waves of Zo Artzeinu's protests and the general mobilization of Chabad and the rest of the National Camp, he in no time hugged Arafat and declared that he had found a new friend. It wasn't a one-time gaffe. Netanyahu's actions ever since repeatedly testify to the fact that he is captive to current reality, with absolutely no ability to change it. Whoever attempts to choose one of the above options will necessarily err, because he is accepting the rules of the game as they are: He will have given his vote and his electoral power to one of the two -- either to the soul of the collapse, or to its executing arm. There is no choice but to set out on a new path. Clearly, we must be rid of Leftist leadership. It is also clear that Israel's leadership must come from within the National Camp -- in other words, from its leadership tool -- the Likud. This means that we must join the Likud and strengthen it as much as possible. But there is a condition: We must provide the Likud with a true ideological answer to Peres' question. And we must provide it with genuine leadership that will be capable of actualizing its ideology.

The Best Of The Right or Why I'm Voting For Olmert

So here were the best and brightest at the Jerusalem conference bemoaning the lack of leadership in Israel and the "Jewish Leadership crisis" in between the self-flagellation and cries of forgiveness for their stupidity (see Gen Ron-Tal, Pinchas Wallerstein, etc). And this after Bibi had invoked Gd's name in his speech. Wonder of wonders and during the Pesach season, no less. And, what was the consensus of who should be the next leader of Israel? Why Bibi of course. Why? Because we simply have no choice. Do we think he will be better the second time around? Of course not and anyone who thinks that will be severely disappointed. And this from Dr. Aryeh Eldad, Knesset member, plastic surgeon, burn expert, secular Zionist supreme, lover of the land of Israel. And what has been his major contribution in the Knesset this year? Why, getting a law passed that hot water heaters in new Israeli construction must have a certain temperature limit. And when asked about Feiglin and Manhigut Yehudit, his response was and I quote, "Unfortunately, the day Manhigut Yehudit will stand at the head of the Likud Party – it will turn into a boutique party with one or two mandates. Why spend ten years getting to that point? And it is not a matter of Feiglin. It would be the same with me at its head.” Sigh, another good man suffering mental paralysis by (over and incorrect) analysis. Would it be safe to say he just doesn't get it and probably never will? And Feiglin's response? Oh, that's right, he wasn't there. Why? Well, we've narrowed the choices down to:

a. There really is no Jewish Leadership crisis and therefore the man who has spent the last 6 years of his life promulgating this concept wasn't needed.
b. B'sheva didn't pay their phone bill and so couldn't call to invite him.
c. (One B'sheva staffer to another) Feiglin's not here? But I thought you called him......
d. Bibi had a tantrum and wouldn't show if Feiglin did.
e. All of the above.

The best of the right? It is enough to make one physically ill. But the madness doesn't stop there. Oh , no, no, no. The current polls show a major Likud victory in the next election. The leadership of the Likud will basically be a two man race between Feiglin and Bibi. Did you know that of the Likudniks who said they support Bibi, 80% of them do not trust him? And so why vote for him? To return the Likud to power of course. Power uber alas. Fly the Likud flag from the Knesset and damn the consequences. What consequences?

Let us pose a hypothetical. Given a choice between Bibi and Olmert for PM, who would you vote for? Ah, good, I see the knee-jerk response in all of you who think you are actually helping Israel. The point of fact is that if you picked Bibi as I'm sure the overwhelming majority of you have, you will have hurt Israel more than you can imagine. In fact, Bibi is the most dangerous man in Israel right now because of the damage he has the potential to inflict. Think about it. Every suicidal land give back was perpetrated by whom? The left? Of course not. It was done by a right-wing government. Yamit, Hevron, Gush Katif equals Begin, Bibi, and Sharon. Do you think Ehud Barak or Shimon Peres were capable of giving back Jerusalem? Do you think Amram Mitzna could have evacuated Gush Katif? Do you really think Olmert and Peretz will be able to give back Yesha? No. Only a strong right-wing government led by a morally bankrupt and faithless head will be able to do the bidding of the left and bring Israel further to the Auschwitz border. That is why given a choice, pick Olmert and his band of thugs. At least the current status quo of incompetence and corruption is in check to a certain degree. Bibi coming in on his white horse (or is that a donkey?) to rescue the land and the people is a fantasy that will boomerang in the worst way possible. In the meantime, let's work for some real Jewish Leadership. Not Dr. Eldad's limited boutique kind, but the real Manhigut Yehudit. It is the only choice.

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The Revolution; Pollard; New Leadership Needs A Chance

Revolution Nuts and Bolts

The Jewish leadership revolution that is in the making has to include two components: First, education and security. Second, media and the justice system. Education and security are the two sides of the existence coin. Israel didn't lose to Nasrallah this summer because of lack of military might. The IDF simply did not know what its goals were or how it was supposed to fight. "He who has a 'why' for which to live," said Nietzsche, "can overcome every 'how.' The various commissions of inquiry and replacement of the IDF Chief of Staff have little significance, because they do not relate to the basic point that led to Israel's defeat. The IDF 2007 -- the army that buried its soul in the sands of Gush Katif -- no longer has the "why" and certainly not the "how." Naturally, it cannot overcome its enemies. Most of the new inductees into the army have never visited Jerusalem. Most of them cannot complete the verse "Shema Yisrael." If you do not know who you are or where you are from, you cannot know who your enemy is or what you are fighting about. The educational revolution will directly strengthen our security situation. Every student in Israel must be exposed to at least one daily hour of Jewish education. Israel's students must study the Bible, Israel's history and geography, archeology, and the content of the Jewish prayer book. The government should not coerce its citizens to perform religious commandments. But it should also not allow ignorance about the roots of our Jewish identity. Every person should be free to live his faith. Ignorance, though, is the opposite of freedom. The first part of the revolution will ensure that every graduate of Israel's educational system will know and honor his Jewish roots. An army founded on solid Jewish awareness will once again be able to defeat its enemies. The second component of the revolution is the media and court system. These are the two sides of the justice coin. The media determines how we should behave, while the courts determine the legality of our behavior. For instance, if journalist Amnon Rabinovitch explains that the corruption of the Sharon family can wait until after the ideology in which he believes is actualized -- in other words, until after the settlers are destroyed -- this means that the media that determines the behavioral norm in Israel sees corruption as a secondary issue. Concomitantly, if Supreme Court Justice Mishael Cheshin explains without even the blink of an eye that Israel's court system fully understood that Sharon and his sons received bribes -- but did not convict them so as not to stop the perpetration of its ideology -- the destruction of the setters -- then the court system that determines legal norms and societal norms clearly signals that fighting corruption is only secondary. If we really want to understand the source of the corruption that is gnawing away at the foundations of our existence, we had best stop looking for it in the party central committees and Israel's elected officials. The source of the corruption is not the President or the Finance Minister. First and foremost, it is Amnon Rabinovitch and Mishael Cheshin, both on a personal level and also as representatives of the media and justice systems that created the ethical decadence that is destroying the State. The revolution in both the media and the court system is based on the same method: Let the people decide. Let the people decide what they will watch on television, and let the people choose their judges. As opposed to most journalists and judges, the majority of Israel's public is clearly connected to its Jewish identity and its basic values. When the people will really have a choice, they will choose good over bad. The Israel Broadcasting Authority must be shut down. Anybody who would like to broadcast should be allowed to pay for a frequency and broadcast to his heart's content -- limited of course by Israel's current anti-slander and security laws. Israel's judges should be elected by the representatives of the public in the Knesset. Their election should be contingent on a public hearing and their opinions and political preferences should be public knowledge. Before every promotion they should once again undergo the same process -- this time with analysis of their legal decisions. The Supreme Court judges should be subject to public hearing every five years. With G-d's help, this four-pronged revolution will pave the way for an authentically Jewish State.

America's Jewish Captive: By Moshe Feiglin

Translated from the Ma'ariv NRG website. 21 Adar, 5767 March 11, 2007 The federal penitentiary in Butner, North Carolina looks like a tip top army base. Hoping to add a few more minutes to our meeting with Jonathon Pollard, Shmuel Sackett and I arrive a few minutes early and wait in our car in the parking lot. "You can't wait here," a policewoman announces to us. "We can't sit in our car?" we ask, surprised. "That's right," the policewoman persists. "This sure isn't Ramle prison in Israel," I say to myself as we drive out of the parking lot. Our connection to Jonathon Pollard is very important to us. We believe in loyalty. We believe that there is truth in the world and that there is good and evil. Those who forget Jonathon Pollard ignore truth and justice. They lose the moral ability to distinguish between good and evil. This approach has created a culture of disloyalty in Israel: Disloyalty to the Land of Israel, to our nation's Jewish identity, to our nation's values and of course, to people. Jonathon Pollard is the quintessential victim of this culture of disloyalty. The revolution that Manhigut Yehudit leads is the return to the culture of loyalty. Jonathon enters the visitor's room with a smile on his face, conducting himself like a gracious host. Every time that I meet Jonathon, I am amazed by his ability to control his feelings. When I hug him, a fraction of the pain of his tragedy creeps sickeningly through my veins. Jonathon speaks. He talks of current events in Israel. He seems to be more updated than I am. Despite the barbed wire fences in North Carolina, Jonathon's penetrating vision analyzes what is happening in Israel better than all the local pundits. Time is running out. "What can we do for you?" Shmuel Sackett asks Jonathon. And then something in Jonathon seems to crack. Suddenly, he is no longer the gracious host in his living room. "I want you to see this," he says and takes off his shoe. His heel is distorted and swollen. Jonathon sticks his finger deep into the joint, as if his foot was made out of play-dough. He removes his finger, but the hole that he made remains. "All the joints in my body are in the same state," he explains. "Aren't you being treated?" I ask. "All that they give me is painkillers," he answers with a smile. "But I've given up on those as well. To get them, I have to wait in line for an hour. My body simply cannot deal with that." Suddenly, I understand that Jonathon is worried that by the time we do something, there will be nobody left to save. New voices are emanating from America. President Bush has been hinting that he would be happy to release Pollard for Passover. Senior officials in the American government and James Wallsey, who was head of the CIA when Pollard was captured, publicly call for his release. What is needed now is for Israel to officially request Pollard's release. But amazingly, the country for which Jonathon sacrificed his life sends the Americans the opposite message: Pollard does not interest Israel's government. 112 Knesset members have signed a letter calling for Pollard's release, but first Sharon and now Olmert refuse to present it to President Bush. Jonathon Pollard is the Jew who saved the Israeli from the American. He symbolizes the identity crisis that we refuse to deal with. Pollard forces our Jewish identity upon us. He calls on us to demand his release because he is not an American and we are not Israelis - we are all Jews. That is why he sacrificed his life for us. That is why we have to act on his behalf now. Standing by our betrayed captive is an acid test. To save him, we must express our Jewish identity. A Jewish Israel could easily bring about Jonathon's release. But the Israeli government that is estranged from its Judaism prefers to let him rot in prison.

Help Pollard

The following effort is being organized on behalf of Jonathan Pollard. Manhigut Yehudit applauds all actions taken on behalf of this Jewish hero. This program is simple and can be done by every one. Please do your part! Nationwide White House Call-In for Jonathan Pollard White House Telephone Number 1-202-456-1111 A nationwide 60-day call-in to the White House campaign has begun and will continue through the Holiday of Pesach / Passover, the Holiday of Freedom, to call the attention of President George W. Bush to the continued unfair incarceration of Jonathan Pollard. Organizers of the campaign remind the community that the White House counts and tallies all in-coming calls, so every single phone call makes a difference. The White House phone number is 1-202-456-1111. Callers are asked to call daily between the hours of 11-2 pm EST and to encourage their family members and friends to do the same. Callers are reminded to expect the lines to be busy and to keep calling until they get through. For additional information about the Jonathan Pollard cause, or to print out the campaign ad, please visit www.jonathanpollard.org

Give New Leadership a Chance: By David Wilder

7 Adar, 5756 Feb. 25, 2007 David Wilder is the spokesperson for the Jewish Community of Hebron. Many years ago, following the election of Rabin, when Oslo was still in pre-diapers, and people were looking at each other, in shock, with fear and huge question marks in their eyes, the most common question was: What do we do now. I remember town meetings, clandestine gatherings, and more than anything else, words. Lots and lots of words. Talk is cheap, it relieves tension, and seems to be a good way to "virtually" solve problems. If nothing else, talk is a good way to rid yourself of built-up frustrations. But not everyone talked. I remember the first genuine activity against the Rabin-Peres plans to expel us from our land. What's the best answer to planned expulsion? Of course, expansion. A new group had popped up out of nowhere called Zo Artzenu. I clearly remember a meeting at a hotel in Jerusalem, where the talk wasn't theoretical. These guys were organized, had a specific agenda and weren't talking doubletalk. It was impressive. Those guys, as I recall were two: Moshe Feiglin and Shmuel Sackett. I have no recollection of them, at that time, but their first national project, called "Mivtza Machpil" called for expanding all Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Not kept a secret, the operation was looked upon by "the authorities" as a test case: How would they react to organized groups opposing the expulsion policies of Rabin-Peres? I do recall, one cold night, telling my wife that I was going out for a little while to participate in the first Mivtza Machpil operation, in Kiryat Arba. It was a few days before I arrived back home, having later been arrested with a few dozen others, for daring to sit in an abandoned shack within the municipal boundary of Kiryat Arba, but outside the community fence. I have no idea how many communities actually doubled themselves, but clearly, Mitvtza Machpil was an overwhelming success. Like a foghorn across a zero-visibility sea, the operation screamed out loud and clear: We will not sit back and do nothing as building is outlawed and our land is dismantled. Zo Artzenu continued planning and implementing other national protests, including a sit-down strike which was to paralyze the state of Israel. For this magnificent show of civil disobedience, Feiglin and Sackett were tried and convicted for sedition. Anyone who still had any illusions of democracy -- Rabin-Peres style, were in for a surprise. Despite their newly labeled, dangerous criminal status, Feiglin and Sackett didn't despair. Such individuals are far from trivial emotions like hopelessness. Just as Zo Artzenu was uniquely impressive and creative, they decided to continue forward. In 1998 they founded Manhigut Yehudit, which means "Jewish Leadership." Not the kind of leadership Israel had so long been faced with, but true Jewish leadership, pillared upon Torah and the Land of Israel, the fear of G-d, and appreciation and acknowledgement of the Divine sanctity of our homeland. Feiglin continued to surprise, this time, not by going the way of the world and forming a new political party. Rather he, together with Sackett, decided to become a faction within the already existing Likud, with the hope and expectation to "capture" the party; to create a solid majority of normal, healthy Israelis who realized that peace was preconditioned on one firm fact: The Land of Israel belongs to the Nation of Israel ­-- period. As Manhigut Yehudit affirms: "The state of the Jews must be transformed into a Jewish State." A few months ago I authored an article in which I stated that only one political figure in the Likud could possibly be trusted to be Prime Minister. I made a mistake. Because the man I named was not Moshe Feiglin. And it should have been. Anyone with eyes in their head, taking a good look around at current events in Israel, cannot help but be blinded. Blinded by absurdity, stupidity, and disgust. The leaders of the Gush Katif expulsion are falling, one by one, like dominos standing in a row. The deteriorating security in southern Israel is clearly the result of the fall of Gush Katif. Yet the so-called Defense Minister has again declared that the answer to Israel's problems is continued expulsions -- this time from "illegal hilltop settlements." The Prime Minister refuses to look the Israeli population in the eye and admit the errors of his ways. Rather, his excuse for postponing the "Convergence," or expulsion plan number two, which plans on abandoning almost all of Judea and Samaria, is politically motivated. There is no realization that the Land of Israel has to remain in Jewish hands. This morning the Israeli cabinet was to hear an intelligence briefing concerning the security outlook for the next year. What country in the world would allow the details of such an "intelligence briefing" to be broadcast on public radio, and even before it was presented to the nation's ministers? Why should Israeli radio broadcast the intelligence briefing's conclusions that "war in the north is not expected this year?" Why broadcast such analysis to our enemies, loud and clear? Total stupidity. And of course, let's not forget the corruption investigations against so many of the Israeli top brass. There is much more. Media, education, economics, but I think the message is clear. Israel is not in need of a new political party. It is in need of a new kind of leadership, and a new type of leader. At the current time, I have become convinced that the only person who represents such leadership is Moshe Feiglin. Is he perfect? Probably not. But then again, nobody is. However the fundamentals upon which he bases, not only his beliefs, but also his actions, are authentic. He is the farthest thing alive from the original sin of almost all politicians: He cannot be bought. For if he could be bought, he would have either: formed a separate party, or would have joined forces with other breakaways, or, he would have found a way to accept a juicy deal with his primary rival for Likud leadership, Bibi Netanyahu. We have already seen what Netanyahu can do -- he caused irreparable harm to Hebron and to all the State of Israel: he met Arafat, he abandoned Hebron and he signed Wye. Why give this man, with his record, a second chance? What has he done to deserve any trust or faith? Nothing. Nothing at all. A friend of mine has, for years, been trying to get me to register with the Likud thereby allowing me to vote for Moshe Feiglin for party leadership. With G-d's help, that is what I am going to do. Let's give new, true leadership a chance.

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Zionist government wanted

(This opinion piece appeared on Yediot's Ynet website. The author almost gets it right. Just substitute "faith-based" for "zionist" and we're good to go...)

Zionist government wanted

In past 15 years, Israeli leaders have replaced Zionist vision with 'two-state vision'

Ron Breiman

Published:

03.11.07, 21:31 / Israel Opinion

What priorities does the State of Israel need on the brink of its 60th anniversary? The Kadima prime minister indeed claimed that a leader did not have to have an "agenda" (as this is referred to in the media lingo) and that his job is merely to manage (and we can only bemoan such management.) Yet is it possible to manage without objectives and an agenda? Reality speaks for itself: The absence of vital management components is conspicuous, particularly when this is joined by denying and forgetting the Zionist vision and replacing it with the "two-state vision" in Olmert's and Livni's hollow and repetitive slogan. The only basis for the State of Israel's existence is the Zionist vision that reconnects the people to its country after thousands of years with the absence of political independence. The way to realizing this vision is through the concentration of the people of Israel in the Land of Israel. Therefore, immigration and absorption are the most important national missions. It is sad to see the various immigration absorption ministers insulted when they are appointed to this post and watch them pass their time at this important ministry doing nothing and waiting for an opportunity to be promoted to a more senior post, such as foreign minister for example. True Zionist leadership would have placed the Zionist vision – immigration, absorption, and settlement at all parts of the country in general and particularly in the Galilee, Samaria, Judea, and the Negev desert – at the top of the national priority order, rather than the "peace vision," which is unfeasible in our generation or the "two-state vision," which is a recipe for eliminating the Zionist vision. True Zionist leadership would have turned the Immigration Absorption minister into the most senior and challenging post. True Zionist leadership would have dealt with developing the environment, economy, tourism, and higher education, and would have made sure to spread the population throughout the western Land of Israel not only in the coastal plain. Government leads Israel to bankruptcy True Zionist leadership would have advanced settlement activity instead of planning evacuations. There is no message that is more negative to a Jew who considers moving to Israel than the forceful expulsion of Jews in their own country, on the orders of the Israeli government. In 1937, when the Jewish community in the country was 20 times smaller than it is today, the British Peel Commission proposed that Jewish immigration be limited to 1,000 per month, that is, 12,000 per year. Seventy years later, with a powerful country, military, and economy, Israel makes do with this level of immigration per year and nobody views this as a failure or problem that requires a change in the national priority order. In hedonistic Israel, the phrase "changing priorities" refers to undermining Zionist settlement activity and promoting the vision of the other nationality, the enemy. In the State's first years, and under a Zionist leadership that knew how to present challenges, set objectives, set a personal example and demand efforts and sacrifice, we witnessed immigration and settlement that turned the newly born country into a wonder and model of admiration. In the past 15 years, under a leadership that abandoned the Zionist vision and replaced it by the empty gods of "peace," "new Middle East," and the placing of the individual ahead of the collective and arrogance above our roots, Israel distanced not only from the Zionist vision, but also from the slogan of a "country that is fun to live in," and has turned into a subject of ridicule both at home and abroad. The current government's conduct led Israel to bankruptcy in all areas. The time has come to replace it with a Zionist government that will place true Zionist values at the top of its agenda and be tested according to them.

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No Immunity For Rightists or Open Mouth, Insert Foot.

No Immunity for Rightists : By Moshe Feiglin

Translated from the Ma'ariv NRG website. This article was written in the wake of the media uproar in Israel after Right wing candidate for Minister of Tourism, Estrina Tartman, apparently lied about the fact that she holds a Masters degree. 11 Adar, 5767 March 1, 2007 Why did you do it, Estrina? The elites are doing such a good job of eliminating themselves when they have nobody else to sink their teeth into. The Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Finance Minister, Police Chief, Chief of Staff, Justice Minister - all of them no longer have a common enemy and have turned to making themselves extinct. And suddenly you enter the arena - with fluent Hebrew and a perfectly Israeli appearance - and express opinions that make all the elites abandon their colleagues' throats and attack you, instead. Why did you have to open your mouth? What would have been so bad if you had maintained the role preserved for all the Rightists in the Knesset - a mere statistic? What exactly did you think when you attacked the appointment of the first Arab Minister in the Knesset? What did you think when you expressed Zionist opinions, Heaven help us? You didn't understand that the investigative reporters ofYediot and Galei Tzahal would immediately go out for the hunt? Who did you think you were? State Attorney Edna Arbel? So what if she added a fictitious Masters degree to her resume? Should that disqualify her from deciding the fate of Israel's citizens? Or maybe you thought that you were Shimon Peres? Did you ever see an investigative reporter check the resume flaunted by the man who is "larger than life?" What did you think, Estrina? That you share equal footing with Gilad Sharon? Supreme Court Justice Cheshin already explained that nobody gets $600,000 to surf the internet, but "if we would have convicted Gilad, his father, Ariel Sharon, would have been forced to resign, and then there would have been no Disengagement." But you, Estrina, are a settler. For settlers, even a box of cookies from friends is considered bribery. It seems that Justice Cheshin, himself, also has a very uncomfortable skeleton in his closet. Does anybody make an issue of it? Does the media denounce "his honor" as they have denounced the candidate for Minister of Tourism? You have to understand something, Estrina. You may have the proper lineage, you do not speak with a Russian accent and you do not really look religious. But you are a Rightist and certainly not a member of the elite club that is above the law. So be careful not to express your Rightist opinions, and just get used to being a statistic, like most of the Right wing Knesset members who remain silent so that they can survive in the Knesset. And about the Masters degree. If you really falsely claimed that you have a Masters, I have no idea why you did it. The degrees given by Israel's educational system do not make a great impression on me. When I am asked how many years of study I have behind me, my answer is "One." The only year that I can say with certainty that I learned something in the formal education system is first grade. That is when I learned how to read. Since then I have not stopped. Sometime after my army service, I also learned how to write. And to the dismay of many, I have not stopped that offensive habit, either. Academic degrees are nice and possibly important, but they do not tell us much about a person. For me, it is much more important to know what our elected representatives think about the issues. It is time for politicians to begin to write. Mr. Prime Minister, please share your thoughts with us. Write something that explains why it is worthwhile for our children to continue to live in this country. Mr. Defense Minister, leave the settlements alone, put down your binoculars and publish your security platform. Estrina, the degree that you do or do not hold interests me as much as last year's snowballs. Write a serious article on your approach to tourism in Israel. What good are degrees, if a person cannot lucidly write his thoughts? Moshe Feiglin's Journal Address Dear Friends, Our Sages teach that a person who merits a miracle does not usually identify its depth and greatness. Today, a miracle is unfolding before our eyes. But it is hard for us to identify it because we are part of it. When thousands crowd the Manhigut Yehudit Chanukah Conference, when only 20% of the Arutz Sheva poll mark Binyamin Netanyahu as their favorite candidate to lead Israel, when the vast majority of those polled express their desire for a Prime Minister who believes in G-d, when more and more people join Manhigut Yehudit -- we know that we have a miracle on our hands. "If you will it, it is no dream," said Herzl. Herzl understood that the prerequisite for a revolution is the creation of a new dream. We thank G-d, Who has blessed our efforts to achieve our goal. We already sense our success. We have not yet reached the entire Nation of Israel, but a large and determined Jewish majority already stands firmly behind us. All of us together; activists, donors, members and supporters have created a movement that has brought the dream of Jewish leadership to Am Yisrael. With G-d's help, we have overcome serious obstacles and back-room schemes to make us despair. Today, Manhigut Yehudit has garnered significant political power. Even more importantly, our public support base is growing by leaps and bounds. We have no intention of merely dreaming. We are constantly at work to translate our dream into effective action. Our next political challenge is the primaries for the leadership of the Likud and for the Likud Knesset list. With G-d's help, we will succeed in those races! You, dear friends and supporters, are building the Jewish leadership alternative for the State of Israel. History in our days seems to be running on "fast forward," -- particularly in the Land of Israel. I believe that sooner than we think, Am Yisrael will find itself at a virtual dead end and will desperately seek true Jewish leadership. It will seek leadership based on Am Yisrael's glorious past and its eternal destiny -- leadership that is motivated by belief in G-d. In your merit, Am Yisrael will have a movement to which to turn. May we merit to perfect the world in the Kingdom of Heaven, Moshe Feiglin Not Just a Dream Manhigut Yehudit's fifth annual dinner in New York was anything but a dream event. It wasn't because of the food, the hall or the music. It was the content. For the first time, the over 300 people who attended the dinner had the distinct feeling that Manhigut Yehudit's message of Jewish leadership for Israel had advanced from the realm of dream to the realm of concrete reality. The enthusiasm and anticipation were palpable as Moshe Feiglin outlined the nuts and bolts of his vision for a Jewish government. He discussed education, security, justice and more in real and detailed terms. The crowd was exhilarated by the realization that Manhigut Yehudit has crossed the threshold: Instead of planning for some unknown future time, Manhigut Yehudit is now in a steady and determined climb toward the completely accessible and realistic goal of leading Israel to its Jewish destiny. Keynote Speaker Yishai Fleisher got the crowd moving with his inspiring address. "What is the Left's main agenda today?" he asked the crowd. As people shouted out their guesses, Yishai bellowed back, "Fear! The Left is afraid, and they want everybody else to be afraid along with them!" "And what do people who are plagued with fear fear most?" he continued. "Courage!" "The very worst thing for a fearful person is to encounter a person with courage." "And who in Israel has courage?" Yishai continued to prod the crowd. "Manhigut Yehudit!" Manhigut Yehudit has the courage to lead Israel. That courage is based on the solid foundation of faith in G-d and in the Nation of Israel. That is what the Left hates more than anything else. And from their point of view, with good reason. Manhigut Yehudit is on its way to leading Israel!" Yishai Fleisher and his wife Malka, who are the program manager and radio talk show hosts at Arutz Sheva's Israel National Radio, flew in from Israel for the dinner. They received the Lev Yehudi award for their dedicated work for Am Yisrael. Guests of Honor at the dinner were devoted Manhigut Yehudit volunteers Rob and Laurence Muchnik. In his journal address, Rob called on Manhigut supporters to redouble their efforts for Manhigut Yehudit, get Moshe Feiglin elected as Prime Minister and work together to ensure a bright future for Israel and all the Jewish People. Long-time Manhigut supporters Jack and Anna Berger of Chicago received the Eretz Yisrael award and the Eshet Chayil award was presented to Mrs. Esther Weber. A special tribute was made to Mrs. Rose Mattus z"l for her devoted support of Manhigut Yehudit from its very first days. The dinner was dedicated in the memory of Mr. Ted Langer, z"l, an active supporter of Manhigut Yehudit for years. Guest Speakers at the dinner, of course, were Moshe Feiglin and Manhigut Yehudit International Director, Shmuel Sackett. (Click here for the Arutz Sheva report on the dinner.) Our heartfelt thanks to all those people who made the dinner the amazing success that it was: First and foremost, Manhigut Yehudit's Chairman of the Board, Mr. Ben Landa, for his ever-ready generous support of Manhigut Yehudit. The dinner could not have succeeded without the devoted efforts of Dinner Chairmen Howard Fensterman, Michael Farkas and Rachelle Kirschner. Journal Chairmen Nelson Behar, Dr. Jay Gold and Ira Sved did a terrific job, as did Master of Ceremonies Gavriel Aryeh Sanders. The inspired crowd at the dinner has a lot to anticipate. May next year's dinner be held in the holy city of Jerusalem. And may the Guest of Honor be Prime Minister Moshe Feiglin! Manhigut Yehudit Purim 5767 Meet Israel's new Police Chief, seen here conferring with Defense Minister Peretz at the Manhigut Yehudit Purim party held at the Ramat Gilad outpost, last Sat. night.

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Bibi For US Senate; Let's Light Up; Israel's Sleepless Nights

In What State Should Bibi Run for the U.S. Senate?

Purim is just around the corner, and this article fits right in with the general Purim atmosphere. By Bradley Burston Haaretz.com He's obviously cut out for the job. He speaks well. He is telegenic. He has high levels of face and name recognition. He is second to none at the sound byte. He knows how to raise money. He knows how to make waves. Most importantly, American Jews love him. It's time for Benjamin Netanyahu to do what he was made to do. Run for the U.S. Senate. Why should he continue to waste his talents and what's left of his relative youth on the Israeli electorate? His comrades in the Likud scheme to undermine him. His former comrades in Kadima miss no chance to demonize him. His potential coalition partners in Labor want nothing to do with him. Already 10 years ago, elected prime minister at age 46, he had gone as far in Israeli politics as anyone can. It's time for a change. He could be the very model of the modern Schwarzenegger Republican, moderate on abortion, stem cell research, and health care reform, hawkish on terrorism and tax cuts. Most remarkably, he is an Israeli leader who thinks he speaks English, and actually does. Of course, there would be technical obstacles to a Netanyahu race for the Senate. Citizenship, for one thing. But assuming the hurdles could be smoothed by his many admirers of influence, there would be a more difficult problem: Where to run. Does he go for the Jews - knowing that many American Jews vote liberal, blue and to his left? Or does he stand a better chance courting the Christian Right? Does he go for New York - home to an enormous reservoir of expatriate Israelis - knowing that he lacks liberal credentials? Does he go for California, knowing that he lacks acting credits? Options: [All figures approximate] CLASS I STATES: Populous states with Jewish communities of appreciable size and clout. Examples: NEW YORK 1.7 million Jews, or 9% of 19 million total population CALIFORNIA 1.2 million Jews, 3% of 39 million NEW JERSEY 540,000 Jews, or 6% of 9 million FLORIDA 650,000 Jews, or 4% of 16 million PENNSYLVANIA 275,000, or 2.3% of 12 million ILLINOIS 265,000, or 2.2% of 12 million MASSACHUSETTS 260,000, or 4.3% of 6 million CLASS II STATES: Populous Bible Belt states with relatively small Jewish populations. TEXAS 126,000, or 0.6 % of 21 million GEORGIA 88,000, or 1.1% of 8 million NORTH CAROLINA 24,000, or 0.3% of 8 million CLASS III STATES: Smaller Bible Belt states with negligible Jewish populations. WEST VIRGINIA 1,800, or 0.1% of 1.8 million ARKANSAS 2,600, or 0.1% of 2.7 million OKLAHOMA 3,400, or 0.1% of 3.4 million FOR REFERENCE: Present Jewish senators, by state: California: Barbara Levy Boxer (D) Dianne Feinstein (D) Connecticut: Joe Lieberman (I) Maryland: Ben Cardin (D) Michigan: Carl Levin (D) Minnesota: Norm Coleman (R) New Jersey: Frank Lautenberg (D) New York: Charles Shumer (D) Oregon: Ron Wyden (D) Pennsylvania: Arlen Specter (R) Vermont: Bernie Sanders (I) Wisconsin: Russ Feingold (D) Herb Kohl (D) Once this matter is settled, an issue which has remained unresolved for decades may yield to solution: Which European nation should crown Shimon Peres its ceremonial head of state? Let's Light Up Our Lives: By Moshe Feiglin Translated from the Ma'ariv newspaper website. 4 Adar, 5767 Feb. 22, 2007 Criticism of the tyranny of the Supreme Court had always provided me with plenty of material for new articles. But now that criticism is being trumpeted by none other than the new Justice Minister, Professor Friedman. I said just what I thought about our generals and before I knew it, the War for the Safety of the Convergence Plan and the commissions of inquiry that it produced descended upon us and left my keyboard destitute. There is no reason to talk about Sharon and his son, President Katzav, former minister Chaim Ramon or to make jokes about Defense Minister Peretz; everybody else is already doing that. All that was left was the police and I have a lot of personal experience with them. I could tell countless tragi-comic stories about Israel's men in blue: How they intercepted the helicopter in which I was flyingover a Zo Artzeinu demonstration, for example, or how a reporter from Channel 2 news requested my response to a charge sheet that I had never received. She didn't give up, though, and faxed me the copy of the charge sheet that had been leaked to her so that I could respond. I could write a whole book about the blunders and corruption of Israel's police force, but now Professor Zeiler has come and stolen the show. So what is left to complain about? Since they finished off the settlers, all the bullies in town are trying to eliminate each other. As former Chief of Staff Halutz put it, number 2 stabs number 1 in the back, number 3 stabs number 2 in the back, 4 does it to 3 and I have nothing more to write about. All that is left is to tell a story that begins in Brooklyn, where my distant relative lives. He is a genius type, with a long list of degrees in his pocket. He spends his days studying Torah, he and his wife work a bit and they manage to support their four children by keeping their eyes on every cent. In America, experts warn that in forty years all the world's oil reserves will be depleted. The Americans don't live on the "Don't worry, everything will work out" culture like here in Israel. They don't wait for the last minute. So the federal and local governments have begun to subsidize every person who saves on electricity produced from oil. My relative put together all the facts and figures -- as only he can do -- and invested ten thousand dollars in a solar panel system that supplies all of his family's electricity needs. Electricity in the U.S. is no more expensive than electricity in Israel. If it is worth it for him -- believe me -- it is also worth it for us. True, it is of utmost importance to maintain the "peace" and to pour huge amounts of money into the Egyptian economy for the oil and gas that they pump from the "Alma" fields that we developed in the Sinai and then gave them. But why should we have to spend our money on Egypt? After all, Mubarak will not live forever. Eventually, one ayatollah or another will replace him and then, just like in Iran, all of our treaties and pacts will go up in smoke. My relative's solar panels take up about two thirds of his roof. The electricity that they produce enters a transformer that sends it straight into the public electric grid. "When that happens," he explains, "my electric meter actually turns around backwards." In other words, he doesn't store the electricity. Instead, he gives it back to the local electric company. For a card carrying Israeli citizen like me, it is simply inconceivable. They won't arrest me for doing something like that? Any citizen can produce electricity? Send it into the public grid? And even get a subsidy for doing so? Brooklyn has less sunshine than Israel, but nevertheless, my relative is in the black. Do you understand? The electric company owes him money! So what are we waiting for? From a technological perspective, we have no problem. Israeli companies are building solar electrical stations all over the world. In the summer, Israelis' air conditioners annually top the peak electrical consumption of the previous year. With the solar electrical system, every heat wave would mean breaking the records for electricity production. So far, nobody has landed on the sun and claimed it for his own. True, as soon as we activate this solar system, Sheikh Salah will claim that it is a desecration of Islamic holy property. But Olmert will let the Turks supervise the entire project, and everything will work out just fine. Israel's Sleepless Nights The Scroll of Esther that we read on Purim is high drama. The miraculous redemption of the Jews is hidden in a series of seemingly natural occurrences that all come together at precisely the right moment to save the Jewish People. "On that night, the king's sleep was disturbed." (Esther Chapter 6). The king's sleepless night is the cue for the miracle to actualize. Chassidut explains that the act of waking up from slumber is the beginning of redemption. Apathy and fog are replaced by determination and clarity, the wicked fall one after the other and eventually, the righteous claim their rightful place. The process that we are witnessing in Israel is the longed-for awakening. Sometimes, when one is in a particularly deep sleep, waking up hurts. It hurts even more when pressing problems have been ignored during the blissful slumber. But that pain is actually the beginning of the redemption. It heralds the thorough re-orientation of consciousness that Israel needs to make a true change. Manhigut Yehudit is proud to be a catalyst for Israel's change. We are proud to have a major role in the great awakening taking place in Israel. With G-d's help, we will be there for the Jewish People when they will soon collectively realize that the solution for Israel's woes is authentic Jewish leadership. It is no coincidence that Manhigut Yehudit's annual NY dinner is held on Shushan Purim. Purim symbolizes the great revolution -- from danger, despair and darkness to initiative, optimism and light. We hope that those of you who are in the US will join us for the dinner, this coming Monday evening, Shushan Purim, (March 5th) at 6:30 p.m. at The Sands, 1395 Beech Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, New York. Click here to register for the dinner on-line. (Registration is closing. This is your last chance!) We promise you an evening of inspiration and the camaraderie born of striving together to achieve an important goal. Manhigut Yehudit's dream of authentic Jewish leadership for Israel is becoming reality. We hope that you will be there with us. Moshe Feiglin You can turn the State of Jews into the Jewish State. Now is the Time! Join Manhigut Yehudit Today Joining Manhigut Yehudit is much more than just a donation. Now you're part of the team! Learn about our special Members Club

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