New Beginnings...

I spent yesterday in the beautiful Lachish region that lies between Kiryat Gat and Beersheva. It's a part of the country that's for some reason off the radar screens. Apart from one or two isolated moshavim and their vineyards, the rolling hills are deserted.



This is the area that hundreds of families who were thrown out of their homes in the 2005 Gaza "disengagement" have chosen to rebuild their communities. I've posted a series of pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerusalemdiaries/sets/72157622911222378/

A National Treasure Speaks His Mind..

Poets in Israel have a special status--especially old poets. One such national treasure, Haim Gouri, lives in my neighborhood. Now 87, the venerable Gouri is often heard on Israel Radio or seen on TV commenting on political or social issues.

This evening, I found myself standing behind Gouri in the line at the local makolet. A makolet is the little local mom and pop grocery store where neighbors pop in to buy milk and bread and stop to exchange a few words with the friendly owners. My local makolet caters to an eclectic group of English and French immigrants, young religious singles and old-timers who bought their apartments decades ago and can still afford to live here.

Among the regular clientele is Netiva Ben Yehuda a legendary Palmach fighter who hosts a popular late night radio talk show.

Haim Gouri is also a Palmach veteran but he's best known as a poet and documentary film maker. Tonight he pulled his white sedan onto the broad sidewalk in front of the store, slowly made his way in, picked up a few items and imparted a few choice words as Oren behind the counter took his money. "Who's playing tonight?" he demanded to know. "Basketball is all I have left to enjoy, " he exclaimed.



"I don't recognize this country any more," growled the poet. " What's this Shalit deal, anyway?" and off he went into the night as rumors of Israel releasing hundreds of known Arab terrorists in exchange for the release of poor 23 year-old IDF soldier Gilad Shalit tear the country apart.

Israel & Washington?

Want a gauge on the atmosphere in Washington these days on Israel? See yesterday's White House Press briefing below and read how Obama's press secretary responds and certain members of the White House press corps ask about building in Jerusalem etc...[Hat tip to Dr. Aaron Lerner at IMRA.]

QUESTION: On the peace process, Israel has approved today the construction of 900 new housing units in East Jerusalem. How do you view this approval at this specific time?

MR. KELLY: Well, I think, Michel, you’ve heard us say many times that we believe that neither party should engage in any kind of actions that could unilaterally preempt or appear to preempt negotiations. And I think that we find the Jerusalem Planning Committee’s decision to move forward on the approval of the – approval process for the expansion of Gilo in Jerusalem as dismaying.

This is at a time when we’re working to re-launch negotiations, and we believe that these actions make it more difficult for our efforts to succeed. So we object to this, and we object to other Israeli practices in Jerusalem related to housing, including the continuing pattern of evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes.

And – just to repeat what we’ve said all along, our position on Jerusalem is clear. We believe that the – that Jerusalem is a permanent status issue that must be resolved through negotiations between the two parties.

QUESTION: Can you tell us, did this come up in Ambassador Mitchell’s meetings in London yesterday? Apparently, we were told that he met an advisor to Netanyahu, asked them to not permit these new buildings, and then that request was flatly turned down.

MR. KELLY: Yeah. Andy, I just don’t want to get into the substance of these negotiations. They’re sensitive. I think you’ve seen the Israeli – some Israeli press reports that did report that this was raised in the meetings. This is – I mean, these kinds of unilateral actions are exactly the kind of actions that we think that both sides should refrain from at a time when we’re trying to start the negotiations again. But I don’t want to get into the substance of the discussions yesterday in London.

QUESTION: Would you steer us away from not believing the Israeli press reports?

MR. KELLY: I just don’t want to get into the substance. I’m not going to steer you one way or the other on it.

QUESTION: Where’s Senator Mitchell today?

QUESTION: How long is the U.S. going to continue to tolerate Israel’s violation of international law? I mean, soon it’s not even going to be possible – there’s not going to be any land left for the Palestinians to establish an independent state.

MR. KELLY: Well, again, this is a – we understand the Israeli point of view about Jerusalem. But we think that all sides right now, at this time when we’re expending such intense efforts to try and get the two sides to sit down, that we should refrain from these actions, like this decision to move forward on an approval process for more housing units in East Jerusalem.

QUESTION: But should U.S. inaction, or in response to Israel’s actions, then be interpreted as some sort of about-face in policy – the President turning his back on the promises he’s made to the Palestinians?

MR. KELLY: You’re – okay, you’re using language that I wouldn’t use. I mean, again, our focus is to get these negotiations started. We’re calling on both parties to refrain from actions, from – and from rhetoric that would impede this process. It’s a challenging time, and we just need to focus on what’s important here, and that’s --

QUESTION: Well, what actions (inaudible) the Palestinians taken recently that would impede progress?

MR. KELLY: Well, as I say, we would discourage all unilateral actions, and I think --

QUESTION: Fair enough. But the Palestinians --

MR. KELLY: We talked yesterday --

QUESTION: -- don’t appear to be taking any unilateral actions. It seems to be (inaudible).

MR. KELLY: Well, we did talk yesterday about the – and I want to make sure I get my language right here – about the – discouraging any kind of unilateral appeal for United Nations Security Council recognition of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. That would fall in that category of unilateral actions.

QUESTION: Okay. So the Palestinian call for this, which was rejected by both the EU and yourself yesterday, you’re putting that on the same level as them building – as the Israelis building --

MR. KELLY: No, I’m not saying that. You just said that, Matt. I’m not saying that. I’m just saying that --

QUESTION: Well, you’re saying you’re calling on both sides to stop doing these things.

MR. KELLY: We are.

QUESTION: Yeah. But the rhetoric from the --

MR. KELLY: I’m not saying they’re equivalent.

QUESTION: -- Palestinians is not actually constructed in a --

MR. KELLY: I’m not saying they’re equivalent. I’m just saying that we – they – we have to treat these things as sensitive issues.

QUESTION: You said a little bit earlier that we understand the Israeli point of view on Jerusalem. Can you explain what you mean by that?

MR. KELLY: Well, you have to ask – I’m not going to stand up here and characterize the Israeli point of view on --

QUESTION: No. I’m just asking you, if you understand the Israeli point of view on Jerusalem, why are you saying that this is not a good thing?

MR. KELLY: I’m not saying we support the Israeli point of view. We understand it.

QUESTION: Right. And then, last one on this, you characterized this decision by the planning commission as dismaying.

MR. KELLY: Yes.

QUESTION: You can’t come up with anything stronger than “dismaying”? I mean, this flies in the face of everything you’ve been talking about for months and months and months.

MR. KELLY: It’s dismaying.

QUESTION: Yeah, you can’t offer a condemnation of it or anything like that? (Laughter.) I mean, who is in charge of the language here.

MR. KELLY: I have said what I have said, Mr. Lee.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Would you say, though, that your own envoy has – does he have any leverage at this point, given the fact that the Israelis not only refuse, but blatantly have ignored his wishes on this?

MR. KELLY: Well, let’s take a step back and let’s also recognize that both sides agree on the goal, and that goal is a comprehensive peace. That goal is two states living side by side in peace and security and cooperation. So that is why we continue to be committed to this. That is why Special Envoy Mitchell meets with both sides at every opportunity, and why we are continuing to expend such efforts on this. So let’s remember that, that we do share a common goal.

QUESTION: Well, where’s Senator Mitchell today?

MR. KELLY: I believe Senator Mitchell is on his way back today.

QUESTION: Could you give us just a brief synopsis of the progress that Senator Mitchell has made in his months on the job?

MR. KELLY: Well, I think we have – we’ve gotten --

QUESTION: Yeah, maybe if the --

MR. KELLY: -- both sides to agree on this goal. We have gotten both sides --

QUESTION: Ian, they agreed on the goal years ago. I mean, that’s not --

MR. KELLY: Well, I think that we – this government --

QUESTION: You mean you got the Israel Government to say, yes, we’re willing to accept a Palestinian state? You got Netanyahu to say that, and that’s his big accomplishment?

MR. KELLY: That is an accomplishment.

QUESTION: But previous Israeli administration – previous Israeli governments had agreed to that already.

MR. KELLY: Okay, all right.

QUESTION: So in other words, the bottom line is that, in the list of accomplishments that Mitchell has come up with or established since he started, is zero.

MR. KELLY: I wouldn’t say zero.

QUESTION: Well, then what would you say it is?

MR. KELLY: Well, I would say that we’ve gotten both sides to commit to this goal. They have – we have – we’ve had a intensive round or rounds of negotiations, the President brought the two leaders together in New York. Look --

QUESTION: But wait, hold on. You haven’t had any intense --

MR. KELLY: Obviously --

QUESTION: There haven’t been any negotiations.

MR. KELLY: Obviously, we’re not even in the red zone yet, okay.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. KELLY: I mean, we’re not – but it’s – we are less than a year into this Administration, and I think we’ve accomplished more over the last year than the previous administration did in eight years.

QUESTION: Well, I – really, because the previous administration actually had them sitting down talking to each other. You guys can’t even get that far.

MR. KELLY: All right.

QUESTION: I’ll drop it.

MR. KELLY: Give us a chance. Thank you, Matt.

Yeah, in the back.

QUESTION: It seems Senator Mitchell is focusing in his meetings on the Israeli side. Is he – does he have any plans to talk with the Palestinians, or there is no need now for that?

MR. KELLY: Well, he, as I say, he had meetings yesterday with the Israelis. He’s coming back to the U.S. now. He always stands ready to talk to both sides. There are no plans at this moment to meet with the Palestinian side.

Yeah, in the back.

Daily Press Briefing - November 17

Sigd: The Ultimate Zionist festival

The 29th of Cheshvan is not a particularly noteworthy day for most Jews in the world. But for Jews from Ethiopia, this date has long been observed as one of their main holidays, known as Sigd--a day celebrating their connection to Jerusalem and commitment to Jewish unity—the ultimate Zionist holiday.

In 2008, the Knesset finally recognized Sigd as a national holiday, and this year many more journalists and non-Ethiopian Israelis could be seen enjoying the festivities in Jerusalem.

For the 120,000 who emigrated from Ethiopia during past decades, the 29th of Cheshvan is a combination fast day, day of thanksgiving and gathering of the clan.

Dozens of kessim (Ethiopian Jewish religious leaders) make their way to the Western Wall to celebrate the day that expresses their yearning for Zion and their gratitude for the Torah. The slender figures cut an elegant path through the plaza in front of the wall. Swathed in simple white robes, tallitot draped over their narrow shoulders the kessim are accompanied by an entourage that includes an escort holding a colorful umbrella over each of their heads.

The Ethiopian women arrive separately, clothed in their distinctive white dresses adorned with colorful hand embroidered trim. Shoulders cloaked in white shawls, heads covered with colorful head scarves, the women advance shyly toward the kotel to take part in the prayer service marking Sigd here in the holy city.

Prior to their mass aliya, generations of Ethiopian Jews yearned for Zion and expressed their longing in the annual Sigd festival. Jews would walk for days to arrive at a mountaintop where thousands would join in prayer and listen to Torah readings.

Following the afternoon prayers and the blowing of the shofar, the community would descend from the mountain to partake of a festive meal. The holiday has its origins in the time of the prophet Nehemiah, when the entire Jewish community assembled in Jerusalem for a day of fasting and confession. The day also commemorates the covenant between God and the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai.

For many young Ethiopian Jews now living in Israel, the mountain top Sigd exists only as a story recounted by their parents. Children were not included in the observances in Ethiopia because of the three-day trek to get there and to preserve the solemnity of the day.

Today, Sigd is celebrated at the kotel and then at a mass gathering at the Haas/Sherover Promenade in Jerusalem's Talpiot neighborhood. From the promenade there's a clear view of the Temple Mount, and thousands of Ethiopians of all ages come together to commemorate their unique holiday. Mingling with the colorful costumes and umbrellas of the elders, are the khaki, green and white uniforms of dozens of young Ethiopian men and women serving in the Israel Defense Forces. Younger teens, largely ignoring the hours of religious chanting of the elders, are socializing and decked out in a variety of trendy clothing on this festive day with overcast skies. Ancient Geez chants make themselves heard over the gaggle of street Hebrew as the day progresses.



Rabbi David Yosef, a kes of the Ethiopian community, a diminutive man with a silver beard who wears a knitted kippa, tells visitors on the Tayelet about his extraordinary life story and explains where Sigd fits into the life of Ethiopian Jews.

Rav Yosef graphically describes how men and women would separately observe the ritual of ascending the mountain for the great Sigd gathering. He points out that the tradition of Sigd was handed down by oral tradition. "Many Jews believe that we didn't know from the oral tradition," he says. Rav Yosef carefully explains the Ethiopian Jewish engagement and wedding ceremonies and asserts that their practice conforms to the Mishnaic description in Tractate Kiddushin (part of the Oral Law) of what constitutes proper Jewish betrothal.

He finishes his story by noting that Sigd was essentially a way of remembering Jerusalem and strengthening Jews in a difficult galut (Diaspora) situation. But the holiday is just as relevant today. "We missed Jerusalem for thousands of years," Rav Yosef notes. "Today, in Jerusalem, we celebrate...but just as we say ‘Next year in Jerusalem' at the Passover seder, so too at Sigd we pray for a rebuilt Jerusalem."

Just behind him, two young men preside over a table full of information about the rebuilding of the Temple and a large picture of a dozen kessim standing in front of a reconstructed Temple.

Amongst the crowd that grows by the minute as more and more buses disgorge Ethiopians from all over the country are one or two “mixed” couples—generally non-Ethiopian men with Ethiopian women. Representatives of all the major youth movements in their signature white or blue shirts have a prominent presence and consist of many teens of Ethiopian origin who mingle comfortably with everyone.

Next week some American Jewish immigrants will gather to celebrate Thanksgiving in Israel—you can be sure it won’t be nearly as well-attended, meaningful or colorful as today’s Sigd commemoration.

Israel Provides Swine Flu Vaccine to Pal. Hajj Pilgrims

This just in from the Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria: (Anyone taking bets on whether you'll see this in the NY Times tomorrow..?)

Transfer of Swine Flu Vaccine via Israel to the Palestinian Authority

This evening the Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria facilitated the entry of 20,000 doses of swine flu vaccine to the Palestinian Authority. This effort, which brought the vaccines to Ramallah via the Qalandiya crossing, comes a few days before Palestinians set out to the Hajj to Mecca early week and was necessary since vaccination against swine flu is a condition for entrance into Mecca, Islam's holiest city. The Civil Administration places great value on cooperation and coordination with the Palestinian Authority in the fields of health and religious expression.

Yahrzeits

Today is the traditionally observed yahrzeit of Rachel, one of the matriarchs of the Jewish people. Thousands flocked to her tomb just south of Jerusalem near Bethlehem last night and today to pay their respects and pray for the release of captured Israeli sodlier Gilad Shalit.

“For generations Rachel has prayed for her children to return home safely, and we hope that this year our prayers will be answered and Gilad will return home to his family,” said Rabbi Yosef Schwinger, Director of Israel’s Holy Sites Authority.

Most Israeli media outlets barely mentioned the yahrzeit of Rachel, preferring to focus hours of discussion and debate on the 14th anniversary of the murder of Yitzhak Rabin that is also marked today.

Here's Kever Rachel on a quiet day...

SDS is still Alive...not well, but alive

Hat tip to Solomonia for spotting a planning session of SDS--the campus radicals who were around back in my days in college. Today they're a group of anti-Zionist Jews who are plotting to disrupt the upcoming Dore Gold/ Judge Goldstone debate at Brandeis.

From: "Jonathan M. Sussman" jsus[snip]
To: sds sds@lists.brandeis.edu
Subject: Goldstone Forum Action Planning - Wed. @ 10!
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:32:19 -0400 (EDT)

Hey!

As many of you know, Brandeis will be hosting a forum next Thursday, 11/5, to discuss the Goldstone Report, a report from the United Nations which determined that Israel used excessive force in its occupation of Gaza. Believe it or not, this was poorly received within the Zionist community.

Thus Brandeis is hosting a forum between the report's author, international jurist Richard Goldstone, and former Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Dore Gold. Full details here: http://brandeis.edu/now/2009/october/goldstonegold.html.

Many of us are concerned that this forum is inherently slanted, as it contrasts 'nuetral' international opinion with a wildly pro-Zionist message, excluding voices from the Palestinian community. In light of this, activists across campus will be meeting this Wednesday, 10/28 @ 10 PM in the Village C Lounge to discuss a possible response. Possibilities include inviting Palestinian speakers to come participate, seeding the audience with people who can disrupt the Zionist narrative, protest, and direct action.

Please come and help us coordinate a response!

Fuck the occupation,
Jon

You know what to do, people...

Israel Matzav: Live webcast of Goldstone - Gold debate

Israel Matzav: Live webcast of Goldstone - Gold debate

Conferences & Politicians...

Yesterday my colleague Lenny Ben David posted a must-read piece on Pajamas Media asking some tough questions of the J Street leadership.

Other concerned members of the pro-Israel community have raised enough eyebrows over the groups agenda and backers that a number of smart US politicians have backed out of attending the upcoming J Street conference in Washington.(see below for the list and what you can do...)

Meanwhile, here in Jerusalem, a very different conference, the Presidential Conference, got underway last night at Binyanei Hauma, where a star-studded audience sat through lengthy speeches by a heavily made-up Shimon Peres, the conference convenor;and PM Netanyahu, whose main points were how to reduce dependence on oil and urging Abu Mazen to lead "his people" to peace. (Not sure how many Pals. would define themselves as Abu Mazen's people these days...)

Binyanei Hauma was transformed by a savvy interior decorator who placed comfortable and attractive loveseats and chairs in cozy groupings to encourage the networking that's the prime reason for anyone to go to these conferences. Attractive young Israeli students served as polite waiters passing around nibblies and drinks, and all was well until the crowd of around 6,000 had to pass through the draconian security before entering the hall for the main event.

One obese American woman was heard loudly complaining that the elevators were out of bounds due to security concerns and she was forced to waddle up some 50 stairs to the auditorium.

A disturbing event took place during Idan Raichel's performance. A young man sitting toward the rear of the hall, suddenly gasped and clasped his head. The house lights went up and we saw the unfortunate man being led out bleeding profusely. Not sure whether something fell on him, but when I walked out some 10 minutes later, the Magen David Adom crew was only then running up the stairs to treat him. Hard to believe that with Peres, Netanyahu, Tony Blair and a host of other presidents, ambassadors etc in the audience that there wouldn't have been an on-site crew ready to spring into action.

In any event, back to J Street---Lori Lowenthal Marcus, founder of Z Street has penned the following letter> If you're a US citizen, please read and act:

Please send a fax or make a phone call (or, last choice, send an email) to your elected official if on the list below. The members of congress on this list are endorsing the J Street conference by lending their good name to an organization which claims to be "pro-peace and pro-Israel," but is nothing of the kind.

Here is my letter. Please produce your own version - it can be as few as 3 - 5 lines long.
*******
Sen/Rep. ______,

The relatively new organization J Street, is currently using what it boasts is your endorsement to promote itself as a mainstream vehicle for positive change in the Middle East. But the policies being promoted by J Street are not, as it claims, “pro-peace and, pro-Israel.” In fact, the J Street conference with which your name is linked features a speaker who blamed Israel for 9/11, and a “poet” who equates the US with the Nazi regime.

Here are details of the conference J Street claims you support.

Muslim Public Affairs Council leader Salam al-Marayati will deliver a lecture at the J Street conference being held October 25 - 28th. Al-Marayati publicly claimed that Israelattacked the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and he has also publicly praised Hezbollah, a group on the official U.S. terrorist list. Is this a “pro-peace” or “pro-Israel” organization?

The J Street conference will also feature Josh Healey, whose “poetry” equates the US with Hitler and his Final Solution plans. He says “Guantanamo is Aushwitz,” and he also compared what happened to Anne Frank to the tragedy of Matthew Shepard. Anne Frank died because of official Nazi government policy; Shepard died at the hands of malevolent individuals who were prosecuted by the US government.
J Street seeks effectively endless “negotiations” over Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, and refuses to identify a time when that tactic should be replaced with, as USSecretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for, “crippling sanctions.” Iran poses a direct and immediate threat to Israel and only later, but most assuredly, one to the US.

J Street also wants Jews banned from living in certain parts of Jerusalem, a policy that would be in flagrant violation of the Civil Rights laws if imposed in the United States.

Over the past week nearly a dozen US elected officials*, when provided with the information above, have removed their names from the list of those endorsing J Street and its October conference.

Your good name is your most important asset; don’t let that be damaged by an association with J Street’s wrong-headed policies.

Sincerely............



* Last week the following members of congress withdrew their names from the host committee for the J Street Conference Gala:


The Honorable Chuck Schumer (NY)
The Honorable Thad Cochran (MS)
The Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)
The Honorable Blanche Lincoln (AR)
The Honorable Leonard Boswell (IA-03)
The Honorable Michael Castle (DE-AL)
The Honorable Michael McCaul (TX-10)
The Honorable Mike Ross (AR-04)
The Honorable John Salazar ((CO-03)


First phone #, then fax #, then email (very limited, only those within official's jurisdiction can send an email.)


United States Senate


The Honorable Daniel Akaka (HI)

http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=contact.home

The Honorable Sherrod Brown (OH)
202-224-2315

202-228-6321

http://brown.senate.gov/contact/



The Honorable Roland Burris (IL)

202-224-2854 202-228-3333 http://burris.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

The Honorable Maria Cantwell (WA)

202-224-3441 202-228-0514 http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

The Honorable Tom Carper (DE)

202-224-2441 202-228-2190 http://carper.senate.gov/contact/

The Honorable Bob Casey (PA)

202-224-6324 202-228-0604 http://casey.senate.gov/contact/

The Honorable Chris Dodd (CT)

202-224-2823 202-224-1083 http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3128&cat=Opinion

The Honorable Byron Dorgan (ND)
202-224-2551

202-224-1193

http://dorgan.senate.gov/contact/contact_form.cfm



The Honorable Russ Feingold (WI)
202-224-5323

202-224-2725

http://feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein (CA)

202-224-3841 202-228-3954

http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe

The Honorable Kay Hagan (NC)

202-224-6342 202-228-2563

http://hagan.senate.gov/?p=contact

The Honorable Tim Johnson (SD)
202-224-5842

202-228-5765

http://johnson.senate.gov/contact/

The Honorable John Kerry (MA)

202-224-2742 202-224-8525

http://kerry.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

The Honorable Herb Kohl (WI)
202-224-5653

202-224-9787

http://kohl.senate.gov/contact.cfm



The Honorable Mary Landrieu (LA)
202-224-5824

202-224-9735

http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm



The Honorable Patrick Leahy (VT)

202-224-4242 202-224-3479 senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov



The Honorable Mark Pryor (AR)
202-224-2353

202-228-0908

http://pryor.senate.gov/contact/


The Honorable Jeanne Shaheen (NH)
202-224-2841

202-228-3194

http://shaheen.senate.gov/contact/



The Honorable Jon Tester (MT)
202-224-2644

202-224-8594

http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm



The Honorable Mark Udall (CO)

202-224-5941 202-224-6471 http://markudall.senate.gov/?p=contact

The Honorable Tom Udall (NM)
202-224-6621

202-228-3261

http://tomudall.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

The Honorable Jim Webb (VA)

202-224-4024 202-228-6363 http://webb.senate.gov/contact/

The Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
202-224-2921

202-228-6362

http://whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/



United States House of Representatives
The Honorable Neil Abercrombie (HI-01)

202-225-2726

202-225-4580

http://www.house.gov/abercrombie/contact.shtml



The Honorable Jason Altmire (PA-04)

202-225-2565 202-226-2274 https://forms.house.gov/altmire/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm



The Honorable Michael Arcuri (NY-24)
202-225-3665

202-225-1891

http://forms.house.gov/arcuri/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm



The Honorable Brian Baird (WA-03)

202-225-3536 202-225-3478

https://forms.house.gov/baird/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm



The Honorable Tammy Baldwin (WI-02)
202-225-2906

202-225-6942

http://tammybaldwin.house.gov/get_address.html



The Honorable Brian Bilbray (CA-50)

202-225-0508 202-225-2558 http://www.house.gov/bilbray/contact.shtml



The Honorable Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)

202-225-4811 202-225-8941

http://blumenauer.house.gov/index.php?option=com_email_form&Itemid=206



The Honorable John Boccieri (OH16)https://forms.house.gov/boccieri/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm

The Honorable Charles Boustany (LA-07)
202-225-2031

202-225-5724

http://boustany.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=4§iontree=4

The Honorable Bruce Braley (IA-01)
202-225-2911 202-225-6666 https://forms.house.gov/braley/webforms/issue_subscribe.html

The Honorable Corrine Brown (FL-03)
202-225-0123 /202-225-2256 http://www.house.gov/corrinebrown/IMA/issue.shtml

The Honorable Lois Capps (CA-23)
202-225-3601 202-225-5632 http://capps.house.gov/send-an-email.shtml

The Honorable Michael Capuano (MA-08)
202-225-5111 202-225-9322 http://www.house.gov/capuano/contact/email.shtml

The Honorable Russ Carnahan (MO-03)
202-225-2671

202-225-7452

https://forms.house.gov/carnahan/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm
The Honorable Chris Carney (PA-10)
202-225-3731

202-225-9594

http://carney.house.gov/contact.shtml

The Honorable Andre Carson (IN-07)
202-225-4011

202-225-5633

http://forms.house.gov/carson/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm
The Honorable Yvette Clarke (NY-11)
202-225-6231 202-226-0112 http://clarke.house.gov/contact/contact-us-form.shtml

The Honorable James Clyburn (SC-06)
202-225-3315

202-225-2313

https://forms.house.gov/clyburn/zipauth.shtml

The Honorable Howard Coble (NC-06)
202-225-3065 202-225-8611 howard.coble@mail.house.gov

The Honorable Gerry Connolly (VA-11)
202-225-1492 202-225-3071 http://gerryconnolly.house.gov/?sectionid=50§iontree=350

The Honorable John Conyers (MI-14)http://conyers.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.OnlineContactForm

The Honorable Jim Cooper (TN-05)
202-225-4311

202-226-1035

http://www.cooper.house.gov/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=117


The Honorable Elijah Cummings (MD-07)
202-225-4741

202-225-3178

https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

The Honorable Danny Davis (IL-07)
202-225-5006

202-225-5641

https://forms.house.gov/davis/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm
The Honorable Susan Davis (CA-53)
202-225-2040 202-225-2948 http://www.house.gov/susandavis/contact.shtml

The Honorable Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
202-225-6416

202-225-0032

http://www.house.gov/formdefazio/contact.html

The Honorable Dianna DeGette (CO-01)
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Looking for a date??

Maskiot's Date Palm fields

The last time I saw Ayelet and Rachel was at Shirat Hayam in Gush Katif in January 2001. They were then 22 year-old single women who had decided to help found a new community next to the sea in the Gaza Strip in reaction to the horrific bus bomb attack in nearby Kfar Darom that claimed the lives of their friends Miriam Amitai and Gabi Biton.

Today I encountered the two women again, still committed to their Zionist ideals of settling the land of Israel, despite having been ultimately turfed out of their Gush Katif community along with 9,000 others in August 2005. Now they are both married with kids and live in adjoining temporary housing in the brand new community of Maskiot in the hills overlooking the Jordan Valley.


Ayelet Chazut and daughter

When I walked into the office of the new yishuv, I recognized Rachel, but couldn't quite place her. It was only after Ayelet had served us lunch and images of the first buildings in Shirat Hayam flashed across the wall in the home she shares with her husband Yossi Chazut and their kids that it suddenly dawned on me that it was in those seaside buildings that I had met Ayelet and Rachel.

In fact,I wrote about Ayelet and Rachel in my first book Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times and a picture of the two young women together appears on P. 148.

Yossi and Ayelet and Rachel and her husband are part of a nucleus of nine young families who have chosen to take on the task of rebuilding in Maskiot for the families of Shirat Hayam who have been living in temporary housing for more than 4 years. Check out their website at www.maskiot.co.il to learn about the potential for this new community, which was given government approval just a few short months ago.

Maskiot

The passion burns in Yossi's eyes and fuels his fast-paced Hebrew explanations of how they will fulfill their desire to do something meaningful for the country after the bitter experiences of the Gaza disengagement. " This place has everything," Yossi says as he gazes over the hills that roll gracefully down to the Jordan Valley. "It's important from a security point of view--you can see Jordan from here. The area desperately needs repopulating. We're involved in agriculture already and we'll build a place that will forge good relations with the mostly secular yishuvim in the area and be an example of secular-religious cooperation," he enthuses.

Bedouin shepherd on state land near Maskiot


As he drives his visitors around the area on an ATV that kicks up an enormous amount of dust, Yossi points out the few Bedouin encampments scattered around on state land--"90 percent of the time they keep to themselves,"--but he is most excited to take us to the olive grove that bears a sign saying it was a donation of the Christian Friends of Israeli Communities group.



In addition to the thriving olive trees, we see saplings of hundreds of Argan trees that will yield oil that sells for high prices on the European market. About 40 minutes south of Maskiot, just to the east of Niran, Yossi takes us through the security barrier that separates Israel from the Jordan river bed. This is as far east as you can go in the Jordan Valley. Apart from a large army bunker with a secure underground level, there is nothing but date palms as far as the eye can see. This is Maskiot's main agricultural project. The succulent Medjool dates will be sent to markets all over Europe in a few years.

As we swat away the persistent flies, Yossi describes the process of planting and irrigating the massive area and relates how it all had to be cleared of minefields before their economic initiative could get underway. Now, as the palms are growing, the entire project is watched over by just two men whom we encounter as they show up for work.

Back at the construction area in Maskiot, we see the foundations being laid for some 20 buildings that should be completed within a few months. Plans call for 100 homes and all kinds of educational and business facilities.

There's no doubt that Maskiot bears absolutely no physical resemblance to Shirat Hayam where I had met Ayelet and Rachel nine years ago. No sparkling Mediterranean Sea in sight; no sand dunes and no supportive network of twenty like-minded communities nearby.


Still, the challenge of fulfilling the mitzva of settling the land speaks to the spirit of the former Gush Katif residents. It's taken a while, but the new version of the extraordinary communities of Gush Katif is beginning to take shape.

My Right Word: The Pals. Probably Could Be A Better Situation...

My Right Word: The Pals. Probably Could Be A Better Situation...


Whoever wrote this had the same experiences I did last week in Ramallah and Shechem (Nablus) I just haven't had the chance to write them up properly yet! Scroll down a few posts to see some initial impressions and pics...

Discrimination?

Seen at Neot Kedumim, the biblical landscape reserve near Modiin.

This is the only sign in the whole reserve that has Russian translation...














This is what all the other signs look like.