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I’ll keep my reservations with Netanyahu’s speech for another post - but first, look at the important history lesson Bibi gave Obama:

Netanyahu’s Speech

But let me first say that the connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel has lasted for more than 3500 years. Judea and Samaria, the places where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, David and Solomon, and Isaiah and Jeremiah lived, are not alien to us. This is the land of our forefathers.

The right of the Jewish people to a state in the land of Israel does not derive from the catastrophes that have plagued our people. True, for 2000 years the Jewish people suffered expulsions, pogroms, blood libels, and massacres which culminated in a Holocaust - a suffering which has no parallel in human history. There are those who say that if the Holocaust had not occurred, the state of Israel would never have been established. But I say that if the state of Israel would have been established earlier, the Holocaust would not have occured.

This tragic history of powerlessness explains why the Jewish people need a sovereign power of self-defense. But our right to build our sovereign state here, in the land of Israel, arises from one simple fact: this is the homeland of the Jewish people, this is where our identity was forged.

As Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion proclaimed in Israel’s Declaration of Independence: “The Jewish people arose in the land of Israel and it was here that its spiritual, religious and political character was shaped. Here they attained their sovereignty, and here they bequeathed to the world their national and cultural treasures, and the most eternal of books.”

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Every year, after Yom Haatzmaut, I have a bunch of thoughts bottled up which end up being put down on paper. This year is no exception, so I thought I would dedicate my Monthly update to these thoughts. Only one thing – Beware, I’m sure it’ll be quite long. Maybe the first draft for a book lol. But I plan on communicating some incredibly important ideas – Ideas you can comment on, discuss, or simply just read and think about. I think it’ll be a worthwhile read. (more…)

I started getting involved with an absolutely incredible organization called Im Tirtzu. I encourage you all to join the facebook group of the organization and also to visit the website to learn of ways to support the organization.

‎Im Tirtzu is an extra-parliamentary movement that engages in on and off campus Zionist advocacy, in an effort to strengthen the values of Zionism in Israel, with the aim of securing the future of the Jewish people and the State of Israel and advancing Israeli society in its struggle to overcome the challenges it is currently facing.

Regrettably, in recent years, anti-Zionist trends have been proliferating in Israeli universities, which have gradually displaced, marginalized and excluded the Zionist discourse, preventing the Zionist majority from making its voice heard. For the past two years, Im Tirtzu has been the only entity that has provided a response to the spread of post-Zionist and anti-Zionist currents among the faculty and student body in Israeli universities.

Im Tirtzu believes in the capacity of every person to influence his environment. We believe that a return to Zionism and an ethical Zionist renewal is the solution to the problems and crises Israeli society is currently facing. Once we regain our belief in the validity and justice of the Zionist cause and in our ability to make a difference in steering our reality we shall be able to deal successfully with the challenges that confront us.

In the words of Herzl:

“If you will it is no dream … and if you do not will then everything I have told you is only a dream and will continue to remain a dream”. If we only dare to do so, we can transform the dream that is the State of Israel into a more just, more modern, more democratic and more Jewish place.

On university campuses, in the media, and in the general population, there is an warped undertone, even amongst some who support Israel’s right to defend itself, that Israel still has a lot to apologize for, mainly because of the wide gap in numbers of civilian deaths from each of the sides in the conflict.

However, here is a list of 5 things which Israel should never apologize for, all of them being root causes for the unequal number of civilians killed on each side of the conflict:

Israel should never apologize for building bomb shelters for its citizens, while its enemies use their money on weapons to attack Israel. Yes, it is thanks to those bomb shelters that the number of Israeli deaths has been so low.

Israel should never apologize for creating a “Red Color” warning system to warn its citizens of incoming rocket attacks so they can hide, in 15 seconds,  in the closest bomb shelters, whiles its enemies often force their own citizens to stay in areas which Israel warned it would bomb.  Yes, it is thanks to this warning system that the number of Israeli deaths has been so low.

Israel should never apologize for doing its outmost to protect its civilians, whiles its enemies use their very own civilians as human shields.  Yes, it is thanks to this willingness to put its civilians out of harms way that the number of Israeli deaths has been so low.

Israel should never apologize for discharging its most basic moral obligation of protecting its own citizens by defending itself militarily, even as it is trying to spare as many civilians on the other side as humanly possible, while its enemies specifically target civilians for death.  Yes, it is thanks to this willingness to protect its citizens that the number of Israeli deaths has been so low.

Israel should never apologize for holding an ideology which values life, whiles its enemies in Hamas hold an ideology which encourages death and martyrdom.  Yes, it is thanks to this life-loving ideology that the number of Israeli deaths has been so low.

Rav Yishai Lisner is the Rosh Kollel of Kollel Torah Mitzion in Montreal, on shlichut to Montreal from Israel.

I am writing these lines while my heart and my thoughts are with my brothers and sisters in the Land of Israel, standing bravely and with dedication against the terrorist enemy.

From the moment the fighting in Gaza started, I have been constantly troubled by the thought that I am here and while my brothers are there, far away. What Should I do? This question has kept me from sleeping and brought me to constantly watch television transmissions on the internet from Israel.

As I watched the transmission, pride burst through me at the sight of the citizens of Israel standing day after day opposite the bombings and rocket attacks. I was filled with pride at the sight of the defeat handed by the Israeli Air Force to Hams within 3.5 minutes. I was filled with pride at the sight of the soldiers determined to fight the enemy even though they know too well what they are risking. I was filled with pride when hearing of a soldier who was brought to the hospital after being wounded, whose first sentence he said to his doctors was: “Please hurry, I have to return to my friends who are fighting.”

I hurried outside to share my feelings with my friends, while adding the question: “What do you think now, what should we do?” The answer did not take long, “Support Israel”. Wow, I said to myself, this sounds like something big. I, of course, thanked my friends and in my heart I hoped that at least tonight I would be able to sleep in peace. I am proud that I have such a country and such an army and now I even know what I must do: “Support Israel”.

Night fell. Outside, it was quiet. Even the cars are no longer driving around. Yet, again, to my sorrow, my eyes would not close for even a moment. Over and over, the pictures from the television transmission ran through my mind and I was filled with pride. Yet, on the other hand, echoing in my ears was the answer from my friends: “Support Israel”. It took me a minutes to realize that maybe the problem is the discrepancy between feeling proud and the answer “Support Israel”.

Israel does not need support. The soldiers I saw are not unfortunate- they are heroes! The citizens I saw are standing strong without needed me to bring them crutches! The soldier who was brought to the hospital does not feel insulted or ashamed - he is simply proud to defend himself and his country!

So, what does the State of Israel need from me?  If it does not need my support, what does it need? The State of Israel needs partners!

Being a partner means taking an active role in the forming and growth the state. Being a partner means feeling the burden of responsibility for what is happening to the same degree as the other partners. Being a partner is losing sleep while pondering how can I actively contribute to the thriving property in which I have a part.

Spouting the slogan: “Support Israel” sounds like something big and powerful, but, in truth, it is only a passive stance. If the burning fire of enthusiasm and desire to connect with Israel is really there, than you must be a partner andnot  just stand and watch from the sidelines and call that “Supporting Israel”.

The channels of partnership with the State of Israel are so numerous that there is room for almost every initiative. There is room for every partner to enter.

There are partners who will want to leave wherever they are and move to live in Israel. There are partners who will want to send their children to learn in Israel. There are partners who will invest in social programming in Israel. There are partners who will invest financially in Israel. And there are partners who will simply sit and pray, or make extra time to learn more Torah.

The common denominator is the taking of initiative and the feeling of a personal responsibility to be part of the growth of the State of Israel.

The claim Moshe Rabeinu made against the tribes of Israel who wished to stay on the other side of the Jordan may, today, seem more relevant than ever: “Your brothers will go out to war and you will sit here?”

Israel does not need supporters, Israel needs: P-A-R-T-N-E-R-S!