Tikkun Olam

That Haveil Havalim #204 (0r, as Ben-Yehudah would say, "the real #204") is UP at Leora's . Yes, Jack; it's #204. Let's continue on from there. . .

I have not been blogging, as it has been a difficult week. This past Tuesday, I suddenly received an Instant Message while at work, from my son in Jerusalem, savying that a friend's daughter, who had battled Hodgkin's Disease on and off for several years (it had just recurred, after having been in remission), had just died that day. She left a bereft young husband, and a toddler son who will now grow up without a mother. I had known her and her family since way before they made aliyah, over twelve years ago. Our kids grew up together in the same community, attended the same schools. It is a terrible loss to me--I burst into tears and was unable to concentrate on work that day--and to our whole community. I know nothing about Hodgekin's Lymphoma, except that I thought this was a more treatable type of cancer. I am devastated; I cannot fathom what her wonderful parents-my friends, who raised all their children to be good human beings and good Jews (Shira's brother a...

(ha-I was right !) Is UP! Go to Ya'akov's blog here to see the wonderful entries. I have got to go to work, so "in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!" (The Truman Show was a great movie.) Oh, and Tu b'Shevat Sameach!

I saw this first on Rafi's blog, and it cracked me up. Nothing like rap to get out the popular vote, eh? Especially since nothing rhymes with "FEIGLIN." Vote BIBIBI for PM (what's his middle name again?).

For your edification, Haveil Havalim #203 (I still say we're one ahead of ourselves numerically, but...) is UP, at Ima on (and off) the Bima . And here is a continuation of Joan Peters' interview on the writing of her book From Time Immemorial, published in 1984 which is--because of the deteriorating situation with Hamas in Gaza, Muslim riots and violence all over the world, and the increase in world Antisemitism--even more critical and valid today. Realize that the Saudis may not be our friends. . . (!)

I was asked by a representative of LIBI (as was Jameel , and probably other bloggers as well) last week to write about the organization on my blog. After my last post about my kids having served and one currently serving in the IDF, I think it is appropriate to write about LIBI now. LIBI is an acronym which stands for למען בטחון ישראל , "For the Sake of Israel's Security." It was founded in 1980 (at the very time that we lived in Israel) by then-Prime Minister Menahem Begin. It's purpose was to strengthen the defense of Israel by educating its soldiers in Zionism and their mission, and by providing them with extra equipment and supplies in addition to what they get from the army, such as thermal gloves or underwear, special food, care packages, etc. Their general purpose is according to what Ben-Gurion said: "Our soldiers prevail not by the strength of their weapons but by their sense of mission; by their consciousness of the justness of their cause, by a de...

My feelings about the last three weeks are tied in to my feelings about my kids having made Aliyah on their own and with their intention of joining the IDF, so a little background is in order. We raised our kids to be Zionists and love Judaism. From in the womb I spoke to them (!) in Ivrit, sang Hebrew songs, played Hebrew music; I had such a love of Judaism and Hebrew, having been raised similarly, that I wanted to impart to my kids the same understanding, feeling and pride in their history, religion and heritage, and in leshon hakodesh . My husband and I years ago, with two children, had made aliyah, but after four years returned to the States. Never did I think that my kids would leave on their own for a brand-new life in a strange (but somehow, also familiar) land. But leave they did, one after the other: in 2003, our two sons left with basically 'the shirts on their backs' ( no help from Nefesh b'Nefesh) and a slight connection with their uncle, knowing no...