Hava Nagila

Lauren Rose's version of Hava Nagila. Didn't quite make it to number one for Christmas.

Full story here



I did promise Mark Goldberg (her father)on BBC London's "Non League Show", I'd plug the record.

Mark, you owe me one!

Chanukah - Festival of Lights

London,UK

In Golders Green, a communal Menorah was lit to denote the second night of Chanukah.

The Hebrew word Chanukah means "dedication." In the 2nd century BCE, the Syrian-Greek regime of Antiochus sought to pull Jews away from Judaism, with the hopes of assimilating them into Hellenism -- Greek culture. Antiochus outlawed aspects of Jewish observance -- including the study of Torah -- which began to decay the foundation of Jewish life and practice. During this period, many of the Jews began to assimilate into Greek culture, taking on Greek names and marrying non-Jews.

In response, a band of courageous Jews took to the hills of Judea in open revolt against this threat to Jewish life. Led by Matitiyahu, and later his son Judah the Maccabee ("The Hammer"), this small band of pious Jews led guerrilla warfare against the Syrian army.

Antiochus sent thousands of well-armed troops to crush the rebellion -- but the Maccabees succeeded in driving the foreigners from their land.

Jewish fighters entered Jerusalem in December, 164 BCE. The Holy Temple was in shambles, defiled and desecrated by foreign soldiers. They cleansed the Temple and re-dedicated it on the 25th day of the Jewish month of

Kislev. When it came time to re-light the Menorah, they searched the entire Temple, but only one small jar of oil bearing the pure seal of the High Priest could be found. Miraculously, the small jar of oil burned for eight days, until a new supply of oil could be brought.

From then on, Jews have observed a holiday for eight days in honor of this historic victory and the miracle of the oil.

Today, the observance of Chanukah features the lighting of a special Chanukah menorah with eight branches (plus a helper candle), adding one new candle each night. Other customs include spinning the dreidel (a top with Hebrew letters on the sides), eating "oily" foods like potato latkes (pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts), and giving Chanukah gelt (coins) to children.

More reading:

1. Channukah is NOT "Jewish Christmas". Read here

2. The Jews and the Greeks. God's business

Israel holds the key to England's success

If Israel can avoid defeat to Russia later today in Tel-Aviv, England would still have a chance of qualifying for the Euro Championships in Austria and Switzerland next year. UPDATE - Israel 2 Russia 1

Should they do so, perhaps a member of the Royal Family will finally visit Jerusalem. (About as likely as me dating Angelina Jolie)

Read this from yesterday's Jewish Chronicle:

Leaked email reveals royal rebuff on Israel
16/11/2007
By Daniella Peled

EXCLUSIVE A leaked email exchange between two of Prince Charles’s closest aides exposes serious internal concerns about accepting an invitation to visit Israel.

Earlier this year, the Israeli embassy invited Sir Michael Peat, Prince Charles’s Principal Private Secretary, and Clive Alderton, Deputy Private Secretary, to Israel for a four-day visit as guests of the Knesset.

This was seen as a prelude to a possible official visit by the Prince, which would have been the first-ever state visit by a British royal to Israel.

Sir Michael — copying in Mr Alderton — initially expressed enthusiasm for the idea, replying in an email to the embassy: “The invitation is hugely appreciated and Clive and I would love to come.”

However, a month later, in an exchange of emails seen by the JC, Mr Alderton privately sought reassurance from his superior that the pair need never accept the invitation.

Mr Alderton — whose responsibilities include foreign affairs and relations with ethnic and faith communities — complained to Sir Michael in an email of being “pursued” by the ambassador, and asked: “Safe to assume there is no chance of this visit ever actually happening?

“Acceptance would make it hard to avoid the many ways in which Israel would want HRH [Prince Charles] to help burnish its international image.

“In which case, let’s agree a way to lower his expectations.”

When contacted by the JC with evidence of the email exchange, a spokesman for the Prince of Wales sought to play down its significance.

“This is simply an internal email about a possible visit by Clarence House officials to Israel,” he told the JC. “Any potential visit by the Prince of Wales would be undertaken at the recommendation of the government. The Prince is continuing his regular engagement with the Jewish community in the UK and abroad. Next week, for example, he is attending a World Jewish Relief dinner in London, and further events are planned before the end of the year.”

When asked about the implications of Mr Alderton’s comments, the outgoing Israeli ambassador, Zvi Heifetz, who issued the invitation, said: “We have very good relations with His Royal Highness Prince Charles, who lately received our acting president, Dalia Itzik. We hope to see him one day in Israel.”

He added: “I have no comment to make about what was said by his deputy private secretary in the email that you quote. If true, I am sorry to hear it.”

A spokesman for the Israeli embassy also declined to comment on an internal email exchange, but emphasised its and Israel’s “very good relations with the royal family” as exemplified by Ms Itzik’s “fruitful and amicable discussion” with the Prince.

Sir Michael, 58, has worked for the Prince since 2002. In 2005, he became Principal Private Secretary to the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall. Educated at Eton and Trinity College, Oxford, he joined the royal household in 1990, serving as Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the Queen.

Mr Alderton, a former consul-general in Lille, is on secondment from the Foreign Office and was appointed as Deputy Private Secretary to the Prince and his wife last year. In February he accompanied them on a visit to Kuwait, where the Crown Prince received them.

No member of the British royal family has yet visited Israel in an official capacity. Prince Philip was there in 1994 to attend a Yad Vashem ceremony to honour his late mother, and Prince Charles attended the funeral of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Prince Edward visited

Israel in September, but the royal household insisted that this was a private trip.

“Prince Charles is a great friend of the Jewish community,” commented Henry Grunwald, president of the Board of Deputies and chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council. “I am sure he will be deeply disturbed that some people might interpret these unfortunate emails as conveying any hostility to Israel at all. I hope that his advisers will be able to co-ordinate their diaries so as to enable them to visit Israel in the near future.”

Jeremy Newmark, chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, said: “The tone of the email is deeply unfortunate.”

The Israeli Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

The royal emails seen by the JC

From: Sir Michael Peat

To: Israeli Embassy

cc: Clive Alderton

Sent: August 21 2007

RE: Invitation - from Ambassador Zvi Heifetz

Please give the Ambassador my very best regards and apologise for poor communication during the holiday period. The invitation to Israel is hugely appreciated and Clive and I would love to come. I will be back in the office full-time next Wednesday.

Michael Peat

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: Clive Alderton

To: Sir Michael Peat

cc: Clive Alderton

Sent: Sepetember 27 2007

RE: Invitation - from Ambassador Zvi Heifetz

M

I'm being persued by the Ambassador; no doubt you are too...

Safe to assume that there is no chance of this visit ever actually happening?

Acceptance would make it hard to avoid the many ways in which Israel would want HRH to help burnish its international image.

In which case, let's agree a way to lower his expectations.

Clive

A new Jewish radio station

A new Jewish radio station is about to hit the airwaves,
and we hope you will play your part in making it a success!
As from 7am on Sunday 28th October, Jcom will be broadcasting through the internet (www.jcomradio.net) with programmes created for every section of the community.
The station has a full schedule of features covering news,
phone-ins, interviews, music, sports, food, religion, travel, comedy, children’s interests and lifestyles.
For the first four weeks (28th Oct – 24th Nov), Jcom will also be
broadcasting across North West London on 101.4m on FM.
The station very much hopes this will be a prelude to getting
a full-time licence for radio broadcasting, and expects to make
an application to the radio regulator, OFCOM, which controls
such matters, at the earliest possible opportunity.
If all goes to plan, 2008 will herald the UK’s first full-time,
permanent Jewish station – something we all agree is long overdue.
Fifty presenters, producers and other volunteers are working tirelessly to create a community radio station, but there is always an opportunity for you to get involved – it could just be a hobby, or turn into a whole new career!
Individuals and organisations can become members of Jcom,
and the broadcasts and website provide a unique route
for advertisers and sponsors to reach the Jewish audience.

Yours truly has a show on Saturday nights from 7pm - 8pm. For the latest in news, views and JEWS, tune in to PRESS and PLAY , 101.4FM

UN = Anti-Semites?

Make your own mind up about the United Nations. This from Melanie Phillips.

The war against the Jews

The venomous animosity displayed by the UN towards Israel has been amply documented (if generally ignored). Now John Dugard, the UN human rights envoy for the Palestinian Territories, has vented a stream of this poison. BBC Online reports him saying that he will urge the world body to withdraw from the Quartet of Middle East mediators unless it addresses Palestinian human rights, since the US, EU, UN and Russia were failing to protect the Palestinians.

‘Every time I visit, the situation seems to have worsened,’ he said in a BBC interview. This time, I was very struck by the sense of hopelessness among the Palestinian people.’ Mr Dugard attributed this to ‘the crushing effect of human rights violations’, and in particular Israeli restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement.

Yes, the Palestinians’ situation has worsened. This is principally the result of two things. a) The regime of terror instituted by the Hamas administration for which the Palestinians so unwisely voted and which is progressively making their lives a misery; and b) the restrictions imposed by the Israelis to counter the rockets which the Palestinians are lobbing at Israeli towns from Gaza, and the human bomb attacks they are ceaselessly attempting to perpetrate against Israelis. Strangely, Dugard makes no mention of either.

He said that although Israel did have a threat to its security, ‘its response is very disproportionate’.

Let’s see now: checkpoints to stop its citizens from being murdered? Very disproportionate. Targeted assassinations, to kill terror godfathers while sparing innocent Palestinians as far as possible? Very disproportionate. Sitting on Israeli hands while rockets fired from Gaza slam into southern Israeli towns? Very disproportionate.

And what does Dugard have to say about Palestinians murdering other Palestinians? Last Saturday, Palestinian Authority forces shot dead two Palestinians, including a 5-year-old boy in Qalqilyah on the West Bank. Last month, masked gunmen attacked an 28 year-old Christian woman in Gaza city and looted a church.What does Dugard say about such crimes? Nothing. How very disproportionate.

He said the purpose of some of the checkpoints in the middle of the West Bank was to break it up ‘into a number of cantons and make the life of Palestinians as miserable as possible’.

The checkpoints are there for one reason only; to protect innocent Israelis from murderous Arab savagery. If there was no Arab violence, there would be no checkpoints.

The South African retired professor of international law said the response of the Quartet was weak because it was ‘heavily influenced’ by the US.

Ah; now would that be the same US whose Secretary of State is currently saying:

‘It’s time for the establishment of a Palestinian state’

and intends to force Israel to agree, even while the Arabs in this putative state are showing what they would use such a state for by continuing even now to attack Israel by bomb and rocket — thus rewarding annihilatory terror and throwing Israel to the wolves?

The Quartet failed to engage properly on human rights, he said, and was also failing to deal with the current rift between the rival Palestinian factions of Fatah and Hamas. The militant Islamist movement Hamas seized the Gaza Strip in June, ousting Fatah, which is led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Mr Dugard said the rift was threatening the Palestinians’ right to self-determination, and that the UN ‘should be playing the role of the mediator’. ‘Instead the international community has given its support almost completely to one faction - to Fatah,’ he said. “That’s not the role the UN should take.’

Of course not. It should give its support equally to a group that stands not just for the destruction of Israel and the murder and ethnic cleansing of Jews but the Islamisation of the entire region and its subjugation to tyranny.

Mr Dugard said he saw a greater danger - that of the Palestinian Authority raising expectations too high in the Palestinian community. ‘If those expectations are not met, I fear there may be serious consequences,’ he added. The consequences include the possibility of a third ‘intifada, a large-scale, violent uprising against the Israelis, he said.

Mr Dugard said this should be no surprise.’ Inevitably in a military occupation, there are likely to be those engaged in resistance.’ These people may be labelled terrorists, Mr Dugard added, but history treats them differently. He cited the example of the French Resistance during World War II, and those in Namibia who fought occupation by South Africa. ‘Now,’ he said, ‘they are in government and treated as heroes.’

So there we have it: a UN adviser who is endorsing and justifying a further campaign of genocidal mass murder against Jews by totalitarian Islamists, which he equates with the French resistance against Fascism. And people wonder why the world is teetering on the edge of catastrophe.

Simon Weisenthal - Nazi Hunter

Last night I went along to see "I Have Never Forgotten You", the life and legacy of Simon Weisenthal. A quite moving bio-pic, beautifully narrated by Nicole Kidman.

The film was directed by Oscar winning Richard Trank and uses some previously unseen footage.

Hollywood reporter described it as a film....

that will be viewed by generations to come.

Let's hope so.

My concern is with the current generation and their attitude to the latest genocide in Sudan and the rhetoric from various "leaders" in the Middle East.

I had to add this.............

..............for those of you who still love the BBC and it's blatant anti-Israel stance try this piece of brilliance from Pixane

Top Jewish Joke

A New York judge is presiding over the divorce proceedings of a Jewish couple.
When the final papers have been signed and the divorce is complete the woman
thanks the judge and says, "Now I have to arrange for a Get."

The judge inquires what she means by a Get.

So, the woman explains that a Get is a religious ceremony required under the
Jewish religion in order to receive a divorce recognized by the Jewish faith.

The judge says, "You mean a religious ceremony like a Bris?" (male circumcision)

She replies, "Yes, very similar, only in this case you get rid of the entire prick!"

What are you doing about Darfur?

This evening I attended an excellent talk arranged by the JCC. The meeting, which discussed the genocide in Darfur, was chaired by former MP, Stephen Twigg, who represented the Aegis Foundation. His guests were Ruth Messinger, President of the American Jewish World Service, Clive Lawton from the charity Tzedek and Dr. Mukesh Kapila, former head of the UN mission in Sudan.

The event was supported by the Pears Foundation who issued a booklet outlining the background to this first genocide of the 21st century. Their Executive Chair, Trevor Pears wrote this introduction:

Since 2003, the government of Sudan and their proxy militia, the Janjaweed, ( roughly translated means Devils on Horseback) have been waging a genocidal campaign against black African tribes in Darfur, western Sudan. Up to four hundred thousand men, women and children have died. A further two million people have fled their homes, with 200,000 living in refugee camps in Chad and the remaining languishing in camps for internally displaced persons in Darfur.
Trevor Pears' introduction went on to outline how Jewish communities could respond.

In the audience there were members of the Darfurian community in London. One of their members thanked the Jewish community for raising awareness and the state of Israel for managing to provide refuge for many of his people.

These facts were mentioned:

1. The British Government is considering repatriating asylum-seekers of Darfurian background back to Khartoum, the Sudanese capital.

2. The Sudanese air-force paints some of its aircraft in UN livery. Then uses the same aircraft to attack civilians.

3. Pressure should be placed on the Chinese government who purchase oil from Sudan. 70% of the income derived from this trade is spent on arms.

All who attended were urged to write to their MP's. Can I ask the same of UK bloggers? Here's a sample letter:

Dear.......

I am writing to you as a matter of urgency regarding the situation in Darfur. As you will be aware there has been a wave of violence over the past four years against those of black African
descent living in the area. Cautious estimates are that 200,000 have been murdered, although many humanitarian and campaign organisations suggest it is more likely that 400,000 people have been killed, with violence, gang rapes and forced displacement also taking place.

Whilst I support Tony Blair's recent staement that there is a need for a "no-fly zone" over Sudan, these words must be coupled with action. The no fly zone must be pushed at the United Nations, alongside the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force along the Chad-Darfur border. Statements are of no use to the vulnerable people of Darfur unless they are turned into a reality.

Additionally, I ask you to address the situation in the UK of detaining and deporting of asylum seekers back to to Khartoum. Not only does this put individuals in huge danger but sending asylum seekers back to Khartoum, the capital city from where the government-backed violent regime is organised, sends a message to the Sudanese government that the UK does not recognise the gravity of the situation in Darfur. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has recommended that it is too dangerous to deport Darfuri asylum seekers back to Sudan. I urge you to challenge this policy of the Home Office immediately.

Let's have more of this......................

His Grace, Cranmer, has posted this brilliant article. Makes a pleasant change from the "norm" about race relations and integration.

Muslim children are not born Jew-haters

A most encouraging story from The Independent, (with thanks to Anglicans for Israel). The King David School, in Birmingham, England is a state primary school, where the children learn Hebrew, recite Jewish prayers, eat kosher food and wave Israeli flags. King David is a strictly Jewish school: Judaism is the only religion taught, there's a synagogue on site, the children learn modern Hebrew, the official language of Israel, and they celebrate Israeli independence day.

But half the 247 pupils at the 40-year-old local authority school are Muslim, and apparently the Muslim parents go through all sorts of hoops, including moving into the school's catchment area, to get their children into King David to learn Hebrew, wave Israeli flags on independence day, and hang out with the same people whom some would have us believe that they hate more than anyone in the world - Jews.

The Muslim parents, mostly devout and many of the women wearing the hijab, say they love the ethos of the school. The school is also respectful to Islam, setting aside a prayer room for the Muslim children and supplying Muslim teachers during Ramadan. At Eid, the Muslim children are wished Eid Mubarak (Blessed be Eid). Muslim students are allowed to wear a traditional Muslim head covering, but dozens choose instead to wear the Jewish kipah.

Muslim parents are not shy about telling observers why they love this Jewish school: “We actually bought a flat in the catchment area for the children to come here," says Nahid Shafiq, the mother of Zainah, four, and Hamza, nine, and wife of Mohammed, a taxi driver. "We were attracted by the high moral values of the school, and that's what we wanted our kids to have. None of us has any problem with it being a Jewish school. Why on earth should we? Our similarities as religions and cultures are far greater and more important than our differences. It's not even an issue."

Muslim parents are pleased that ‘all the kids mix and go to one another's parties and are in and out of each other's houses’. The Jewish parents and teachers too are just as enthusiastic: “You know, in these difficult times in the world, I think we show how things should be done. It's really a bit of a beacon," says one teacher, whose three children all went to King David and ended up at Oxford University. One Jewish parent commented: "My son is eight and has loads of Muslim friends." And perhaps most important of all is that some of the cross-cultural friendships forged at King David last a lifetime.

Who says all faith schools should be abolished?

Lord Levy and the Rabbi

Daniel Finkelstein at "Comment Central" and Melanie Phillips have covered the story brilliantly.
I also like the letter in yesterday's Times by Nicholas Horne of London N2. My near neighbour wrote "I hope I speak for fellow Jews by objecting to his (Rabbi Schochet) description of Lord Levy's predicament as "one Jew being hung out to dry". It is at best, ill-advised. Lord Levy is in the position he finds himself for many reasons, the very least of which is his race or religion.

The Jewish people have enough problems around from Syria, Hamas and Iran without "cry-wolfs" like Schochet stoking the fire of anti-semitism.

He should know better.

Golders Green and Brick Lane beware............

there's a scandal about to befall the BAGEL. Just seen this at Raincoaster

I wonder what Bagel Blogger, Stephen Pollard, Daniel Finkelstein and Yid with Lid make of it?

Could other UK-based Jewish Bloggers find offence? This one might. This one probably wont and the bloke at the Jewish Chronicle has probably never even heard of Raincoaster and if he did would certainly brand him an anti-semite.

King Abdullah of Jordan

On the BBC website has put his two-bobs worth in concerning the Israel/Palestine situation.

While Iraq was a source of concern, "the wellspring of regional division, the source of resentment and frustration... is the denial of justice and peace in Palestine".

"Sixty years of Palestinian dispossession, 40 years of occupation... have left a bitter legacy of disappointment and despair," he said.

A couple of points here

1. What about Jewish dispossession in Arab lands before 1948 and in the immediate years afterwards?

2. and what of Jordan's "occupation" of "Palestinian" Judea and Samaria (West Bank) between 1950 and the Israeli liberation in 1967? - how much talk was there of "Palestinian" self-determination then?

Devil's Kitchen may have a point here

In his most recent and provocative post, he suggests an invasion of Iran could alleviate economic problems at home. Does he have a point? Do you agree? Is he mad? Should Israel strike first?

Well, capitalism does appear to need a conflict every now and again to get the factories working at full capacity. He thinks there is a Galtieri Moment about to happen.

Will Devil's Kitchen be proved right?

Princess Prius

My friend from St John's Wood, The Jewish Princess, is delighted at her "Princess Prius". This eco-vehicle has replaced her Jeep. Tsk, tsk.

She points out that she's gone green and that she hates the Congestion Charge.

A couple of things here.

1. How much energy did it take to make her "green" car?

2. The Congestion Charge is not a charge, it's a TAX.

Is "Princess Prius" a new catch phrase. Perhaps The Croydonian can tell us

Quote of the Day

On Iain Dale's site today, there's a few beauties including this from Paddy Ashdown.

"We have a Prime Minister who ignores international law when he feels like it, disregarding the findings of UN weapons inspectors in Iraq, turning a blind eye to US abuse of human rights in Guantanamo Bay, and failing to condemn the Israeli invasion of Lebanon" - Lord Ashdown, the former Liberal Democrat leader.

Of course, I'm taking issue on his point about Israel. Now let me see, you have a bunch of murderous swines called Hezbollah who unleashed a vicious attack on Israel. What do you expect Israel to do? It's a bit like the Americans not condemning Britain for destroying the Luftwaffe in September 1940.

Moving on to a more frivolous "quote of the day", I loved the one by Michael Portillo about Gordon Brown. "He has the charisma of a coffin lid".

Israel's first Arab President

Something else Al-BBC ignored. (From Totally Jewish Website)

ISRAEL'S ARAB PRESIDENT

Thursday, 1st of March 2007

Majallie Whbee

Israel's first non-Jewish President has rubbished claims that the Jewish state is an apartheid country.

Speaking to TJ, Arab Kadima Knesset member Majallie Whbee said his ascent to the position proved that those who draw such a parallel with the former South African regime were ignoring the “facts on the ground”.

And saying he was proud of being an Israeli citizen, the Druze MK also spoke of his wish to show the world that Israel is a democratic country with equal rights.

Whbee will serve as ceremonial President until next Tuesday, while acting president Dalia Itzik is in America. Itzik took over the position from Moshe Katsav after he temporarily suspended himself following the Attorney General’s announcement that he may be indicted on multiple charges including rape.

Whbee, who rose to the rank of colonel during 19 years in a parachute division of the IDF, said: "This is a very historic day and week because it is the first time that a person from the minorities has become the president of Israel.

"The important thing for us is that it shows that we can be counterparts, citizens who have duties and rights. That we actually are a democratic country.”

Former US President Jimmy Carter recently became the latest prominent figure to attach the ‘apartheid’ tag to Israel, but Whbee said he believes the reality couldn't be more different.

"I think my appointment is the example and answer for those who accuse Israel of being an apartheid state. It shows minorities have equal rights and we are part of the government, the state and the parliament.”

But he warned: “Those people who have a very bad attitude towards Israel will continue with their thoughts nevertheless.”

Although he will only hold the position for a week, he said he wanted to use the opportunity to try and make some inroads in the peace process, and had already organised meetings with the Jordanian and Egyptian Ambassadors to Israel.

“I believe I can increase the confidence of the relations between the two sides,” said Whbee, who first entered politics in 1995 as an assistant to then Minister of Infrastructure Ariel Sharon. “I can talk to these representatives more openly and put my points on the table.”

As a Kadima MK Whbee espouses the views of the government and said he was planning to tell the Jordanian and Egyptian ambassadors that he believed there “will be no hope for the peace process” unless Hamas recognises the State of Israel.

Referring to the recent Mecca agreement between Palestinian groups, Whbee was definite in his views. “Israel should absolutely not accept a Palestinian unity government. We are not playing games. We are serious. If they really want us to believe in this agreement they should recognise the existence of Israel and then they can put whatever they wanton the negotiating table,” he said.

While Whbee was clearly proud of his ascension to one of the top positions in Israeli society, he said he was concerned over the state of Israeli politics. As well as the Katsav scandal, in recent months there have been various investigations of corruption and misdoings.

“Of course I would rather I got to this position in other circumstances,” he said. “While I know that it is not the majority, we have some people who making the picture not as pure as it should be. It makes me feel very sorry because I would like to be in a society with representatives who are far from this kind of corruption.”

Whbee admitted Olmert is losing popularity, but said he is standing behind the leader of the Kadima party unless the Winograd Committee, which is investigating the failures of the war with Hezbollah, blames the Prime Minister directly.

“In a democratic state we believe that every mistake should be dealt with in order to correct what needs to be corrected and in order to learn the lessons,” Whbee said. “If we will see Winograd place responsibility on the leadership of the Defence Minister and Prime Minister then the situation will be complicated for the future of the leadership of these two people and then we will decide if they have the responsibility or not. At the moment I do not see any other leader who can lead us.”

Whbee, who is married with four children and lives in the town of Bet Jan in the north of Israel has been in politics for more than a decade. Amongst the many groups he has met with since becoming a politician, he noted that British Jews have been some of the more impressive.

Describing the UK community as “very serious people,” he said: “When they come to deal with the dangers of Israel they seem more serious than the Americans. Perhaps this is because the UK is closer to Israel and maybe there is more anti-semitism in Europe than in America.”

Israeli Army Girls ( a "for blokes" post)

Just seen this at Simply Jews.

Rachel Papo

Wanna Larf?

Then check out the Jewish Princess Blog

(Things are happening in St John's Wood)

Jewish Book Week

Sashinka has reminded me that next month it's Jewish Book Week. I really must make the effort to pop along this year. But I could be recovering from this