From youngbarzel at gmail.com Thu Oct 1 16:06:20 2009 From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 14:06:20 -0700 Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 Message-ID: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com> BEZ"H (with the help of HaShem) Erev Sukkot 5770 Modi'in, ISRAEL Shalom to all, Well, finally back to the 21st Century - I have Internet in my apartment! Back in touch, once again...I wanted to share some thoughts, observations and reflections while they were all still very fresh in my head. I am still inundated with routine 'life' stuff and trying to fix up this apartment (which had no closets, as Israeli apartments don't), and unpacking those 390 boxes of stuff....but onto some other thoughts: 1. My neighbors (the "Anglos") have gone out of their way to befriend me, and have invited the girls and I to most Shabbat and Yom Tov meals. Many are retired, and have made me a sort of 'pet project' of theirs, it seems. Very warm, very friendly....my Israeli neighbors seem to be like my NYC neighbors, on the other hand; I seem to be a little 'too upbeat' for many. But all have been helpful, each in their own ways. 2. Former British, Australian, American and South Africans seem to make up the bulk of the 'Anglo Community' - I haven't met any Canadians yet. They all seem fascinated at how someone from New York will deal with an Israeli "attitude.' I think everyone is in for a bit of a surprise... 3. Yom Kippur was really amazing...I was in the local Hesder Yeshiva, where the young men sign up for 5 years and split their time in the Army, with learning Torah. They are highly motivated, and senior IDF commanders often fight over who gets these units - they're such good guys. These guys (about 45, which is a small Yeshiva) are in the famed Golani Brigade....barely more then boys, they will be called upon - in in the future to defend the Land of Israel - I was in awe standing with them, in the midst of the Yom Kippur prayer service. Their tefilot (prayers) were sung (and danced!) with enormous emotion; I've never experienced anything like that before. 4. There are Sukkot popping up ALL over the place - including the Modi'in Central Railway station, right down the block. It is the coolest thing. 5. I'll be sharing a Sukkah with a neighbor...the girls will only be here for Shabbat. There are many trips and hikes done during Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of the festival - I will write about those as they happen. 6. Now THIS is just bizzare....on Yom Kippur, since most 'secular' Israels won't drive, the streets are taken over by (non-religious, of course) kids riding bikes in the street! All day long it was like the city was a giant bike path....it is shocking to see how far estranged they are from Judaism, that Yom Kippur becomes a 'bike holiday.' As I was walking to the Hesder Yeshiva on the morning of Yom Kippur (they start here at 6:45AM...), I was walking near a dad and his little girl, on a bike with training wheels. She asked him in Hebrew, of course, where I was going (wearing a white shirt, and not having a bike, I guess). Well, all I heard him say was (in Ivrit), "Well, on Yom Kippur, some people..." I entered the Yeshiva at that point, and never heard how he finished that sentence. What would/could he have said? That some people actually PRAY & FAST on Yom Kippur....that people actually do something other then ride bikes?!?!?! It was a very troubling experience....most "secular" Israelis have had little to NO exposure to a Torah-true lifestyle, and know far less (about their heritage) then you would ever think. 7. I've begun checking out the area, and have found that Modi'in is only 2 Kilometers from the 'Green Line' - the border of Shomron. Now, that's 1.24 miles, for y'all who may be as challenged in the metric system as I am (cooking in Celsius has been quite an adjustment!). If the suicide-surrender continues, we're a border town, a'la Sderot. But, I can't even APPLY for a gun permit..... 8. I was in Yerushalayim today, and watched as the Arab men & women walked around with total impunity, having no concern at all for their safety - knowing that no one would bother them, or even say anything to them. But NO Jew would ever think of walking into one of THEIR temporarily occupied areas. It's almost like the world of 'Alice in Wonderland' - nothing makes sense. There is SO much that needs to be done here....and this is where it ALL matters. It seems to me now that nothing at all in the Galut (exile) was real.....but everything I see, hear or feel, now - is. 9. Not sure what's going to happen with Ulpan (intensive Hebrew study) OR with the book I've been working on (The Tribes), since I may just have to try and grab a job ASAP since the prices here are so high. BIG issues to figure out...and seemingly no time to do it. 10. The pace of construction and beautification here in Modi'in is a site to behold...it's truly outstanding. On the lesser happier notes, the sun remains unrelenting in it's debilitating effect here....but, you always have to remember how lucky you are to be here. What would Moshe Rabbenu have given to only BE in Israel? Shabbat Shalom v'Chag Sameach m'Artzenu HaKdosha (our Holy Land), * Hanoch* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.rootsoffaith.org/pipermail/dialogue/attachments/20091001/14287472/attachment.html From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Thu Oct 1 17:58:53 2009 From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (JOHN CARLSON) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 15:58:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 In-Reply-To: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com> References: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <124401.23261.qm@web180611.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> Hey Hanoch, Welcome back to our century.? Glad things are settling down for you.? It all sounds wonderful man! ?Eliron/John. "Be excellent to each other!" Bill and Ted ________________________________ From: Hanoch Young To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2009 4:06:20 PM Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 ?BEZ"H (with the help of HaShem) ???????? Erev Sukkot 5770 ???????? Modi'in, ISRAEL ? ? Shalom to all, ? ???? Well, finally back to the 21st Century - I have Internet in my apartment!? Back in touch, once again...I wanted to share some thoughts, observations and reflections while they were all still very fresh in my head.? I am still inundated with routine 'life' stuff and trying to fix up this apartment (which had no closets, as Israeli apartments don't), and unpacking those 390 boxes of stuff....but onto some other thoughts: ? 1.? My neighbors (the "Anglos") have gone out of their way to befriend me, and have invited the girls and I to most Shabbat and Yom Tov meals.? Many are retired, and have made me a sort of 'pet project' of theirs, it seems.? Very warm, very friendly....my Israeli neighbors seem to be like my NYC neighbors, on the other hand;? I seem to be a little 'too upbeat' for many.? But all have been helpful, each in their own ways. ? 2.? Former British, Australian, American and South Africans seem to make up the bulk of the 'Anglo Community' - I haven't met any Canadians yet.? They all seem fascinated at how someone from New York will deal with an Israeli "attitude.'? I think everyone is in for a bit of a surprise... ? 3.? Yom Kippur was really amazing...I was in the local Hesder Yeshiva, where the young men sign up for 5 years and split their time in the Army, with learning Torah.? They are highly motivated, and senior IDF commanders often fight over who gets these units - they're such good guys.? These guys (about 45, which is a small Yeshiva) are in the famed Golani Brigade....barely more then boys, they will be called upon - in in the future to defend the Land of Israel - I was in awe standing with them, in the midst of the Yom Kippur prayer service.? Their tefilot (prayers) were sung (and danced!) with enormous emotion;? I've never experienced anything like that before. ? 4.? There are Sukkot popping up ALL over the place - including the Modi'in Central Railway station, right down the block.? It is the coolest thing. ? 5.? I'll be sharing a Sukkah with a neighbor...the girls will only be here for Shabbat.? There are many trips and hikes done during Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of the festival - I will write about those as they happen. ? 6.? Now THIS is just bizzare....on Yom Kippur, since most 'secular' Israels won't drive, the streets are taken over by (non-religious, of course) kids riding bikes in the street!? All day long it was like the city was a giant bike path....it is shocking to see how far estranged they are from Judaism, that Yom Kippur becomes a 'bike holiday.'? As I was walking to the Hesder Yeshiva on the morning of Yom Kippur (they start here at 6:45AM...), I was walking near a dad and his little girl, on a bike with training wheels.? She asked him in Hebrew, of course, where I was going (wearing a white shirt, and not having a bike, I guess).? Well, all I heard him say was (in Ivrit), "Well, on Yom Kippur, some people..."? I entered the Yeshiva at that point, and never heard how he finished that sentence.? What would/could he have said?? That some people actually PRAY & FAST on Yom Kippur....that people actually do something other then ride bikes?!?!?!? It was a very troubling experience....most "secular" Israelis have had little to NO exposure to a Torah-true lifestyle, and know far less (about their heritage) then you would ever think. ? 7.? I've begun checking out the area, and have found that Modi'in is only 2 Kilometers from the 'Green Line' - the border of Shomron.? Now, that's 1.24 miles, for y'all who may be as challenged in the metric system as I am (cooking in Celsius has been quite an adjustment!).? If the suicide-surrender continues, we're a border town, a'la Sderot.? But, I can't even APPLY for a gun permit..... 8.? I was in Yerushalayim today, and watched as the Arab men & women walked around with total impunity, having no concern at all for their safety - knowing that no one would bother them, or even say anything to them.? But NO Jew would ever think of walking into one of THEIR temporarily occupied areas.? It's almost like the world of 'Alice in Wonderland'? -? nothing makes sense.? There is SO much that needs to be done here....and this is where it ALL matters.? It seems to me now that nothing at all in the Galut (exile) was real.....but everything I see, hear or feel, now - is. 9.? Not sure what's going to happen with Ulpan (intensive Hebrew study) OR with the book I've been working on (The Tribes), since I may just have to try and grab a job ASAP since the prices here are so high.? BIG issues to figure out...and seemingly no time to do it. 10.? The pace of construction and beautification here in Modi'in is a site to behold...it's truly outstanding.? On the lesser happier notes, the sun remains unrelenting in it's debilitating effect here....but, you always have to remember how lucky you are to be here.? What would Moshe Rabbenu have given to only BE in Israel? ????? Shabbat Shalom v'Chag Sameach m'Artzenu HaKdosha (our Holy Land), ?????????????????????????? Hanoch -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.rootsoffaith.org/pipermail/dialogue/attachments/20091001/0e44770d/attachment.html From rossknichols at me.com Thu Oct 1 18:27:28 2009 From: rossknichols at me.com (Ross Nichols) Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:27:28 -0500 Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 In-Reply-To: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com> References: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4D3B021E-4C03-49B7-8BE8-5F20CCC51F68@me.com> Thanks for the update Hanoch. We are opening the gates to our campground tomorrow. Succoth in Saint Francisville is one day away. We pray for you here and look forward to your notes. Shalom, Ross Sent from my iPhone On Oct 1, 2009, at 4:06 PM, Hanoch Young wrote: > BEZ"H (with the help of HaShem) > Erev Sukkot 5770 > Modi'in, ISRAEL > > > Shalom to all, > > Well, finally back to the 21st Century - I have Internet in my > apartment! Back in touch, once again...I wanted to share some > thoughts, observations and reflections while they were all still > very fresh in my head. I am still inundated with routine 'life' > stuff and trying to fix up this apartment (which had no closets, as > Israeli apartments don't), and unpacking those 390 boxes of > stuff....but onto some other thoughts: > > 1. My neighbors (the "Anglos") have gone out of their way to > befriend me, and have invited the girls and I to most Shabbat and > Yom Tov meals. Many are retired, and have made me a sort of 'pet > project' of theirs, it seems. Very warm, very friendly....my > Israeli neighbors seem to be like my NYC neighbors, on the other > hand; I seem to be a little 'too upbeat' for many. But all have > been helpful, each in their own ways. > > 2. Former British, Australian, American and South Africans seem to > make up the bulk of the 'Anglo Community' - I haven't met any > Canadians yet. They all seem fascinated at how someone from New > York will deal with an Israeli "attitude.' I think everyone is in > for a bit of a surprise... > > 3. Yom Kippur was really amazing...I was in the local Hesder > Yeshiva, where the young men sign up for 5 years and split their > time in the Army, with learning Torah. They are highly motivated, > and senior IDF commanders often fight over who gets these units - > they're such good guys. These guys (about 45, which is a small > Yeshiva) are in the famed Golani Brigade....barely more then boys, > they will be called upon - in in the future to defend the Land of > Israel - I was in awe standing with them, in the midst of the Yom > Kippur prayer service. Their tefilot (prayers) were sung (and > danced!) with enormous emotion; I've never experienced anything > like that before. > > 4. There are Sukkot popping up ALL over the place - including the > Modi'in Central Railway station, right down the block. It is the > coolest thing. > > 5. I'll be sharing a Sukkah with a neighbor...the girls will only > be here for Shabbat. There are many trips and hikes done during > Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of the festival - I will write > about those as they happen. > > 6. Now THIS is just bizzare....on Yom Kippur, since most 'secular' > Israels won't drive, the streets are taken over by (non-religious, > of course) kids riding bikes in the street! All day long it was > like the city was a giant bike path....it is shocking to see how far > estranged they are from Judaism, that Yom Kippur becomes a 'bike > holiday.' As I was walking to the Hesder Yeshiva on the morning of > Yom Kippur (they start here at 6:45AM...), I was walking near a dad > and his little girl, on a bike with training wheels. She asked him > in Hebrew, of course, where I was going (wearing a white shirt, and > not having a bike, I guess). Well, all I heard him say was (in > Ivrit), "Well, on Yom Kippur, some people..." I entered the Yeshiva > at that point, and never heard how he finished that sentence. What > would/could he have said? That some people actually PRAY & FAST on > Yom Kippur....that people actually do something other then ride > bikes?!?!?! It was a very troubling experience....most "secular" > Israelis have had little to NO exposure to a Torah-true lifestyle, > and know far less (about their heritage) then you would ever think. > > 7. I've begun checking out the area, and have found that Modi'in is > only 2 Kilometers from the 'Green Line' - the border of Shomron. > Now, that's 1.24 miles, for y'all who may be as challenged in the > metric system as I am (cooking in Celsius has been quite an > adjustment!). If the suicide-surrender continues, we're a border > town, a'la Sderot. But, I can't even APPLY for a gun permit..... > > 8. I was in Yerushalayim today, and watched as the Arab men & women > walked around with total impunity, having no concern at all for > their safety - knowing that no one would bother them, or even say > anything to them. But NO Jew would ever think of walking into one > of THEIR temporarily occupied areas. It's almost like the world of > 'Alice in Wonderland' - nothing makes sense. There is SO much > that needs to be done here....and this is where it ALL matters. It > seems to me now that nothing at all in the Galut (exile) was > real.....but everything I see, hear or feel, now - is. > > 9. Not sure what's going to happen with Ulpan (intensive Hebrew > study) OR with the book I've been working on (The Tribes), since I > may just have to try and grab a job ASAP since the prices here are > so high. BIG issues to figure out...and seemingly no time to do it. > > 10. The pace of construction and beautification here in Modi'in is > a site to behold...it's truly outstanding. On the lesser happier > notes, the sun remains unrelenting in it's debilitating effect > here....but, you always have to remember how lucky you are to be > here. What would Moshe Rabbenu have given to only BE in Israel? > > Shabbat Shalom v'Chag Sameach m'Artzenu HaKdosha (our Holy > Land), > Hanoch > _______________________________________________ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.rootsoffaith.org/pipermail/dialogue/attachments/20091001/6473fbd3/attachment.html From bkgivin at verizon.net Fri Oct 2 01:17:13 2009 From: bkgivin at verizon.net (Betty K Givin) Date: Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:17:13 -0500 Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 In-Reply-To: <124401.23261.qm@web180611.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> References: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com> <124401.23261.qm@web180611.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Yes, wonderful to hear from you Hanoch! Look forward to your posts. I am sure you are still busy singing a bunch of Schekeyanu(s)! Enjoy Shabbat with your girls! I wanted to much to have a sukkah this year, but hurt my back (and Roger did too), so will have to wait until another year. Kim and I are looking forward to going to Saint Francisville next weekend.couldn't go for the whole week, but we will be thinking of you. I am going to sit out on my patio under the starts and pretend that I am in a sukkah and sleep out there a few nights if my back can stand it. B'ahava v' Chag Samaach Sukkoth! Elisheva/Betty _____ From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of JOHN CARLSON Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 5:59 PM To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Subject: Re: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 Hey Hanoch, Welcome back to our century. Glad things are settling down for you. It all sounds wonderful man! Eliron/John. "Be excellent to each other!" Bill and Ted _____ From: Hanoch Young To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2009 4:06:20 PM Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 BEZ"H (with the help of HaShem) Erev Sukkot 5770 Modi'in, ISRAEL Shalom to all, Well, finally back to the 21st Century - I have Internet in my apartment! Back in touch, once again...I wanted to share some thoughts, observations and reflections while they were all still very fresh in my head. I am still inundated with routine 'life' stuff and trying to fix up this apartment (which had no closets, as Israeli apartments don't), and unpacking those 390 boxes of stuff....but onto some other thoughts: 1. My neighbors (the "Anglos") have gone out of their way to befriend me, and have invited the girls and I to most Shabbat and Yom Tov meals. Many are retired, and have made me a sort of 'pet project' of theirs, it seems. Very warm, very friendly....my Israeli neighbors seem to be like my NYC neighbors, on the other hand; I seem to be a little 'too upbeat' for many. But all have been helpful, each in their own ways. 2. Former British, Australian, American and South Africans seem to make up the bulk of the 'Anglo Community' - I haven't met any Canadians yet. They all seem fascinated at how someone from New York will deal with an Israeli "attitude.' I think everyone is in for a bit of a surprise... 3. Yom Kippur was really amazing...I was in the local Hesder Yeshiva, where the young men sign up for 5 years and split their time in the Army, with learning Torah. They are highly motivated, and senior IDF commanders often fight over who gets these units - they're such good guys. These guys (about 45, which is a small Yeshiva) are in the famed Golani Brigade....barely more then boys, they will be called upon - in in the future to defend the Land of Israel - I was in awe standing with them, in the midst of the Yom Kippur prayer service. Their tefilot (prayers) were sung (and danced!) with enormous emotion; I've never experienced anything like that before. 4. There are Sukkot popping up ALL over the place - including the Modi'in Central Railway station, right down the block. It is the coolest thing. 5. I'll be sharing a Sukkah with a neighbor...the girls will only be here for Shabbat. There are many trips and hikes done during Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of the festival - I will write about those as they happen. 6. Now THIS is just bizzare....on Yom Kippur, since most 'secular' Israels won't drive, the streets are taken over by (non-religious, of course) kids riding bikes in the street! All day long it was like the city was a giant bike path....it is shocking to see how far estranged they are from Judaism, that Yom Kippur becomes a 'bike holiday.' As I was walking to the Hesder Yeshiva on the morning of Yom Kippur (they start here at 6:45AM...), I was walking near a dad and his little girl, on a bike with training wheels. She asked him in Hebrew, of course, where I was going (wearing a white shirt, and not having a bike, I guess).. Well, all I heard him say was (in Ivrit), "Well, on Yom Kippur, some people..." I entered the Yeshiva at that point, and never heard how he finished that sentence. What would/could he have said? That some people actually PRAY & FAST on Yom Kippur....that people actually do something other then ride bikes?!?!?! It was a very troubling experience....most "secular" Israelis have had little to NO exposure to a Torah-true lifestyle, and know far less (about their heritage) then you would ever think. 7. I've begun checking out the area, and have found that Modi'in is only 2 Kilometers from the 'Green Line' - the border of Shomron. Now, that's 1.24 miles, for y'all who may be as challenged in the metric system as I am (cooking in Celsius has been quite an adjustment!). If the suicide-surrender continues, we're a border town, a'la Sderot. But, I can't even APPLY for a gun permit..... 8. I was in Yerushalayim today, and watched as the Arab men & women walked around with total impunity, having no concern at all for their safety - knowing that no one would bother them, or even say anything to them. But NO Jew would ever think of walking into one of THEIR temporarily occupied areas. It's almost like the world of 'Alice in Wonderland' - nothing makes sense. There is SO much that needs to be done here....and this is where it ALL matters. It seems to me now that nothing at all in the Galut (exile) was real......but everything I see, hear or feel, now - is. 9. Not sure what's going to happen with Ulpan (intensive Hebrew study) OR with the book I've been working on (The Tribes), since I may just have to try and grab a job ASAP since the prices here are so high. BIG issues to figure out...and seemingly no time to do it. 10. The pace of construction and beautification here in Modi'in is a site to behold...it's truly outstanding. On the lesser happier notes, the sun remains unrelenting in it's debilitating effect here....but, you always have to remember how lucky you are to be here. What would Moshe Rabbenu have given to only BE in Israel? Shabbat Shalom v'Chag Sameach m'Artzenu HaKdosha (our Holy Land), Hanoch -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.rootsoffaith.org/pipermail/dialogue/attachments/20091002/8f868352/attachment.html From bkgivin at verizon.net Fri Oct 2 01:18:43 2009 From: bkgivin at verizon.net (Betty K Givin) Date: Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:18:43 -0500 Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 In-Reply-To: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com> References: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <6FF01FE20F6B4879AEAEFBFF07B95269@bettylaptop> Yes, wonderful to hear from you Hanoch! Look forward to your posts. I am sure you are still busy singing a bunch of Schekeyanu(s)! Enjoy Shabbat with your girls! I wanted to much to have a sukkah this year, but hurt my back (and Roger did too), so will have to wait until another year. Kim and I are looking forward to going to Saint Francisville next weekend.couldn't go for the whole week; we will be thinking of you. I am going to sit out on my patio under the starts and pretend that I am in a sukkah and sleep out there a few nights if my back can stand it. B'ahava v' Chag Samaach Sukkoth! Elisheva/Betty _____ From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of Hanoch Young Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 4:06 PM To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 BEZ"H (with the help of HaShem) Erev Sukkot 5770 Modi'in, ISRAEL Shalom to all, Well, finally back to the 21st Century - I have Internet in my apartment! Back in touch, once again...I wanted to share some thoughts, observations and reflections while they were all still very fresh in my head. I am still inundated with routine 'life' stuff and trying to fix up this apartment (which had no closets, as Israeli apartments don't), and unpacking those 390 boxes of stuff....but onto some other thoughts: 1. My neighbors (the "Anglos") have gone out of their way to befriend me, and have invited the girls and I to most Shabbat and Yom Tov meals. Many are retired, and have made me a sort of 'pet project' of theirs, it seems. Very warm, very friendly....my Israeli neighbors seem to be like my NYC neighbors, on the other hand; I seem to be a little 'too upbeat' for many. But all have been helpful, each in their own ways. 2. Former British, Australian, American and South Africans seem to make up the bulk of the 'Anglo Community' - I haven't met any Canadians yet. They all seem fascinated at how someone from New York will deal with an Israeli "attitude.' I think everyone is in for a bit of a surprise... 3. Yom Kippur was really amazing...I was in the local Hesder Yeshiva, where the young men sign up for 5 years and split their time in the Army, with learning Torah. They are highly motivated, and senior IDF commanders often fight over who gets these units - they're such good guys. These guys (about 45, which is a small Yeshiva) are in the famed Golani Brigade....barely more then boys, they will be called upon - in in the future to defend the Land of Israel - I was in awe standing with them, in the midst of the Yom Kippur prayer service. Their tefilot (prayers) were sung (and danced!) with enormous emotion; I've never experienced anything like that before. 4. There are Sukkot popping up ALL over the place - including the Modi'in Central Railway station, right down the block. It is the coolest thing. 5. I'll be sharing a Sukkah with a neighbor...the girls will only be here for Shabbat. There are many trips and hikes done during Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of the festival - I will write about those as they happen. 6. Now THIS is just bizzare....on Yom Kippur, since most 'secular' Israels won't drive, the streets are taken over by (non-religious, of course) kids riding bikes in the street! All day long it was like the city was a giant bike path....it is shocking to see how far estranged they are from Judaism, that Yom Kippur becomes a 'bike holiday.' As I was walking to the Hesder Yeshiva on the morning of Yom Kippur (they start here at 6:45AM...), I was walking near a dad and his little girl, on a bike with training wheels. She asked him in Hebrew, of course, where I was going (wearing a white shirt, and not having a bike, I guess). Well, all I heard him say was (in Ivrit), "Well, on Yom Kippur, some people..." I entered the Yeshiva at that point, and never heard how he finished that sentence. What would/could he have said? That some people actually PRAY & FAST on Yom Kippur....that people actually do something other then ride bikes?!?!?! It was a very troubling experience....most "secular" Israelis have had little to NO exposure to a Torah-true lifestyle, and know far less (about their heritage) then you would ever think. 7. I've begun checking out the area, and have found that Modi'in is only 2 Kilometers from the 'Green Line' - the border of Shomron. Now, that's 1.24 miles, for y'all who may be as challenged in the metric system as I am (cooking in Celsius has been quite an adjustment!). If the suicide-surrender continues, we're a border town, a'la Sderot. But, I can't even APPLY for a gun permit..... 8. I was in Yerushalayim today, and watched as the Arab men & women walked around with total impunity, having no concern at all for their safety - knowing that no one would bother them, or even say anything to them. But NO Jew would ever think of walking into one of THEIR temporarily occupied areas. It's almost like the world of 'Alice in Wonderland' - nothing makes sense. There is SO much that needs to be done here....and this is where it ALL matters. It seems to me now that nothing at all in the Galut (exile) was real.....but everything I see, hear or feel, now - is. 9. Not sure what's going to happen with Ulpan (intensive Hebrew study) OR with the book I've been working on (The Tribes), since I may just have to try and grab a job ASAP since the prices here are so high. BIG issues to figure out...and seemingly no time to do it. 10. The pace of construction and beautification here in Modi'in is a site to behold...it's truly outstanding. On the lesser happier notes, the sun remains unrelenting in it's debilitating effect here....but, you always have to remember how lucky you are to be here. What would Moshe Rabbenu have given to only BE in Israel? Shabbat Shalom v'Chag Sameach m'Artzenu HaKdosha (our Holy Land), Hanoch -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.rootsoffaith.org/pipermail/dialogue/attachments/20091002/3e00a785/attachment.html From carlson_john at bellsouth.net Fri Oct 2 02:27:32 2009 From: carlson_john at bellsouth.net (JOHN CARLSON) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 00:27:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 In-Reply-To: <6FF01FE20F6B4879AEAEFBFF07B95269@bettylaptop> References: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com> <6FF01FE20F6B4879AEAEFBFF07B95269@bettylaptop> Message-ID: <378293.68402.qm@web180602.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> Hey Elisheva. Glad to hear that you and Hannah are gonna make it.? I won'y be there much due to work but I hope to see y'all Friday night. ?Eliron/John. "Be excellent to each other!" Bill and Ted ________________________________ From: Betty K Givin To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Sent: Friday, October 2, 2009 1:18:43 AM Subject: RE: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 Yes, wonderful to hear from you Hanoch!? Look forward to your posts.? I am sure you are still busy singing a bunch of Schekeyanu(s)!? Enjoy Shabbat with your girls!? I wanted to much to have a sukkah this year, but hurt my back (and Roger did too), so will have to wait until another year.? Kim and I are looking forward to going to Saint Francisville next weekend?couldn?t go for the whole week; ?we will be thinking of you.? I am going to sit out on my patio under the starts and pretend that I am in a sukkah and sleep out there a few nights if my back can stand it. ? B?ahava v? Chag Samaach Sukkoth! ? Elisheva/Betty ? ________________________________ From:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of Hanoch Young Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 4:06 PM To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 ? ?BEZ"H (with the help of HaShem) ???????? Erev Sukkot 5770 ???????? Modi'in, ISRAEL ? ? Shalom to all, ? ???? Well, finally back to the 21st Century - I have Internet in my apartment!? Back in touch, once again...I wanted to share some thoughts, observations and reflections while they were all still very fresh in my head.? I am still inundated with routine 'life' stuff and trying to fix up this apartment (which had no closets, as Israeli apartments don't), and unpacking those 390 boxes of stuff....but onto some other thoughts: ? 1.? My neighbors (the "Anglos") have gone out of their way to befriend me, and have invited the girls and I to most Shabbat and Yom Tov meals.? Many are retired, and have made me a sort of 'pet project' of theirs, it seems.? Very warm, very friendly....my Israeli neighbors seem to be like my NYC neighbors, on the other hand;? I seem to be a little 'too upbeat' for many.? But all have been helpful, each in their own ways. ? 2.? Former British, Australian, American and South Africans seem to make up the bulk of the 'Anglo Community' - I haven't met any Canadians yet.? They all seem fascinated at how someone from New York will deal with an Israeli "attitude.'? I think everyone is in for a bit of a surprise.... ? 3.? Yom Kippur was really amazing...I was in the local Hesder Yeshiva, where the young men sign up for 5 years and split their time in the Army, with learning Torah.? They are highly motivated, and senior IDF commanders often fight over who gets these units - they're such good guys.? These guys (about 45, which is a small Yeshiva) are in the famed Golani Brigade....barely more then boys, they will be called upon - in in the future to defend the Land of Israel - I was in awe standing with them, in the midst of the Yom Kippur prayer service.? Their tefilot (prayers) were sung (and danced!) with enormous emotion;? I've never experienced anything like that before. ? 4.? There are Sukkot popping up ALL over the place - including the Modi'in Central Railway station, right down the block.? It is the coolest thing. ? 5.? I'll be sharing a Sukkah with a neighbor...the girls will only be here for Shabbat.? There are many trips and hikes done during Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of the festival - I will write about those as they happen. ? 6.? Now THIS is just bizzare....on Yom Kippur, since most 'secular' Israels won't drive, the streets are taken over by (non-religious, of course) kids riding bikes in the street!? All day long it was like the city was a giant bike path....it is shocking to see how far estranged they are from Judaism, that Yom Kippur becomes a 'bike holiday.'? As I was walking to the Hesder Yeshiva on the morning of Yom Kippur (they start here at 6:45AM...), I was walking near a dad and his little girl, on a bike with training wheels.? She asked him in Hebrew, of course, where I was going (wearing a white shirt, and not having a bike, I guess).? Well, all I heard him say was (in Ivrit), "Well, on Yom Kippur, some people..."? I entered the Yeshiva at that point, and never heard how he finished that sentence.? What would/could he have said?? That some people actually PRAY & FAST on Yom Kippur....that people actually do something other then ride bikes?!?!?!? It was a very troubling experience....most "secular" Israelis have had little to NO exposure to a Torah-true lifestyle, and know far less (about their heritage) then you would ever think. ? 7.? I've begun checking out the area, and have found that Modi'in is only 2 Kilometers from the 'Green Line' - the border of Shomron.? Now, that's 1.24 miles, for y'all who may be as challenged in the metric system as I am (cooking in Celsius has been quite an adjustment!).? If the suicide-surrender continues, we're a border town, a'la Sderot.? But, I can't even APPLY for a gun permit...... ? 8.? I was in Yerushalayim today, and watched as the Arab men & women walked around with total impunity, having no concern at all for their safety - knowing that no one would bother them, or even say anything to them.? But NO Jew would ever think of walking into one of THEIR temporarily occupied areas.? It's almost like the world of ' Alice in Wonderland'? -? nothing makes sense.? There is SO much that needs to be done here....and this is where it ALL matters.? It seems to me now that nothing at all in the Galut (exile) was real.....but everything I see, hear or feel, now - is. ? 9.? Not sure what's going to happen with Ulpan (intensive Hebrew study) OR with the book I've been working on (The Tribes), since I may just have to try and grab a job ASAP since the prices here are so high.? BIG issues to figure out...and seemingly no time to do it. ? 10.? The pace of construction and beautification here in Modi'in is a site to behold...it's truly outstanding..? On the lesser happier notes, the sun remains unrelenting in it's debilitating effect here....but, you always have to remember how lucky you are to be here.? What would Moshe Rabbenu have given to only BE in Israel ? ? ????? Shabbat Shalom v'Chag Sameach m'Artzenu HaKdosha (our Holy Land ), ?????????????????????????? Hanoch -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.rootsoffaith.org/pipermail/dialogue/attachments/20091002/39a53aee/attachment.html From dhcole1 at cox.net Fri Oct 2 13:53:41 2009 From: dhcole1 at cox.net (Dave Cole) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 13:53:41 -0500 Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 References: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com><6FF01FE20F6B4879AEAEFBFF07B95269@bettylaptop> <378293.68402.qm@web180602.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <7DD453ED40254234B1B6ED86073011F8@davesbook> Betty and Kim....Just got back home from the camp area......they are putting up a huge sukkah! Looking forward to next weekend when you guys arrive. As I was leaving the site, a couple of folks from Missouri drove up looking for us....how exciting. (not sure who they were as I was leaving....Ross knew them and everyone was embracing and beaming with joy as I rolled away.....sigh! It is a beautiful day dave ----- Original Message ----- From: JOHN CARLSON To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 2:27 AM Subject: Re: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 Hey Elisheva. Glad to hear that you and Hannah are gonna make it. I won'y be there much due to work but I hope to see y'all Friday night. Eliron/John. "Be excellent to each other!" Bill and Ted ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: Betty K Givin To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Sent: Friday, October 2, 2009 1:18:43 AM Subject: RE: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 Yes, wonderful to hear from you Hanoch! Look forward to your posts. I am sure you are still busy singing a bunch of Schekeyanu(s)! Enjoy Shabbat with your girls! I wanted to much to have a sukkah this year, but hurt my back (and Roger did too), so will have to wait until another year. Kim and I are looking forward to going to Saint Francisville next weekend?couldn?t go for the whole week; we will be thinking of you. I am going to sit out on my patio under the starts and pretend that I am in a sukkah and sleep out there a few nights if my back can stand it. B?ahava v? Chag Samaach Sukkoth! Elisheva/Betty ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of Hanoch Young Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 4:06 PM To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 BEZ"H (with the help of HaShem) Erev Sukkot 5770 Modi'in, ISRAEL Shalom to all, Well, finally back to the 21st Century - I have Internet in my apartment! Back in touch, once again....I wanted to share some thoughts, observations and reflections while they were all still very fresh in my head. I am still inundated with routine 'life' stuff and trying to fix up this apartment (which had no closets, as Israeli apartments don't), and unpacking those 390 boxes of stuff....but onto some other thoughts: 1. My neighbors (the "Anglos") have gone out of their way to befriend me, and have invited the girls and I to most Shabbat and Yom Tov meals. Many are retired, and have made me a sort of 'pet project' of theirs, it seems. Very warm, very friendly....my Israeli neighbors seem to be like my NYC neighbors, on the other hand; I seem to be a little 'too upbeat' for many. But all have been helpful, each in their own ways. 2. Former British, Australian, American and South Africans seem to make up the bulk of the 'Anglo Community' - I haven't met any Canadians yet. They all seem fascinated at how someone from New York will deal with an Israeli "attitude.' I think everyone is in for a bit of a surprise... 3. Yom Kippur was really amazing...I was in the local Hesder Yeshiva, where the young men sign up for 5 years and split their time in the Army, with learning Torah. They are highly motivated, and senior IDF commanders often fight over who gets these units - they're such good guys. These guys (about 45, which is a small Yeshiva) are in the famed Golani Brigade....barely more then boys, they will be called upon - in in the future to defend the Land of Israel - I was in awe standing with them, in the midst of the Yom Kippur prayer service. Their tefilot (prayers) were sung (and danced!) with enormous emotion; I've never experienced anything like that before. 4. There are Sukkot popping up ALL over the place - including the Modi'in Central Railway station, right down the block. It is the coolest thing. 5. I'll be sharing a Sukkah with a neighbor...the girls will only be here for Shabbat. There are many trips and hikes done during Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of the festival - I will write about those as they happen. 6. Now THIS is just bizzare....on Yom Kippur, since most 'secular' Israels won't drive, the streets are taken over by (non-religious, of course) kids riding bikes in the street! All day long it was like the city was a giant bike path....it is shocking to see how far estranged they are from Judaism, that Yom Kippur becomes a 'bike holiday.' As I was walking to the Hesder Yeshiva on the morning of Yom Kippur (they start here at 6:45AM...), I was walking near a dad and his little girl, on a bike with training wheels. She asked him in Hebrew, of course, where I was going (wearing a white shirt, and not having a bike, I guess). Well, all I heard him say was (in Ivrit), "Well, on Yom Kippur, some people..." I entered the Yeshiva at that point, and never heard how he finished that sentence. What would/could he have said? That some people actually PRAY & FAST on Yom Kippur....that people actually do something other then ride bikes?!?!?! It was a very troubling experience....most "secular" Israelis have had little to NO exposure to a Torah-true lifestyle, and know far less (about their heritage) then you would ever think. 7. I've begun checking out the area, and have found that Modi'in is only 2 Kilometers from the 'Green Line' - the border of Shomron. Now, that's 1.24 miles, for y'all who may be as challenged in the metric system as I am (cooking in Celsius has been quite an adjustment!). If the suicide-surrender continues, we're a border town, a'la Sderot. But, I can't even APPLY for a gun permit..... 8. I was in Yerushalayim today, and watched as the Arab men & women walked around with total impunity, having no concern at all for their safety - knowing that no one would bother them, or even say anything to them. But NO Jew would ever think of walking into one of THEIR temporarily occupied areas. It's almost like the world of ' Alice in Wonderland' - nothing makes sense. There is SO much that needs to be done here....and this is where it ALL matters. It seems to me now that nothing at all in the Galut (exile) was real......but everything I see, hear or feel, now - is. 9. Not sure what's going to happen with Ulpan (intensive Hebrew study) OR with the book I've been working on (The Tribes), since I may just have to try and grab a job ASAP since the prices here are so high. BIG issues to figure out...and seemingly no time to do it. 10. The pace of construction and beautification here in Modi'in is a site to behold...it's truly outstanding. On the lesser happier notes, the sun remains unrelenting in it's debilitating effect here....but, you always have to remember how lucky you are to be here.. What would Moshe Rabbenu have given to only BE in Israel ? Shabbat Shalom v'Chag Sameach m'Artzenu HaKdosha (our Holy Land ), Hanoch ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.rootsoffaith.org/pipermail/dialogue/attachments/20091002/4a861780/attachment.html From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Sat Oct 3 09:19:23 2009 From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 10:19:23 -0400 Subject: [Dialogue] Feast of Shelters Message-ID: <56AF55CE-0B96-4782-B730-06EF6C85B56A@earthlink.net> Last night marked the beginning of the strangest festival in the biblical calendar. It is called the ?festival of shelters,? literally and it last for seven days. The word is Sukkoth in Hebrew, which literally means ?huts? or some other kind of temporary dwelling. Its meaning is very close to our English ?homeless shelter? today. Though it is often translated ?tents? or ?booths? the idea is some kind of arbor or lean-to under which one can get a tiny bit of needed shelter, but still very much exposed to the elements and the sky. This was one of the three ancient pilgrim feasts of Israel. We are not told too much about it, but the meaning seems simple, Israel, settled in permanent dwellings and cities in the land, is never to forget its ?wilderness? origins, so that once a year, in the Fall, they are to actually ?go back to nature? and camp out or live in huts, tents, or temporary dwellings, for a week, so as to remember that YHVH made our ancestors live in this nomadic, temporary way in the time of Moses. This festival then vividly reminds us of that, of the CAMP of Israel, of the time when the Column of Cloud/Fire was visible, when there were no sacrifices or Temple, just the simple ?tent of meeting,? when everyone was fed morning and evening with the mysterious ?manna,? and when YHVH spoke face to face with Moses. You can find the descriptions in the Torah, particularly in Leviticus 23: 39-43. But what is really interesting about Sukkoth is that it not only looks back, but also forward. Notice these words of the Prophet Hosea: I have been YHVH your God since your days in Egypt, and I will make you DWELL IN SUKKOTH again, as in the days of MEETING. I will speak through prophets, I will give vision after vision and through the ministry of prophets will speak in similies? (12:9-10) This is really an incredible verse, as it pictures a time of Israel?s restoration, when Prophecy returns, no more ?hiding of the Face,? and the days of ?meeting? could well refer to that ?Tent of Meeting,? from those wilderness times. Here we have that same motif that we find elsewhere in the Prophets, the idea of an Exodus II that parallels Exodus I of the time of Moses. Thus Micah the Prophet declares: ?Once again YHVH will show marvelous things as in the days when you came out of Egypt (Micah 7:14-15) Zech 14 also tells of a time when the whole world will come up to Jerusalem and dwell in Sukkoth/tents/shelters during this week?. Some other relevant readings for this time are Hosea 12, Micah 7, Psalm 80-81, Isaiah 24-35? Some folk camp out in tents, others gather at campgrounds or even hotels, some just stay out on their porches or balconies and many build shelters on their property, as is the custom within Judaism. The more one can actually ?live? in the Sukkoth, the better in terms of getting the meaning of the festival. The moon during Sukkoth is full. On a clear night everything is bright and lovely, almost magical. The experience can remind us of a more simple and primitive time, getting away from all the ?modern conveniences,? more or less what we mean when we talk of ?camping out.? We at United Israel wish all of you, our thousands of readers worldwide, a meaningful festival. Sukkoth is truly an extended Biblical ?Thanksgiving.? In our troubled and complex world it pulls us outside, away from it all, to sit/dwell in our ?huts? for the next seven days? From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Sat Oct 3 10:44:22 2009 From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 11:44:22 -0400 Subject: [Dialogue] Tune in to St Francisville Sukkoth Message-ID: <3D5B3374-3671-42C5-84C2-6BFCD289C5E2@earthlink.net> Reminder to tune in today to Sukkoth down in St Francisville, just started at 10:30amCST/11:30amEST: http://rootsoffaith.org/streaming-video James From bkgivin at verizon.net Sat Oct 3 23:20:00 2009 From: bkgivin at verizon.net (Betty K Givin) Date: Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:20:00 -0500 Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 In-Reply-To: <7DD453ED40254234B1B6ED86073011F8@davesbook> References: <855590370910011406sb7feaf9od4a9454dd487e6c7@mail.gmail.com><6FF01FE20F6B4879AEAEFBFF07B95269@bettylaptop> <378293.68402.qm@web180602.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> <7DD453ED40254234B1B6ED86073011F8@davesbook> Message-ID: <5EB73F7CEE054771AF74F1EED955E41D@bettylaptop> Sounds great, Dave! We are very excited and really looking forward to next weekend. Just wish we could be there for the entire week. It was a beautiful day here today. We had services in the sukkah at our synagogue this am and it was a wonderful experience! Shavuah tov v' Chag Sameach, Elisheva/Betty _____ From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of Dave Cole Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 1:54 PM To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Subject: Re: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 Betty and Kim....Just got back home from the camp area......they are putting up a huge sukkah! Looking forward to next weekend when you guys arrive. As I was leaving the site, a couple of folks from Missouri drove up looking for us....how exciting. (not sure who they were as I was leaving....Ross knew them and everyone was embracing and beaming with joy as I rolled away.....sigh! It is a beautiful day dave ----- Original Message ----- From: JOHN CARLSON To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 2:27 AM Subject: Re: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 Hey Elisheva. Glad to hear that you and Hannah are gonna make it. I won'y be there much due to work but I hope to see y'all Friday night. Eliron/John. "Be excellent to each other!" Bill and Ted _____ From: Betty K Givin To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Sent: Friday, October 2, 2009 1:18:43 AM Subject: RE: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 Yes, wonderful to hear from you Hanoch! Look forward to your posts. I am sure you are still busy singing a bunch of Schekeyanu(s)! Enjoy Shabbat with your girls! I wanted to much to have a sukkah this year, but hurt my back (and Roger did too), so will have to wait until another year. Kim and I are looking forward to going to Saint Francisville next weekend.couldn't go for the whole week; we will be thinking of you. I am going to sit out on my patio under the starts and pretend that I am in a sukkah and sleep out there a few nights if my back can stand it. B'ahava v' Chag Samaach Sukkoth! Elisheva/Betty _____ From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of Hanoch Young Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 4:06 PM To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Subject: [Dialogue] Random thoughts Erev Sukkot 5770 BEZ"H (with the help of HaShem) Erev Sukkot 5770 Modi'in, ISRAEL Shalom to all, Well, finally back to the 21st Century - I have Internet in my apartment! Back in touch, once again....I wanted to share some thoughts, observations and reflections while they were all still very fresh in my head. I am still inundated with routine 'life' stuff and trying to fix up this apartment (which had no closets, as Israeli apartments don't), and unpacking those 390 boxes of stuff....but onto some other thoughts: 1. My neighbors (the "Anglos") have gone out of their way to befriend me, and have invited the girls and I to most Shabbat and Yom Tov meals. Many are retired, and have made me a sort of 'pet project' of theirs, it seems. Very warm, very friendly....my Israeli neighbors seem to be like my NYC neighbors, on the other hand; I seem to be a little 'too upbeat' for many. But all have been helpful, each in their own ways. 2. Former British, Australian, American and South Africans seem to make up the bulk of the 'Anglo Community' - I haven't met any Canadians yet. They all seem fascinated at how someone from New York will deal with an Israeli "attitude.' I think everyone is in for a bit of a surprise... 3. Yom Kippur was really amazing...I was in the local Hesder Yeshiva, where the young men sign up for 5 years and split their time in the Army, with learning Torah. They are highly motivated, and senior IDF commanders often fight over who gets these units - they're such good guys. These guys (about 45, which is a small Yeshiva) are in the famed Golani Brigade....barely more then boys, they will be called upon - in in the future to defend the Land of Israel - I was in awe standing with them, in the midst of the Yom Kippur prayer service. Their tefilot (prayers) were sung (and danced!) with enormous emotion; I've never experienced anything like that before. 4. There are Sukkot popping up ALL over the place - including the Modi'in Central Railway station, right down the block. It is the coolest thing. 5. I'll be sharing a Sukkah with a neighbor...the girls will only be here for Shabbat. There are many trips and hikes done during Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of the festival - I will write about those as they happen. 6. Now THIS is just bizzare....on Yom Kippur, since most 'secular' Israels won't drive, the streets are taken over by (non-religious, of course) kids riding bikes in the street! All day long it was like the city was a giant bike path....it is shocking to see how far estranged they are from Judaism, that Yom Kippur becomes a 'bike holiday.' As I was walking to the Hesder Yeshiva on the morning of Yom Kippur (they start here at 6:45AM...), I was walking near a dad and his little girl, on a bike with training wheels. She asked him in Hebrew, of course, where I was going (wearing a white shirt, and not having a bike, I guess). Well, all I heard him say was (in Ivrit), "Well, on Yom Kippur, some people..." I entered the Yeshiva at that point, and never heard how he finished that sentence. What would/could he have said? That some people actually PRAY & FAST on Yom Kippur....that people actually do something other then ride bikes?!?!?! It was a very troubling experience....most "secular" Israelis have had little to NO exposure to a Torah-true lifestyle, and know far less (about their heritage) then you would ever think. 7. I've begun checking out the area, and have found that Modi'in is only 2 Kilometers from the 'Green Line' - the border of Shomron. Now, that's 1.24 miles, for y'all who may be as challenged in the metric system as I am (cooking in Celsius has been quite an adjustment!). If the suicide-surrender continues, we're a border town, a'la Sderot. But, I can't even APPLY for a gun permit..... 8. I was in Yerushalayim today, and watched as the Arab men & women walked around with total impunity, having no concern at all for their safety - knowing that no one would bother them, or even say anything to them. But NO Jew would ever think of walking into one of THEIR temporarily occupied areas. It's almost like the world of ' Alice in Wonderland' - nothing makes sense. There is SO much that needs to be done here....and this is where it ALL matters. It seems to me now that nothing at all in the Galut (exile) was real......but everything I see, hear or feel, now - is. 9. Not sure what's going to happen with Ulpan (intensive Hebrew study) OR with the book I've been working on (The Tribes), since I may just have to try and grab a job ASAP since the prices here are so high. BIG issues to figure out...and seemingly no time to do it. 10. The pace of construction and beautification here in Modi'in is a site to behold...it's truly outstanding. On the lesser happier notes, the sun remains unrelenting in it's debilitating effect here....but, you always have to remember how lucky you are to be here.. What would Moshe Rabbenu have given to only BE in Israel ? Shabbat Shalom v'Chag Sameach m'Artzenu HaKdosha (our Holy Land ), Hanoch _____ _______________________________________________ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.rootsoffaith.org/pipermail/dialogue/attachments/20091003/18dec4b7/attachment.html From bkgivin at verizon.net Sat Oct 3 23:36:00 2009 From: bkgivin at verizon.net (Betty K Givin) Date: Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:36:00 -0500 Subject: [Dialogue] Feast of Shelters In-Reply-To: <56AF55CE-0B96-4782-B730-06EF6C85B56A@earthlink.net> References: <56AF55CE-0B96-4782-B730-06EF6C85B56A@earthlink.net> Message-ID: <44F8DAC7F7234CD7821A709B88417559@bettylaptop> Thank you, James, for sharing. I absolutely love this festival of Sukkoth. It is by far my favorite time of the year... Due to back problems, we were not able to put up a sukkah as planned, but I bought a couple of palm trees and beautified our patio with some fall flowers, lit candles, and sat out under the full moon and starry sky last evening and again this afternoon and "pretended." It was an absolutely gorgeous night. I was able to fulfill a mitzvah by helping to decorate out sukkah at the synagogue yesterday afternoon. We had services out there this morning...it was a lovely experience! I am getting more excited by the day regarding the Sukkoth conference this coming weekend and looking forward to seeing you and many others soon, HaShem willing. Shavuah tov v' Chag Sameach! Elisheva/Betty -----Original Message----- From: dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org [mailto:dialogue-bounces at rootsoffaith.org] On Behalf Of James Tabor Sent: Saturday, October 03, 2009 9:19 AM To: dialogue at rootsoffaith.org Subject: [Dialogue] Feast of Shelters Last night marked the beginning of the strangest festival in the biblical calendar. It is called the "festival of shelters," literally and it last for seven days. The word is Sukkoth in Hebrew, which literally means "huts" or some other kind of temporary dwelling. Its meaning is very close to our English "homeless shelter" today. Though it is often translated "tents" or "booths" the idea is some kind of arbor or lean-to under which one can get a tiny bit of needed shelter, but still very much exposed to the elements and the sky. This was one of the three ancient pilgrim feasts of Israel. We are not told too much about it, but the meaning seems simple, Israel, settled in permanent dwellings and cities in the land, is never to forget its "wilderness" origins, so that once a year, in the Fall, they are to actually "go back to nature" and camp out or live in huts, tents, or temporary dwellings, for a week, so as to remember that YHVH made our ancestors live in this nomadic, temporary way in the time of Moses. This festival then vividly reminds us of that, of the CAMP of Israel, of the time when the Column of Cloud/Fire was visible, when there were no sacrifices or Temple, just the simple "tent of meeting," when everyone was fed morning and evening with the mysterious "manna," and when YHVH spoke face to face with Moses. You can find the descriptions in the Torah, particularly in Leviticus 23: 39-43. But what is really interesting about Sukkoth is that it not only looks back, but also forward. Notice these words of the Prophet Hosea: I have been YHVH your God since your days in Egypt, and I will make you DWELL IN SUKKOTH again, as in the days of MEETING. I will speak through prophets, I will give vision after vision and through the ministry of prophets will speak in similies" (12:9-10) This is really an incredible verse, as it pictures a time of Israel's restoration, when Prophecy returns, no more "hiding of the Face," and the days of "meeting" could well refer to that "Tent of Meeting," from those wilderness times. Here we have that same motif that we find elsewhere in the Prophets, the idea of an Exodus II that parallels Exodus I of the time of Moses. Thus Micah the Prophet declares: "Once again YHVH will show marvelous things as in the days when you came out of Egypt (Micah 7:14-15) Zech 14 also tells of a time when the whole world will come up to Jerusalem and dwell in Sukkoth/tents/shelters during this week.. Some other relevant readings for this time are Hosea 12, Micah 7, Psalm 80-81, Isaiah 24-35. Some folk camp out in tents, others gather at campgrounds or even hotels, some just stay out on their porches or balconies and many build shelters on their property, as is the custom within Judaism. The more one can actually "live" in the Sukkoth, the better in terms of getting the meaning of the festival. The moon during Sukkoth is full. On a clear night everything is bright and lovely, almost magical. The experience can remind us of a more simple and primitive time, getting away from all the "modern conveniences," more or less what we mean when we talk of "camping out." We at United Israel wish all of you, our thousands of readers worldwide, a meaningful festival. Sukkoth is truly an extended Biblical "Thanksgiving." In our troubled and complex world it pulls us outside, away from it all, to sit/dwell in our "huts" for the next seven days._______________________________________________ From jamesdtabor at earthlink.net Mon Oct 5 10:24:52 2009 From: jamesdtabor at earthlink.net (James Tabor) Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 11:24:52 -0400 Subject: [Dialogue] Latest on DNA of Cohanim Ancestery References: Message-ID: > > From : > ======================================================= > > Jewish Priesthood Has Multiple Lineages, New Genetic Research > Indicates > > ScienceDaily (Sep. 25, 2009) ? Recent research on the Cohen Y > chromosome indicates the Jewish priesthood, the Cohanim, was > established by several unrelated male lines rather than a single male > lineage dating to ancient Hebrew times. > > The new research builds on a decade-old study of the Jewish priesthood > that traced its patrilineal dynasty and seemed to substantiate the > biblical story that Aaron, the first high priest (and brother of > Moses), was one of a number of common male ancestors in the Cohanim > lineage who lived some 3,200 years ago in the Near East. > > The current study was conducted by Michael F. Hammer, a population > geneticist in the Arizona Research Laboratory's Division of > Biotechnology at the University of Arizona. Hammer's collaborators in > the study include Karl Skorecki of the Technion-Israel Institute of > Technology and Rambum Medical Center in Haifa and colleagues and > collaborating scientists from Tel Aviv University and the Russian > Academy of Sciences. > > The July 2009 issue of Human Genetics has published the Hammer team's > newest findings in their article entitled "Extended Y chromosome > haplotypes resolve multiple and unique lineages of the Jewish > priesthood." > > Hammer and Skorecki were part of the first research group 10 years ago > that found the DNA marker signature of the Cohanim, termed the Cohen > Modal Haplotype. Today, Hammer and his colleagues are able to use a > much larger battery of DNA markers and consequently able to develop a > more fully resolved Cohen Modal Haplotype called the extended Cohen > Modal Haplotype. The smaller number of markers used in the original > Cohanim studies did not allow for full resolution of the history of > the Jewish priesthood. > > "These findings should motivate renewed interest in historical > reconstructions of the Jewish priesthood as well as additional high > resolution DNA marker analyses of other populations and 'lost tribes' > claiming ancient Hebrew ancestry," Hammer said. > > Using the new data, Hammer and his team were able to pinpoint the > geographic distribution of a genetically more resolved Cohen Modal > Haplotype and tease apart a multiplicity of male lines that founded > the priesthood in ancient Hebrew times. The more fully resolved Cohen > Modal haplotype (called the extended Cohen Modal Haplotype) accounts > for almost 30 percent of Cohanim Y chromosomes from both Ashkenazi and > non-Ashkenazi Jewish communities, is virtually absent in non-Jews, and > likely traces to a common male ancestor that lived some 3,200 years > ago in the Near East. > > Additional Y chromosome lineages that are distinct from that defined > by the extended Cohen Modal Haplotype, but also shared among Cohanim > from different Jewish communities, reveal that the priesthood was > established by several unrelated male lines. > > Journal reference: > > 1. Michael F. Hammer, Doron M. Behar, Tatiana M. Karafet, Fernando > L. Mendez, Brian Hallmark, Tamar Erez, Lev A. Zhivotovsky, Saharon > Rosset and Karl Skorecki. Extended Y chromosome haplotypes resolve > multiple and unique lineages of the Jewish priesthood. Human Genetics, > 2009; DOI: 10.1007/s00439-009-0727-5 > From youngbarzel at gmail.com Thu Oct 8 08:30:44 2009 From: youngbarzel at gmail.com (Hanoch Young) Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 06:30:44 -0700 Subject: [Dialogue] Sukkot Part I Message-ID: <855590370910080630gc976307l18ef44fbe017eedf@mail.gmail.com> Moadim L'Simcha (festivals for joy)! I am thoroughly enjoying my very first Sukkot in our beloved homeland. Sharing meals (and being a guest!) with friends from all over the world has been a huge treat for me; it's like a non-stop party - eating (although not drinking), WAY too much. I wanted to share some points with you, to give you an idea of what it's been like. 1. On Sunday, I got to hang around with old friends and began discussing various ideas/plans that I've been thinking about. The concept of "Ephramites" is still TOTALLY new here...I am hoping that if I ever to get to finish my book, it will help open up people's minds (I'm talking about English speakers). Native Israelis will need to do the explaining to other Israelis... 2. Monday was a trip to Bet El, a fantastic Jewish town of 1,200 families - about 8,000+ people right now, in the hills of Binyamin. They have established some of the leading Yeshivot (plural of 'Yeshiva') and schools in all of Israel, and have successfully absorbed Jews from Ethiopia, Peru and the Bnei Menashe of India/Burma. Since the arabs continue to occupy the valley below (G-d willing, not for much longer..), other Jewish "settlements" - the Dolev Bloc, have sprung up on the other side of the valley, surrounding the arabs. It used to take 15 minutes to go there from Bet El; now, it's 1.5 hours, since it "isn't safe" to go near the arabs....no comment necessary. In Eretz Yisrael.....sigh... Eugene Gluck, one of the great philanthropists of the Jewish community in Yehuda/Shomron is the lay leader of my former synagogue in the States - the Young Israel of Forest Hills. There was a huge gathering at Bet El, since he dedicated a new playground for children (about 10 buildings there exist as a result of his generosity), 4 busloads full of people. I was invited, since the synagogue leaders really like me since I've come on Aliyah - it's like they're living vicariously through me (according to at least one of them. 2 members of Kenesset spoke, including 'Katzele' one of Israel's few great leaders. I got to meet and hang out with Yishai Fleisher of the Arutz-7, Israel National News station, and he's going to introduce me to a number of really GOOD people here, doing amazing stuff. He introduced me to Rav Melamed, the rekowned Rabbinic leader of Bet El, who has 40 grandchildren!!!!! Yishai helped me translate and I began exposing Rav Melamed to the concept of Ephramites in America. He seemed really intrigued. There was a fantastic catered meal in the enormous Sukka (big enough for the Yeshiva) - food like a wedding! A band was playing, and Dov Shurin was there as well (I passed around a YouTube of his a while back). It was lots of fun, and great seeing such a thriving Jewish municipality in the hills of Binyamin! 3. Tuesday was a trip to Neot Kedumim, (sponsored by Modi'in's Immigrant Absorbtion Dept - one of only 4 in the country) a 'Biblical Landscape Reserve of 600 Acres. It is restored to what represented the Biblical landscape, including the sections we walked through which included all 7 species of Eretz Yisrael. I now fully understood the meaning of praying for the 'early and late (Fall & Spring)' rains, since each of the species grow at different times. 4. We saw 'terraced' land, which was the only way to grow things on a hillside. It finally dawned on me (with a little prodding..) that when the Navi (Prophet) talks about the enemy coming to the Land of Israel and tearing down 'your terraces,' it didn't mean messing up their homes, but destroying any potential to grow ANYTHING on the land. There was an exhibit of various types of Sukkot, and the quotes from the Oral Tradition, explaining which were fit to be Sukkot, and which weren't - VERY interesting and thought provoking. 5. We ground up our own Zatar (hyssop) which was pretty cool, I must admit, but the best thing was the ancient olive press. To see how the olives AND pits are ground up to produce ("First Cold Pressed") olive oil was fascinating. A donkey was hitched to a log, attached to a HUGE stone - that product was then put into baskets (made from date trees, I think) with holes in the middle of them, and was pressed by a HUMONGOUS log. The coolest thing though, was the relation it had to Chanukah. We all know that part of the 'miracle of Chanukah' was that 1 jug of oil lasted for 8 days, until more could be prepared for the rededicated Bet HaMikdash (Temple), right? Well, did you ever wonder why it was going to take so long for other jugs of oil suitable for the Bet HaMikdash, to be ready? It was because THAT oil only came from Modi'in....and it took that long to get word to the village, and have them prepare and send more to Yerushalayim. 6. It also reminded me that when the Torah speaks of 'd'vash,' honey - it is referring to the honey from date trees, NOT bee honey..... 7. Musical festival in the evening...meeting really cool people. Thursday will mark 1 month back in Israel....... 8. Although there are often lines here, and people (sometimes) push...Moshe Kepenski (of the Shorashim Gift Shop in the Old City of Yerushalayim) reminded me: " What would Moshe Rabbenu (Moses our teacher) have given to have been in OUR place, to have been ANYWHERE in the Land of Israel....? 9. We are a generation that is blessed... B'Ahavat HaMoledet vMoadim L'Simcha, * Hanoch* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.rootsoffaith.org/pipermail/dialogue/attachments/20091008/94342f90/attachment.html From rossknichols at me.com Thu Oct 8 10:19:57 2009 From: rossknichols at me.com (Ross Nichols) Date: Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:19:57 -0500 Subject: [Dialogue] At the Synagogue Message-ID: The participants of our Succoth here in Saint Francisville will be at the synagogue today. I will be going live with audio shortly (sorry for the late notice) to discuss the Jewish history in this town. We will then walk to the museum here in town and then take a tour of the Jewish schoolhouse. The touring portion will be aired later this evening. At 1:00 PM, there will be a class on tefillin (mentioned in the NT as Phylacteries). All of this will be aired at some point so that everyone has an opportunity to be part of our time together. Shalom!