I am most appreciative to my son-in-law Dr. Paul Ratzker for his excellent blogs, while we were away.
On Friday,as I was getting ready for shabbat,I found out about the Nobel Award-I thought it was a joke,and I quipped "Is he sharing it with Ahmenadjead?"
Of course the joke was on me!
The whole world has commented on Why?
Black ? He is not Bush!,A backhanded jab at Israel from the worlds left,reinforcing a warning not to attack Iran ?
Cerainly the award has been cheapened,but then again Arafat and Carter have done their share.Although in truth Carter did have the peace treaty!
Someone forgot to tell N. Korea,Iran and the Arab world that they are supposed to be more inclined to allow the Nobel Laureate to do his magic.
I wish the Pope much good health ,for if he passes away,Obama would be a natural!Perehaps he can elected as Papal Designee?
I spoke to the Chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition in Israel.He noted there are 500,000 American citizens in Israel,of whom 300,000 voted in the last election.Over 70% voted Republican.
When Succoth started someone walked into our shul succah,and announced that Brazil won the Olympic slot.Everone especially the Americans were hi-fiving it .
As Israeli Ambassador Oren has said there cannot be peace unless the Israeli public feels that Obama can be trusted.Right now the polls show only 4% of Israelis believe Obama is a friend.
It is not clear to me why Israel and and the American pro-Israel community is supporting Egypt.They are instigators of problems at the UN etc., even as they take megadollars from the US. Similarly the PA is getting money and support for their police/army as they poison the atmosphere with Israel.
Reading Haaretz, is like reading Al-Gezeera.Three different people told me the same "joke", namely that Haaretz really would like to go back to the good old days-the British Mandate.
The good news is that the Shalem Institute is beginning a liberal arts college, that will be zionistic.This is the Dore Gold.Michael Oren, Sharansky school of Zionism.
Finally we spent Yom Kippur in the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem.Great Cantor and choir.It is something that one must experience, as 1600 Jews gather under one roof.
However, to a certain extent it is part of the social scene of "see and be seen", primarily for affluent foreigners.The atmosphere in Netanya where we spent Succoth to me at least had a richness of warmth and tradition, perhaps because the synagogue is smaller and the atmosphere more in timate.
