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Sept. 5, 2008

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: What does 'doing the right thing' entail?

Caroline B. Glick: The master strategist

Sept. 4, 2008

Ron Kampeas: Biden, Palin take lead in clash on Mideast issues

Bruce Dancis: With humor as their weapon, the Three Stooges took on Hitler

Sept. 3, 2008

Rabbi S. Binyomin Ginsberg: Productive school years don't just happen

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Quick lamb stew serves up flavors of India

Sept. 2, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Costly Advice

Caroline B. Glick: Calling Israel's bluff

JWisdom: Wandering in Wonder by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

August 29, 2008

Rabbi Berel Wein: 20/20 sightlessness

Caroline B. Glick: When history is not repeated

JWisdom: Blessed or Cursed: It's Really Up to You by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

August 28, 2008

Steve Lipman: A Comeback for the 'Jewish Jordan'

Jeffrey Weiss: Researcher reports 'intriguing' diabetes breakthrough

August 27, 2008

Rabbi Zecharya Greenwald: Removing the perfectionist's mask

The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Nunn: Summer harvest linguine

JWisdom:: The Missing Link in Spiritual Life by Rabbi David Aaron

August 26, 2008

Yaffa Ganz: Grandma gets lessons in staying cool

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: The Dems' 'soft' jihadist

JWisdom:: Today: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Plague of indifference

August 25, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: A friend is bearing a silly grudge from a supposed wrong. What recourse do I have?

Daniel Pipes: Barack Obama through Muslim Eyes

JWisdom:: The knowledge you need to overcome your insecurities by Malka Schulman

August 22, 2008

Rabbi Berel Wein: Life's essential ingredient

Caroline B. Glick: Dominos anyone?

JWisdom:: Actually, Do Sweat the Small Stuff! by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

August 21, 2008

Today in Biblical History by Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Popularization of Kabbalah: 20 Menachem-Av 1558 CE

Jonathan Rosenblum: Lessons from the Beyond

JWisdom: : The Olympian within is rooting for you -- yes, you! –- to go for the gold

August 20, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Misleading Platform Platitudes

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Chicken Salad with Asian Dressing

JWisdom: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: America's Defense of the Jews --- Until WWII by Rabbi Nosson Scherman

August 19, 2008

Dennis Prager: If the Almighty doesn't exist

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Obama's Islamist problem has nothing to do with his upbringing

JWisdom: Think your life is messed up? by Rabbi David Aaron

August 18, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Business with Friends

Diana West: Roars About Russia, Bare Whispers About Islam

JWisdom: Relationship agony: The real cause by Malka Schulman

August 15, 2008

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: To love the Divine

Caroline B. Glick: Georgia, Israel, and the nature of man

JWisdom: The Truly Righteous Don't Demand Entitlements by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

August 14, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Confessions of broken spirit

Libby Lazewnik: The Numbers Game

JWisdom: Six Questions You'll Be Asked in Heaven? - Uh - Let's Just Take One for Now! by Gavriel Aryeh Sanders

August 13, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Georgia should be on their minds

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Go Greek: Pair flavorful lamb kebabs with a hearty salad

JWisdom: Human hybrids aren't science fiction by Rabbi David Aaron

August 12, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: Bless us

Daniel Pipes: The West's Islamist Infiltrators

JWisdom: From Sadness to Gladness: The Route from Tisha b'Av to Rosh Hashana by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

August 11, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: A Jewish view on fair pricing

Caroline B. Glick: Ignoring failure in Gaza

JWisdom: 'Communication' Is Not The Answer! by Malka Schulman

August 7, 2008

Rabbi David Gutterman: A Continuing Story With a Sustaining Goal

Rabbi Berel Wein: Mourning and morning

JWisdom: Yes, we are still in exile by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

August 6, 2008

David Ashenfelter: Government made military engineer's life a living hell because of his faith, Defense Department report documents

Jonathan Tobin: Speak the Truth; Defeat the Lies

JWisdom: Jewish Spirituality: Fusion or Confusion? by Rabbi David Aaron

August 5, 2008

Chris Leppek: Church/state wall beginning to crumble?

Paul Greenberg: Exit Olmert (no encore, please)

JWisdom: Serenity: Make the commitment by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin (Read by Gavriel Sanders)

August 4, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Am I taking advantage of another's psychological quirk?

Andrew Silow-Carroll: A black and a Jew walk into the White House…

JWisdom: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: Edward R. Morrow visits the ‘living dead’ by Rabbi Nosson Scherman

March 22, 2007

J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !)

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review March 30, 2004 / 8 Nissan, 5764

A matter of life and death

By Yaffa Ganz


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About that Palestinian state …


http://www.jewishworldreview.com | Oceans of words have been, are still being, and will undoubtedly continue to be written about the "crisis" in the Middle East. (Was there ever a time when the Middle East was not in the midst of an international crisis?).


Today, we have a new set of burning questions. Should the Palestinians have a state? Until 1948, there was no such thing as a "Palestinian". Palestinians were Jews; Arabs insisted on being called Arabs — part and parcel of the great Arab nation. Do the Arabs living today in Judea, Samaria and Gaza comprise an indigenous Palestinian people? Or are they rather recent immigrants from neighboring Arab states, enticed to come to Palestine over the past two hundred years by the amazing economic upturn (due to Jewish immigration) in an otherwise highly depressed and impoverished area? (See "From Time Immemorial" by Joan Peters, a detailed and meticulously documented analysis of the population trends in the region in the 19th and 20th century.)


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The creation of the "Palestinian people" is the fascinating myth born of lies and a rewriting of history; of unmitigated violence, hatred and jealousy, propagated by the media and complacently accepted by the world. Even so, some things remain clear beyond doubt.


1) Today there are 8000 Jews living in the Gaza (Gush Katif) area and almost a quarter of a million Jews all told in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (out of a total Israeli population of five million).


2) Forcibly transferring 8000 people, many of them fourth generation, from Gush Katif, and then eventually transferring another 242,000 out of Judea and Samaria (the "West Bank" of the Jordan River, an area occupied by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1948, never formally annexed to Jordan, and whose inhabitants were never accorded Jordanian citizenship), means that the Arabs will be that much closer to Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheva, and Tel Aviv.


Considering their unabated belligerent stance regarding any Jewish state in the Middle East, this is setting the scene for wholesale slaughter.


An intriguing question also surfaces: If Judea, Samaria and Gaza are to be Judenrein under Arab sovereignty, will Israel be allowed to deport/transfer/relocate the half million Arab citizens living in her midst, thus creating one "pure" Jewish state the new (and 21st) Arab state?

3) At the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, Christian Europe, under the auspices of the Pope, united to combat the Turkish threat to Islamize Christian Europe. It was one of the greatest and most decisive naval battles of modern times and very probably saved Western Europe for Christendom. Today, when Islamic forces have risen with renewed — and vicious — vigor, contemporary Europe seems to think that appeasement is the road to peace. They are deluding themselves. The world is slow to learn the lessons of history. An Israeli pullback from Gaza today, unilateral or multilateral, will not only create a dangerous situation for Israel, it will send a stark message to the world that Islam is on the march and will not be tethered. It will also send the message that ridding one's territory of Jews may be a way to avoid Moslem terrorism. It should give the Jews of the world unsavory food for thought.


4) An Israeli prime minister is at the head of this irrational, suicidal plan which only goes to show that there are unfortunately, some irrational, even suicidal, Israelis around. Even if they happen to be prime ministers. Perhaps it's the infirmity of age or the unending pressures on a man losing hope or — and I am grievously saddened to write this — an attempt to remove himself and his sons from the public eye, pending accusations of criminal activity.


5) A smaller, more compressed Israel, huddled behind a monstrous (and porous!) security wall which slices through the heart of the country is a black vision. It is not the vision of the Zionist dream, nor is it a vision of the ancient dream of Jewish return to the Promised Land. Like the people who promote it, it is a despondent, unrealistic, mistaken and dangerous response to a difficult situation.


The questions remain: What then shall Israel do, and how do we prevent such a drastic, destructive step from taking place. Our Torah tells us "Thou shalt choose life." Indeed, despite all the trials and tribulations the Jewish nation has endured, Am Yisrael Chai — the Jewish people lives on, even though some of our political leaders seem to have lost their will to live.


Some problems have no immediate solution but we are a long suffering and patient people. We will continue to stand firm, engage our enemies, bear our children, build our Land until eventually, time and the Divine Hand in history present additional solutions and avenues of respite. We will continue to live.


6) Last, the entire concept of unilateral disengagement is being insidiously advanced by Mr. Sharon in defiance of all accepted democratic processes. Neither Mr. Sharon's government, nor the Knesset, nor the people of Israel have been apprised of the details of this plan, nor have they given their approval of so drastic a step with such heavy implications for the future. Forcibly removing a quarter of a million Jews from Judea, Samaria and Gaza; from their homes, farms, industries, communities will negate the moral, religious and historical right of the Jewish people to live in the Land of Israel. It will also cost billions of dollars and will rend the social fabric of the country asunder.


Not being given to the same suicidal impulses which seem to have overtaken our prime minister, the inhabitants of the country will not leave their homes willingly, despite the media's claims that they are all sitting around waiting for reparations, after which they will pack up and leave for greener pastures. Not only will the inhabitants of these communities refuse to leave; a good part of the army will refuse to forcibly relocate them.


If Mr. Sharon thinks otherwise, it is another sign of how detached he is from reality. Israel is not Russia and Sharon is not Stalin. Despite his present madness, we are indebted to Sharon for his past contributions to the state and the Jewish people. But something has gone awry in the mind of this until-now rational man. The upheavals that his present plan would cause if put into effect would affect not only Israel but the entire world. The geopolitical ramifications would be felt across the globe in every country which depends on Arab oil or which hosts a large Moslem population. Islamic hatred and terror movements will not be eradicated by the removal of Jewish "settlements". It will subside only when there is no Jewish settlement at all in the entire country.


So at the danger of sounding like a prophet of doom, I can only murmur, World beware! When the Jews are manhandled and fed to the lions (even by their own misguided leaders), strange things happen around the globe. Not because the Jews are so powerful (they are not) but because, like it or not, they are G-d's chosen people, the manifestation of His presence in the world. If that does not sit well with the rational, secular, contemporary reader, all I can say is, it comes straight from one of the earliest and most revered documents in history — the Bible.


7) Ironically, with the creation of a Palestinian state, Israel will be expected to provide jobs, social services and other assistance to the Palestinians and to allow them access to Gaza by further splitting this tiny sliver of a country in two with a road leading from the Jordan River in the east to the Mediterranean in the West. If that isn't suicidal, I don't know what is.


Although the people of Israel are pressured and confused, seeking as we do, a fair solution to a seemingly insoluble problem, suicidal we are not! The cry of "Am Yisrael Chai the Nation of Israel lives on!" still resounds across the land. Even if Mr. Sharon no longer hears it, the rest of us do. After all, we are well practiced in the art of hearing. Shma Yisrael — Hear O'Israel, the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is One is our password. G-d is One, and He has given His one Chosen Land to His one, Chosen People. Despite Mr. Sharon and the rest of the world, we intend to keep it.

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

JWR contributor Yaffa Ganz is the award-winning author of more than forty Jewish juvenile titles including the two-volume teen history "Sand and Stars --- A Jewish Journey Through Time" and the popular Savta Simcha Series. You may contact her by clicking here.

NOT JUST TERROR: What many still don't grasp about the Middle East
A nation of schizophrenics?
Patterns in time? Purim, war and perspective
Jerusalem: Eternal Truths about the Eternal City
Intriguing questions on contemporary Mideast issues
The promise of Purim
Those Days, These Times
MANIFESTO
A TIME TO CHOOSE
Doing Nothing
War and Peace ...
Buttons, anyone?
When visiting 'momma' is dangerous
The Price of Life
Light a candle
Sukkos paradise
True confessions
School Daze
Jewish summers --- a time lag

© 2004, Yaffa Ganz