REALLY! do feel - Israel - is RUNNING OUT OF TIME,"
says the É(eh)PC President/Party Leader
ADDENDUM
===========
(to the letter below)
Can the Jews make a perpetual claim to the Holy Land?
I doN'T think so for three (3) basic reasons:
1. the battle of Jericho upon their return to the Holy Land
from Egypt would NOT have been necessary;
2. the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem would be still standing today;
3. the Al-Aqsa Mosque (al-Masjid al-Aqsa) would NOT have built
upon the ruins of the Temple.
It's unfortunate that the papacy never commented on the Jews' perpetual
claim to the Holy Land: the Catholic Church perspective could have DEFUSED!
A LOT OF TENSION in the Middle East that's keeps INCREASING by the day.
Pope John Paul's visit to the Holy Land in March 2000 just prior to the second
intifada provided an opportunity for the Catholic Church to say whether it supports
the Jews' perpetual claim to the Holy Land or NOT!
But he said NOTHING!
The current German Pope has said NOTHING!
That's just being IRRESPONSIBLE.
Undoubtedly, the Catholic Church along with Islamic leaders
have AN HISTORICAL RIGHT to provide input into
the running of the affairs of the Holy Land
which Israel has to consider.
Is the Jewish historical claim
to the "perpetual ownership" of the Holy Land justified?
Looking at the OPTICS, I'd say NO!
It appears that Abraham was given the Holy Land
provided the Jews could hold onto it.
The Jews couldN'T.
Therefore,
the Jews have lost their claim to it.
I should point out that I BECAME A PLAYER in Middle Eastern affairs
at the behest of my 1st year University of Ottawa Arabic professor,
French-speaking Professor (Mrs.) Gharzouzi and my 2nd year
University of Ottawa Arabic professor, English-speaking
Professor (Mrs.) Haddad.
(I was one of their TOP students earning an "A" grade in both 1st and 2nd year
Arab language studies.)
So I put my Cold War experience to use.
(Yes. I was helping end the Cold War - prior to "Gorbachev perestroika".)
Here are some of the things I did
BESIDES getting involved with Muslim
graduate students at the University of Ottawa whenever I had a chance
in order to better understand/appreciate Islam and how they saw the world.
(I made some very GOOD! friends some who later married and became Canadian.)
For example ...
1. On March 1989 during the Lebanese War, thanks to me, Father Habbib
(whose Catholic church is on Riverside Road by the Ottawa River in the Vanier
neighbourhood in Ottawa) invited the Sheik, the spiritual leader of the Muslim
community at the main Scott Street Mosque in Ottawa to the Sussex Street
Catholic Cathedral for an eucumenical prayer meeting - something that had
NOT been done previously between Muslim and Christian communities in Ottawa.
2. On December 13th 2001 when the front page story on the Ottawa newspapers
was the Israeli tanks outside Arafat's headquarters ready to blast him allegeding
that the problem was Arafat and the solution was to get rid of him, I went after
my telephone marketing job for VAC ended at 3 p.m. first to the Saudi Embassy
which was closed by the time I got there as it was during Ramadan and then,
to the Israeli embassy with my message that it was suicidal to kill Arafat as
ONLY ARAFAT could deliver on the peace.
I did that because my Middle East contacts told me HELL WOULD BREAK
LOOSE if Arafat was killed by Israeli tank fire.
Later, Canadians like Sven Robinson, NDP member of Parliament visited Arafat
in Ramallah, Palestine. (http://www.ramallahpalestine.com)
From that time onwards I believe the US Government has obliged the Government
of Canada put me under EXTREME! SURVEILLANCE TILL THIS DAY: the Gov't
has *repeatedly* attempted to put me in jail and have me declared a psychiatric
patient on several occasions.
3. Just before the outbreak of the March 2003 American invasion of Iraqi I was
able to "summon" members of the Arabic/Muslim intelligence community in
Ottawa for a talk in which I pointed out if they do anything rash the US Military
would use it as THE EXCUSE to invade Canada especially since Bill Graham
(now dean of Trinity College at the University of Toronto) as Minister of External
Affairs gave permission to US Secretary of State, Collin Powel, to allow the US
Military to walk into Canada WITHOUT! CANADA'S PERMISSION if warranted
if the USA feels its warranted.
My involvement in Middle Eastern affairs was rewarded.
On February 2006 I was AN HONOURED GUEST at the inaugural of the
University of Ottawa B.A. Arabic studies program.
Both of my Arabic professors came up to me and shook my hand saying,
"MABROOK!" (Arabic for "congratulations").
And THE AMBASSADORS from the Arab/Muslim embassies were - also -
REALLY GLAD to see me.
~~~
The Letter
========
Hi Shira (Ms. Herzog),
Re: your article raises the question, "Is time running out for Israel?"
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/is-time-on-israels-side/article1551493/?cmpid=rss1
(Incidentally, I remember seeing on on weekly TV program, "Israel Today".)
Regarding your question,
"Is time running out for Israel?",
it's safe to say Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan think so.
The King of Jordan is particularly "emphatic".
However,
I think the
Muslim community
is willing ONE MORE TIME
I suspect out of respect for Obama
(who they see as a VERY! SPECIAL
PERSON - in my view) to give it ONE LAST SHOT.
The basic problem with Israel
is that it is "officially" a RACIST state.
If you are Jewish you get preferential treatment
and if you are NOT! you doN'T.
Is that FAIR?
It safe to say had Abraham been a racist and NOT welcomed foreigners
who turned out to be angels he would NOT! have been
BLESSED! by the Almighty.
This same principal sure than applies to the State of Israel.
In fact, it's ONE OF THE MOST BASIC BELIEFS of Islam that goes back
to Abraham, the founder of the Hebrew/Jewish People, that if you bless
someone, the Almighty will be able to bless you in return.
Personally,
I've always lived by that rule and is one of the reasons I love Islam.
Let's also NOT forget the biblical story of Ruth, THE FOREIGNER, the
strongly suggests FOREIGNERS should
be WELL RECEIVED by Jews.
For these reasons I believe that contemporary Judaism needs to shun
racism.
Moreover, we know A RACIST STATE does NOT! have a future in today's
scheme of things.
Putting JEWS FIRST! ABOVE EVERYBODY ELSE has lead to Israel be
considered by the international community a "pariah" state
which is NOT! GOOD for Israel.
Also, Israel has MILITARIZED itself to the point that IT'S STUCK like Sparta
became: this in itself spells DOOM and GLOOM. This too is NOT! GOOD
for Israel.
The MILITARIZATION of Israel underlines the fact that Israel is A DANGEROUS
PLACE to live in and to visit.
It got to the point where THE EXODUS is NO LONGER "to" Israel, but *from*
Israel creating a void that has to be filled by foreigners. This means LESS
Jews and MORE foreigners in Israel - by the day.
Even Jews doN'T want to go to Israel preferring to provide financial support
rather than risk their life.
In fact, I understand, the think tank for the State of Israel has always been
headquartered in the safety of New York.
In my view Israel's Likud Party *Herat (Greater) Israel* (ALL or NOTHING) "blind"
FANATIC approach that INSISTS on the creation of a PURE! JEWISH state with
a newly rebuilt Temple for the coming of the Messiah has ISOLATED Israel in the
international community. It has lead to the illegal occupation of the West Bank
in 100+ Israeli settlements by half a million Israelis in defiance of the United
Nations.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_settlement)
The Likud seems to have unashamedly invoked Jewish superiority (apparently
supported by the Torah) that probably lead to the downfall of the Reichmann
Olympia York empire and the Ed Asper of CanWest media empire.
The Jewish/Israeli notion of superiority seems to be baseless given that Israel
does NOT place high in the UN ranking of TOP NATIONS in the world.
A lot of Israelis seem to think that time is on the side of the Jews when dealing
with the Palestinians.
Multi billionaire Peter Broffman (former head of the Canadian Jewish Congress)
seems to have contributed to THIS FALSE! NOTION when he claims that the
Broffman family did well financially when they took their time to sell their US
oil assets.
It was clear to me from Yael, my Hebrew language teacher at the University of
Ottawa, (a former member, I believe, of the Stern Gang) (a former terrorist) that
the State of Israel does NOT! HAVE TIME ON ITS SIDE because Israelis like
Yael prefer to live elsewhere - other than Israel.
They probably feel Israel has become DERAILED and see NO FUTURE for
themselves there especially with the immanent threat of terrorist attacks.
For Israel to GET BACK ON TRACK
it has to BECOME A LIGHT ONTO THE WORLD
which has always been THE STATED PURPOSE OF JUDAISM.
This means Israel
has to create WIN-WIN situations by:
1. *PARTNERING* WITH THE PALESTINIANS to help them prosper;
2. agreeing to DUAL ADMINISTRATION of the City of Jerusalem;
3. WITHDRAWING from East Jerusalem altogether;
4. ENDING its *illegal* occupation of Palestine.
(http://www.palestinefacts.org)
By Israelis FULLY! supporting the Palestinians,
then, a Mediterranean League of Nations can be created to ensure Israel's future.
Personally, I believe in spite of the negative things the Holy Koran has to say
about Jews the underlining message is that Muslim have a responsibility towards
the Jews PROVIDING the Jews (and this means Israel) DON'T MISBEHAVE in
which case they are exempt by the Holy Koran from helping Jews and in turn the
State of Israel.
Let's NOT forget it was Sharon who started the Lebanese War with the killing
of Palestinian refugees, women, children, and old men in Chabra and Shatila.
It was Sharon also had a penchant for getting the Palestinians upset so he
could - in my view - send a few rockets their way and buy more rockets that
allowed him and his cronies to pocket LOADS OF MONEY from the purchase
of new rockets. This was PURE MADNESS! the lead to the 1st and 2nd Intifada
with very poor oppressed Muslims now willing to blow themselves up in acts
of terrorism.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intifada)
The biblical exhortation "LISTEN! O Israel" is particularly poignant at this time.
Let's hope in the future when someone asks, "Have you been to Israel?"
they will NOT! say "No way. It way too dangerous" but "Yes. I have been.
The place is GREAT! and the people SO FRIENDLY. I just have to go back".
Hatima tova. (May you name be written in the Book of Life.)
That reminds me of this poem, Abou Ben Adhem by Leigh Hunt.
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:--
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
'What writest thou?'-- The vision rais'd its head,
And with a look made of sweet accord,
Answer'd, 'The names of those who love the Lord.'
'And is mine one?' said Abou. 'Nay, not so,'
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerly still; and said, 'I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow men.'
The angel wrote, and vanish'd. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And show'd the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.
In passing my family has several Jewish connections.
Firstly, my Mom when a young woman after working as a lumber jack
in the bush for five years as of the age of 13 after finishing her beautician
course in Winnipeg lived with the Ackmanns.
My Swedish-born grandfather's business partner was Saul Friedman,
A REAL MENSCH. He owned 50% of Henry Selin Forest Products in
Hearst, a small town midway on the TransCanada Highway in Northern
Ontario.
I remember HOW IMPRESSED I WAS looking at Mr. Friedman when
he arrived at the door for our BIG! Christmas family meal and I guess
only about 5 years old at the time.
In fact, his son, Jerry Friedman, would come over my place when he had
some free time in order to push me around in the baby carriage at Nassau
Lake where the main lumber camp was 35 miles west of Hearst.
I remember drinking Morgan David wine at home at Christmas time in honour
(I suppose) of our Jewish connections.
In fact, had it NOT been for Saul Friedman, my Dad would NOT! have known
how to have been a GOOD DAD because his did NOT! get along with his dad.
When we moved into 23 Martin Street in the West Ferris neighbourhood of
North Bay (on the poor side of the tracks) with Lake Nipissing just down the
street in 1967 after my Dad's death, Mom bought ALL! our furniture from a
GREAT! friendly Jewish family furniture store.
Interestingly, at the private Catholic boys school, Scollard Hall in North Bay,
that I attended for four (4) years quite a few borders (half the school was
made up of borders: people who lived there) were Jewish and lucky
them NEVER had to participate in any of the religious activities.
Even a good friend of mine, Sally (He worked at the Tip Top store on Main
Street on the weekend.), at Schollard Hall was Jewish. He was a Catholic
Jew because his mom was Catholic, but his dad was a Jewish saleman
who sold clothing to stores in Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec.
The priests at Scollard Hall *regularly* encouraged us to read "The Diary
of Anne Frank" which I did: it really underscored the horrors of the Holocaust
for me as a young teenager.
I even hoped to worked on a Kibbutz after my first year at the University of
Ottawa as I had a Quebec male friend on my floor in residence who was
TOTALLY INTO EVERYTHING ISRAELI though he, himself, wasn't Jewish:
I dropped that idea when I learned that I'd need the permission of a rabbi.
At the University of Ottawa the book that had a profound impact on my
thinking was written by a Jewish Holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl, "Man's
Search for Meaning". I came across it quite by accident.
Furthermore, I always wanted to learn Hebrew since the Summer of 1972
as one of my best friends was a married French-language Algonquin College
teacher who was a fellow classmate in the University of Ottawa's TOP French
immersion language course. Our teacher was Jewish by the way: Nicky Ickler.
I also heard so many good things about Yael who was teaching Hebrew at
the University of Ottawa that I finally took the course about 25 years later.
I was SO HAPPY to take Yael's course just before she died: she was was
dying of cancer at the time.
WHAT A FANTASTIC WOMAN and an incredible language teacher.
She made me believe I could master Hebrew when I had serious doubts after
being one of the TOP students in my 1st and 2nd year of Arabic language
studies at the University of Ottawa.
Unfortunately I had to accept a seasonal job offer with Revenue Canada that
meant I had to give up my Hebrew course just before March while having the
BEST MARKS.
Later, I sadly leaned Yael died a week or so later after I had left. The woman
who was ready to replace her was a Sephardic Jewish woman from Turkey.
In January she had taken us to see see "ladino" (Judeo-Spanish) text on
display at National Library and Archives of Canada: with my Spanish degree
and my new knowledge of Hebrew script I was able to read "ladino" which
was easy to understand.
Anyhoo ...
I remember my first day of class with Yael: she only spoke Hebrew in class.
Somebody would talk
and she'd respond with the word, "Ken.".
I heard my name spoken
and she didN'T even look at me: I thought that SO! WEIRD.
Somebody would say something.
And again she said, "Ken."
and would NOT! bother to look at me.
Needless to say,
it took a while for me to catch
what was going on: "KEN" means "YES" in Hebrew.
I should also mention my other best friend at the University of Ottawa was
Abraham Simkovitz who was completing his Phd. in Religious Studies who
while working as a technologist in a hospital on weekends. He said to me
one day that if he'd didN'T know any better, he'd swear I *really* was Jewish.
I took that as A SUPREME COMPLEMENT. :o)
(A sore point with his working-class Dad who came from Poland was the fact
that he did NOT! receive any help from the Jewish community in Toronto when
he needed it when he first arrived.)
By the way, I always enjoyed viewing "Israel Today" especially listening to the Rabbi
Menachem Mendel Schneersonspeak (I believe), "The Rebbe", speak Yiddish.
It was great practice for my limited knowledge of German.
It made me "a little verklempt".
All THE BEST!
Shalom.
Kenneth Selin (say'leen)
~~~
B.A.(Psychology), B.A.(Spanish), B.Admin.,
B.Comm.(Honours), B.A.(Italian) "magna cum laude"
~~~
President/Party Leader
of the É(eh)PC (Égalité Party of Canada)
Canada's ONLY! anti-fascist political party
~~~
4jobs
4the GOOD! life
4a bet-ter world:
the EH!-revolution
making the Gov't work 4U!
http://www.eh-ok.ca
~~~
"talking about a revolution" (Tracy Chapman)
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=SKYWOwWAguk&mode=related&search =
===========
(to the letter below)
Can the Jews make a perpetual claim to the Holy Land?
I doN'T think so for three (3) basic reasons:
1. the battle of Jericho upon their return to the Holy Land
from Egypt would NOT have been necessary;
2. the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem would be still standing today;
3. the Al-Aqsa Mosque (al-Masjid al-Aqsa) would NOT have built
upon the ruins of the Temple.
It's unfortunate that the papacy never commented on the Jews' perpetual
claim to the Holy Land: the Catholic Church perspective could have DEFUSED!
A LOT OF TENSION in the Middle East that's keeps INCREASING by the day.
Pope John Paul's visit to the Holy Land in March 2000 just prior to the second
intifada provided an opportunity for the Catholic Church to say whether it supports
the Jews' perpetual claim to the Holy Land or NOT!
But he said NOTHING!
The current German Pope has said NOTHING!
That's just being IRRESPONSIBLE.
Undoubtedly, the Catholic Church along with Islamic leaders
have AN HISTORICAL RIGHT to provide input into
the running of the affairs of the Holy Land
which Israel has to consider.
Is the Jewish historical claim
to the "perpetual ownership" of the Holy Land justified?
Looking at the OPTICS, I'd say NO!
It appears that Abraham was given the Holy Land
provided the Jews could hold onto it.
The Jews couldN'T.
Therefore,
the Jews have lost their claim to it.
I should point out that I BECAME A PLAYER in Middle Eastern affairs
at the behest of my 1st year University of Ottawa Arabic professor,
French-speaking Professor (Mrs.) Gharzouzi and my 2nd year
University of Ottawa Arabic professor, English-speaking
Professor (Mrs.) Haddad.
(I was one of their TOP students earning an "A" grade in both 1st and 2nd year
Arab language studies.)
So I put my Cold War experience to use.
(Yes. I was helping end the Cold War - prior to "Gorbachev perestroika".)
Here are some of the things I did
BESIDES getting involved with Muslim
graduate students at the University of Ottawa whenever I had a chance
in order to better understand/appreciate Islam and how they saw the world.
(I made some very GOOD! friends some who later married and became Canadian.)
For example ...
1. On March 1989 during the Lebanese War, thanks to me, Father Habbib
(whose Catholic church is on Riverside Road by the Ottawa River in the Vanier
neighbourhood in Ottawa) invited the Sheik, the spiritual leader of the Muslim
community at the main Scott Street Mosque in Ottawa to the Sussex Street
Catholic Cathedral for an eucumenical prayer meeting - something that had
NOT been done previously between Muslim and Christian communities in Ottawa.
2. On December 13th 2001 when the front page story on the Ottawa newspapers
was the Israeli tanks outside Arafat's headquarters ready to blast him allegeding
that the problem was Arafat and the solution was to get rid of him, I went after
my telephone marketing job for VAC ended at 3 p.m. first to the Saudi Embassy
which was closed by the time I got there as it was during Ramadan and then,
to the Israeli embassy with my message that it was suicidal to kill Arafat as
ONLY ARAFAT could deliver on the peace.
I did that because my Middle East contacts told me HELL WOULD BREAK
LOOSE if Arafat was killed by Israeli tank fire.
Later, Canadians like Sven Robinson, NDP member of Parliament visited Arafat
in Ramallah, Palestine. (http://www.ramallahpalestine.com)
From that time onwards I believe the US Government has obliged the Government
of Canada put me under EXTREME! SURVEILLANCE TILL THIS DAY: the Gov't
has *repeatedly* attempted to put me in jail and have me declared a psychiatric
patient on several occasions.
3. Just before the outbreak of the March 2003 American invasion of Iraqi I was
able to "summon" members of the Arabic/Muslim intelligence community in
Ottawa for a talk in which I pointed out if they do anything rash the US Military
would use it as THE EXCUSE to invade Canada especially since Bill Graham
(now dean of Trinity College at the University of Toronto) as Minister of External
Affairs gave permission to US Secretary of State, Collin Powel, to allow the US
Military to walk into Canada WITHOUT! CANADA'S PERMISSION if warranted
if the USA feels its warranted.
My involvement in Middle Eastern affairs was rewarded.
On February 2006 I was AN HONOURED GUEST at the inaugural of the
University of Ottawa B.A. Arabic studies program.
Both of my Arabic professors came up to me and shook my hand saying,
"MABROOK!" (Arabic for "congratulations").
And THE AMBASSADORS from the Arab/Muslim embassies were - also -
REALLY GLAD to see me.
~~~
The Letter
========
Hi Shira (Ms. Herzog),
Re: your article raises the question, "Is time running out for Israel?"
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/is-time-on-israels-side/article1551493/?cmpid=rss1
(Incidentally, I remember seeing on on weekly TV program, "Israel Today".)
Regarding your question,
"Is time running out for Israel?",
it's safe to say Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan think so.
The King of Jordan is particularly "emphatic".
However,
I think the
Muslim community
is willing ONE MORE TIME
I suspect out of respect for Obama
(who they see as a VERY! SPECIAL
PERSON - in my view) to give it ONE LAST SHOT.
The basic problem with Israel
is that it is "officially" a RACIST state.
If you are Jewish you get preferential treatment
and if you are NOT! you doN'T.
Is that FAIR?
It safe to say had Abraham been a racist and NOT welcomed foreigners
who turned out to be angels he would NOT! have been
BLESSED! by the Almighty.
This same principal sure than applies to the State of Israel.
In fact, it's ONE OF THE MOST BASIC BELIEFS of Islam that goes back
to Abraham, the founder of the Hebrew/Jewish People, that if you bless
someone, the Almighty will be able to bless you in return.
Personally,
I've always lived by that rule and is one of the reasons I love Islam.
Let's also NOT forget the biblical story of Ruth, THE FOREIGNER, the
strongly suggests FOREIGNERS should
be WELL RECEIVED by Jews.
For these reasons I believe that contemporary Judaism needs to shun
racism.
Moreover, we know A RACIST STATE does NOT! have a future in today's
scheme of things.
Putting JEWS FIRST! ABOVE EVERYBODY ELSE has lead to Israel be
considered by the international community a "pariah" state
which is NOT! GOOD for Israel.
Also, Israel has MILITARIZED itself to the point that IT'S STUCK like Sparta
became: this in itself spells DOOM and GLOOM. This too is NOT! GOOD
for Israel.
The MILITARIZATION of Israel underlines the fact that Israel is A DANGEROUS
PLACE to live in and to visit.
It got to the point where THE EXODUS is NO LONGER "to" Israel, but *from*
Israel creating a void that has to be filled by foreigners. This means LESS
Jews and MORE foreigners in Israel - by the day.
Even Jews doN'T want to go to Israel preferring to provide financial support
rather than risk their life.
In fact, I understand, the think tank for the State of Israel has always been
headquartered in the safety of New York.
In my view Israel's Likud Party *Herat (Greater) Israel* (ALL or NOTHING) "blind"
FANATIC approach that INSISTS on the creation of a PURE! JEWISH state with
a newly rebuilt Temple for the coming of the Messiah has ISOLATED Israel in the
international community. It has lead to the illegal occupation of the West Bank
in 100+ Israeli settlements by half a million Israelis in defiance of the United
Nations.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_settlement)
The Likud seems to have unashamedly invoked Jewish superiority (apparently
supported by the Torah) that probably lead to the downfall of the Reichmann
Olympia York empire and the Ed Asper of CanWest media empire.
The Jewish/Israeli notion of superiority seems to be baseless given that Israel
does NOT place high in the UN ranking of TOP NATIONS in the world.
A lot of Israelis seem to think that time is on the side of the Jews when dealing
with the Palestinians.
Multi billionaire Peter Broffman (former head of the Canadian Jewish Congress)
seems to have contributed to THIS FALSE! NOTION when he claims that the
Broffman family did well financially when they took their time to sell their US
oil assets.
It was clear to me from Yael, my Hebrew language teacher at the University of
Ottawa, (a former member, I believe, of the Stern Gang) (a former terrorist) that
the State of Israel does NOT! HAVE TIME ON ITS SIDE because Israelis like
Yael prefer to live elsewhere - other than Israel.
They probably feel Israel has become DERAILED and see NO FUTURE for
themselves there especially with the immanent threat of terrorist attacks.
For Israel to GET BACK ON TRACK
it has to BECOME A LIGHT ONTO THE WORLD
which has always been THE STATED PURPOSE OF JUDAISM.
This means Israel
has to create WIN-WIN situations by:
1. *PARTNERING* WITH THE PALESTINIANS to help them prosper;
2. agreeing to DUAL ADMINISTRATION of the City of Jerusalem;
3. WITHDRAWING from East Jerusalem altogether;
4. ENDING its *illegal* occupation of Palestine.
(http://www.palestinefacts.org)
By Israelis FULLY! supporting the Palestinians,
then, a Mediterranean League of Nations can be created to ensure Israel's future.
Personally, I believe in spite of the negative things the Holy Koran has to say
about Jews the underlining message is that Muslim have a responsibility towards
the Jews PROVIDING the Jews (and this means Israel) DON'T MISBEHAVE in
which case they are exempt by the Holy Koran from helping Jews and in turn the
State of Israel.
Let's NOT forget it was Sharon who started the Lebanese War with the killing
of Palestinian refugees, women, children, and old men in Chabra and Shatila.
It was Sharon also had a penchant for getting the Palestinians upset so he
could - in my view - send a few rockets their way and buy more rockets that
allowed him and his cronies to pocket LOADS OF MONEY from the purchase
of new rockets. This was PURE MADNESS! the lead to the 1st and 2nd Intifada
with very poor oppressed Muslims now willing to blow themselves up in acts
of terrorism.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intifada)
The biblical exhortation "LISTEN! O Israel" is particularly poignant at this time.
Let's hope in the future when someone asks, "Have you been to Israel?"
they will NOT! say "No way. It way too dangerous" but "Yes. I have been.
The place is GREAT! and the people SO FRIENDLY. I just have to go back".
Hatima tova. (May you name be written in the Book of Life.)
That reminds me of this poem, Abou Ben Adhem by Leigh Hunt.
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:--
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
'What writest thou?'-- The vision rais'd its head,
And with a look made of sweet accord,
Answer'd, 'The names of those who love the Lord.'
'And is mine one?' said Abou. 'Nay, not so,'
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerly still; and said, 'I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow men.'
The angel wrote, and vanish'd. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And show'd the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.
In passing my family has several Jewish connections.
Firstly, my Mom when a young woman after working as a lumber jack
in the bush for five years as of the age of 13 after finishing her beautician
course in Winnipeg lived with the Ackmanns.
My Swedish-born grandfather's business partner was Saul Friedman,
A REAL MENSCH. He owned 50% of Henry Selin Forest Products in
Hearst, a small town midway on the TransCanada Highway in Northern
Ontario.
I remember HOW IMPRESSED I WAS looking at Mr. Friedman when
he arrived at the door for our BIG! Christmas family meal and I guess
only about 5 years old at the time.
In fact, his son, Jerry Friedman, would come over my place when he had
some free time in order to push me around in the baby carriage at Nassau
Lake where the main lumber camp was 35 miles west of Hearst.
I remember drinking Morgan David wine at home at Christmas time in honour
(I suppose) of our Jewish connections.
In fact, had it NOT been for Saul Friedman, my Dad would NOT! have known
how to have been a GOOD DAD because his did NOT! get along with his dad.
When we moved into 23 Martin Street in the West Ferris neighbourhood of
North Bay (on the poor side of the tracks) with Lake Nipissing just down the
street in 1967 after my Dad's death, Mom bought ALL! our furniture from a
GREAT! friendly Jewish family furniture store.
Interestingly, at the private Catholic boys school, Scollard Hall in North Bay,
that I attended for four (4) years quite a few borders (half the school was
made up of borders: people who lived there) were Jewish and lucky
them NEVER had to participate in any of the religious activities.
Even a good friend of mine, Sally (He worked at the Tip Top store on Main
Street on the weekend.), at Schollard Hall was Jewish. He was a Catholic
Jew because his mom was Catholic, but his dad was a Jewish saleman
who sold clothing to stores in Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec.
The priests at Scollard Hall *regularly* encouraged us to read "The Diary
of Anne Frank" which I did: it really underscored the horrors of the Holocaust
for me as a young teenager.
I even hoped to worked on a Kibbutz after my first year at the University of
Ottawa as I had a Quebec male friend on my floor in residence who was
TOTALLY INTO EVERYTHING ISRAELI though he, himself, wasn't Jewish:
I dropped that idea when I learned that I'd need the permission of a rabbi.
At the University of Ottawa the book that had a profound impact on my
thinking was written by a Jewish Holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl, "Man's
Search for Meaning". I came across it quite by accident.
Furthermore, I always wanted to learn Hebrew since the Summer of 1972
as one of my best friends was a married French-language Algonquin College
teacher who was a fellow classmate in the University of Ottawa's TOP French
immersion language course. Our teacher was Jewish by the way: Nicky Ickler.
I also heard so many good things about Yael who was teaching Hebrew at
the University of Ottawa that I finally took the course about 25 years later.
I was SO HAPPY to take Yael's course just before she died: she was was
dying of cancer at the time.
WHAT A FANTASTIC WOMAN and an incredible language teacher.
She made me believe I could master Hebrew when I had serious doubts after
being one of the TOP students in my 1st and 2nd year of Arabic language
studies at the University of Ottawa.
Unfortunately I had to accept a seasonal job offer with Revenue Canada that
meant I had to give up my Hebrew course just before March while having the
BEST MARKS.
Later, I sadly leaned Yael died a week or so later after I had left. The woman
who was ready to replace her was a Sephardic Jewish woman from Turkey.
In January she had taken us to see see "ladino" (Judeo-Spanish) text on
display at National Library and Archives of Canada: with my Spanish degree
and my new knowledge of Hebrew script I was able to read "ladino" which
was easy to understand.
Anyhoo ...
I remember my first day of class with Yael: she only spoke Hebrew in class.
Somebody would talk
and she'd respond with the word, "Ken.".
I heard my name spoken
and she didN'T even look at me: I thought that SO! WEIRD.
Somebody would say something.
And again she said, "Ken."
and would NOT! bother to look at me.
Needless to say,
it took a while for me to catch
what was going on: "KEN" means "YES" in Hebrew.
I should also mention my other best friend at the University of Ottawa was
Abraham Simkovitz who was completing his Phd. in Religious Studies who
while working as a technologist in a hospital on weekends. He said to me
one day that if he'd didN'T know any better, he'd swear I *really* was Jewish.
I took that as A SUPREME COMPLEMENT. :o)
(A sore point with his working-class Dad who came from Poland was the fact
that he did NOT! receive any help from the Jewish community in Toronto when
he needed it when he first arrived.)
By the way, I always enjoyed viewing "Israel Today" especially listening to the Rabbi
Menachem Mendel Schneersonspeak (I believe), "The Rebbe", speak Yiddish.
It was great practice for my limited knowledge of German.
It made me "a little verklempt".
All THE BEST!
Shalom.
Kenneth Selin (say'leen)
~~~
B.A.(Psychology), B.A.(Spanish), B.Admin.,
B.Comm.(Honours), B.A.(Italian) "magna cum laude"
~~~
President/Party Leader
of the É(eh)PC (Égalité Party of Canada)
Canada's ONLY! anti-fascist political party
~~~
4jobs
4the GOOD! life
4a bet-ter world:
the EH!-revolution
making the Gov't work 4U!
http://www.eh-ok.ca
~~~
"talking about a revolution" (Tracy Chapman)
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=SKYWOwWAguk&mode=related&search =