The Perks of Protexia-Class Governance?

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Commentary;

Undoubtedly, almost everyone has heard by now about the alleged connection between Ehud Olmert and one Morris Talansky, aka “the laundryman,” a noted Long Island philanthropist and fund-raiser for Israeli charities.

While this blog has chosen not to play pundit and conjecture as to whether this “alleged” scandal will finally be the one to take the “teflon etrog” Ehud Olmert down, the Ynet piece below ought to surely get a lot of working-stiff Yosef Q. Israelis living at or near poverty-level fired up, and not only at Olmert but at the luxury with which senior Israeli politcos, such as President Shimon Peres or Ehud Barak or Bibi Netanyahu too, are treated (in exchange for what?) on someone else’s tab. MB read more

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Parshat Vayigash 5778: The Contrast Between the Brothers’ Teshuvah and Unity and Today’s Divisiveness

Shalom Friends;

This week, our Parshat HaShevua Vayigash is being co- sponsored by Rabbi Rafael & Vivianne Willig and family of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated in honor of to the brave chayalim of the IDF and by Matt & Ilana Bornstein dedicated with a Mazel Tov on Moshe Lavi’s Chassuna. To the Willig and Bornstein families, many thanks for your sponsorship and your continued kindnesses.

Friends, you can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua. read more

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Parshat Vayigash 5777: Have We Learned and Internalized National Unity From the Brothers, From the Gush Katif Expulsion?

Shalom Friends;

This week, our Parshat HaShevua Vayigash is being sponsored by Dr. Pinchas and Penina Klahr and family of Ramat Beit Shemesh lilui nishmas Pinchas’ father Nosson Karpel ben Shmuel Zanvil Tzvi and P’nina’s father Matisyahu ben Yaakov. To the Klahr family, many thanks for your sponsorship and your continued kindnesses.

Friends, you can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua. read more

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Parshat Vayigash 5776: Yosef, the Brothers, Real Teshuvah and, the Compelling Requisite for Mandate of Real National Unity amongst Am Yisrael Today?

Shalom Friends;

Our Parshat HaShevua Vayigash is being co-sponsored by Avraham and Miriam Deutsch and family of Efrat lilui nishmas for the yarhtzeit of Avraham’s Mother Sarah Reitza Bat Tzion bat Avraham Yaakov. To the Deutsch family, many thanks for your sponsorship
and your continued kindnesses.

You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua. read more

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Parshat Vayigash 5775: Yosef, the Brothers, Real Teshuvah and, Forming National Unity amongst Am Yisrael Today?

Shalom Friends;

This week, our Parshat HaShevua Vayigash is being sponsored by Daniel and Amy Michaels of Ramat Beit Shemesh, dedicated Lilui Nishmas the yarhtzeit of Daniel’s Father Reb Avraham Pinchas ben Yoel Meir. To the Michaels family, many thanks for your sponsorship and continuing kindnesses through the years.

You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua. Please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details. read more

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Parshat Vayigash 5774: Yosef, the Brothers, Real Teshuvah and, Our Connection to Our Roots Today?

by Moshe Burt

Every so often, over the past 8 1/2 years since the expulsion of our brethren from their homes and neighborhoods in Gush Katif and the 4 Shomron towns, there is a piece on one of the news sites, or one of our brethren receives an email voicing regret from someone who either previously supported the expulsion or who sat on their hands and did nothing, and who now would express contrition and beg forgiveness from their evicted brethren in the hope of either clearing their personal consciences, or sincerely seek peace within Am Yisrael. read more

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Parsha Vayigash 5773: Yosef, the Brothers and Distinguishing Real Teshuvah From Mere Words, Spoken or Textual

by Moshe Burt

Every so often, over the past 7 1/2 years since the expulsion of our brethren from their homes and neighborhoods in Gush Katif and the 4 Shomron towns, we read a piece on one of the news sites or receive an email voicing regret from those who either supported the expulsion or who sat on their hands and did nothing and who now would beg forgiveness from their evicted brethren in the hope of bringing peace to within Am Yisrael.

Such a paradigm piece was an Israel National News report a few years ago about how former IDF Chief Rabbi Yisrael Weiss expressed regret at having supported the expulsion, or as they call it the “disengagement.” read more

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Parshat Vayeishev 5773: Chanukah, Yosef, and the Contrast Between the Brothers vs Israeli Hellenists’ War of Polarization on Yiddishkeit

by Moshe Burt

With Chanukah 5773 coming in literally on the heels of Shabbos Vayeishev, we recall again a short article which appeared on the INN website entitled;”Mortar Shells Filled With Chanukah Light” (url for article no longer accessable) which told about the Menorah which Neve Dekalim residents made from some of the spent Islamic mortal shells which were launched on their Gush Katif town over the years.

Reading about this special Menorah which was lit at one of the Jerusalem hotels which temporarily housed many evicted Neve Dekalim residents, took this author back in time to Philadelphia, in “the “old country” and to a point made by Rav Yehoshua Kaganoff about the pit in which Yosef was thrown. The point bears repeating. read more

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Parsha Vayigash 5772: Yosef, the Brothers and Distinguishing Real Teshuvah From Mere Words

by Moshe Burt

Every so often, over the past 6 1/2 years since the expulsion of our brethren from their homes and neighborhoods in Gush Katif and the 4 Shomron towns, we read a piece on one of the news sites or receive an email voicing regret from those who either supported the expulsion or who sat on their hands and did nothing and who now would beg forgiveness from their evicted brethren in the hope of bringing peace to within Am Yisrael.

There was an Israel National News report last year about how former IDF Chief Rabbi Yisrael Weiss expressed regret at having supported the expulsion, or as they call it the “disengagement.” read more

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Parshat Vayeishev 5772: Contrasting Yosef and the Brothers vs Israeli Hellenists’ War of Polarization on Yiddishkeit

by Moshe Burt

With Chanukah 5772 coming almost on the heels of Shabbos Vayeishev, we recall again a short article which appeared on the INN website entitled;”Mortar Shells Filled With Chanukah Light” (url for article no longer accessable) which told about the Menorah which Neve Dekalim residents made from some of the spent Islamic mortal shells which were launched on their Gush Katif town over the years. Reading about this special Menorah which was lit at one of the Jerusalem hotels which temporarily housed many evicted Neve Dekalim residents, took this author back in time to Philadelphia, in “the “old country” and to a point made by Rav Yehoshua Kaganoff about the pit in which Yaakov was thrown. The point bears repeating. read more

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