More Happiness in Israel

By Esther Korson
One of the main contributors to the sense of well being and happiness in Israel is our love of communication. People here love to be together, talk together, eat together, sit in cafes and restaurants together, hike together travel together, visit together—the key word, as you can plainly see, is TOGETHER! It’s probably one of the main reasons that Israel invented the cell phone, and so many other communications devises—so that people can be reached anytime, anywhere! The streets of Israel and the restaurants and the malls are full of life and full of noise. Once, McDonald’s opened its first (and last) drive-through branch in Jerusalem.  It only lasted for two weeks and I don’t think a single car ever ‘drove through’.  No one here could ever imagine why people would want to eat in their cars—since the purpose of eating out was to be TOGETHER!

some years ago, during the communist days, I travelled to Poland and while there visited the city of Krakow.  Polish friends showed me the old Jewish neighbourhood.  They explained that due to anti-Semitism in Poland, almost all of the Jewish symbols had been removed from the buildings.  But many of the streets still bore Jewish names.  Our footsteps echoed through the empty streets, and finally all I could do was to sit down on a curb and cry my eyes out.  It was the quiet that made me cry.  Before the Jewish population in Poland had been killed, that old Jewish neighbourhood in Krakow would have been filled with life and noise and interactions.  Polish people now live in the buildings there, but the streets are empty and quiet—and the contrast broke my heart.

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After the clashes last week that erupted in Hebron over Israel’s decision to include Rachel's Tomb and Cave of the Patriarchs in a list of heritage sites, disturbances today came to Jerusalem.

Last night about 30 Arabs barricaded themselves in the Mosque – Sunday morning a group of about 20 remained, and wearing masks, they began started throwing stones at visiting Christians and Jews.

Police entered the Temple Mount this morning in response to stone throwing by Palestinians. Four policemen and two stone throwers were slightly injured - Seven other youths were arrested on suspicion of throwing stones.

The Islamic Movement and members of the Waqf have urged Muslims to “flock to the Temple Mount” claiming radical Jewish organizations are preparing to arrive at the Temple Mount today and again on Tuesday in an attempt to lay the cornerstone for the temple."

The Islamic organizations also called on Muslims to be on high alert around March 16, when they said extreme Jewish organizations were planning to mark the global day for the temple's reconstruction.

As tensions escalate the IDF have imposed a closure on the West Bank for the Purim holiday through Monday evening.

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President Peres to the Jewish Agency Board of Governors: Iran presents the greatest danger for the whole world

“Iran presents the greatest danger for the whole world. An international coalition must do three things: raise a moral call, impose economic sanctions, and install advanced anti-missile defense systems.”

“I think there exists a great call for a Jewish spiritual revival and re-moralization against the dangers we face”

President Peres opened the three-day meeting of the Jewish Agency Board of Governors today. In his address the President told the Jewish leaders: “Iran presents the greatest danger for the whole world. Today the Arabs are being challenged by the Iranian desire to establish a non-Arab hegemony over the Middle East as it was for four hundred years under the Persian Empire. The Iranians use Israel as an excuse but we shall disappoint them. We don’t want to govern anybody—neither Arabs, nor Muslims.”

The President declared “we have to think seriously how to handle [the Iranian threat], and how to face it,” and stated that “I don’t think [Iran presents] a problem or danger simply against Israel. It’s against the whole world. Having imperialistic ambitions and a nuclear bomb is a very dangerous combination because a single bomb today is like a whole army in other times. The world will become ungovernable if every country in the Middle East will have a nuclear bomb without responsible people to govern it. I am afraid the world is moving too slowly to face the problem.”

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