Courage

Remember how everyone all made fun of Glenn Beck's "Restoring Courage" event?

That we Israelis don't need anyone teaching us courage.

Well, who did award courage?

Read one:

Consulate Honors Palestinian Woman of Courage

Ms. Diane Kelly, a senior-level U. S. Department of State official, presented Dr. Salwa Najjab, Director of Juzoor for Health and Social Development in Ramallah, an award recognizing Dr. Najjab’s groundbreaking work in health-care and women’s rights. Dr. Najjab is an expert in women’s health issues, and founder of a number of women’s health and maternal mortality reduction programs, including development of community health and specialized training programs for nurses and midwives. On Monday, April 26, the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem hosted a ceremony honoring Dr. Najjab and her achievements. Dr. Najjab was nominated by the U.S. Consulate General for the International Woman of Courage Award, which recognizes women around the world who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating women’s rights and advancement. Ms. Kelly is a senior policy advisor to Ambassador-at-large Melanne Verveer, in the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues...

So, courage should be recognized and rewarded.

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Glenn Beck and Shelly Yechimovitz - In the Same Boat

From Dror Eydar's media column in Israel Hayom:

...Glenn Beck's consistent and strong support for Israel and the Jewish people is believable. His words ring of truth. In Beck's mind, Israel is on the front line of the entire West as it confronts radical Islam, which threatens to sweep away not just Europe but the entire world. Supporting Israel, which includes offering it constructive criticism, is the most noble and moral course of action that any reasonable, free-thinking person could take.

Yet here, the Left has turned its nose up in disgust as it does toward anyone who isn't its darling...Beck spoke about what many of us have long known, that "peace" has unfortunately lost its original meaning and now constitutes a starting-point for those who seek to destroy Israel...The one thing that has really turned Beck into a persona non-grata is his steadfast belief in Israel's right to settle any part of the country, including Judea and Samaria. Poor Beck did long ago what Shelly Yachimovich did last week - say that he does not see the settlements as an obstacle or a problem, but as a natural right within the Israeli mainstream. Yachimovich, by the way, underwent a similar inquisition by the church of the Left after she expressed views that oppose that camp's doctrine.

Time and again, we hear about the desire of Christian supporters of Israel to convert us, to hasten our destruction and to lead us to a catastrophic Armageddon that will produce the Messiah's second coming. These are the beliefs of ignoramuses who do not distinguish between different Christian denominations. The same goes for those in the religious camp who shudder every time they hear the name Jesus. In fact, there was a Jew named Jesus who observed the mitzvot and believed in the central tenets of Judaism and never converted to another religion. The criticism he expressed about the elite Sadducees was the type of social and spiritual criticism voiced many times throughout history. This Jewish man became the central anchor of a faith practiced by billions of people worldwide. He is their Messiah, not ours. So what's the problem?

I suggest that you listen to the speech given by leading evangelist Pastor John Hagee at Beck's rally if you want to understand the religious force that has joined Israel and the Jewish people in one of our most troubled times. Hagee and his colleagues marked a first in 2,000 years: They denounced replacement theology, a principle of the Christian church that states that God abandoned the Jews after they rejected Jesus as the messiah and chose the church instead. Since then, the Jews have been considered "Israel after the flesh," or the biological offspring of the nation of Israel, as opposed to "Israel of the spirit," or "the chosen people." The evangelists have gone back to interpreting the Bible on its own terms, meaning that "Israel" signifies the Jewish people and the chosen people. As far as evangelicals are concerned, God never abandoned the Jewish people and they are thankful that we gave them Jesus and his apostles, all of whom were Jews. They read the covenant with Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse," as a commandment: Those who support Israel and the Jews will be blessed, and whoever curses them and incites against them will himself be cursed and lose personal and national standing..."This time in history," they are saying to Israel," you are not alone."

We must not reject this outstretched arm.

I can agree with that nalysis.

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At Least Rami Levy Got A Mention

Finally, a Glenn Beck story that might even please my wife:

At Temple Mount, Glenn Beck Draws Crowd of Hundreds

Sounding more preacher than commentator, the American conservative broadcaster Glenn Beck held a rally on Wednesday by a hotly contested holy site here and proclaimed the beginning of a global movement to support Israel, putting its Muslim opponents on notice.

The location of the rally — at the foot of the Temple Mount compound, which Jews revere as the site of their ancient temples and which now houses the Aksa mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam — lent a cosmic air to the event.

...The event sharpened the debate surrounding Mr. Beck’s visit, which has roiled liberal Jews in Israel and abroad and has divided those Israelis who have heard of him into two camps, passionate defenders and equally passionate detractors.

...“I do not agree with everything he has said or will say in the future,” said Danny Danon, a member of Parliament from the conservative Likud Party who helped arrange for Mr. Beck’s tour. Even so, he said, Mr. Beck “is a true friend of Israel.”  David Ha’Ivri, a spokesman for Jewish settlers in the northern part of the West Bank, known here by its biblical name of Samaria, added, “Israel is in need of alliances and friends who appreciate the mission of the Jewish people.”

...As he did at a rally he led in Washington last year, Mr. Beck gave out awards at his Jerusalem rally. One went to the settlement of Itamar and the Fogel children who survived a horrific Palestinian attack on their home in March that killed their parents and three siblings.

More incongruously, another went to the Israeli supermarket magnate Rami Levi. The commentary accompanying the award said that Mr. Levi was charitable and that his stores, built to serve West Bank settlement blocks [blocs?], have become havens of Jewish-Arab shopping coexistence. To most Israelis, though, Mr. Levi’s nationwide chain is known for cut-price chickens.

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Has Sarid Become A Believer?

Yossi Sarid writes in Haaretz:

Glenn Beck, don't come back

Rabbis, settlers and others are cooperating with the former Fox TV personality's belief that most Jews will die in Armageddon so that Jesus can rise from the dead.

So, all of a sudden Sarid, secularist and mocker of religion, has repented and is caring for our 'souls'?

He's now 'faith-based'?

Or is it is political extremism that guides him in rejecting political, diplomatic, moral and financial support offered us?


P.S.  Sarid claims:

Bibi, who welcomed him like royalty

He did?

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Beck Meets the Israeli Media

I attended today's Glenn Beck "Restore Courage" rally today at the Davidson Garden area which is where the Abbassid Muslim regime built its public buildings.

Here is an arty photograph of mine of Beck speaking:

He was powerful, spoke with passion in defence of Israel and noting the immorality in diplomatic affairs and the evil amongst its enemies. But there was no Islam-trashing. Here's his prepared remarks text. David Brog even "blessed" the "Palestinian people". Rami Levy received a medal for his charity and his efforts for creating coexistence opportunities between Jews and Arabs.

There was no missionary language. I met a Chabadnik from the UK who came specially. Many religious Jews were in the audience there:

But it seems Ben Hartman of the JPost felt these persons below deserved their own story and not just a paragraph or two for they are of Peace Now, after contributing quite a negative piece to The Atlantic blog:

It seems certain journalists just can't keep it professional but rather personal.

And here are the "Solidarity with Palestine" activists in their T-shirts who also made noise:

And least Mike Evans tried to help out with balance.

Eli Pollak and I did, too.

Barry Rubin's observations.

Those of Caroline Glick.

And I missed this:

A pre-show featured scenes from viewing parties all over the world, and at one point, it cut to South Carolina state Rep. Alan Clemmons, who recently succeeded in passing a state resolution claiming that because God deeded Israel to the Jews, there is no occupation of the West Bank.

Clemmons was fulsome in his praise for Jews who have taken up residence on territory that Israel captured from Jordan in 1967. “We look at those that are the settlers in Judea and Samaria, and we see our American pioneers of years past,” he said. “They are the heroes of that country.” The audience in Jerusalem, a mix of American Christians and Jewish Israelis, many of them conservative or orthodox, burst into applause.

And I left this comment there:

In writing " It’s a powerful message, this offer of salvation through politics. It also makes negotiation impossible. And that’s precisely the point", can we assume that Ms. Goldberg realizes that the point also could be that since "Palestinianism" was led by a Mufti who went over to Hitler as early as 1933 and broadcast from Berlin during WW II, that Hamas is the most powerful group on the ground not only in Gaza (from whence the recent rockts are coming) but most probably in Judea and Samaria and that's the reason this latest round of reconciliation and elections is on hold and that even the PA media is engaged in vile denial of Jewish nationalism and Jewish religious history here in the Land of Israel - and I could go on with examples - that negotiations with the Arabs not only has been worthless for 90 years but will continue to be so and that any resolution, from there point of view, which does not cancel out Israel as the Jewish state is a non-starter? And if she does, how angry is her writing on those subjects in comparision to her criticism of Beck?

Of course, relatively speaking, all Beck is trying to do is counter this Arab aspect and a standoff on this might not be too bad an idea.

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With Glenn Beck in Jerusalem

I'll be there today.

And will report later.

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At the Glenn Beck Dinner

After participating at the Eric Kantor press conference:

where he was sneak attacked, well, almost, by CNN demanding to know who was on the delegation of Congressmen and how much mony was involved and why were they here and not helping Obama with the finances of the US (taking a lead from Counterpunch) , and attending a family event welcoming a visiting cousin-once-removed, I attended the Glenn Beck Dinner at the Bible Lands Museum, administered by my friend Amanda Weiss.

Again, the message was we in Israel have a strong ally in the United States, one that is commited politically to a strong Israel and one that should exercise its historic rights in the country.  Beck will be going on to South Africa this week to highlight what real apartheid was and shame those who claim Israel is so.

Some scenes:

a)  Ariel Mayor Ron Nahman will Pastor John Hagee and Jon Voight:

b)  Rabbi Shlomo Riskin in conversation:

c) my very good and close friends, Marc Prowisor of One Israel Fund, Ruthie Lieberman of Jaffe Strategies and Josh Hasten, of the Algemeiner Journal and Bar-AM PR (l-r)

d) HaYovel's Tommy Waller with Ariel Fund's Avi Zimmerman:

I met some extremely dedicated people from the United States, working to assure Israel's security and the fulfillment of its historic destiny as a true light for the nations.

The talk was highbeat and way up.

I also hope some of my projects will be moved along as well.

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With Glenn Beck in Caesarea

I was at Glenn Beck's first part event of his Restoring Courage campaign during his current visit here in Israel at Caesarea.

Fears of sneak proselyzting or missionary work were not only unfounded but dashed. I think the Christian speakers were more pro-Jewish than the Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, in a sense.

Even Haaretz was wowed:

Glenn Beck in Caesarea: Singing, praying, love for Israeland more than a few tears

[David] Barton brought historical gravitas to the words of the Bible; a moist-eyed [Michael] Evans recounted a traumatic childhood of anti-Semitic taunts from which he was saved by a vision of Christ; and Riskin spoke of Jewish appreciation for the support of the Christian pro-Israel community, and in particular that of Glenn Beck, who, according to Riskin, is a "deeply patriotic American, a true friend of Israel."

"We are not alone," Riskin said. "We are Jews and not Christians; you Christians, nevertheless, have the courage to love us in our otherness. We are profoundly grateful for your courage to love us and stand with us"

...Pastor John Hagee got a standing ovation the moment he strode onto the stage. The most vehement of the speakers, he drew an analogy with JFK and his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, when he announced "Ani Yisraeli" (I am an Israeli ). He then coaxed the crowd into repeating his mantra: "I am an Israeli!" they chanted over and over.

And the evening closed with words of wisdom from the host: "We bring truth, we bring peace, we bring support, we bring comfort," Beck said of his reason for bringing his roadshow to Israel as he closed off the evening. "Let the Jewish people know, no matter what our governments may say, we are not our governments, we stand with you."

Jerusalem Post adds:

“I’ve spent the last few years trying to find solutions for what is happening in the world,” [Beck] said on the backdrop of the pillars of the grand stage. “While there may not be a political solution, the good news is the God of Abraham ain’t running for office,” he said to loud applause. “Be not afraid, know who he is, know his face, know that he is a God of covenants and miracles. We are leaving the age of man-made miracles of spacecraft, and we are entering the age of the miracles of God.”

...Beck addressed the sensitivity of the Christian Evangelist love to Israel and Jews, which many shy away from in suspicion. “There is a 2,000-year-old flinch of the Jewish people, when someone says I love you; I’d imagine the Jewish people at first would say thank you...There’s an important distinction of saying I love Israel, I defend Israel, and not separating that from the Jewish people. Make sure to say not that we only love Israel, but we love the Jewish people as they are.”

One Jew not afraid of contemporary Christian love is Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Efrat’s chief rabbi, who is active in Jewish-Christian dialogue. “He is the reason I had hope, because he reached back and didn’t question, just heard love and that is good enough for him,” Beck said of Riskin, who was instrumental in making Beck believe he could pull off the event.

“For close to 2,000 years we were persecuted by the church, suffered wars at the hands of the church,” Riskin said. “Now, despite the fact we are different, Jews and not Christians, who respect Jesus as a Jewish teacher and not as god – you Christians have the courage to love us in our otherness. We are grateful to your courage to love us, stand by us, in the time of our grave need and danger, as rockets fall on southern towns.”

Pastor John Hagee, head of Christians United for Israel, equated today’s Israel to West Berlin of 1963 when JFK gave his “Ich bin ein berliner” speech...“Israel is today a tiny island, an outpost swimming in a sea of tyranny. I stand here with a strong message, at this difficult juncture in history – please know that what I say now is shared by multiple Christians – ani yisraeli – I am an Israeli,” Hagee said, the crowd chanting with him.

Beck also addressed the controversy over his visit here, which is being frowned upon by politicians from the Left.  "Somebody said we’re going to bring chaos, mayhem,” in the Wednesday rally, close to the Temple Mount, “and I thought- it’s the Middle East, how would you know?” “We don’t bring chaos and mayhem,” he said in a more serious tone. “No, we bring truth, we bring peace, we bring support, we bring comfort. Let our actions this week and from here out – let the Jewish people know, no matter what our governments say – we are not our governments, we stand with you.”

I would approximate that there were about 300 kippah-wearing Jews there or more. I was with Sondra Baras of CFOIC and her husband, Shosh Shiloh of Kedumim, David Bedin and his wife from Efrat, Stuart Palmer and his wife from Haifa's ICAN & CoHaV, David HaIvri and his wife of the Samaria Liason Office, Helen Frieedman of AFSI, Martin Sherman and many other including Zalmi from the UK and Toby Willig.

There was controversy when some Rabbis had demanded that residents from the yishuivim abstain from the event. One of the Rabbis who blessed the event, Aryeh A. Leifert, it seems, was Facebook threatened. Beck has had trouble from American Rabbis before.

But there was nothing to be uncomforatble about and afterwards, I made a point of walking around and asking.

This has the potential of marking the real beginning of the turnabout of Israel's political and diplomatic isolation on matters of morality in world affairs.


P.S.  Check Barry Rubin at PJM.

And Brian of London.

Oh, I disagree with this blogger.

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A pic of David Ha'Ivri, Zakmi Unsdorfer and me:

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Glenn Beck in Caesarea

TV personality Glenn Beck is kicking off his Restoring Courage campaign on August 21st at 8pm in the Caesarea Amphitheater.

This event, as well as others taking place that week, will demonstrate to the world that Israel does not stand alone. Political and religious leaders from the US and other countries, including Senator Joe Lieberman, will be joining Beck for this amazing week of solidarity with Israel.  At the kick-off in Caesarea, Beck will host Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Pastor John Hagee and historian David Barton as guest speakers.  This event will be televised and tens of millions of people around the world are expected to see it.  

Glenn Beck is committed to the Jews living in Judea and Samaria and has proclaimed his support for our communities publicly. He was the only international media personality to discuss the Fogel family massacre and, indeed, presented an incredibly moving discussion of this terrible attack.  (Please view this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjK8M4uxcjM). Beck is now producing a documentary on the family, which will be used to highlight the realities we are dealing with in Judea and Samaria.  

His support for our right to be here is unconditional and unprecedented in a media personality.  (See this recent clip as well: http://www.glennbeck.com/2011/07/29/glenn-dont-ever-call-it-west-bank-again/).

As a token of our appreciation for his stand with Israel and specifically with the settlement movement, we are asking you to join us on August 21st in Caesarea.  This is a huge opportunity to show the world that the cause of Israel goes beyond our respective religions.  But perhaps more importantly, this is an opportunity to participate in an event that can truly become a Kiddush Hashem, as we demonstrate to people around the world that Israel is an inspirational example of honor, courage and faith.  Bus transportation to the event will be provided at no cost. Buses will depart from Efrat at 4:30pm, from Ariel at 4:00 pm, and from Karnei Shomron at 4:30 pm. 

To reserve your seat, please phone Estelle at 09-7920958 or Limor at 050-634-0250.

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin                            Sondra Oster Baras
Chief Rabbi of Efrat                              CFOIC Heartland

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Glenn Beck Stands With Israel Has Ben Set

Glenn Beck Stands With Israel

Wednesday,

August 24, 2011

6:30pm - 9:30pm

Location: Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem

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Psssst! Wanna See a Picture of Glenn Beck?

In Gush Etzion:

(l-r: Glenn Beck, Dany Dayan, MK Tzipi Hotovely, Shaul Goldstein)


(photo credit: Yigal Dilmony)

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Getting Ready for Beck and His Rally of Courage

Jerusalem for the Mormons is an important and historical element for Joseph Smith, Mormon Prophet, "knew that the Holy Land, where Jesus lived when He was on earth, is where the Jewish people would gather in the last days and where a temple would be built". More:-

During the April 1840 general conference, Joseph Smith called Orson Hyde to go to the European Jews and then to the Holy Land to dedicate it.

On the morning of 24 October 1841, after having spent several months laboring in Europe and traveling to the Holy Land, Orson Hyde passed through the gates of Jerusalem and climbed the Mount of Olives. Through the spirit of revelation he wrote and offered a dedicatory prayer. In the prayer, he asked the Lord to bless the Holy Land for the gathering of the Jews. He acknowledged that God had given this land to Abraham and his children, that these children were scattered, and that they looked forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises. He prayed for the building up of Jerusalem and for the rearing of a temple, and he asked that the land be fruitful. Elder Hyde also prayed that the Lord would strengthen the Church and its leaders. Immediately following this holy experience, he “erected a pile of stones as a witness” to the occasion. (See History of the Church, 4:456–59.)

Glenn Beck is a Mormon and so, we have this declaration:

“I believe I’ve been asked to stand — in Jerusalem,”

“Things in Israel are going to get bad…it’s only a matter of time.”

“They are going to attack the center of our faith, our common faith, and that is Jerusalem. And it won’t be with bullets or bombs. It will be with a two-state solution that cuts off Jerusalem, the old city, to the rest of the world.”

“It is time to return inside the walls that surround Jerusalem and stand with people of all faiths all around the world.”

And Beck announced on Monday that he'll be holding a "Restoring Courage" rally in Israel this August, so people can "stand together and show the world what living a life of faith and honor really means."

"In August, whether I'm there with seven people or 10 people or there alone, I will be counted and I will stand," he said. Beck asked his supporters to help him spread the word about the rally to Restore Courage. "I ask you to join me," he said, during the radio announcement. "I also ask you to take this message globally, to take this to every corner of the earth. If you have family living overseas, this is not an America solution. This is a people of faith solution. This is a people all over the world solution. I ask you to help get this word out."

Carl has this logo but forgot from whom - it's here:

I guess we need get ready. And understand all the background - political and theological.

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