On May 14, 1948 of the Gregorian calendar, Israel declared her sovereignty. Independence Day is celebrated in Israel according to the lunar, Hebrew, on the 5th of Iyar. (This year, it fell on April 27th). The Salute to Israel Parade or as it's now known, Celebration Israel Parade is held annually on the first Sunday in June- this year, on June 3rd.
Organizers claim 500,000 people participated last year, the first year the Parade was broadcast on NYC television. Enjoy this first-hand, on-the street coverage from last year's Celebrate Israel Parade held up New York City's Fifth Avenue. The event honoring Israel's 63rd birthday was held on June 5, 2011. The video segments include comments by Israel Amb. Michael Oren, Rep. Elliot Engel, Rep Charles Rangel, Grand Marshalls Eugene Gluck (a holocaust survivor) and Joseph Sitt of Thor Equities- who is redeveloping Coney Island. Dozens of community groups march and construct floats lauding various Zionistic qualities and characteristics.
This year, the parade is not without controversy, which attracts attention. Jeff Dunetz, who blogs at Yid with Lid, is encouraging Zionist groups to boycott the Jewish Community Relations Council's inclusion of anti-Zionist, leftist group, The New Israel Fund, and their affiliates (B'Tselem, Partners for Progressive Israel/Meretz USA), who lobby against Israel's government and military in international courts, and advocate 'boycott, divestment and sanctions' ("BDS") against Israeli-made goods in the marketplace.
Showing posts with label american jewry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label american jewry. Show all posts
20120529
20110520
Israeli Premier Netanyahu defends Israel's case against Pres. Obama attempting to throw democracy's ally, Israel under his bus
Watch Pres. Obama's press conference following extended discussion with Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu.
Pres. Obama begins, Netanyahu's starts at 7:11 in this clip from PBS NewsHour.
Pres. Obama begins, Netanyahu's starts at 7:11 in this clip from PBS NewsHour.
20100430
Why Obama's "peace process" will backfire to generate instability throughout the Middle East - Yossi Klein Halevi videos
Yossi Klein Halevi debunks Obama's professed "peace process" as hypocrisy: "If U.S. doesn't pre-empt Iran from going nuclear, Iran will launch a Jihadist war against Israel, exploding the peace-process.The reknowned Israeli thinker and writer, Yossi Klein Halevi, (American-born and raised, currently publishing in The New Republic) returned to the U.S. to explain to Americans how Pres. Obama's behavior and policies towards Israel intentionally undermine the friendship between the countries. Worse, he describes how detrimental, he feels, the Obama Administration's contemptuous treatment of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bullies all Zionists. This sends a signal to the world that "it's now open-season" against the Jewish State.
An obvious example of that, Mr. Halevi says, is Britain's expelling the head of the Mossad desk in the Israeli Embassy in London. The message to the jihadists, he believes, is to encourage Iran (through its proxies Hizbollah or Hamas) to open a limited front of attacks against Israel, with the expectation that Obama will step-in and prevent Israel from comprehensively eliminating the threat, while publicly diminishing Israel's public image by portraying him as having to restrain their aggression.
In this DemoCast video of Mr. Halevi's speech in Los Angeles on April 22nd, Halevi explains many of his views on the relationship and the situation, including how Obama's ambition to force creating a Palestinian State with a hostile Palestinian population would be an existential threat to Israel. If Obama doesn't stop Iran from going nuclear, there will be no possibility of peace in the Middle East, as Jihad forces (Hamas) in the mid-east will be united around Iran against Israel.
"Obama will be judged by Israel by how he handles the nuclear issue with Iran. And from what we've seen so far, with one deadline after another, we in Israel frankly have zero confidence in the backbone of this Administration." "We are seeing potentially a tragedy of historic proportions." Mr. Halevi deconstructs what he sees as Washington's misguided priorities of achieving stability in the Middle-East. Halevi spoke at Nessah Israel Synagogue in L.A. at an 22 April event organized by 30 Years After (and co-sponsored by the Jewish Journal, and OLAM Magazine).
In this, Part II, question and answer session, Mr. Halevi deconstructs what he sees as Washington's misguided priorities of achieving stability in the Middle-East. Halevi spoke at Nessah Israel Synagogue in L.A. at an 22 April event organized by 30 Years After (and co-sponsored by the Jewish Journal, and OLAM Magazine).
Olam's editor, David Suissa, postulates on Obama's motives with Halevi during the question and answer session in this video - characterized in Mr. Suissa's Op/Ed in the Jewish Journal of L.A.:
"For about an hour, Halevi had us riveted with his anatomy of a deteriorating relationship. At the end, the big question lingered: Why would Obama act this way toward a great ally? If it’s not anti-Semitism or tough love, is there a larger narrative that speaks to the soul of the man — a narrative that might explain why he bows to America’s foes and mistreats America’s friends?
An obvious example of that, Mr. Halevi says, is Britain's expelling the head of the Mossad desk in the Israeli Embassy in London. The message to the jihadists, he believes, is to encourage Iran (through its proxies Hizbollah or Hamas) to open a limited front of attacks against Israel, with the expectation that Obama will step-in and prevent Israel from comprehensively eliminating the threat, while publicly diminishing Israel's public image by portraying him as having to restrain their aggression.
In this DemoCast video of Mr. Halevi's speech in Los Angeles on April 22nd, Halevi explains many of his views on the relationship and the situation, including how Obama's ambition to force creating a Palestinian State with a hostile Palestinian population would be an existential threat to Israel. If Obama doesn't stop Iran from going nuclear, there will be no possibility of peace in the Middle East, as Jihad forces (Hamas) in the mid-east will be united around Iran against Israel.
"Obama will be judged by Israel by how he handles the nuclear issue with Iran. And from what we've seen so far, with one deadline after another, we in Israel frankly have zero confidence in the backbone of this Administration." "We are seeing potentially a tragedy of historic proportions." Mr. Halevi deconstructs what he sees as Washington's misguided priorities of achieving stability in the Middle-East. Halevi spoke at Nessah Israel Synagogue in L.A. at an 22 April event organized by 30 Years After (and co-sponsored by the Jewish Journal, and OLAM Magazine).
In this, Part II, question and answer session, Mr. Halevi deconstructs what he sees as Washington's misguided priorities of achieving stability in the Middle-East. Halevi spoke at Nessah Israel Synagogue in L.A. at an 22 April event organized by 30 Years After (and co-sponsored by the Jewish Journal, and OLAM Magazine).
Olam's editor, David Suissa, postulates on Obama's motives with Halevi during the question and answer session in this video - characterized in Mr. Suissa's Op/Ed in the Jewish Journal of L.A.:
"For about an hour, Halevi had us riveted with his anatomy of a deteriorating relationship. At the end, the big question lingered: Why would Obama act this way toward a great ally? If it’s not anti-Semitism or tough love, is there a larger narrative that speaks to the soul of the man — a narrative that might explain why he bows to America’s foes and mistreats America’s friends?
20100412
Mayor Ed Koch: "American Jews are perilously silent again"
Ed Koch was wrong to run around Florida personally vouching that Barack Obama would be safe for Israel. He should have known better. At least, he is man enough to admit as much. He is also right to remind Americans, most especially Jews, that once again they are cowering in shameful silence.
"I weep today because my president, Barack Obama, in a few weeks has changed the relationship between the U.S. and Israel from that of closest of allies to one in which there is an absence of trust on both sides.
... Our closest ally - the one with the special relationship with the U.S., has been demeaned and slandered, held responsible by the administration for our problems in Afghanistan and Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East. The plan I suspect is to so weaken the resolve of the Jewish state and its leaders that it will be much easier to impose on Israel an American plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, leaving Israel's needs for security and defensible borders in the lurch.
I believe President Obama's policy is to create a whole new relationship with the Arab states of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, and Iraq as a counter to Iran - the Tyrannosaurus Rex of the Muslim world which we are now prepared to see in possession of a nuclear weapon. If throwing Israel under the bus is needed to accomplish this alliance, so be it.
Members of Congress in both the House and Senate have made pitifully weak statements against Obama's mistreatment of Israel, if they made any at all. The Democratic members, in particular, are weak. They are simply afraid to criticize President Obama. What bothers me most of all is the shameful silence and lack of action by community leaders - Jew and Christian. Where are they?
If this were a civil rights matter, the Jews would be in the mall in Washington protesting with and on behalf of our fellow American citizens. I asked one prominent Jewish leader why no one is preparing a march on Washington similar to the one in 1963 at which I was present and Martin Luther King's memorable speech was given? His reply was "Fifty people might come."
Remember the 1930s? Few stood up. They were silent. Remember the most insightful statement of one of our greatest teachers, Rabbi Hillel: "If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?"
We have indeed stood up for everyone else. When will we stand up for our brothers and sisters living in the Jewish state of Israel?
If Obama is seeking to build a siege ramp around Israel, the Jews of modern Israel will not commit suicide. They are willing to negotiate a settlement with the Palestinians, but they will not allow themselves to be bullied into following self-destructive policies.
To those who call me an alarmist, I reply that I'll be happy to apologize if I am proven wrong. But those who stand silently by and watch the Obama administration abandon Israel, to whom will they apologize?
... Our closest ally - the one with the special relationship with the U.S., has been demeaned and slandered, held responsible by the administration for our problems in Afghanistan and Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East. The plan I suspect is to so weaken the resolve of the Jewish state and its leaders that it will be much easier to impose on Israel an American plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, leaving Israel's needs for security and defensible borders in the lurch.
I believe President Obama's policy is to create a whole new relationship with the Arab states of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, and Iraq as a counter to Iran - the Tyrannosaurus Rex of the Muslim world which we are now prepared to see in possession of a nuclear weapon. If throwing Israel under the bus is needed to accomplish this alliance, so be it.
I am shocked by the lack of outrage on the part of Israel's most ardent supporters. The members of AIPAC, the chief pro-Israel lobbying organization in Washington, gave Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a standing ovation after she had carried out the instructions of President Obama and, in a 43-minute telephone call, angrily hectored Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Members of Congress in both the House and Senate have made pitifully weak statements against Obama's mistreatment of Israel, if they made any at all. The Democratic members, in particular, are weak. They are simply afraid to criticize President Obama. What bothers me most of all is the shameful silence and lack of action by community leaders - Jew and Christian. Where are they?
If this were a civil rights matter, the Jews would be in the mall in Washington protesting with and on behalf of our fellow American citizens. I asked one prominent Jewish leader why no one is preparing a march on Washington similar to the one in 1963 at which I was present and Martin Luther King's memorable speech was given? His reply was "Fifty people might come."
Remember the 1930s? Few stood up. They were silent. Remember the most insightful statement of one of our greatest teachers, Rabbi Hillel: "If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?"
We have indeed stood up for everyone else. When will we stand up for our brothers and sisters living in the Jewish state of Israel?
If Obama is seeking to build a siege ramp around Israel, the Jews of modern Israel will not commit suicide. They are willing to negotiate a settlement with the Palestinians, but they will not allow themselves to be bullied into following self-destructive policies.
To those who call me an alarmist, I reply that I'll be happy to apologize if I am proven wrong. But those who stand silently by and watch the Obama administration abandon Israel, to whom will they apologize?
20090115
Dennis Prager explores the Jewish perspective on the Jihadist war Israel joins America in combating
Radio personality, Dennis Prager, speaks about the Jewish experience in the contemporary world. He discusses the malice of the press, the Arab world, and liberal Jewry (who are never opposed to violence against Arabs - by Arabs - only by America or Israel).
Mr. Prager discusses the Jewish contributions to America's foundational prinicples and character. He addresses the need to overcome legitimate threats from the Islamic world, including Hamas sympathists' repercussions against global Jewry; and the need for vigilance from Jewish institutional and individual leadership.
Presentation was made on behalf of Chabad of Conejo Valley in the greater Los Angeles area, Tuesday 13 Jan 2009.
Mr. Prager discusses the Jewish contributions to America's foundational prinicples and character. He addresses the need to overcome legitimate threats from the Islamic world, including Hamas sympathists' repercussions against global Jewry; and the need for vigilance from Jewish institutional and individual leadership.
Presentation was made on behalf of Chabad of Conejo Valley in the greater Los Angeles area, Tuesday 13 Jan 2009.
20090114
What's next for the campaign to commute the sentence of Jonathan Pollard?
On November 21, 2008, Jonathan Pollard entered the 24th year of his life sentence, with no end in sight. Mr. Pollard's life sentence is disproportionate even when compared to the sentences of those who spied for America's enemies, not withstanding those, like Mr. Pollard, convicted for spying for America's allies.
Pres. George Bush's having declined to commute Jonathan Pollard's sentence, must Mr. Pollard suffer a minimum of 4 more years dreaming of clemency from a potentially out-bound President Obama?
Eric Sherby, vice-chair of the Middle-East Law Committee of the American Bar Association, writes a Jerusalem Post OpEd, "The Pollard Case after Bush":
Many individuals believing that presidential clemency should be granted for Mr. Pollard's more than 23-years of time-served in Federal penitentiary have petitioned the White House with letters and phone calls.
Pres. George Bush's having declined to commute Jonathan Pollard's sentence, must Mr. Pollard suffer a minimum of 4 more years dreaming of clemency from a potentially out-bound President Obama?
Eric Sherby, vice-chair of the Middle-East Law Committee of the American Bar Association, writes a Jerusalem Post OpEd, "The Pollard Case after Bush":
Despite thousands (perhaps tens of thousands) of phone calls, e-mails and letters to the White House from Pollard sympathizers, the Bush Administration never even hinted that it might be softening its no-pardon/no-commutation stance as to Pollard.(Click Read More below for full article.)
Now what?
The beginning of a presidency is never "pardon season," and that fact would appear to mean that Jonathan Pollard will be in prison until 2012 at least.
Yet there is one ray of hope. The new American vice president, Joe Biden, had, until early 2008, been a presidential candidate. In Biden's presidential candidate days, while he was trying to court the Jewish vote, he was asked about Jonathan Pollard. Biden responded that Pollard should be given "leniency." What precisely did Biden mean by "leniency" in the case of Jonathan Pollard - who has already been in prison for more than two decades? Apparently he was not asked to elaborate.
Now that the Bush presidency has ended, it is time for the new vice president to explain what he meant by leniency.
How, and by whom, should that question be posed to Vice President Biden? By President Shimon Peres.
Many individuals believing that presidential clemency should be granted for Mr. Pollard's more than 23-years of time-served in Federal penitentiary have petitioned the White House with letters and phone calls.
Rabbi Pesach Lerner, Vice President of the American organization, National Council of Young Israel, gives a compelling video overview of the situation at hand. (Courtesy Maximum Impact Media)
(Handcuffed human-chain rally in Jerusalem in 2004 comemorating Jonathan Pollard's 20th-year of disproportionate captivity in American prison).The information that Jonathan provided to Israel included Iranian, Iraqi, Libyan and Syrian nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare capabilities - all being developed for use against Israel. He also provided information on ballistic missile development by these countries and information on up-coming terrorist attacks planned against Israeli civilian targets.To sign the Free Pollard Now petition please click this link.
Israel was legally entitled to this vital security information according to a 1983 Memorandum of Understanding signed by both countries. But the information was deliberately being withheld from Israel as the result of an illegal intelligence embargo implemented by former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and former Deputy Director of the CIA Admiral Bobby Ray Inman, whose pro-Arab tilt did not jibe with declared US foreign policy.
Instead, successive Governments of Israel have routinely exploited Jonathan's name and his plight, using it as a sweetener to sell unpopular unilateral concessions to the Israeli public. But when crunch time comes, Jonathan is always dropped from every deal and painful unilateral concessions to the enemy are made regardless. (Some examples include the Hebron Accords, the Wye Accords, and most recently the Disengagement from Gaza and northern Samaria).
In Washington it is an open secret that Jonathan's sentence is grossly disproportionate and purely political. This was confirmed in a 2002 interview with former Secretary of Defense, the late Caspar Weinberger. Weinberger openly admitted that Jonathan's case was a "minor matter" that had been exaggerated out of all proportion to serve another political agenda. The opening that this admission created to secure Jonathan's release was totally ignored.
Similarly Dennis Ross, the former US Special Envoy to the Middle East, stated in his book "The Missing Peace" (published in 2004) that Jonathan deserves to be freed unconditionally. Nevertheless, writes Ross, Pollard is far too valuable as a bargaining chip against Israel, so he advised the president at Wye not to release him. Still no response from Israel.
In point of fact, Israel has already "paid" for Jonathan's release several times over (including freeing 750 murderers and terrorists with blood on their hands as part of the Wye Accords), but has never bothered to collect its due.
In the 22 years that Jonathan has been in prison, he has repeatedly been subjected to cruel and unusual punishment and severe affliction. The Government of Israel has been informed of each and every episode of mistreatment of its agent but has never once intervened on his behalf, nor has the (Israeli) Government ever protested.
20080605
Sen. Hillary Clinton Addresses American Supporters of Israel at AIPAC Policy Conference
Sen. Hillary Clinton asserts how it is in America's own best interest to maintain strong, favorable support for Israel - and in helping to assure her security against those who seek her harm.
(Courtesies to AIPAC, ShalomTV and Leon and Karen Sutton).
20080602
Tens of thousands of Jews and gentiles march to Salute to Israel in NYC Parade
Tens of thousands of gentiles and Jews united to marched up Fifth Avenue on Sunday in the annual Salute to Israel Parade celebrating the 1948 founding of the Jewish state. Parade Grand Marshalls inclded actress Lainie Kazan, Broadway's "Golda's Balcony" star, Valerie Harper, Ron Rifkin, and television actor, Richard Hand. Organizers called it the largest gathering of Jews outside of Israel. Marchers lauded Israel's accomplishments in science, technology, innovation, social and spiritual quality of society.
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