| Week ending Shabbat, February 25, 2006 |
Shevat 27, 5766 |
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Family Wins "Israel" on Passport
Menachem Zivotofsky is only three years old, but recently was the focus of a temporary court battle [through his parents Ari and Naomi] over the issue of having the word "Israel" on his passport. Little Menachem’s lawyer stated that the US State Department has violated the child’s right to have the name of the country in which he was born on his passport. The United States has never officially recognized Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel, and claims that the sovereignty of Jerusalem has never been decided. The US Embassy to Israel is still located in Tel Aviv. The state department identified a regulation that states that passports of U.S. citizens who are born in Jerusalem will not include the word "Israel".
Judea and Samaria Still Growing:
The city of Ariel [the largest Jewish community in Samaria] has nearly eighteen thousand residents. In addition, nearly ten thousand students attend the College of Judea and Samaria, which is also located in Ariel. The residents of Ariel are anxiously awaiting the completion of the Milken Family Sports and Recreation Complex. The complex was undertaken by the American Friends of Ariel and was the largest undertaking by the group yet. The Complex will cost around six million dollars, with nearly five million dollars already raised.
Family Believes Son was Murdered Because he was Jewish
French Police have detained 13 people on suspicion of kidnapping, torturing and murdering Ilan Halimi, a twenty-three year old Parisian Jew. French police have downplayed Ilan’s murder being based on the fact the he was Jewish. His family, however, disagrees. Ilan’s brother-in-law stated to the European Jewish Press, "We think there is anti-Semitism in this affair ... first because the killers tried to kidnap at least two other Jews, and secondly because of what they said on the phone". The kidnappers/murders originally had made a demand for 500,000 Euros, and while on the phone recited verses from the Koran. Anti-Semitism has been on the rise in France with clearly no end in site.
El Al Completes New Security Measures
El Al, [Israel’s premier national airline] just completed the installation of an anti-missile system on each of its twenty-nine passenger airplanes. Instillation of the "FlightGuard" system [developed by the Israel Military Industry and subsidiaries] cost approximately one million dollars per plane to in install. Even before these instillations El Al was well known for the high level of security it offered its passengers. The need for this higher security rose in 2002 after the attempted terrorist attack from a shoulder launched missile at an El Al passenger airliner in Kenya.
Petition Against "Paradise Now"
Jewish groups in Israel and the United States have lobbied organizers of the Academy Awards (presented next month) not to present a nominated film about "Palestinian" suicide bombers as coming from "Palestine." The drama is about two men who claim to be from the "West Bank" [implying territory belonging to Jordan taken by Israel in the 1967 six-day war]. The two are recruited to blow themselves up in the coastal city of Tel Aviv. "Paradise Now" is a contender for the Oscar in the "best foreign film" category.
The "Revoke the 'Paradise Now' Oscar Nomination Petition" has nearly twenty-eight thousand signatures, yet every vote is crucial. The revolting concept that suicide bombers/mass murderers can even be portrayed as somehow palpable is unifying opposition and prompting decent people from all backgrounds to action in an effort to right this tremendous wrong.
Please cast your vote against the glorification of suicide bombers!
Stop Funding Hamas Terror Petition
Mike Evans with the Jerusalem Prayer Team is asking for assistance in calling on the United States government to stop funding Hamas terrorism. Please read the letter to President Bush and if you agree, please sign the petition.
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