Hezbollah Planed Olmert Assassination

Israel

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February 11, 2015

London based newspaper, Al-Arabi-Al-Jadeed, reports that the Lebanese Terror organization, Hezbollah, planned to assassinate former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, back in 2009.

The assassination was planned as pay back over the killing of Imad Mughniyeh who was Hezbollah’s international operations chief.

Mughniyeh was assassinated on February 12, 2008, when his car exploded in the Kafr-Sousa neighborhood in Damascus. Though the assassination was widely attributed to Israel, a recent report by The Washington Post claims the assassination was a CIA-Mossad joint operation.

Al-Arabi’s report claims the Olmert assassination was thwarted by Mohammed Shurba, a high ranking Hezbollah officer. Shurba was recently arrested by Hezbollah amid concerns that he may be an Israeli agent.

According to the report, Shurba also provided Israel with vital information that helped prevent a Hezbollah terror attack on the Israeli embassy in Azerbaijan in 2009.

As of now, Hezbollah hasn’t released any official response to Al-Arabi’s report. One reason for Hezbollah’s lack of response could be embarrassment over Shurba’s high position in the organization. In recent years Shurba held important roles within the organization, among them, head of the personal security detail of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s secretary general.

By Yotam Rozenwald

Tazpit News Agency

New Exhibit Explores Roots of Jewish Life in Iraq

Israel

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February 11, 2015

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Remembering Babylon: New Exhibit Explores Roots of Jewish Life in Iraq

The only museum in the world, dedicated to the history of the Ancient Near East from a biblical perspective, has a new exhibition examining the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people as never seen before. The Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem has amassed a collection of over 100 cuneiform tablets, original documents from the Judean community, which are now on display to the public for the first time.

“The exhibition shares the unique artifacts that illustrate the devastation and resilience of the exiled Judeans as they built their lives in Babylonia,” exhibition curator Dr. Filip Vukosavovi? told Tazpit News Agency.

“Until now we had been unable to tell the complete story of the Babylon Exile and to understand what actually happened to all the Jewish refugees once they were forced out of Judah,” said Dr. Vukosavovi? of the new exhibition, By the Rivers of Babylon.

The cuneiform clay tablets are known as the Al-Yahudu Tablets because most were written in the Babylonian city of Al-Yahudu (the city of Judah), located near a river. The tablets are small in size and with text in Akkadian, the extinct Semitic language of Mesopotamia, along with occasional text in Aramaic and Paleo-Hebrew. They contain dozens of personal names of Jewish exiles, whose biblical Hebrew names are still in use today.

“This outstanding exhibition focuses on one of the most significant periods for the Jewish people; a brief chapter in time that changed the culture, cohesion, and practice of Judaism and the Jewish people,” notes Bible Lands Museum director, Amanda Weiss.

Many important elements of Judaism today originated in ancient Babylon including the Hebrew calendar and Babylonian Talmud.

“The exhibition was inspired by the loan of the Al-Yahudu Archive from David and Cindy Sofer, who entrusted the museum with the once in a lifetime opportunity to research study, publish and exhibit this important historical evidence,” she told Tazpit.

By the Rivers of Babylon, which also features innovative multi-media, original animations and local archeology from the First Temple, traces the family tree of fourth-generation Judean exile, Hagai Ben Ahiqam, all the way back to his great-grandfather, Samak Yama, who was born in Judah. One tablet describes the division of inheritance among Haggai and his brothers in Bablyon – the kind of information that Dr. Vukosavovi? says that one could find in a lawyer’s file cabinet today.

Hagai’s family lived in the Babylonian city known as Al-Yahudu, an important city, among many cities, which were settled by Judean exiles over 2,500 years ago, following Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple in 586 BCE.

The earliest document on display from the Al-Yahudu archive, written barely 15 years after the destruction of Jerusalem offers a glimpse into the lives of the Judeans in exile and their relationship with the Babylonian rulers and society. The administrative and legal texts document many facets of life including business transactions, tax payments, and rentals in Babylonia, which show that the status of Judeans was one of state dependents and not of slaves.

“In Babylonia, Jews were considered quite unusual; their belief in one invisible God stood in stark contrast to the Babylonians’ belief in multiple gods that could be seen and touched,” said Dr. Irving Finkel, an archaeologist of the British Museum during a recent lecture at the Bible Lands Museum.

“Some of the best cuneiform tablets I have ever seen are in this collection,” added Dr. Finkel.

While many Jews returned to Jerusalem once the Persian King Cyrus the Great allowed them to do so in 539 BCE, many like Hagai and his family remained in Babylonia. As one of the longest surviving Jewish communities in the world, 2,500 years of Jewish history in Iraq came to an abrupt end when 130,000 Jews were evacuated to Israel during Operation Ezra and Nehemiah from 1949 to 1951. Today, there are five Jews left in Iraq.

“For Jews of Iraqi heritage, this exhibit is especially meaningful,” added Weiss.

By the Rivers of Babylon exhibit will be on display at the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem throughout the next year.

By Anav Silverman
Tazpit News Agency

Photo Credit: Reemon Silverman, Tazpit News Agency / Cuneiform tablets documenting daily life of Judean exiles in Babylon on display in Jerusalem's Bible Lands Museum. — Photo Credit: Reemon Silverman, Tazpit News Agency / Cuneiform tablets documenting daily life of Judean exiles in Babylon on display in Jerusalem’s Bible Lands Museum.

New TAG office In Los Angeles

Los Angeles

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February 11, 2015

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Inauguration of new TAG office in Los Angeles

In recent weeks the city of Los Angeles has joined Klal Yisroel’s unified campaign to cope with the rise of modern technology. Rabbi Moshe Drew of TAG International (Technology Awareness Group) flew to L.A. for the inauguration of the newest TAG office. With his help the askanim in town have B”H been successful in making Los Angeles the 25th city internationally to boast a TAG office.

Opening day began with training for volunteers and continued with meetings between the local askanim and Rabbi Drew to benefit from his expert advice. As in all TAG offices around the globe, this new office is now a source for on-the-spot filtering, monitoring and blocking as well as advice and education on the proper usage of modern technology.

The TAG walk-in office is open to the public twice weekly, on Sunday and Tuesday evenings from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. All TAG services are free of charge. Technical assistance is available by phone 24 hours a day. For more information or to schedule an appointment call 323-238-3601 or email losangelestag@gmail.com. The office location is 461 N. La Brea Ave. where devoted volunteer technicians are waiting to assist you.

TJL #258 Feb/Purim

Magazine

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February 10, 2015

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TJL #258 Feb/Purim

The Jewish Link TJL #258, February / Purim Edition.

Click on Full story to view the digital edition.

Condolences

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February 10, 2015

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With profound sorrow, we regret to announce the passing of David Shapell a”h, beloved husband of Fela, beloved father of Rochelle, Ben, & Irv and spouses, beloved grandfather & great-grandfather.

David Shapell was an extraordinary person who was a builder and pillar of Beth Jacob and the Jewish People. His passing is a huge loss for his family and our community.

The funeral took place today, Tuesday, February 10, at the Eretz Hachaim Cemetery in Beit Shemesh, Israel.

The family will be sitting Shiva through Wednesday in Israel and will return to Los Angeles on Thursday morning.

SHIVA:

Shiva will take place at the Shapell home at 218 Foothill Rd., Beverly Hills, from Thursday until Monday morning, February 16 (concluding after Shacharit).

MINYANIM:
Shacharit on Thursday at 9:15 am

Shacharit on Friday at 7:30 am

Shacharit on Sunday at 8:00 am

Shacharit on Monday at 7:30 am

Mincha/Maariv Thursday & Sunday at 5:20 pm

The family requests no visitations from 12 noon until 4 pm, and no visits on Saturday night.

May the Almighty comfort the bereaved family along with all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem

1,000 AT MISAMEACH MEGA MIDWINTER EVENT FOR SICK CHILDREN

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February 10, 2015

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1,000 AT MISAMEACH MEGA MIDWINTER EVENT FOR SICK CHILDREN

Close to One Thousand Enjoy an Evening of Fun in the Forest at Misameach’s Midwinter Gala

Attendees at Misameach’s Annual Midwinter Event knew before they entered the doors of Lake Terrace that they would be in for a truly spectacular event, Misameach style. But nothing prepared them for the jaw-dropping sight that greeted them as they entered the hall, nor for the hours of entertainment they would experience that evening.

Misameach’s annual midwinter event is designed to bring families with sick children together for a magical evening of excitement and song, in keeping with the organization’s mission to bring joy to the lives of children who need it most. This year’s event, held on Monday, February 2nd, was attended by close to a thousand members of the Misameach family.

The entire Lake Terrace was transformed into an indoor forest. In the lobby, a giant, realistic looking wooden structure bore a sign reading “Misameach National Park” served as the “visitor’s center”, where guests received their gift bags, chock full of toys and entertainment for children of all ages and tickets to enter into an exciting raffle.

Walking into the main room, one truly felt transported to a lush forest. Actual trees surrounded a floor of leaves and dirt, and the smell of fresh pine lent authenticity to the scene. The green lighting reflected the trees and cast their glow on a towering skyway, painstakingly built by dedicated volunteers over many, many hours. Children climbed up the steps to the enclosure on top for a birds’ eye view of the entire breathtaking scene.

In the center of the mammoth room, were every forest’s regular inhabitants, the bears. Large cages housed the animals to be used in a grand show later in the evening. Meanwhile, children enjoyed watching the bears roam around their enclosures from a far closer vantage point than they can get at any zoo.

The breathtaking scenery alone took hours to create, and that was only the beginning. A lavish spread by Greenwald Caterers allowed parents to feed their entire families supper from a buffet that seemed to never run out. Cotton candy, popcorn and snow cones, along with candy and cookies made for sticky and satisfying dessert options.

A plethora of activities kept attendees busy, including carnival booths, crafts, face painting and a number of exciting inflatable rides.

Before the entertainment portion of the evening began, Misameach presented an award to Investors Bank in recognition of their generous contributions to Misameach. Beloved pediatrician, Dr. Reuven Shanik was recognized for his incredible devotion to all of Lakewood’s children, and indeed to the entire Lakewood community.

Dr. Shanik participated in a lively on-stage rekidah with volunteers and then said a few words of praise
for the incredible, life-saving work that Misameach does.

Later in the evening, Dr. Shanik also accepted an award on behalf of Dr. Ian Jacobs, Medical Director of
the Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders at the prestigious CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia). Dr. Jacobs was scheduled to attend, but unfortunately couldn’t make it at the last minute. The famed specialist was awarded a plaque in gratitude for his dedication for and care of many of the Misameach children.

Once all of the awards were presented, the music struck up a lively tune and some of the popular names in Jewish music took to the stage to each spread their own unique brand of joy to the wildly responsive audience.The impressive lineup of singers included, in order of
appearance, Uri Davidi, Yoni Z and Benny Friedman. From soulful to lively, the audience sang and danced along as they were swept up in the exhilaration of the moment.

The New Jersey State Transit Police, brought in to the event with the help of the New Jersey Chaplains Association, gave a K9 dog show, followed by questions from the audience (and specifically from the preteen boys in the audience!)

The Twins from France delighted the audience with their trademark antics, putting on a show every child will remember for a very long time.

Finally, the bears had their moment in the spotlight, with children and adults watching in fascination as the large animals jumped, rolled, danced and performed intricate tricks. The show was the highlight of the event for many, who were truly amazed at Misameach’s ability to come up with such unique and innovative shows every single year.

Though the event was officially supposed to end at 8, guests lingered far longer, unable to leave the magical atmosphere and the spirit of warmth and camaraderie that pervaded Lake Terrace that night.

If one would have to pick the defining feature of the night, it wouldn’t be the bears or the booths, the tower or the Twins. It wouldn’t be the games or the trees or the singers or the delectable food. It would be the glowing smiles evident on the face of every single parent, child, volunteer and caretaker present, serving as a testament to an evening that will long be remembered, created by an organization that has touched so many lives so very profoundly.

Analysis: Israeli Center Parties to Play Key Role in Upcoming Elections

Israel

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February 10, 2015

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Analysis: Israeli Center Parties to Play Key Role in Upcoming Elections

The Israeli 2015 election scheduled for March 17 appears to be a close race, with the Likud and the Zionist Camp locked around 23-26 seats each. Under these circumstances, the center parties play a key role in determining the identity of the Election Day winner.

In Israel, citizens don’t vote for a president, they vote for a party. According to the “Basic Law: The Government” (Article 7), once the elections result are published the President of Israel consults with the parties who make up the new Knesset, of their preferred choice of prime minister. Each party supports the candidate they deem more suitable for the job, and more likely to successfully assemble a government.

After consulting the different parties, the Israeli President decides which politician has more support, and therefore has better chances of assembling a government and a coalition. An aspiring prime minister needs at least 61 seats in order to assemble a coalition and a government.

According to recent polls published daily in the Israeli media, parties need to decide whether they’ll support Benjamin Netanyahu from the Likud Party, or Isaac Herzog and Zipi Livni, from the Zionist Camp, the center-left political alliance between the Labor Party and Hatnuah.

The factors that lead a party to support a certain politician for the role of prime minister are diverse. Ideological affiliation to a certain political bloc is probably the main factor. Practical considerations are another potential factor, holding the ability to cast aside old grievances and ideological differences.

As for now, two parties have yet to unveil the candidate they will support for the role of Prime Minister: Yesh Atid led by Yair Lapid, and Kulanu led by Moshe Kahlon.

Yesh Atid was the big surprise of the 2013 elections. The party won 19 seats in the Knesset and took prominent roles in government, such as Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Welfare and Social Services.

Yesh Atid is a center party whose platform is mainly social-economic. The party doesn’t hold a rigid ideological stance towards political issues such as peace negotiations and withdrawals from territories.
Yesh Atid’s poker face is understandable, as the party does not want to lose voters to the Zionist Camp. In addition, the party wants to keep its bargaining power for ministerial roles, regardless the identity of the future Prime Minister.

The Kulanu Party is a new center party also campaigning on a social-economic platform. It seems that the same considerations that prevented Yesh Atid from declaring support for any candidate for the role of Prime Minister, applies to Kulanu as well. In addition, Kulanu is a party campaigning for the first time. A term in opposition can weaken the party’s momentum, a thing party leader Kahlon surely knows.

Although Election Day is on March 17, Netanyahu and the right-wing bloc seem to have an edge over Herzog and his Left-Wing bloc.

So far, Herzog has failed to win the support of parties outside the Left-Wing bloc. Orthodox Jewish parties such as Shas or the United Torah Judaism have declared support for Netanyahu. Therefore, Herzog needs to accumulate support from Yesh Atid and Kulanu.
Together, Yesh Atid and Kulanu are worth approximately 20 seats. Herzog’s only chance of winning depends on his ability to add Yesh Atid and Kulanu to his bloc. If he fails not only will he lose the elections, but there is a real chance he will lose voters before Election Day, as voters may leave what they perceive to be a sinking ship.
By Yotam Rozenwald
Tazpit News Agency

Los Angeles To Refund Parking Tickets

Los Angeles

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February 10, 2015

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LOS ANGELES (CBS2) — A CBS2 investigative reporthas prompted the city of Los Angeles to refund more than $1.1 million in parking tickets mistakenly doled out to drivers and, just recently, parking officials were caught still handing out unnecessary fines.

The city issued 12,656 tickets from December 2013 through November 2014 in areas where motorists shouldn’t have been cited. CBS2’s David Goldstein and his investigative team used hidden cameras late last year to bring it to light.

When Goldstein presented the findings to L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, he was less than thrilled: “I’m pissed!”

And Traffic Officer Sonja Miller said it made her more vigilant about the tickets she writes: “Yes, sir, that’s why we check. That’s why we check because we saw your story. We always check.”