Because Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, the 5th of Iyar (ה’ באייר) , Yom Ha’atzmaut was originally celebrated on that date. However, to avoid Sabbath desecration, it may be commemorated one or two days before or after the 5th of Iyar if it falls too close to the Jewish Sabbath. Yom Hazikaron, the Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day is always scheduled for the day preceding Independence Day.

In the Hebrew calendar, days begin in the evening.

“The coming into being of a Jewish state in Palestine is an event in world history to be viewed in the perspective, not of a generation or a century, but in the perspective of a thousand, two thousand, or even three thousand years.” (Winston Churchill)

• Israel’s Declaration of Independence
• We will continue no matter what happens with unity and love for Am Israel
• גלי עטרי – אין לי ארץ אחרת
• It’s time to come home! Nefesh B’Nefesh: Live the Dream 1-866-4-ALIYAH
• Speech by the president of the Czech Republic at the reception held to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day
• Independence Means Never Having To Say You’re Sorry
• New initiative – 10 days of gratitude

To the true Heroes and leaders of Am Israel

בית מקדש שלישי בירושלים Third Beit HaMikdash Holy Temple in Jerusalem
And rebuild Jerusalem the holy city soon in our days! Blessed are You, O Lord, Who will rebuild Jerusalem in His mercy.

Nahal Haredi IDF raising a Torah Scroll

Nahal Haredi was founded on the premise that physical strength alone is not enough – the spirit of Torah and Mitzvot must underlie all that is achieved. The Nahal provides religious men who seek to contribute to Israel’s military defense with a framework for personal and professional achievement that in every way promotes a Torah-true lifestyle.Nahal Haredi was created in 1999 by a group of rabbis in cooperation with the Israel Defense Forces and the Ministry of Defense, as a venue for young men who wish to serve the national interests of Eretz Yisrael while adhering to the highest religious standards. From a small unit of 30 soldiers, Nahal Haredi has become an IDF battalion of close to 1,000 troops, and now aims to reach the requisite threshold for designation as a fully operative infantry brigade. Nahal Haredi continues to develop and implement programming designed to provide military, educational, and economic opportunity to Israel’s growing Haredi community.

Unity in Israel: A Haredi Man giving a hug to an IDF Soldier

Ani Maamin – Mordechai Shapiro Single

Medina & Halacha – Exploring the Jewish State through the lens of Jewish Law by Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel

Medina & Halacha – Exploring the Jewish State through the lens of Jewish Law by Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel

Israel’s Declaration of Independence

Torah Tidbits #1327 – B’ha’aalot’cha – June 14-15 – 12 Sivan 5779 website: www.ttidbits.com

Last week, MK Bezalel Yoel Smotrich of Ichud Leumi (who is seeking the post of Minister of Justice) said in an interview that Israel should “return to the way it was run in the days of King David and King Solomon.” He continued, “My desire long-term is that the State of Israel be run according to the Torah.”

In response, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced that “the State of Israel will not be a Medinat Halacha.” I do not know if the Prime Minister is a reader of this column, but I would be very happy to sit down with him and discuss just what a Medinat Halacha might look like. Either at his home or mine.

The truth is, since the very birth of the State of Israel, this nascent Jewish Nation has struggled with its Jewish character: Would the Jewish State be a ‘Jewish’ state or a state ‘for the Jews’? A religious state, or just another Western Democracy? One vivid example of this ‘identity crisis’ is the disagreement and debate that took place over the text of Israel’s Declaration of Independence.
In late April 1948, Pinchas Rosen, head of the pre-state judicial council and later Israel’s first Minister of Justice, assigned the task of drafting a declaration to an attorney by the name of Mordechai Boehm. Boehm in turn enlisted the help of an American Conservative rabbi living in Israel, Shalom Zvi (Harry) Davidowicz. In this first draft, Rabbi Davidowicz based his text on the Declaration of Independence of the United States, and included a number of references to G-d.

This met with much opposition by secular party leaders, and changes and additions were made by Zvi Berenson, the Histadrut trade union’s legal advisor and later a justice on Israel’s Supreme Court.

Berenson’s version was also problematic for some, and so in the days and weeks preceding the withdrawal from Palestine by British Mandatory authorities, a new draft was prepared by politicians, lawyers and writers (including Shai Agnon). The final draft of the Declaration of Independence was drafted by a small committee including David Ben-Gurion, Moshe Sharett, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Fishman- Maimon, and Aharon Zisling.

Rabbi Maimon, head of the Mizrachi party and later Israel’s first Minister of Religion, along with other Religious Zionist leaders, believed strongly that Israel’s Declaration of Independence should mention Hashem. After much opposition, Rabbi Maimon recommended using “Tzur Yisrael V’Go’alo – Rock of Israel and Redeemer”, an expression found in Tanach and our liturgy.
But Aharon Zisling, leader of the left-wing Mapam, refused to sign the Declaration if it contained any references to “a G-d in whom I do not believe”. Other left-wing leaders felt any references to Hashem or religion represented religious coercion and were a threat to Democracy. The disagreement grew to the point where it threatened to derail the proclama- tion of the establishment of the Jewish state. Ben-Gurion spent much of the morning of May 14th mediating between Rav Maimon and Zisling. After hours of talks, they finally agreed on “Rock of Israel”, and agreed to omit the “and Redeemer” from the text.

The Declaration of Independence begins by affirming the Jewish People’s ancestral and spiritual connection the land, but instead of the word “Torah”, uses “Book of Books”: “The Land of Israel was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of Books.” The Declaration concludes: “Placing our trust in the Rock of Israel, we affix our signatures to this proclamation at this session of the provisional Council of State, on the soil of the Homeland, in the city of Tel-Aviv, on this Erev Shabbat, the 5th day of Iyar 5708, 14 May 1948.”

Ben-Gurion was comfortable in using “Rock of Israel”, as he felt every individual can decide for himself what the “Rock of Israel” means to him. But it is clear from Tanach that “Rock of Israel” is an expression of our steadfast faith in Hashem as our rock, our strength, and our protector. On his deathbed, King David says, “The Rock of Israel has spoken to me: ‘Become a ruler over men; a righteous one, who rules through the fear of G-d'” (Shmuel Bet 23:3). “Rock of Israel” is a also mentioned in Yishayahu 30:29.

In Chana’s prayer, she recognizes “there is no Rock like our G-d” (Shmuel Alef 2:2).

In Tehillim 18:3, Hashem is the “Rock in Whom I take shelter,” and in Tehillim 19:15 he is “my Rock, and my Redeemer”. In Tehillim 62:3, “He alone is my Rock and my Salvation,” and in Tehillim 73:26 Hashem is the “Rock of my heart.”
Other references to Hashem as our “Rock” can be found in Sefer Yishayahu and Yechezkel.

According to some, Rav Yitzchak HaLevi Herzog’s choice to begin the Prayer for the Welfare of the State of Israel with “Tzur Yisrael V’Go’alo” was no coincidence. His intention was to invoke Israel’s Declaration of Independence and imbue it with religious meaning.

Just hours after its final wording was decided, party leaders lined up to sign their names to the Declaration of Independence. Rabbi Yehuda Leib Fishman-Maimon added something small just above his signature: The Hebrew letters Bet, Ayin, Zayin, Hei, representing “Be’ezrat Hashem.”
Hashem’s name ended up on the Declaration after all!

OU Israel Yom HaAtzmaut 70th Anniversary Celebration

Nefesh B’Nefesh Yom Haatzmaut 2014: 66 Israeli Heroes Share a Powerful Message | NBN

“Home” – Nefesh B’Nefesh Yom Ha’atzmaut 2017

We will continue no matter what happens with unity and love for Am Israel

Tehillim-1Million Man Atzeret-3March2014

Rav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L
(September 24, 1920 – October 7, 2013)

Our lands and tribal borders in the past

Map of the 12 Tribes of Israel

גלי עטרי – אין לי ארץ אחרת Ein li eretz acheret (I have no other country)

Note that there are two images of Israel. The more “Westernised” business-suited version of herself (at 30) and her remembering her early “oriental” look.
Also notice the take on Jimmy “one term” Carter, and the fact that we were both excited and nervous about how things were proceeding with Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt.
At the bottom of the page Doobie the Dog adds his earthy and cynical comment in his own strip.

אין לי ארץ אחרת
גם אם אדמתי בוערת
רק מילה בעברית חודרת
אל עורקיי, אל נשמתי
בגוף כואב, בלב רעב
כאן הוא ביתילא אשתוק, כי ארצי
שינתה את פניה
לא אוותר לה,
להזכיר לה,
ואשיר כאן באוזניה
עד שתפקח את עיניהאין לי ארץ אחרת
גם אם אדמתי בוערת
רק מילה בעברית חודרת
אל עורקיי, אל נשמתי
בגוף כואב, בלב רעב
כאן הוא ביתילא אשתוק, כי ארצי
שינתה את פניה
לא אוותר לה,
להזכיר לה,
ואשיר כאן באוזניה
עד שתפקח את עיניה

אין לי ארץ אחרת
עד שתחדש ימיה
עד שתפקח את עיניה

אין לי ארץ אחרת
גם אם אדמתי בוערת
רק מילה בעברית חודרת
אל עורקיי, אל נשמתי
בגוף כואב, בלב רעב
כאן הוא ביתי

בגוף כואב, בלב רעב
כאן הוא ביתי

Nefesh B’Nefesh: Live the Dream US & CAN 1-866-4-ALIYAH | UK 020-8150-6690 or 0800-085-2105 | Israel 02-659-5800 https://www.nbn.org.il/ info@nbn.org.il

It’s time to come home! Nefesh B’Nefesh: Live the Dream 1-866-4-ALIYAH UK 0800-085-2105 Come home to the Land of Emuna

Thank you Yerushalayim Torah Academy for Girls!

Speech by the president of the Czech Republic at the reception held to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day

Miloš Zeman, the president of Czech Republic, gave the following speech last Monday at a reception to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day. Many thanks to Gemini for the translation from the official text posted at the Czech government’s website.

May 26, 2014

Miloš Zeman, the president of Czech Republic

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me thank you for the invitation to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day. There are dozens of days of independence being celebrated every year in the Czech Republic. Some I may attend, others I cannot. There is one I can never miss, however: it’s the Israeli Independence Day.

There are states with whom we share the same values, such as the political horizon of free elections or a free market economy. However, no one threatens these states with wiping them off the map. No one fires at their border towns; no one wishes that their citizens would leave their country. There is a term, political correctness. This term I consider to be a euphemism for political cowardice. Therefore, let me not be cowardly.

It is necessary to clearly name the enemy of human civilization. It is international terrorism linked to religious fundamentalism and religious hatred. As we may have noticed after 11th of September, this fanaticism has not been focused on one state exclusively. Muslim fanatics recently kidnapped 200 young Christian girls in Nigeria ( and the Pope who visited Israel recently has said not a word about these Christian girls being kidnapped, yet went out of his way to make things difficult for Jews ). There was a hideous assassination in the flower of Europe in the heart of European Union in a Jewish museum in Brussels. I will not let myself being calmed down by the declaration that there are only tiny fringe groups behind it. On the contrary, I am convinced that this xenophobia, and let’s call it racism or anti-Semitism, emerges from the very essence of the ideology these groups subscribe to.

So let me quote one of their sacred texts to support this statement: “A tree says, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. A stone says, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.” I would criticize those calling for the killing of Arabs, but I do not know of any movement calling for mass murdering of Arabs. However, I know of one anti-civilization movement calling for the mass murder of Jews.

After all, one of the paragraphs of the statutes of Hamas says: “Kill every Jew you see.” Do we really want to pretend that this is an extreme viewpoint? Do we really want to be politically correct and say that everyone is nice and only a small group of extremists and fundamentalists is committing such crimes?

Michel de Montaigne, one of my favorite essayists, once wrote: “It is gruesome to assume that it must be good that comes after evil. A different evil may come.” It started with the Arab Spring which turned into an Arab winter, and a fight against secular dictatorships turned into fights led by Al-Qaeda. Let us throw away political correctness and call things by their true names. Yes, we have friends in the world, friends with whom we show solidarity. This solidarity costs us nothing, because these friends are not put into danger by anyone.

The real meaning of solidarity is a solidarity with a friend who is in a trouble and in danger, and this is why I am here.

— Miloš Zeman, president of the Czech Republic, Hilton Hotel, 26th of May 2014

Independence Means Never Having To Say You’re Sorry

By Tamar Yonah 06May2014 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Message.aspx/5706#.U3LmfYZxMxA

Independence means never having to say you’re sorry.
If we are really going to celebrate independence, then let’s really do it!

(updated version from a blog I wrote in 2011)
Independence means never having to ask another nation for permission to defend itself.

Independence means never having to ask another country for arms and how we can use them.
Independence means never having to ask for permission to pray at our Holy Sites.

Independence means never having to ask another nation where Jews can and cannot live.
Independence means never having to ask another people if we can build in our own country.

Independence means never having to ask the U.N. to condemn terrorist attacks against us, because Israel would have already dealt out justice herself!

Independence means never having to apologize for hitting an anti-semitic, terror supporting, anarchist in the face with your gun.

Independence means never having to put a soldier on trial for cocking his gun while being threatened by enemies of the Jewish people.

Independence means never having to board a terrorist-supporting flotilla ship, where we arm our soldiers with paint guns, instead of meaning business.
Independence means never having to say you’re sorry for civilian deaths of the enemy in a war.

Independence means not giving in to the Obamas and Kerrys of the world and releasing murdering terrorists out onto the streets for a goodwill gesture.

Independence means not having to cave into world pressure and cut yourself in pieces to carve out a terrorist state in your belly.

Independence means never having to ask another entity for permission… to exist.
LONG LIVE ISRAEL! HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!! 66 years old for the modern State of Israel!

Latma’s song for Yom Haatzmaut – Please give me back my country!

New initiative – 10 days of gratitude

This book is the next step up the ladder of inner peace and self-realization from Rabbi Shalom Arush