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Oprah visits a mikvah

Last week, Oprah visited Crown Heights, Borough Park and Brooklyn Heights for an episode of her new show, Oprah's Next Chapter. She was given a tour of a Brooklyn Heights mikvah by Chabad women, enjoyed a meal with two Chasidic families, and discussed communal affairs with local women.


Oprah's new show will premiere in January on her network OWN. The show features "revealing interviews and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, from the ends of the big, beautiful earth to her own backyard."

GILAD -- HOME FOR SUKKOS B"H

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!

GILAD IS COMING HOME FOR SUKKOT B"H!!!

MAY THIS BE THE FIRST OF A QUICKENING SERIES OF MIRACLES HERALDING THE FULL REDEMPTION OF AM YISRAEL!!!

And may this Sukkot be a time of truly unbounded joy, because through the unbounded joy of Sukkot we can access the unbounded joy of the messianic era. The Shalit family knows a bit what this feels like right now...

CHAG SAMEACH!

ושמחת בחגך והיית אך שמח

Deal for Shalit release now on the table

Shana tova to my fellow geulah bloggers and readers! 

With the onset of 5772 we have received a ray of sunlight of good news (yes, this blog may be known for doomsday posts, but who knows, maybe this will change in 5772?)...Israel and Hamas are said to have reached a deal that will secure the RELEASE OF GILAD SHALIT B"H. The deal is part of a "brief window of opportunity" on the background of changes across the Arab world. As with previous deals, this will entail the release of prisoners by Israel as well, although this deal includes the most strict requirements yet for the exile of prisoners from Israel and the West Bank (although some may return to Gaza - Israeli press). The Israeli cabinet is meeting now (Tuesday 8 p.m. Israel time) to vote on the deal.

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You may want to take this time to read the verses of Psalm 119 that spell Gilad's Hebrew name. When praying for Gilad's release keep in mind that Hashem is capable of anything and everything...and that we pray for the immediate, unconditional release of Gilad! You may want to visualize Gilad sitting in the sukkah with his family...talk about the unbounded joy of Sukkot!

גְּמֹל עַל-עַבְדְּךָ אֶחְיֶה;    וְאֶשְׁמְרָה דְבָרֶךָ.
גַּל-עֵינַי וְאַבִּיטָה--    נִפְלָאוֹת, מִתּוֹרָתֶךָ.
גֵּר אָנֹכִי בָאָרֶץ;    אַל-תַּסְתֵּר מִמֶּנִּי, מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.
גָּרְסָה נַפְשִׁי לְתַאֲבָה--    אֶל-מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ בְכָל-עֵת.
גָּעַרְתָּ, זֵדִים אֲרוּרִים--    הַשֹּׁגִים, מִמִּצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.
גַּל מֵעָלַי, חֶרְפָּה וָבוּז:    כִּי עֵדֹתֶיךָ נָצָרְתִּי.
גַּם יָשְׁבוּ שָׂרִים, בִּי נִדְבָּרוּ--    עַבְדְּךָ, יָשִׂיחַ בְּחֻקֶּיךָ.
גַּם-עֵדֹתֶיךָ, שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי--    אַנְשֵׁי עֲצָתִי.

לְעוֹלָם יְהוָה--    דְּבָרְךָ, נִצָּב בַּשָּׁמָיִם.
לְדֹר וָדֹר, אֱמוּנָתֶךָ;    כּוֹנַנְתָּ אֶרֶץ, וַתַּעֲמֹד.
לְמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, עָמְדוּ הַיּוֹם:    כִּי הַכֹּל עֲבָדֶיךָ.
לוּלֵי תוֹרָתְךָ, שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי--    אָז, אָבַדְתִּי בְעָנְיִי.
לְעוֹלָם, לֹא-אֶשְׁכַּח פִּקּוּדֶיךָ:    כִּי בָם, חִיִּיתָנִי.
לְךָ-אֲנִי, הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי:    כִּי פִקּוּדֶיךָ דָרָשְׁתִּי.
לִי קִוּוּ רְשָׁעִים לְאַבְּדֵנִי;    עֵדֹתֶיךָ, אֶתְבּוֹנָן.
לְכָל-תִּכְלָה, רָאִיתִי קֵץ;    רְחָבָה מִצְוָתְךָ מְאֹד.

עָשִׂיתִי, מִשְׁפָּט וָצֶדֶק;    בַּל-תַּנִּיחֵנִי, לְעֹשְׁקָי.

עֲרֹב עַבְדְּךָ לְטוֹב;    אַל-יַעַשְׁקֻנִי זֵדִים.

עֵינַי, כָּלוּ לִישׁוּעָתֶךָ;    וּלְאִמְרַת צִדְקֶךָ.
עֲשֵׂה עִם-עַבְדְּךָ כְחַסְדֶּךָ;    וְחֻקֶּיךָ לַמְּדֵנִי.
עַבְדְּךָ-אָנִי הֲבִינֵנִי;    וְאֵדְעָה, עֵדֹתֶיךָ.
עֵת, לַעֲשׂוֹת לַיהוָה--    הֵפֵרוּ, תּוֹרָתֶךָ.
עַל-כֵּן, אָהַבְתִּי מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ--    מִזָּהָב וּמִפָּז.
עַל-כֵּן, כָּל-פִּקּוּדֵי כֹל יִשָּׁרְתִּי;    כָּל-אֹרַח שֶׁקֶר שָׂנֵאתִי.

דָּבְקָה לֶעָפָר נַפְשִׁי;    חַיֵּנִי, כִּדְבָרֶךָ.
דְּרָכַי סִפַּרְתִּי, וַתַּעֲנֵנִי;    לַמְּדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ.
דֶּרֶךְ-פִּקּוּדֶיךָ הֲבִינֵנִי;    וְאָשִׂיחָה, בְּנִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ.
דָּלְפָה נַפְשִׁי, מִתּוּגָה;    קַיְּמֵנִי, כִּדְבָרֶךָ.
דֶּרֶךְ-שֶׁקֶר, הָסֵר מִמֶּנִּי;    וְתוֹרָתְךָ חָנֵּנִי.
דֶּרֶךְ-אֱמוּנָה בָחָרְתִּי;    מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ שִׁוִּיתִי.
דָּבַקְתִּי בְעֵדְו‍ֹתֶיךָ;    יְהוָה, אַל-תְּבִישֵׁנִי.
דֶּרֶךְ-מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ אָרוּץ:    כִּי תַרְחִיב לִבִּי.

בַּמֶּה יְזַכֶּה-נַּעַר, אֶת-אָרְחוֹ--    לִשְׁמֹר, כִּדְבָרֶךָ.
בְּכָל-לִבִּי דְרַשְׁתִּיךָ;    אַל-תַּשְׁגֵּנִי, מִמִּצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.
בְּלִבִּי, צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרָתֶךָ--    לְמַעַן, לֹא אֶחֱטָא-לָךְ.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה--    לַמְּדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ.
בִּשְׂפָתַי סִפַּרְתִּי--    כֹּל, מִשְׁפְּטֵי-פִיךָ.
בְּדֶרֶךְ עֵדְו‍ֹתֶיךָ שַׂשְׂתִּי--    כְּעַל כָּל-הוֹן.
בְּפִקּוּדֶיךָ אָשִׂיחָה;    וְאַבִּיטָה, אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ.
בְּחֻקֹּתֶיךָ אֶשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע;    לֹא אֶשְׁכַּח דְּבָרֶךָ.

נֵר-לְרַגְלִי דְבָרֶךָ;    וְאוֹר, לִנְתִיבָתִי.
נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי וָאֲקַיֵּמָה--    לִשְׁמֹר, מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ.
נַעֲנֵיתִי עַד-מְאֹד;    יְהוָה, חַיֵּנִי כִדְבָרֶךָ.
נִדְבוֹת פִּי, רְצֵה-נָא יְהוָה;    וּמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לַמְּדֵנִי.
נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי תָמִיד;    וְתוֹרָתְךָ, לֹא שָׁכָחְתִּי.
נָתְנוּ רְשָׁעִים פַּח לִי;    וּמִפִּקּוּדֶיךָ, לֹא תָעִיתִי.
נָחַלְתִּי עֵדְו‍ֹתֶיךָ לְעוֹלָם:    כִּי-שְׂשׂוֹן לִבִּי הֵמָּה.
נָטִיתִי לִבִּי, לַעֲשׂוֹת חֻקֶּיךָ--    לְעוֹלָם עֵקֶב.

אַשְׁרֵי תְמִימֵי-דָרֶךְ--    הַהֹלְכִים, בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה.
אַשְׁרֵי, נֹצְרֵי עֵדֹתָיו;    בְּכָל-לֵב יִדְרְשׁוּהוּ.
אַף, לֹא-פָעֲלוּ עַוְלָה;    בִּדְרָכָיו הָלָכוּ.
אַתָּה, צִוִּיתָה פִקֻּדֶיךָ--    לִשְׁמֹר מְאֹד.
אַחֲלַי, יִכֹּנוּ דְרָכָי--    לִשְׁמֹר חֻקֶּיךָ.
אָז לֹא-אֵבוֹשׁ--    בְּהַבִּיטִי, אֶל-כָּל-מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.
אוֹדְךָ, בְּיֹשֶׁר לֵבָב--    בְּלָמְדִי, מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ.
אֶת-חֻקֶּיךָ אֶשְׁמֹר;    אַל-תַּעַזְבֵנִי עַד-מְאֹד.

בַּמֶּה יְזַכֶּה-נַּעַר, אֶת-אָרְחוֹ--    לִשְׁמֹר, כִּדְבָרֶךָ.
בְּכָל-לִבִּי דְרַשְׁתִּיךָ;    אַל-תַּשְׁגֵּנִי, מִמִּצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.
בְּלִבִּי, צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרָתֶךָ--    לְמַעַן, לֹא אֶחֱטָא-לָךְ.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה--    לַמְּדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ.
בִּשְׂפָתַי סִפַּרְתִּי--    כֹּל, מִשְׁפְּטֵי-פִיךָ.
בְּדֶרֶךְ עֵדְו‍ֹתֶיךָ שַׂשְׂתִּי--    כְּעַל כָּל-הוֹן.
בְּפִקּוּדֶיךָ אָשִׂיחָה;    וְאַבִּיטָה, אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ.
בְּחֻקֹּתֶיךָ אֶשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע;    לֹא אֶשְׁכַּח דְּבָרֶךָ.

יָדֶיךָ עָשׂוּנִי, וַיְכוֹנְנוּנִי;    הֲבִינֵנִי, וְאֶלְמְדָה מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.
יְרֵאֶיךָ, יִרְאוּנִי וְיִשְׂמָחוּ:    כִּי לִדְבָרְךָ יִחָלְתִּי.
יָדַעְתִּי יְהוָה, כִּי-צֶדֶק מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ;    וֶאֱמוּנָה, עִנִּיתָנִי.
יְהִי-נָא חַסְדְּךָ לְנַחֲמֵנִי--    כְּאִמְרָתְךָ לְעַבְדֶּךָ.
יְבֹאוּנִי רַחֲמֶיךָ וְאֶחְיֶה:    כִּי-תוֹרָתְךָ, שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי.
יֵבֹשׁוּ זֵדִים, כִּי-שֶׁקֶר עִוְּתוּנִי;    אֲנִי, אָשִׂיחַ בְּפִקּוּדֶיךָ.
יָשׁוּבוּ לִי יְרֵאֶיךָ;    וידעו (וְיֹדְעֵי), עֵדֹתֶיךָ.
יְהִי-לִבִּי תָמִים בְּחֻקֶּיךָ--    לְמַעַן, לֹא אֵבוֹשׁ.

בַּמֶּה יְזַכֶּה-נַּעַר, אֶת-אָרְחוֹ--    לִשְׁמֹר, כִּדְבָרֶךָ.
בְּכָל-לִבִּי דְרַשְׁתִּיךָ;    אַל-תַּשְׁגֵּנִי, מִמִּצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.
בְּלִבִּי, צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרָתֶךָ--    לְמַעַן, לֹא אֶחֱטָא-לָךְ.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה--    לַמְּדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ.
בִּשְׂפָתַי סִפַּרְתִּי--    כֹּל, מִשְׁפְּטֵי-פִיךָ.
בְּדֶרֶךְ עֵדְו‍ֹתֶיךָ שַׂשְׂתִּי--    כְּעַל כָּל-הוֹן.
בְּפִקּוּדֶיךָ אָשִׂיחָה;    וְאַבִּיטָה, אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ.
בְּחֻקֹּתֶיךָ אֶשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע;    לֹא אֶשְׁכַּח דְּבָרֶךָ.

הוֹרֵנִי יְהוָה, דֶּרֶךְ חֻקֶּיךָ;    וְאֶצְּרֶנָּה עֵקֶב.
הֲבִינֵנִי, וְאֶצְּרָה תוֹרָתֶךָ;    וְאֶשְׁמְרֶנָּה בְכָל-לֵב.

הַדְרִיכֵנִי, בִּנְתִיב מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ:    כִּי-בוֹ חָפָצְתִּי.
הַט-לִבִּי, אֶל-עֵדְו‍ֹתֶיךָ;    וְאַל אֶל-בָּצַע.
הַעֲבֵר עֵינַי, מֵרְאוֹת שָׁוְא;    בִּדְרָכֶךָ חַיֵּנִי.
הָקֵם לְעַבְדְּךָ, אִמְרָתֶךָ--    אֲשֶׁר, לְיִרְאָתֶךָ.
הַעֲבֵר חֶרְפָּתִי, אֲשֶׁר יָגֹרְתִּי:    כִּי מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ טוֹבִים.
הִנֵּה, תָּאַבְתִּי לְפִקֻּדֶיךָ;    בְּצִדְקָתְךָ חַיֵּנִי.

A day of violence in the West Bank

Kiryat Arba
Shortly before noon on Friday there was a car accident between an Israeli car and a Palestinian youth on Road 60, near Kiryat Arba. In the accident, the Palestinian youth was severely injured. Following the incident, Arabs gathered at the site and began to riot and attack police officers who arrived at the scene. Despite arrests and attempts to quiet the riots, the Arabs continued to exert violence on police officers, who began to shoot rubber bullets on the rioters, until the crowd eventually dispersed. Israeli security forces are concerned that the security situation is highly volatile leading up to Abu Mazen's speech at the UN this evening.


Har Gilo
1:30 p.m.: Dozens of Arabs are presently rioting by the separation fene near Har Gilo. Israel army forces are on the other side of the fence to prevent a breach. No injures have been reported (HNN Hebrew article)

Qalandia  checkpoint (near Ramallah)

2 p.m.: Masked Arabs are throwing rocks at Israeli security forces at the Qalandia security checkpoint.
4 p.m. Hundreds of Arabs demonstrated at Qalandia and threw stones at security forces, who responded with crowd control measures. 

Gilo 
2:10p.m.: Palestinian security forces report that dozens of Palestinian youths are assembling at a checkpoint in Gilo

Shilo
Dozens of Shilo area Jewish residents arrived at Eli Ayin mount to protest the recent evacuation of the settlement by the Israeli army. Simultaneously, nearly 1,000 Arabs from the village of Kutzra are marching towards the area with Palestinian flags, and the local Muazin (Muslim call to prayer) is calling for Arabs to confront the group of Jews. At present Israeli army forces are standing between the two groups, attempting to disperse the Jewish protestors. (HaKol HaYehudi Hebrew article)

Chalchul
A man in his 30's and a baby were killed after their vehicle overturned on Route 60 near Hebron on Friday afternoon. While police are claiming it was a traffic accident, initial reports from residents who arrved at the scene informed the press that a stone was thrown at the vehicle and caused the accident.


This is a summary of events until 4:45 p.m. Israel time. We will pick up again on Saturday night. Shabbat Shalom to all. 

Obama's UN address + live webcast

From Obama's remarks at the UN General Assembly:

The Palestinian people deserve a state of their own, but ... a genuine peace can only be realized between the Israelis and the Palestinians themselves

America's commitment to Israel's security is unshakable, our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring ... Israel is surrounded by neighbors that have waged repeated wars against them. Israel's citizens have been killed by rockets fired on their houses and bombs on their buses 

Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the U.N. If it were that easy, it would have been accomplished by now 

You can watch the UN General Assembly debates live here: http://www.un.org/webcast

A guide to the Palestinian statehood bid: for, against, and undecided

The unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state is ultimately the creation of another Gaza or northern Lebanon in the heart of Israel. When Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza and northern Lebanon, the respective territory became not a basis for an entity that could develop healthy economic, political and social relations with Israel, but rather fertile ground for shooting rockets deeper into Israeli territory and infiltrating its borders to commit acts of violence on civilians--official strategic policies advanced by parties that were democratically elected, i.e. supported by the population, in the case of Gaza.

Moreover, as 45 years have passed since the said territory was won by Israel in a war they did not want (keep in mind: Palestinians, along with Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon were enemies of Israel prior to 1967, when Israel had those dreamy pre-67 borders), the West Bank is now home to nearly one million Israelis, who have since built vibrant and extensive infrastructure, cities, schools, transportation systems, community centers and agriculture. In the present security context, the declaration of a Palestinian state outside of the context of a peace agreement with Israel is a declaration of war on a sovereign country.

In the days leading up to Abbas' formal application for UN membership at the UN this Friday, Israeli and Palestinian officials are busy tallying up pledges by countries to vote for and against the bid. The potential upcoming and critical votes on the matter, and the expected outcomes, are as follows:

UN Security council vote

On Friday, September 23, Mahmoud Abbas will submit the membership application to the UN Secretary General after his address to the General Assembly. Still, the UN Security Council vote on the bid may be delayed for several weeks. If a vote should happen, the bid would require a majority of 9 out of 15 votes in favor in order to pass. As it stands, out of the 15 members of the UN so-called Security Council, six or seven have pledged to support the Palestinian bid. Palestinian foreign minister Raid Malki said that officials are now busy trying to convince two or three more members in favor of accepting Palestine as a member state.

Permanent members: The UN security council is composed of five permanent members: China, France, Russia, Britain and the US. Britain and France have thus far not announced an official position, although have said that Palestinians should approach the EU rather than the UN. China and Russia are likely to support the bid. 

Non-permanent members: In addition to the five permanent members, the General Assembly periodically elects ten non-permanent members, who take part in the council for two-year terms. The current non-permanent members and their position on the bid are as follows:

In favor (6): Brazil, India, Lebanon, South Africa (China, Russia)

Against (2): Germany (US)

Will abstain (1): Colombia 

Undecided (6=have not yet made an official announcement, as of 9/20): Portugal, Bosnia, Nigeria, Gabon (Britain, France)

[Note: as a result of Palestinian pressure, YNet reports that Gabon and Nigeria are set to endorse the bid, although no formal announcement has been made]

In other words, the fate of Israel could lie in the hands of a West African nation most people never new existed, with a population of 1.5 million.

General Assembly vote

If Gabon and Nigeria indeed endorse the bid, and if Palestinians (h"v) enlist the support of either Portugal, Nigeria or Bosnia (this article says Portugal is likely to endorse), amounting to a majority in the Security Council, then the US will most likely be forced to use its veto power to kill the motion.

However, this still leaves the Palestinians with the option of going to the General Assembly, by invoking Resolution 377, which states that if the Security Council fails to exercise its responsibility for the "maintenance of international peace and security," the General Assembly can in effect bypass the Security Council decision. Legal experts have emphasized that the wording of the resolution does not have the backing of international law, but Israeli officials are not taking chances.

Should the Palestinians go to the General Assembly after facing a US veto, they would require two-thirds of 193 votes in order for the membership bid to pass.

Some are warning that the Palestinians may bypass the Security Council entirely and head straight for the General Assembly, should their chances there be better. 

Indonesia

This is where countries like Indonesia come into the picture. And specifically, efforts by countries like Indonesia to not only back the bid, but lobby other countries to support it.

On Tuesday, after a meeting with Kazakhstani and Portugese officials, Indonesia's foreign minister announced that the country is actively seeking opportunities to ensure Palestine's bid for UN membership.

Also on Tuesday, Indonesian officials upgraded the status of the Mount Tambora volcano to Level 3, after volcano activity increased, raising the risk of the emission of toxic gas to neighboring villages, and forcing evacuations of these areas.

The Mount Tambora volcano was responsible for the largest and deadliest volcanic eruption in history, in April 1815, in which nearly 100,000 people were killed.

In April, Tambora showed signs of awakening. In August, it made headlins for spewing thick white smoke into the sky.

Throughout the month of September, earthquake activity has increased.