From 90210 to Sderot

They listened to me!

2009-02-06T09:35:00.000-08:00

Check out this article - UNRWA supsends Gaza aid after Hamas steals supplies.

And this is being covered by international news agencies as well.

So here's the story.

As soon as the UN aid - over 200 tons of grain, flour, etc - made its way through the Kerem Shalom Crossing from Israel into Gaza on Thursday, it was seized by trucks contracted by the Hamas Ministry of Social Affairs.

Are we seeing the emergence of the ruthless, Islamist, terrorist version of Robin Hood?

Hamas claims that the UN was distributing aid to their "enemies", and was being political in their actions, and therefore they needed to change the situation on the ground.

This incident, which is the second time Hamas has jacked UN this week, is not a new trend. They love to take, take, take.

Nuaf Atar, a Fatah operative captured during last month's war in Gaza, told the Israeli Shin Bet (Security Agency) that the Hamas govenrment confiscated humanitarian aid Israel allowed into the strip during Operation Cast Lead, and sold it, when it was intended for all of Gaza at no price. (Jerusalem Post article)

Israel, which took a 3 hour ceasefire during the war each day in order to allow aid into the strip, the place where terrorists launched rockets in the direction of one million innocent Israeli Muslims and Jews, has been blamed for the humanitarian issues in Gaza, when in fact, Hamas had been preventing the aid from getting to innocent Palestinians the whole time.

Ummm, so who is at fault for Gaza's woes?

According to the Jerusalem Post, "Officials in Jerusalem said the announcement by UNRWA constituted a UN approval and confirmation of Israel's position, that Hamas is using the Palestinian population in gaza "cruelly and cynically" and is solely responsible for hardship there."

Finally, the U.N gets it!

Their actions say something, but now lets put it into words.

Let's see the security council come out with a resolution against Hamas brutality in the Gaza Strip, and blame who is really responsibly for the "humanitarian crisis" in Gaza.

Furthermore, I'd like to see the "moderate" leaders of the Arab World and their friends in Europe condemn Hamas for the hardship in Gaza.

So in short, those in the world - especially Turksih Prime Minister Edrogan (ucch this Guy needs to chill, but that's a whole different story) - condemning Israel for causing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza need to shut it!

If I screamed from the rooftops and people listened, this is what I would say, "Can someone important with a lot of power and world influence communicate to his or her important powerful friends that Hamas steals from their own people, makes money off of their crimes, and then they get away with it because everyone is wrongfully blaming Israel's "blockade" and "occupation".

If only my mom were not the only person who thinks I'm an important, powerful person with a lot of influence...

UNRWA - the problem, not the solution

2009-02-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

In the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East) came to our attention when the IDF struck an UN school after Hamas terrorists hiding amongst the civilians seeking shelter in the school fired mortars at Israeli forces.

According a report I read, the Hamas dudes had been holding the women and children in the school hostage - what a surprise, terrorists using human shields against Israel!

There is precedent for Hamas doing this. Look at this video from October 2007 of terrorists launching mortars from a UN school.

On the other hand, UNWRA's man in charge in Gaza declared that there is no evidence of Hamas using his school to hide, or do any other of the shady/scandalous/terroristy things that they do.

If that's what Mr. UNWRA has to say, then it's obviously true.

Of course, Israel was not attacked by terrorists from the school because how could bad guys be hiding in an UN area - the UN is not biased and does not overwhelmingly support one side in this conflict right? And as the video you see above, they've never done it before...

Ok, well, what exactly is UNRWA?

Established by the United Nations in December 1949, their aim is "to carry out direct relief and works programmes for Palestine refugees." Furthermore, "In the absence of a solution to the Palestine refugee problem, the General Assembly has repeatedly renewed UNRWA's mandate, most recently extending it until 30 June 2011" (http://www.un.org/unrwa/overview/index.html).

The description on the founding of the group reads (http://www.un.org/unrwa/overview/index.html):

"UNRWA is unique in terms of its long-standing commitment to one group of refugees and its contributions to the welfare and human development of four generations of Palestine refugees."

Four generations of Palestinian refugees...Are you kidding me?!?! Over sixty years later, and children being born today in Gaza are still classified as refugees? Their families have been living there for four generations!

Why shouldn't they be classified as refugees? Well, let's take a look at how other UN agencies classify refugees.

"Unlike the U.N. High Commission for Refugees, which deals with the rest of the world's refugees and aims to settle them in their respective host countries, UNRWA perpetuates the Palestinian problem by classifying as refugees not only those who originally fled their homes, but all of their descendents as well," says Gunnar Heinsohn in his recent Wall Street Journal op-ed piece on UNRWA's perpetuation of the Palestinian refugee problem (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123171179743471961.html?mod=rss_opinion_main).

Check out the U.N High Commission for Refugees definition of refugee status - http://www.unhcr.org/protect/PROTECTION/3b66c2aa10.pdf

UNRWA has never tried to encourage the development of the Palestinian economy or civil society. How do I know this? Look at these simple facts posted on the UNWRA website.

- 750,000 Gazans rely on UNRWA Food Aid

- 200,000 children attend 221 UNRWA schools throughout Gaza.

Half of Gaza relies on the U.N. Yikes! What if the U.N actually tried to help Gaza develop its economy and society? I got an idea of how they can do that.

Why doesn't UNRWA say that by the end of the year, it will begin to slowly end its aid for those newborns in the Gaza Strip, and stop classifying the fourth generation as refugees. This would eventually ween the Palestinian population from relying on aid. They could even coordinate with the Gazan government to encourage civil society and economic development. Maybe they could even pressure those in charge a little bit to invest in infrastructure, the economy, you know, jobs for their people, instead of rockets, booby trapping their neighborhoods, and building tunnels to smuggle really bad stuff from really bad people in Iran.

Oh wait, who's in charge? Right, a terrorist organization. Crud! UNRWA sees it fit to make the problem worse in Gaza. Let's see how they do this.

As Heinsohn explains, "Gazan teenagers have no future other than war. One rocket master killed is immediately replaced by three young men for whom a martyr's death is no less honorable than victory. Some 230,000 Gazan males, aged 15 to 29, who are available for the battlefield now, will be succeeded by 360,000 boys under 15 (45% of all Gazan males) who could be taking up arms within the coming 15 years...The reason for Gaza's endless youth bulge is that a large majority of its population does not have to provide for its offspring. Most babies are fed, clothed, vaccinated and educated by UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East."

And what are these youth doing? They fight. If they're not launching rockets at Israel, they're killing each other. Remember, it was only two years ago when Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in a bloody coup against their "pragmatic" Fatah rivals, 300 Palestinian dead and 1,000 wounded later.

In short, because these men have no reason to get a job because they're given everything by the UN, they have nothing else to do, so what's better than guns, rockets, more guns, and well...more rockets.

I guess in Gaza they have a different reason why there are no jobs.

In America and the rest of the world, this thing called the financial crisis has been kind of messing things up.

But in Gaza, well they got the United Nations making sure young men are jobless, rely on "food stamps" and turn to terrorism as a means to salvation.

Good going guys, keep up the good work!

Keep ruining hopes for peace for many generations to come!

2009-01-19T15:02:00.001-08:00

I just returned from a two week visit to Israel. I spent my last weekend in Sderot and the Western Negev. One year out from volunteering in Sderot, I have written this piece on the international media's lack of context in covering the current conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Get the Story Right!

Hundreds of journalists from all over the world just left Sderot and the surrounding areas covering the current conflict between Israel and Hamas. Where were they one year ago? Where were they four years ago, eight years ago? I spent six weeks volunteering in Sderot exactly one year ago, and I can tell you, the journalists were no where to be found.

(Look at the little

village they had overlooking Gaza)

Unfortunately for Israel, it took eight years for the international community to understand that innocent civilians in a western democracy live daily under the current threat of rocket fire. During this time, the range of the threat expanded from a tens of thousands to over one million innocent Jewish and Muslim Israeli citizens.

In these eight years, has the UN Security Council ever condemned nearly a decade of rocket fire on innocent civilians of one of its member

states, Hamas’ use of human shields, and its use of schools, hospitals, and Mosques to store and launch rockets at Israel?

Are you laughing at me for even thinking to ask such a question? Well you should be, because

why would anyone assume the international community to be, um, sensible?

Maybe they could be just a little rational? Nah, that’s just too silly!

Furthermore, has any news organization mentioned the fact Israel is the only western democracy in the entire world that has a significant – let alone any – part of its population

living under the threat of daily

rocket fire?

“Oh it’s just Israel, who cares right?” “They can take it?” Or rather, “Maybe they deserve it, right?”

Well you know what I have to say that...

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA!

I’d also like to thank the international media for providing ZERO context for the humanitarian issues of the Palestinian people.

Let me describe to you a little bit of Israel’s commitment to helping the Palestinians suffering from the wrath of their authoritarian, fanatical terrorist rulers, Hamas.

From the beginning of Operation Cast Lead, December 27, 2008, until January 12, 2009:

- 926 truckloads (22,046 tons) of humanitarian aid were delivered to Gaza

- 449 dual nationals were evacuated from Gaza

- 3000 units of blood were donated by Jordan and transferred into Gaza

- 5 ambulances were donated by Turkey and transferred into Gaza

- 5 ambulances were transferred from the West Bank to Gaza on behalf of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society

- 34 people were evacuated to Israel for medical needs

On Jan. 7, 2009, the IDF decided it would ceasefire for three hours each day in order to let humanitarian aid reach civilians in the Gaza Strip.

I love when this gets mentioned, and they say three hours is simply not enough. So, Israel should stop defending its civilians all together, fully commit itself to giving aid to the other side, and allow terrorists to fire rockets at it and threaten one million of its population?

Do you find it a tad bit odd that Israel is forced not only to defend its own citizens, but those of its enemies as well? Well I don’t…I mean, isn’t every western democracy supposed to do that during wars? Duh!

I got a question for you Mr. and Mrs. International Media.

Israel is the bad guy? Are you kidding me!

What does Hamas do for Israeli civilians? Oh yeah, they’ve been terrorizing them with rockets for the last eight years!

What other country, when immersed in a full scale war, commits itself to providing humanitarian aid to their enemy? Oh yeah, Russia!

Did you know Hamas is also really nice to their innocent women and children? Yes you did, because that’s what you would assume from watching the news over the last few weeks.

However, a Palestinian child from Gaza describes how Hamas use children for combat support missions:

We the children, in small groups and in civilian clothes, are fulfilling missions of support for the [Hamas] Resistance fighters, by transmitting messages about the movements of the enemy forces, or by bringing them ammunition and food. We ourselves are not aware of the movements of the Resistance fighters. We see them in one place, they suddenly disappear, and then reappear somewhere else. They are like ghosts, it is very hard to find them (Palestinian Media Watch Communique, Jan. 13, 2009).

So Hamas terrorists hide behind children. Hmm, headline story anyone?

I got an even better quote for you – this coming from a high up British dude in the U.K Military.

Colonel Richard Kemp CBE, former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, on the current situation in Gaza.

Despite Israel’s extraordinary measures a tragically high number of innocent civilians have been killed and wounded. That is the inevitability of Hamas’ way of fighting. Avoiding civilian casualties when fighting among the people is always difficult. When combating an enemy that uses human shields it is impossible (BICOM briefing: "Gaza Situation Update," Jan. 10, 2009).

Thank you Colonel. Only if the BBC would listen to their fellow compatriot…If they only understood that Hamas attacks Israeli civilians with lethal - not home made - rockets (with a range of over 25 KM) shipped from Iran. If they only reported that Hamas fighters hide behind children and women, and use schools and mosques as launching points to attack Israeli soldiers and civilians. If they provided the proper analysis, they would explain that when Israel does not respond to Hamas rocket fire, the terrorists succeed in making it nearly impossible for one million Muslims and Jewish Israeli civilians,or nearly 1/7 of Israel’s population, to live with any sense of normalcy. They would also point out that if Israel responds than Hamas also wins because it launches rockets from civilian areas, and its fighters wear civilian clothing and place themselves within towns and villages, thus putting at risk thousands of innocent Palestinians, of which Israel is blamed for any harm done to them, and the international community therefore condemns Israel and pressures her to stop its defense of its own innocent population.

As a result, whether Israel responds or does not respond to terrorist rocket fire, it is a win-win situation for Hamas.

Unfortunately, as Alan Dershowitz succinctly puts it, "Until the world recognizes that Hamas is committing three war crimes - targeting Israeli civilians, using Palestinian civilians as human shields, and seeking the destruction of a member-state of the UN - and that Israel is acting in self-defense and out of military necessity, the conflict will continue" (Alan Dershowitz, "An Honorouble Warrior," The Australian, http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24866318-7583,00.html).

Do you think the International Community or Media will ever understand the true roots of the conflict between Israel and Hamas?Do you think they will ever get the fact that its Hamas' use of human shields, their targeting of Israeli, and even their own civilians, and their commitment to destroying Israel that is the main impediment to peace in Gaza today? Well, as Borat would so articulately proclaim...

"NOT SO MUCH!!"

In short, my return to Sderot this past week proved to me that people still don’t get it. For some reason Israel is the bad guy, and the dudes firing rockets and endangering the lives of one million innocent Muslims and Jewish Israeli civilians are the victims.

Go figure…

Bye Sderot

2008-01-08T07:04:00.000-08:00

My flight to England (where I'm going to study this upcoming semester) boards in 10 minutes. I've officially left Sderot for now (much to my parent's happiness), but there's no doubt in my mind, I will be back.

I dreamt last night of Qassams; thought I heard a boom as I woke up. The alerts in the airport as you wait for security sound like the alert before the "Tzevah Adom" sounds. I wonder how long it will take for me to forget the daily booms and alerts that were apart of my life for the last month. I wonder, will I ever?

Sderot will always be with me in my heart, and it should be for you too. My plight to help the people down there has only begun, for now I'm ready to engage the world, to spread the word of the constant horror and terror of life in Sderot.

In the coming week, I'm starting a blog with a Palestinian student at George Mason University (20 minutes from GW, my university in the states) workings as a freelance journalist in Nablus and Tehran for the next six months. We will discuss our opinions regarding our opinions of current events in the Middle East. Should be feisty, should be interesting, wouldn't you say.

I'll update you when the time comes.

That's all for now. Got to get to my flight.

Diary of Canadian Grandmother Living in Sderot

2008-01-03T01:22:00.001-08:00

Check this out - good stuff.

Click Here

Hip-Hop Superstar

2008-01-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

Today I went to the hip-hop dance class for 10-12 year olds in Sderot. Not only was I the only high school graduate in the class (besides the teacher), I was the only boy.

As many of my good friends at home - including my wonderful 18 year-old sister, Gaby - are hip-hop stars, I was pretty familiar with the dance moves. See below – I’m rocking out (focus on the last 15 seconds, really see the extent of my skills).

The dance studio looks like it could be from L.A. Mirrors, rails on the side of the room (for ballet?), hardwood floors, a sweet stereo – it’s got it all. I could see Britney in the 90’s using this facitily to practice her moves before the Oopps I Did it Again music video.

In the studio, an alarm goes off when “Tzevah Adom” occurs, and the class runs to the shelter near by. That withstanding, dance class seems to be the greatest escape from the constant sound of “Tzevah Adom” and the daily landing of Qassam rockets into the city. You’re completely isolated from the terrifying reality that is daily life in Sderot.

The teacher, Maytal Siani, studies hip-hop in a major studio in Tel Aviv. She, however, lives with her family in Sderot, where she grew up to love dance, and is currently giving back to the current generation of kids growing up who don’t know life without Qassams.

For one hour a day, twice a week, these girls come to learn the basics of hip-hop dance. In Sderot, young girls are learning to dance to the sound of Beyonce, Justin, 50 Cent and all the other greatest musical artists of our time.

I wonder if Hamas permits hip-hop classes to dance to American hip-hop…actually, I don’t think hip-hop’s made it to Gaza yet – now that’s a humanitarian crisis if you ask me. But what do I know? I was just on CNN (laugh with me).

Regards from Gaza!

2008-01-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

Today I met Nicol Alchazov, a Russian immigrant to Sderot over 13 years ago. She was in the firefighters unit in the army, and upon her withdrawal, was admitted to be tested to be the first firewoman in Israel (that year Israel decided women could be firefighters). According to Nicol, two of the four women had what they call in Israel - "protexia" (connections) - so she didn't get the job.

A few years after the army, she became a manager in a textiles factory in Sderot. One of the owners of the factory is Palestinian and the other is Jewish. Before the disengagement, seven of the workers there were Palestinian. Nicol made friends with the Palestinian workers and still keeps in touch with one today.

Here's what's really interesting:

The Palestinian owner's brother - who lives in Gaza - calls Nicol to see how she's doing on days when lots of Qassams land in Sderot.

How crazy is that? Someone from Gaza calls a friend in Sderot to see how she's doing from the rockets fired a few villages from him...insane!

I asked Nicol to call her friend in Gaza to see if it's okay with him if I give him a call to see what's up. Wouldn't that be cool - talk to someone in Gaza. No, I haven't become a crazy lefty. I just think it would be pretty sweet to make a friend in Gaza, wouldn't you?

The Kassam Hair Style

2007-12-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

Shimon Bouskila, also known as Shupan, grew up in Sderot and has been a hairstylist for twenty-three years. Five years ago, a Kassam rocket landed right in front of his barbershop, breaking the glass windows and causing damage to his shop. He was the first person to see the Kassam and as soon as he laid eyes on the rocket, the idea came to him –the “Kassam hair-due”.

Free of charge, anyone can get Shupan’s specialty. He said besides the time he did the hair-due for a local model, one person asked him to give him “the Kassam” for a costume in celebration of the Jewish holiday Purim (customary to dress up for this holiday).

Shupan doesn’t stop with the Kassams. He can also fashion your hair into a Menorah and a Shofar, the trumpet-like biblical instrument made form a ram’s horn. Shupan also did a promotional hair-due for the German based hair product company, Wella. The Sderot hairstylist uses Israeli supermodels to show off his specialties, with Miri Boadana pictured with the Menorah.

Shupan is also the personal barber of former Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz. Every three to four weeks, Shupan gives Mr. Peretz a hair cut at the Knesset member’s home. Amir Peretz’s daughter is also featured in a picture of nine girls with hair shaped like candles, standing in a formation forming a Menorah.

In 1995, Shupan won an international hairstylist tournament in Europe, the last year of such a competition. Shupan is the father of two teenage daughters and one son, who works in New York as a hairstylist and aspires to open a barbershop just like his father.

David Beckham in Sderot

2007-12-30T09:34:00.000-08:00

After the presentation with the WUJS (talked about it in prior entry), I saw some kids outside the cinema playing soccer (futbol). I've never really enjoyed the sport, you know, it's for Europeans. That withstanding, I still joined on in and played a little.

I got in the action, starting kicking the ball around. Then I proposed an idea to the kids. Let's play a game. And of course the 11 year olds were like, hell ya we want to play a game.

This was the game.

I was the goalie. Each player (11 year old kid) got three penalty shots on me in goal. Whoever made the most - obviously - would be the winner.

In 3rd grade, I was the best goalie in the Macabee League (Jewish league in L.A.) - or so I like to think. So I brought my "A" game - 110 percent baby.

I shut Shaked (one of the kids) down - 0 for 3 - sorry buddy. But the other two kids, they got one goal on me. I was just being nice though.

After the game, we just played with the ball for a while. Then I told em' I had to go. The kids asked me, "So are you coming back tomorrow?" I responded, "Same time?" In some rambled Hebrew I didn't really understand, I think they said - "Alright, your on!"

So during the presentation before I played soccer with the kids, people were arguing on what should be done to help Sderot. Many simply blamed the Israeli Government for not stopping the rocket fire, not protecting the city and calling on the government to act now to fix everything - not really offering any real solutions to what we, as caring students, could do to help.

To me, it's simple - what we as human beings, not just Israelis and diaspora Jewry, need to do.

First, spread awareness about what's going on in Sderot.

Second, just come here and hang out with the people, play with the kids. Show them we care.

So tomorrow at 5 PM, I got a soccer play date outside the Cinema.

Blue Label's on Me

2007-12-30T09:07:00.000-08:00

Today the Sderot Media Center did a presentation for 120 students from around the world on a trip to Israel with thel World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) - great networking opportunity if you know what I mean.

We started at the police station and ended up at the Sderot Cinema to watch important videos and hear from important speakers on the situation in Sderot. We heard from Tal, one resturaunt-bar owner in the town.

She retold the story of when a Qassam landed thirty feet outside of her eatery, while she and her cook were preparing the grub an hour before opening. Someone in the audience asked:

"So what did you do right after the Qassam fell?"
Tal responded, "Drank a cup of Whiskey - relaxed - and then opened the resturaunt on time - with the broken windows and all".

Someone else asked why she opened a resturaunt-bar in Sderot. The eatery owner said people here in Sderot also have lives; they like to eat, drink, go out on dates, do things you guys do.

It's true. Why shouldn't Sderot have a bar? If the people here can go out and have a drink an hour after a Qassam lands just thirty feet from the bar, they deserve unlimited alchohol. Blue Label is on me - go ahead Sderot, drink away.

I'm a Mensch!

2007-12-29T17:19:00.000-08:00

Check this article out. Mentioned by the editor of the Jewish Journal - top ten mensch in L.A! Pretty sweet honor right?

Click Here:

Brave + mensch = ?

By Rob Eshman, Editor-in-Chief

Three years ago, we were sitting around our offices dreaming up an end-of-the-year issue, inundated with examples from other magazines: The Ten Best Movies, The Ten Richest Angelenos, The Ten Most Powerful Hollywood Players, The Ten Top Restaurants, The Ten Hottest Bars and et cetera.

Since these lists are both celebration and statement, we decided we wanted to promote something a little different. What if a list championed a Jewish value, not people, things or bars (not that there's anything wrong with them....)?

Thus was born The Mensch List -- a roster that, humans being human, is far more difficult to crack than one tabulating power or wealth or even cool.

But this year, after we made the list, I -- in the spirit of some holiday -- checked it twice. And there are four people missing.

These are people I've come across in 2007 who didn't make this list but who deserve some special notice of their own. That's because they are not only mensches, they are also remarkably courageous.

Funny that the Yiddish adjectives that mean "strong" and "brave" never made the jump into the modern Jewish vernacular. Somehow, schnorrer and shmendrick and ferklempt remained near and dear to our tongues, but mutik and bahartst are no more a part of our lives than Benny Leonard or Kingfish Levinsky. When great Jewish prizefighters like these went down for the count, so did the words their fans used to praise them. That leaves shtarker. But shtarker has baggage that mensch doesn't begin to carry.

I'm no Yiddishist, but to my ears, the word has always been said with a wink, the speaker already knowing that strength and health, no matter how abundant, are fleeting. To this day, when I drop my son off at a teen party, my last words aren't "Be a shtarker!" but "Be a mensch."

So I don't know what neologism will suffice for someone who is both extraordinarily brave and a mensch to boot. What word describes those Jews and non-Jews who risk their lives to stand up for the things we all believe in? This year, I found four, and I suppose their names will suffice:

Benji Davis and David Landau

These two young men packed up this year and left their comfortable lives in Los Angeles and moved to Sderot, the beleaguered Israeli town under near-constant bombardment by Qassam rockets launched by Islamic Jihad and Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

Davis is a college student from Beverly Hills volunteering at an elementary school in Sderot -- there is a charmingly awkward YouTube video of him trying to folkdance with his young charges -- and at the Sderot Media Center, which tries to raise awareness of what Israelis within the Green Line are faced with every day.

"Sderot's residents deserve protection," Davis writes on his blog, 90210tosderot.blogspot.com. "Sderot's children deserve some sense of normalcy. Sderot deserves our help.

"We can protect Sderot from the terrorists -- it's up to you."

Landau is 19. When I asked his father, Fred, why his son moved -- of all places -- to within two miles of Gaza, he said, very matter-of-factly, without a hint of boastfulness, "Because he's a Zionist." Many of Sderot's own residents have moved away, the Israeli government has for a year now struggled to come up with a response to the Qassams, Jews from Tel Aviv to Tarzana have gone about their normal lives, but Davis and Landau have chosen to risk their lives to remind us that, no, not all is milk and honey.

They're on my list.

--The article continues with some other menches...but that's good enough.

Important Presentation on Sderot

2007-12-27T06:28:00.001-08:00

The 9th Day of Channuka

2007-12-27T05:38:00.000-08:00

Here are pictures from the house hit by a Qassam rocket two weeks ago. All of the pictures show different Jewish Symbols, that in some miraculous way, survived the attack.

Here is an excerpt of Noam Bedein's, director of the Sderot Media Center, report of the attack.

When the Chabad Rabbi of Sderot, Chaim Pizen, viewed the damage on Mount Sinai Street in Sderot the day after the eight day holiday of Chanukah finished, he remarked, “The Miracles that we are seeing in Sderot have revealed themselves more clearly than the miracles we witnessed on Mount Sinai itself”...

O' Canada!

2007-12-26T04:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I went to Cherna Rosenberg's house for lunch and stuff. Cherna, who lived in Israel from 1964-1984, returned from Canada to Israel in January 2006, to Sderot of all places. Yes, Cherna made Aliyah to a town safer than any gated community in the San Fernando Valley.

Cherna's grub was phenominal - I'm still stuffed! The conversation, however, was even better.

She delighted me with her candor, humor and passion. Cherna did move to Sderot so, umm, the new immigrant's got a little personality to say the least. Cherna, in her sixties, is my kind of lady- she says what's on her mind, always.

Even being the crazy Zionist that she is, her second husband of thirty years comes from the Druze population in Israel. To most people, that might seem odd, but to Cherna - it was an obvious choice. The dude loved Israel and served in the IDF - a zionist at heart- perfect match.

Her house, like many others in Sderot, is not protected from Qassam rockets. If you don't have protection, they say you should go to a room without windows to protect yourself from the shrapnal. But all of the rooms in Cherna's cute house have windows. Uh-oh.

Cherna moved to Sderot to lives two doors down from her daughter and grandkids. She made it seem so matter of fact she moved to Sderot - to her, if given the opportunity, wouldn't anyone pick up and move to be neighbors with their child and grandchildren?

For most people, it would probably depend on whether rockets were falling from the sky on a daily basis. That being the status quo in Sderot, I'd say it's not the norm to retire in Sderot. But when you got the passion and belief of Cherna Rosenberg, it's a no brainer.

Video of Qassam attack taken on my camera

2007-12-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

Stop Rocketing the Beer Factories, Idiots!

2007-12-25T02:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my first day back in Sderot since the Qassam attack on Thursday. I convinced my good friend David Lawrence Abraham to come down with me; I wanted to give him a tour – my first one!

As soon as we arrived into town, we headed directly to the police station. There we met these two young guys from New York (still a few years older than me), who just so happened to stop in Sderot (of all places) on their way to enjoying stuff, foreign to the western Negev, in Eilat.

I gave em’ a quick run down on Qassam rockets: what the different colors mean, their impact, how many are launched – all the good stuff. We go outside, and they ask me “so where should we go in Sderot, seems like a happening town” (it went something like that, they were pretty funny), and I’m like, “Yo, I’ll take you around, got a car?”

Knowing I needed to pick up my laundry and get a ride for David and I to Kibbutz Saad (where we were going for the afternoon), it was the perfect situation. Ari and Adam, the guys from New York, got a sick tour from the best tour guide in the Middle East, and David and I got hooked up with a ride.

After the police station, we headed over to the house severely damaged by a Qassam rocket nearly two weeks ago. It was really cool to see their reaction to what’s going on in Sderot; it showed there are people who care about this place.

But seriously, who stops in Sderot on their way to Eilat? Are you trying to ruin your day? It was awesome though, come back guys – beers are on me.

Something to note, one of the first things Ari and Adam said was, “Didn’t the terrorists hit the Carlesberg factory with a rocket – seriously, what the hell is wrong with them?” True that.

We then went to an outpost overlooking northern Gaza. Ari took his shirt off to prove to his friends he got “some rays” while in Israel, and I proceeded to explain them what’s going on in the happiest place on earth.

Where we were, you could see Beit Hanoun – the village from where the majority of Qassam rockets are launched on Israel – the Jebaliyeh refugee camp – a hotbed of pretty intense terrorist activity – and the home of the greatest economic center in the world – Gaza City!

If we went at a good time – between 6:30 and 9:00 AM – we may have seen one of those cute little terrorists launch a Qassam rocket. How sweet would have that been? Better than being on the news? Hmm, maybe I would have been on the news again (I got to get over myself).

I also showed them that there is a white, Israeli blimp flying over Gaza taking pictures of the area making sure no fishy activities are going down. Well – just things that are fishier than terrorists launching rockets on civilian populations, that’s not that bad. Here's a picture of Beit Hanoun - rockets are launched from here daily, yikes!

After doing the Gaza Strip, Ari, Adam, my boy D. Abraham and I went to Kibbutz Saad for lunch. Yesterday really rocked. Here's a picture of Ari, Adam and I with the Gaza Strip in the background.

Even after this past crazy week of CNN and “Hi Benji, I think I saw you on the news”, taking Ari, Adam and David around made me feel I’ve accomplished some good things over the last month. Showing these guys what’s going on in Sderot, and that more people need to know about this place, was one of the better things I’ve done while being in Sderot.

So I hope I run into some more people at the police station, but next time, maybe some cute girls instead. Seems like the best place to socialize in Sderot because if conversation ever gets awkward, you can just say, “Yo, don’t you like the coloring of the green and red rocket as opposed to yellow and red ones?” Those comments never get old…

Spreading the Word About Sderot

2007-12-23T23:11:00.000-08:00

The video taken on my camera of the Qassam attack has circulated all over the world the last few days. Numerous people wrote on my facebook wall, "I was just sitting around and then, wow, Benji Davis, you're on CNN". Yah, that was pretty cool.

But in all honesty, it's not important that I was on CNN, as long as my message was clear - there's a big problem in Sderot needing fixing.

The segment of my video of the Qassam attack was headlined on national Israeli news on Channel Two at six, eight and twelve o'clock. Here's the piece.

Also, at 9: 30 of the night of the attack, Channel Two called me and asked to come in for an interview during the 7:00 morning news. So, I didn't sleep that night, and took a 5:30 cab from Jerusalem (where I was at the time) to Herzliyeh (where the studios are). Yes, the interview was all in Hebrew - the billions of dollars my parents spent on my Jewish education did go somewhere after all.

Here's the link of my interview on Channel Two morning news. Click here(My interview starts at 7: 07 you'll figure it out). FYI - apple users might have trouble, good luck.

My video of the Qassam Attack is also featured on the Israel Foreign Ministry web site - click here - and by Newsblaze, a wire service for journalists across the globe - click here for Newzblaze story.

I'm telling you all this to show you the power of one raw video. This one-minute clip exemplifies the terror and trauma suffered by the people of Sderot on a daily basis. Please share it with your friends, family, everyone you know, so they can understand that the Jewish people are under siege in Sderot. It'll only take a minute.

I'm on CNN

2007-12-21T13:48:00.000-08:00

Link of me talking about attack right after Qassam fell- on CNN.

CNN Link

My Account of Thursday's Attack

2007-12-20T06:41:00.001-08:00

While volunteering with special needs kids on Thursday, "Tzevah Adom" sounded. Because it was during a repelling activity, I was hanging from the top of a tree when the alert sounded. So the dude in charge got me down as fast as he could. Then I took the safety thing off and ran into the shelter outside (pictured below), relieved I made it in time before the boom.

As soon as I entered I said, "I knew the Tzevah Adom was going to go off while I was up there", not thinking the Qassam was going to land near us. I smiled in relief, and began fixing my glasses as they appeared broken. Ten seconds later... the loudest boom of my life! I've never heard such a sound. It was crazy. How does the city endure these attacks everyday?

Kids were crying, I was worried for the children, teachers were making sure their students were okay. It was total mayhem. Eighteen people were treated for shock. You can't think or speak during these crazy times.

Anyway, the Qassam landed 50 feet outside the school in a pile of sand - right in between the school and a block of houses. The rocket also landed 20 feet to the right of a block of houses - wow, what a miracle - so close to a disaster.

I am constantly asked if I'm going to leave Sderot because of what happened. How could I leave Sderot after what happened? I need to stay to show the world the terror people live with daily here. This is what needs to be done.

As I've said earlier in my blog:

1) Sderot and the western Negev has been under rocket attack over seven years.
2) Since Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza two and a half years ago, over 2,000 rockets have been fired on the western Negev.
3) There are 78 bomb shelters all over the western Negev that need repairs of $15,000-$20,000.
4) There are 800 houses without any protection from the Qassams.
5) Only a third of the schools in Sderot are fully protected from the rocket threat.

Hopefully because of my experience today, someone may decide to open up their pocketbook to help the people, but most importantly, the children of Sderot.

I'm going to stay for the duration of my time in Israel. To me, the attack was one of the scariest days of my life. But to the rest of Sderot, it was just another day, another Qassam.

Download Videos of Qassam Attack

2007-12-20T05:26:00.000-08:00

Below are the links to download videos taken on my camera during this mornings Qassam attack, which fell 50 feet outside the local Sderot elementary school I volunteer for.

Qassam Alert
During Attack
After Attack

No Hudna Please

2007-12-19T22:43:00.000-08:00

The ruling regime in Gaza, Hamas, wants to establish a "hudna" (truce) with Israel. Yet after the early "Tzevah Adom" warning this morning, I heard the boom of a Qassam rocket. Even though Hamas is not firing Qassams at Israel right now, they are facilitating the launching of Qassams by other terrorist organizations - most notably Palestinian Islamic Jihad - by giving them rockets.

And more importantly, Hamas launches mortal shells at army bases and communities in the western Negev daily. How do you expect to have a ceasefire when you can't even display one day of restraint?

Hamas has thousands of Qassams stored, ready to fire them at the western Negev as soon as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) invades Gaza in its defensive mission to stop the rocket fire on its civillian communities. "Hudna"? Are you kidding me!

The only way to stop the daily Qassam fire is an IDF incursion into Gaza. But word on the street is (what I read in the news), IDF casualties would be higher than the 119 that died during the Second Lebanon War if it enters Gaza.

Another word on the street (something else I read in the new) is that Israel needs to continue with targeted killings of terrorists in the Gaza Strip. The Israel Air Force (IAF) recently killed 13 terrorists - mostly affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad -in air strikes. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad is claiming to get revenge, but after the targeted killings, things are more quiet then usual down here.

The terrorists want a truce to build up their capabilities against Israel. "Hudna" equals less terror now, but when the time comes, the terror will be much worse than we're seeing today.

The idea of a "Hudna" means halftime to the terrorists. Time to regroup and when you got a better game plan, then you attack with greater force. Israel needs to get em' while still ahead.

Have it My Way - Get a Job!

2007-12-19T05:02:00.000-08:00

It's kind of nerve wrecking that it's been a few days since a rocket landed in Sderot.

You terrorists better not be planning something big. I really don't like you- get a job or something (Mickie D's builds careers!).
Sheesh. Or, have it your way (Burger King slogan).

Oh ya - Poverty? authoritarian regime (Hamas)? no civil rights? Ah - there aren't any job opportunities in Gaza.

For those older readers, remember when the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza - under Israeli rule - had the 4th largest growing economy in the world during the 1980's(Palestinian Media Watch)?

Then came the first Intifada in 1987and you know what, bye bye growing economy.

Twenty years later, the socio-economic state in the Gaza Strip has never been worse. Not even this guy (Alan Greenspan)
could help you.

I got some advice. Ditch the terrorism!

It'll do you some good.

It's Raining, Water?

2007-12-18T21:34:00.000-08:00

I walked into the kitchen this morning at 7:20 AM in my tennis garb to hear Stan say - "It rained". I go, "Water? From the sky?"

The first time it's rained in centuries (probably months) in the western Negev had to be the morning I planned on getting on the tennis court again, as the expectation for it to rain rockets has yet to come to fruition.

Last night, I bought tennis balls for my anticipated match with Stan- over $7 plus later (29 sheckles).They were the last can of tennis balls in all of Sderot. An hour later I saw a movie - just 5 bucks (20 sheckles).

Can you believe tennis balls cost more than a movie? Love this little town - except when rockets land two blocks away from me!

Land for Peace......Not!

2007-12-18T05:09:00.000-08:00

Almost thirty years ago at Camp David, Egyptian Prime Minister Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachim Begin established peace between the two nations (supposedly President Jimmy Carter participated in the negotiations without parental supervision). In Israel's first "Land for Peace" initiative, it gave Egypt the Sinai peninsula in return for peace.

So what is Egypt doing with the Sinai Peninsula? Using the land for peace initiatives perhaps? Hahahahahahaaha.

According to this Jpost story, Egyptian policemen assist Palestinian terrorists along the Egypt-Gaza border. Yes, Egyptians help the Palestinian terrorists smuggle weapons into Gaza.

Jpost reported, "Since Hamas's takeover of Gaza in June, the terrorist group has smuggled into Gaza 100 tons of explosives, millions of bullets, hundreds of antitank missiles and even a small number of Katyusha rockets". (picture pre-disengagement- If anyone is interested, I posted instructions on how to build a weapon smuggling tunnel at the end of this entry)

With its passive aggression, Egypt is now joining the likes of Iran and Syria in helping Palestinian terrorists fight against Israel. No - Egypt is not training terrorists to fight against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

But, Egypt recently allowed Palestinians who claimed to be traveling to Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage out of Gaza through the Rafa Crossing. Among the 1,700 pilgrims, a significant number are Palestinian terrorists on their way to Iran and Lebanon for training (Jpost report).

Yes, Egypt's got its own problems to deal with, I.E Hamas's extremist cousins - the Muslim Brotherhood. I get it - President Mubarak would rather not deal with arms smuggling from Sinai because he'd rather let the weapons be fired against Israel than end up in Cairo.

But, I'm pretty sure such thinking goes against the whole "Land for Peace" agreement Sadat and Begin brokered at Camp David while President Jimmy Carter threw peanuts at his babysitter in the other room (Am I mean?). Passively sponsoring terrorism is not nice!

But with everything I've said, I still feel so secure about the future! Annapolis was such a success and negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are progressing so quickly.............................NOT!!!!!

How to Build a Weapon Smuggling Tunnel:

1) Locate a landowner who agrees to provide his house for the exit of a tunnel.

2) Search for a suitable opening for the tunnel on the Egyptian side. The tunnel opening should be located in a house or within private property, to allow the owner of the house to cross from one side to the other; to abide by agreements with Egyptian officials; for economic reasons, and to prevent discovery of the tunnel by Egyptian officials.

3) Choosing an engineer: An engineer specializing in the excavation of tunnels is chosen. The engineer mobilizes and recruits individuals to construct the tunnel, and provides electric and hand-held tools for the job.

4) Duration of the excavation: The duration of the excavation may last anywhere from two weeks to two months based on the following conditions:

• The number of workers digging.
• Excavation equipment.
• Depth and length of the tunnel.
• Width of the tunnel.

Tzevah Tzahov - "Color Yellow"

2007-12-17T08:17:00.000-08:00

You know what a day without a Qassam means? A good day for tennis!

Stan, 54, from West Virginia, another volunteer at the Sderot Media Center, claimed from the day we met to be a tennis nutt. I, however, downplayed this from the outset, not believing he could take the great Benji Davis on his hallowed ground (Migrash Tennis as they say in Israel).

It was fun and competitive. But for Stan's sake, I won't mention the score. Ha.

So why didn't the terrorists fire any rockets today? Busy at work? Night school? Went to the beach? Took the day off?

Just kidding. They're probably waiting for Israel to enter Gaza again in their defensive actions to stop the Qassam fire on Sderot and the western Negev. As soon as that happens, I'm going to get my umbrella out because it's going to be raining rockets (I'm funny right?).

Anyway, I went to school again today. There is group dancing twice a day during recess- like at Bar Mitzvahs. Dancing, games or organized sport used to occur only a few times a month. But as soon as Qassam rockets became a constant reality, the school made dancing and games a daily activity.

It was so much fun. Look at me go!

Also, Chanel Three of Hot Cable Systems (one of two cable systems in Israel) interviewed me today. They asked me why, from Beverly Hills, would I ever come to Sderot.

Well, if you've been following my blog, then you know exactly what I told them - that we need to help the people in Sderot through volunteering, donating money and spreading awareness. No one knows what's going on down here.

The cameraman and producer looked at me like I was crazy - their faces said, "this rich dude from Beverly Hills came to this crummy town - idiot (Napolean Dynomite voice)". But they did give me two thumbs up nonetheless.

The day just got better for me. Around 6 PM, this dude called me - "Alo Benji, I'm ____ (forgot his name), an Italian journalist". A few minutes later, it's official - I'm taking two Italian journalists around Sderot tomorrow. Pretty sweet huh?

I'll let you know how that goes. Hopefully the Tzevah (color) will stay Tzahov (yellow).

Qassam Hits Close to Home

2007-12-16T07:03:00.000-08:00

I lived on Kibbutz Saad (7 minute drive from Sderot) for three months during the spring of 06', volunteering with kids in the elementary school and in after-school activities.

I got a call from my "Kibbutz Mom" (she rocks, but my mom back in b-hills is still the best), while I was on my way to Jerusalem Thursday evening, that two kids I know from Saad - Roe and Rome - were entering Rome's house in Sderot (they're neighbors) when a Qassam fell on

Rome's house (5 minute walk from me).

Rome and Roe are alright. But Rome's mom was the 40 year old woman lightly-moderately wounded by the Qassam. Their house is not protected from rocket fire; the usual in Sderot.

Hey Olmert you home? Some people I know need a little help, care at all?

I saw Roe today on the Kibbutz playing with his friends - and he just witnessed a rocket fall right in front of him three days ago. What a guy (I mean 8 years-old boy).

The madness just gets worse. Today the Jerusalem Post reported:

A rocket fired by Palestinian terrorists from Gaza wounded a two-year-old girl in a community on the Gaza-Israel border, Israeli police and rescue services said Sunday.

The toddler was injured by shrapnel and taken to hospital, and her mother was being treated for shock, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Pictured to the right is the Qassam fired today on the Kibbutz near the Gaza border. On it is written "Qudz" (Jerusalem in Arabic).

I wonder why terrorists would write Jerusalem on their rockets? Is it because they want to wipe out the Jewish people and take over all of Israel? No, couldn't be, could it? That's just not nice...

Okay, enough with the sarcasm.

While in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv this weekend, people kept asking me - why are you staying in Sderot if you're so anxious about the Qassams? I replied:

Yes I am anxious; the rockets consume my daily thoughts - when I sit in my room, when I walk around the city, when I go to the bathroom. But, I'm only here three more weeks. The other 20,000 people in Sderot are here to stay forever. I think I can stick it out for a little bit.

So, I'm sticking it out. But don't be surprised if I'm on Lexapro pretty soon.

Woman wounded after Qassam hits her home

2007-12-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

I was on the phone with a friend when the "Tzevah Adom" sounded just an hour ago. Luckily, I ran to a shelter.

This is what Jpost reported for the most recent Qassam attack.

A 40-year-old woman was lightly to moderately wounded on Thursday after a Kassam rocket fired by Palestinians directly hit a house in Sderot. The woman received medical treatment at the scene before being evacuated to a hospital.

Magen David Adom officials were treating several people who were suffering from shock. Security forces were on their way to the scene. Earlier, Palestinians launched three Kassam rockets causing no casualties or damages.

Just because only one woman was lightly-moderately wounded, over 20,000 people's lives were hurt by this one attack. Qassams affect your thoughts - they influence every action you take.

There is no sense of normalcy in Sderot. I can't even have a peaceful phone conversation with my friend without worrying about the rockets.

I've been here just two weeks, and I already feel signs of anxiety. Every large noise I hear, I jump, thinking it's a boom from a Qassam attack. When I hear a background voice, sometimes I think "Tzevah Adom" is starting.

Here in Sderot, you're always anticipating an attack. It's real scary, but that's daily life.

My First Day of School

2007-12-13T04:10:00.000-08:00

Today was my first day volunteering at a local Sderot elementary school. And boy was it fun to be back in second grade!

As usual, the kids were quite fond of me.

First thing in the morning, we attended a one-man interactive play regarding safety pre-cautions when crossing the street.

In the middle of the show, which took place in a bomb shelter, "Tzevah Adom" sounded, and ten kids - with their teacher- bolted into the room for cover, interupting the production.

It was no biggie, however - running for their lives - the usual in Sderot.

Following the play was recess. My best subject growing up.

Look at Shlomi do his dance for the camera - this deserves to be shown around the world.

About five minutes later though, another "Tzevah Adom" sounded. We were all outside- everyone bolted for the shelter. I got some of it on camera, which a few kids were not pleased with.

This craziness is everyday for them - I understood and turned the camera off.

And right after the rocket alert, Hebrew grammar!

I even got my own notebook. I was the best in the class - I guess my Jewish education gave me something after all.

Many students didn't come to school today. I thought it was because Chanuka break just ended, and some kids were still on vacation. Nope - rather because of the "Tzevah Adoms" that sounded early this morning.

Parents are scared to send their kids to school. In this one class, pictured, seven kids were absent. Look at the whole right side - empty.

Also, the school cannot use many of its classrooms because they are not protected from the rocket fire. They use the former computer room as a classroom, the teachers room as a classroom and a bomb shelter as two classrooms.

Because there isn't enough space, the school uses some of the unprotected classrooms for small group sessions. They do this because, supposedly, six students and a teacher can run outside of the classroom in 15 seconds to a secure location when "Tzeva Adom" sounds.

What is really unfortunate is the room used by the school psychologist to do relaxation

exercises is not protected. Approximately 80% of Sderot suffers from anxiety due to the constant threat of Qassam rockets, and the school psychologist's resources are incredibly limited. Shame Shame.

With all the dangers of simply going to school, I had a really fun time.

Just showing up to hang out with these kids will probably be one of the greatest thing I will ever do with my life. Many of the kids and teachers did not understand why someone from Los Angeles would come to Sderot. I don't understand why more people don't come.

The Jewish people are under siege in Sderot. This place is the only town in the world constantly being bombarded by rockets.

We need to support the people of Sderot, now more than ever. At 20 years old, this is my way of doing it - by hanging out with the kids, writing about my experiences, w0rking at the Media Center and by dodging rockets. In doing so, maybe some people will finally see the dire situation down here, and want to help the citizens, and most importantly, the children of Sderot.

Waking Up to a Collective Alarm Clock

2007-12-11T22:27:00.001-08:00

I planned on waking up at 8: 30 today. However, the Palestinian terrorists living a few kilometers away changed my morning plans.

"Tzeva Adom" "Tzeva Adom" sounded four times this morning, between 7:00 and 8:00 AM- all followed by big booms. Only one of the Qassams landed in Sderot, on the other side of town!

I thought for sure one of the Qassams fell on the street behind me. Nope, not even close.

I wish the "Tzevah Adom" was a little quieter, because as crazy as it sounds, I'm not getting out of bed - I got nowhere to go. So let me get a little more sleep!

Let's see how the rest of the day goes. I have a feeling those terrorists in Gaza are a little pissed about the IDF's incursions yesterday to stop them from waking me up early in the morning. Kol Hakavod leTzahal!

State Against Fortifying Sderot Residents

2007-12-11T01:34:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to imagine a scenario where governments in the developed world are against protecting their citizens.

And I can't! What's going on here? Why doesn't the Israeli Government want to protect its own people!

Here's the scoop: (Ynet article - yes, I'm a reliable source)

1) Sderot residents file high court petition demanding the government fund fortification for over 800 homes.

2) The petition claims the government is responsible for protecting them from Qassam rockets (duh!).

3) The state claims that current laws do not obligate them to fortify Sderot homes (are you serious?!).

Not protecting your citizens because you don't have to according to the law? That sounds a little unlawful to me...

Here's why Sderot needs protection. Look at this mayhem during a "Tzevah Adom" - no where to run, nowhere to go. Click Here.

In the state's response to the petition, it said, "It (fortifying residents' homes) affects the ability of residents in the conflict area to remain steadfast in the face of the attacks as well as various budgetary repercussions."

Remain steadfast and budgetary repercussions?

That makes me want to vomit.

Do you really believe people here in Sderot won't remain steadfast if you give them a little help? Maybe you'd actually give Sderot citizens the opportunity to have some normalcy in their lives. Remaining steadfast... Thanks for the compliment.

Budgetary repercussions - People are dying and suffering because you don't have the cash? Show me the money!

I love this country. I'm definitely a Zionist. But the Israeli Government is wrong and I'm comfortable speaking out against them on this issue.

Sderot's residents deserve protection.

Sderot's children deserve some sense of normalcy.

Sderot deserves our help.

Anyone disagree with me?

Lets help them out. Talk to me, email me (Benjidav@gmail.com). We can do something about this.

We can protect Sderot from the terrorists - it's up to you.

Me, Myself and My Qassam

2007-12-10T07:31:00.000-08:00

Remember the "Tzevah Adom" I experienced last week while passing out Suphganiyot? Well I caught the Qassam!

The Sderot municipality stores the most recent Qassams landing in the city at the police station. There I saw all different types of rockets - some small, and some very large and in charage.

They really look like water pipes!

Also, the color of a Qassam signifies which terrorist group fired it.

Yellow Qassams with writing on the tail are fired by the Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian President Abbas's Fatah Party, which the U.S State Department identifies as a terrorist organization.
So Abbas goes to the Annapolis Peace Summit last week - sponsored by American President Bush - and is head of an organization the U.S deems as terrorist - hmmmm, that's odd.

Back to the Qassams, the red and yellow ones are fired by terrorists from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the red and green ones are fired by our friends in charge of Gaza, those boys (maybe even a few girls) from Hamas.

Speaking of Hamas, they want to establish a hudna (truce) Israel. Why? Because they heard Israel is preparing a large scale invasion of Gaza to stop them from firing rockets on us here in Sderot and the western Negev.
So what exactly is a hudna?

It's not a ceasefire, which many western journalists have made it out to be, but according to the authoritative Islamic Encyclopedia (London, 1922):

A hudna is a "temporary treaty" which can be approved or abrogated by Islamic religious leaders, depending on whether or not it serves the interests of Islam.

A hudna cannot last for more than 10 years .

The Prophet Muhammad set the precedent for using hudnas for military advancements in 628, when he established the Hudaybia treaty, where he made a hudna with a tribe of Jews.

After three years, when his band of Muslim warriors were readily prepared to destroy The Jew (as Borat says it), they subsequently wiped the Jewish tribe out.

So Hamas wants a Hudna... too bad! You're not going to wipe The Jew out, we're here to stay baby.

Today, I visited Kibbutz Nir-Am, located two minutes outside Sderot. Ami Rabin, the head of security, showed us the state of the bomb shelters on the kibbutz.

This shelter is the one located in the area for the elderly. He told us when the "Tzevah Adom" sounds, they are supposed to run to this shelter in 15 seconds.

Besides the fact most old people can't run, this shelter is disgusting! You can't go in it.

Ami said there was a little water down there. Me being me, I wanted to see for my self. Oops! I stepped in a huge pool of water - it had to have been a few feet deep.

Of the 13 shelters on the kibbutz, only 6-7 are inhabitable. The rest need close to $20,000 worth of repairs.

Supposedly, the government had the money to fix up the 78 shelters needing repairs in the western Negev and Sderot. But no one down here saw the money - it supposedly went to build shelters in Arab villages in the north of Israel.

You hear so much about how the Israeli government does not support the Israeli-Arab community, but you never hear when the Israeli government, which supposedly is the savior of Jews all over the world, neglects Jews living in Israel!

Why was that money lost? Why doesn't the government do anything to support it's citizens?

For example, Ami's father fought in the western Negev against the Egyptians in the 1948 Independence War to defend Kibbutz Nir-Am. Here's a picture from the kibbutz of a captured Egyptian machine gun during the 1948 Independence War.

So Ami's father helped establish the State of Israel, and what does the state do for him? Nothing.

The Israeli government expects him, in his old age, to keep defending his country. How? By sitting in his house and praying that a rocket doesn't land on him? What chutzpa!

We really need to help protect the people living in Sderot and the western Negev. Well, if I had the money (I actually live in 90211), I'd drop a few bucks to keep the 180,000 residents living under the threat of constant rocket fire safe. Wouldn't you?

Trick or Treat, Watch out for the Rocket!

2007-12-05T23:38:00.000-08:00

The second night of Chanuka, the festival of lights! Or so I thought. Yesterday in Sderot, it felt like Halloween, but reverse.

Sderot youth went from house to house, singing, dancing and handing out jelly doughnuts. I, along with some other volunteers, joined in on the fun. Trick or treat - Sderot Style!

I met a very lovely family while passing out suphganiyot, as they are called in the Holy Land.

Three years removed from making Aliyah from Chicago, I connected right away with Chana Turk and her four children, ages 8, 7, 5 and 2 and three quarters (he claimed he wasn't just 2 years old). After five minutes, Chana insisted I come to her in Modin for Shabbat (free food - you know I'm there).

As we got out of the Turk minivan to continue trick or treating, that is give out more suphganiyot, the alert sounded, "Tzevah Adom", "Tzevah Adom".

I bolted to the nearest house, not knowing whether it even had a bomb shelter. I yelled to the Turk family to follow; I still remember the looks on their faces - just as confused and startled as I was.

There was not enough room in the shelter for everyone. So I helped get all of the kids and a young baby from another family inside. The father was holding his baby up in the air in his cradle.

One minute after the "Tzevah Adom" sounded, everyone exited the shelter. We sat down for a bit with the family we were taking shelter from, who hospitably gave us some snacks. As soon as we got out, Chana's children started asking questions.

"What's a rocket?" said her youngest daughter, "I want to go home, I'm scared."

Looking at the startled face of her oldest son, Chana reassured him, "You're a mitzvah boy today", and then told all of her kids, "Everything is fine, we'll leave in a bit."

During these terrible times when rockets randomly fall from the sky (crazy, right?), Sderot needs more people like Chana and her children to support her. Kol Hakavod to the Turks!

We said our goodbyes, and I left with Noam Bedein, the director of the Sderot Media Center (sderotmedia.co.il), to see the sight of where the Qassam fell.

The rocket landed in the apartment of an elderly couple five minutes from our previous location. Without a shelter in their apartment, they were lucky to be on the other side of their flat when the Qassam fell.

The building where the Qassam fell is fortunate to have a inhabitable communal shelter - there are 78 uninhabitable shelters across town, which need $15,000 each to repair - but unfortunately for the residents, it was locked!

What if you were standing right outside and wanted to rush down the shelter? Oh tough luck - duck, cover and pray to God.

Also, in case you found yourself standing near this bus stop-shelter pictured to the right, you would need to find somewhere else to take cover!

This shelter, among many others all over Sderot, are made only 20 centimeters thick, as opposed to the necessary 40 centimeters, because the dude who built them wanted to save some money.

I love the lack of corruption in this country (the Prime Minister has never been investigated,right?) - Am Yisrael Chai!

Well, that was my day trick or treating in Sderot- safe and sound.
Next time I go trick or treating in Beverly Hills, I'll make sure to watch out for the random rockets falling from the sky.

Valley Terrorists Begin Rocket Campaign on Beverly Hills

2007-12-05T00:25:00.000-08:00

The city of Los Angeles just unilaterally withdrew from the Valley. This oasis of jappiness, private schools and mini-malls finally gets the independence it's wanted for generations.

However, after Los Angeles left the valley, some citizens of this new autonomous entity decided it wasn't enough. They wanted more. Bel Air, Mulholland, Westwood, even my home town of Beverly Hills!

So what do these maniacs do?

They start digging up their water pipes (which the great city of Los Angeles gave them) and make rockets out of them to wreck havoc on the innocent citizens of the City.

What is the defense system the City has against these Valley terrorists? An alert system that sounds, "Color Red", giving people 15 seconds to find shelter.

The terrorists are also developing their rocket technology so their rockets will soon have the capability to reach Santa Monica and Venice, and as far east as Downtown and Pasadena. Before Kobe gets traded, the Staples Center will be hit.

Now apply this amazing fairytale I concocted (even though I wish the valley did become it's only little city) and apply it to Sderot and the whole western Negev region.

In August 2005, Israel pulled out of Gaza unilaterally. The disengagement, however, did not stop Palestinian terrorists from firing rockets on the innocent civilians of Sderot and the western Negev (first Qassam fired in 2001). The numbers have actually gotten worse.

In my made up story, people in the Valley start digging up the water pipes, which were given to them by the city of Los Angeles, to make rockets. Well, that's exactly what happens in Gaza! Yikes!

Qassam Rockets fired by Palestinian terrorists on the citizens of Sderot are made from water pipes given to them by the state of Israel.

And what do the Palestinian terrorists in Gaza use to launch these rockets? A mixture of potassium nitrate and sugar!

Also, Qassam rockets currently used by Palestinian terrorists have a reach of 4-8 miles and place more than 180,000 Israeli civilians at risk. And because they are developing their technology, rockets will soon hit Ashdod, and eventually Tel Aviv.

If Studio City terrorists started launching rockets similar to the Qassams fired by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza today - they'd definitely hit the 90210.

And just like the City in my story, Israel's only defense system against the barrage of Qassam rockets is the "Tzeva Adom" (Color Red) Alert System.

Just so you know, the alert system actually changed from "Shachar Adom" (Red Dawn) to "Tzeva Adom" because Israeli kids named Shachar were getting made fun of because of the alert system. Look at poor little Shachar, aaawwwww....

When Palestinian terrorists fire a Qassam in Sderot's direction, "Tzevah Adom" sounds throughout the city, giving people 15 seconds to take cover.

Imagine if I was sleeping in my bed at home in Beverly Hills and woke up to the sound of "Color Red", and had fifteen seconds to find cover. Would I run to the bomb shelter or pull the cover over my head and pray? Would't even be a question, my whole house would be protected!

In Sderot, I don't have time to reach the bomb shelter. Yesterday morning, two "Tzevah Adoms" sounded. I just pulled the covers over my head and hoped for the best.

So I've been in Sderot since Tuesday, volunteering for the Sderot Media Center (http://www.sderotmedia.co.il/- check em' out!). They are a student-run organization that seeks to convey the Qassam rocket reality in Sderot and Western Negev to the Israeli and international community through media documentation, investigative journalism and providing tours of Sderot for diplomats, government officials and foreign press. The media center is active in the community as well, through theatre and art projects, and building bomb shelters.

Check out my future postings to find out more about my experiences here in Sderot!