'Chutzpah Israeli:' from 23rd to 15th place in world economic index

This comes as an interesting counterpoint to the previous entry on "making it" in Israel...

Israeli is ranked 15th in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2006 Global Competitiveness Index, up from 23rd place in 2005. The US fell from first to sixth place. Israel outranks Canada, Austria, France, Australia, Belgium and Ireland, which follow it in descending order.

Read more.

And this:

The damage to Israel's economy from the war this summer appears to be less than initially feared. "The data we see right now confirms... the effects of the war were temporary and relatively mild," said Eldad Shidlovsky, acting head of economic research at the Finance Ministry.

Read more.

'Making it' in Israel - vs - overseas

Blogger 'Ask Shifra' post one of those entries that make you wonder why you even bother writing, because she's so "there" and has reams of talkbacks of genuine people that write from the heart.

Dealing with financial success, "making it," "getting by" here in Israel versus Jewish communities in the diaspora, this posting literally and figuratively get me where I live, as I cope/survive/scrape by for a "living," and, yes, toy with the option of going to the States for a period to make enough to hurl at bills and debts here.

Your replies are welcome, too.

Today I was emailing with another blogger who said something like "Wouldn't it be great if there was a blog where frum people could anonymously talk about their financial problems? I don't think I look that different than any other man in shul but I'm up to my eyeballs in debt while everyone else seems to be doing just fine!" (OK I added the bit about the eyeballs but the rest is kinda, almost accurate.)

Great stuff.

Via Israelity

Yom Kippur: The difference between perfection & purification

I try to deal with the following article (from Aish Hatorah), appreciate it, "live it" - but still... find it difficult to absorb. Not to mention trying to be "spiritual" and introspective as the fast-induced nausea, vertigo, shakes and cold sweats take over as the day wears on...

Anyone out there have any ideas to deal with this? Thoughtful replies are most welcome.

This Yom Kippur, leave the guilt at home.

The venerable 19th century sage, Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, once asked an obvious question and offered a penetrating response. "Why did God choose to position Yom Kippur after Rosh Hashana? Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement; Rosh Hashana celebrates God's dominion over the Universe and the unique role that we, His Chosen People, play in that cosmos. Wouldn't it be far more logical to enter that glorified state after we have undergone the spiritual refinement of Yom Kippur? It is actually very much the contrary, explained the wise rabbi. We don't need to be totally purified to attain the exalted status of membership in the Heavenly Corps. We achieve that holy status just by being who we are -- yes, with all of our blemishes and imperfections and weaknesses. It's called being human.

Read more.

As for the physical needs, at least someone understands me...

(Cross-posted at Israelity)

Protocols of Zion: The Movie

This 92-minute documentary is Marc Levin's firsthand exploration of resurgent anti- Semitism in the wake of 9/11. Starting with the examination of a long-discredited piece of 100-year-old propaganda, Levin's film was inspired by an encounter he had in a New York taxi, in which his driver, an Egyptian immigrant, made the disturbing claim that Jews had been warned not to go to work at the World Trade Center on the day of the attacks. The driver added that "it's all written in the book," referring to The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a notorious forgery created 100 years ago, purporting to be the Jews' master plan to rule the world.

Armed with his camera, Levin engages in a free-for-all dialogue with Arab Americans, Black nationalists, Christian evangelists, White supremacists, Kabbalist rabbis, Holocaust survivors, and even the founder of the astonishingly popular "Jew Watch" web site. Levin's genuinely curious, sometimes- humorous, often-confrontational conversations combine to form a probing and provocative portrait of our so-called modern civilization caught in the grips of a most ancient hatred.

Learn more here.

Victor Hanson examines the updated version:

The renewed hatred of Jews in the Middle East - and the indifference to it in the West - is a sort of "post-anti-Semitism." Islamic zealots supply the old venomous hatred, while affluent and timid Westerners provide the necessary indifference. The danger of this post-anti-Semitism is that, ever so insidiously, radical Islam's hatred of Jews is becoming normalized. The result is that the world's politicians and media are talking seriously with those who not merely want the West Bank, but rather want an end to Israel altogether and everyone inside it.

Read more.

As the sun sets in the west...

Riding into the Shabbat sunset...
(Photo: Dave Bender)

This is a nice item before Shabbat, as well.

Shabbat Shalom.

Police: criminals behind Rishon car bombing (UPDATED)

One person was killed, and at least three pedestrians sustained light to moderate wounds when a car exploded at 98 Herzl Street, corner Carmel.

One person bearing an Israeli ID card was killed inside the vehicle, according to Mayor Meir Nitzan, speaking with Channel 1 TV. Police and security forces say the individual, who was positively identified, had a criminal background.

Nitzan alluded to a high speed car chase earlier in the day during the interview, but did not provide details, citing police intelligence concerns.

More at Ynet News.

There are currently 17 alerts for terror attacks throughout the country; police forces are beefed up along "seam line" areas in the West Bank and Jerusalem, and in the capital's Old City as Muslims conclude the first day of Ramadan month prayers on the Temple Mount.

Security forces succeeded in foiling no less than ten terror attacks in the last two weeks, including discovering a ten kilogram bomb belt in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus several days ago. There are also reports of plans to kidnap Israelis, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Due to the terror alerts, security forces this morning imposed a curfew on the West Bank and Gaza that will continue until after Yom Kippur, Monday night.

JerusalemOnline news update: 00:00, Sept. 28th (Video - Channel 2 TV)

• Outgoing IDF chief rabbi regrets Gaza pullout
  
• Katsav swears in Supreme Court deputy chief justice
• Secular Israelis learn about Yom Kippur

Click on image for latest Israel
Channel 2 News update

Last chance for repentance - and getting that ringtone... (Video)

Stephen Colbert, of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," is at it again, demanding Jews that have wronged him throughout the year call his special on-air hotline so he can forgive them. Or so they think, hehehe...

Anyone know where to get that ringtone?


And the comments to it are cute. Stupid, but cute:

savesa (1 day ago)

is that a real holiday, i have been waiting years for my "jew*ish*" inlaws to call and to apoligize. hang on let me get my list to check off the apoligies as they roll on it.. lol

(reply to this)

midsun (21 hours ago)

If you call that number, you get a message from Stephen.

(reply to this)

pjpajamamuch (6 hours ago)

hahahhaha. kaph daled yud. the hebrew letters made it all awesome.

(reply to this)

themastersb (3 hours ago)

I called the number and it was invalid.

The previous (hilarious) version of this skit is here.

(Cross-posted on Israelity)