Israeli Army Recruiting Overseas, Interested?

From the IDF website:

IDF Volunteer Programs MAHAL GARIN TZABAR MARVA SAR-EL Volunteer Program		General Information Lone Soldiers (Chayalim Bodedim) Academic & Immigrant Reserve (Atuda) Town Majors

And if you're wondering about those allegations of misconduct against IDF troops in the Gaza assault against Hamas, or elsewhere, watch them them describe their experiences: http://www.soldiersspeakout.com/

Jes' sayin', that's all.

A Video Postcard from Hell: The Gaza War Up Close and Personal

Ariel Siegelman, whose family lives in Atlanta, was an infantryman with the Israel Defense Forces and fought in Gaza against Hamas last winter.

In a film prepared for Aish, he movingly and succinctly describes his experiences and personal revelations during the hellish house-to-house fighting.

I have met Ariel, and interviewed him for a story for my website. I trust his account.

The Aish video embed code is broken, so go watch it there.

Speaking with him during a recent visit with his family, he talks about his experiences as a professional seaborne Israeli security guard on international shipping lanes:

At first glance, 30-year-old former Atlanta resident Ariel Siegelman doesn't strike you as someone who's used to facing off against pirates and gunmen. But then, the soft-spoken, observant Jew starts describing hair-raising experiences as a professional Israeli security chief guarding passenger vessels and freighters plying the treacherous waters of the Gulf of Aden.

"One day, his ship was in the sea lanes alongside the Maersk Alabama, and the pirates' motorboat first headed for him..

"With some coaxing, the nominally taciturn Siegelman allows us into a secretive world on a little-seen front line, and how the violent contours of such daily skirmishes affect him, and his family.

"We talk about his recent visit to the United States, primarily to train urban SWAT teams, and his heartfelt recommendations for the Jewish community, in the wake of recent terror threats.

Go take a listen. I'm editing more tape and will upload there soon, so stop back.

I LOL@ Knoxville Nazis

Nazi/KKK'ers tried to host a hate rally in Knoxville, Tennessee over the weekend.

Clowns - yes - clowns in tutus, wigs, red shoes and noses ripped them a collective new one.

Epically:http://tinyurl.com/26q7x5

“White Power!” the Nazi’s shouted, “White Flour?” the clowns yelled back running in circles throwing flour in the air and raising separate letters which spelled “White Flour."

(H-T: Harry R.)

Hey - do both of us a favor and check out my website: www.davebrianbender.com. Thanks.D

'Breaking The Silence;' So Shut Up Already, Will'ya?

Past JPost colleague, news editor Amir Mizroch takes the "Breaking The Silence" NGO to the woodshed over allegations of IDF abuse of Palestinians during the Cast Lead op in Gaza in January.

Personally? My money's on Amir's take - but what do I know? I just worked with the guy, and know his reputation for integrity as a solid newsman...

My other straight news and multimedia production site is here: www.davebrianbender.com

Acupuncture & Tefillin - Parallel Paths, Same Goal

Now it can be told, in the Chinese Journal of Medicine:

"The article conclusively establishes that the contact and pressure points covered by the hand and head Tefillin are exactly those points at which the Acupuncture needles are inserted in order 'to increase spirituality and to purify thoughts.'" (.pdf doc - worth reading, virus-checked)

(H-T: frumhacks)

Take a moment and check out my new website: www.davebrianbender.com
Thanks!

Hizbullah-bility: 600 Rockets for 60 Days on Tel Aviv

IDF Artillery Corps corporal in brief morning prayers, near his unit along the Lebanese border during the Second Lebanon War. (Photo: Dave Bender, All Rights Reserved)

...not that it hasn't been noticed elsewhere, but still:

After reporting extensively from bunkers, bomb shelters and hospitals across Israel's northern border with Lebanon throughout much of the 2006 war against Hizbullah, this report quoting Israel's Ma'ariv newspaper (if accurate - and likely is) is depressing beyond words...

"Calm on the Lebanese and Palestinian borders does not necessarily involve good news for Israel, a report published by the Israeli daily Maariv said on Friday.

"The report addresses the growing capacity of Hezbollah in Lebanon, three years after the 2006 war.

"The journal emphasized that Hezbollah is tremendously magnifying its military capacities and compiling new combative techniques in addition to a remarkable increase in the number of its fighters and trainers. The Maariv report pointed that Hezbollah is seeking to reach a level of capability that would enable it to launch a thousand rockets on “Israel” during a 60-day period of time.

"Citing Israeli intelligence assessments, the Israeli daily also estimated that the party was close to reaching this level of capacity as it can today send between 500 and 600 rockets a day to Tel Aviv and surrounding areas."

I'm searching for the original Hebrew version link (dovrei Ivrit mi'beyinchem, ta'azroo...)

War archives:

• Flickerstream
• Blog Linkdump
• Audio
• Video

Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs backgrounders on the "Second Lebanon War" are here.

(H-T: Weasel Zippers)

Steve Vai, Israel Studio Guitar Legend Trade Shred, Decimate Tel Aviv

From Israel21c:

"With the media touting doomsday scenarios at every opportunity about a fracture between the Israeli government and US administration regarding the peace process, it’s nice to know Israelis and Americans can still make beautiful music together.

"Legendary American hard rock guitar virtuoso Steve Vai was in town this week, presenting his Alien Guitar Secrets masterclass to a Tel Aviv auditorium full of 1,500 adoring fans. While not my cup of musical tea, Vai, who in addition to an illustrious 20-year solo career, has played with everyone from Frank Zappa to David Lee Roth, was simply dazzling - both his guitar playing and his personality."

Go here for more.

Sympathetic BBC article about life in Sderot

"They say time heals, but each day is more difficult than the last," says Ayelet Modoh, 37.

Six months after the Israeli military operation in Gaza, her sister Irit Shitrit's death in a Palestinian rocket strike is still sinking in.

Leafing through a photo album, she describes how the missile exploded as the two sisters headed home from the gym in the port town of Ashdod.

The youngest children can barely speak of the loss of their mother (left)

The siren sounded, they got out of the car, discussed where to lie on the ground because they could not find a shelter, started sending text messages to their children. Then came a faint whistle, followed by a massive blast and a deadly wave of shrapnel.

Ms Shitrit, 39, was one of three Israeli civilians killed in similar attacks during the 22-day January operation in Gaza.

Read the rest.

Michael Jackson: Again With The Jews

You just know that nothing good can come of any of this...

From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency:

Reports are conflicting over whether the Jewish mother of two of the late Michael Jackson's children will seek custody.

Jackson, the "King of Pop" who died Friday of unspecified causes, and Debbie Rowe are the parents of Prince Michael I, 12, and Paris Michael Katherine, 11. By virtue of having a Jewish mother, they are considered Jewish.

According to London's Sunday Times, sources close to Rowe said she will not fight Katherine Jackson, the pop star's mother, for custody of the children, and that she would be satisfied with more access to them.

But Iris Finsilver, Rowe’s attorney, told the Associated Press that she was certain that Rowe would seek custody of the two children. Finsilver had previously confirmed that Rowe was Jewish.

More, unfortunately, here.

Free Gilad Shalit

Abducted Three Years Ago Today: