Parsha Noah
Two nice things I saw in the parsha.

First, Noah was an Ish Tzaddick tamim haya bedorotav. What does that mean? It means that the generation was spilling thier seed waistfully and that Noah was a master over his brit. He was reflecting an image of G-D properly and as all the other people of his generation were not, they became more like the animals and acted and interacted with them

Second, there is a midrash that says that the olive branch that the dove had was actually an olive tree from Israel. Bec Eretz Yisroel was a holy place the mabul did not take place there as it was a contradiction of the mabul. All the people there were wiped out but the land was unharmed. The passuk uses a word TARAF, which they use as pluck, but means destroy. So the Yona "uprooted and killed" an olive tree that was growing in Eretz Yisroel.

Have a wonderful Shabbos!

Erev Yom Kippur
There is an inyan to eat and be very festivus Erev Yom Kippur
So I went to my shwarma place and ate a wonderful laffa. I was then suprised with a huge gift basket for my bday. i was stunned. Such love, and this is my shwarma stand. I realized that this is the kesher that i will strive for bein adam lchavero this year. To humble oneself before all other man, and to love all without pride or prejudice.
I then went to Lufta, one of the springs that flow from the springs of Jerusalem, waters of kedusha and clarity. It was refreshing to levels I cannot even understand. Oren and I spoke about our friendship which has only grown, and prepared ourselves for this Holy of Holy Days.
When we returned we decided to have a seudah, so a bottle of wine and a pita of shwarma later I laid down the last sleep before my bday and Yom Hadin.
It was a good sleep.
And so i have returned with learning a bit of Torah with R Shalom Brodt, and I wanted to wish you all a gema chatima tova - a complete good seal for all this year Only simchas, and may as Hashem shower us with chesed and rachamim, may us too shower each other and strive to live in zelem Hashem.
Chag Sameach!

Well, i have just returned from an amazing trip. My friend Oren and I decided to ride down to the dead sea, 60 some km from Jerusalem. We left around 1pm and arrived a little under 3 hours later. It was an amazing feat, and we both feel greta about it. It was perfect minus the crazy yatushim-mosquitos, i hate those little buggers.
the sky was so clear you could see clusters, shooting stars, and more.

Have a wonderful shabbos, and if i should not post again in the next couple of days, may your new year be just of the sweetness of honey!

And so I am home.... Day 1 from returning. Things have changed here and with me, and yet many things are still the same.
I have spent the last 24 hours with my 22 year friend who last his dad to lung cancer. I had not seen him in the last four months and missed his presence and his voice of reason. As he once said, "Thats the Point."
SO in Gan Soccer, which is near my house, there is a huge benefit concert going on for the gushnicks who lost thier home.
I found this out bec i was throwing the firsbee around with Oren and there were hundred of israeli teenagers all around.
So at 10:30pm there is a band still playing and the city is crowded with younglings. Its like a rejevination of Jerusalem.

Last night I made it to the kotel and all these youngsters were there with thier schools doing slichot.

Coming back to Israel, I now know why I choose to live here. Its the place to be.

Thanks for chekcing up on me, and Mort, if you read this try giving me a call before Shabbos.

It is the second day of Av, and something a little unusual is occuring. It is raining , not heavily, but never the less raining anyways.
This is officially the first full summer i am here and it has been very hot and very intense, and all of sudden a couple of days before the 9th of Av fast, and i am starting to wonder whether it will be scorching hot, or tolerable.......

I am sorry for not posting as often as i would like, i have been not only busy but bibal so for the thousanth time, sorry

YOM YERUSHALAYIM

Today those of us living in Jerusalem get to celebrate Jtwon day.
What does this mean to me? To me I am celebrating bec i am able to be living in jerusalem, something many members of bnei yisroel did not always have to fortune to do. And so thats what i am doing; i am living, and breathing in the holiest city in this planet we call earth, in olem haza.

Chag Sameach!

COmments of Shmion Peres

Alright, so I got some comments how Shimon peres is a piece of crap etc...
Have you ever met him, do you know what his intentions are.

I am still anti disengagemt of my own kind, but lets talk about the man.
Zev, I am not sure what he took away when he saw me, but I would hope it was the same repsect that I have given him. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt that all he wants is peace , and I mean real peace, in israel before his life expires.
Is that so wrong?
Does he have investments in arab business, that will prospere if they receive a statehood, ?

I looked into his eyes and saw Shimon peres they man, and thats all.
You cannot NOT have repsect for him if you did the same.

Have a great week as we approach Shavous. Lets all accept and then listen

Thursday night i had the great honor to see the Avishai Cohen Trio at the Jerusalem Festival which combines arts of all sorts.
Many of my friends and I went together to this show.
I cannot even explain how great of a show only to say, that the three of them put on something as good as MMW or NMA, etc...
Bass, Piano and Drums, and they were all passionate about the instrument they played. Going back and forth from classical to experimental and all over the musical spectrum, playing ska, reggae and punk.
If any of you get a chance, grab either or all of his cds.