Neo-Zionist Uberblog?!

I have received many requests to comment on a blog of the above designation. (Check it out, its good stuff). I’ve gone a long time without comment, but now I've decided to address it...obviously.

I remember, years ago when I was a teenager that I first thought of the term Neo-Zionism. I thought it sounded cool and tough. Many have created the term independently. I'm sure that every fiery eyed idealist who wants to reinvent Zionism has thought they made it up too.

In any case, it has come to have a definition of its own, more as an alternative to post-Zionism.

However, this term when combined with the German word Uber will elicit comparisons to the term "neo-Nazi"--that are generally latent for many regardless. (No it can’t be equated to the term neo-con, because neo-conservatism is not a nationalist movement--like it or not).

Why do it?! Why "neo" and "uber"?

I am personally disgusted by the notion of Jews speaking German or living in Germany, like many. I also do my best to avoid buying German products of any kind, like many. These both have a little something to do with the fact that Germans annihilated 6 million of my people rather recently. I’m sure many of the people at Kumah maintain similar practices and beliefs...so why make "Neo-Zionist Uberblog" the title and name of a web site dedicated to Aliyah and positive-feel good-21st century Zionism?! It is illogical and stupid, in all honesty, and should be changed with a public acknowledgment of the error made.

The only thing they could add--for a real coup De grace--would be a hearty ‘Heil Herzl!’ to the title. As in:


Kumah - Neo-Zionist Uberblog - Heil Herzl!


Wait, better yet:


Kumah - Neo-Zionist Uberblog - Uberblog Macht Frei!!


But why stop there?!


Kumah - Neo-Zionist Uberblog - Ein Kumah Ein Uberblog!!!


This Yom Kippur we will be saying a prayer for the souls of our martyred brethren and ancestors, in particular those who were slaughtered by the Germans in the Holocaust!

An excerpt (from Artscrol):

"...for the souls of the holy pure ones who were killed, murdered, slaughtered, burned, drowned and strangled for the sanctification of the Name, through the hands of the German oppressors, may their name and memory be obliterated..."

This blogs title in no way serves to obliterate that memory. It is an absurd and bizarre mockery.

I’m sure the people at Kumah thought this decision over and debated the issue and probably think about it in the way the word "Umber-model" might be used in fashion magazines and not in the Nazi’s (not Nietzsche's) "Uber-Mensch" way...and that is precisely the problem.

The point I am making here is undeniable. And to be perfectly clear, I am not opposed to feel-good Zionism or Kumah, I am pro Kumah and I think it provides a crucial and important function and this is why I have decided to make this point...


KUMAH, CHANGE THE NAME OF YOUR BLOG!!!!

The Feast of Tabernacles Gathering (or, Rape is Christian)

A Jew believing in Christianity is as ridiculous as an almighty virtuous deity forcing himself upon (raping) an innocent and unsuspecting young woman just before her husband and her are able to consummate their marriage and then that child being born with blue eyes and blond hair and choosing carpentry as his vocation of choice. And then millennia later, coincidentally, having virtuous priests of a religion dedicated to said blue-eyed carpenter forcing themselves upon (molesting) innocent and unsuspecting children in much the same fashion as their hallowed god forced himself upon said carpenters innocent mother.

I suppose that like Jews emulation of their god is something to be taken seriously.

I don't like the event,  but to be honest I feel that any Jews who want to go...who needs em.

Because if you believe in Christianity you’re probably just a pervert who'll believe almost anything mildly associated with pederasty.



 

Advice for the New Year

 a few things that have been passed on to me:

1.  Always know what time it is.
2. Always know what things cost.
3. Always know how things work.
4. Thoughts become reality.
5. You are the predicament you find yourself to be in.
6. Gauge yourself by the result you get.

Cant lead you wrong.

Yom Kippur reading and activities

Recommended reading for the Day of Atonement:

1. Days of Awe, Edited by S.Y. Agnon. Its a essentially an anthology of religious writings and commentary relating to the high holy days. Its very good. inspirational, interesting, informative. Strongly recommended for orthodox and non-Orthodox alike.

2. www.tanach.org. Print up anything they have about the high holy days. I also recommend the shiur on parshat Hazinu. This is great Torah, written by someone who is orthodox and really uses his moyach. Strongly recommended for the orthodox reader and for the highly intelligent non-orthodox reader who maintains an interest in orthodox theology.

Recommended activities for Yom Kippur eve:

1. Do kapparot in Geulah (Mea Shearim) in Jerusalem, find yourself a good shochet who holds the blade in his teeth like a merciless pirate!

2. Ritual immersion at the beach (most cities have separate beaches for that very personal nude dunking)  and/or in a natural spring mikve like liftah in Jerusalem or the Arizal's mikve in Tzfat.

3. Give Charity to the poor of your city (which takes precedence over any other charity according to the Talmud).

4. Buy an Artscrol inter-linear Machzor (they are excellent. especially for the long amidah viduy prayers).

5. drink lots today so you don't dehydrate tomorrow. I have been there and it sucks.


I hope its a good one for us all. 

Gmar Hatima Tova

Frank

Young people and Jewish Activism

Jewish Activism is good in that it provides a (productive?) forum for young Jews to express their independence and Nationalism. A lot of it though is masturbatory and totally meaningless.

By activism I mean any form of demonstration or protest or which carries with it the potential for (physical or legal) damage to ones person, property, or reputaion. 

I find highly dubious the motives of any leader or organization manager who demands sacrifice from their followers/pupils. I find them too often to be little  more  than extremist job seekers.
 
Many extremists are  not legitimate believers in their cause and almost anyone involved in youth/student organization is a  false believer and the worst form of exploitative opportunistic job seeker, because they will often put naive young people in harms way (for their own advancement), either physically or legally, the repercussions of which that young activist may not be able to fully appreciate for many years.

Unfortunately,  so many of  the young people who led the anti disengagement efforts were not true believers in their own cause.
their activism was an effort towards expressing both the independent and rebellious tendencies of adolescence and youth. this is why the fervor of the generation of the disengagement will dissipate over time...and disappear...leaving so many wondering what ever happened to all those
ideological young people who sat in the roads, burned tires, and were beaten by police back in the early 2000's.


Real activism takes adults. this is what set Moshe Feiglin apart from anyone else as an activist during the Oslo years, he was a grown man who became his own activist movement, and attracted other adults to do the same by showing them very simply how easy and rewarding it could be for them personally (my interpretation).

Young Jews need to learn to become assets to their community in their professional and personnel lives, not how to get arrested. That's for the adults to do.

Jewish activism is a weapon.  

Weapons are not for children or the naive of this world to throw about carelessly. 

That's for the men to do.


 

Pollard and Israelis

 
Pollard...Pollard, Pollard, Pollard Pollard Pollard.... 

The only way the Israeli government will request Pollard be released (as if that would make a difference) would be if significant amount of the Israeli public would be willing to base their Knesset vote on the topic. If Israeli would only elect a one issue Pollard party (to at least a 61 seat majority) then there might be a chance that party wouldn't turn its back on the voters and do something.

However, Israelis will only believe that pollard is an important enough issue to even consider pursuing if the politicians convince them it is, in the same Orwellian fashion that they have convinced most Israelis that Oslo was awesome and that Abu Mazen is Mahatma Gandhi.

SO it will never happen, Israeli's will never care about Pollards release. Certainly not enough to make it happen. And politicians will never really do anything about it.

This is all old hat though.

Consider this:

Convincing Israelis that they should care about Pollard is like trying to convince them to care about littering, or saving the environment, or driving too fast, or not peeing in public, or shwarma vendors about hygiene...etc, etc, etc.....all important issues, but none of which really take primacy over the fact that a solid third of this country 's workers earn under 3500 NIS a month and are too busy earning their daily bread to care about an Israeli agent stuck in the US as a result of what are often portrayed as his dubious intentions.

I would be surprised if a sample of 1 in 100 across this country knew who Pollard actually  was...most of the people who know and really care are youth, Olim, and extremists, which to be hosent dont 
count politically for very much. Youth grow up, olim get tired, and extremists are marginal and discredited. If you really care about pollard your probably one of these 3 unfortunately.

He's our man, so we should get him out.

Film: Shooter...

Saw this movie recently, it was good action.

it is a great sniper film.

All throughout I thought of all the Israeli soldiers I have met who have claimed to be snipers...which is laughable...

Israel does not employ snipers in the traditional western military sense of the word. Instead an Israeli sniper is actually a sharpshooter dispersed within infantry sub-units at the squad and platoon levels...so the range of an Israeli "snipers" usefulness in regard to the military advantage it lends our forces is not profound. I dont know if sniping has been seriously employed to any degree since the first Lebanon war as an organized discipline...in terms of hunting, stalking, and killing human targets.

Another thing is that Israeli snipers do not use bolt action rifles, so their range and deadliness are impeded, rather they generally use modified Galil semi-automatic rifles. It has been said that the advantage is that it allows more rapid fire than a bolt action rifle...but that is precisely where the point is missed.

Real Israeli snipers could have turned half of Hezbollah into pink mist during the last war...not to mention inspire fear in the enemy.  its a deeply  psychological weapon capable of tremendous accomplishments.

Im no expert. but im right.

Insights from a tremp

I got a tremp a few days ago from side of my city to another, which was great because i was standing in the sun waiting for the bus for an hour. it was one of
moments you'll read about once a year in a cheap Jerusalem post article in tribute to independence day--like "60 reasons why I love Israel and its so great...blah blah".

the driver was a woman in her 50's who said something like:

"Ohh I ALWAYSSS pick up religious people (datiim)...i just looked at you and it was like i received a message from Gd or something that i should pick you up because you are a dati. (I think i mustve  felt something  like a black person must feel when being patronized by a pretentious white person...she went on for a minute or two:) "oh, i mean, I'm not religious, but i was raised in a religious home...its not for me but I think they are good people so I will try to pick up a dati when I see one waiting or something...how do you like living in Israel?" (Its good I say, its not always easy, but that seems to be our lot as Jew's). she went on "well, i would leave this country right now if I could...i would get the hell out of here and let everyone else go to Azazel...I lived in new Zealand for 12 years and it was great...i don't know how I got back here sometimes...blah blah blah...religious people like you are good...you work and are productive...not like hareidim...blah blah...i mean i dont always agree with people who ware a kippah like yours but...i mean what do you think of all the arab workers in our city?...i think they are terrible and thats why they need a state of their own...you know them there us here and thats it...i dont discriminate against anyone...even people who are very religious...I think everyone should live together but each mind their own business and save their opinions for themselves...who do you support in politics...probably bibi, right? (I dont answer the question) ...oh thats a little extreme for me...but i also thought sharon was extreme once and...at least he was strong and knew how to lead...you know............ok have a Shana Tova..."

She went on and on barely pausing to look and see that I was totally disinterested...spewing her provincial Israeli yokelist nonsense. I just kept thinking, "you are such a retard, stop talking". She probably thought that she and I had something in common due to the fact that I am from abroad and she lived abroad for some years...yet again another Israeli yokelism.

Please note...this wasnt a crazy person. in fact this was just your regular average Israeli. most of them will ramble on like this forever given the chance if you get two of them together in the same room. anyone who doesnt resemble this person by dialogue is fringe.

Now, Im not smart enough to extrapolate all of the deep psychological and existential problems this attitude of hers elicits...and the stuff i can point out is too obvious to merit elucidation.  the political consequences of even 3 million people like this voting and having children inspires me with pure terror. i think this is the "middle Israeli" amotz asael is always writing about in the Jerusalem post--such a stupid column.

If you disagree--i hate to burst ur bubble, but--you are out of touch with this country entirely.

This isnt news to me...but im taking a guess that it probably is for you.

End Phase 2

This post signals the end of Franks Second Age of Development on this blog.

The 3rd Age now begins. It will be different and unique while remaining the same.