So many good boys… This week we attended the funeral of Sgt. First Class (res.) Benyamin Asulin. He was 28 years old. His family lives one road above mine. Everyone’s heart broke seeing Ben’s mother walking behind his coffin, moaning: “Ben, Ben. My son.” She described telling him: “You served so many days in this … More So many good boys…
Yasser Arafat, one of the most effective PR content creators of all time, said this to Israeli reporter Zvi Yechezkeli when asked why he rejected Ehud Barak’s Camp David proposal and reignited the Intifada. Yechezkeli was shocked to discover that to Arafat, being offered nearly everything he demanded was not seen as a magnanimous gesture … More “It’s not about the numbers. It’s about justice.”
I have friends, people I deeply admire, whose sons are hostages in Gaza – and will be left behind by this terrorist release deal with no assurance that they will ever be released. I have friends who are worried that the terrorists who tried to murder them will be released. And they might even be … More My thoughts on the terrorist release deal
On October 13th, I had a very interesting day. Too interesting. By the end of the day, I felt like I had been steam-rolled and it took me 24 hours to bring myself back to normal. Of course, our normal here in Israel, particularly in the north, isn’t normal at all. Our day began with … More Stress poisoning and bombs in northern Israel
He stood by the door, slightly bent over as if recovering from a punch to the gut and yet he had a smile on his face, warm words, and a hug for friends and family. I’ve been to many Shiva houses. This is the first time I’ve seen a grief-stricken father greet those who came … More He commands us to smile
No father should have to bury his son. Osheri Moshe Butzchak was just 22 years old. His name means “My joy.” The eldest son, first grandson, the light of his father’s eyes, worshipped by his younger siblings. My camera could not take in a wide enough angle to show all the people who came to … More “Osheri, light of my eyes”
The battlefield of Gaza is unequal. The IDF is stronger, better equipped, and well-trained. And yet Hamas has the advantage. They have knowledge of the terrain that we do not. They know where the openings to their terror tunnels are, where there are weapons caches, and what is booby-trapped. And from what we are hearing, … More Hamas has the advantage
On Thursday, we went to pay our respects to the family of Cpl. Asif Luger, a 21-year-old soldier who was killed in action in Gaza. We didn’t know the family, but we went as Am Yisrael, a family that hadn’t met yet. We are the Nation of Israel. We too have sons in the army. … More Different parents, same desire
Before being fully awake, I found myself with tears streaming down my face. It’s an Israeli habit to check the news first thing in the morning, especially during a war. The news? Nine soldiers dead. Later in the day, the number would increase to thirteen. Helpless, I sat frozen. It is impossible to truly comprehend … More We are not the Jews of the Galut
Ours is the most moral army in the world. The people of Israel like that. We want to be moral and good. We don’t like the idea of fighting or killing. The IDF is the Israel Defense Force (not the Israel Attack Force) for good reason. We have no desire to attack anyone. The mission … More The most moral army in the world needs to fulfill the promise of Never Again
Inspiration from Zion: This is a Love Story 