Authentic Leadership


Moshe Feiglin
Authentic Jewish Leadership for Israel
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Authentic Jewish Leadership for Israel


The Jewish Leadership Weekly Newsletter
27 Tishrei, 5770 (Oct. 15) Issue 7003
Print this update and distribute in your community.
Click here to download a 1 PAGE SHORTENED printer friendly version


First Time Ever! Manhigut Yehudit Mission to Israel!
22-28 Cheshvan/Nov. 9-15
Registration Closes this Week!
 Click here for details
 


Manhigut Yehudit's Annual Israel Dinner to be held on 3 Shvat/Jan. 18
Sheraton City Towers in Ramat Gan
Details to follow
Save the Date!
 
In this Issue:
  • G-d's Country
  • Open Letter to Defense Minster Barak: Do Not Negotiate My Release
  • Do Not Negotiate My Release Letter for Israeli Citizens and Soldiers to Sign
  • Temple Mount Troubles
  • Sukkot in Jerusalem with Manhigut Yehudit
  • Three Exciting Manhigut Yehudit Sukkot Events in US
  • Register for Likud Online
  • Manhigut Yehudit Mission to Israel
  • Join the Team!

G-d's Country


Approximately one thousand years after the destruction of the second temple and Israel's exile from its homeland, deep in the depths of the harsh exile and one thousand years before the beginning of the return to Zion - the great Torah commentator Rashi opens his monumental commentary on the Torah with the question of the ownership of the Land of Israel. What with all the hardships and troubles facing European Jewry at the time, with the Land of Israel but a vague and distant memory, the most pressing problem demanding Rashi's attention is what we will answer the non-Jewish world when it will claim that we are robbers in our own land, usurping its ownership from the local Canaanites.

The Torah should have begun with the first commandment G-d gave to Moses, Rashi quotes his father. Why, then, does the Torah open with the story of creation? His answer may not have seemed relevant then, but it is certainly pertinent today and reads like a current events account. Rashi explains that the Torah opens with the story of creation to establish the fact that G-d created the world. "If the nations of the world say to Israel, 'You are robbers - you have conquered the lands of other nations,' Israel can answer as follows: The entire world belongs to the Holy One, Blessed Be He. He created it and gave it to whom He pleased."

The Givot Olam  "outpost" near Itamar

During the Sunday Manhigut Yehudit Sukkot event in Jerusalem, Rabbi Yitzchak Brand gave me a paper with some of his Torah thoughts. "With all due respect to Rashi," Rabbi Brand, head of a large faction of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Manhigut Yehudit begins his presentation, "wouldn't it have been better if we had received the Land of Israel empty of previous residents? Why did the Creator of the world choose to bring us to a land that was already occupied? Why didn't He give us the Land of Israel first - just like he gave France to the French and England to the English? Why do we first have to conquer and then look for excuses?"

Rabbi Brand answers that if we would not have been forced to conquer the Land of Israel, nobody could have accused us of robbery. But then we would not have been able to answer with the irrefutable facts that Rashi points out in his commentary on this week's Torah portion, Genesis. And, after all, the reason for our presence in the Land of Israel is specifically so that we may give this answer. In other words, when the Nation of Israel - the nation that is a living testimony to the existence of the Creator of the world - drives out it enemies and settles the Land of Israel, it essentially declares that there is a higher authority in this world. He created the world and He determines the path that it will take. The only reason that we merit to live in Israel is so that we may proclaim that G-d is King of the World. This is the only way that we can justify our presence here in the eyes of the world.

When I read what Rabbi Brand had written, I remembered a short article that Manhigut member Meyer Goldmintz had sent me. The State of Israel expelled Meyer from his home in Yad Yair, destroyed it and turned the place into an Arab garbage dump. Today, Meyer lives with his family in the settlement of Haresha. In his article he asks a simple question:

How is it that we, the settlers, who have taken the utmost care not to settle lands privately owned by Arabs, who searched for strictly state-owned lands to settle and were sure to distance ourselves from even the slightest hint of robbery of Arab-owned land - are nevertheless constantly accused of robbing Arab lands, while the kibbutzim of the leftist Shomer Hatzair, almost all of which were built on lands that had belonged to Arab villages that were conquered and destroyed in 1948 - are considered bastions of "peace"?
Meyer answers that it is specifically the fact that the settlers are careful not to build on Arab land that has brought about their dismal reputation. Very simply, they (we) have betrayed our mission and cannot give the answer that Rashi gives at the beginning of the Torah.

The leftist kibbutz member, who had ostensibly disassociated himself from the Torah, did not deny the fact that he was a Jew. As a Jew, he drove out the non-Jew living in his land and settled in his place. By doing so, even though he likely did not intend to - our leftist fulfilled the essence of the reason for the return of the Jews to their Land. He showed the world that there is a Creator and that He decides when non-Jews will live in His land and when His children will live in their place. Thus, the borders of Israel in the places from which the Arabs were forcibly expelled are not questioned today. But we, the settlers, who strive to fulfill G-d's commandments - have not yet fulfilled the basic reason for settlement of the Land. On the contrary, we have avoided it. We were careful not to drive the Arabs out - the complete opposite of the sanctification of G-d's Name accomplished by the leftist kibbutzim.

True, it is the State of Israel that decides when and whom to expel - not private people. But we never protested and enthusiastically adopted this approach. Today, we are suffering the consequences of our actions.

Shabbat Shalom,

Moshe Feiglin

 

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Open Letter to Defense Minister Barak: Do Not Negotiate My Release


This week, I wrote an open letter to Defense Minister Barak, instructing him not to negotiate my release if I am G-d forbid abducted by terrorists. The letter has been making waves in Israel, and was quoted in Israel's major media outlets:

An open letter to Defense Minister Barak: Do not negotiate my release

To the Defense Minister of the State of Israel
Mr. Ehud Barak

Re: Instructions not to conduct negotiations for my release if I am taken captive

As an Israeli citizen, as a soldier and a reserve officer, I hereby instruct you that if, God forbid, I am ever kidnapped or taken captive by Arab terror organizations, no negotiations should be conducted to secure my release. This order is the product of a sound mind. The reasons for this instruction are as follows:

A. Twenty-five years ago, Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard took shelter from his pursuers inside the Israeli Embassy in Washington. In accordance with an order issued by the Shamir government, then-Israeli Ambassador Elyakim Rubinstein handed him directly over to US federal authorities. Since then and to this day, Jonathan has been imprisoned under disgraceful conditions. He has never had even a short vacation outside the prison walls. His health is dangerously deteriorating. Israel - for whom and in whose name Jonathan sacrificed his life, did and continues to do everything possible to ensure that Jonathan will remain in prison and die there. Despite the biting betrayal that he experienced, every time that the media raises the possibility that Jonathan will be exchanged for one arch-murderer or another, Pollard hurriedly announces his opposition to this type of swap. It is incumbent on every Israeli citizen to understand - as a free person -what our betrayed hero understands from his jail cell. We must not buy liberty for an individual in exchange for endangering the lives of the public and encouraging additional abductions.
 
B. After a number of visits to his prison cell I understood that in the 25 years of continued betrayal of Jonathan, Israel's government has lost the moral foundation in the name of which it sends its sons to endanger themselves and in the power of which it can also bring them home. In fact, since the betrayal of Jonathan and until this very day, Israel has not brought one captive soldier home alive.

C. The Israeli government has refrained from carrying out the simple and most obvious actions for Gilad Shalit's release. Hamas, which at first avoided admitting that it was the kidnapper, quickly understood that Israel's leaders would not endanger themselves with international arrest warrants and is no longer afraid to claim full responsibility for this act. Its thousands of detainees in Israel are getting the royal treatment and enjoy conditions no Israeli detainee can even dream of.

As a first step, Israel should have compared the arrest conditions of Hamas prisoners to those of Shalit. No visits, no information, no sunlight. All Hamas leaders should have become the targets of kidnappings and assassinations. The entire supply of money, weapons, cement, fuel and electricity from Israel to Gaza should have stopped. These basic actions, and many others which could have led to Shalit's swift release, are not being carried out because the Israeli leadership fears its own fate. The only way that Israel's leaders can please both Israeli mothers and the world is to surrender and dispatch thousands of murderers to our doorsteps.

D. Clearly, the loss of vision and leadership that engenders these wholesale releases greatly encourages our enemies. The wave of terror and kidnappings that broke out following the release of thousands of terrorists does not fit what we had known in the past by any standard. "I couldn't look the mothers in the eye," said Defense Minister Yitzchak Rabin and signed the prisoner swap with the Jibril terror organization. This exchange led directly to the first intifada. This led to a mass release of terrorists in the Oslo Accord and to the suicide bomber rage that followed on its heels. The State of Israel has sunk itself inside fences and guards, but this is nothing more than a pain killer for spreading cancer.

No fence can stop rockets. The weakness of the Israeli leadership in the face of terror organizations has been well internalized by a distant and much more dangerous circle of enemy states. Why should Iran's leader be afraid if the Hamas leaders feel safe?

E. "I see Israel as a state of all its citizens," explained the most influential Israeli of this generation, former Chief Justice Aharon Barak. Israel, fleeing from its Jewish identity, has pulled the carpet out from under the moral foundation of its very existence and right to send soldiers into battle. If not for a Jewish state, then what are we doing here? Why should we send our sons to the army and not to Australia?

The inevitable result of loss of Jewish vision is loss of our ability to conduct any sort of political program. When there is no strategic goal, there cannot be tactical policies. As a result, Israel will continue to conduct itself according to the caprices of constantly-surfacing international and local pressure and media campaigns.

F. In this situation, the responsible Israeli citizen is faced with one of two choices: One - to come to terms with the process briefly described here and to wait for the coup de grace that will terminate the historic episode called 'The State of Israel'. The other option is that, like in past wars, the simple soldiers will know how to save the state from the failures of its leaders. As such, we, the civilians and the simple soldiers order that no negotiations be held for us.

G. I am pleased to report that both combat officers and soldiers have announced that they will unhesitatingly add their names to this petition. I plan to continue to send you letters from soldiers in the same spirit.

Respectfully,

Moshe Feiglin

Since I announced this initiative, I have received quite a few letters from soldiers and citizens who penned their own versions to Barak. The most touching was a letter from Yitzchak, a soldier who served with Gilad Shalit. Yitzchak wrote as follows:

"Since Gilad was abducted, I feel torn and I do not know what to do to help him. Like every Jew on earth, I pray for him and hope that he will be released soon - safe and sound.
Yet, I am dismayed at how our entire country kneels before the terror organizations every time that they succeed in capturing one of our fighters in their clutches. This situation is intolerable and we fall into this trap time and again. I am frequently forced to refuse the requests of my fellow soldiers from our company and brigade to participate in demonstrations for Gilad. I have reached the conclusion that our intellect must take precedence over our emotions, as painful as this is for me."

My letter to the Defense Minister seems to have touched a raw nerve. Many people are disgusted with Israel's defeatism and are anxious to join in this initiative. It is important to remember that since the wholesale release of terrorists in the Jibril swap 25 years ago, not one Israeli soldier has returned home alive from terrorist captivity. The terrorist release approach is not only wrong from a moral and security point of view; it also fails to produce positive results.

Statistically, 80% of Hamas terrorists return to terror and murder after their release. In other words, 16 of the 20 terrorists released by Israel in exchange for the Gilad Shalit video will once again attempt to murder Israelis. It is reasonable to assume that one of them may possibly succeed, G-d forbid. This will be just part of the true price of the video. It is merely the promo for the pictures of long lines of buses filled with gleeful murderers that we will be treated to if the entire exchange takes place, G-d forbid.

The more soldiers and citizens who write letters to the Defense Minister, the greater the chances that Israel will regain its moral balance and return to war against terror instead of surrender to its dictates.

Please fill in your name and information on the letter below, copy, paste and email it to moshe@mflikud.co.il . We will send the letters in bulk to Minister Barak.

Or print the letter out here, fill in your information and fax it to our office: 09 792 0570

or mail it to:
Manhigut Yehudit
POB 21
Ginot Shomron
44853

Keep up to date with our latest articles and audio updates

 Visit our website: www.jewishisrael.org
 
Do Not Negotiate My Release: Letter for Israeli Citizens and Soldiers to Sign


To Defense Minister Ehud Barak
Hakiryah
Tel Aviv

Re: If I am abducted by a terror organization

Wholesale release of terrorists has led in the past to new waves of terror and encouraged additional abductions.
According to figures released by the defense establishment, approximately 80% of the released terrorists perpetrate additional acts of terror and murder after their release. In other words, in exchange for the release of abducted Israelis we are condemning an unknown number of other Israelis to death and encouraging more and more abductions.

Our nation's natural feelings of compassion and solidarity have become a powerful weapon in the hands of our enemies and places Israel's leaders in a no-win situation. Due to the difficult situation that Israel's government faces when dealing with an abducted Israeli and due to the fact that I do not want to be a weapon against Israel in the hands of terrorists, I hereby instruct you as follows:

If I am G-d forbid abducted by a terror organization, do not release any terrorists to obtain my release. You may mercilessly attack the terrorists and apply powerful military and economic pressure to secure my release. But do not surrender to their demands and do not release terrorists in my stead. This instruction does not apply if I am captured in a war between Israel and a sovereign state, but strictly to terror organizations.

Respectfully,

Name
Address
ID number
Army serial number
Email:

Please fill in your name and information, copy and paste this letter and email it to moshe@mflikud.co.il . We will send the letters in bulk to Minister Barak.

Or print this letter out here, fill in your information and fax it to our office: 09 792 0570
or mail it to:

Manhigut Yehudit
POB 21
Ginot Shomron
44853
 
Temple Mount Troubles






Why did Shimon Peres go to Rabbi Elyashiv's sukkah to ask for his halachic ruling on the Temple Mount? Check out Moshe Feiglin's answer on the INN Yishai Fleisher Show.





 
Sukkot in Jerusalem with Manhigut Yehudit



This Sukkot, Manhigut Yehudit friends and supporters met once again at the sukkah of Rabbi Uri and Ronit Cherki in Jerusalem for an afternoon of lively discussion and sukkot joy. Among the guests were MKs Tzippy Hotobeli, Yariv Levin and Danny Danon. Moshe Feiglin expounded on current events in Israel and what the future holds.

Pictured here is staunch Manhigut Yehudit supporter Jonah Bruck of Chicago in an extemporaneous speech explaining what Manhigut Yehudit means to him and urging everybody to "get out there and register new members for the Likud." "We can do it!" he proclaimed to an enthusiastic response.


 
Three Exciting Manhigut Yehudit Sukkot Events in NY and Chicago

Three exciting Chol HaMoed Sukkot events were held for Manhigut Yehudit supporters and organizers in New York (Brooklyn and Queens) and Chicago last week. The events gave Manhigut supporters and their guests a chance to meet US Director Rob Muchnick (in NY) and Program Director Yocheved Seidman (in Chicago) and to discuss the new North American Manhigut Yehudit Chapter system being launched this year. Everyone who attended had a great time noshing in the sukkah and sharing ideas on how to build exciting Manhigut Chapters.

The Combined Brooklyn Manhigut Chapter was hosted by the Jewish Center of Brighton Beach (JCBB) in their sukkah, attached to their beautiful historic synagogue. The uplifting evening in the packed sukkah was attended by about 40 supporters and their guests as well as Manhigut Chapter Coordinators from all over Brooklyn including Eli Weber from Crown Heights, Ester Lamm from Flatbush, Shirley Heller from Manhattan Beach, Maury Lipson and Rhudi Eagle from Park Slope, and Arkadiy Ginzburg (from the Manhigut Russian language team).

The Brooklyn evening featured greetings from our host Yehuda Loweff, President of the JCBB and a Brooklyn Manhigut Chapter co-coordinator, who highlighted the importance of Moshe Feiglin’s recent article on existence-based versus destiny-based Zionism. Rabbi Reuven Chaskey, Director of the Collegiate Outreach Division of the Russian American Jewish Experience (RAJE) program at the JCBB spoke about the importance of supporting Manhigut Yehudit and especially Moshe Feiglin as the only person on the political scene who understands the big picture and what it takes to build a true Jewish State in Israel. As Rabbi Chaskey noted, “This is the only group in Israel, that is clearly and honestly proclaiming its loyalty to traditional Jewish values, at the same time striving to create a vision for the future based on the "Tikkun Olam" concept- to perfect the World”.

Miriam Shamelashvili, spoke about being so impressed with Manhigut Yehudit’s Co-founder Shmuel Sackett’s speech this past summer in Tiberias to Russian Jewish students and young professionals, that she became motivated to learn more and become an active supporter of Manhigut Yehudit.
Rob Muchnick, Manhigut Yehudit’s US Director inspired those in attendance with the inside scoop on what is happening in Israel and a brief history of the group. Rob also distributed a guide to building local Manhigut Yehudit chapters and described the group’s upcoming plans. An enthusiastic crowd offered numerous ideas on future activities and there were quite a few attendees who had never heard of Manhigut Yehudit that left expressing their support and commitment.

A similar event was held in Kew Gardens Hills where Manhigut supporters, activists, and guests (even from as far as Teaneck!) gathered in the sukkah of Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills with Rob Muchnick and Manhigut Founding Board member Nelson Behar for an exciting discussion. Many thanks to David Labovitz for helping to organize the event! The first Kew Gardens Hills Manhigut Chapter meeting will be held in a few weeks at the home of Kew Gardens Co-Coordinator Rachelle Kirschner. Stay tuned for the date and time.

Finally, an exciting gathering was hosted by Drs. Rivka and Gershom Taub at their home and sukkah in Chicago. The attendees included dedicated Manhigut supporters, organizers, and a new and interesting guest dropped by - US Congressional candidate Joel Pollack, who came to hear what Manhigut is all about and enjoyed meeting some of the Chicago team. The weather did not cooperate with an evening in the sukkah so the enthusiastic group gathered around to preview the new "Who and What is Manhigut Yehudit" presentation prepared by Program Director Yocheved Seidman. The new presentation which will be coming your way soon - including special new video footage of Moshe Feiglin speaking directly to North Americans about why they are needed as active participants in the Jewish Leadership Movement.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The first round of Chapter meetings is being planned now so here are a couple dates to save - more coming soon:
Manhattan - Sunday, October 25th at noon,
Chicago - Thursday, October 29th at 7:30 PM.

We will post a full schedule with locations and times on http://www.jewishisrael.org and send you a special announcement through the email. If you would like to volunteer to make phone calls to tell people about Manhigut Yehudit Chapter meetings please contact Yocheved at usaevents@jewishisrael.org. We will provide you with phone numbers and specific instructions if you would like to make calls. If you love talking to warm and wonderful Jewish people, this is a volunteer activity for you!
 
Register for Likud On-line

New! Now you can register for the Likud on line in English!

New info:
You do not have to be a citizen to register! Any person with an Israeli ID card (teudat zehut) is eligible to register for the Likud.
 
First Time Ever! Manhigut Yehudit to Sponsor Mission to Israel!

Spend 7 action-packed days touring the country, seeing "illegal" outposts, meeting Knesset members, and learn what is REALLY happening in Israel - and best of all: spend Shabbat "Chayei Sarah" in Hebron!!!

Manhigut Yehudit has teamed up with our dear friends from AFSI (Americans For a Safe Israel) whom we will be joining on this mission. It will be AFSI's 15th mission to Israel and each one has been AMAZING!!

Here is a tiny glimpse of what we will do in these 7 days:
* Tour the Shomron, including "illegal" outposts. Meet the people who risk their lives to build the land of Israel. Visit a security center near Ramallah.
* Plant fruit trees in the city of Bet El and visit the Bet El winery where our forefathers made wine! It's the oldest wine making area in the world!
* Visit the Jordan Valley and see for yourself if peace with Jordan is working. Tour Israel's largest "green" power plant located in Naharayim.
* See what is happening in the Galilee and how the Arabs are grabbing away Jewish land.
* Relive the final battle of King Saul and the beginning of the reign of King David.
* See the growing Jewish communities of Caesaria, Zichron Yaakov and Ra'anana. Tour the technological park that includes Microsoft and Google.
* Meet and discuss Israeli politics with Likud Knesset members. Dinner in the Knesset.
* Daven sunrise at the Kotel and then ascend to Har Ha'Bayit following all Jewish laws and customs.
* See firsthand what is happening in Jerusalem; The Moslem Quarter, Silwan and Ir David.
* Visit Yehuda and Gush Etzion including the Haredi town of Betar.
* Spend Shabbat "Chayei Sarah" with 30,000 Jews in the holy city of Hebron. Shabbat to include incredible dovening in "Ma'arat Ha'machpelah", walking tours of Hebron and lots of programs and speakers from leading activists.
* Visit Sderot and meet with the head of security. See the danger these people live with. Hear a Torah lecture in the Sderot Hesder Yeshiva.
* Tour Nitzan and meet with our dear brothers and sisters who were expelled from Gush Katif. Hear their stories and experience their struggle.
* End the week-long mission with a jeep tour on the sand dunes and with a gala dinner overlooking the Mediterranean.

Special bonus: Moshe Feiglin, Chairman of Manhigut Yehudit, will accompany the tour several times during the week. It will be a great opportunity to hear from this great man and ask him your questions. You will love meeting him!

Dates of mission:
The mission begins on Monday, November 9th at 9:00 AM at Ben Gurion Airport.
Many of the mission's participants will leave JFK or Newark on Sunday, November 8th at 2:30 PM while others will simply meet us at the airport in Israel.
The mission ends on Sunday night, November 15th with most of the participants flying back to JFK or Newark on the "midnight" flight (arriving in JFK on Monday morning Nov. 16 at 6:00 AM or Newark at around 5:30 AM)

It is each participant's responsibility to handle his/her own air travel. This is done because some people use "points", others prefer "Business" and still others are coming from locations outside New York (or even outside the USA).

That having been said, there are many participants who prefer a "package deal" and wish to fly together with our group. If that interests you, we can arrange that as well.

Land arrangements cost $1,500. That includes all tours, buses, hotels, breakfasts, all Shabbat accommodations/meals plus most lunches and dinners during the week.

For more information, please call Helen Freedman, Executive Director of AFSI at: (212) 828-2424 or email Helen at: afsi@rcn.com
 
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What can I do?

If you are already a Likud member and you would like to check your membership status, just email us at: shir@manhigut.org. Be sure to include your name, Israeli ID No., and a phone number where it is easiest to reach you. Or give us a call at our  "English Speakers" office: 02-996-1123 (Israel), or 516-620-2475 (USA).

If you are not Israeli citizen, you can  become a Manhigut Yehudit International Member. Joining Manhigut Yehudit International is much more than just a donation. Now you're part of the team! And you don't need to be living in Israel to join. Join the team today! Click here to learn more! Let's spread the message! If you are interested in arranging a lecture or meeting in your community with Moshe Feiglin or Shmuel Sackett, either in Israel or in the USA, please contact Dovid Shirel at shir@manhigut.org, or call: 02-996-1123 (Israel) or 516-620-2475 (USA).
 

Manhigut Yehudit
The Jewish Leadership Movement
Email: office@jewishisrael.org
Web: www.jewishisrael.org
Tel: 02-996-1123 (Israel); 516-295-3222 (USA)
 

Our Aim: To perfect the world in the Kingdom of the Almighty