KUMMUNIQUE

Shalom! We are proud to present another issue of Kummunique.
This issue is filled with Aliyah and Eretz Yisrael inspiration - so enjoy!

In this issue you will find:

1. "Election Reflection" from Ezra Amichai
2. "Five Star Absorption Center" by Yehudit Rahav
3. "Arrivals: From Madison, Wisconsin, to Jerusalem" by Yocheved Miriam Russo
4. "After Halimi Murder, Aliyah Group In France Finds Itself Getting Busier" By Brett Kline

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. "Election Reflection" from Ezra Amichai

I simply have to share an election reflection with you. Amazingly, though ive been living here in Israel for well over five years, yesterday was the first time that i was actually eligible to vote in an election. During the actual voting experience, i offered up a quick tfilla to Hashem that he guide me and his Nation quickly towards redemption, and followed my conscience as best as I could.

Interestingly though, i didnt feel any immediate sense of euphoria in participating in the process. The general apathy i feel towards the political system here, the lack of any faith i place in the "justice system" in place at present, and the horrific withdrawals from azza and amona and beyond, all combined to, as it were, rain on my parade.

All that being said, I was truly surprised to find myself just a few hours later sitting in front of my computer and crying my eyes out. Why? Because for all the problems, for all the negativity, for all the desperation-- I LIVE IN MEDINAT YISRAEL. I wasnt born here, i was born into the comforts of a very distant diaspora and everything that comes with it, and somehow, somehow, I GOT OUT, I CAME HOME, I LIVE IN YERUSHALAYIM IR HAKODESH. Hashem has chosen me, and has chosen all of you, to be the players in determining the future of the Jewish people-- and it happens here, and NOWHERE ELSE. Two generations ago, they were putting Jews in ovens (dont cringe, its our reality- deal with it), and tommorow we'll be singing and dancing at the Kotel to welcome in the new month of freedom-- UNBELIEVABLE!!! (our new reality, deal with it too!!!)

Yes, the conflicts ahead are intimidating, and the prospect of further Jewish expulsion of its own people from its own land, and the continued capitulation to
those who seek to destroy us, is a nightmare that is all too real (and oh yeah, how about poverty?!)-- but we ARE HERE NOW, and because of that we can fight it with everything we have at our disposal-- with our bodies, with love, with anger, with all the emotions of our beings-- but not ON TV!!!

It doesnt make a difference how I feel about the election results -- the destiny of the Jewish people in its Land is being determined, and yesterday was the first time I played an active role in that-- we must always give thanks for what we have, only then can we duly protest that which we dont.

I have always insisted that i would much rather work at a falafel stand in the tahana mercazit of kiryat shemona than live in a multi-million dollar penthouse in Manhattan, and I felt that yesterday more than i ever have before-- AM YISRAEL CHAI!! The Ezra who lived here before he was a citizen, and the one who lives here now with that everpresent blue teudat zehut are two entirely different beings-- Ive thrown my hat in the ring and there is no going back-- no shlichut to new jersey, california, london, johannesburg-- God bless every Jew there and protect them from harm, but they are living in a mirage-- a Jew can fulfill his potential only in his own Land, and God has miraculously opened the gates to that very holy Land and said COME HOME MY CHILDREN-- but man, are we listening?!

Help me to spread the light that is our nation in our Land, let the whole world see that God is One -- Giving thanks, so much thanks--

liyot am chofshi bartzeinu--
hodesh tov!!-- I love you all--

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. "Five Star Absorption Center" by Yehudit Rahav
From Yediot Achronot

New initiative brings Jewish immigrants to Israel in bid to counter tourism industry employee shortage

Dozens of Jews around the world participated recently in a hotel industry and Jewish Agency workshop in a bid to convince Jews to immigrate to Israel in order to counter the country's hotel industry employee shortage, Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Sunday.

In light of the renewed surge in tourism to Israel, local hotels are facing a shortage of 3,000 workers, with Israelis not quick to take up tourism jobs.

Under the special project, 60 Jews already made Aliyah to Israel from France, the former Soviet Union, and South America. All integrated in hotel positions around Israel in kitchens, cleaning, housekeeping, security, restaurants, and entertainment. All received the special immigrant aid package for new immigrants, and live at the same hotel they are employed by. In their free time they study Hebrew.

Most of the immigrant-employees arrived to the southern town of Eilat, including Vadim Frikaski who immigrated from Russia and works now at the Golden Tulip hotel as a sous-chef. For years he dreamt about making Aliyah but his wife refused.

"I decided to divorce her and realize my dream" he said emotionally.

"I came to Eilat following a visit by representative of the Jewish Agency and the hotel industry to Russia. I was impressed by the film about tourism in Israel, and since I worked already in upscale hotels in Switzerland and Germany I decided to continue doing it in Israel," he said.

Looking for partners

Most of the new immigrants who found work in the hotels are singles hoping to find a partner in Israel. One of them is 25-year-old Sergio Kleiman from Brazil who has a degree in physics but works as a landscaper in the hotel.

"I plan on staying here and make Israel my home, and later on bring my parents from Brazil," he said.

Sergio is not alone. Noesablla Eshakyev from Russia works as a housekeeping supervisor, Vladimir Namakin, also from Russia, works at the laundry room, Juan Pablo from Argentina works in the pool, Abba Dassa from Ethiopia works as a dishwasher in the kitchen.

"We view it as true Zionism" said David Fattal, chairman of the Fattal hotel chain who initiated the project in conjunction with with the Jewish Agency.

"The new immigrants receive the immigrant absorption aid package, study Hebrew in the ulpan, get a place to stay and work at the hotels. We, on the other hand, get the satisfaction of bringing to Israel Jewish people who want to make Israel their home," he said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. "Arrivals: From Madison, Wisconsin, to Jerusalem" by Yocheved Miriam Russo
From Jerusalem Post

Bradley Fish, 36 - From Madison, Wisconsin, to Jerusalem

Nothing succeeds like success. Bradley Fish, a musician of considerable fame back in Madison, Wisconsin, calls it luck. And in the 18 months the rocker has been in Israel, he is doing it again.

And to think at least some of it came about just because he wanted to meet a few girls.

"I was brand new in Tel Aviv," he says. "I've always been a performer, either in bands or solo. So I decided performing was a quick way to meet people. I joined up with a couple of Israelis I'd just met, and we decided to play some gigs at Mike's Place - really, my main reason was to meet girls.

"But we were really lucky - we thought there'd just be a regular bar crowd, but before long, it was standing room only, and all kinds of famous producers were showing up. We ended up playing with some major Israeli stars - Rami Kleinstein, Yehuda Poliker. It was a heady experience - especially since I was so new."

FAMILY BACKGROUND
"My family is three-quarters Litvak and one quarter German," he says. "They were all in the US by the early 1900s. I was born in Bethesda, Maryland, but when I was three we moved to the Midwest. I grew up in Chicago, got my BA from DeKalb majoring in Jazz Guitar, emphasis on World Music.

"My parents aren't especially musical - my father is an electrical engineer, my mother a social worker. My Dad taught me the basic notes. I really wasn't into music at all until my bar mitzva when I got a synthesizer. After that, you couldn't stop me. I started taking every kind of music lesson. I've been in a zillion bands - rock, blues, folk, metal and of course jazz and classical. I was the token Jewish white guy with an African band for awhile - I had dreadlocks, we played Reggae.

"I toured with several bands, so I've done my share of traveling. It was when I was doing my fifth gig at the University of North Dakota that I finally stopped and asked myself, 'What on earth am I doing?' I refocused, started to do more teaching, and began to make other plans."

BEFORE ALIYA
"Why did I make aliya? About half of it was for traditional reasons - I'm a Zionist. I'm proud of our country, plus I love the weather, the people and the land. But the other half is that I want to marry a Jewish girl - and that not easy when you're in Wisconsin.

Fish began with the "Artist in Residence" program of the World Union of Jewish Students.

"I spent 6 months at WUJS, and loved it, in spite of the intifada. At the end, I decided to go back to the States, work and save money, and then return for good. It took me about 15 months. I applied to Nefesh B'Nefesh, and they helped considerably."

Still, he says the decision wasn't easy.

"I had a thriving business in Madison," Fish says. "I had a huge house, enormous studio, a lot of talented students and all the work I could handle. I have my own recording studio, so I write and produce my own music, but I also do backup work for others, like songwriters who have lyrics but no music. I was working for Sony, too, looping for some of their music product. I had a good life in Madison, so leaving was a big jump.

"The last three weeks I spent in a hotel, near my mother who had been diagnosed with leukemia and was in Barnes Medical Center. She's totally recovered - no trace of the disease, thank God. But those weeks were really intense - I was also finishing a big project for Sony."

UPON ARRIVAL
"I had a job waiting in Tel Aviv, with a musical hi-tech company that's doing interesting things. That was lucky. They're easily comparable to anything happening in LA or New York. The downside was I was working as soon as I arrived, putting in a lot of hours just sitting in my apartment, working. I needed a break. Part of the reason I made aliya was to find a social group, and by working so much, I was still alone. So first I cut down on my work hours, then I decided I'd rather live in Jerusalem.

"Tel Aviv was great - we had a great band, it was good. But I just fell in love with Jerusalem. Hey, I'm a Wisconsin kid - I like cool, and Tel Aviv was too warm. I still work for my Tel Aviv company - they've been great. We just have a different contractual arrangement now.

LIVING ENVIRONMENT
"I saw an ad on-line - it said penthouse. I was wondering what that could be, in downtown Jerusalem."

It turned out to be the top two floors in a newly-constructed building. Sunflower-yellow outside and situated just a few steps away from the Mahane Yehuda shuk, the location is perfect for a guy who likes to cook.

"The two balconies make the place," Fish says. The top floor balcony features an exotic pyramid door that could grace the pages of Architectural Digest.

Musical instruments are everywhere, on stands, in every corner, in all rooms, one of which is a soundproofed recording studio.

ROUTINE
"I teach a lot of students, many are Americans studying at a yeshiva. But I have several little Israeli kids, too. I've got one student I teach both guitar and English - he's probably the only kid in Jerusalem who begs for more English lessons. I work with serious musicians, too, providing recording or backup music. One of my clients is a lady who's working on a great kid's album. And of course I write and record my own music, too, so I'm busy all day.

CIRCLE
"My circle of friends is expanding - I've only been in Jerusalem for a few months, so I'm still getting acquainted here. But now I have a girlfriend - that helps."

FINANCES
"I've been lucky - I had a job waiting for me when I arrived. And I'm still working for Sony, just like in the States. Now, I'm starting to get some of my Wisconsin clients back, too - after all, if you need someone who plays a Chinese Zither or a dulcimer, you don't have a lot of options. The Internet makes it easy - or sometimes we just mail disks back and forth. It's not hard."

IDENTIFICATION
"I'm one of those crazy Americans who decided to live in Israel. I love it here. It was a great life change for me."

LANGUAGE
"I had 10 hours of ulpan - but they were a good 10 hours. Ulpan just didn't work for me. But I'm using all sorts of other ways to learn the language. I'm an auditory guy, so I like using disks, listening to the language and repeating it back. Of course, it's a little limiting - how often do you really need to say, "I want to sit in the no smoking section? But it's okay, I can get by."

FAITH
"I grew up in a non-religious household, although after I left, my parents started to become more religious. I'm Jewish, and I'm slowly moving in the direction of observance."

PLANS
"I'm working on my own album - what style? Rock. I'll play all the instruments. I want to teach more, I want to do more producing. I'm doing some shows, and I'm on my third CD for Sony. It's all coming together."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. "After Halimi Murder, Aliyah Group In France Finds Itself Getting Busier" By Brett Kline
From Jewish Telegraphic Agency

PARIS, March 28 (JTA) - With French aliyah surging since the intifada began and anti-Semitism spiked in France, a new group is helping smooth the transition to the Jewish state.

Launched in March 2005, AMI has aided 1,000 French Jews who chose to make aliyah, helping them with job networking and apartment financing in Israel and offering scholarships to students.

AMI - which stands for Alya et Meilleure Integration, or Aliyah and Better Integration, is a private organization working with the Jewish Agency for Israel, similar to the Nefesh B'Nefesh program in the United States.

Its 2005 operating budget was $2.5 million, financed by Pierre Besnainou, head of the European Jewish Congress.

A one-year anniversary gala for AMI in mid-March, attended by some 250-300 people, brought Jewish Agency head Zeev Bielski on a one-day visit from Jerusalem.

"One man has decided to devote his life to the Jewish people and to making aliyah," Bielski said of Besnainou. "He is a fantastic example and a model for other people to follow."

Bielski said French Jews are different from other communities because they often have close relatives in Israel. Sephardi Jews from Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, former French colonies in North Africa, make up some 70 percent of France's Jewish population of approximately 600,000.

"More than 200,000 French Jews visited Israel in 2005 alone," Bielski said. "For some people, their visits as tourists are a first step to considering making aliyah."

David Roche, JAFI's director in France, reported that 3,005 people made aliyah from France in 2005, up 25 percent from 2004.

"Making aliyah is an individual decision but is a collective responsibility, " he said, noting a correlation with the level of anti-Semitic activity in France.

"The French government has taken very strong steps to reduce anti-Semitic activity, and the number of incidents has notably decreased," he said, "but when people actually leave, it is the end of a process begun and a decision made a couple of years earlier."

Roche said 2003 and 2004 were bad years for anti-Semitism in France, with hundreds of attacks against people and property, notably in suburbs around Paris, where thousands of Jews live.

Most of AMI's budget goes to financial aid and university scholarships, but the organization increasingly is focusing on finding work for new arrivals with professional coaching, employment workshops, job listings, training for opening businesses and a lecture series on life in Israel.

"Everyone agrees that the greatest challenge for new immigrants is finding work," Bielski said. "It's no longer enough for the Jewish Agency simply to provide a place to live. Professional people with good jobs want to remain professional."

He added, "AMI is providing a detailed service to olim, where the Jewish Agency has been offering the basic fundamentals."

Bielski acknowledged that life is not easy for new arrivals, but noted that unemployment in Israel ? about 9 percent ? is actually lower than in France, where it's about 10 percent.

Besnainou, 51, a self-made multi-millionaire who moved to France from Tunisia at age 20, said AMI is giving French Jews a strong role in the aliyah process.

"A couple of years ago, we leaders of the French Jewish community had developed a certain complex talking about making aliyah," he noted. "The Israelis were doing everything in the Jewish Agency, and we
decided that we had to do our part as French Jews. And so the AMI program was born."

While in Paris, Bielski also paid a visit to Ruth Halimi, whose 23-year-old son, Ilan, was kidnapped and tortured to death recently by a criminal gang in a suburban housing complex.

Ilan Halimi's murder was officially declared an anti-Semitic act, but most French people continue to believe that it was simply a criminal attack that had nothing to do with the victim's religion.

Bielski said Ruth Halimi would be visiting Israel over Passover, but she had said it was too early to make any decisions about her future.

According to reports from the Paris office, Bielski said, the number of people contacting the Jewish Agency about aliyah had doubled since Halimi's murder.

Shalom! We are proud to present another issue of Kummunique.
This issue is filled with Aliyah and Eretz Yisrael inspiration - so enjoy!

In this issue you will find:

1. "Why Do More Women Make Aliyah?" By Pinchas Orbach
2. "Vayakhel-Pekudei" by Rabbi Benyamin Walfish
3. "Thinkers Discuss Preservation of the Diaspora" by Ezra Halevi
4. "Nefesh B'Nefesh Considers Expanding Into UK" by Yigal Grayeff

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. "Why Do More Women Make Aliyah?" By Pinchas Orbach

Being heavily involved on the Aliyah scene I get asked this a lot. "So why do more single women make Aliyah than single men?" To be honest I usually answer: "Oh come on, that's not true – plenty of guys come. I'm sure it's really about 50-50." Finally I decided to follow through on a completely unscientific experiment. So I went online. After all, the answers to all of life's questions can be found at OnlySimchas.com – where else? Particularly in the section where Aliyah announcements are posted. And so I went through all 341 posts and tallied all the singles that were listed there. I have to say I was pretty shocked at the results. Women outnumbered men by well over 2 – 1. (Actually 140 – 59.)

Now of course this could just mean women like posting on OnlySimchas.com more than the guys do. But still, to outnumber the men by that much? It really does seem to indicate that it's not just a myth as I thought it was – more gals really are making Aliyah. Which brings us back to the topic of this post: Why?

I have heard lots of answers offered. But I just read something interesting on this week's parsha that I would like to share. It is from Rav Frand. He discuses how the base of the Kiyyor was made with copper mirrors donated by the Jewish women.

Rash"i explains why these mirrors were so precious to G-d. When the Jews were enslaved in Egypt, the men gave up hope. They did not want to live with their wives. They did not want to have children. The thought of fathering children who would be born into and live and die in slavery was overwhelmingly depressing. As the Medrash in Shir HaShirim describes, the women went out into the fields and beautified themselves in front of their mirrors and convinced and persuaded their husbands to live with them and to have children. Those mirrors represented Klal Yisroel. Had it not been for those mirrors and that makeup and the beautification efforts of those women, there would not have been a Jewish nation. Consequently, G-d insisted that those precious mirrors did in fact belong in the Mishkan.

We see that those women exhibited the attribute of faith in redemption. When all seemed bleak and full of despair, when no future seemed to exist, when there appeared to be no purpose in having children, the women retained a hope in the future. The women kept the dream of rebirth alive. When the men were feeling down and were ready to give up, it was the women who insisted "We must go on."

Making Aliyah can be tough and it is so easy to just throw it the towel and say "why bother?" But it is the women that are full of hope. They are the ones with faith in redemption. They are the ones keeping the dream alive for all of us. Despite difficulties in Israel today it is the women who insist "We must go on."

Guys out there – follow their shining example and come on Home already!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. "Vayakhel-Pekudei" by Rabbi Benyamin Walfish
From the OU

In this week's Parshah, we are told about the actual building of the Mishkan and all its accoutrements. The Torah informs us that Bnei Yisrael contributed generously to the building of the Mishkan and refers to two categories of donors, "nesa'o libo," "whose heart inspired him," and "nadvo rucho," "whose spirit motivated him."

Rabbi Solovetichik zt"l, explained the difference between the two: A nadvo rucho reacts in an intellectual, rational way. Many in Bnei Yisrael analyzed their ability to donate based on the needs of the Mishkan and contributed a commensurate amount. Their approach was perfectly acceptable and legitimate. The nesa'o libo, however, reacted on a more instinctive level. They were overcome with the desire to build a Mishkan as an expression of their attachment to HaShem. Such people acted well above what was required of them.

The difference between the intellectual and emotional approach to the performance of a mitzvah can be applied to almost all of the Torah's Mitzvot; notably, in the Mitzvah of giving charity. Man can readily accept and understand rationally the need for giving charity. When, however, one gives charity from an emotional need and desire to do so, it becomes etched in his mind and no intellectual or rational reason will deter him. When one acts on such an impulse, it is characterized as an act of chesed.

There is another Mitzvah which demonstrates the difference between the nadvo rucho and the nesa'o libo - the Mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael - living in Eretz Yisrael. It is perfectly legitimate, and under certain circumstances necessary, to approach aliyah to Eretz Yisrael as a nadvo rucho. Practical, economic, rational considerations should be part of the process. But ultimately, the nesao libo is the one who will make aliyah. One who has an emotional, existential attachment to Israel to the extent that it becomes etched in his mind so that he is constantly aware of the desire and necessity of performing this Mitzvah, is the one who will actually make aliyah and no rational or intellectual obstacle will deter him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. "Thinkers Discuss Preservation of the Diaspora" by Ezra Halevi
From Israel National News

The third annual Jerusalem Conference began Monday morning, with notable thinkers and shapers of public policy gathering in Israel's capital to formulate an agenda for Israel's future.

"Just days before a critical election for a new prime minister and government of Israel… we celebrated the holiday of Purim, where [the hero] Mordechai is described as seeking peace for his people," said Conference Chairman Robert Rechnitz of Los Angeles. "What a wondrous way to describe a politician - especially compared with those we see today, who seek their personal betterment in exchange for nothing but talk and sweet words. How many times have we been disappointed by leaders who give us nice words, but do not match them with actions."

Rechnitz said he hoped the conference would herald new initiatives that would guide Israel's leadership and build bridges in an increasingly fractured Israel. "We must use this opportunity to remedy the alienation between religious and secular Jews in Israel. It is OK to talk about concessions, but not painful concessions. Our people have a monopoly on pain, and the concessions we should be engaging in should be within our people - to bridge gaps between brothers."

Click here to listen to IsraelNationalRadio's show live from the Jerusalem Conference, including interviews with Rabbi Pesach Lerner, journalist Dan Margalit, and others.

The Monday morning session was entitled, "The Jewish People - Thoughts and Challenges for the Next 25 Years."

"We have not thought about this enough," said Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror , who chaired the plenum. "People are so preoccupied with demographics that they have forgotten about the central issue of keeping Israel a Jewish State in all the critical and necessary ways, beyond mere numeric dominance. Does the State of Israel have to ask itself how its actions will affect Jews living outside the State of Israel? What do we do so as not to lose the Jews of the Diaspora to intermarriage? Is that within our purview? All these questions are hardly addressed in a serious manner, but I think they are more important than what Israel's borders will be – though some think that is the most important question. "

Amidror recalled a meeting he had with former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, in which Kissinger told him, "You have to remember that the United States can live without Israel, but American Jewry cannot."

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau (pictured), former Chief Rabbi of Israel and current Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, took the podium next, quoting the Biblical prophet Bilaam, who said Israel is a nation that will dwell alone. "We usually view this as sad and fatalistic," Rabbi Lau said. "Sometimes Micronesia votes with Israel, France once did, but usually everyone votes against us. The Netziv of Volozhin said this verse should be punctuated properly. The real meaning is that 'They are a nation that when alone - dwells.' As long as this nation retains its character, it will remain. But when it mixes and loses its portion, it will lose its ability to remain."

Rabbi Lau then focused on what he views as the main crisis facing the Jewish people – the disintegration of the Diaspora Jewry. "The Jews of the Diaspora are like gold to us," he said. "And it is not the money or the bonds or the trees. But to this day, what have we given them in return - beyond our existence, which is very valuable in and of itself? How many emissaries have we sent? Not to ask for money, but as emissaries? How many of our generals and notables have we sent to Jewish schools – which are the only hope for the continuity of the Diaspora - to show them that Jewish continuity is important to Israel? Press conferences and parlor meetings are well and good, but to sit on a stool with children in the first grade who only know a few Hebrew words is what is important. 85% of the Jews in the Diaspora have never been to Israel. If there is no education and no basis then that is no surprise. Our problem is that we don't reach out enough to the Diaspora. We talk about immigration, but not about building schools there."

Lau then took out a graph he says he carries with him always:
"In the 1990s, from 1990-1997, two Jewish statisticians, Gordon and Horowitz, conducted a comprehensive survey of US Jewry from coast to coast. They sought to determine what happens in the Jewish community. They divided it into five groups – secular, reform, conservative, modern orthodox and yeshiva orthodox. Their model was to see how many out of 100 Jews remain Jewish after three generations. The results were: 72% of secular Jews intermarried, with the rest having an average of 1.62 children – leaving five Jews out of 100 in the fourth generation. 53% of Reform Jews intermarried, having an average of 1.72 children – leaving 13 Jewish in the fourth generation. 37% of Conservative Jews intermarried, having an average of 1.82 children and leaving 24 Jews remaining in the fourth generation. Just 3% of Modern Orthodox Jews intermarried, bearing an average of 3.27 children and expanding to 346 Jews in the fourth generation. Yeshiva Orthodox had the same level of intermarriage at Modern Orthodox, but had an average of 6.4 children and were therefore 2,587 in number in the fourth generation."

"As many mistakes as there could be in the study, the trends are clear," Rabbi Lau concluded. "What do we worry about while this is going on? Nonsense and vanity. And it is happening in the United States, with wonderful schools and Bnei Akiva and Chabad. What can we do as Jews when we say we are responsible for one another? Our brothers and sisters are being lost before our eyes. What can we do so that this candle will not be extinguished?"

Veteran Israeli journalist Dan Margalit spoke after Rabbi Lau, largely taking issue with his conclusions. "The Jewish people are dissipating in the world," he said. "I think in 25 years, there will be no debate with [Arab MK] Ahmed Tibi regarding the Law of Return because there won't be quantities of Jewish people outside Israel enough for it to be relevant. In the atmosphere of globalization and the war of civilizations, the Jewish people will continue to shrink."

Margalit said that this pessimistic assessment need not necessarily be combated via strengthening Jewish life in the exile. "What are we doing to have Israel be the Jewish State and not the state of the Jews?" Margalit asked. "How and why would it be a Jewish state if the Jews of the Diaspora do not come live in it? Unless it will be the state of the Jews, Israel's chances of being a Jewish state are negligible. As you know, there is a danger to the Jewish majority in the State of Israel, as well... If we have a critical mass of Jewish people in the State of Israel, then it will become a Jewish state.

"We cannot preserve the Diaspora, but [we can only preserve] enclaves for a certain number of generations. There is a need for a great breakthrough among the Jewish leadership in the Diaspora. It is necessary for them to draw the conclusion that there is nothing to look for in New York and that they have to go to the land of the Jews. I am afraid that leadership does not exist right now."

Margalit then offered an alternative solution whereby Israel would continue to build walls, fortify them and launch a recruitment effort to accept anyone in the world who wants to undergo a simplified conversion. "I don't know what it says in Jewish Law about conversion... but I think that those who can, should find a way to increase the Jewish people via a mass conversion effort."

Rabbi Pesach Lerner, Executive Vice President of the Young Israel movement, agreed with Rabbi Lau about the importance of education, suggesting that widespread educational projects focus on educating youngsters about the Land of Israel. "We must spend some time teaching Jews in the Diaspora about the Land of Israel – the history, the geography, the mitzvoth [commandments]. How many people know where Judea and Samaria is or what the distance from Gaza to Ben-Gurion airport is? If we could find creative ways to teach a connection to the Land of Israel - that will be a foundation to stay connected. We talk about college students who don't care. They don't care because they don't know the difference between the Land of Israel and Uganda."

Former Prisoner of Zion and current Likud MK Natan Sharansky addressed the conference, taking strong issue with Margalit's suggestion to pursue mass conversion. "When I was in Russia I heard a Soviet functionary speak about how Israel made its great efforts to bring immigrants to Israel in order that they could act as cannon fodder to fight the Palestinians. I knew then that it was a lie, and was filled with pride that the Jewish State goes to the ends of the earth to gather the exiles," Sharansky said. "But now, a good Israeli comes and says, 'We need cannon fodder – we need bodies – and let's take whoever is willing to come' – like a football team. This is Soviet propaganda standing on its head. And these are the finest people in Israel suggesting this."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. "Nefesh B'Nefesh Considers Expanding Into UK" by Yigal Grayeff
From Jerusalem Post

Nefesh B'Nefesh, the organization that provides grants to North American Jews to emigrate to Israel, is considering setting up in the UK, Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said on Wednesday.

"They expressed an interest in extending their activities into Britain and I've said yes," Sacks told The Jerusalem Post in an interview. He spoke with Nefesh B'Nefesh representatives this week during a visit to Israel that he undertook with 28 other British community rabbis.

Sacks disclosed that this was the first time he had properly learned about the organization.

"I hadn't really been fully aware of its work before. It's absolutely clear that we must bring it to British Jewry as well. They want to and I give it my full support. It's a wonderful program and we're going to go for it," he said.

However, because the plans are at a very early stage, Sacks had "no idea" about how he could help facilitate the organization's expansion into the UK.

A spokeswoman for Nefesh B'Nefesh declined to comment on Sacks's remarks, although The Jerusalem Post has learned that the organization is already in negotiations with the Jewish Agency to co-operate on the initiative.

Before being founded in 2002, an average of 1,300 US and Canadian Jews moved to Israel per year over the previous 20 years, figures on the Nefesh B'Nefesh web site show. Since then, it has helped around 7,000 North American Jews to make aliyah, with Jewish Agency spokesman Michael Jankelowitz saying that a record 3,100 moved to Israel from the US in 2005.

He added that partly with the help of Ami, the French equivalent organization that was set up a year ago, more than 3,000 people emigrated from France. Meanwhile, 481 emigrated from the UK, also a record number.

Jankelowitz warned that while he "saluted" Nefesh B'Nefesh, any UK initiative should have a strong British infrastructure.

"What is so unique and special (about these programs) is that it is Americans talking to Americans, French talking to French. We think that this thing will succeed if its Brits talking to Brits. A Briton doesn't need an American telling him why to make aliyah," he said.

Jankelowitz also warned that Nefesh B'Nefesh would have to overcome bureaucratic challenges.

"Nefesh B'Nefesh is an American organization. Its funders are American. What is their status going to be? There are all sorts of legal issues that one has got to take into consideration," he said.

"For Nefesh B'Nefesh to start operating in Britain they are going to have to apply for all types of statuses," he added. "If there are Brits who are partnering with Nefesh B'Nefesh and it is sharing its know-how, I think that is positive."

Sacks also said that in conjunction with the United Jewish Israel Appeal, his office will increase its 2006 donation to the Birthright organization to ₤250,000 from ₤80,000 last year. Birthright provides free trips to Israel for young people from all over the world.

Sacks praised the organization for helping to facilitate Jewish continuity, in which he believes Israel plays a central role.

"Israel has never failed to inspire our young people," he said. "Israel should become the classroom of the Jewish world."

Sacks indicated that the purpose of the trip, which he described as "very inspiring," was to help equip the rabbis to promote Israel to their congregants back home against the background of negative press coverage.

"I said to the rabbis that they must become ambassadors for Israel," Sacks said.

However, he also said that some of that press has become more positive recently, with the BBC especially more balanced in its coverage.

"I think we have noted a distinct improvement in recent months," Sacks said. "They have taken on board the distress of the community."

During their visit, which was sponsored by the UK arm of the Jewish National Fund, Sacks and the other rabbis visited the Aleh Negev project in Ofakim, a new residential facility for severely mentally and physically disabled teenagers.

They also met former residents of Gush Katif who are living at the Or Negev project near Beersheba, although Sacks declined to be drawn on whether Israel should carry out further disengagements.

"I don't presume to know what is best for the people of Israel," he said, adding that he would support the government in whatever it decided to do.

Shalom! We are proud to present another issue of Kummunique.
This issue is filled with Aliyah and Eretz Yisrael inspiration - so enjoy!

In this issue you will find:

1. "Looking Good This Purim" by Malkah Fleisher
2. "Purim, An Aliya Story" Stewart Weiss
3. "Getting Drunk on Purim" By Moe Fine

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. "Looking Good This Purim" by Malkah Fleisher

Well, good people, here we are – Purim Fest, 5766. This edition of Kummunique is loaded with deep and meaningful articles – if you read them, you are guaranteed to have a holier Purim experience and a more passionate bond to the Land of Israel. So let me stray away from trying to compete with the righteous people who are featured here this week and talk about a lesser-discussed Purim theme: Being Pretty.

There are two interpretations of Queen Esther's appearance. The Megillah itself says that Esther was gorgeous, seemingly a no-brainer for Achashverosh's choice of Queen. However, some commentators say that Esther was distinctly unpretty, with a rather sickly green hue. Either way, she was chosen as Queen from among hundreds of candidates.

There are two lessons we can learn from this information, corresponding to the two interpretations. The first is that being Jewish is being pretty. There are some people who become upset when told that they "look Jewish" – you sad unfortunates have been duped by a vicious worldwide conspiracy. Jewish men and women are the best looking people on the planet.

The second lesson is that being pretty is being Jewish. There is something so attractive about a person who lets herself be complete and confident. It's mesmerizing, and we all want a part of people like that. All the more so when that fullness and aliveness come from absolute Truth with a capital "T" – Torah values instilled in the house of Mordechai the Jew. In even a very strangely pigmented body, a fervent and refined Jewish soul leaves an irreversible imprint on everyone it touches. King Achashverosh was putty in Esther's grassy green hands - she saved the entire Jewish race from destruction, facilitated their massive return to religion and ultimately enabled them to return to the Land of Israel.

So this Purim, don't forget that you're a beautiful Jew. Dress up in a nice costume, smile and chat with the other beautiful Jews, look pretty. But let most of that dazzle radiate from within – only G-d knows what will come from it.
In honor of the incredibly symbolic wine we will be drinking this Purim, take it to the next level:

Esther's Royal Beauty Treatment

Crush a grape or two on your face, and lie down for 15 minutes (on your back). Follow up with your moisturizer. With daily treatment, in two weeks you will likely see smoother skin and the disappearance of fine lines – you might as well be wearing a crown.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. "Purim, An Aliya Story" Stewart Weiss
From Jacob Richman's site

Is the Bible relevant? As we read the Book of Esther during these days of Purim, I find myself wondering just what this story is all about. On the surface, it is a classic morality play. The forces of injustice and cruelty become ascendant, threatening to exterminate a whole people simply because they are different. A reluctant band of heroes enters the scene, eloquently pleading their cause and ultimately gaining the favor of the King. The despicable tyrant is vanquished, Good triumphs over Evil, and all live happily ever after. Neat, sweet and complete. But hark, fair reader. Purim doth teach that all is not as it seemeth; that masks of many shapes and sizes disguise a much deeper message hiding behind the poetry and prose.

I suggest that one of the central themes of the Purim story is the ancient, yet ongoing, interplay between the Jew of the Diaspora and the Jew of Israel. It is precisely this motif which not only makes the Megila eternal, but among the most popular and well-known of all the books of the Bible.

THE JEWS of Shushan are your archetypal Diaspora Jews. They seem to live quite comfortably under a benevolent ruler who respects their rights and ignores their idiosyncrasies. They are even invited to royal banquets – where the food is glatt kosher – and are called upon regularly for advice. Yet, for all their prominence, the Jews still tread that thin line between security and suspicion. Can they trust their hosts, and can their own loyalty to the crown be trusted? Among themselves they perpetually debate – with no foregone conclusion – whether they are Persian Jews or Jewish Persians.

Haman and Mordechai enter the scene, bringing the deeper issues into focus. Haman is no stranger to Jews, having lived among them and observed their rites and rituals for quite some time. He has no love for Jews, to be sure, but is quite prepared to strike a modus vivendi with them – if they demonstrate that their first allegiance is to the state and its sovereign. Haman therefore prepares a test, convincing the king to hold a party celebrating the end of Jewish independence, even using the vessels of the Temple to toast Jewish subservience to the mighty Persian Empire.

Alas, the Jews submit and enthusiastically attend the party celebrating their own demise. They laugh and make merry, hardly realizing the joke is on them. But there is one Jew who will not abdicate his soul. Mordechai is of a different character. He remembers Jerusalem, having survived the Temple's destruction. He dresses like a Jew, and prefers Hebrew to Persian. He will neither bend nor bow, despite the intense pressure from both the grand vizier and his own co-religionists. Mordechai may live in the exile, but he is a son of Israel in form and substance.

When Haman sees Mordechai unbowed, he understands – better than the Jews themselves –that they will not forever be compromised. He therefore employs the age-old charges of "dual loyalty" and "fifth column" against them, convincing the Persian monarch that "once a Jew, always a Jew," and that this "certain people" will never mesh with the pure Persian pedigree. In the battle of wills that follows Mordechai must convince his people that abandoning their heritage will not keep them safe. Eventually, their salvation lies in reasserting their unique character and "casting their lot" with the King of Kings rather than with despots of flesh and blood.

Esther, for her part, is the story's most tragic figure. Caught between being a daughter of Israel and queen for a day, she never does make a whole and final peace. While she will save her people from disaster and gain lasting fame, in the process she will leave her home, intermarry, and bear a child for a man she does not love.

On stages all over the world this same little piece of theater is played out each and every day. Jews in countries throughout the exile live in various conditions of pain or pleasure. They pray to be left alone, yet know that their own personal Haman may be lurking right around the corner, just waiting to take advantage of their precarious position. They fear the day will come when they will be tested and have to choose between fealty and faith, and they are afraid they will choose wrong. They wonder if a Mordechai or Esther will arise to save them, too.

But there is a big difference between Persia then and the Jewish world now. Today, we have a place where a Jew can live as a Jew, with no fear of religious persecution, at present or in the future. We have a homeland where no Jew need divide his loyalty. We have a country and an army that will do battle with every Haman that tries to torment us, that will quash every plot that tries to destroy us.

The Jews of the Persian Empire are largely a footnote of history, but Israel is the center of history in the making, beckoning every Jew to come home, where we truly belong. And that, as they say, is the whole Megila.

The writer is director of the Jewish Outreach and Ohel Ari Heritage Center in Ra'anana.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. "Getting Drunk on Purim" By Moe Fine
From All Holy Land Wines.com

Perhaps one of the more fascinating aspects of our religion is the strange requirement that obligates men to get drunk on Purim. Mostly we think that religion preaches self restraint and "clean cut, healthy family" type living. Well, obviously, Judaism is for all that, but, it also includes this one "let's blow it" type of holiday that traces it's origins to the Talmud.

The Rabbis of the Talmud said, "A person is obligated to drink on Purim until he can no longer distinguish between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordachai." This statement of the early rabbis who lived during the Talmud (about 1700-1800 years ago) had caused much concern by the later rabbis who concerned themselves with the codification of Jewish law (about 1000 years ago until today). (Exactly what the position of the rabbis in the period in between was can only been assumed that it did not bother them.)

Now some rabbis understand the words literally, and others understand the word to mean not really to get drunk. Those who understand the words literally, we don't have to prod our imagination to understand them. Yet other rabbis did not see this as an opportunity to get smashed in the sanctity of the Torah's teachings. They explained that the idea here isn't the drinking but the joy that is expressed when we realize the good that G-d has done for us. With the aid of a bit of wine, we are able to bring out more clearly our expressions of joy and gratitude to G-d, This thanks can be on a much deeper level when we ingest more wine than is our accustomed habit.

Others saw it coupled with the comparison between the cursing of Haman and the blessing of Mordachai. This they felt had deeper implications, such as the gematria (the mathematical equivalent of the Hebrew letters that comprise the words)of "cursed be Haman" which " happens " to be equal to "blessed is Mordachai". They reasoned that as long as one can reckon the gematrias, one may continue to drink, but once the mind becomes blurry, and the proper gematria can not be computed, then the drinking must cease.

Other later rabbis, to whom drinking is abhorrent, suggest that one may drink only a bit more than one is used to drinking, and then take a nap. In this way, the person drank a bit more on Purim, and since he slept, he did not know the difference between cursed be Haman and blessed be Mordachai. Hardly keeping in the holiday spirit, yet these rabbis were more concerned that no sins should be caused by drinking, therefore, it is better to sleep.

What seems to end up here is a watered down version of Purim which seems to void the holiday of all festivities other than ramming some food down the tubes. Yet there are other concepts in the purpose of drinking that should be explored before you sip your favorite non alcoholic grape juice and retire for a nice snooze. One is the idea that maybe there is something deeper in imbibing that the sages of the Talmud wanted to impart to us. The other is that the words of the sages must be understood fully.

The actual words of the Talmud, which is brought down in the code of Jewish law is that "a man is obligated to get drunk . . ' the word is not really to get drunk, the true translation of it is "to smell nice". In Aramaic, the language of the Talmud " le-basumi " really is related to the Hebrew word " bosem " fragrance. That means that a person is suppose to make himself fragrant , meaning becoming something that another person would enjoy.

When you think of something fragrant, perhaps you think of a flower or of perfume. Another person can enjoy the fragrance with out diminishing that essence of the original. When we smell a flower, we do not diminish the flower, the flower may continue to grow, yet we can get benefit from it. Secondly, the fragrance is to us the least physical of our senses, seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, and smelling.

In addition, the comparison of Haman and Mordachai is interesting. We realize that there are two parts to the Purim story. One part is the downfall of our archenemy, Haman. When he was in power, we Jews were doomed to extinction; with his removal, our lives could have returned to it original pace. We really did not have a need for Mordachai to be selected to become the vicar of Persia. With out Mordachai, we could have continued our daily existence as we have in so many other lands.

Why was Mordachai elevated? What divine purpose was there in that? What is there to compare with the downfall of Haman, in which our lives were spared, to the elevation of Mordachai, which we could have done with out. But no, there is something special in the special selection of Mordachai. In Mordachai becoming the vicar of Persia, we Jews were able to go beyond our mundane daily activities of merely making a living. We could not strive and actively work to rebuild that part of our life that had been taken from us, the holy Temple in Jerusalem. And so it was that the exile in Persia began to approach the end. Yet as we have another drink and begin to ponder this, we see that the hand of G-d is not stingy. When G-d gives his blessing we must take it and act upon it. The average Jew at that time would not have wanted anything other than a return to regular life, yet it was G-d's plan that we return to our supra existence in the Land of Israel with the rebuilding of the second Temple.

And having another drink, we could possibly realize that the word Haman really has more than one meaning. HaMan, spelt in Hebrew the same as Haman, means "the manna" that fell from heaven during the forty years that the Jews traveled in the dessert. This was the food of G-d for a nation of spiritual souls; it had whatever taste that you desired. After eating it, it was completely absorbed in the system and no waste excrement was purged from the body. Yet it was on this HaMan that the Jews complained, with no reason to G-d.

To complain to G-d about a gift that He has given you is a terrible thing. If G-d gives you something, there is nothing better. Perhaps we may want something else, but G-d in his infinite wisdom knows what you really need and deserve. Complained about HaMan (the manna from heaven) we ended up with Haman (from Persia).

We must always thank G-d for that which He has given us. As we ponder and contemplate the goodness that he has bestowed upon us both personally and nationally, we should be swept up with thanks. Our hearts should yearn to praise G-d and our hearts should beat with anxiety to meet He who is so kind. Only as we continue to drink and we release ourselves from our worldly preconceptions and prejudges can we free ourselves on this special day only to sing true praise to He who is all good and giving. Through this realization we will merit not just living during the building of the third Temple, but also participating in the renewed service to G-d, each person according to his talents and abilities, and may it be swiftly and speedily in our days.

Shalom! We are proud to present another issue of Kummunique.
This issue is filled with Aliyah and Eretz Yisrael inspiration - so enjoy!

In this issue you will find:

1. "Happy Birthday Moshe" by Malkah Fleisher
2. "Terumah" by Rabbi Pinchas Winston
3. "World Enters Joyous Month of Adar" by Ezra Halevi
4. "Arrivals: From New Hampsire to Kiryat Shmona" by Meredith Price

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. "Happy Birthday Moshe" by Malkah Fleisher

Mishe, mishe, mishe nichnas Adar, marbin, marbin, marbin b'simcha! Happy Adar everyone! Boy oh boy – it's hard not to jump the gun and write a big Purim article, because Purim is so much in the air now – my mishloach manot (food gifts) are shaping up, and my costume is practically wriggling for joy in my closet.

Nonetheless, I will restrain myself and mention that a big Jewish event is coming our way a full week before we bite into those buttery hamantaschen we're all dreaming about. Happy Birthday, Moshe Rabbeinu!

On the 7th day of Adar (exactly 3 months before Shavuot, and the day that would have made Purim his brit day had he not already been born circumcised), our Teacher, Moses, was brought into this world. Happy Birthday! It was also on this day, exactly 120 years later, that Moshe was taken out of this world (our Sages tell us that G-d took Moshe's soul with a kiss).

After Moshe, the Jewish people had many great leaders – Yehoshua, David, Shlomo, etc – but there is something that always brings us back to Moshe. Maybe it was his intimacy with G-d. Maybe it was his selflessness on behalf of us wayward Israelites. Maybe it was the extraordinary circumstance of his leadership, from his anointing, through plagues, split waters, hovering mountains, and 40 years in the desert.

As an aliyah activist, I am particularly moved by his almost maniacal passion for the Land of Israel, despite the fact that he hadn't so much as smelled the air of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob until the day he died.

The Book of Our Heritage by Eliyahu Kitov gives an incredible account of the passing of Moshe Rabbeinu. According to the commentators, Moshe was very busy on his last day on earth, blessing Yehoshua, blessing the tribes of Israel, and making sure everything was in order for the Jews to continue on without him. With all of his history with our people, with all he had accomplished, he used his last minutes on earth to reinforce our connection to two things – G-d, and the Land of Israel

"A Divine voice then came forth and said: 'The moment has come for you to depart from the world.' Moshe replied: 'Blessed is His Name, Who lives and endures forever.' He then said to Israel: 'I ask of you, when you enter the Land of Israel, remember me and my bones and say, 'Woe to the son of Amram, who ran before us like a steed, and whose bones fell in the wilderness.'' A Divine voice then came forth and said: Within half a minute you are to depart from this world.' He lifted his two arms and placed them on his heart, and said to Israel: "See the end of one who is flesh and blood!" (Book of Our Heritage, The Month of Adar).

It is fitting that Moshe's life be so linked to our happiest month, to the month of our joy, as he cared so much about the things that cause Jewish joy – the Torah, the Nation, and the Land.

Kumah Loyalist Ezra HaLevi will be contributing this week's recipe:

Moshe b'Teivah [Moses in the ark] is what Israelis call pigs-in-a-blanket.
Here is Ezra's untested fabulous Moshe b'Teivah recipe:

Take defrosted malawach. Smear schug and tomato paste/sauce on one side. Place hot dog (veggie dog should suffice) in center of malawach and wrap/seal it.Throw Moshe b' Teivah into deep fryer or pan with lots of olive oil. Fry until browned, then bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Top with sprinkling of cayenne and Zaatar. Enjoy! Let me know how it goes!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. "Terumah" by Rabbi Pinchas Winston
From the OU

In this week's parshah the Jewish people are instructed to collect the materials for and begin the construction of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. It was a tremendous undertaking to build a "house" for the Presence of God, an undertaking that, as God Himself later revealed to Moshe Rabbeinu, required Divine assistance (Rashi, Shemot 39:33). Only with the help of God does the impossible become possible, and sometimes, it is only in hindsight that we are able to discern His hand in all that we have succeeded in accomplishing.

We can speak about Eretz Yisrael in the same way. To return to a barren land after 2000 years of exile, and to transform what had become a virtual wasteland into living habitations and an advanced country – and all this in less than 60 years – is nothing short of a great miracle. This is especially true given all the obstacles along the way and opposition from the rest of the world.

Amazingly, the land has developed not only physically, but spiritually as well. At the center of the spiritual world is the Western Wall, recovered during the miraculous 6-Day War, and a draw for Jews from all over the world. As one drives from community to community, it is astounding how many synagogues and Torah study halls have been built over the years.

And, as long as we keep our ultimate national goal in mind, to build a "house" in which the Presence of God may rest, then we can expect additional miracles that will further develop this country into a place to which ALL Jews will wish to return. We will be able to make a gift (terumah) to God from the very gift that He first gave to us, as the Jews did in this week's parshah when they contributed to the Mishkan.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. "World Enters Joyous Month of Adar" by Ezra Halevi
From Israel National News

Tuesday and Wednesday are both Rosh Chodesh (the "head" of the Jewish month of) Adar, the most joyous month of the year, which historically has heralded unexpected blessings for the Jewish nation.

"When Adar enters," the Talmud declares, "joy is increased." Adar is the month during which the Jewish people's immediate annihilation in the time of Queen Esther was thwarted, "transforming sorrow to joy, mourning to festivity." (Esther 9:22) The Purim holiday is celebrated on the 14th and 15th days of Adar to commemorate that event.

Before the Jewish people left Egyptian slavery, the ninth plague – paralyzing darkness – struck the Egyptians on Rosh Chodesh Adar, six weeks prior to the Exodus. "No [gentile] man saw his fellow, and no [gentile] man could move from his place." (Exodus 10:23)

Following the Jewish people's incomplete return to Zion in the time of Ezra the Scribe, the building of the second Temple was completed in Adar.

Judaism's greatest prophet, Moses, was born, and 120 years later also passed-on, on the 7th of Adar.

Several Diaspora communities throughout the ages adopted their own local Purim holidays to mark days when the community thwarted genocide at the hands of gentiles. On the 18th of Adar, for example, the Jews of Cairo celebrated the "Purim of Cario" each year following an intended massacre in 1524 (CE).

Tuesday is actually the last day of the month of Shvat, but when a month has 30 days, both the last day of the previous month and the first of the following one serve as Rosh Chodesh of the coming month.

The special Hallel prayer is recited on both Tuesday and Wednesday and the Ya'aleh v'Yavoh portion is added to the silent Amida meditation and Grace After Meals (until sundown Wednesday, as Jewish days begin with the night).

"V'nahafoch Hu!" [roughly, "and the tables were turned!"] is the rallying cry of the Jewish people during the month of Adar, after the Persian royal advisor Haman's genocidal plot to rid the world of the Jewish people was foiled through the self-sacrifice of Esther, a beautiful woman forced to cohabit with the gentile Persian king and her uncle, Mordechai, who refused to bow down to Haman, despite pressure from the Jewish community to submit rather than enrage the despot.

Our sages advised Jews throughout history to seek to schedule critical events, in which Divine assistance is desired, during the month of Adar (Tractate Ta'anit 29a). In 2004, Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was killed by the IDF on the 29th of Adar.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. "Arrivals: From New Hampsire to Kiryat Shmona" by Meredith Price
From Jerusalem Post

Shauna Harris, 18 - From New Hampshire to Kiryat Shmona

'I was raised Jewish, but it was never anything special," says Shauna Harris as she straightens her green Israeli Defense Force fatigues.

"I never liked Hebrew school as a little girl, and I think my Mom and I were literally the only Jewish people in my town in New Hampshire."

For a non-practicing American Jew with no prior connections to Israel, making aliya usually seems too scary, too impossible or both. But for Shauna, it fulfills a dream that began at the age of 13, as soon as she stepped foot in the Holy Land for the first time.

BEFORE ARRIVAL
It was actually to avoid the complication and expense of throwing a large family celebration that Shauna and her parents decided to make a trip to Israel for her bat mitzva.

"I didn't even want to come," she says. "It was the middle of the summer of 2001, and I wanted to hang out with my friends, go to parties and see movies."

The land of Israel, with its stereotypical bearded rabbis and sand-colored camels, was far from appealing to Shauna. But as soon as she and her parents boarded the plane, her feelings started to change.

"By the time we landed at Ben-Gurion and the wheels of the plane touched down, I was in love with this country," says Shauna. "I told everyone that I was coming here one day to make aliya. Most of them thought I would soon forget all about it and sarcastically suggested that I at least leave the airport before making a final decision."

But four years later, she was on a different plane - this time to stay.

UPON ARRIVAL
Shauna made aliya on July 13, 2005 with the help of Nefesh B'nefesh. Yet while many immigrants make this life-changing transition with their families, 17-year-old Shauna came alone. For the first three months of her stay, she lived full-time on Kibbutz Yiftah in Kiryat Shmona with about 80 other young immigrants.

"We had seminars and Hebrew classes, and they really made our move easier by explaining things, answering any questions and helping with the bureaucracy."

FAMILY HISTORY
Shauna's mother, a micro-biologist for the state of New Hampshire, grew up in Connecticut, and her father, who works as an operational director for Signal Technologies, was raised in Texas.

"My Dad isn't religious at all and my Mom is really Zionistic, but being Jewish was never really important unless someone was saying something against it."

An only child, Shauna and her mother are extremely close, and her Mom plans to make aliya as soon as possible.

LIVING ENVIRONMENT
Although Kibbutz Yiftah is a great place to catch up on sleep over the weekend, Shauna spends most of her time during the week at her boyfriend's house in Herzliya Pituah.

"My room on the kibbutz is similar to a dorm room," says Shauna. "I have a roommate and share a bathroom. It's really nice, and I love to go there on weekends to hang out with my friends and relax. Oh, and on Friday nights there's a cute pub with cheap drinks too."

Then she mumbles something about the drinking age at home being 21, "which has nothing to do with making aliya!" she laughs.

CIRCLE
Over the past six months, Shauna has made friends from all over the world. Some of them are also new immigrants, and many of them are in various stages of army-university tracks. One of her girlfriends from Canada is in a combat unit, and another close friend of hers also made aliya from New Hampshire.

"I have met so many inspiring, strong people here," she says. "Even though everyone has their own problems, we are all going through similar things, so we learn from each other and help each other. It's like a big family, and I'm so happy to be part of it."

ROUTINE
Being a new recruit in the Israeli army means long hours and early morning wake-up calls.

"I usually wake up at 6:30ish, put on the exact same uniform, take the 7:15 bus to my base and work from eight until 5:30," says Shauna. Being in the army means that your time is no longer really your own, and free time is a rarity.

"When I do have time away from the base, I'm so exhausted I'm usually sleeping," says Shauna. On the weekends, she finds time to see movies, play video games and go out to dinner with her boyfriend.

WORK
In September, Shauna started her service in the army at a base in Northern Tel Aviv. She works as a liaison in international relations but cannot discuss the details.

"One thing I can tell you," she says, leaning secretively into the table as the army emissary sent to chaperone our interview eyes her suspiciously, "is that I love wearing this uniform because of what it symbolizes. I beg to take my M-16 home, and I love the fact that the police here don't look at me as a security threat even though I'm carrying one of the biggest guns I've ever seen!"

IDENTIFICATION
"The Israeli culture suits me much more," says Shauna. "I really like the US, but I feel more comfortable with myself here, and although I'm still an amateur at the Israeli pushiness, I love the fact that I'm accepted here."

FAITH
"I am a Zionist with strong opinions," says Shauna, "and although I am not extremely religious and don't really care about keeping kosher, I have a ridiculous respect for those who are deeply religious."

Raised in a reform/conservative home, Shauna's family never placed much emphasis on religion.

"I did end up unwittingly fasting on Yom Kippur this year," she says, "and I think I'll continue to do it. I love the way religion is celebrated here, and I love feeling part of it."

LANGUAGE
Although she did attend Hebrew school as a child, her Hebrew was close to non-existent when she arrived last July.

"I thought I knew Hebrew because I could read a menu," she says. It didn't take her long to realize she was wrong. Now, she can communicate relatively well.

"At the base, I am forced to speak in Hebrew so I've improved a huge amount since I started," she explains. And although she's been told to curb her use of the word slicha, her commanders say she's a quick study and will soon have both the language and the culture under her belt.

PLANS
"Call me in like 10 years," says Shauna in response to a question about marriage and children. "All I know right now is that I want to stay here. I'm not going anywhere."