the muse's pics

NEWS! NEWS! NEWS!

2006-10-10T08:18:00.000+02:00

Big news!!

yes!

VERY BIG NEWS!

My pictures

and there are lots of news ones

Can now be found on....

me-ander!!!

yes, that means that

I won't be

posting to

this blog

at least

until

further notice

A variety of recent pictures

2006-08-24T13:08:00.000+03:00

These were taken by me with my new Canon 620.

Havel Havelim #62, Specially for You!

2006-03-19T07:21:00.000+02:00

HAVELIM #62
Post-Purim Edition
There's supposed to be a picture here, but blogger isn't cooperating, must be in kahoots with Haman, so if at a later date it gets "done," you'll, see it, but in the meantime...

“Havel Havelim,” ”Vanity of Vanities” is the Jewish-Israeli blogging carnival consisting of posts from blogs all over the world. It’s hosted by a different blogger each week and coordinated by Soccer Dad. The term “Havel Havelim” is from Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, which was written by King Solomon, who built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other “excesses” and finally realized that it was nothing but norishkeit, “havel” or in English “vanities.”

You're only seeing this edition of HAVEL HAVELIM, now that it's finished, but for me this is a rushed one, since it's already Wednesday, Shushan Purim and I'm only beginning. It usually takes me a full week. I've already heard three out of four Megillah readings, one of the advantages/disadvantages of living in Shiloh, and I've had enough sugar and other diet "no no's" to ice a wedding cake for a thousand.

Posts are pouring in, thank G-d, and yes, some bloggers are multiply represented. I'd rather include all the posts than have the thankless task of choosing "the best from each," since it's like choosing which of your children you love the most. I remember reading an interview with one of Israel's greatest song writers, the late Naomi Shemer, in which she was asked which was her favorite song, and she answered that she always loved her most recent one the most. I'm not presumptuous enough to consider my varied posts as having the artistic merits of Naomi Shemer's songs, but I'm certain that I'm not alone in feeling, undoubtedly more than once a week, that I've written something that should be included in Havel Havelim.

Obviously, I'll start with Purim posts…

Instead of Havel Havelim,
It's

Bavel Bavelim!!

The Muqata is the place to be
For innumerable Purim Parodies!
Decide which is best in your eyes
Then vote for the CRIB First Prize!

And if you want to know what to sing
Click Yitz's Purim niggunim!

Just not too loud
Or I won't join the crowd.

Yaakov hates firecrackers;
I can't stand the noise,
But for some "boys will be boys."

Purim by the bloggers
Like a bunch of groggers

From Ya'aqov Ben Yehuda
Sing this louder than a tuba

Have we forgotten
What happened in ancient Shushan?

And if you want to feel better
Read the Purim Arutz 7

Here are some wise sayings
From Chavie Willig Levy

And the Sin of Expulsion
Asks Howdy Doody's help
In deciding the election

This rabbi may be velveteen,
But she sure knows about Purim.

Listen to this
Monkey speaking Yiddish!

Menorah—News and Views
All about Purim, "venahafoch hu!"

About that perfect Purim poster
Not Quite Perfect's confidence needs a bolster

This is no Purim spiel;
It's actually for real.

From a Balloon Twister's Aliya Saga
A first Purim which sounds rather gaga

All about Adar
From Miri, who lives afar

The Cos' returns only to announce
His plans to drink every ounce
Whether he did,
or whether he didn't
Next morning he threw everyone out of bed
To hear the Megillah!

See psychotoddler's Purim
It's great photo-journalism

A Simple Jew and a Space Cadet
Oy Gevelt!

From the Pillage Idiot, good news
For Irish Jews
Though not written for Purim,
It's a good'n

YUTOPIA's about
Purim, no doubt.

Thinking of Haman inspires Irina to tell a moving a moving story about a small resistance cell against the Nazis.

LIFE IN ISRAEL
Treppenwitz reminds us that the Jewish heart and values can't be judged by the external, or more simply put, that there's strong Jewish feeling in many Israelis who don't appear "religious." And he later explains the background to the Jericho army operation.

Carl sees the Jericho Operation this way. And he also writes about the inflated PA demographics.

Look at the beautiful, early spring flowers from Elms in the Yard.

Katif.net is still reporting and updating, but now the Arabs are attacking the Negev.

It's hard to tell if my husband's taxi story is uniquely Israeli, or is it the type of thing that happens wherever there are taxi drivers.

Over six months after Disengagement, the condition of the refugees no longer gets its own heading. There's more in The Sin of Expulsion.

My Ober Dicta writes about the importance of Mishpat Ivri, Judaic Law.

The olah chadash From French Hill tells us why she's so tired, and it's not from cooking.

Moze knits across Greece. OK, it doesn't really belong in this section, but she did say that Greeks are like Israelis.

POLITICS and MEDIA
My Eye tells us why Israel is not a democracy.
Adloyada gives us the scoop on the media.

Westbankmama brings up some interesting points about democracy and voting.

Don's "On the Contrary…" discusses Bibi's failed attempt to form a coalition, pre-elections.

"It's Almost Supernatural" has a series of posts defending Israel, which was accused of being an apartheid state.

Daled Amos explains the importance of Jewish blogging.

Ze'ev's perspective about Israeli Arabs is very clear.

Outside Esther tells us what she thinks of the raid on Jericho.
Robin writes of virtual mishloach manot.

Meryl Yourish complains of A.P. media bias, though I was reasonably pleased with the A.P. article I was interviewed for.

Here's an excellent, comprehensive article about media bias from Soccer Dad.

Shaister wrote that MK Naomi Blumental's jail sentence is justified. Personally I think that it's out of proportion to the punishments given to much more serious offenders. It's sort of like the income tax paid by multi-millionaire business men, who write off "business failures" and hardly pay any tax.

Read Daled Amos' post about the Jericho Operation.

Some of the Israeli bloggers are not just observing the political scene; they're actively involved, like The Path to the Knesset, which is supporting Yisrael Beitenu.

Many of the NU-NRP supporters are disappointed in the campaign ads. Read what my husband wrote about them.

The Sin of Expulsion reminds Israelis to vote.

And soon we'll know, are the vegetablepundits right in their election prediction?

Barak of IRIS Blog explains that the Dubai Port Capitulation Likely Fraudulent.

Rachel Ann has a very clear idea of what a hero is. And she also writes about how the nearby Arab kids are being "educated."

Dry Bones gives us more in a small cartoon than most op-ed writers find to fill a full page.

Blog Free! presents: The Campaign Speech That We Didn’t Hear by Israel Zwick.

What's a monitor? Israpundit explains.

And Smooth tells us what's an Islamaphobe.

The police brutality in Amona is still strongly affecting us. My husband's blog offers a link to one of the better videos shot there.

PARSHAT SHAVUA
Thoughts about Parah Adumah, the Red Heffer… and its opposite.

And more about that ruste taurus from Reb Chaim HaQoton.

PESACH'S APPROACHING
Sarah's hosting the pre-Passover Kosher Cooking Carnival! Send in your recipes, menus, food stories and traditions, "anything kosher!"

MISCELANEOUS
Elie's Expositions announces: A Tzedaka Fund for Aaron.

Irina writes about the role of women and race from her very special perspective.

A Simple Jew fits a piece in a "puzzle." And he also posts some beautiful paintings.

Different River describes a strange kind of "art."

On Cross-Currents, there's an article about easing conversion to Judaism.

Who remembers John Falotico?
May he RIP.

AbbaGav presents his very own: Hollywood Squares!

This post on Judeopundit reminds me why I'm happy to live in Israel.

From the Aliya Blog we learn about kosher toilet paper, which reminds me of the old "crepe toilet paper" which could be used to scrub pots.

Read all about the YU Alumni Shabbaton.

Irina tells us what she misses about her grandmother.

Here's the Canonist's view
Of Matisyahu.

Ben's in love;
MAZAL TOV!

The clown picture is one of Fred's; thanks, Fred! (I hope that I get blogger to load it.)

Send your links for the next edition of Havel Havelim via Conservative Cat’s handy form or the blog carnival one, and at the same time you may discover other “carnivals” to visit and enter. You can also use those forms to send kosher recipes and other kosher food posts to the Kosher Cooking Carnival.

Thanks to Soccer Dad for his hard work keeping this going, and if you want to host, please let him know at dhgerstman at hotmail dot com.

This appears in the UberCarnival.
Please put up a blurb on your site alerting readers to Havel Havelim

This will be cross-posted to my other blogs; each has different templates and different "viewing pleasures." I guess at some point I'm going to have to repair the templates or switch, so if anyone can help....

Pray for Yechiam ben Rachel

2006-02-02T05:51:00.000+02:00

Refuah Shleimah to Yechiam ben Rachel
He was beaten by the police at Amona, and now is fighting for his life.

Ir Ha'emuna, pictures

2005-12-27T21:03:00.000+02:00

Ir Ha'Emunah, the refugees of Atzmona, removed from their homes twice. Once by Menachem Begin's Camp David, when they were a new community, and just this summer by Ariel Sharon.

kitchen and kiddies
and I can't figure out why the pictures don't enlarge

JIB?

2005-12-11T06:31:00.000+02:00

Jewish Israeli Blogs

I'm afraid of deja vu. Last year all of my blogs came in dead last in every category nominated in the JIB Awards. So, as you may expect, I'm sort of ambivalent about it all.

Will I be embarrassed again? Maybe I should just ignore the entire business? Or just not take it seriously. Well, if I'm nominated, please let me know, but...

The Mt. Zion demo

2005-11-22T11:04:00.000+02:00

Sorry they came out small. I still havent' figured how to use the scanner.

Finally the pictures from the Friday morning Mt. Zion demonstration at the President's Residence.

Me and Yitzchak Rabin

2005-11-17T09:36:00.000+02:00

I'm being a good citizen and following the law that we're supposed to remember Yitzchak Rabin. So read my story.
Yes, of course there's a story about this. When I was in my second year at Stern College, (actually it was my final year, since I dropped out), Yitzchak Rabin paid a visit to YU to speak to the entire student body, that is YU and Stern. As you can tell from the picture, I was an "usher." The Yeshiva University Student Newspaper, THE COMMENTATOR, had a cover story about the event. The picture, probably by the same photographer as this one, was similar. The only difference was that you could see Rabin, far in the background. The big topic of discussion afterwards was how obvious he was about "eyeing" the Stern College student who introduced him on stage.

Aren't you glad I have a new scanner?

The Girls!

2005-11-16T22:05:00.000+02:00

Hallel and Porat
As you can see I'm still not managing well with the scaner.

History!

2005-11-07T07:49:00.000+02:00

Let's dance for joy! BOMS has included us, the very first picture post!!

Take a gander!

the latest Havel Havelilm

2005-10-30T07:09:00.000+02:00

...and here it is!

Pictures from the March 2

2005-10-27T20:50:00.000+02:00

Sorry, but the order of the pictures never comes out right.

Here we're marching and singing in the Old City of Jerusalem, in the crowded alleyways.

We marched from the Hyatt, after visiting the Gush Katif refugees there, to the kotel.
We made it to the kotel, and it was mobbed!
Here's Moshe talking to some of the "evacuees," those thrown out of their homes and now living in the Hyatt Hotel. Just today they were almost thrown out of the hotel.
Here's where the police stopped us. They wouldn't let us approach Sha'ar Shechem.

See you next year!

Pictures from the march 1

2005-10-27T20:01:00.000+02:00

From the Od Avihu Chai March from
Shiloh to Jerusalem, Succot, 2005

Moshe Keinan, Avihu's father, addressing the marchers before we set out from the Shiloh Cemetery.
At Avihu's grave
Saying T'hilim where Sarah Lisha, the Shiloh Girls School's sports teacher was murdered by Arab terrorists.

Moshe walking with his two grandsons during the march to Jerusalem. The younger one was born after Avihu was killed.

March to Jerusalem!

2005-10-20T09:47:00.000+02:00

G-d willing, this coming Sunday, Chol Hamoed Succot, the 23rd of October, we will be marching from Shiloh to Jerusalem.

There will be three stages of marching.

From Shiloh Center to the Shiloh Cemetery, Avihu Keinan, HaYa"D's, grave.
From Waadi Charamiya (just north of Ofra) to Givat Assaf, the Beit El Junction
From French Hill to Har HaZaytim, the Mount of Olives, the cemetery where the bodies from the Gush Katif Cemetery have been re-buried.

Please join us! We should be reaching Jerusalem sometime in the afternoon.

These are the contact numbers for more information. This number should be called also if you're marching from Shiloh, Waadi Charamiya or Ofra and to check during the afternoon when and where to join us in Jerusalem: 0545-649-140, and this just for updates during the march itself: 0545-321-136.

Yes, I took the photo last year, as we were crossing the road at French Hill, Jerusalem.

This will be cross-posted on my other blogs.

Heval Hevalim

2005-10-16T19:54:00.000+02:00

Biur Chametz is hosting the latest Heval Hevalim. Read the wide variety of posts.

The next Heval Hevalim will be here and here and here and maybe here.

And who's the host in this picture?

Please try to send me your posts before the Shabbat after Simchat Torah.
shilohmuse at yahoo dot com or via Conservative Cat's form.

I'm sure the times will inspire you, so I won't mention topics, except that due to the murders of innocent Jews by Arab terrorists here in the Holy Land, there will, unfortunately, be a section for obituaries from those who knew the victims personally.and if there are any blogs or posts or reports from Disengagement victims, they're all welcome.

But please remember that the main mitzvah of this holiday is "simcha," be happy. We must learn how to control our joy and sadness and express those conflicting emotions at appropriate times.

Chag Sameach

ps This will be cross-posted here and here and maybe here.

Is this me?

2005-09-29T05:25:00.000+03:00

Yikes! The lipstick shows! This is the picture sent to the OU for the Invitation to the Ben Zakkai Dinner. How will my old friends recognize me?

photo by Vivian Spiegelman-Lebow

T'hilim, Psalms in Shiloh

2005-09-12T06:54:00.000+03:00

My neighbors and I met in the Beit Medrash L'Noar, before Disengagement, to say T'hillim, Psalms. The building is a "Torah Study Hall for Youth," dedicated to the memories of two best friends, Avi Siton and Shmuel Yerushalmi, murdered in two separate terror attacks within the space of just a few short weeks.

Both families and friends all agreed that the best way of remembering them was to establish a place for learning in the neighborhood they had lived in.

now for what came out blank

2005-09-06T10:49:00.000+03:00

I hope there are pictures this time...

Photographs by Vivian Spiegelman-Lebow

scanner try #2

2005-09-06T10:32:00.000+03:00

How's this?

ok, Bram helped by remote control.

These gorgeous kids are my parents four youngest grandchildren.

scanner

2005-09-06T07:09:00.000+03:00

I have a scanner, and I'm trying to use it, so please be patient.

Trying again

This summer in Jerusalem

2005-08-29T14:57:00.000+03:00

Lovely mosaics of tiles has been added to the base of polls in the center of Jerusalem. They were almost finished with this one, washing off the plaster from the outside.This orange tee shirt is not just an ordinary tee shirt. Its sides are split, forming a shirt with four corners, necessitating the addition of "tzitziyot," according to Jewish Law. And, of course, if you hadn't noticed, the shirt is orange.
These young women were well equipped with bouquets of flowers. I photographed them talking to policewomen. It looked like they were giving them flowers.

Seen in Jerusalem...

A Couple of Protest Signs, old pictures, pre-Disengagement

2005-08-29T14:21:00.000+03:00

Here's a poster of the three young teenage girls who were in prison for weeks and weeks on trumped up charges. My neighbor's daughter was jailed for talking back to a policewoman. For that she was considered a danger to to the public. She told the policeman to leave her friend alone.
And here the man is telling Sharon not to destroy the country.

I've been going through the pictures and don't think I've posted these signs I photographed at the Maasiyahu Prison, Saturday night, Melave Malka. In recent days, most of the prisoners have been released, but not all of them.

The ones released were "just the demonstrators" against Disengagement. It was, obviously, a totalitarian tactic to keep opponents jailed.

There are still a few opponents in various jails for more "serious" activities, though none were violent or harmed anyone. They are mostly teens. Real criminals, like thieves, rapists, murderers are not kept in jail for so long or under such restrictive conditions. And remember all the terrorists who have been released.

Nefesh B'Nefesh Album #7

2005-08-26T07:06:00.000+03:00

Yes, we'll start with one of the adorable babies on the flight. Considering all the kids, it was a pleasant flight. I guess that surprises me, because 28 years ago, I walked across the Altantic with a baby in my arms. Waiting for luggage is always feeled with tension, since one never knows if it will all arrive on time.
At the ceremony. I'm not sure, but this picture may already be on a different post.
And another baby.
And a baby of another sort, a very precious piece of cargo for this olah chadashah.

there's more to come...

Nefesh B'Nefesh Album #6

2005-08-26T06:48:00.000+03:00

Yes, this white dog appears in lots of photos, from the check-in line, the plane and in the Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. The picture under this may have been a mistake, but there's something nice and artsy about it. It was at JFK, NY.
A nice family scene by that gorgeous mural at JFK.
Here's the doggy again, but this time in Israel!
Sean is now Eitan, and I hope to photograph him in his army uniform in a few months.

Sorry, but there's no order to this.

Nefesh B'Nefesh Album #5

2005-08-24T15:28:00.000+03:00

Cats can also make aliyah. And I lost the rest of the images, rather stupidly, so look out for #6.

Nefesh B'Nefesh Album #4

2005-08-24T15:13:00.000+03:00

Checking in baggage in JFK International Airport. Greeting the olim chadashim in the Ben Gurion Airport
At Ben Gurion, listening to the welcoming ceremony.
The cat owners.
On line with everything, yes, there must be everything in those boxes.

NEFESH B'NEFESH Album #3

2005-08-24T14:36:00.000+03:00

Nefesh B'Nefesh Album #1 and Nefesh B'Nefesh Album #2.

For some peculiar reason, only this picture of the cats packed for the trip came out.
This and the next few picture posts are from the Nefesh B'Nefesh flight that left New York on August 2, noon time and arrived in Israel very early August the 3rd. I have an awful lot of pictures to post. I hope that the computer and blogger are more cooperative. They won't be in any particular order. .

Hatikvah in Tel Aviv

2005-08-19T10:51:00.000+03:00

At the anti-Disengagement Demonstration in Tel Aviv, I photographed these loyal citizens standing at attention singing Hatikvah.

Anti-Disengagement Demonstration in Tel Aviv, More Flags

2005-08-19T10:40:00.000+03:00

orange, blue and white for Gush Katif

Anti-Disengagement in Jerusalem 2

2005-08-19T07:11:00.000+03:00

The People Speak

Look at the wonderful kids.
We had a homemade demonstration.

Anti-Disengagement in Jerusalem 1

2005-08-19T06:56:00.000+03:00

We were a small demonstration by the Prime Minister's Residence.

anti-disengagement demonstration in Tel Aviv 2

2005-08-17T17:47:00.000+03:00

I can never figure out how to get the pictures in the right order, but there are two of Mincha, afternoon prayers said soon after getting out the bus. The sign says it all.

Adorable young demonstrator with orange Gush Katif flags.
Mincha again.

Anti-Disengagement Demonstration in Tel Aviv 1

2005-08-17T17:41:00.000+03:00

Blue, white and orange flags!

Kotel Prayers #3

2005-08-16T06:24:00.000+03:00

There are some strange things in the order that the pictures are up here, not quite what I loaded, posted, but I'm not going to complain or correct. It's pretty clear that most of the pictures show the masses of people streaming to the Kotel to pray together, to beg G-d to help, to beg G-d to accept our prayers, to beg G-d to consider what we've done enough. Of course there are never any promises that G-d will agree. The number of people can't be counted. Many thousands never even made it into the Old City, as the streets were full, and crowds were held outside of the gates.
There's also a picture of the road to Ir David, where we went. A half hour after I took the picture, the road was totally full, and it was impossible to get in through Sha'ar Ashpot, the Dung Gate.

And just a reminder, the media did its best to ignore and minimalize this great event. It wasn't even mentioned in the "New York Times."

Pictures! Prayer Gathering At Kotel 2nd of 3

2005-08-16T01:00:00.000+03:00

Actually the first is going to the Kotel Katan, but somehow didn't show in the first batch.

This includes shopping for orange, which seems to have gotten a "hetter," special permission from the rabbis, since during the three weeks, especially the nine days of mourning of the destruction of the Holy Temples, it's forbidden. But this year the orange tables have been mobbed, and people put on their orange tee shirts, even though they are new.
The last picture starts giving an idea of how many people were trying to get to the Kotel for the massive prayer assembly. Later on worshippers couldn't even get into the Old City. These are stairs going down from the Jewish Quarter into the Kotel Plaza.

Massive Prayer Gathering at Kotel and Kotel Katan

2005-08-16T00:36:00.000+03:00

I'm rather surprised. It seems like only five pictures came out, though I loaded fifteen. If that's the situation, it'll soon be discovered. And I'll have to do this in three batches.

Before the massive prayer assembly against the Disengagement Plan at the Kotel, the ancient wall of the Temple Compound, not of the Temple itself, there was a special women's prayer gathering at what's called the "kotel katan," or the "small wall." It doesn't have a large plaza at all, but it's just as ancient and holy as the big kotel. Now guess who these two ladies are!

New York again

2005-08-14T20:43:00.000+03:00

These were taken walking down Broadway. I loved the signs on the buildings. I hope that you can see them.

I wouldn't have had taken this one, but that bird on his head was just too good to pass up.

Melave Malka at the Prison

2005-08-11T09:35:00.000+03:00

Every Saturday night, after Shabbat, for the past few months, people have been gathering for a massive Melave Malka, traditional post-Shabbat festive "event" at the Maasiyahu Prison near Lod. This prison has a lot of the anti-Disengagement prisoners. From their cells they can hear the music and speeches. That's why even though this has continued throught the traditional Three Weeks of Mourning the Holy Temple, the music continues. It's just that instead of joyous music, the music is slow, of prayers to G-d asking for His Mercy, "Rachem, rachem, rachem..." It took place in a large, sandy, open lot next to the prison. The space was divided one-fifth to four-fifths "men-women," though lots of women were in the men's side, though not close to the podium. The "mechitza," divider was strips of plastic posters, like these.
Yes, there was dancing, slow, mournful dancing, since we were already in the 9 days of mourning. The rabbis declared the loud, beseeching music to be important for the prisoners to hear.
One of the demonstrators.
I gave my camera to a neigbor's son to take pictures closer up.

People brought the whole family.
There are more pictures to be developed. So this is part one.

Times Square, July 19

2005-08-10T10:14:00.000+03:00

Anti-Disengagement Rally
It was organized by AFSI and David Romanoff.
Here are the pictures that I took:

I think thay they're pretty clear.
First there's the singer Avraham Freid.

Then various scenes of orange and kids who came from Chabad camps.

hidden dawn

2005-08-10T08:19:00.000+03:00

I love the dawn and function best when I have an eastern window. Here's the dawn from the room in which I slept in my parents' home during my recent visit.

NEFESH B'NEFESH Album #2

2005-08-08T21:19:00.000+03:00

Here's the youngest oleh chadash who was on the plane, but this picture was taken while we were still in JFK!

Yes, even quicker than expected.

NEFESH B'NEFESH Album #1

2005-08-08T21:01:00.000+03:00

I was very honored to be invited to accompany the August 2nd Nefesh B'Nefesh flight to Israel. Here are some of the pictures I took. I think they speak for themselves. G-d willing, bli neder (this ain't no vow), I'll post more another time.

New York visit #1

2005-08-05T04:05:00.000+03:00

Here are some pictures from my recent trip to the states. This first one is of me and my cousins, Kenny and Mickey. Kenny and I were visiting Mickey who lives in the Cheshire Home in New Jersey. It was taken by one of the care-givers.

The next is a picture I took of Mickey, Kenny, Kenny's puppy and others at the home.

Last is one of those typical New York street scenes.

Anti Disengagement Rally on Broadway

2005-08-03T16:55:00.000+03:00

On Tuesday July 19, there was an anti-Disengagement Rally at Times Square, New York City. Thousands of people attended. I was one of the speakers, and my friend Rose photographed me, so following are the pictures.

thanks Fred

2005-07-11T15:03:00.000+03:00

Fred did a great job!! Thanks so much!!

What is it?

2005-07-10T09:33:00.000+03:00

The photographer's commentary is on the bottom, or near the bottom. I hope that this is clear.

signs
not far at all

Recently there have been rumours of a super-large building project not far from Rosh Ha'ayin, a growing city, sort of between Ariel and Petach Tikva.

Barry Chamish wrote that it's being built by an Arab contractor for the Americans, possibly to be used as a refugee camp, barracks, concentration camp, who knows? He also claimed that it's half the size of Tel Aviv. Obviously, even those who don't usually pay attention to him are concerned.

Many people have contacted me asking what I know. Honestly, I don't know anything, but I just received pictures and commentary from a very reliable source.

Here is what I discovered - no commentary. I detoured off Rd 444 (not
443) between Elad and Shoham and drove towards the Halamish Bet Aryeh.
About 2.5 KM I came upon the camp. The camp is right near the road (photo
#12) it's clearly visible to anyone using this particular road to and from the
Shomron as far as Bir Zeit and Ramalah. The sign at the turn off reads
Nachshonim (a near by kibbuts between Elad and Rosh Ha'ayin). I drove up
to the gate. There is indeed an American flag alongside two Israeli
flags. When stopped, I said to the guard that I thought this was a
shortcut to Nachshonim. He said that it was a base named Nachshonim but
there is no road to the kibbutz. He told me it was a construction site and
that I could not enter. I left and drove another KM or so on the
road. Just past the Machsom I turned left on to a dirt road which doesn't
ring the camp but seems to be the road along where the security fence is being
constructed. No doubt much of the road is being blasted out of the rock -
so is every other road in the area especially the roads that are associated with
the security fence.

I can't estimate how many people can fit into
the camp. I can't tell what its purpose will be. It appears to be
one of the several Yamachim - storage camps - going up around the
country. I'm told by different people doing miluim that this is not
unique. The size of the camp is far from half of Tel Aviv or 50sq
miles. In pictures 5 and 9 I think you can see the entire camp. In
picture #6 you can see how close it is to Elad and in picture #12 you can see
how close it is to the road.

In picture # 14 you can see the sign
listing the all the contractors. I don't know who ABB (?) Susa or
Sosa is perhaps his first name is Mustafa? but everyone in Israel is
no doubt familiar with A Aronson, a company that built many public
buildings. I wouldn't be surprised if there are Arab (Israeli? from
Yesha?) working on the project. That's a reality of construction in
Israel. What would it prove?

orange 1

2005-07-08T07:06:00.000+03:00

Here are some orange,
anti-Disengagement demonstration photos.

First our wonderful kids. The Wall.

Demonstrator being dragged away and being photographed. Some of us got real close up.

No name on the cop.

These pictures were taken at the "trial run."

making progress

2005-07-07T12:59:00.000+03:00

See, I'm not a total dummy, just partially.
And that's me with my two girls, the ones who make me a "bubby."

cousins 5-05

2005-07-07T12:30:00.000+03:00

Two little cousins sharing a meal.

Don't worry. Eventually I'll get this right.

smiling Ned

2005-07-01T06:38:00.000+03:00

technical problems

2005-05-27T10:01:00.000+03:00

I haven't managed to send pictures so far, because the program I thought I'd use will only send to another of my blogs. I need a free program that will give me for flexibility.