This was originally posted on the Isreal at Sixty site:  http://www.israelatsixty.org.il/my_weblog/

I’m not a sun-worshipper nor am I genetically predisposed to be one. I want to make that clear from the outset. I don’t tan. Never have, never will. As a child on holiday in Israel, I was left to fry by my parents on beaches from Ashkelon to Atlit and I grew up envying those women who slathered themselves in suntan oil and roasted themselves on the beach. Later on, after I’d made aliya to Israel, I’d be walking down the street and getting catcalls from passing taxi-drivers: “Go the beach! Get a tan!”. Not really the way you want your legs to be noticed.

And of course, in the end, I theoretically have the last laugh because now everyone has to stay out of the sun and knows how un-fun that can be. A few Israeli companies are getting set to make mine the penultimate chortle, while they have the last laugh, creating products to protect us all from the sun’s harm, while allowing us to still enjoy its benefits.

Bet Shemesh means “house of the sun” so it’s only fitting that we start there. HydroChic has created a line of athletically inspired UV-protective swimwear that looks young and funky while staying within the bounds of modesty. Co-founder Sara Wolf told ISRAEL21c she noticed the lengths women would go to in order to cover themselves up on the beach. Together with partner Daniella Teutsch, the company, founded in 2006, now has thousands of customers in Israel and abroad. 

Another Bet Shemesh-based company, Sol-Gel Technologies, has developed a technique that uses glass made at room temperature to create a material that will make sunscreen and other health care products safer. The clear silica microcapsules precisely control the delivery rate of active ingredients, improving efficacy and tolerability.

Israeli based Skyrad has created a new dime size device-on-a-sticker that could help sunbathers avoid sunburn. The sticker change color upon over exposure to the sun’s rays, comes in versions for use with or without sunscreen, and versions design for six skin types ranging from very light to very dark.

Israeli firm LycoRed’s new product Lyc-O-Mato uses tomato ingredients to help lower the harm done by exposure to radiation from the sun. ISRAEL21c reports that the product prevents premature aging and other effects of UV rays and free radicals. LycoRed has regional facilities in the US, Europe and Israel, and supplies natural carotenoids and other ingredients to industries, worldwide

So, we have options. You can wear your sun protection, slather it, stick it on, or – the tastiest option of all - ingest it instead. And don’t forget to visit your dermatologist every few months for a quick once-over – ‘tis the season!

Written by Rachel Neiman, who is an Associate Editor at ISRAEL21c.

This post originally appeared on the Israelatsixty website: http://www.israelatsixty.org.il/my_weblog/2008/06/herzl-got-lost.html

Herzl seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle. In the excitement of celebrating our 60th birthday, the man who more than any other was responsible for bringing Israel into being was all but ignored. Back in 2004, on the 100th anniversary of his death, the Knesset adopted legislation incorporating Herzl Day into the Israeli calendar. It was decided to designate his birthday, the 10th of Iyar, as the official date on which a variety of events and activities would take place celebrating his life’s work. That’s only five days after Israel Independence Day and with all of the hullabaloo surrounding the festivities this year, almost no attention was paid to the visionary of the Jewish state.

It’s a shame, not only because of the honor due to this modern-day prophet who quite literally sacrificed his life by dedicating it to the good of the Jewish people, but also because of the legacy of dreams he left us which are every bit as inspiring today as they were more than a century ago.

If at times we may feel discouraged by some of the news presently coming out of Israel, we need only refer to Herzl’s writings in order to feel encouraged that we indeed have the power to right anything that is wrong, if we would only have the will as well.  

Altneuland (Old-New Land), the utopian novel that he published in 1902, describes in glorious detail what the Jewish state he imagined coming into being would look like 20 years after its establishment. One of its principal themes is succinctly summed up in one of the last articles Herzl penned, just three months before he died. “I truly believe that even after we possess our land… Zionism will not cease to be an ideal, for Zionism as I understand it includes not only the yearning for a plot of promised land legally acquired for our weary people, but also the yearning for ethical and spiritual fulfillment.” The message is clear. As preoccupied as he was with finding a political and territorial solution to the Jewish problem, Herzl was always driven as well by the opportunity that this solution would provide for fashioning an exemplary society.

This is particularly significant in the current context, not only because of what is going on within Israel, but because of the evolving phenomenon of what I would refer to as “crisis Zionism“ - a focus on the negative factors which necessitated the emergence of a Jewish nationalist movement to begin with: rescuing Jews in distress, combating antisemitism, and countering anti-Zionist and anti-Israel propaganda. While the present circumstances require that these measures continue, the Zionist Movement will be diminished if these struggles are allowed to monopolize its resources and energies, or obfuscate the ultimate challenge it faces: building a society characterized by fundamental tenets of prophetic Judaism: tzedek tzedek tirdof, rodef shalom, and Tikkun Olam – pursuing justice, seeking peace, and repairing the world.

These are the things that encapsulate the essence of what we must emphasize in realizing the plank within the Jersusalem Program calling for “Ensuring the future and the distinctiveness of the Jewish people by furthering Jewish, Hebrew and Zionist education, fostering spiritual and cultural values and teaching Hebrew as the national language.” And it is this message, the authentic voice of Zionism, which need be disseminated if people are to be drawn to the cause. Herzl recognized this a century ago. “A community must have an ideal“, he wrote, “for it is that which drives us… The ideal is for the community what bread and water are for the individual. And our Zionism, which led us hither and which will lead us still further to yet unknown heights, is but such an ideal, an infinite endless ideal.”

This is what Herzl Day should be all about: envisioning the future of Israel and the Jewish people in reference to the dreams of its founding father, and considering the ways in which one might contribute to their realization. No need to wait 11 months to begin the process. Nor is it too early to begin planning a proper celebration for next year. Mark your calendars. In 2009, 10 Iyyar falls on May 4. It is time to return Herzl to his rightful place in the chronicles of Zion – not only in Israel, but in the Diaspora as well.

The prisoner swap has been set and was passed by the Knesset on Tuesday, July 1st. Israel’s politicians agreed to deal with the tyrants of Hizballah in order to retreive information and bodies. The bodies of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev will be handed over in exchange for Labanese and Palestinian prisoners, supplemented with information about Ron Arad. These Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners have blood on their hands. Until recently, Israeli policy stated that it would never release a terrorist who imbued his/her hands with blood. Israel rescinded an age old policy and set a new precedent regarding prisoner exchange with other Arab countries or the hostile terrorist groups that operate within those countries. This can increase the danger for Israel because Hamas is fully aware of the liberties they can take from this new precedent.

On the other hand, the underlying policy or unquestionable duty is to never leave a fallen comrade behind. My father, who served in the IDF (rising to the distinguished rank of Private) told me that this principle is the first thing you learn in the Israeli Army. The importance of retrieving your fallen brethren is deeply embedded within the Israeli soldier’s psyche. This is also true for American soldiers and others as a central componant formed by the close companionship developed among fellow soldiers.  

So, what do you do when you are an ex-soldier in the Knesset who must vote on the recent exchange with Hizballah? It is tough because, on one hand your undying devotion to your fellow soldiers would instinctively push you to vote for the prisoner swap. No doubt that voice in your head, as well as the voices of the soldiers’ parents would be loud and clear when you’re voting Yes for the swap. However, security is key, and in this day in age terrorism is the number one threat to the entire free world. Israel is in a precarious situation, relying on its allies and its own resources to combat terrorists who are inundating the country. So for the sake of the greater good of the entire population, you might start doubting the swap and fearing that it might open the flood gates of recurring terrorism. If the vote for the swap ends up being ’No’, it will be primarily for security concerns. If the swap goes ahead it will set a precedent that Hizbullah, Hamas and others might take advantage of in the future. This has always been an issue every time Israel has been confronted with a hostage situation.  

The choice was hard to make, but it was passed and the news is out, and the choice was a resounding ‘Yes’ to the swap. Hopefully this is for the better, but I fear that it will be much harder to get a “fair” deal for the return of Gilad Shalit. Hamas will ask for more killers and then it will become a vicious cycle of terrorists getting a second chance at murder,but I hope I’m wrong and the swap ends up being somewhat fair. Time will only tell if Israel’s politicians have made a deal with the devil or conducted a deal that was a blessing in disguise. In the revered words of the Kabbalah, politicians as well as the entire nation need to think with their minds not with their hearts.  

P.S. We should all take note that the Lebanese government has called this a “failure” on Israel’s part. It is farcical coming from a country, which has been imploding since 1975, decaying and controlled de facto by an unhinged terrorist group. So I wonder why they’re criticizing us for something one of their groups perpetrated. It is in their own best interest to send out feelers for peace instead of blaming Israel for all its woes, but what else is new?

For more about this story visit: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1214726160901&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull (Jerusalem Post)

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3562634,00.html (Yediot Aharonot)

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/ISRAEL_LEBANON?SITE=MALOW&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT (AP)

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/997914.html (Haaretz)

Israel made its sole appearance in a World Cup Soccer final event in 1970. Unfortunately the Israeli national team were defeated in the first round.
In 1930 the national soccer association began the World Cup Soccer event which has been in motion since its inception (with the exception of 1942 and 1946, during WWII). Since the beginning of the World Cup soccer tournament only five teams have been able to defeat the best of the best around the world. As it stands Brazil has won 5 World Cup titles (one of which was in 1970 when Pele came out of retirement to play in the finals), Italy with 4 (2006 the most recent), and Germany with 3 titles under their belt. Uruguay won the first World Cup title in 1930.
The World Cup of soccer in 1970 was hosted by Mexico. the Israeli national team had done very well in the qualifying matches against such experienced teams as France, Switzerland and Northern Ireland. In 2005 the Israeli national team again had managed to be undefeated in the qualifying matches for the 2006 World Cup in Germany but failed to make the cut after brutal playoff games in other European qualifying groups that enabled Denmark and Switzerland to enter over the Israeli team. France and Switzerland were the winners of the group with Israel taking third place had no spot for the upcoming World Cup. Hopefully our dry spell has ended.
Nine months ago the Israeli national team were losing 2-0 to the Russian national team. In the second half the israeli offense kicked into gear and scored three goals to beat the aggressive Russian national team in Tel-Aviv, home field. I just returned from Israel and the people still talk proudly about that victory. Nevertheless, Israel failed to make it to the Eurocup 2008, which just finished up with a victory by the Spanish national team.
It is time to play the best soccer of Israel’s existence!! The World Cup qualifying matches begin on September 6th, 2008 for a Finals group of 32 teams that will meet in South Africa. Israel is set to play Switzerland ( a team never able to defeat Israel in competition play) and are grouped with countries such as France, Northern Ireland, Switzerland, Maldova and more. Qualifying matches will extend for the next two years and I will be watching for more updates on Israel’s path to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup Finals.

SIDE NOTE:
Groupings for the World Cup soccer qualifying matches depend on location. It is obvious that Israel has been lumped into European soccer play since 1948 because of one reason, FIFA is too nervous to handle and be responsible for a potential match between an Arab or Muslim country against the State of Israel. The Arab nations have always had trouble playing the European top notch national teams whereas Israel can hold their own and have proven so in 1970 and 2005. If Israel were in their rightful groupings they probably would have made it to the Finals of World Cup play many times in the past 60 years.

Keep your eyes out for Israel national team scores and highlights as soon as the qualifying matches begin here on blogsofzion.com.

The Blogs of Zion site is an open forum, which is open to any Zionist/Israeli/Jewish ideas and dialogue. The most recent entries (including my own) are stellar writings, yet I think I would like to veer for a second to the lighter side. Remember, all the content is pertinent yet in the famous words of Monty Python’s finale to The Life of Brian, ”Always look on the bright side of life……..(whistle).

Here us a clip from the late and great George Carlin - Zichrono Livracha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCz0-HY1TLU&feature=related

AND I added a clip from the Jon Stewart Show with his funny rants against Obama and AIPAC, enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy1dL2p1lJY&feature=related

Peace and always remember to laugh a little or at least smile.

Modern history has put more of an emphasis on Human Agency, facilitated by recordings of personal testimonials made by individuals. This gives the individual a voice in the clutter of many who can make up the story and paint a clearer portrait of the event. Historians used this to their advantage in the last century recording a plethora of interviews, ranging from historical actors such as ex-slaves to Holocaust survivors. Every morsel of information is considered a diamond in the rough.

When I was interviewing for my thesis, Israeli civilian life during the first Gulf War, I had an intriguing experience with the interviewee who was a teenager at the time. Our conversations gave me a further depth regarding his kaleidoscope of feelings. Sheer emotions flowed without adult reservations and bias sounded rather clear. However, he gave me a sense of the inner clash between his childhood innocence and adult maturity. Understanding this I can say that these teenagers are frought with emotions waiting, as we all are, for their catharsis. These are more excerpts from the book “Israeli Kids’ Letters To Terrorists.”

“…this book is more than just a compilation of letters: 30 years from now it will have become a time capsule, a permanent recording of Israeli students’ take on terrorism and violence in the begining of the 21st century. It’s also about their dreams for the future… they desperately want peace, and they believe that peace IS obtainable. And if left up to them, the students would convene meetings with their counterparts, kids from all over the middle east to explore solutions…solutions which could lead to a lasting peace.”

 Words from a presentation by John Shuchart

“Don’t you understand that we’ve had it, all of us (the Jews and I guess many of the Arabs too), with this ongoing war? We can’t take it anymore. I can’t take it anymore. Instead of living a peaceful life like other children my age all over the world, I have to cope with the terrorism that you are constantly inflicting upon us. Just stop it! You’re killing people; we’re killing people.  Even if according to the “experts” one side won, tell me, what was won? Victory is not conquering a lot of territory. Victory is reaching a compromise that fits all, without all the killing.
Lydia, 10^th grade, Sderot
 

Kidnapping has always been a high profile crime. Whether in a glorious fictional tale such as the abduction of Helen of Troy, which led to one of the best known war legends, or whether a real case in history such as the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby in the early 1930’s, the assumption is that a kidnapping is an open ended situation where the victim has hope of survival, while those close to the victim experience a roller coaster ride with feelings ranging from desparate hope and expectation of seeing their loved one again, to helpless despair at their inability to control the outcome.

Case studies have shown that many kidnappings end badly, with the kidnapping victim being killed, whether the kidnappers get what they want or not. Currently, the govenment of Colombia is trying to figure out the best way to deal with the recent rash of kidnappings, a phenomenon that had plagued most Latin American countries for decades. However, the kidnappers in most of these countries have one thing in common. They all commit this crime in hopes of getting money from the wealthy families of their victims. There has been a sign of some improvement in countries like Colombia, where the govenment has cracked down in order to lower the amount of kidnappings. Brazil has seen a small decline in kidnappings due to a slight improvement to its ecomony, as well as a government crackdown brought on by a few high profile kidnappings.

Kiddnappings of Jews by terrorists are not a new phnomenon, but are quite different in nature from the kidnappings in Latin America. Most of the kidnappings are politically motivated and the kidnappers, who are mostly members of a terror organization usually demand a very slanted prisoner exchange. However, unlike a kidnapper motivated by money, these kidnappers do not get what they want ultimately, since the actions of their comrades end them up back in captivity.

So, in the case of Gilad Schalit one has to ask the hard question, what will happen in the future if Shalit is released in exchange for terroroists who go right back to doing the same things that can put them back where they are now? How do we deal with a kidnapper who’s goal is not concrete and is subject to constant change, and how do Israelis and Jews protect themselves from being kidnapped again? I have no clear answer for this difficult question, but would like to offer one idea on this matter.

In the case of a kidnapping ”gone well” the kidnapper has a clear goal and demands, and when they are met the victim is released. In the case of a kidnapping ”gone badly” the demands of the kidnapper are not met, or the demands or goals are changed. Therefore, I believe that when Israeli represntatives go to negotiate the release of not only Shalit, but anyone who’s been kidnapped, a concrete deal must be made, one that cannot be changed once agreed upon. If the kidnappers go back on the agreement and the kidnapping “goes bad” The Israeli government must not acknowledge the validity of the kidnapping, and must use all means necessary to not only resolve the Schalit case swiftly, but to discourage would-be kidnappers from acting. Letting this drag on is nothing short of torture for the Schalit family and we must make sure he does not fall into obscurity like Ron Arad, the Israeli pilot kidnapped in 1986, who’s exact fate is unkown to this very day.   

“The pen is mightier than the sword” is an aphorism coined by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 for his play Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy. The term resonates because of the written’s profound influence on the world. Words and letters tell stories, plead for mercy, use terms of endearment etc. with undetermined potential.

John Shuchart compiled a book that is a set of letters written by Israeli teens. The book, “Israeli Kids’ Letters to Terrorists” is an amazing read that puts the reader in the mind of your average Israeli teens. The teens are writting directly to the purveyors and perpetrators of all their miseries, the terrorists. This is his second compilation book, the first dealing with letters from younger kids about the events on September 11, 2001, where he compiled letters written by teens directly to the terrorists. It is translated from the Hebrew into English and Arabic to span the readership and awareness. I have added the poetry but their words resonate and leave a permanent imprint in the mind.  

“In these letters, students, many of whom live in a world constantly rocked by acts of terrorism, share with us their fears, their quest for understanding, even their solutions for peace. And what would any book with primarily Jewish authors be without incorporating some humor? As an example, one student writes to an imaginary terrorist, “so, you want 72 virgins? Go to www.jdate.com; my guess is that you will probably find more than 72 virgins and you won’t have to kill anybody to get them!”    

   Words from a presentation by John Shuchart

“Seven years of Qassam missiles fired at us every day. Believe me when I tell you we’re fed up and can’t take it anymore.  Every Qassam that falls is met with growing apathy. Sadly we have just gotten used to living in this situation.  Just try to understand us. I don’t know if you’ll really pay attention to this letter or whether it’ll just motivate you to continue firing the Qassams. It’s your decision. I just wanted to share with you a small part of what I am feeling.”
From me, a victim of your terrorism.
Avia, 9^th grade, Sderot
 

Talmudic scholars have designated the months of Tammuz, Av and Tevet as the months of peril and sorrow. Many terrible ordeals befell the Jewish people spanning the globe during these dreadful months. Kabbalists wrote that these are the three months where the spirit of Esau rules and the name of G-d is written backwards. There is also a long list of historical tsuris including the destruction of both Temples, exiles, expulsions, deportations and much more without getting into all the gory details.

Two years ago Gilad Shlit was kidnapped at the onset of these troubled months. The results were deadly for the Israeli troops killed in the ensuing war with Lebanon. Right now he is in the depths of some hole somehwere in the outskirts of the Gaza Strip. Somewhere amidst the sand dunes and depleted landscape Gilad is holding on to a glimmer of hope. We have no doubt that his resolve is steady in the face of his captors, but it has been too long. Way down yonder Gilad is waiting to go home, to the comfort which we all can take for granted. Bring him and the rest of the Israeli troops home

Our respected Rabbis and Kabbalists say that these three months are irregular because of too much or too little sunlight. The days deviate from their regular patterns causing slight mood shifts and erratic behavior. The imbalance causes us to have a shorter spark, ready to ignite with all this nervous energy, making our frustrations gush like hot lava spewing from an active volcano. In order to conquer these shorter fuses and unnecessary outbursts we must 1. focus on short term goals 2. avoid tempestuous carnal urges and 3. make sure all interpersonal communication is civil and calm. Upon entering this period we should focus on these notions in order to complete the goal of returning Gilad Shalit home. We must make the goal of his return short term, must avoid the temptation of making any empty concessions and make sure that our interlocutors are honest and fair. Like Jonah, who was swallowed by a sea monster, Gilad is stuck in a precarious condition. However, instead of three days it has been two years and the clock keeps ticking. We all need to be calm yet vocal in the name of Gilad Shalit and all the other troops who are missing and lodged deeply in our hearts.

Children recited Gilad’s book and is available here: http://www.isrealli.org/shalit/

“In addition, the Israeli Consulate has joined the initiatives on Facebook, in which users supporting the fight to free Shalit are asked to change their profile pictures to that of Gilad Shalit on Wednesday 25 June. A further initiative calls on users to change their status for the coming two days to “Waiting two years for Gilad Shalit.”  

I don’t go to bars that often and am forced to queue outside even less. But the 10 minutes outside Villa Sokolov last Thursday did provide an opportunity to successfully test out a theory that’s been doing the rounds - that putting on your best English accent immediately gets you through the chaotic crowds and into the bar.

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