Conservatives Dispute Bush Portrayal of Islam as Peaceful

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/11/30/conservatives-dispute-bush-portrayal-of-islam-as-peaceful/ce21081c-8a4b-4180-abf2-aa7d0d4a7692/

In a score of speeches since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the president has called for tolerance of Muslims, describing Islam as "a faith based upon peace and love and compassion" and a religion committed to "morality and learning and tolerance."

But a large number of foreign policy hawks -- some of them with advisory roles in the Bush administration -- have joined religious conservatives in taking issue with Bush's characterizations. While most of them understand the political rationale for Bush's statements -- there's no benefit in antagonizing Muslim allies such as Pakistan and Indonesia -- they say the claim is dishonest and destined to fail.

Trump’s ISIS Claim Goes to the Dogs

 https://www.factcheck.org/2019/11/trumps-isis-claim-goes-to-the-dogs/

About a month before Trump was sworn in, the U.S. commander of the coalition operation — Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve — said that “almost three million people and more than 44,000 square kilometers of territory have been liberated” from ISIS in 2016. That’s nearly 17,000 square miles.

Estimates of the Islamic State-held land vary. Figures from IHS Markit, an analytics and consultancy firm, show a smaller percentage of land recovered under Obama, but still refute Trump’s claim that the coalition forces had “almost nothing” before he was inaugurated. IHS Markit’s estimates would put the recovery under Obama at 33%.

Near its height in January 2015, the Islamic State caliphate in Iraq and Syria covered about 35,000 square miles, IHS Markit said. When Trump took office in January 2017, that was down to about 23,300 square miles.

The rate of recapture did accelerate under Trump, according to the firm’s figures, which show the caliphate comprised about 14,000 square miles by June 2017.

Idaho Teen Allegedly Devoted to ISIS Arrested Before Planned Church Attacks

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/idaho-teen-allegedly-devoted-to-isis-arrested-before-planned-church-attacks?ref=home

“The defendant allegedly pledged loyalty to ISIS and sought to attack people attending churches in Idaho, a truly horrific plan which was detected and thwarted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.

Shohini Sinha, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City office, said the case “should be an eye-opener to the dangers of self-radicalization, which is a real threat to our communities.”

Losses predetermined Rosh Hoshanna

 Bava Basra (10a) In the same way as a man's earnings are determined for him from New Year, so his losses are determined for him from New Year. If he finds merit in the sight of Heaven, then, deal out thy bread to the poor; but if not, then, he will ‘bring the poor that are outcast to his house.

Ancient superstitions about eclipses paved the way for this scientific truth

 https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/06/opinions/solar-eclipse-ancient-civilization-history-election-colavito/index.html

On social media, far-right fearmongers offer nonsensical conspiracy theories about the eclipse signaling an attack on American cities by undocumented migrants. But the fact that most of us now understand that a sign in the sky as dramatic as an eclipse doesn’t dictate events on Earth is an important reminder of immutable scientific truths in an age of conspiracy theories.

Jewish woman serving 20 years in Bangladeshi prison receives divorce papers

 https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b13alhbla?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=internal

In a complicated operation, Rabbinical Court emissary arrives at guarded prison in Bangladesh to hand inmate her get - a Jewish writ of divorce - through her cell bars

Charges pressed against Jerusalem man who built and distributed pipe bombs

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-796052

According to the charges, filed by attorney Pua Ben-Tov from the Jerusalem District Prosecutor's Office (Criminal), Mahisan manufactured and stored pipe bombs and incendiary bottles at his home, and was in contact with an entity from which he received flags of the Islamic Jihad and fireworks for use in demonstrations.

Ambassador Erdan: 'If Hitler were alive today, he would sing the UN's praises'

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388145

Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan spoke today in the General Assembly at a meeting on the war in Gaza. At the beginning of his remarks, Ambassador Erdan referred to the historical connection between the Palestinians and Hitler and presented a photo from the meeting of Mufti Haj Amin Al-Husseini with Hitler on the UN Stage.

“From well before the establishment of the UN – or the State of Israel – the Palestinians’ goal has been clear: the annihilation of the Jews. Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, and one of the founding fathers of Palestinian nationalism, worked hand-in-hand with Hitler to achieve this. And from then until today, the root of this conflict has not changed. It is not a political conflict or about partitioning land. It is solely about the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews.”

Jews had to be forced to accept G-d

 Netziv (Shemos 13:9): Don’t be surprised that G d requires us to do so many mitzvos and techniques to acquire bitachon and emuna  in G d’s Providence. The fact is that it is known that the Jews do not readily accept authority until they are forced as we see by the plagues. That is why G d took us out of Egypt with a strong hand because it was not easy for us to accept His dominance. This is seen in the medrash which discusses, “The Jews did not listen to Moshe because of their irritability and stress of their enslavement.”  The medrash explains that they didn’t want to listen because they were immersed in idol worship.  In other words, the medrash means that in fact they did not want to be redeemed.

 https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-israelis-are-so-happy-middle-east-lifestyle-e5be0e6a?mod=trending_now_opn_2

Israelis pursue happiness through family and community, by feeling rooted and having a sense of purpose. My son Yoni got married in Jerusalem midwar, while serving in the military reserves. He notes that “Israelis grow up with many outside influences, many adult role models, not just their parents. It starts with our large weddings, when you’re blessed to ‘build a faithful home in Israel.’ ”

That dance between the individual and the collective begins long before birth. It spawns Israelis’ high levels of “trust, benevolence, and social connections,” which, as the 2023 happiness report emphasized, nurture “well-being,” even “in times of crisis.” Alexis de Tocqueville called families the backbone of healthy democracies. Family inculcates loyalty, commitment and self-sacrifice. Belonging to communities—extended families—teaches citizens to care about and cooperate with others.

Some Sages are like G-d -Zohar

 Zohar (1:9b - 10a):  R’ Shimon replied: Your deduction that some Jewish sages are comparable to G‑d is in fact true. Only G‑d can resurrect the dead - yet we find that Eliyahu and Elisha resurrected the dead. Only G‑d can make it rain - yet Eliyahu controlled the rain through his prayer. G‑d made heaven and earth - yet they were firmly established for the sake of Avraham. G‑d determines the course of the sun - yet Yehoshua made it stand still. G‑d makes decrees but so did Moshe and they were fulfilled. Furthermore G‑d makes decrees which are nullified by the tzadikim as we learn from Shmuel 2 23:3). In addition G‑d commanded them to literally follow in His ways and to be like Him in every way.

Trump’s $175 Million Bond Is Even Shadier Than It Looks

 Trump’s $175 Million Bond Is Even Shadier Than It Looks

The little-known insurance company that rescued Donald Trump by providing a last-minute $175 million bank fraud bond isn’t just unlicensed in New York; it hasn’t even been vetted by a voluntary state entity that would verify it meets minimum “eligibility standards” to prove financial stability.

Perhaps even more troubling, the legal document from Knight Specialty Insurance Company doesn’t actually promise it will pay the money if the former president loses his $464 million bank fraud case on appeal. Instead, it says Trump will pay, negating the whole point of an insurance company guarantee, according to three legal and bond experts who reviewed the contract for The Daily Beast.

“This is not common… the only reason this would be done is to limit the liability to the surety,” said N. Alex Hanley, an expert in how companies appeal enormous judgments.

Koheles can be Misunderstood

 Rabbeinu Bachya (Kad HaKemach Avel):  Among the verses in Koheles which seem to be contrary to the faith is this one (Koheles 9:11) which says that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the might … but rather it is determined by the stars. … Nevertheless in fact this statement is the very essence of faith. It is to be understood as saying that one’s talents alone do not bring about success but rather it is a result of merit which is earned. It is only because of their merit that they are provided with the opportunity and other factors which lead to success. Thus every successful endeavor for peace and prosperity in this world is determined by the person’s merit. Similarly failure is the result of deserved punishment. The proper Torah attitude is to ascribe the peace and prosperity that comes to others as being the result of their merit or that of their ancestors. The peace and prosperity of the person himself is to be viewed as the result of G d’s mercy. He is not to view ascribe his success either to the stars or his own merit because one should consider himself to be wicked or a sinner even if he is in fact righteous. It is correct to ascribe all bad happenings - whether to himself or to others - as being the result of sin and not accident.

Amazon faces backlash for selling Sinwar's jihadist bildungsroman

 https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/bkcu44ygc

International booksellers including Amazon incurred outrage on Friday when it emerged that their catalogues include a novel by one Yahya Al-Sinwar, the Hamas leader regarded as the mastermind behind the October 7 massacre.