Terrorist Killed by His Own Rock

A friend of mine sent me this email, and I found it fascinating! If anyone doubts Hashem's absolute justice, let them check out this story:

(INN, 18 Jan 09) A Palestinian Authority Arab who stoned cars in Samaria was killed by one of his own rocks, police have concluded. A Jewish man held in connection with the death has been released.

The Arab teenager hurled heavy stones at Israeli-owned vehicles along a Samaria highway last Tuesday evening. He managed to hit one car, which was driven by a resident of the nearby town of Emmanuel.

Fearing further attacks, the driver fired a single shot in the air to frighten away the stone-thrower. He then contacted local security officers to report both the attack and his own response.

A short time later, Israeli paramedics received a report of an Arab teen found unconscious and badly wounded next to a highway. The teen suffered a serious head injury that appeared to be a bullet wound. Medical personnel rushed to the scene but were unable to save the young Arab, who died a short time later.

Police originally believed that the resident of Emmanuel who reported firing in the air had in fact fired at his attacker, killing him. The man was arrested and questioned. However, an initial forensic report showed that the attacker had not been killed by a bullet, and the detainee was released.

A final forensic report, released over the weekend, showed that the attacker was killed when a stone he threw hit the car driven by the man from Emmanuel. The stone hit the car's tire and bounced back at high speed, hitting the attacker and leaving him with a fatal head injury.

Down home they say, "What comes around, goes around." A person has to remember that if he the trap he sets for others will end up ensnaring him.

Here's the link for the source of the story: www.lazerbrody.typepad.com/

Israel Videos on Facebook Database

Since Operation Cast Lead began a few weeks ago, Jewish communities all over the world have been showing their support for Israel and its cause. Of those communities, one in particular that has done a tremendous job in utilizing it's capabilities to do so. It's a community that knows no geographical boundaries, differentiations on levels of observance, or even political affiliation. It's a community that I'm very familiar with, and if you've ever read a post of mine, you're most likely a member of it too. (Even if you think you don't... yet spend too much time in it anyways...)

I'm talking about the Internet community, particularly the Facebook community.

When the operation began, many of my fellow Jews were quick to publicly express their support for Israel on Facebook. Such a tool enables a person so many opportunities to express themselves and in the case of these people, they've made wise decisions upon how they choose to do so.

Occasionally Facebook gets a bad rap because it can sometimes act as a source for time-wasters, laziness, procrastinators, and other unnecessary activities of which you could be better spending your time doing something better. Like exercise. Or playing a musical instrument. You know, normal stuff.

However, in Judaism there's an important concept of how everything created in this world so it could serve a purpose in doing the will of G-d. Of course we could use our body or any other physical object like a computer anyway we want, but what true benefit does it serve when there's no purpose behind it's use?

What I'm getting @ is that anyone can doodle around on Facebook, but you can also do something productive with it as well. The important thing is that you have a choice, and these people have made conscious decisions to use Facebook as a tool for supporting Israel. Such a noteworthy act is certainly considered that of doing the will of G-d. And even if you're not Jewish, the concept also rings true. We have resources and we can utilize them anyway we want. Or we can maximize potential - both ours and the object's.

This brings me to the videos. They get posted by the masses, people see them, they enjoy, get inspired and if they want, they can send the link to a friend. Too often do we get these moments of inspiration and sources of it, yet they become forgotten. When I say forgotten in terms of Facebook, I mean they become old posts as new posts arise everyday on your homepage...

What I propose is we preserve those videos (and other sources of information and inspiration), with its own place. A database where you can find them quick and easy.

So that rather than having to scramble around Youtube, or your other friend's Facebook page, or go back through multiple pages of Facebook Posted Item pages, there's an easy source for all these videos that have arose over the past few weeks.

Take it from a wannabe journalist, it makes life a lot easier to not have become a temporary detective when having to look for these things. With easy access, we can prove to those who disagree us and portray Israel as the aggressor and disturbers of peace.

Please join me in this endeavor if you desire. You too can use Facebook for more than a place just to waste time...

This the link to my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=28125113&ref=name
I've made a list in the "Notes" section on the left side of the page where you can post videos and a forum where you can help contribute. You can also post links and messages on my blog in the comments section. Or you send me an email @ tevypilc@gmail.com

Thanks for taking the time to read this message.

Blood: This Day In Yeshiva History- January 3 (with a current twist)

I meant to write this last night but I met up with a few people I hadn't seen in a while. Priorities, Priorities... Here's what I wrote in my journal:

"Big Day today. Magen David Edom came today to the yeshiva for us to donate blood. I donated for the first time in my life. It made me feel great too. My mom talked to me about it beforehand and she really encouraged me to do it. She said that she'd done it several times and more importantly, it was donated blood that help prolong Bubby's life. That gave me even greater incentive to participate."
Bubby is the Yiddish name for grandmother. My Bubby passed away a little over a year at the time - Nov 2004. I actually forgot about this detail about the whole experience, but nonetheless it's noteworthy to recall because of how important she was to me and it gives me great joy to simply bring her up in conversation.

But here's the current twist: My dad showed me this article he was emailed on Wednesday. The article was entitled "Filthy Jewish Blood".
http://www.ou.org/shabbat_shalom/article/bogner_filthy_jewish_blood/
Talk about an attention catching title. I won't spoil it, but it basically discusses the under-reported practice of Jewish humanitarianism - TO THE PALESTINIANS IN GAZA.

That's right. To the same place they just sent ground troops last night. I can't help but wonder if the roles were reversed, would the Palestinians consider a similar practice?

When I look back to when I gave blood that day, I thought about how much of a service to the country I was doing by giving my blood to those who need it. I thought of victims of terror attacks, hospital patients, soldiers in combat... pretty much anyone who'd be in need in blood to keep on living. Like my Bubby.

But to Palestinians in Gaza?
Wouldn't that seem a little counterproductive?

The other day I posted an article written by my friend who discussed her experiences as a medic who had to care for an actual terrorist. She mentioned that regardless of who or why, human life should be protected and preserved if means to do so are available. Human dignity shouldn't be compromised regardless of the situation. The article makes that very clear in a very creative manner by asking you to put yourself in the shoes of an Israeli solider facing the body of wounded Palestinian who just tried to kill you.

But the article goes on to another point. The articles mentions how in addition to humanitarian relief, several trucks of blood were sent in from Jordan.

Jordan? Why blood from there? Didn't I just give blood? Didn't I just mention that regardless of who it is and why, human dignity comes first? What's the story here?

It turns out my blood isn't good enough...

The article explains:

"The truth is, just as Israel has had to come to terms with a Red Diamond as its medical symbol abroad (since the International Red Cross made it clear that the Red Star of David is offensive to too much of the world), we have also somehow had to make peace with the fact that even our blood is considered sub-human and filthy by the very people with whom we are supposed to be making peace."

I'm going to leave at that. I've posted the link of the article above. But here it is again:
http://www.ou.org/shabbat_shalom/article/bogner_filthy_jewish_blood/
It's no coincidence that this article came out almost a few years after I blood @ my yeshiva in Israel.

Let me know what you think.