Friday is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, with commemoration events at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem and in many other locations around the world. One memorial was held at the Kibbutz Yad Mordechai Holocaust Museum on Thursday, where survivor Aliza Vitis-Shomron told a crowd including the children and grandchildren of survivors who came to the kibbutz after WWII about her experience. She related that in the closing days before the allied armies liberated the camp she was in, there was a rumor that the prisoners would be liquidated by their guards as a final act of barbarism. “Panic and fear spread quickly,” recalled the Polish-born Israeli gradmother who survived the Warsaw Ghetto and the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. “Just as we were at the point of despair, two American tanks came rolling down a hill and saved us. We were crying with joy. The American soldiers didn’t know what to do and they showered us with chocolates and cigarettes.” Giving some thoughts on what has happened in the years since that day, she continued by saying “what happened accompanies me, but I try to live and live well. I try to teach humanitarian values to our youths. We must never do upon others what was done to us.”
For a look at events commemorating International Holocaust Memorial Day, click HERE
Israeli Jewish religiosity increasing
A study entitled “A Portrait of Israeli Jews: Beliefs, Observance, and Values of Israeli Jews,” was published on Thursday by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) in conjunction with the Avi Chai Foundation. It examined levels of religious observance among Israeli Jews over the past 20 years. The study showed a marked increase in affinity for religious holidays, symbols and nomenclature. “In 2009, we can say that Israeli Jews are interested in the role of religion in the State of Israel and in the significance of a ‘Jewish State,’ and express positive attitudes toward expression of religion and tradition in the public realm,” the report says. “However, they seek to preserve freedom of personal choice, especially with regard to Shabbat observance in public.” “The results of the survey are evidence that Israeli Jews are committed to two significant values: preserving Jewish tradition on the one hand, and upholding individual freedom of choice on the other,” said Dr. Eli Silver, director of Avi Chai–Israel. “This fascinating combination is a source of tension, but it is also the basis of a broad Israeli-Jewish consensus.”
Israel’s Hacker War heats up
The shadow war between Israel and Iran was joined by a private group of Israeli hackers on Thursday, launching attacks on dozens of Iranian websites in response to an attack on Israeli sites the day before. "If the Arab hackers thought that the attack on the Israeli websites will pass in silence, I have to said all Arab hackers: You have a mistake," said a statement posted on a popular web forum by a group calling itself "Israel Defense Force Team" adding "Ahmadinejad what do you have to say about that?" The Iranian sites were blacked out except for the image of a waving Israeli flag and the words "we love Israel. Hi Arabs, you have been hacked by IDF Team."
Assad’s troops carry out another massacre in Syria
Turning a deaf ear to the growing chorus of criticism against its brutal actions, the Assad regime in Syria ordered security forces to storm Douma, a flashpoint suburb of Damascus on Thursday, with loyalist troops going house-to-house and clashing with army defectors, civilians and anyone who got in their way. In this and other incidents around the country at least 34 civilians were killed and many more injured, according to opposition groups. Among the dead this week were reportedly a Red Crescent volunteer and a Syrian priest. Despite the ongoing violence, large crowds turned out in several cities to show their support for Assad. Meanwhile, reports surfaced in the Iranian media that 11 Iranian “pilgrims” who were in Syria on a “spiritual journey” were kidnapped on their way to Damascus on Thursday.
Israel assists in Palestinian olive harvest
The IDF Civil Administration announced this week that the olive harvest in the West Bank has been completed with a very healthy 80 kilograms of olives being produced per dunam this year. Around 45% of Palestinian agriculture consists of olive production, totaling around 530,000 dunams and close to 8 million olive trees from which provide employment and sustenance for more than 100,000 Palestinian families. Israeli and Palestinian farmers and officials agreed that this year’s harvest was marked by high levels of cooperation. "Every District Coordinating Office conducts joint meetings and discussion with representatives from the police, Palestinian Agriculture Department and Palestinian Olive Council, in cooperation with local Palestinian authorities," Lt. Col. Sharon Ben-Ari of the Civil Administration said about preparations for olive harvest season. "We see that over time, in comparison to previous years, there has been a marked decrease in complaints and friction."
