Kids Planet: An Honest Game

A while ago, MIL bought Shlomo a tablet. We’re not fans of electronic toys, but okay. It’s had its ups and downs.

Recently, Shlomo found a new game: Kids Planet Discovery. It had been there since he beginning, but we hadn’t noticed it before.

This game is basically a geography game. It teaches a bit about other cultures, and has an activity that involves placing countries, states, and provinces in their proper place on the map. This activity has two levels: easy and difficult. In the easy level, you get outlines to guide you. In the difficult level, it’s just one big land mass and you figure it out for yourself.

Naturally, I tried out the Middle East section.

It had Israel with a piece cut out (Judea and Samaria). So I was peeved. But you know who got that extra piece?

Not some made-up country that never existed, called “Palestinian Territories.”

Jordan.

Jordan got that extra piece.

And I’m happy.

Because before 1967, Judea and Samaria were part of Jordan. The Muslims who lived there were Jordanian citizens. And then Israel won the war, and Jordan decided that they didn’t care what happened with Judea and Samaria anymore – let Israel have it, for all they care.

So Israel took it.

It was never, for one second, “Palestine,” or “Palestinian Territories.” Judea and Samaria, as well as parts of Jerusalem, used to belong to Jordan.

When it was “Palestine,” *all* of Israel was “Palestine,” and it was under British or Turkish rule. “Palestine,” as an independent country, never existed.

Jordan decided that it wasn’t worth fighting Israel for. And Israel conquered it from Jordan, and took control.

Muslims who lived in Judea and Samaria during the 1967 war say, “One day we were Jordanian citizens, in the middle of a war. The next day, the war was over, and Israel had won. And then someone took the star out of our flag and told us that we’re not Jordanian citizens anymore, we’re Palestinians. And we were like, huh?? What just happened?”

Okay, so I paraphrased and translated. But that’s how people remember it.

One day they were Jordanians. And the next day someone declared them Palestinians, and took the star out of the Jordanian flag, to create a new one.

Out of the blue. Completely and totally.

Now, the same world that wrote, “Jews, go to Palestine!” a few decades ago, is saying, “Jews, get out of Palestine.”

And they’re making up pretend countries to prove it.

But I’m happy with Kids Planet Discovery.

They didn’t give Judea and Samaria to Israel, it’s true.

But they DID give it to the only other country that can actually lay claim to that land – Jordan.

Because if you don’t like Israel, at least be honest about it. Don’t make up pretend countries.

 

Trump Gets It, Obama Doesn’t

Okay, I have finally decided. If I vote, I think it will be for Trump.

 

Yitzchak is going to call me a one-issue voter, and tell me that he votes not just based on a candidate’s policy towards Israel/ PA, but also based on a lot of other factors: internal policies, economics, whatever. But you know, he has his vote and I have mine.

 

If I choose to vote (and I’m not sure ANY of the candidates are worth that amount of effort, since I’m voting overseas – and neither is he), then I am going to have to say, Trump seems the most honest, and the most sane, when it comes to my personal worries – which are mostly centered around Israeli security.

 

You know why we stopped Operation Protective Edge? Because of Obama bin Laden. The two-faced liar.

 

So while I don’t believe that Trump loves Jews or Israel, I do believe that he is an equal-opportunity hater, and hates everyone who isn’t a WASP – and I also believe that Muslims are higher on his “most-hated” list than Israel and Jews. Plus, at least he tells us what he thinks, instead of lying to our faces like everyone else does.

 

IF I vote, I will vote Trump.

 

IF. That’s a BIG “if”.

 

And you know, if Yitzchak votes for the other guy, well, we just canceled each other out, right? No biggie. That’s what we did in 2008 – he voted Obama (because he was scared of Palin), and I voted McCain (because I was scared of Obama).

 

Do You Like to Gossip?

Growing up, I was always the “big-mouth.” If I had a penny for every time I was told that I have “diarrhea of the mouth,” “don’t know when to stop talking,” “don’t care about other people’s feelings,” “never think before I open my mouth,” “my word is mud,” or other such things – I would have been a millionaire before my twenty-second birthday. Maybe even a billionaire.

At some point, I stopped sharing personal information because I couldn’t trust those around me to keep things confidential, and promises were never kept.

And at some point, I stopped being mad at the people who blabbed. Because I just stopped caring.

It just ain’t worth the effort. So, I moved on.

A few days ago, I received an invitation to answer a survey. I’ve been answering surveys online for a few months, because it’s good pocket money and they’re interesting.

The one I answered last week asked about political views and morals.

One of the sections asked how often I gossip. What I think about gossip – is it okay? Is it not okay? Do I like hearing gossip?

And suddenly I realized something:

I don’t gossip. As in, not at all. Maybe once in a while, a sentence or two slips out when I’m frustrated and someone asked in a way that doesn’t leave too many options to be nice. And then I get a bit carried away. Once in about six months, maybe six sentences.

That’s it.

And otherwise, I don’t talk about people. I don’t gossip. I don’t blab.

The only exception is to Yitzchak. And even then, I don’t gossip, I just vent.

But come on, guys. Yitzchak is my husband. I tell him *everything*. He tells me *everything*. And the rest of the world – well, why waste time talking to them, since most people couldn’t care less, anyways?

So, we don’t.

We tell each other. And that’s it.

I see no point in gossiping. It’s stupid. It’s the mark of someone who has nothing better to think about. It’s the mark of someone whose nose is *so* stuck in other people’s business, that they have no idea who they are inside, at all. If, that is, they even have something inside. And all it does is hurt the subject and the listener – and most of all, the person doing the gossiping . . . because people who like to gossip are, honestly, pitiful people.

But, walla. I never realized that I’m *not* a big mouth, that I’m *not* a gossip, that I *don’t* actually have “diarrhea of the mouth,” and that I *do* actually know how to keep my mouth shut and stop talking.

(Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t have opinions. And it doesn’t mean that I don’t say politically incorrect things, at bad times, on purpose. But gossip and being politically incorrect are two separate, very different things.

I mean, there is *never* a “proper time” to ask a smoker to stop smoking around you.

There’s *never* a proper way to say, “The Iran deal that Obama pushed is what’s allowing Iran to give $30,000 to the families of terrorists,” or “‘Palestinian’ workers in Israel commit terror attacks – maybe they shouldn’t be allowed into Israel anymore.”

I mean, come on. Some things are *never* politically correct. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be said. It just means people will get mad. Because people are stupid (and that’s not PC, either).

But so what? PC is stupid. That doesn’t mean that not being PC is the same as being a gossip, or someone who doesn’t know how to keep their mouth shut.)

I never realized that I am actually a very prudent person, someone who it is *worth* confiding in, not just for the advice, but because I don’t gossip.

Walla. I never realized that.

That’s cool. That feels really good, to know that I never gossip. That must be why people ask me for advice. Huh. I can’t believe I didn’t know this earlier.

And what’s cooler is that I learned this from an internet survey.

 

Good(?) News from Israel

We have a new Attorney General.

Instead of that awful Yehuda Weinstein, an unashamed Israel-hater who tries to defend terrorists – murderers – from paying the price of their actions, and who orders the Security Agency to torture minors who have not even been found guilty of anything except expressing an opinion –

we have Avichai Mandelbilt.

And Avichai Mandelbilt, whoever he may turn out to be, has just ordered an investigation into Zoabi-the-terrorist’s visit to “comfort” the families of the terrorists who were killed.

Like, seriously. Who goes to comfort the family of a terrorist?

Would any of you be interested in comforting Arafat or Bin Ladin’s families, after they died? No, of course not.

So for an MK (member of Knesset – Israeli parliament) to pay an official visit to the families of dead terrorists is simply insane.

Not just insane. Dangerously insane. It gives the absolute wrong message.

And Mandelbilt is investigating. What that means, I don’t know.

But I do know that Weinstein would never, ever, ever have ordered this investigation.

And I think that Mandelbilt has done a great thing.

If he keeps this up, Israel might actually become a safe, sane country.

Here’s a “Duh” Eyeopener

I know I haven’t posted in a looong time. I know.

I’ll explain why later. But of course, it won’t really be a good excuse, right?

At any rate, I just came across this video (thanks, Janglo!) and it is too good not to share. Corey put people on both sides of the Israeli-Muslim conflict on the spot. And while the Israelis aren’t amazing, what the “Palestinians” say should be an eyeopener for anyone who *doesn’t* believe that Israelis aren’t the responsible party.

Yes, I know that the claim is that we stole their land. But at the end of the day – the UN gave us the land. And 60+ years later, people who have never lived anywhere else, people who have good lives, objectively, here in Israel, say . . . oh, I’ll let you see for yourself.

Leave me a note in the comments and tell me what you think.

No, Shoshanim! And Other “Stories.”

I wrote this post on April 20, but never published it. I think I was waiting to write up a few more stories. But it’s better to brush off the dust and press “publish” than it is to let this post sit for another year or so.

One Shabbat, Shlomo was running back and forth from his room to the guest room (other end of the hall). Tova was with me, in our room (next to Shlomo’s), nursing.

Apparently, Shlomo wasn’t too happy with the shoshanim (lights in his room, remember?). He ran into his room, said, “Shoshanim, don’t hurt Tova! Behave!” shook his finger at them, and ran to the guest room. Then he turned around, ran back to his room, shook his finger at the lights, and said, “Shoshanim, don’t hurt Tova! Behave!” Over. And over. And over. And over again.

Hmmm . . .

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Ducky is more than a doll.  Ducky is a friend, companion, baby, snuggle buddy, and much more.  Sometimes, Ducky is afraid of the shoshanim.  Sometimes Ducky wants to drink Mama milk (this is allowed only when Tova is nursing – I don’t have patience to nurse one after the other).  Sometimes Ducky wants me to swaddle him and put him in his “bed” (the lid of the hamper).  There was a period of time when Ducky wanted a diaper and wore clothes.

Shlomo is not afraid of the shoshanim, by the way.  But Ducky is.  Ducky will need to go to the miklat (bomb shelter), and we need to be careful to take him down with us.

A few times when I was pregnant with Tova, Ducky threw up.

When Shlomo doesn’t want to talk, we can ask what Ducky is feeling. Sometimes Ducky feels sad, because he doesn’t want to make a poopy. Sometimes Ducky is tired and wants to sleep (but no, Shlomo doesn’t want to sleep).

Ducky never liked taking a bath in the washing machine. But now that he has Sheep (Tova’s snuggle buddy), he doesn’t mind so much. It’s much more fun to take a bath with a friend, and then dry on the laundry rack together.

. . . And The Government Is Stupid

Closing off Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem does exactly what these Muslim extremists want: It divides the city in two. This is the first step towards a divided Jerusalem, and it’s the real reason for the attacks on the light rail. The light rail helps to unite the city, and make transportation between all parts of the city easier – and safer. But this isn’t what these terrorists want. They want to drive us out.

And a divided Jerusalem is a step in that direction.

Besides for that, closing off the Arab neighborhoods of the city:

1. Doesn’t help the security situation that much, since there are roads to other areas of Jerusalem, and Arab villages only a few minutes’ drive away.

2. Ties up security personnel who could be put to better use somewhere else, preventing attacks.

3. Puts those security personnel in even more danger than they would be guarding the Old City.

In other words, stupid idea. And the worst part?

It’s just another band-aid, that will pretend to work until it falls off, and we discover that *nothing* has healed underneath. Band-aids don’t work when you need a surgery. And they don’t usually work on the cuts from surgery, either. But they do provide an illusion that all is okay.

And that illusion is probably one of the most dangerous aspects of this situation.

Here’s some proof (thanks, Janglo!) that the government is just not doing their job properly:

Scary, isn’t it?

This is what we – my family, friends, and I – are living with. Every. Single. Day.

And then Kerry has the audacity to blame this terror wave on us – because we live in “settlements” in our own country, these “Palestinians” are allowed to murder us. Oh, but he didn’t really mean it that way. He just . . . kind of did mean it that way. How else can his words be interpreted?

And Obama – well, he can’t even blame these “Palestinians” for their own actions. G-d forbid they should be responsible for their own actions.

Please, Kerry – and Obama – just stay away from here. We don’t need you. We have enough on our heads. All you’ll do is cause more trouble. And hey, UN? You stay away, too. Just because Abbas wants your help, doesn’t mean that we do. We know that you’ll cause more insecurity, and more danger, to our citizens. We don’t want your “security forces” patrolling Jerusalem, aiding and abetting terrorists, and murdering Jews.

I guess all that matters in the end is that the world accepts Abbas’ words as truth. As the Bible of Moshe from Sinai. If he says that the “child” terrorist was “executed” (when was the last time Israel “executed” any terrorist?), it must be true. Even if that poor “child” is receiving excellent medical care – on Israel’s bill of course – and is set to be released from the hospital in a day or two. Even after that “child” and his 15 year old friend tried to murder innocent civilians – among them a 13 year old boy, whose only sin was riding his bicycle.

And wow, Lapid said something smart for a change! Moshiach (the Messiah) may be on his way, after all!

The State Department Makes Me Puke

Here’s what they have to say about last night’s murder – which, by the way, left four orphans.

“We extend our condolences to the victims’ family. We urge all sides to maintain calm, avoid escalating tensions in the wake of this tragedy, and work together to bring the perpetrators to justice,”

Yeah. Seriously.

The murder is *because* of the escalation. There were *four* terror attacks yesterday.

“You hope that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.” Maybe, but you also see no reason for us to step up our tactics to prevent future attacks. All that’s important to you is the plight of these poor “Palestinian” murderers.

Oh, and by the way? The cliche, standard, automatic response is REALLY not appropriate here.

My friend and her husband were killed. There are now four orphans – orphans who watched their parents’ murder.

And all you can say is, “Please don’t hurt the poor ‘Palestinians’ who teach, encourage, incite, and perpetuate this kind of cold-blooded murder, this kind of violence, this kind of genocide, this kind of cruelty.

Please. It’s not their fault that they are murderers and teach their children to be murderers. Please, be nice to them . . . even if it means allowing them to kill parents in front of their children, even if it means killing innocent children in cold blood.”

Shut up and go to Azazel.

May G-d avenge the blood of all those murdered in terror attacks. And may all the terrorists be blinded and misled, and start killing each other until there are none of their kind left.

Amen, selah.

How Many Murders Are Enough?

Today there have been four – four – terror attacks.

Stones were thrown this morning. A mother and baby were lightly injured. Thankfully, they didn’t need to be hospitalized.

A terrorist tried to run into a bus, and when the bus stopped, to shoot the passengers. It didn’t work, so he attacked an army tank as second-best.

Then there was a shooting attack. A young couple in their thirties was murdered, while their four kids – aged 9, 7, 4, and 10.5 months – watched from the back seat. As it happens, I am acquainted with the mother.

And then there were more stones thrown, near Shiloh, causing a car to overturn.

On the first day of Sukkot, we were with my cousins in Jerusalem. My cousin’s husband suggested that we all walk down to the Kotel (the Western Wall), about a 40 minute walk (although, with nine kids between us, it probably would have taken double that time). Yitzchak politely declined. Because we’re chicken. But apparently, we’re chicken for good reason – a father and his children were harassed that morning. Because there were video cameras, the Muslims didn’t actually harm the Jews. Luckily.

Remember Chaya Zissel Braun and Shalhevet Pass? The trend is back. Muslims have no qualms about kicking babies in strollers. Of course, if the parents were to defend their babies, and hurt the offenders, then the parents would be in jail and the Muslim terrorist would get millions of dollars in damages.

And then there were the Gush Etzion fires. Arsons.

I feel like every day, there are multiple attacks. And yet, the world is silent.

Dang the world! Damn the world! To Azazel with the entire world!

Why can’t OUR GOVERNMENT get the guts to defend us?

Terrorists need to be shot on the spot. Their families need to be stripped of their citizenship and deported with two hours’ warning.

And any leftists who are gung-ho to help them out can hop on a flight to Iraq and join the deportees.

No, I’m not Muslim. So I won’t say “Death to the Muslims!” like they say “Death to the Jews!”

But if they hate it here so much – let them leave.

If they can’t let us live in peace and security – they don’t belong here.

Neither do the infiltrators, by the way. (And these infiltrators also claim “refugee” status, even when it is blatantly unjustified.)

It is surreal, unjust, irresponsible, to have places in Israel that are Judenrein, and terror, harrassment, and murder in so many other places – in Israel.

If you do not believe that Israel should exist as a Jewish state. Leave. Like, now.

אשרי שישלם לך את גמולך שגמלת לנו. אשרי שיאחז וניפץ את עוללייך על הסלע.

וה’, שפוך חמתך על הגויים אשר לא ידעוך ועל הממלכות אשר בשמך לא קראו, כי אכל את יעקב ואת נוהו השמו.

די, נו, באמת. מספיק כבר.

Arabs = Kidnappers

Yeah, you bet.

Israel is – if you take away terrorism – an incredibly safe country.

Kidnappings are done by insane family members, left in charge by stupidly trusting parents, or perhaps during a messy divorce.

Violent crime – except by infiltrators in Tel Aviv – is practically nonexistent (excepting terror, of course; but terror is not “regular violent crime”).

Thefts – usually not. Unless, of course, you live in South Tel Aviv, where infiltrators rule.

Murders – Again, maybe once a year. Half of those are crazy nutcase family members, and a quarter are money-related, and the other quarter are just crazy nutcases.

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Apparently, Muslims don’t know, or don’t care, that we value peace and quiet. And apparently, not hitchhiking isn’t good enough anymore. Since people don’t trust these animals anymore, they have to actively find other ways to prey.

This incident, in which a child is nearly abducted while the mother puts the stroller into her car, sets a scary precedent.

Let me explain. In many, if not most, cities in Israel, you can let a seven-year-old walk freely, without worrying. If you’re not American born, you might even let a five-year-old go to the store by himself. And it’s not abuse or neglect. It’s simply that every child is everyone’s child.

I know that the bus driver cares about my son. I know that the lady in the store will worry about my baby if she cries. It’s a given. And that’s what makes this country so special.  Since I grew up in the U.S. and Canada, I can’t stomach leaving my kids to navigate by themselves; even when they are teens, I will probably insist on a buddy or two.  But that’s because kidnappings were ingrained into my being.

I’m not a native Israeli, so I have psychological issues with things that aren’t problematic here.  When I was growing up, children weren’t safe, anywhere, ever, unless they were in the presence of a known, trusted adult. Israel is different. Here, we are all brothers.

Well, all of us except the Muslim animals, who apparently don’t care about any morals or values.

It scares me to think that I will have to watch my kids constantly, more than I already do, petrified that some Arab maniac will try to snatch them.

It scares me more to think that if I had the guts, strength, or whatever, to break that Arab’s neck, I would land in jail, and he would walk free, to continue terrorizing Jewish families. And Yitzchak would be left to manage both kids by himself, because G-d forbid a Jew should stand up for himself or protect his family.

G-d save us all.

G-d give Israel strength to defend itself, to stand up for itself, to ignore the world’s pressure and do to the Arabs what Shaul should have done to Amalek.

G-d give Israel the strength to finish the job, to learn from Shaul’s mistake, and to not let any more animals run free and wild.

G-d protect Israel, and all her sons and daughters, from enemies within and without.

G-d grant the politicians half a brain, to do what it right and true, despite the fact that it is not easy and it is unpopular.

Amen.

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As a side note, I want to add that once, while I was walking back on Friday night with my aunt and uncle, in Jerusalem, I felt someone watching me. I looked around, and saw a Muslim man following me from the other side of the street. When I turned, he turned. When I stopped, he stopped. When I sped up, so did he.

I mentioned his existence to my uncle, who spotted the man and asked what he was up to. Of course, the guy denied anything, but when he was told to go – he went. Probably, because I wasn’t alone, and therefore wasn’t worth it.

This was scary, because Jerusalem is – or at least was, back then – an incredibly safe place to walk, even alone, even at night, even on a weekend night. To think that it might not be safe anymore is a scary thought.

But, in reality, Jerusalem hasn’t been safe for at least a year and a half. And it’s only getting worse.

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About the title.

Maybe you’ll say I’m generalizing, and I probably am. But the fact is, these people-animals live around us. There are cities in Israel where no Jew can go, because it’s not safe. There are no cities in Israel where no Arab can go, because it’s not safe for him.

Hitchhiking is dangerous because the person you give a ride to, or take a ride from, might be a Muslim out to kidnap and kill you. There are countless examples. Google it.

Fighting a Muslim is dangerous, because he might kidnap or kill you.

And apparently, putting the stroller into the car is dangerous, because a Muslim might kidnap your kid.

Giving birth to a boy in Soroka is dangerous, because a Muslim mother might try to switch your boy for her girl. I kid you not. There is a reason the doctors and nurses in Soroka check the bracelets and diapers of every single baby, every five minutes. These things have happened, and still do.

When I say Muslims, Arabs, are kidnappers, I kid you not.

ISIS, Hezbollah, Hamas – all of these kidnap children to use as child soldiers. Yes, sometimes they brainwash the children first. But at the end of the day, there are more than enough kidnappings.

I will end here, because I have work to do today, and if I keep on writing, I will be too worked up to do anything at all.

May G-d save us all.