Sochi: Living with Terror

Since my aliyah in '08, I have not had fear here in Israel. People tell me that they are more fearful of their children playing/walking outside in the States than here. You obviously don't live in Israel, rabbi, or maybe are just a very paranoid individual. I am not saying that there is not an awareness of the suicide bomb potential or attacks from our surrounding enemies, I'm just saying that we live our lives everyday without fear. I tramp (hitchhike) every day since three years ago and so do many women and young men. It is my opinion that it is safer here than you lead the world to believe.

How many acts of violence does it take to know or learn that it is a bad way to live? The only thing terror and violence does is give power over us, by the creation of fear in order to accomplish an agenda. Israel is like no other place in the world, and that is hard to understand. Israel is the heart of all that is spiritual and sacred. That should be respected, protected and of course, free from terror. Fear is counter productive and does not co-exist with love. We should be evolved enough to know this and be able to live in a manner conducive to a "good" life, which makes more sense and is what Our Creator wants for us.

I pray every day for the people of Israel and hope beyond hope that one day (before it's too) late that the eyes and the hearts of the world will be opened to the truth. Blessings and Shalom.

The world is focused on Sochi. Why? because it is the Olympic games. The world community wants to protect its precious asset - their athletes. The rabbi's video asks if this will spill over and create empathy for Israel. Unfortunately, I believe the answer is NO! Athletes, YES, Jews NO. There was no focus following Munich and there will be none following Sochi.

I BELIVE NOTHING WILL CHANGEBECAUSE OF ANTI SEMITIZIM IN THE WORLD THE USA SAY THEY EXERINCED TERROR TRUE BUT NOTHING LIKE ISRAEL ALSO IN ISRAEL PEOPLE DONT TALK ABOUT TERROR BECAUSE THE GOVERMENT TOOK THIER WRIGHT OF FREEDOM SPEACH ITS CALLED POLLITICLY CORRECT

I go to Israel most every year and feel is safety and never been afraid even I volunteer for SAR-El
I love Israel is most wonderful nation andis
safety to go any time
The IDF defend you.

I visit Israel often, have kids learning there, have close relatives there & of course friends there & I still will never understand what it's like to live in fear!!
I was there last year to hear & feel the fear of the air raid siren in Jerusalem. But my fear & uncertainty maybe lasted for a day or two.
If I can't feel the fear...how will the world?

We've already experienced this feeling post 9/11. If that tragic day didn't help the world understand what was going on at the time, then I doubt the experiences at Sochi will change anything.
Bottom line: G-D is in control and we need to daven to Him for our protection.

The world will always see the terror in Israel as a 'political situation' (translate: Israel's own fault.) The land was stolen, no peace since then, etc. Black and white, don't bother me with details (or archeology, or other proofs to the contrary.)

Heart strings are pulled for other people in the world, but Israelis aren't quite people, so who cares? (Just ask the Red Cross.) Sounds harsh?

Even so, we shouldn't comment about other terrorist actions, 'See how Israelis feel?' We should feel distressed, and always daven for peace in the world.

"Eisav hates Yaakov" is articulated by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in the Midrash (see Rashi Genesis 33:4) it is not in TN"K (the Jewish Scriptures).

What goes on in Russia will not carryover into Israel. There is and will, most probably, always be a disconnect due to "Aisev hates Yaakov" (the Biblical statement that it is ingrained in the non-Jews to hate the Jews). As long as the media continues to portray the Arabs as the victims and the Jews as the instigators this will not change.