Comments on: Impressions From Jerusalem

By: Max

Max — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 20:12:33 +0000

I was going to let Dan’s comments slide by….but you often wonder at the motives of those who try to make lemons out of lemonade.

By: james huggins

james huggins — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 18:14:56 +0000

Wonderful. Just like her mother. We have another Jewish writer who isn’t concerned with the anti-Jewish bigots out there. It seems that they have been sniping at the Jews since old testament times and the Jews are still there. Surrounded by more than 10 or 20 times their number at home and by billions of enemies worldwide. Starting with that dolt we have in the White House. I’m no Jew and don’t even agree with the Israelis all the time but I know intestinal fortitude when I see it, whether in troops in the field or little girls who write. If I didn’t know whether or not to support Israel all I would have to do would be to lok at the losers who are their haters.

By: Barbara Grant

Barbara Grant — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 16:41:09 +0000

Dan’s comment:

Sadly, the more excellence attempts to blossom, the greater the opposition from haters.

By: Robert Glisson

Robert Glisson — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 14:28:27 +0000

DAN’s comment above brings out a concern of mine about heritage and its importance. David Yeagley on his blog, “Bad Eagle” a few months ago, described one of his female students crying to him that she envied his Comanche Indian Heritage. She was a White woman without a racial history and therefore rudderless. Dr. Yeagley is very proud of both the White and Indian aspects of his heritage and recognizes both the good and bad aspects of both races. I have an almost completely Celtic heritage myself; it’s my excuse for when I screw up and my bragging rights for when I do something right. My father was to my knowledge the first ‘heavy equipment operator’ in New Mexico, somewhere at the beginning of the 1900’s. In itself, the fact that the boss bought a new Caterpillar bulldozer and had his youngest mule skinner learn how to operate it is not a big deal but the knowledge of my ancestor’s background enriches my life and adds meaning. Others on this blog have mentioned their heritage with pride as well. I pity the ones who have not retained theirs.

By: Max

Max — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 12:02:24 +0000

Nicky,
Any of us that have been to Israel had to be smiling and nodding our heads while reading your beautifully written piece.

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 06:22:02 +0000

Wonderful. Just like her mother, we have another Jewish supremacist in the making. This article is not only a complete snore, but it hashes out more of the same tired old rhetoric we see all too often on this blog. That is, Israel and Jews are particularly worthy in contradistinction with the rest of humanity. Ilana, why must you continually pimp your heritage in an attempt to set yourself above everyone else? It's so tedious and elitist. Grow up.

By: Barbara Grant

Barbara Grant — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:10:16 +0000

When you’d stated that you were about to publish a piece written by a special young woman, I’d never, ever believed she was your own daughter!

I, too, have taken “a walk” through East Jerusalem, the day after Christmas, 1992. Walking alone, I entered the Old City through the Damascus Gate and exited through the Jaffa Gate, near the Tower of David. I was very relieved to see the young (much younger than I) Israeli soldier at the exit, his comrades’ guns placed in a pile under his watch.

Like your daughter, I believed that though the soldier was very young, he was up to the job of defense (should it have been required.)

You must be very proud of Nicky.

By: PJB

PJB — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 01:58:43 +0000

Perhaps the reason for the easy interaction between civilian and soldier in Israel is that in Israel, facing an existential threat every day, the soldier has a legitimate mission of protection. In contrast, the U.S. security apparatus is more a threat to the traditional freedoms of its citizens rather than any real protection. Someone smarter than I should derive an equation that evaluates the legitimate need for particular security measures by quantifying the uneasiness they provoke in those notionally protected and the aloofness of the notional protectors.

By: Mike Marks

Mike Marks — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:10:29 +0000

Nicky,

I enjoyed your piece Impressions of Jerusalem. Some of your observations lined up exactly with mine. Initially it is quite stiking to see how the Israeli soldiers are integrated into society at large. There were some on our team who would occasionally pick up soldiers hitchiking.

The sense I had when I traveled to Israel (on business) was comfort and safety. At times I had to remind myself of where I was. After all this was Israel the country that has literally been at war its entire modern existence. I have the fondest of memories of my times in Israel and would love to return some day.

By: Myron Pauli

Myron Pauli — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:32:17 +0000

Touching on Haym’s comment, I would like to mention Deuteronomy 15:6

“For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.”

So what does that say about borrowing money from Obama? Israel at 62 has to depend on itself, support itself, and stand for itself.