[Gathnet] update from Israel

[judy white]

Dear Everyone,

We are all in good health, thank God, and I hope you
are all well too.

The school year is coming to an end and I am looking
forward to having some more time to catch up on other
things.  

These days it is especially hard to understand where
things are going in our wonderful country.  It seems
o.k. for the Netherlands and Denmark to enact strict
laws to prevent naturaliztion or permanent residency
to anyone including spouses of citizens who are not a
part of Dutch or Danish national culture.  No one
seems to question this.  But Israel is somehow
different.  While the Netherlands and Denmark, who
live without enemies on their borders, may keep out
Muslims to avoid cultural suicide, Israel which lives
under constant external threat, must grant full
citizenship to any Palestinian resident of the
territories who can find a spouse among our Arab (or
Jewish) population...

And things are even less clear about the disengagement
plan..  It may not be a good idea. I don't really
know..  But the decision has been made and has passed
in the Parliament and the majority here does support
it. Unfortunately, the extremists on the religious
right are basically anarchists who believe that the
laws of the state do not exist.   What is especially
upsetting is that very young people are involved in
'demonstrations' which consist of sitting on the
highway and stopping traffic (even though the chief
rabbi said that this is against the religious law -
'Halacha' - because it may endanger lives such as
those in an ambulance for example and even if it
causes an inconvenience to someone trying to get to a
wedding - it is wrong..)

Most settlers are law abiding and would be willing to
forsake the occupation for the sake of peace.  But we
do have our crazies (and not a few) who idolize
Rabin's assasin and threaten to assasinate Sharon, who
attack their neighbors and poisen their wells, and I
fear that when the time comes they will not hesitate
to fight and even shoot at our own soldiers..

A cousin of mine and his wife from Rochester came to
visit us last night.  I had not seen them for 15
years.  I was telling them about the growing problems
we have with violence in the schools (bringing knives
to school is popular in many places now..).  They
could not believe it.  They said "but these are Jewish
children".  Well, we wanted to become like the other
nations....

I am sorry to bring out the negatives of our society.
I guess I have just become one of those 'old' folks
who can remember the 'good old days'...Well I really
was born with the country and grew up in those first
so very idealistic years...

I miss you and I continue to pray for our health and
well being.  And for peace.

love, 
Judy


		
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