Last week, the Israeli online magazine +972 reported that Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amos Yadlin, the former head of military intelligence and the current director of the Institute for National Security Studies, and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, signed onto an ad congratulating settlers for taking over some 7 buildings (with more than 20 apartments) in East Jerusalem, in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, which the settlers call the City of David/Ir David.  The ad read:

On the eve of Sukkot, we are happy to congratulate the dozens of new families that are joining the Jewish settlement of Ir David these days.  We salute the Zionist work of those who take part in this mission. Strengthening Jewish presence in Jerusalem is the challenge for all of us, and by your act of settlement you make us all stand taller. Together, we will welcome the pilgrims who are visiting on the holiday. We appreciate and endear you.

Yadlin and his co-signers are, in effect, endorsing the sacrifice of Israel’s future at the altar of Elad.  This is the right-wing organization that for decades has been the engine behind settlement in Silwan—an enterprise that has historically been and continues to be especially problematic politically, morally, and legally.  While recently Elad has endeavored to transform itself into a “mainstream” organization associated with cultural and touristic activities, its raison d’etre has not changed: to create facts on the ground that prevent a two-state solution and to establish an exclusionary, Jewish/Israeli hegemony in the heart of Palestinian East Jerusalem.

Shemini Atzeret -"the Eighth [day] of Assembly"- is celebrated beginning Wednesday night, October 8th. Outside of Israel, a second day is celebrated which is referred to as Simchat Torah ("the Rejoicing of the Torah"). In Israel, the holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are combined into one and either name can be used to refer to the holiday.

Shemini Atzeret immediately follows the holiday of Sukkot.  The special celebrations for this holiday are the beginning of the prayers for rain, and the celebration of the completion of the yearly reading of the Torah Scroll, and returning it back to its beginning to start again during Simchat Torah.

Some commentaries focus on the meaning of the name "Atzeret," meaning "to gather" or "store up." He suggests that the sentiments that we have expressed throughout the entire fall holiday season - repentance, reconciliation, renewal - should be gathered up and stored within us for the following year. We hope that as we turn back to the beginning once again, we will store up all the hopes, all the strength that we have, and turn it into our work for the coming year. This year, may we have gathered enough strength to work for peace - and achieve it.

By Rabbi Lev Meirowitz Nelson

As we begin the Torah anew, we are reminded once again of the power of names. God calls the light “Day” and the darkness “Night” (Gen. 1:5); God then hands over this divine prerogative to Adam, having him name all the animals and, ultimately, Eve (2:19-23). Two parshiyot later, an angel instructs Hagar what to name her son, she responds by naming God (16:11,13), and God changes Abram and Sarai’s names (17:5,15). Names, clearly, have power.

Have you ever seen a film and thought, "If only everyone could see that! People would start to think differently..."

Recently, you may have received a letter from Dror Moreh, the award-winning Israeli filmmaker of such a film, called The Gatekeepers. Moreh wrote this letter for Americans for Peace Now, the U.S. sister organization of Israel's peace movement, Shalom Achshav. This documentary film features all six living former leaders of Israel's Shin Bet security service, each of whom advocates a position they share with Shalom Achshav: that Israel must reach a negotiated peace agreement with a Palestinian partner. The letter was very successful - we were flooded with messages from people who wanted to see this incredibly important film and support the work of APN and Shalom Achshav.

Peace Now Director General Yariv Oppenheimer briefed APN on October 13 on the recent confrontation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, on settlement activity in East Jerusalem, and on Peace Now's role as Israel's gatekeeper of the two-state solution vision. Note: Due to technical difficulties, the first few minutes of the briefing have been cut off.

For a holiday change of pace, Alpher discusses some recent books about the Israel-Arab dispute, starting with the two best sellers by Shavit and Klein Halevy.