President Trump Sends Yom Kippur Message To All Jewish People

President Donald Trump sent Yom Kippur Greetings on Tuesday (18th) saying:

“Melania and I send warmest greetings to all Jewish people on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish faith.”

“Yom Kippur is a day of atonement, prayer, and fasting, and is the last day of the Ten Days of Repentance.  Yom Kippur provides an opportunity to draw nearer to God through the practice of teshuva (repentance) in accordance with the words of Leviticus: ‘For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you; from all your sins shall you be clean before the Lord.’”

“Melania and I pray that you are inscribed in the Book of Life and hope this period of reflection and repentance leads to a deeper relationship with God.  We send our best wishes for a meaningful Yom Kippur and a Gmar Chatima Tova.”

(washingtonpost.com; Algemeiner.com; israelnn.com)

 

Palestinian Attempting Yom Kippur Stabbing In Jerusalem, Killed by Police

A Palestinian attempted to carry out a stabbing attack outside Jerusalem’s Old City on Tuesday evening (18th), and was shot dead by Israeli police, Israeli and Palestinian officials said.

An Israeli police statement reported “an attempted stabbing attack” near Damascus Gate, saying “a police unit at the spot neutralized the suspect,”

According to police, the attacker ran at a Jewish man and knocked him to the ground, and continued to run toward police officers waving a knife and trying to harm them.

The assailant was 26-years-old from Qalandiya, outside Jerusalem, who was in Israel illegally according to local media.

Police did not say if anyone else was harmed in the incident.  It occurred just after sunset on Tuesday, as Jews began observing Yom Kippur, their holiest day.

“The widespread deployment of police in Jerusalem and their alertness prevented an attack that could have ended with harsh results,” police said.

On Sunday (16th), an Israeli man, Ari Fuld, was killed by a Palestinian terrorist in the West Bank in a stabbing attack.

(timesofisrael.com)

 

Eisenkot Praises Ari Fuld As A ‘Devoted Warrior’

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot commended on Monday (17th) the late Ari Fuld – a former IDF paratrooper who was stabbed to death by a terrorist in Gush Etzion Sunday (16th) – for his efforts to prevent harm to others while severely injured, saying he was a “devoted warrior.”

Eisenkot’s comments were made at a commemoration ceremony for the fallen soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade at Tel Nof Airbase, which was attended by top Israeli officials.

During the ceremony, Eisenkot commended Fuld’s efforts to neutralize the terrorist and prevent harm to others even after he was wounded.  “The attack in Gush Etzion took the life of Ari Fuld, a reserve paratrooper. He was a devoted warrior until his very last moment. He tried to thwart the terrorist using all of his remaining strength, thereby preventing a much bigger attack,” Eisenkot said.

The chief of staff then addressed the bereaved families.  “From the moment officers appeared on your doorstep delivering terrible news, every day is a day of remembrance and infinite longing – thoughts of unfulfilled dreams, and a life that could have been if your loved one was still here,” the IDF chief said.

“All we can do is be worthy of their sacrifice and make a great effort to continue on their path voluntarily, responsibly and faithfully to strengthen the State of Israel,” the chief of staff added in reference to all murdered victims of terror.

(ynetnews.com)

 

Netanyahu Authorizes Immigration Of 1,000 Ethiopian Falashmura To Israel

Israel will approve the immigration of some 1,000 members of the Falashmura tribe from Ethiopia to Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers on Monday (17th).

“I have decided that approximately 1,000 community members – whose children are already here – must be brought to Israel,” Netanyahu said at a ministerial  committee for the integration of Ethiopian immigrants according to a statement from his office.

The prime minister said he had instructed Interior Minister Aryeh Deri to draft a government decision on the matter.

Netanyahu told ministers it was “not a simple decision” citing specified “other ramifications,” a likely reference to the debate in Israel over the tribe members’ Jewishness. He stressed that only tribe members with family members already in Israel would be included in the decision.

There are approximately 8,000 tribe members in Ethiopia with close relatives in Israel who are awaiting immigration.

The Falashmura are ancestors of Jews who dated back to the time of King Solomon.  However some converted to Christianity, under duress, generations ago.

(pmo.gov.il; timesofisrael.com)

 

British Prime Minister May: Nothing Excuses Anti-Semitism, Even ‘Irony’

British Prime Minister Theresa May pledged on Monday (17th) to protect British Jewish identity and Israel’s right to defend itself, in an attack on opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn in the runup to his Labour Party conference this weekend.

May told a United Jewish Israel Appeal dinner she was “sickened” by the idea that some Jews questioned whether Britain was a safe place to raise their children.   

Labour has been angrily divided this year over pockets of anti-Semitism which Corbyn himself has acknowledged.  Critics suggest he should step down for failing to tackle the issue.

A poll in Britain’s Jewish Chronicle earlier this month said that 40% of Jews would consider emigrating if Corbyn won power in a national election.

“Criticizing the actions of Israel is never, and can never be, an excuse for questioning Israel’s right to exist, any more than criticizing Britain’s actions could be an excuse for questioning our right to exist.  And criticizing the government of Israel is never, and can never be, an excuse for hatred against the Jewish people,” said May.

The prime minister said she was committed to strong economic ties between Britain and Israel.

“You can count on my commitment to Israel’s security.  I am clear that we will always support Israel’s right to defend itself,” she said.

Current opinion polls show Labour roughly level with May’s Conservatives.

(dailyexpress.co.uk; thejc.com)