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Thursday, January 12, 2012

Terrific Lebanon Flash Mob Dancing

Nadene Goldfoot
Now I know why King Solomon was friendly with his northern neighbor, Lebanon, land of Cedar trees.  They also must have had wonderful dancers for entertainment.  I just watched the youtube presentation listed below of their dancing in an airport in flash mob dancing and was really enjoying it.  I loved the tempo and the steps of the dancers.  It was terrific!  King Solomon was known for his wisdom.  He had a good deal going with Lebanon.  He bought cedar wood and they had an income.  It was a great trade.  They also enjoyed peace! 

It's just so sad that terrorists have taken over so much of Lebanon and are threatening Israel all the time.  Gone are the days of Major Sa'd Haddad who used to patrol the border and help keep Israel safe.  He and his Christian Maronite Phalange militia were remarkable.  That is a tiny country where the ruling party had been Christian but were in the minority, and it didn't work out. Bachir Gemayel, 35 year old good looking member of the Christian Phalange Party  and  newly elected president on August 23, 1982 was assassinated  on September 14, 1982 in a bomb attack that also took out others in Beirut.  The PLO had taken over southern Lebanon and used it as they are Gaza today, a staging ground for attacks.  At the time I was living in Safed, very close to the border and saw some of his group in our restaurants on the R&R time and was so grateful to them for their protection.  I was there in 1982 when Israel went in to stop the PLO, but the job had been turned over to Haddad and it was botched and turned into something unworthy of them. 

We even used to have ancient Jewish communities living in Lebanon.  Beirut was a center, and even longer ago there were communities in Tripoli, Tyre and Sidon.  Their occupations were in commerce, as most of our past ancestors were engaged in this. 

In 1948 Lebanese forces invaded Israel and Jews living in Lebanon had some discriminatory regulations put on them which were later removed. after the fighting stopped.  In 1944 there were 6,261 Jews living in Lebanon.  In 1948 Jews fled to Lebanon from Syria and by 1964 there were 5 to 7,000 Jews there.  After 1967 the communities became almost extinct.  By 1975 there were 1,000 Jews there during their Civil War and by 1990 there were less than 100 remaining.  I'd be surprised if any lived there today. 

We can't forget that terrorism in Lebanon took the lives of 241 marines in Beirut on October 23, 2008, either.  They weren't there to assist Israel in any way, but the USA had a base there.  The Islamic Jihad terrorists, the same ones who attack Israel, were responsible for this attack.  Today's Lebanese terrorists are Hezbollah, supported financially and politically by Iran and Syria.  They took over Lebanon. after 1982.   

Gosh, it would be so nice if Lebanon and Israel would make peace.  I could see dance programs being shared between the two states.  Israel has been involved in the European Music Festival where all the countries compete for the best song, etc.  I'd love to see something like that in dancing where the Middle East could strut their stuff. 

There's so much culture being wasted.  I grew up practicing on the piano and remember one of my favorite pieces, 'In a Persian Market".  Persia, or Iran today has a lot to offer other than a madman at the helm who wants to destroy Israel and the United States.  This brings to mind the news today of another Atomic scientist being the object of a hit.  Israel is being blamed, but Ahmadinejad is forgetting that there were a lot of Iranians demonstrating outside against his regime.  Perhaps they don't want to be involved in an atomic battle.  Israel is only one of several that want to stop this madman from getting atomic weapons. 

Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEp29GS1VXI&feature=share  WATCH THIS ONE
The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/terror.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Beirut_barracks_bombing
http://www.meforum.org/352/israels-south-lebanon-imbroglio  excellent
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachir_Gemayel
Nathan Fendrich for heads up on the dance video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2lANtTxKYw  In a Persian Market-beautiful !

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