Jerusalem and the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel

Nadene Goldfoot
Jerusalem "Yerushalayim." was and is the capital of Israel.  It's located in the center of the Judean Mountains.  It is sometimes called "Zion," which was the name of King David's fortress.  It was also known as the City of David (1000-960 BCE)  .  Poetic names are city of righteousness,   faithful city, city of G-d, the holy city, and city of truth. King David was a warrior.  His son, King Solomon brought in the religious aspects of Judaism by building the Temple.  This city was and still is the most important religious city to the Jewish people.  Jews pray in the direction of Jerusalem.  We are told not to ever forget this city on the threat of losing the use of our right hand.  We are back.

Jerusalem was taken by the pagan Romans in 70CE.  From then on many countries have tried to take it since Christianity placed Jesus in Jerusalem and the area.  In 1099 it was stormed by the Crusaders under Godfrey of Bouillon.  They made it the capital of the Latin Kingdom.  Then in 1187 Saladin, the Ayyabid sultan retook the city for Islam.  Under the Ottoman Empire it decayed. In 1492 Jews were forced out of Spain and many removed to Jerusalem, but their numbers were restricted by the Muslim government.     By the 18th century the population of Jews and Muslims was under 10,000 with most of the city lying in ruins.  The 19th century brought the Aliyote of Russian Jews who had bought land and started building.  By 1838 there were 50,000 Jews from many countries with the population of 68,000.  They were able to bring about a railway line to connect the city with Jaffa by the 1880's.  In 1898 the German Emperor William II visited Jerusalem.  He met with Theodore Herzl who represented the Zionist Organization.

World War I came along in 1914 and the population fell to 50,000.  December 1917 found the city occupied by General Allenby of the British Army.  British were given the Mandate to rule the land. that had been under the Ottoman Empire called Palestine, named by the previous Romans.  Jewish immigration in 1946 caused the population to reach 165,000 of which 100,000 were Jews.  Fighting broke out between Muslims and Jews.  The Arab Legion shelled and starved the Jews living in Jerusalem but the Jews didn't surrender to them.   May 15, 1948 saw the re-birth and establishment of Israel once more.  By 1949 the government and Knesset were transferred to Jerusalem.  I note that King David and King Solomon's Israel was far larger than today's extremely small Israel.

East Jerusalem held the homes of Muslims.  The city was divided into 2 parts from 1948 till 1967.  East Jerusalem had been under Jordanian domination.  June 5, 1967 was the start of the Six Day War when all the neighboring Arab states attacked Israel and lost.  Jordan had bombarded the city. The whole city came under Israeli control.  The first thing Jews did was go to the Western Wall and pray.  They had been kept from this most important site by the Muslims for almost 20 years.

On June 29, 1967, Israel formally united the 2 parts of the city and barriers that had divided them were taken away.  The Eastern part of the city had 139,600 Muslims and Christians and were united with the rest so that the total population in 1990 was 493,500, which is the same population as Portland, Oregon..  The Jerusalem Law of 1980 extended Israeli sovereignty over the whole city.  This brought many updates to the Arab section.

Israel has 1.4 million Arab citizens today.  There are plenty of mosques throughout the state.  In Jerusalem, starting on November 8th of this year at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music is a month long "Nights of Tarab" celebration as part of an Arab Jerusalem Festival.  I have one of Edward Said's books.  He was a Muslim fighter against Israel.  Here we see the only Democratic country in the Middle East truly practicing democracy.  I hope the Muslims appreciate the state they live in safely.  While the Muslim Gazan terrorists  are shelling southern Israel's Jewish communities, there are Muslims that are enjoying  living in Jerusalem.

The fight continues with Muslims from many countries threatening to take Jerusalem, Iran and her neighbors being among them.

 From the time of King David who died in 960 BCE to losing 10 of the 12 tribes of Jacob to the Assyrians from 721-715 BCE, we see that 239 years after King David died, we lost our 10 tribes, taken from us by force. which means the children of Zilpah and Bilhah the handmaidens, and Jacob's 2nd wife, Rachel.  Leah, the first wife of Jacob and sister of Rachel  was the mother of 6 tribes.  Out of those, only Judah and Levi remained.  Reuben, Simeon, Issachar and Zebulun were most likely part of the kidnapped group as well.  Judah was the largest of all the tribes that remained.

 We read from the prophecies of Ezekiel,  who lived in the 6th century BCE and probably served in Solomon's Temple before its destruction in 586 BCE what is foretold for the Lost Ten Tribes and the Jews.  .  He was one that was exiled to Tel Abib on the river Kebar in Babylonia where he prophecied for about 22 years from 592-570 BCE.   In   Ezekiel  37:16, our 37th prophet,  which associates the final Redemption with the reunion of the whole House of Israel, I read:  . "Now you, Son of Man, take for yourself one piece of wood and write upon it, "For Judah and for the Children of Israel, his comrades; and take one piece of wood and write upon it, "For Joseph, the wood of Ephraim and all the House of Israel, his comrades.    Then bring them close to yourself, one to the other, like one piece of wood, and they will become united in your hand.  ....Thus said the Lord Hashem/Elohim:  " Behold, I am taking the wood of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his comrades, and I am placing them and him together with the wood of Judah;  and I will make them into one piece of wood, and they will become one in My hand."

"Behold, I am taking the Children of Israel from among the nations to which they have gone;  I will gather them from all around and I will bring them to their soil;  I will make them into one nation in the land, upon the mountains of Israel, and one king will be  a king for them all;  they will no longer be two nations, and they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms, ever again.  ....I will purify them;  they will be a nation to Me,  and I will be a G-d to them.  My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them;  they will follow My ordinances and keep My decrees and fullfill them.  They will dwell on the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, within which your fathers dwelled;  they and their children and their children's children will dwell upon it forever;  and My servant David will be a leader for them forever.  I will seal a covenant of peace with them;  it will be an eternal covenant with them...then the nations will know that I am *Hashem/G-d Who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary will be among them forever.  

 Jews have been awaiting this time, and so the reports have come in from all over of finding them.  Eldad Ha-Dani reported them in the mountains of Africa.  Benjamin of Tudela heard of them in Central Asia.  David Reuveni claimed to be the brother of one of their rulers in some region of Arabia.  Antonio de Montezinos stimulated Manasseh ben Israel's political activity in  England with reports of finding them in South America.  Japanese and Anglo Saxons were thought to be them.  Finally it was thought that some were still in "Palestine" or assimilated, or absorbed by the last Judean exiles in 597-586 or were deported to an area  earlier such as Media, Assyria and Mesopotamia.  Today we see the Pashtuns of Pakistan and Afghanistan claiming descent of the Lost 10 Tribes.  Being Muslims, they are found to side with Iran in their hatred for Jews but with the desire to take their very teeny country.  What would  Ezekiel say to all this?  How are we ever going to be reunited peacefully?

* Jews do not want to over-use the word "G-d"  so use "HaShem" which means in Hebrew: "the name".  In respect, the orthodox do not even write out the word but use the dash instead of the o.

Re: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xU9CauJP4Pg#! on Jerusalem
The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia on Jerusalem
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vie/Jerutoc.html  Jerusalem
Tanach, the Stone Edition; Torah, Prophets, writings
Update: 6/14/16 http://www.israelrising.com/the-pashtuns-are-the-tribes-of-israel/?utm_source=fb-pashtun-tribes&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=lost-tribes

USA Government Infiltrated by Muslim Brotherhood

Nadene Goldfoot
Why was it that the shooting at Ft. Hood by a Muslim soldier was called a "crime" by the FBI and not an act of terrorism.  This same crime was even called a "workplace violence" by Pentagon officials in their reports.  The DHS and other government workers call such a threat "violent extremism".

What it really was should be called the truth: a killing from the jihad movement;  The Muslim Brotherhood jihadi movement which supports terrorists.

On November 5, 2009 Ft Hood, Texas, which is the USA's largest and most populous military installation center, fell victim to one Major Nidal Malik Hasan, psychiatrist who went on a rampage killing 13 and wounding 29.  It was the worst shooting.  Hasan was a Palestinian.  The victims today who lived are demanding this incident to be called an act of terrorism, which is what it was.  "The shooting for Hasan “was his jihad,” said Staff Sgt. Alonzo Lunsford, who was shot five times that day."  Representatives John Carter and Michael McCaul have written to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, "The congressmen believe Hasan, despite being known to colleagues as an unstable, radical Islamist, was promoted in the Army and not fully investigated after suspicious behavior because the military was afraid being seen as biased against his religion. They think that hesitancy is still at play in deciding what to call the shooting."  So there had been signs of this doctor's feelings and intentions and these were ignored.

Our American consulate in Libya's death, we were told, came off as a result of a YouTube video which was "offensive to Muslims" instead of being told the truth our government seemed to know about.  We had our consulate people battling over 200 Al Qaeda fighters for 6 hours and this heroism was ignored.  Our Ambassador Chris Stevens  was murdered viciously and 3 others were slaughtered  with him.  The aftermath "surveys of Islamist websites confirmed that al-Qaedists were carrying out a preplanned assassination."

Why all this tip-toeing around with labeling attacks by not calling a terrorist attack a terrorist attack?  Could it be that we have been penetrated by the Muslim Brotherhood?

Imam Mohammed Magid is a major player in our government.  He advises our senior leaders.  Members of the Muslim community moderated and led the training of a 2 day program in July this year hosted by the CIA in Langley, Virginia called "Countering Violent Extremism Workshop for the National Capital Register."  The Imam spoke on "Building Communities of Trust".

A front organization of the Muslim Brotherhood is "The ADAMS Center, founded by people like Ahmed Totanji.  The Iman is their Executive Director and is also the President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).  They were supporters of the Holy Land Foundation in Dallas, 2008, a terrorism financing group.  Here he is advising our US intelligence and law enforcement officials.

And why not?  The Iman is a guest at the White House and works with National Security, advises Hillary Clinton, and is on the DHS Homeland Security Advisory Working Group and has even received awards from the FBI.  He's in on financing Hamas, the terrorists in Gaza.  Don't we feel safe?  John Brennan, our Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counter Terrorism and the Assistant to the President Obama thinks there's no problem.  I wonder if he's ever followed the Holy Land Foundation trial.

All this puts Jews and Israel in great peril as the Muslim Brotherhood's charter calls for the destruction of not only the USA but Israel and Jews as well.  Their charter is violent and calls for a take-over.  All people should become familiar with what they stand for.  It's not the constitution of the United States.   

"  The Brotherhood wants America to fall. It tells followers to be “patient” because America “is heading towards its demise.” The U.S. is an infidel that “does not champion moral and human values and cannot lead humanity.” —Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Muhammed Badi, Sept. 2010".   

Resource: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2012/10/23/CIA-Hosts-Training-By-Muslim-Brotherhood-Leader-and-Hamas-Supporter
http://www.standwithus.com/app/inews/view_n.asp?ID=1757  Muslim Brotherhood Charter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Hood_shooting
http://www.stripes.com/blogs/stripes-central/stripes-central-1.8040/fort-hood-shooting-victims-want-attack-called-terror-1.193553
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O._Brennan

Islam Superceded by Fatah-Hamas Ethics

Nadene Goldfoot
Golda Meir (1898-1978) once said that Israel would have peace with the Arabs when Arabs loved their children as much as  Israelis love theirs.  She could not imagine how bad mothering has become with her enemies.

Islam's basic ethics have been replaced by Fatah and Hamas terrorism gangs in Gaza and Judea/Samaria.  They have managed to convince mothers to sacrifice their children. They are being martyrs.  Is this really being done in Allah's cause?  Is it Allah that says it's okay to kill your children in order to gain a 49th Muslim majority state?   If it is, it's the only religion in the world who says this.   Most normal mothers do everything to protect their children.  Even animal mothers will die in the protection of their babies.  How can these mothers go from that instinct to sacrificing their children?

 This is what Islam says about martyrdom: "while a martyr may die as a consequence of fighting. It is used as an honorific for Muslims who have laid down their life fulfilling a religious commandment, or have died fighting defending their country or protecting their family."  "The Islamic prophet Muhammad is reported to have said these words about martyrdom:

By Him in Whose Hands my life is! I would love to be martyred in Allah's Cause and then get resurrected and then get martyred, and then get resurrected again and then get martyred and then get resurrected again and then get martyred.

—Collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari

Palestinian Media Watch, a site run by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, have found a Facebook page for Fatah in Lebanon who have posted a picture of a mother dressing her young son with a suicide belt.  With the picture is a conversation between the two discussing why she was doing this.  The son asks why she wants him to die and she tells him it's for the sake of Palestine.  He asked why not her instead of him and she answers that she can keep on having children to sacrifice for Palestine.

"The Facebook page states that it is "the official page of Fatah's Information and Culture Commission in Lebanon," and is linked to from the official website of the Fatah Information and Culture Commission (www.fatehmedia.ps)."  "During the years of the Palestinian Authority terror campaign (the Intifada, 2000 - 2005), Palestinian Media Watch documented that the PA actively promoted Martyrdom (Shahada) as an ideal that children should strive for. Music videos for children indoctrinating them to see Martyrdom as "sweet" were broadcast hundreds of times on PA TV. In recent years, Martyrdom for children continues to be glorified by the PA in contexts for children but with lesser frequency."

This has become a sick, sick religion.  Back to the days of sacrificing one's children in order to get rainfall or good crops and now a state?  These people have gone backwards into the past with their logic instead of having forward thinking like making peace with their neighbor.

Is this what Mohammad wanted?  Is this in the Koran?  Hamas and Fatah are using their own religion and twisting it in order for their own gains.  They will do anything and say anything and lie in order to achieve their  evil ends; to destroy Israel and all its inhabitants and take over successful Israel.  I don't see any moderate Muslims stepping up to the plate and telling these terrorist gangs that they are in the wrong.  I found this an an Islam website.  "In fact, Muslims serve for life, not for death. In Islam and other religions, all men are equal, regardless of color, language, race, or nationality."  It seems to me that they have completely forgotten about this fact.  

Mahmoud Abbas, whose term as president or chairman ran out January 15, 2009,  will be asking the UN for recognition with a nonmember status on November 15th or 29th.  .  This goes against what the USA and Israel have said which will cause an ending to funding for the Palestinians. It will get him what he wants, evidently; recognition and he thinks power in negotiating with Israel if that ever happens.  

Just as sad is the fact that the UN and so many countries have gone right along with them in their muddled thinking.  I think I'll have to say that we will have peace when people are no longer afflicted with insanity. Let's get this straight.  Hamas and Fatah are not fighting in protection.  They are fighting against their neighbors and are refusing peace.

What's pathetic is that the nomadic Arabs have never wanted the responsibility of having their own state.  Those that lived in the "Holy Land" were nomadic wanderers.  Many came from neighboring states seeking jobs with the Jews who were building and thinking of the future.  They only want to replace Israel as they don't have in their religious principals room for a small Jewish state.  It's a sick sick reason to have a state in the first place.

Resource:   http://www.palwatch.org/
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/palestinian-officials-abbas-moving-forward-with-bid-for-un-recognition-1.472764
http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/meier.htm
http://discover.islamway.com/articles.php?article_id=47
http://islam.uga.edu/norms_values.html

Morsi Praying For Jewish Destruction: Follows Muslim Brotherhood Charter: Kidnapping Westerners Urged

Nadene Goldfoot

Kill the Jews and kidnap Westerners.  That's the message that the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Qaida are now urging.  

We shouldn't be surprised at Morsi fervently praying and adding his Arabic "amen" with this group prayer for the destruction of all Jews.  After all, he was the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood whose charter calls for this.  Doesn't anyone pay attention?  At least Mubarak had Morsi jailed for his extremism in theology that called for killing and destruction of Jews.

This fact is verified by being viewed  on video on the Egyptian state TV with Morsi in a mosque in Marsa Matruh, Egypt on Friday, October 19th.  "Oh Allah, destroy the Jews and their supporters.  Oh Allah, disperse them, rend them asunder."  Rend, in the dictionary means "to remove from place by violence,  to tear, like hair and clothing as a sign of anger, grief, or despair, to lacerate with painful feelings, to pierce with sound, to divide as a nation into parties, to perform an act of tearing or splitting, to become torn or split."  Asunder means "torn into parts,.  Such a prayer for somebody who is the reason for receiving large amounts of money from the USA.  Notice the prayer goes for the supporters as well, which means the USA.

Al-Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood are a union.  Al-Qaida is now urging its people to kidnap Westerners to exchange for imprisoned jihadists.  There is a blind cleric serving a life sentence in the USA for a 1993 plot to blow up NY city's landmarks.

There is a long 2 hour videotape that was posted last week on militant forums.  Ayman al-Zawahri, Egyptian jihadist, urged support for Syria's uprising.  He also called for the implementation of Islamic law in Egypt.  Egypt had been secular, but now with Morsi, it could happen.  I remember living in Israel from 19880-85 and watching Egyptian TV movies.  I really enjoyed them with their English subtitles.  I imagine all that will change with Morsi in charge.

Zawahri went on to encourage abducting nationals of "countries waging wars on Muslims" is the only way to free "our captives, and Sheik Omar Abdel- Rahman," the Egyptian cleric.  There it is.  We are at war with Muslims according to a high ranking Muslim.  According to him, this is the only language we understand.  "We will keep on seizing more....until we free our captives"

Two weeks ago he urged on an audio recording, holy war over that crazy horribly-made video making fun of Mohammad.  He also released a video on 9/11/ claiming that his warriors "defeated America in Iraq."

I guess they have a shortage of leaders and lots of followers, since they keep calling for the freeing of Abdel-Rahman.  A group even named themselves for him.  They claim responsibility for a June attack on the US consulate in Benghazi which caused no casualties.  Of course we all know that later on 9/11 of this year we had 4 Americans killed there which included our Ambassador Chris Stevens.

In Cairo, Egypt, Abdel-Rahman's relatives have had sit-ins next to the US Embassy for months.  Mohammed Morsi, who himself was recently released from prison just long enough to become the president of Egypt, vowed to push for his release.  He's doing it.

What's the difference between the Muslim Brotherhood that Obama embraced as moderates and al-Qaeda?  Not much.  The Brotherhood's main goal has been to develop Muslim infrastructure everywhere and supports terror and jihad. Their charter calls for the murder of all Jews.   They have a charter that spells it out and have been becoming increasingly violent.  The Brotherhood has managed the pretense of moderation, but as early as 2007 let it be known they were not for Western values.  They are all for Sharia law.  Al Qaeda is all for jihad.  They support attacking, kidnapping, you name it.

Next time America clamors for other countries to go Democratic, I hope they look at what the alternatives in that county could be.  There's got to be a better way.  I think we all have gone from the frying pan into the fire.

Resource: http://www.standwithus.com/app/inews/view_n.asp?ID=1757 Muslim Brotherhood Charter
 Newsmax.com newsmax@reply.newsmax.com
Oregonian newspaper October 28, 2012, Sunday, page A14, Al-Qaida leader urges kidnappings by AP.
http://jcpa.org/the-muslim-brotherhood-a-moderate-islamic-alternative-to-al-qaeda-or-a-partner-in-global-jihad/

Al Qaeda Terrorists' Plans for Oregon As a training Camp

Nadene Goldfoot
Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, alias Abu Hamza al-Masri is a 54 year old  Egyptian Imam (preacher)  who has been charged  for multiple terror plots, among them conspiring to set up a terrorist training camp right here in Oregon. One of the counts the USA wants him for was in connection with James Thompson alias an Earnest James Ujaama,  "in an attempt to establish a terrorist training camp in late 1999 and early 2000 near Bly, Klamath County,Oregon and of providing aid to al-Qaeda."  Bly is 44 miles east of Klamath Falls, Oregon with a small population of about 486.  This central southern Oregon potential training camp was fortunately found out about before it was too late.

 Forty-six year old Ujamma was born in Denver, Colorado but moved at age 5 to Seattle, Washington and converted to Islam.  Harry Reid had honored him as a special person around 1994.  "Ujaama also traveled to Afghanistan in 1999 to study Sharia and offer his support to al-Qaeda, according to family friends."In 2002 Ujaama was arrested and indicted for conspiring to create this training camp on a ranch between October and December of 1999.  He had been a follower of Masri so both had ties to al Qaeda and the Taliban.  Oussama Kassier was convicted in helping to create this camp in May 2009.

Kassier was born in Beirut, Lebanon and immigrated to Stockholm,  Sweden in 1984, and became a citizen in 1989.  He had fought in the Lebanese civil war in 1980's and was injured. This terrorist was a supporter of Osama bin Laden and said he loved both al Qaeda and bin Laden.  He also did not follow Sweden's laws and spent 10 months in prison for having guns, attacking a policeman and for drugs.   "Kassir was arrested in Prague, Czech Republic, while on his way to Beirut, on December 11, 2005, on a warrant filed by United States federal prosecutors. He was charged with conspiring to support terrorism by traveling from London to Bly, Oregon in 1999 to help set up a jihad training camp.

He preached militant jihad and followed Islamic fundamentalism of the militant ideology.  He is a citizen and convict from Great Britain, having married an English girl to do this and was in prison in England in 2004.  He's a person who supports al-Qaeda. Also, this "father-of-eight Abu Hamza had so far cost Britain £2.75 million in welfare payments, council housing and legal costs."

"In sentencing, Mr Justice Hughes said Mustafa or Hamza al Masri had "helped to create an atmosphere in which to kill has become regarded by some as not only a legitimate course but a moral and religious duty in pursuit of perceived justice."Abu Hamza al Masri  was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment.

Mustafa lost both his hands and an eye he says while in Afghanistan fighting the Russians. He said it was from a mining project there.  Was he planting land mines?   He will be outfitted by the USA government with new prosthetic arms to replace the hooks he used before, commented his lawyer in New York, even though he has been imprisoned in Britain on charges since 2004. These prosthetics cost anywhere from about $5,000 to $50,000.   His Finsbury Park Mosque in London was a training ground for extremist Islamists.    Why are we giving him these prosthetics?  "Mustafa Kamel Mustafa needs all the help he can get while at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan awaiting trial, attorney Jeremy Schneider said after a hearing."

"This case is way bigger than anyone was led to believe a couple of weeks ago,” said Jeremy Schneider, a lawyer who was appointed to represent Mr. Hamza/Masri .'  This remark comes with Masri's request for more lawyers which the judge granted.   A two-month long trial of Masri is to take place on August 26, 2013.  The delay is because he's serving the 7 year sentence in th UK right now.

Resource:  Oregonian newspaper 10/27/12 page A2, small article; New Arms: wife reports.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Hamza_al-Masri
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bly,_Oregon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Ujaama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oussama_Kassir
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ny-lawyer-egyptian-preacher-in-terror-case-being-outfitted-with-new-prosthetic-arms-next-week/2012/10/26/59753ecc-1fb9-11e2-8817-41b9a7aaabc7_story.html
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2012/10/26/judge-grants-hamzas-request-for-more-lawyers/

Barack Obama's Feelings About Israel in 2012

How does Barack Obama feel about Israel?  He says he has done so much and puts their safety first..  What's the evidence?

1.  Has Obama really given billions of dollars in military assistance?
      The money in military assistance, including the Iron Dome Defense system, is the money promised from the pledge by George W. Bush.  Israel has been the largest receiver from 1976-2003, but the Iraq War took the #1 position.  Israel gets assistance in grants and military sales.  "In 2007, the United States increased its military aid to Israel by over 25%, to an average of $3 billion per year for the following ten year period (starting at $2.550 billion for 2008, growing by $150 million each year)"  "Former U.S. President George W. Bush assured Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that the U.S. would help keep a "qualitative advantage" to Israel over other nations in the region."

"2. Obama got strong sanctions against Iran that were passed  by the UN Security Council.
    Sanctions against Iran haven't stopped or slowed down their nuclear program at all.  Obama opposed stronger sanctions that Congress wanted. "In June 2005, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13382 freezing the assets of individuals connected with Iran's nuclear program. In June 2007, the U.S. state of Florida enacted a boycott on companies trading with Iran and Sudan, while New Jersey's state legislature was considering similar action.  Ryan commented that it was Congress who got the sanctions.  "Meanwhile, Obama wrote a signing statement saying that the sanction’s requirements were nonbinding, Williams noted. (Obama wrote that the Iran sanctions section "would interfere with my constitutional authority to conduct foreign relations by directing the Executive to take certain positions in negotiations or discussions with foreign governments. Like section 1244, should any application of these provisions conflict with my constitutional authorities, I will treat the provisions as non-binding.")

Obama also undermined the sanctions’ requirement for countries seeking exceptions to "significantly reduce" their Iranian crude oil purchases by leaving the definition of "significant" to the discretion of the secretary of state, Williams said. (Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., authors of the amendment, argued it should mean at least 18 percent.)"

3. Under his administration, the US increased its intelligence and military coordination with Israel.
      His administration has continually leaked vital covert Israeli information.  Four times this happened when they revealed which countries Israel had effected a deal with to fly over for an attack on Iran.  Israelis suspected Obama had media leaks to prevent their striking Iran.  It was also felt that Obama had information leak to help his campaign.  For instance, "Last week, the New York Times revealed how U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies manufactured viruses to disrupt work at an Iranian nuclear facility." "The Obama administration has been playing a double game with respect to Iran for some time. They publicly condemn Iran’s nuclear activity, but four times they have revealed Israel’s plans to use other countries’ airspace for an attack on Iran. It is no surprise that Obama will use anything to bolster his reelection campaign, especially given the Obama Administration’s hostility toward Israel and friendliness with the Arab Spring."

4.  The UN seems to hate Israel.  Obama opposed some anti-Israel resolutions.
     Obama backed a session at the UN Security Council where the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, the anti-Israel Navi Pillay, spoke to the council about Israel, just Israel, as if Israel were the worst offender of human rights in the world .   "The Obama administration could have insisted that Israel not be sacrificed as the quid pro quo for paying due attention to the Syrian carnage. Instead, they caved, agreeing to a spectacle which casts Syria and Israel as moral equals."  It was written about on July 2nd of this year.  "Today, at the United Nations, the Obama administration is turning its back on Israel. For the very first time, the U.N. Security Council has invited the U.N. high commissioner for human rights to “brief” the Council specifically on the subject of Israel and the commissioner’s list of trumped-up sins. Though the U.S. is a veto-holding power, the extraordinary move has full American approval, despite the fact that the global soapbox will be handed to Navi Pillay, a notorious anti-Israel partisan."

How has Obama treated Netanyahu?

  1. He has humiliated him publicly.  He told Netanyahu that Israel should return to the pre-1967 borders which is suicide for Israel to do.  That was done on live television.  Netanyahu had to explain to him why this was a terrible move and that Israel couldn't possibly do it. The result was that Obama should have been embarrassed also.

 2. The Democratic platform left out key elements from the 2008 platform such as Israel was the strongest US ally in the Middle East, the Hamas should be isolated from being a partner in the peace process, that bogus Palestinian rights to return should be opposed,  the refusal to name Jerusalem the capital of Israel, and the absolute unwillingness to condemn Arab terrorism.

How has his people treated Netanyahu?

1 Hillary Clinton held a phone call with Netanyahu for 43 minutes angry with him for announcing construction in a Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem.
2. David Axelrod told him that Obama considered the housing approval "an affront, an insult, and very very destructive.
3. Joe Biden ripped Israel for endangering American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Why?
4. Clinton demanded that Israel unilaterally concede negotiating positions and release hundreds of Palestinian terrorists even before "indirect" peace talks could begin.
5. Defense Secretary Robert Gates called Israel "an ungrateful ally."
6. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's chastising Israel to "get back to the damn table. (negotiating) all on Netanyahu's shoulders.
7. This one I'll never forget.  Obama shoved Netanyahu out the White House back door, no dinner, no joint statement.  Obama went off in the White House for dinner.
8. Obama pushed Israel to apologize for the terrorist Gaza flotilla.
9.  Obama was caught talking when the mike was open in agreeing with French President Sarkozy's statement that "I cannot bear Netanyahu.  He's a liar. He then continued with "You're fed up, but I have to deal with him every day."
10.  Obama's speech when Netanyahu was about to arrive in Washington DC which called on Israel to retreat to the 1949 Armistice line as a starting point for negotiations.
11.  No coming down on Palestinian leadership for anti-Israel incitement including the Palestinians celebrating the murder of the Fogel family and their sleeping children in Judea/Samaria.
12. No condemnation of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem who gets his salary from American taxpayers who urges Arabs to "fight and kill the Jews".

In contrast, the 2012 Republican platform states:

1. Palestinian people must support leaders that reject terror, embrace institutions and ethos of democracy and respect the rule of law.  (This would eliminate Hamas and Fatah).

2. Israel can't be expected to negotiate with people pledged to her destruction.

3. Hamas and Hezbollah must be isolated as they don't meet the standards of peace and diplomacy of the international community.

So give me a good reason why Jews would be voting for Obama again?  As Caroline already has said, Obama has an animus toward Israel greater than any other president except Jimmy Carter, which is my comment.  Do American Jews for Obama value Israel?  I know many who do, but they seem to have either short memories or are putting other values first.  Can we really risk terrible and final consequences of Israel and thus the Jewish people by choosing the wrong man?  This may be the  most important election in the past 64 years and can spell life or death for Israel.  My personal opinion is that the the parties are not the same parties of my parents.  They have changed.  Being a Democrat is not a religion.  We have the right to choose the best person for this historic era.  Vote with wisdom.

Yet Netanyahu's party says that Obama has been the best.  Can they say anything different?  One must look at the facts and read the lines.  You don't even have to read between them.

Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93United_States_military_relations
 http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/10/19/Obama-Israel
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/oct/15/paul-ryan/paul-ryan-says-obama-administration-watered-down-s/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/24/mitt-romney-vfw_n_1699079.html
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/03/obama-administration-media-campaign-to-stop-israeli-strike-on-iran/
http://nation.foxnews.com/john-mccain/2012/06/07/mccain-obama-leaking-national-security-secrets-help-campaign
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/304559/obama-turns-his-back-israel-un-anne-bayefsky#

How Israel Fared Through Foreign Affairs Debate

Nadene Goldfoot
Mitt Romney stated that if Israel is attacked and he is president, we have their back.  Obama said that he would stand with Israel if Israel is attacked.

Both of these brilliant men come from completely different backgrounds but are both Harvard educated.  .  Romney was a governor of Massachusetts while President Obama was a community organizer  and Illinois Senator.

Only in America would two such diverse men be running not only for president but against each other.  Romney is an active Mormon, having been a Bishop in his church who lived in France while doing his 2 year mission. His church has a book called "The Book to the Jews" which I have read.  Yes, they do try to convert Jews, but not overtly so.    They also have a lovely park in Israel.  Obama attended Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 some years  that was actively against Jews but since being President has stopped attending there.  Deborah Wasserman, Jewish from Florida thinks that Obama has done a great deal more for Israel than other past presidents.  I might add that our Congress has been behind Israel and is very supportive.  That also must have a great deal to do with support for Israel.

Willard Mitt Romney was born March 12, 1947 in Michigan. He had a father who had been in politics.   He is a self made millionaire worth  an estimated  $190-250 million dollars. He attended Stanford in 65-66 and then Brigham Young (BYU).   He holds a Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration; a 4 year program between Harvard U Law and Business School and graduated at the top 5% of the business school.  In other words, he is a lawyer knowing all about business needs.  He served as governor of Massachusetts from 2002 to 2006.  He was head of the Winter Olympics from 1999.  The Olympics was held in 2002.  He did an outstanding job and is very proud of this achievement.

Barack Hussein Obama was born August 4, 1961 in Hawaii, so he's 14 years younger than Mitt.  His parents met in a Russian language class there.  His father was the first African foreign student to attend the university.  His mother was from Kansas and the family had moved to Hawaii.  Their marriage broke up quickly and his mother remarried an Indonesian student which resulted in their moving to Indonesia.  Obama attended school in Jakarta from the1st through 3rd grades in a Catholic school while the 4th grade of 1970-71 was spent in a public school.  He graduated from Columbia U.  Then he also attended Harvard and received an AB in political science which was his major and minored in international relations for four years.  He attended Harvard Law School and received a JD and graduated magna cum laude.  He was also President of the Harvard Law Review.  He became a Chicago community organizer in 1985 when hired by Jerry Kellerman though he had no experience with it. He later  became a senator from January 4, 2005 to November 16, 2008 when elected as president.  His keynote address speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention had electrified the audience.

This 3rd debate lasted for about 90 minutes.  Obama started off attacking strongly. "I know you haven't been in a position to actually execute foreign policy, but every time you've offered an opinion, you've been wrong." he flung at Romney.  Obama pushes that he's the leader who ends wars, not the guy who starts new ones.  Yet he chided Romney over Afghanistan and getting Osama bin Laden.  Obama brought up the statement of Romney who said that it wasn't worth moving heaven and earth to catch one man and that we should have asked Pakistan for permission.  Romney had said that "we can't kill our way out of this mess. and that we must have a comprehensive and robust strategy."  Obama said that "if we had asked Pakistan for permission, we would not have gotten him, and it was worth moving heaven and earth to get him".   I note in the paper today that we have lost 2,012 men since 2001 in the war there.  3,000 people were killed when we were attacked September 11, 2001 when the Twin Towers fell in New York.  We also lost lots of firemen who were trying to save people there.  President Bush was shook.  So were all the people of the United States.

Both men want to help Syria get rid of Assad but don't want to get involved militarily.  Romney mentioned he would arm Assad's opponents.  I would only arm them with sling shots.  Really.  Chances are the arms would later be used against Israel.  The Muslim Brotherhood is actively courting the rebels as well, which I've already written about.  They have organized and meet in Turkey.  Romney didn't seem to be aware of this.  Obama only had a slight degree of knowledge about it.

You know that you and your neighbor both agree that your sofa is not in the right spot to view the TV set, but you each have different opinions as to where to place the sofa, like if it should be against the left or the right wall.  That's the way this debate was.  Romney agreed with much of what has been going on in foreign relations but would have done it a little differently or sooner.  When he did attack Obama, he threw him a zinger that should have stung, like him visiting the Arab states in one grand tour but skipping Israel which was really like a slap in the face to Israel and a ha ha-he doesn't like Israel to the Arabs.

Obama came on very strong again when Romney said that while a governor, high school students who graduated at the top quarter got a 4 year tuition free scholarship at any public institution of higher learning (state college)  in Massachusetts.  Obama loudly proclaimed in Romney's face that it happened before he had come into office.  Romney was very calm, stating that it was actually him.  "Actually, Mr. President.  You got that fact wrong."  Obama blustered loudly again and the discussion went on to another subject, but Romney was right.  The John and Abigail Adams scholarship program began in 2004 when he was governor!

So now we have to vote by November 6th.  Who is the best for the United States?  What are the main problems we are facing?  Economic problems seem to be the main focus from what I've heard.  2nd are health and last are foreign relations.  From what was said after the debate, people feel that if we had a more stable and secure economy, we could better handle world affairs.  Get you flu shots and stay warm and dry. Eat your veggies and fruit, but buy organic apples if you don't want to ingest pesticides.  I'm voting for Romney!

Resource:  Oregonian newspaper 10/23/12 page A4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_life_and_career_of_Barack_Obama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_career_of_Barack_Obama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormonism_and_Judaism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Wright_controversy
http://jewishfactsfromportland.blogspot.com/2008/03/accusations-endorsed-by-pastor-wright.html
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/225564/what-did-obama-do-community-organizer/byron-york#
http://jewishfactsfromportland.blogspot.com/2012/10/syrias-explosive-border-draws-usa.html

Iran's Move to Underground Fordo Completed

Nadene Goldfoot
Last Tuesday, Iran finished their move to their underground quarters of the  Fordo site near Qom in order to continue working on their nuclear capabilities.

Tonight Obama and the Republican former governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney will have their last debate which will cover foreign policy.  We as Jews have to decide which man we will vote for on November 6th..

Obama pledges not to let Iran get a nuclear weapon.  This means he will not let Iran build an A bomb.
Romney promises to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear capability.  This means to get the capacity for building one.  US intelligence thinks this will happen within 6 months.

In the meantime, Iran's timetable seems to be set at a faster rate than expected.  Its enrichment plants can turn out more 20% enriched uranium at a greater speed than ever and will reach Iran's one-ton target soon.

Debkafile reports that Tehran installed the last 4 clusters of centrifuges in the Fordo chamber before European Union foreign ministers approved the sanctions in Brussels on October 15th.

PM Netanyahu in Jerusalem thanked the EU for the new sanctions the next day on the 16th.  He mentioned that when the centrifuges stop spinning, we'll know that are achieving their goal.

Many of us laughingly or seriously await what might happen on December 21st when the Mayan Calendar runs out.  All sorts of speculations have appeared about it from being the end of the world to planets lining up in a straight row to nothing.  I'm going to throw in something else.  Iran is changing the Fordo centrifuges and adapting them for refining uranium to the 60k% level.  They only need to arrive at 90% for weapons grade material.  This conversion is expected to be ready from mid  December or early January 2013.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has called Prime Minister Netanyahu and has asked him not to attack Iran's nuclear facilities but give more time for the sanctions to have worked. Does he realize that Netanyahu's red line was crossed this week already?  The EU, which Britain is a part of, does not question Iran's right to have nuclear power for peaceful purposes.  They haven't been threatened like Israel has.

British writer, David Patrikarakos, who is writing a book about Iran, feels that having uranium power is a symbol of modernity, a status symbol to Iran and that they will not accept any limitation on developing nuclear power.  He wrote that Israel and the West must accept this or the crisis cannot be resolved. "The regime seems to be doing everything it can to bring Israel's wrath down on itself.. Last Friday, in a speech at the Tehran commemoration of Al-Quds Day (an annual event held on the last Friday of Ramadan, calling for the "liberation" of Jerusalem ), the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, once more promised that the "Zionist regime" would be annihilated."  He stirs everyone up, including Israel, just taunting for a strike. What they're doing is getting the Iranians to be fired up against Israel instead of their own sordid situation.

So Tehran is going forward knowing that there are those who give advice for more time; just what they need.  There are those that already have such power or bombs, but none hates Israel quite so much as Iran, and it is their hatred that spreads out like an unwanted virus to all their comrades.    What's so amazing is that Iran is not even a neighbor nor has it any problem with land ownership of their own.

Resource: Debkafile
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/nuclear-iran-the-birth-of-an-atomic-state-by-david-patrikarakos-8216910.html
http://www.haaretz.com/news/features/giving-tehran-the-miracle-it-needs-1.460423
http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Infcircs/Others/infcirc140.pdf

American Jewish Leaders Find Anti-Semitism in Churches

Nadene Goldfoot
First of all, there is a big divide in Protestant churches regarding Israel.  On one hand, we have Pastor John Hagee, who wrote "In Defense of Israel" and means it.  He's done so much in exploring accurately the history of Israel and the situation she finds herself in.  He is a conservative evangelical leader and his group is behind Israel's endeavors to survive. He has denounced the "replacement theology" believing that chapters 9-11 of the book of Romans teaches that the Jews have continuing favor with God by the election of grace. He believes the bible commands Christians to support the State of Israel and the Jewish people even though he has uttered remarks that some have interpreted as antisemitic. His  nondenominational church has a following of 19,000 active members.    On the other hand, we have the main Protestant churches who follow a different sort of Christian religious philosophy by believing in the replacement theology,  whose results are harsh towards Jews.  The result is that they do not support Israel.  I feel their stand comes from this ages old anti-Semitic reasoning.

A top official of the Presbyterian Church, Rev. Gradye Parsons, "asked Congress to treat Israel like it would any other country to make sure military aid is going to a country espousing the values we would as Americans--that it's not being used to continually violate the human rights of other people."  They did this in a letter signed by 15 leaders of Christian churches that calls for Congress to reconsider the promised and planned aid to Israel.

In other words, they are calling in the chips and saying that Israel is violating Palestinian human rights by not having the same values that Americans have and shouldn't be receiving the military aid that Congress has already decided on, a stark attack on the relationship between Israel and the USA.  This is an outrage and is doing harm to our interfaith relations.

Jewish leaders have long known that Presbyterians and others have held this belief.  These mainline Protestants have annual meetings deciding the creeds to follow for the year and Israel has been in contention.  Jewish outreach programs have been hard hit by ministers who refuse to listen to Jewish leaders who wish to present their side of the problems to them but gladly will listen to the Arab sides.  Evidently the problem is now out of hand.  Christian leaders have taken "a step too far" with this indication of "the vicious anti-Zionism that has gone virtually unchecked in several of these denominations."

Rabbi Steven Wernick, Conservative Jewish leader asked, "Where's the letter to Congress about Syria, which is massacring its own people?  When Israel is the only one that is called to account, that's when it becomes problematic."  Jewish leaders said that such an approach to single out Israel amid all the crisis in the world was a "double standard."  The Palestinian Authority (Abbas of Fatah) also receives foreign aid from the US and has also been accused of rights violations, they said.

I'd like to note here that the Palestinians in Gaza have been shelling southern Israel with mortars, rockets and missiles since 2001.  The shelling comes daily into the civilian population.  Schools have to have bomb shelters.  The people have a 15 second warning siren to scramble to presumed safety.  You're at risk if in the bathroom!  Where's the letter about that?  It's okay to attack Israel but not okay when Israel defends itself?  Is that the American religious way?

Israel is so small that 12 Israels could fit into Oregon alone!  Yet the Palestinian Muslims, who already enjoy having  48 Muslim majority countries in the world while the world shivers at our one Jewish one, is now claiming that Judea/Samaria and Gaza are now the state of Palestine and make it the 49th one.  All this is going on while proclaiming their take-over of all of Israel-from 1967 borders to 48.  Their first desire is to take Jerusalem as their capital, of course.  I haven't read of any letter of complaint about the several fatwas put out by Muslim leaders to kill all Jews in the world, either.  We're having a David and Goliath fight on our hands and Israel, like David, has to use its morality which it stands for, but doesn't have to lie down and die, which is what Goliath is after.

I'm proud to say that Congress voted to support Israel and that our government, whoever is at the helm, Democrat or Republican, have both considered Israel as a major friend. Congressmen have visited Israel to get first-hand knowledge, but not the religious leaders behind such a letter.   In fact right now, there is a major practice going on in Israel with American troops. They are having a large scale drill to practice defenses against Iranian ballistic missile attacks.  How many American servicemen have benefited from learning Krav Maga, the Israeli martial arts?  How many have benefited from our Israeli security systems that have been shared with the USA?

To show who they are backing, the Christian leaders involved, mostly from historically mainline Protestant churches, have decided to divest their stock holdings from companies that sell military and security equipment to Israel.  The Jewish leaders responded to this momentous betrayal and are withdrawing from a regularly scheduled Jewish-Christian dialogue meeting that was on for Monday.  "Something is deeply broken, badly broken, " said Ethan Felson of Jewish Council for Public Affairs.  "We're certainly not getting anywhere now."  The Christian letter called for  an investigation into  Israel's activities.  Are they maintaining that only Israel can do wrong?

The religious makeup of the USA is losing its congregants.  The latest news is that it's on the decline.  One study I found showed that Protestants made up 51.3% of our population and Catholics 23.9%.  Jews are at 1.7% along with Mormons who are also 1.7%.  At the time of this Pew assessment, the unaffiliated was at 16.1%.  Out the of Protestant percent comes the different groups with Evangelicals at 26.3% of that 51.3%.

The most recent findings show that in about 1972, 7% of our population had no religion.  By 2007 15% of our population had no religion.  Today 1 out of 5 Americans are either atheists, agnostic or nothing.  Whatever message are the mainline Protestants sending out to the unaffiliated, or do they matter?

Resource: Oregonian newspaper 10/21/12 page A7 "Jewish leaders react angrily as churches challenge Israel aid" by Laurie Goodstein, NY Times
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hagee
http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/report-religious-landscape-study-chapter-1.pdf
http://www.publiceye.org/magazine/v17n2/evangelical-demographics.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/us/study-finds-that-percentage-of-protestant-americans-is-declining.html?_r=0
http://www.debka.com/article/22455/Syria-Iran-Hizballah-attack-while-US-and-Israel-play-computerized-war-games
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krav_Maga

Palestine Arab Lawyers' Values Not Like Israeli Values

Nadene Goldfoot
The Palestine Committee of Arab Lawyers Union is honoring a mass killer.  That's their idea of a good deed.  They probably hope this will be a deed attained by others as they awarded this person with the "Martyr Hanadi Jaradat plaque of honor which was presented to the Jaradat's family.

A very misguided 29 year old  female lawyer, Hanadi Jaradat decided to be a suicide terrorist and connected herself with the Islamic Jihad people and went to Maxim,  a restaurant in Haifa in 2003. Maxims was jointly owned by Jews and Arabs.  She blew herself up in the middle of the restaurant.   The Arabs call this day "the sweet anniversary of her Martyrdom."  3 children plus a baby girl were blown up with everyone plus 3 Arab Israeli security men.

Now, men in this culture who kill themselves if in the act of killing their enemy are to be rewarded in heaven with 72 virgins according to Islamic beliefs.  I wonder what reward Hanadi was promised?  72 male virgins?  Who wants a male virgin, anyway, plus 71 others to deal with.  Good grief!  The least they could do is promise her 72 great lovers!

This is so sick to me to honor a mass murderess.  In her horrific act she managed to kill 21 unsuspecting Israelis and injured 60 others.  I ate in so many restaurants in Haifa from 1980-1985, and many were Arab restaurants.  Suicide bombers were not as plentiful then, I don't think.

To have the lawyers honor her shows what type of morality they are following, something that is completely contrary to our system and belief in the 10 Commandments.  In 2005 she was honored by the PA Ministry of Culture who produced a poetry collection named "What did Hanadi say," and this was given to the newspaper Al-Ayyan to be distributed to people.  The ending of a poem is: "Oh Hanadi!  shake the earth under the feet of the enemies!  Blow it up!  Hanadi said: "This is my wedding."  It's Hanadi's wedding, the day when death as a Martyr for Allah becomes the highest goal, that redeems my land."  (Al-Ayyam, Aug. 22, 2005)

Fifteen countries connected to the Arab Lawyers Union (ALU) which is an NGO are: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mauritania, Morocco, (Palestine-not a country- but they list it as one of them) Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia and Yemen.

They have a mission.  One is to struggle against Zionism and its greed as a form of racism.  Are you ready to run out and hire one of these lawyers?   No wonder Israel is given such a hard time from the UN.   I have argued for hours on this one line alone.  Zionism is the right of Israel's existence and as you see, these Arab lawyers don't believe in that at all.  Racism?  Jews come in every color under the sun; white, black, beige, yellow, red, you name it, from every country.  How can we be racist?  Moses was not racist.  The rest is just lying trying to defend their anger at Israel having become a state-legally. Greed?  Islam has more than 48 Muslim majority countries in the world and Israel is our one and only Jewish country no bigger than a matchbox.  And they proudly proclaim that they want all of Israel. They are not just talking about Gaza, which Israel left for them, but Judea-Samaria (West Bank) , all of Jerusalem and now-all of Israel, oh yes, their latest proclamation is everyone as of the 1967 lines as well.   Who is the greedy one?

How do we know all this?  In Israel, street signs are in 3 languages, Hebrew, Arabic and English. Israeli  Schools teach not only Hebrew and English but Arabic, too, and even French.  There are lots of people who are bilinqual and trilingual.  My teacher in Haifa, Mr. Kohavi, spoke 16 languages.  Arabic speakers would sit with Hebrew speakers and they would help each other with their homework in the Safed Jr high I taught in.  1.4 million Arabs are citizens of Israel.  They like their country of Israel.  

http://www.palwatch.org  by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik; Suicide terrorist who killed 21 receives "highest honor" from Palestine Committee of Arab Lawyers Union...Union is observer at UNESCO, in consultative status with ECOSOC
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2004/1/Suicide+bombing+of+Maxim+restaurant+in+Haifa+-+4-O.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Muslim-majority_countries  I am shocked to see today's copy includes Palestine as a country.  When I printed off on 12/8/2011, it was not.  They include it as the 49th.  It is not a country as of today and should not be accepted as any type of statehood in the upcoming UN meeting.  .

Abbas Claims All of Israel Before 1967 On Facebook

Nadene Goldfoot
Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority Chairman is going to the UN to request recognition of Palestine as a non-member state in the UN General Assembly.

He started a facebook page on October 13th where he denies the existence of Israel.  He says that Israel is on "Occupied Land."  He emphasises that he is not talking about the areas of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) but "all the territories that Israel occupied before June 1967."  That would be all of Israel.

He wrote:  "The recognition (by the UN) won't liberate the land the day after, but it will prove our right according to which our land is occupied and not disputed."

He has refused to come to the table to talk with Netanyahu and now discloses what many of us were thinking.  He is not for the two-state solution as he has this proclamation in mind intended to destroy Israel's right to existence.

Abbas's page pictures Jerusalem at the top with the Dome of the Rock in view.  He labels himself as a Ramallah politician.   Right now there are 12,667  talking about it and 61,831 likes on the screen.  The wording is all in Arabic.

Abbas tried to get recognition in 2011 in the UN but failed.   In a duplicity move, he has now sent President Obama a letter saying he will resume talks IF his UN bid succeeds this time.  Our US envoy says that a new PA status would jeopardize the peace process.  Susan Rice is our Ambassador to the UN.  She has served since 2009 to the present.  Of course the peace process would be ruined.  Abbas would have already won something that he is trying to steal outright.

Susan Rice did not stay to listen to Netanyahu's UN speech where he explained Iran's getting so close to making nuclear material to be used in weaponry.  She, like Obama, had no time for him.  Instead, she went to lunch with some foreign ministers.  Hillary Clinton did not stay to listen to him, either, but had been asked to do so by the busy Obama.

John Bolton, former American Ambassador to the UN who served in 2005-2006 was shocked but not surprised at their absence.

Resource:  Maariv-Hebrew newspaper, 17 October 2012
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/palestinians-un-recognition-would-foster-peace-with-israel-1.470384
http://rt.com/usa/news/us-netanyahu-un-obama-238/

"http://WWW.youtube.Com/embed/tLgdb6r0MQ4?rel=0"

Missile Attacks on Israeli Aircrafts

Nadene Goldfoot
A year ago, terrorists in the Sinai fired a missile in an attack on Highway 12, right next to the Egyptian-Sinai border.  Six people were killed.  The missile was aimed at an Israeli helicopter from inside Egypt and missed.

A week ago on Friday, terrorists in Gaza fired the same kind of missile that was smuggled from Libya at an Israeli aircraft but also missed.  The Yidiot Aharonot reported this first.  This missile was Russian made Strela-2 missile. This can be fired from one's shoulder and has infrared homing guidance.   About 1,000 of these were in the Libyan army arsenal, and many are now in the hands of Gazan and Sinai terrorists.

The military know that Hamas and other terrorists have collected many anti-aircraft missiles but hadn't used them as that would cause the IDF to retaliate.

This brazen attack can be seen as a sign that Hamas is escalating their violence with Israel.  With the sophistication this type of missile includes, it's a miracle that we haven't been hit.

Resource:http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/160967 Gaza Terrorists Fired Missile at Israeli aircraft" Last Week
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/israel-gaza-militants-fired-anti-aircraft-missile-17491318
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middle-east/2012/10/16/israel-gaza-militants-fired-anti-aircraft-missile/58j4nsacLyZfZew5bXWICK/story.html

To Obama, Salam Al Marayati Is Perfect For Human Rights Warsaw Meeting

Nadene Goldfoot
A Human Rights Conference is meeting in Warsaw for 10 days and President Barack Obama selected the Muslim Public Affairs Council director, Salam al Marayati to represent the USA.  This is the man who decided that Israel was a "suspect" behind the 9/11 attacks.  He also advocates for terrorist organizations including Hamas and Hizbullah.  These groups have killed more Americans than any terrorist group in the world except al Qaeda, and he's our hand picked representative.

Salam has been working in the government issues for almost 10 years now and our government considers him a valued and highly credible person in issues affecting Muslim communities.  But selecting a man who immediately came up with Israel a "suspect" causing 9/11?  Doesn't this show his prejudice?

Here's his thinking.  He told the OSCE participant in Warsaw, "Hate speech that intends to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence against some people based on religion is harmful."  Evidently he is only considering the Muslims as the victim, but for him it's okay to do it to Israelis.  This is unbelievable! He automatically blames Israel for this horrific attack on the United States.   He tells people that the reason he suspected Israel is that "We should look at groups who benefit the most from these kinds of incidents and that this diverted attention from what's happening in the Palestinian territories so that they can go on with their aggression and occupation and apartheid policies."  The New York Times reported this.

Does Obama realize what happened in Warsaw? Does he remember the Warsaw Ghetto uprising?  From October 16, 1940 to November 16th , 400,000 Jews were rounded up and put in the largest ghetto only 2.4% the size of Warsaw where most all died, starved to death or shot, with the remainder sent to Treblinka to the ovens.   Warsaw stands out as the place where Jews were rounded up and forced to remain in Poland where they made a last stand for their lives but were slaughtered by the Nazis.  The Palestinians' terror group, Hamas, have been consistently shelling southern Israel for the past 12 years with mortars, missiles and rockets.  Let's talk about aggression and occupation and apartheid policies and get it straight and honest, and not stick to the Hamas/Fatah delusions.

The only people Salam is capable of speaking up for are the Muslims.  If there is any talk about Israel and the Palestinians you know exactly what he is going to say.  We won't have a chance any more than the people in hell getting a drink of water.

Resource:Arutz Sheva news@israelnationalnews.com Meet an Obama Muslim Favorite:  Israel a 9/11 Suspect by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/salam-al-marayati/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto

Biden's Not Understanding Netanyahu's Diagram on the Red line

Nadene Goldfoot
Biden laughed and sneered and smirked  at Ryan's mentioning Iran's capabilities to develop their nuclear program in the VP debate last night.  His attitude was like an ostrich's head in the sand in addressing Netanyahu's bomb diagram with the red line at the 90% level and that they are very close to capabilities.

Martha Raddatz, seasoned war correspondent for ABC news and moderator of the VP debate last night, was quite serious when she brought the subject up.  Not Joe Biden.  He thought there wasn't a chance at all that the Iranians would have the containment (bomb shell) for any uranium they would manufacture, as if that is an impossibility for them to acquire. He said, "They don't have a weapon to put it into."   I was horrified at his lack of facts.  That's a bunch of malarky.  It's  the least of Iran's problems.  However, his style of debate seemed to be to say it loud enough with enough conviction and confuse your opposition.  It seemed to work in several occasions.  Both were bantering about their own take of the truth at times.  A German defence figure just said, "Iran may be significantly further ahead in its nuclear weapons program than public intelligence assessments have so far suggested."

Neil Cavuto, newsman on Fox News just interviewed Wayne Simmons, former CIA Operative and fiction writer of his new book, Natanz Directive that he wrote with Mark Graham, this morning.  Wayne was consultant to the White House with Bush.  He agreed with me in that the containment was the easy part. I personally don't think Netanyahu would be so nervous about it all if that were the case, either.    Incidently, this book is a spy thriller about a CIA operative, Iran, and nuclear activities.  Now I want to read it.

Biden is so sure that the USA will be notified in plenty of time when Iran is at a dangerous level with a bomb created.  Netanyahu was talking about stopping their production before it ever gets so far.  I don't know why Biden is so sure when the USA wasn't even notified about terrorists in Libya that killed our ambassador and Seals.  Oh sure, Biden.  Nothing ever goes wrong on your watch.

As a former judge for high school debaters in a debate class, I was totally shocked and disgusted with Biden's continual sneering and laughing (which some Democrats call a show of teeth) at everything Paul Ryan said.  Never have I ever seen young men act like that in a real debate situation.  They would have been disqualified.  It was most disrespectful and rude. As a voter, I wanted to slap him.  That was my reaction. He rolled his eyes if he wasn't sneering.    Then, I didn't approve of the fireside chat setup sitting around a round table, either.  I think it takes the seriousness away, at least it did for one.  Facts and lies spoken paled in response to the smug attitude Biden revealed.  Arrogance reeked.  On the other hand, I thought Ryan was too taken back at debating an old time senator old enough to be his father that made it to be the VP and was too respectful, considering.

Resource: http://www.intelligencesummit.org/speakers/WayneSimmons.php
http://www.waynesimmons.us/the-natanz-directive/
NBC News-Debate, live
Fox News: follow-up on Debate
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=287327
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/29/world/middleeast/netanyahus-bomb-diagram-stirs-confusion-in-israel.html?_r=0
http://reportergary.com/2012/10/did-biden-send-the-wrong-signal-to-iran-during-the-debate/

Taliban Shoots Girl in Head For Wanting Education

Nadene Goldfoot
The Taliban in Pakistan is against girls getting an education.  Their terror organization may be the cause of Afghanistan's illiteracy rate to be 72% and Pakistan's to be 50%.  Girls are not to be educated according to them in secular schools.  So the result is that girls are not getting much of an education at all. Israel's illiteracy rate is 3% in comparison.

Malala Yousafzai, 14 years old,  was shot in the head and neck on purpose in NW Pakistan's Swat Valley on Tuesday. A few other girls were also injured.  Her father had run one of the last schools to defy Taliban orders to end female education.  In 2009 she documented her determination to continue school. When only 11 years old, she wrote an anonymous blog documenting her experiences for the British Broadcasting Corp.  She was on TV and became the voice for the rights of children in the area.

 She was in Mingora on a bus full of schoolgirls who had just taken an exam.  This young lady had won a national peace prize last year.   To the Taliban she had become a symbol of Western culture.  They saw her behavior as obscene.  They say they will try to assassinate her again.

Girls' education in Pakistan is something banning people against the Taliban who are against it.  Militants have shut down schools in recent years to be defiant.  "Come on, brothers, be REAL MEN, Kill a school girl." Nadeem F. Paracha said through twitter.

It's backfiring.  The Pakistanis are outraged with the Taliban's actions.  She's now an icon of courage and hope.  Private schools were closed to protest against the Taliban's actions.  Everyone in Pakistan is condemning the Taliban's action.  The Taliban retorted with "We are dead against co-education and secular education."  They are so uncivilized that this is how they decide matters; shoot the child who spoke for it in the head!  Every other culture and country have discussed these very matters about education and come to conclusions they can live with.  They ended with "Whom so ever will do the same in the future as Malala will again be targeted by the Pakistani Taliban."


Resource: http://middleeast.about.com/od/middleeast101/a/me090425b.htm
Oregonian newspaper 10/10/12 Front Page article: Taliban attack outspoken schoolgirl
Oregonian newspaper 10/11/12 page A5 Pakistanis decry girl's shooting

Syria's Explosive Border Draws USA Military to Assist Jordan

Nadene Goldfoot
The USA sent military troops to the Jordan-Syria border just in case, Leon Panetta just announced a few hours ago.  He was speaking at a NATO conference in Brussels.  He said that the US has been working with Jordan in watching for chemical and biological weapons sites in Syria and help out with dealing with Syrian refugees that are coming over the border.  The USA has provided medical kits, water tnks and other humanitarian aid to help Jordanians help out Syrian refugees that came into Jordan.

Syria had threatened to hit Tel Aviv if there was any intervention, especially involving NATO.  For the past 5 days Turkey's border towns have been hit by Syrian mortars.  Was this the result of nudging by Romney who accused Obama of been too passive?  The policy so far has been providing only non-lethal aid to rebels who want to topple Assad.  Israel and Panetta have been concerned about Assad's stash of chemical weapons.  The word is that Syria has been seen moving some chemical weapons recently.

Syria's population before the uprising against Abbas was 22,505,000.  200,000 Syrian refugees have come into Jordan and the country has meager resources.  About 25 have already rioted in Zaatari earlier this month and destroyed tents and medicine with the result that many families were left without shelter and the nights are now cold.  Whatever where they rioting about to do such a nasty thing, I'm wondering.  Do they have to be policed as well?  With that many people together in tents, I guess Jordan does need help.

Some Jordanians have hooked up with those across their border to join about 2,000 foreigners fighting with the Syrian rebels.  So far they've wounded a Jordanian border guard.

Turkey reinforced its border with artillery guns and have more fighter jets.  NATO said it stood ready to defend Turkey if necessary.

Israel has maintained peace with Syria for the past 40 years but it has been a simmering peace.  The news that "Syran-Kurdish activist Abdelbasset Sida is to head the main opposition group in exile, the Syrian National Council, now presents Jerusalem with an opportunity to express tacit support for a possible successor to Mr. Assad."

Resource:http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/panetta-us-sends-forces-to-jordan-in-case-of-syrian-escalation/2012/
 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303734204577465990770998890.html

Romney's New Take on Israel-Palestinian Peace Process

Nadene Goldfoot
Romney has already altered his strong stance of not being able to do anything to bring about peace with the Palestinian-Israel standoff.  A secretly recorded fundraiser had leaked his strong stand when he said a few months ago that there was just no way to achieve peace because the Palestinians don't want peace and that it would remain an unsolved problem.

 He's trying to get elected and that wasn't going over so well.  A former secretary of state spoke with him and mentioned that there were prospects for a settlement after the Palestinian elections.  When are elections?  Mahmoud Abbas, born march 26, 1935, was Chairman of the PLO from November 2004 and then was President on the Fatah ticket from January 15, 2005 up to June 9, 2009. He extended his own term for a year when  again he was chosen President of the PLO on November 23, 2008.  He said "A Jewish state, what is that supposed to mean? You can call yourselves as you like, but I don't accept it and I say so publicly."(27 April 2009) . 

 This is a 77 year old man  who may hold the title of Prez till death at this rate.  Recognizing Israel continues to be off his agenda of goals to be accomplished like the USA.  In Gaza, Hamas rules.  There are no elections going on in Gaza.  Only the areas of Judea and Samaria are trying to have elections, only Abbas has the upper hand there as well.  Others don't have a chance.  Abbas was born in Safed, where I lived, but left with his parents at age 13  in 1948 when all the Arabs attacked the new Israeli state.  They fled to Syria. Later he moved to Egypt and then Russia to pick up his outlook on politics with some education.  

Romney "plans to declare his commitment to the notion of "a Democratic, prosperous Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the Jewish state of Israel."  He thinks he can do it because a new president 's broom sweeps cleaner than an old one.  He will come on stronger than Obama did with more oomph behind him.

Hamas and Fatah still are not agreeing or coordinating their agendas, especially on voting in Judea and Samaria (West Bank).  The struggle for power continues.

Dana Milbank sees Romney as ever-changing.  I don't think so.  He's just trying to attract votes.  He's a realist and sees the situation through clear eyes, not rose-colored glasses.  The only way to get any peace with Hamas for Israel is through a much stronger standing USA, and that he hasn't changed.

Resource: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/08/romney-foreign-policy-speech_n_1947074.html Romney Foreign Policy Speech to Soften Stand of Israel-Palestine Peace Process
Oregonian newspaer 10/10/2012 page B7 Dana Milbank's "Romney shifts positions again.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Abbas
http://www.minnpost.com/christian-science-monitor/2012/10/hamas-election-boycott-leaves-west-bank-palestinians-only-one-choi

Syria: The Enemy You Know Versus The Unknown:

Nadene Goldfoot
What happens in Syria is most important to Israel as it is a neighbor. On October 4, 2011, Syria's Assad threatened to attack Israel if NATO intervened with their rebels. He said he would fire at Israel from the Golan Heights and would hit Tel Aviv. To do this he would only need 6 hours to transfer rockets and missiles into the Golan, he boasted.

 Syria tangled with their other neighbor, Turkey when they downed a Turkish plane in June of which Turkey is still investigating. Turkey has given shelter to thousands of Syrian refugees that poured across their border.   Syria has now  started firing mortars into Turkey.  Neither state have close peaceful relations with Israel lately.

 The rebellion in Syria is made up of about 120 small groups, each with their own commander wanting power.  The Free Syrian Army insurgency against President Bashar Assad is most confusing.  The rebels are not coordinating their military planning.

Yakzen Shishakly went Syria in February to meet with officers through a Syria-American organization called the Syrian Support Group.  His grandfather had been the  Syrian president in the 1950's, so he has clout. His older brother is Adib Shishakly who said that "growing your beard is the easiest way to get money."  Adib is one of the founders of the political opposition, the  Syrian National Council, who have about 71 members of the 120 groups united.  Their base for meeting is in Istanbul,Turkey.   "The SNC National Charter lists human rights, judicial independence, freedom of the press, democracy and political pluralism as its guiding principles.

The brothers' grandfather was Adib Shishakly (1909-1964), military leader and president of Syria in 1953-54.  He fought with the "Army of Deliverance", a volunteer Arab army in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War against Israel. With his leadership, revenge was more important  than peace with the USA, Britain  and Israel.   His father was born in Turkey and had married a Syrian, so the boys were born in Syria.  He was assassinated in 1964 by a Syrian Druze in  a revenge killing.

A Salafist group, "Soukor al-Sham" is headed by "Abu Issa."  To get money, he visited the Turkish border city of Antakya last week to meet with Saudi businessmen to might donate.  Another Jihadist group trying to get power is the "Majiis al-Shura"  with Mohammed al-Absi as the former leader.  He was killed after raising the black flag of al-Qaida on the Syrian border.  The flag is now gone, but the jihadists and moderates are just beginning to fight each other.  Jabhat al-Nursra, another extremist group, openly boasts of their connection to al-Qaidda.  Yakzan Shishakly tried to warn a US official.  He said, "These people are among us.  If you don't help now, there will be more and more."

Which brings us to our Presidential elections.  This morning's Oregonian's article is that Romney is calling for the arming of Syrian rebels.  He feels that the US must join other nations in doing just this and ousting the president Bashar Assad.  He would organize the rebels who share American values, and work with our allies to make sure they get the arms they need to defeat Assad's tanks, helicopters and fighter jets.  It looks like he could get the help he needs from the work of Yakzan Shishakly.

So far, 32,079 people are the casualties of the Syrian conflict as of Sunday.  Syria is now attacking Turkey as of last Wednesday when a shell hit the house in Akcakale, a border town, killing 2 women and 3 children.  It couldn't have been a wild hit as they have continued every day since then.  The Turks are said to not want a war.  There are no important national interests at stake to warrant a war.  Syria must be sending a message to Ankara so they are not to risk foreign military intervention, which is what the rebels need and Romney is considering.  It will affect Turkey.  Then again, The Turks would be happy to see the present vice president of Syria, Farouk al-Sharaa, become an interim leader.   7,884 members of the Syrian military forces and 1,215 army defectors are fighting with the rebels.

I don't see it as an easy call. I notice that Syria's illiteracy level in the Middle East is at 19%.  They have their fair share of readers compared to other states.   I'm all for keeping the Salafists out of the power role.  They are extreme religious men who are more violent than the Muslim Brotherhood.  Egypt, whose illiteracy level is 28%,   is no longer a known entity in a peaceful position that it was with Sadat and Mubarak. What can happen to Syria?  Is it going to go from bad to worse?

Resource: http://middleeast.about.com/od/israel/p/me071125.htm
http://blog.oregonlive.com/opinion_impact/print.html?entry=/2012/10/syria_a_revolt_extr...In Syria, a revolt's extremist threat by David Ignatius
Oregonian newspaper 10/9/2012, page A3: Romney calls for arming of Syrian rebels by Kasie Hunt, Steve Peoples, AP,
Oregonian 10/9/2012 page A6 Syria's attacks appear intended to goad
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_National_Council
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adib_Shishakli
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/turkish-attack-on-syria-may-play-into-assad-s-hands.premium-1.468251
http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/syria-threatens-to-attack-israel-if-nato-intervenes-in-internal-conflict/

Jews Getting into Lithuania From Charlemagne's Invitation to Germany

Nadene Goldfoot
Already in the year 300 CE Jews were scattered in many places from the fall of Jerusalem in 70CE and the Bar Kokhba's Uprising of 135 CE.  That was it. Though some were able to remain, many fled throughout the Roman Empire except Britain where they were not welcomed until 1066.  They went to Asia Minor, East to the Caspian Sea area and to the Persian Gulf.  They were even living in Cologne, Germany.  In fact, Jews were living in Germany by the 4th century.  It was in 321 that Emperor Constantine issued regulations allowing this Jewish community to have rabbis and elders.  Ashkenazi Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north.  Jewish soldiers were even found to be in the Roman garrisons of the period.

"Many Jews fled to Mesopotamia, which is modern Iraq, and the rest fled to lands around the Mediterranean, presently known as southeastern Spain, southern France, southern Italy, Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey. Later, the Jews began to head north (to present day northern France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia) and northern Africa (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco)." Jews were established early along the Rhone River in Lyons in France.

Litvaks were what both my grandparents were. My grandmother (Bobba) was so proud to be one.   My grandfather, Nathan Goldfus, later changed to Goldfoot, was born in Telsiai, Lithuania and my grandmother, Hattie Jermulowske, was born in Lazdijai,  Suwalki, Poland, next door.  They met in the mountains of a tiny mining town of Council, Idaho.  They only spoke Yiddish, so must have been elated to find each other, both single, she being 18 years old and he 23.  She had been a recent immigrant to the USA but he had left Lithuania and meandered through England, then Dublin, Ireland into Canada and finally worked himself into Idaho.
 They most likely were speaking the main Yiddish dialects in Europe, The Litvishe Yiddish (Lithuanian Yiddish) dialect that was spoken by Jews in Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia and the Suwalki regionof NE Poland.  Yiddish has 4 main components;  Hebrew (written in Hebrew) old French and Italian, German and Slavic.  The German stands out as what was used as medieval German of the Middle Rhine region.  German words make up about 85% of the vocabulary and basic grammatical structure.  Hebrew is found in the religious and intellectual areas.  Recently English was entering the language.  Neither one could read or write English and I doubt if they were even schooled in Lithuanian or Russian, either.   My grandmother never did get the chance to go to school.

Charlemagne, Ruler of France and Western Germany Invites Jews to Live There for Economic Reasons 742-814

By the 8th Century, Jews began migrating and living in Lithuania, probably coming out of Germany.  Possibly my paternal ancestors of Goldfus were with them.  They could not depend on their safety there.  It depended on the whims of those in power.

First Settlement of Jews in Great Lithuanian Princedom or Magnus Ducatus Lithuaniae

In 1387 the Christian Catholic religion was introduced all over Lithuania.  

In 1388 The Jews  had the good fortune to be granted a charter by Vytautas (Witold).  They were invited by the Grand Dukes Gediminas and Vytautas  where they formed a class of freemen that were subject in all criminal cases directly under the jurisdiction of the grand duke and  his official representatives.  In petty suits they were under the jurisdiction of local officials on an equal footing with the lesser nobles (szlachta), boyars, and other free citizens.  This meant that by living there they were protected as well as their property.  They had the freedom to maintain their religious rituals.  They were allowed to lend money and were protected against blood libels.  The community prospered.  Since Christians were not allowed to lend money, this may be why the dukes invited them.  They were valuable  as the merchants and financiers of Christian Europe.

The winds changed and in 1495, 3 years after the major Spanish Inquisition in Spain, these 6,000 Jews were expelled by Alexander Jagiellon, the Grand Duke. their property was confiscated.   Then the winds shifted again and they were allowed to return in 1503, 8 years later and he was the King of Poland.  He gave the Jews back only part their property.

The Christians now living there, mostly Germans, were envious.  They had organized into unions and saw Jews as competitors.

Later on, the Lithuanian statute or law of 1566 placed many restrictions on the Jews and imposed laws including the requirement that they had to wear special clothing that stood out, including yellow caps for men and yellow kerchiefs for women.

The northeast section of Lithuania was Zamut.  The first Jewish settlers there were involved with the business of customs and tax collection.  Vilna Jews were expelled and came here to live in 1827 and Memel Jews moved into there in 1567.

Many Lithuania Jewish institutions were destroyed in the Khmelnytsky Uprising.  Nevertheless, the Jews must have toughed it out because their population grew from about 120,000 in 1569 to about 250,000 by 1792.  I found my ancestor, Iones "Jonas" Goldfus,  living in about 1730 in Telsiai, Lithuania.  It's one of the oldest towns in Lithuania, mentioned in 1320.  .  Until 1795 it was part of the Polish-Lithuanian Kingdom and was under Russian rule.

From 1569 to 1795 was the period of actual unification of the Great Lithuanian Dukedom with Poland within the framework of the "Polish Republic" or Rzeczpospolita.  

My grandmother, Hattie, lived in Lazdey, Suwalki and Jews had already settled there by the end of the 16th century.  They had permission to live there from King Jan Sobiesky.   Jews had occupations there by the town was surrounded by Jewish farms and farmers until WWI.

People made a living from agriculture throughout this time from breeding cattle and poultry, fishing in rivers and lakes and harvesting trees.  A few Jews were peddlers.  (My grandfather took this up upon living in Portland, Oregon. Hattie's brother and sister's husband stayed in rural Eastern Oregon and dealt with buying hides.)   A few Jews worked with import and export of agricultural products.  A few were granted the privilege to lease the collection of levies..  Many Jewish artisans and merchants settled near the taverns and storehouses near crossroads and in river ports that sprung up  and became villages and towns.

By the 18th Century 83 settlements were granted recognition as a town.  Right for commercial activity was grated to 87 settlements.  There were no differences between small and big towns this way.

Christian Lithuanians still believed in devils and ghosts and Jews replaced those thoughts in Blood libels, saying that we killed children and drank their blood.

After 1793's Second Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Lithuanian Jews became subjects of the Russian Empire.  Poland and Lithuanian were in what was called the "Pale of Settlement" an area set off where Jews were allowed to live. There were many harsh limitations imposed on the Jews living here that continued until WWI.  (Note the movie of Fiddler on the Roof.)   They were not allowed into Russia proper.

Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Jewish_history
Book:  Preserving Our Litvak Heritage-a history of 31 Jewish communities in Lithuania by Josef Rosin by JewishGen, Inc.
http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/People/displace.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Germany
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashkenazi_Jews
The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10212-lyons