Bibi's Palin: By Dr. Jason Gold

Give John McCain credit where credit is due. A so-called "maverick" and ideological Liberal-Independent in Republican clothing, his dance to the mythical Center (Left, in reality) was clearly not working and his campaign was floundering. In one bold stroke, he did what he needed to do. In picking Sarah Palin as his running mate, McCain re-energized the core conservative base of the Republican party and suddenly vaulted ahead of Obama in the polls. You can talk all you want about Palin's appeal to women and her folksy style, but she is what McCain is not; a card-carrying conservative to the core who has the Republican DNA that McCain clearly lacks.

Binyamin ("Bibi") Netanyahu is Israel's John McCain. Bibi heads Likud, the largest party in Israel, the nationalist Right-leaning party that is truly a "mini-Israel," but Bibi clearly lacks Likud DNA. Evidence? Let's go back to the general elections of 2005. Political experts weigh in and state that Bibi will win if he leans more rightward. So what does he do? He plunges ahead in an attempt to find Israel's mythical Center, deviates the Likud to the Left on all national and security issues in order to clone the Likud in Kadima's style. It's a master strategy and a winner... for Kadima. Ehud Olmert, a shy(ster) lawyer and empty suit, wins the Prime Ministerial chair as head of the one-issue Disengagement party (or as it has now come to be known the expulsion-to-save-Ariel-Sharon's-rear-end-from-indictment party), while his mentor cools his body and brain in vegetative hibernation.

Fast forward to 2008. As Tzipi Livni will now attempt to form a government that will give away everything and the kitchen sink (no matter what Shas says), Bibi clearly is intent on proving me right when I tell his supporters he will never change. He attempts to shove leftists such as Dan Meridor and Uzi Dayan onto the Likud election list, as well as preserving the membership of about 3,700 people who are registered for both Likud and Kadima in order to again move leftward towards that mythical Israeli Center.

Why is Bibi doing this when again political experts are telling him to move Right? Well, ironically enough, Bibi is trying to hurt the Likud's Sarah Palin (in a political sense of course).

That's right, folks, Bibi's and the Likud's version of Sarah Palin is none other than Moshe Feiglin of the Manhigut Yehudit faction in Likud. See Bibi watch Feiglin slowly climb the Likud ladder to become the second most powerful figure in Likud with an unswerving, incorruptible message of non-coercive faith-based leadership, in order to form a true Jewish state. See Bibi watch Moshe's message take hold and begin to resonate with the Likudniks, both observant and secular. See Bibi try every dirty trick in the book to have Moshe thrown out of Likud, or at least marginalized and shoved further down a list in which no less a political expert than Ayala Hasson of Popolitika states that Moshe is within the Likud top five. See Bibi know that Moshe will not be his poodle or cut any deals with him. See Bibi realize that it is Moshe and not he who truly possesses the Likud DNA of leadership. Despite political experts telling Bibi to stop the dirty tricks and embrace Feiglin, rather than trying to hurt him, as it will help both him and Likud, see Bibi not listen and repeat the mistakes of 2005 all over again.

You see, Bibi, you have your own Sarah Palin right there in the Likud party - Moshe Feiglin. With him, you could reach out to many people on the Right and assure yourself and Likud victory in an upcoming election. But you also realize that Moshe will not toe the line for you in government and that you will not be able to silence him or buy him off. So you continue on your dysfunctional way and even talk of forming a unity government with the virtuoso pianist and part-time Defense Minister Ehud Barak. He who, except for the grace of G-d and Yasser Arafat's mind-numbing homicidal tendencies and Jew-hatred, almost succeeded in giving away most of Judea, Samaria, Gaza and Jerusalem while acting as Prime Minister.

Unity governments never work, Bibi. But then again, why should I expect you to prove me wrong? You have not disappointed me yet. I cannot wait to see what happens if Livni does form a government. Then, if there is some relative peace and quiet, she will become media darling number one and you will sink into irrelevancy, as the 80% of people who say they will vote for you but don't trust you may just turn to someone else to lead the Likud. That someone? Your Sarah Palin, Bibi.

Taking Stock: Rosh Hashanah 5769

Dear Friends,

It seems that G-d is reshuffling all the decks for the new year, 5769. It is happening in politics, in the world economy, in international relations and most likely - within each and every one of us.

We entered the year 5768 immediately following my highly publicized primary bid for the leadership of the Likud. The months that followed were void of great electoral campaigns. But they were chock-full of steady reach-out activity. My articles, television and radio interviews and no less important - countless meetings with the Likud membership throughout Israel - have significantly heightened public awareness and interest in the faith based leadership alternative. The complimentary polls and the enthusiasm with which our ideas are now greeted strengthen our confidence that we are definitely on the right track and progressing all the time.

Our support in the Likud is now very broad-based and is not at all limited to the people who registered for the Likud through Manhigut Yehudit. Our reach-out within the Likud has spilled over into the rest of Israeli society. As I have written countless times before, the Likud is a microcosm of Israeli society at large. The processes developing in the Likud are also taking place throughout Israel. Many more challenges still await us as we aim for leadership of the Likud. But it is clear that the path from leadership of the Likud to leadership of the entire nation will be considerably shorter.

We are at the threshold of a number of very important struggles. If no new government is formed soon in Israel, we will be going to general elections, which will be preceded by Likud primaries for the Knesset list. Even if a new government is formed, its future is hazy and we will nevertheless need to prepare for Likud primaries, which will take place in a year from now at the very most.

If general elections are not held soon, the Likud will hold elections for the Likud Central Committee. We must prepare ourselves for this important race. The Likud Central Committee is a highly influential body. For example, Bibi's proposal to parachute non-Likud, leftist celebrities into the top slots in the Likud evaporated when it became clear that it would never make it past the Likud Central Committee. Currently, Manhigut Yehudit has a significant amount of members on both the Central Committee and the various Likud committees. It is of utmost importance that we increase our strength in these committees even more.

Another challenge that awaits us in the new year is to restore those Manhigut Yehudit people who have let their Likud memberships lapse to active, paying status. The Likud secretariat has passed a decision to allow those people who stopped paying their dues to renew their membership status without the necessity of waiting 16 months to be allowed to vote again. As such, it is extremely important to make sure that your payments to the Likud are in order and to ensure that your family/friends/neighbors/ associates who used to be Likud members renew their memberships, as well. If you have any questions about your membership status, email us at manhigut@manhigut.org.

Our political activism is creating a Jewish revolution. Slowly but surely, we are bringing about a changing of the guard - ridding Israel of the tired, faithless and uninspired leadership that has led the State of Israel to date. Slowly but surely, we are transferring the leadership of Israel away from the elite that has controlled us since the birth of Zionism and restoring it to the Jewish majority. That is why the ruling elites are trying so hard to remove me from the Likud Knesset list. They want to preserve their control. Moshe Feiglin threatens it.

5769 will be a revolutionary year. We are doing all that we can to prepare for the greatest revolution of all - the faith based revolution.

I sincerely thank the thousands of Manhigut Yehudit supporters who constantly inject us with the strength to continue our struggle to provide Israel with authentic Jewish leadership. May G-d bless you all with a year of good health, happiness, and fulfillment and may all your aspirations become reality in the very best way.

I pray that we will have the merit to lead our nation in the coming year with genuine love of Israel and complete loyalty to G-d, the Land of Israel and the Nation of Israel.

Shanah Tovah Umetukah,

Moshe Feiglin

The Jewish Economy Triangle: Capitalism, Faith and Loving Kindness

Like every other facet of running a country, economics is a complex business. But when the nation's and individual's bottom line is G-d and His directives, greed evaporates and capitalism based on faith and loving kindness flourishes.

A truly Jewish Israel must adopt the economic structure that will most aptly balance objective economic principles with Jewish values. We can call it the "Jewish Economy Triangle."

Prinicple 1: Capitalism

Judaism absolutely recognizes personal property rights, the right to amass and maintain wealth and the fact that there will never be full economic equality. Moreover, Judaism sees wealth as a sign of blessing. Our Patriarchs were all "millionaires."

Commerce, which socialism sees as negative and "robbery of the workers," is viewed in Judaism as an honorable trade, just as any other legitimate source of income. Many of Israel's sages engaged in commerce, from Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi who compiled the Mishnah to the Holy Ari.

Principle 2: Faith

A Jew must always understand that his wealth is not the product of his business acumen and that he is not its ultimate owner. It is G-d's blessing that brought him success, and wealth is nothing more than a deposit in his hands to enable him to do what is right in G-d's eyes. According to Judaism, it is permissible and appropriate to enjoy wealth. Judaism does not encourage asceticism, but guides us within the refining cultural framework of Torah. Furthermore, Judaism obligates the Jewish capitalist to perform actions that completely contradict the rules of capitalism. He must cease from work on the Shabbat even if he will lose the economic chance of a lifetime. During the Temple era, the Jew's capitalism was even more compromised, when he was commanded to thrice yearly ascend to Jerusalem for the holidays, leaving his work far behind.

The laws of Monetary Sabbatical (Shmittat Ksafim) and the Jubilee, in which loans and land return to their original owners, are obviously the most compelling expression of the second leg of the economic triangle. The idea that the entire capitalistic game eventually returns to its starting point and that personal property is not exactly personally owned completely contradicts capitalism. Currently, these laws are reserved for the "Era of the Messiah," but we can integrate the principle of faith inherent in them. The main economic objective is not growth just for its own sake, but rather the spiritual lifestyle that wealth can foster.

Principle 3: Loving Kindness

Acts of loving kindness are the responsibility of the individual and the community. No hiding behind state organizations such as social security or welfare. The welfare mandate, like most other authority, will be the responsibility of the community and its elected officials. The local officials must be responsible for the underprivileged of the community. They know them personally and can identify who is truly needy. They will collect the taxes and decide what portion of the district income will be allocated for education, health, welfare, etc. Furthermore, every individual in the community must take responsibility for the poor, setting aside a fixed percentage of his income for charity, as the Torah commands.

The Jewish state must cultivate an economic approach that reflects the basic culture of the nation. Jewish leadership that would apply the Jewish Economics Triangle in Israel would pave the way for a flourishing economy and would foster a sense of joy and well-being for all its inhabitants.

The Rambam on Eretz Yisrael

“We are commanded to take possession of the Land G-d gave to our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. We must not leave it to others or in desolation, as G-d told them: And you will take possession of the Land, for I gave the Land to you to possess. And you will settle the Land which I promised to your Fathers”...

“We may not relinquish the Land to any nation at any point in time. If any nation should flee the Land...we are commanded to conquer those cities and settle our tribes therein. Indeed, after we have destroyed the other nations, if our tribes should wish to leave the Land and go conquer other lands, they are not permitted to do so. This is because we were commanded to conquer the Land and live in it - and this applies throughout the generations.”

The Recipe For Victory

by Moshe Feiglin

"When you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord your G-d will give them into your hands..."

(From this week's Torah portion, Ki Tetzei, Deut. 21:10)

This verse is simple in its optimism. Israel goes out to war and G-d gives them victory. Simple as it may be, it is the Divine recipe for victory in war.

First of all, "When you go out to war". War - not a "low intensity conflict" and not "containment." The first condition is to define the situation as war and to invest the resources and fortitude necessary for war.

Secondly, "against your enemies." In a war, there is an enemy. He must be clear and defined. But in order to define the enemy, one must first define himself. If you know who you are, you can know what threatens you, and find the strength and courage to define and defeat it.

When Israel will integrate its Jewish identity into its national life, it will easily define its enemies. And then, G-d promises, He will "give them into our hands."

Moshe Feiglin

Moshe Feiglin in Chicago!

Thursday, 11 Elul 5768
(Sept. 11, '08)

Congregation Ohr Torah 3800 Dempster Skokie, IL

7:45 p.m.

Moshe Feiglin:
the ONLY candidate who will make Israel the Jewish state we can all be proud of.

Hear
Moshe Feiglin speak about the soaring enthusiasm for his agenda within the Likud.

Get Excited
by his vision of Jewish leadership for a strong and proud Jewish State.

Support
the only candidate for Jewish leadership in Israel.

Join
the team and make Israel the Jewish country that we have always dreamed of!

The Likud is Excited About Moshe Feiglin

* Does he have a chance to win?
* Does he have the experience to lead?
* Why the Likud? Why not unite with other right wing/religious parties?
* Does Feiglin have a plan to stop corruption, bring security, strengthen the economy and revitalize Jewish education?

For more information please contact
Dovid Shirel at 516-620-2475 or shir@jewishisrael.org
Email: office@jewishisrael.org
Web: www.jewishisrael.org
Tel: 02-996-1123 (Israel); 516-295-3222 (USA)

Feiglin Blasts Netanyahu's Celeb Trick

(IsraelNN.com) Moshe Feiglin, Likud member and founder of the pro-Land of Israel faction Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership), offered sharp criticism for what he called the un-democratic way in which Binyamin Netanyahu is seeking to expand his party rolls.

“If someone joins the party and wants to become a Knesset member, he should become elected by all the members of the party,” he said. “The whole concept of open primaries which Netanyahu himself pushed for very hard in the past, is based exactly on that principle, that common knowledge and understanding of 20,000 people that will create the best list of Likud Knesset members.”

Bibi's Strategy

According to sources within the Likud party, Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu will try to add Israeli public figures, some of which have no prior political experience, to the party list for the upcoming fall Knesset session. While party sources see this as an attempt by Netanyahu to boost Likud’s popularity in the polls, some existing members, like Feiglin, fear that the party will soon become overrun with Left-leaning members, thereby endangering the security of the State.

Among the Israeli public figures Netanyahu may invite into the Knesset are former basketball star Tal Brody; businessman Yair Shamir, the son of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir; the grandson of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, of the same name as his revisionist-Zionist grandfather; former generals Moshe (‘Bogie’) Ya’alon, Uzi Dayan and Yossi Peled; former police superintendent Assaf Hefetz; and former Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Education Yechiel Leiter.

Current members of the Likud party lashed out at Netanyahu in reaction to news of this strategy, which would cost many of the members to lose their bid for cabinet seats if Likud wins the next general election. In addition, according to some sources in the party, one of the methods Netanyahu is considering is to give every other spot on the list to a newcomer, meaning that half of the Knesset members in the Likud would be appointed by him rather than elected by the public.

Another Attempt to Oust Feiglin?

The Likud sources revealed another motivation for Netanyahu’s new plan to reserve slots: To prevent pro-Land of Israel activist Moshe Feiglin and his Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) movement from entering the Knesset. The last few years have seen Feiglin’s popularity soar, and in the last Likud primary he came in second to Netanyahu with nearly one-fourth of the vote. In response to the threat presented by his rival within the party, Netanyahu has in the past repeatedly and openly attempted to oust Feiglin from the party.

“I really hope that is not true. To think that Netanyahu, who did everything he could to open elections to the authority of the [Likud] Central Committee and Likud members… to think that he is going to go backwards,180 degrees against the party’s interest, against the party’s members, all that just to go against me, is hard to believe.”

An Open Door for a Leftist Likud Takeover: 'Scary'

Even more frightening to Feiglin are the names of some of the prospective Likud new-comers that may enter the Knesset through Netanyahu’s plan, such as Uzi Dayan, Dan Meridor and Yehiel Leiter. The Jewish Leadership chief expressed concern that the traditionally strong Zionist character of the party would be threatened by people like these if Netanyahu’s plan succeeds.

“The [Likud] charter talks in a very specific way about being loyal to the land of Israel, to the heritage of Israel ,” said Feiglin in an interview with IsraelNationalNews. Feiglin pointed out that most of the newcomers Netanyahu wants to place into the new party list are from the political Left.

“Having new names and public figures to join Likud is a good idea,” he said. However, he added, “it seems like Netanyahu is trying to bring into the Likud, and into the government that he will create, people that either are from the extreme Left or people that were in favor of the Disengagement, even people who are still in favor of that act."

Feiglin pointed out that Netanyahu is “trying to bring in a guy like Uzi Dayan, who was one of the major founders of the Oslo agreements, and who did everything he could to bring about the Disengagement,” as well as Dan Meridor from the Israel Democracy Institute, “who ran from one place to another to convince Sharon to do the Disengagement.”

Feiglin also described one Netanyahu pick, Yechiel Leiter, as a “so-called settler who came out with plans to destroy 11 communities in Judea and Samaria ” and uproot thousands more Jews as one of the figures Netanyahu is courting.

“So you see where this direction is leading us, and it’s scary. It’s very, very scary. I think everyone who sees these names should be very worried.”