Israel’s future is secure with its youth

A large majority of Hebrew-speaking Israeli Jews ages 15-18 intend to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces, a Midgam Research Institute poll found.

The online poll, which surveyed a representative sample of 501 young Israelis, found that 76 percent intend to enlist. Broken down by gender, 92% of males and 60% of females said they intend to join the IDF. Only 10% of all respondents said they do not plan to serve in the IDF.

The results of the poll were presented in conjunction with the opening of the Zionist Youth Congress in Gush Etzion, an initiative of the Zionist Council in Israel and the World Zionist Organization.

Some 70% of respondents self-identified as Zionists.

An overwhelming majority of respondents — 85% — said they were unwilling to give up parts of Jerusalem, even in exchange for real peace with the Palestinians.

March 25, 2014 | 108 Comments »

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50 Comments / 108 Comments

  1. @ honeybee:

    “And you expected HB to KNOW the midrash when you said, ‘Try the wife of the biblical Barak’?”

    “Why not, Yamit82 respects my intelligence.”

    Knowing the midrash is not a factor of “intelligence” — but of familiarity & simple happenstance.

    In any event, it’s apparent from your post (#43, pg 2) that you HADN’T known that midrash.

  2. @ AbbaGuutuu:

    “I have not seen Barak’s wife in the Bible. Where is it?”

    She is not named in the Bible itself.

    In Jewish tradition, there are occasional writings which may or may not have been originally intended for inclusion in the Bible. They are called the Midrash.

    Sometimes they are nothing more than oral interpolations added after the fact, but retained in the tradition for the sake of their pedagogical value.

    In other instances, however, they may WELL have been of scriptural intent, but for reasons unknown (or unclear), they have been omitted from the actual text.

    Thus, as a CATEGORY of writings, their authenticity & reliability are uneven, and they must be approached with that understanding.

    HERE is the full article that Yamit excerpted in post #40, above — concerning the matter of “Barak’s wife.”

  3. @ yamit82:

    “Barak son of Abinoam is also known as Deborah’s husband in Jewish Midrashic tradition”

    And you expected HB to KNOW the midrash when you said, “Try the wife of the biblical Barak”?

  4. yamit82 Said:

    Sometimes by your name as well.

    Bees are not ugly insects, they beautify colored, industrious, and productive. Specking of which today day is house and wash day.

  5. yamit82 Said:

    Barak son of Abinoam is also known as Deborah’s husband in Jewish Midrashic tradition and with some merit

    Deborah’s husbands name is unknown. He was a stock man and was busy running the family business while Deborah sat under her palm tree dispensing justice[ re. Dr. Laura and Judge Judy]. Barak was a handsome young military officer who was Deborah’s right hand man and a friend with benefits.

  6. honeybee Said:

    I am thinking??????????

    (“Deborah and Barak”)

    Barak son of Abinoam is also known as Deborah’s husband in Jewish Midrashic tradition and with some merit.

    Deborah and Barak

    Rabbinic exegetical interpretation: in the Book of Judges (such as those of Ehud son of Gera, Gideon and Samson), one central figure leads and judges the people and is also responsible for their political deliverance. The story of Deborah differs, in that a number of characters participate in leading the people: Deborah represents the word of the Lord and judges the people; military deliverance is effected by means of Barak, the military commander; and, in the end, it is Yael who overcomes Sisera and kills him. The division of labor between Deborah and Barak in the Biblical narrative is replete with tension, a fact that did not escape the attention of the Rabbis. One tradition presents Barak as Deborah’s husband, who is also called “Lappidoth” (Seder Eliyahu Rabbah, Chap. 10, 48–49), thus attempting to ease the tension between them by explaining it as that between man and wife. Deborah was the wife of a man whose name was Lapidoth, which means “torches.” “Barak,” meaning lighting, was another name for “Lapidoth.”

    Judges 5 records a song. Though we tend to refer to it as “the Song of Deborah”, it is in fact not the song of Deborah alone. Judges 5:1 we read that “Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: …”

    “For twenty happy years the Jews lived in peace under the wise guardianship of Deborah and Barak.”

  7. yamit82 Said:

    Your screen name translated to Hebrew? Don’t think you want to hear what it is.

    It is good to know what it is. I know Abba means father in different languages. Anyone’s name when translated to a different languages could not maintain its original meaning. No surprise! 🙂

  8. @ yamit82:

    “Anybody who puts himself in harm’s way for the purpose of ‘proving’ that he isn’t a coward

    — IS one.”

    “You are a vile sicko.”

    Sticks & stones may break my bones… (but whips & chains excite me!). . . .

    “You can just[if]y just about anything in your sick warped psyche, even your own disgusting behavior.”

    And “in [my] sick warped psyche,” precisely what “disgusting behavior” of mine would THAT be?

    @ yamit82:

    “Try the wife of the biblical Barak.”

    Barak’s WIFE is mentioned by name in scripture? — Don’t think so.

  9. @ honeybee:

    “Never call Yamit82 a coward on this post!”

    “He hides behind YOU — and you cover for him. That makes him as much of a coward as YOU are.”

    “He has defended the Jewish people at the risk of his own life!”

    “I’ve known lots of cowards who did the same, and told them so to their face. Cowardice has to do with much more than merely WHAT you do. It also has to do with WHY.”

    “False bravado”

    Uncluttered fact.

    Bravado would’ve been strictly superfluous.

    I know the man in the mirror

    — he doesn’t take shit from anybody (least of all, li’l ol’ winemaker me).

    Yet he agrees with YoursEverTruly on this one.

    @ honeybee:

    “NOT misunderstood [Polonius]. I’ve never been false to any man (or woman) on this site.”

    “You are extraordinarily false to yourself and totally unaware.”

    The only way you could CONCEIVABLY be positioned to make such a remark (accurately or otherwise) would be if you were acquainted with my SELF.

    You aren’t.

    Not remotely.

  10. AbbaGuutuu Said:

    Thanks. I donot know what my real name is in Hebrew.

    dweller Said:

    Anybody who puts himself in harm’s way for the purpose of ‘proving’ that he isn’t a coward

    — IS one.

    You are a vile sicko. You can justly just about anything in your sick warped psyche, even your own disgusting behavior. You are not only a coward but ____________ fill in the blank.

  11. dweller Said:

    NOT misunderstood. I’ve never been false to any man (or woman) on this site

    You are extraordinarily false to yourself and totally unaware.

  12. @ the phoenix:

    “This I must give him. The man is predictable…”

    True to myself? yes.

    “Must have misunderstood plonius’ s

    ‘And it must follow, as the night the day…’…”

    NOT misunderstood. I’ve never been false to any man (or woman) on this site.

  13. @ honeybee:

    “It seems that phoenix needs to spend a certain amount of time being upset over one thing or another”

    “I was correct in my assessments, Your Jealous!”

    “Good try, HB — but no sale. Sounds like wishful thinking.”

    “In you dreams,sweetie??”

    Twinkies have yet to put in an appearance in any of my dreams, Twinkie.

    @ honeybee:

    “…and it went right past you? Amazing, phoenix; really.”

    “Is probably because you are so obtuse as to be completely un decipherable.”

    Right, HB. THAT’s why you love reading my stuff.

    Paranoia makes a man dense. It’s just that simple.

    @ honeybee:

    “I shall continue my girlish ways Sweetie…”

    No doubt. (What choice do you have?)

    “… I sure [ as hell] works with you!”

    More wishful thinking. Hope springs eternal. . . .

  14. @ honeybee:

    “Cowards like you hide behind children like these.”

    “Cowards like you hide behind children like those on this board.”

    “Never call Yamit82 a coward on this post!”

    He hides behind YOU — and you cover for him.

    — That makes him as much of a coward as YOU are.

    “He has defended the Jewish people at the risk of his own life!”

    I’ve known lots of cowards who did the same, and told them so to their face.

    Cowardice has to do with much more than merely WHAT you do.

    It also has to do with WHY.

    Anybody who puts himself in harm’s way for the purpose of ‘proving’ that he isn’t a coward

    — IS one.

  15. @ dove:

    “She senses that you can be pressured and she’s exploiting that perceived weakness…”

    “This type of thought thinking is going to cost you in the end. Was just letting him know that if I put him on ignore he knows why. It has nothing to do with exploitation or weakness.”

    Has EVERYTHING to do with it. You are a pressure-monger. (Must drive your kids batty.)

    “Your nothing but an unholy insult!”

    Bury your dead.

  16. @ dove:

    “I think blasmpheming against a Jew boils down to the same thing.”

    There’s no such thing as ‘blaspheming against a Jew.’

    “Blasphemy is ALWAYS a sin against DEITY — howsoever the believer chooses to conceive Deity…

    “Blasphemy is never a sin against a human being — any human being — in ANYBODY’s religion.”

    “Yes there is! blasheming against the Jewish soul – which was created by The Creatorboils down to the same thing”

    The duck-billed platypus was ALSO “created by the Creator.” Can you ‘blaspheme’ against that too?

    The only way one could blaspheme against a JEW would be if that Jew just happened to ALSO be divine.

    Know any Jews like that?

  17. dweller Said:

    She senses that you can be pressured and she’s exploiting that perceived weakness. (You’ll recall, I gave you a bit of a warning as to what you were in for.)

    — But you mustn’t think you have to make such a choice just because she says so.

    Thanks for your comment. I have seen a lot of good ideas in your comment. Human behavior is so complex. It is not easy to know the totality of a person from a comment he/she makes. Even though, I would like to make corrections whenever and wherever I may come across a wrong stuff,I have real empathy for the majority of those I see on this website knowing what they are going through in this chaotic and hatred filled world.
    I believe showing meekness is not weakness. I would like to think for myself independently and do what is right and learn from my mistakes and others’.

  18. dove Said:

    Good! Glad you don’t mind. Here is some more candor – if you continue to schmooze with dweller or curious american then I am cutting you off. Nothing personal but they have proven time and time again that they are very bad for the Jewish people.

    Ronald Reagan said: “Trust but verify”. I have found the two individuals you had mentioned to be reasonable and thoughtful thus far. I would like to see on my own to see whether or not I could come to the same conclusion. Don’t you think it is preferable to have varieties of opinion from various individuals on an issue to choose from?

  19. @ honeybee:

    dweller Said:

    This I must give him. The man is predictable…
    Must have misunderstood plonius’ s

    And it must follow, as the night the day,

    😉

  20. dweller Said:

    and it went right past you? Amazing, phoenix; really

    Is probably because you are so obtuse as to be completely un decipherable.

  21. dweller Said:

    Have you considered switching to decaf? (gradually of course; cold-turkey, caffeine-withdrawal headaches can be a

    My DEAR FRIEND PHOENIX drinks cognac!!!!!!!!!!

  22. dweller Said:

    Cowards like you hide behind children like those on this board

    Never call Yamit82 a coward on this post!!!!!!!!! He has defended the Jewish people at the risk of his own life!!!!1 As have others, on this blog, who are and have been members of the IDF.

  23. the phoenix Said:

    er favorite is foghorn leghorn (for obvious reasons

    Fog Horn the Leghorn pontificates like TX. Once at the flea market someone was selling a pulpit that I wanted to buy for him. We , at times, go before the County Commissioners for various reasons. He get up and speechifies, never says a word of sense and every loves him. He is entertaining. {to them]

  24. @ dweller:

    There’s no such thing as ‘blaspheming against a Jew.’

    Yes there is! blasheming against the Jewish soul – which was created by The Creator boils down to the same thing

    She senses that you can be pressured and she’s exploiting that perceived weakness

    This type of thought thinking is going to cost you in the end. Was just letting him know that if I put him on ignore he knows why. It has nothing to do with exploitation or weakness. Your nothing but an unholy insult!

  25. @ the phoenix:

    “Our resident hobo…”

    Oxymoron. Resident cannot be hobo. Hobo cannot be resident.

    — But then, you weren’t aiming for truth, phoenix. You were reaching for a pejorative.

    “In his inimitable style to jump to defend the ones who were wronged on the forum.”

    You make it sound like a crime.

    “let’s see now, what common denominator may be shared by these two?…. Could it be that they both are Christians trying to sell their wares on a Jewish blog site?…. Naaah!”

    Can’t speak for anybody else, but I’ve got nothing to sell, phoenix.

    When I became a believer (possibly sometime before you were born), it wasn’t because anybody ‘sold any wares’ to me; rather, it was because I saw some things for myself, BY myself.

    No reason, then, that I would want to sell any ‘wares’ to anybody else.

    I respect the freedom of the individual mind. God doesn’t want conscripts — but volunteers. So I’m no pressure-monger

    — and I have no USE for such.

    “Chuck it to paranoia…”

    You truly are paranoid, boychik.

    “So now, our [dweller] was sending a sarcastic barb at ME while addressing it to you….”

    You’re barking up the wrong tree, dude. The “Melancholy Baby” remark was absolutely NOT sarcastic and was absolutely NOT aimed at you.

    It was directed intentionally to HB, and specifically in an ironic response to her comment re the linked author’s ‘unfamiliarity with proper syntax’

    — a whole page of text amounting to “Come to me, my melancholy baby” — and it went right past you? Amazing, phoenix; really.

  26. @ honeybee:

    “It seems that phoenix needs to spend a certain amount of time being upset over one thing or another”

    “I was correct in my assessments, Your Jealous!”

    Good try, HB — but no sale.

    Sounds like wishful thinking.

    @ honeybee:

    “dweller… makes failed attempts to be an intellectual”

    The only people who attempt to be “an intellectual” (failed OR successful) ar those who put great value on the intellect in the first place.

    That leaves me out.

    There are others around here who do find it valuable.

  27. @ dove:

    “I think blasmpheming against a Jew boils down to the same thing.”

    There’s no such thing as ‘blaspheming against a Jew.’

    Blasphemy is never a sin against a human being — any human being — in ANYBODY’s religion.

    Blasphemy is ALWAYS a sin against DEITY — howsoever the believer chooses to conceive Deity.

  28. @ the phoenix:

    “Regardless of which path you choose, however, you’ll always be welcome here — in MY book”

    “Why stop there?”

    Because I’d said all I intended to say.

    “Why did you skip the ‘with open loving arms to ease your pain’ part?”

    Because that never WAS part of it.

    I’m not here to ease anybody’s ‘pain’ — I’ve never regarded that as my (or anybody else’s) function here.

    I simply welcomed him. (I welcomed you too, phoenix; though that may have slipped your mind after some years.)

    Have you considered switching to decaf? (gradually of course; cold-turkey, caffeine-withdrawal headaches can be a bear)

  29. @ AbbaGuutuu:

    “[I]f you continue to schmooze with dweller or curious american then I am cutting you off. Nothing personal… “

    Of course it’s personal. She’s trying to pressure you PERSONALLY to choose whom to relate to, and whom not.

    She senses that you can be pressured and she’s exploiting that perceived weakness. (You’ll recall, I gave you a bit of a warning as to what you were in for.)

    — But you mustn’t think you have to make such a choice just because she says so.

    Speaking for myself, for example, I address whatever comments I think need to be addressed, usually without regard to who made them. If the poster chooses not to respond, it’s no loss to me — because it was the post ITSELF that I was addressing, not necessarily the person who posted. Lots more people READ the various comments (and articles) than actually POST remarks.

    “…but [dweller & Curious American] have proven time and time again that they are very bad for the Jewish people.”

    Dove’s personal history has generated a truckload of insecurities connected with the ‘legitimacy’ of her Jewishness.

    Those insecurities play themselves out in this forum, in which — from time-to-time — she feels obliged to pronounce ex cathedra on who (and what) is good or bad “for the Jewish people.”

    But she is no authority in the matter (as if there could BE such a thing in the first place); rather, she’s just one more of the walking wounded. They are legion.

  30. @ yamit82:

    “What beautiful young people!”

    “TOO young — by at least 7-10 years. They’re children.”

    “… they are at their physical peak and can best be trained to kill as a second nature.”

    ANYBODY can be trained to kill as second nature.

    Children’s judgment centers, however, have not completed their formation — and won’t have been completed until at least their late 20’s.

    — Until then, they’re much more easily traumatized than adults. And war is a trauma-generating machine.

    “To their parents they are children but to everyone one else…”

    To anybody — parent or otherwise — to ANYBODY with eyes to see and common sense to ponder, they are adolescents.

    “… they are the human wall between life and death of the rest of us.”

    Children, scarcely out (if at all) from under their parents’ roof, shouldn’t be asked to do the job of adults.

    “After 3 years not withstanding how they entered the service they come out as men in every respect…”

    NOT in every respect — not if PresentCompany is a representative sampling.

    What’s more, PTSD has generated HUGE numbers of post-service suicides in those who’ve seen action.

    Or do you find it too hard to think that far down the road, man that you are?

    “… but you have never had their experience.”

    Right; I’ve never (yet) been trained to “kill as second nature.”

    So for me, untrained as I am at this point, killing would have to be ‘third’ nature.

    But I’m very good. . . at whatever I do. . . .

    “Cowards like you hide behind children like these.”

    Cowards like you hide behind children like those on this board.

  31. @ AbbaGuutuu:

    Thanks for your candor

    Good! Glad you don’t mind. Here is some more candor – if you continue to schmooze with dweller or curious american then I am cutting you off. Nothing personal but they have proven time and time again that they are very bad for the Jewish people.

  32. @ AbbaGuutuu:

    your question about “what is your handle” – which I did not understood and now I won’t forget what it means.
    I know what you have asked requires a straight answer.

    First and foremost, sincere apologies for being a little too trigger happy.
    I DO hope though, that you see that I did not arrive at my ‘conclusion’ out of left field…
    Anyways, it’s like honeybee says : “it’s the coyote and the road runner”….
    I’ll place a side bet here, that her favorite is foghorn leghorn (for obvious reasons… 😉 )

  33. honeybee Said:

    Are you Ethiopian? I taught Ethiopians English, loved them. Bright, clever people.

    Thanks for all of your advices and even your question about “what is your handle” – which I did not understood and now I won’t forget what it means.
    I know what you have asked requires a straight answer. AbbaGutuu is not my real name. From what I heard from two other individuals, it means completeness (full) or a person who lacks nothing and a blessing to others. That is why I like it and prefer to use it as my user name.
    For personal reason, I prefer for now not to tell online about my identity. Sorry for not answering your question as you expect. I like (enjoy) to help others in need as much as humanly possible. I have maintained a clean record all the days of my life. I have come to realize that individuals who do right or try to do what is right have more enemies than the ones who follow others like a herd. I donot want to follow or think like a herd.:)

  34. dweller Said:

    That’s a colloquialism. She intended to ask what your name means.

    I did not know about its meaning. Although I know what a “handle” means, when I looked to its definition on online dictionaries I got various meanings (including conduct). Then, I overreacted in making some comments. Thanks for your advice, the info and gentleness and understanding.