Interview with Yehuda Gordon: On living in Samaria without fear

Yehuda Gordon grew up in Bet El and currently lives in the Shomron [Samaria] with his wife and four children - Adi Yisrael, Yosef, Chen, Lia. He works as a sofer stam [scribe].

[Interview conducted by Sharona eshet-Kohen]

Israel News Analysis: Hamas and Hizbullah

by Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz

[Based on an article that originally appeared in Hebrew in Besheva and translated by Hillel Fendel]

Reading the Haftara on a recent Sabbath, Parshat Yitro, I could not help noticing the fear and terror in the hearts of the House of David in Jerusalem when King Achaz of Judea was attacked by the armies of Aram and Israel. The Bible describes it as follows: "It was told to the House of David, saying, 'Aram has allied itself with Ephraim' – and his heart and his people's hearts trembled like the trees of the forest tremble before the wind." (Yeshayahu 7,2)

It was only the Divine command issued to King Achaz via the Prophet Isaiah that gave him the strength to fight and win: "Feel secure and calm yourself, do not fear, and let your heart not be faint because of these two smoking firebrand stubs…" (verse 4).

This sorry situation appears to be reminiscent of what we face today. Reading and watching the daily news, we are constantly bombarded with the opinions of the commanders and leaders of our security forces – the IDF, Shabak, and Mossad – regarding our two enemies threatening us from north and south – Hizbullah and Hamas. Apparently, either because of a weakening in their belief in the justness of our cause, or possibly due to spiritual and religious tiredness, or perhaps it's just plain fright and fear of these two smoking firebrand stubs – for whatever reason, the security leaders of the State of Israel nearly always advise and pressure the Government of Israel to surrender to every demand raised by these two terrorist organizations. Our powerful government is afraid to utilize its army, or its other security organs, simply because of the dangers foreseen by the Situation Room in the Kiryah [Defense Ministry headquarters] in Tel Aviv.