THE THIRD NIGHT OF HANUKKAH

I feel that the Jewish people need to remember the sacrifices that were made by the brave Jewish men and women before us. Battles were waged, people were killed. If it had'nt been for these people, the Jewish people would not have the State of Israel as our homeland.

I think that in recent events that have unfolded over that last year, it is Hasem's way of telling us that if we don't come together as a people, that once again we stand to lose what many have fought and died for...The Jewish State of Israel.

There are Jews that believe that the Jewish State of Israel was a huge mistake. The fact that Ariel Sharon giving the Gaza strip to the Squatters known as the "Palestinians", I believe has angered Hashem, and in recent events in Israel and the United States, he is making that anger known.

BLESSING OVER THE CANDLES:

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu
l'had'lik neir shel Chanukah. (Amein)

BLESSING FOR HANUKKAH:

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
she'asah nisim la'avoteinu bayamim haheim baziman hazeh. (Amein)


From Peter Yarrow's "Light One Candle"
Light one candle for the Macabee children, with thanks that their light did'nt die.
Light one candle for the pain they endured, when their right to exist was denied...
Light one candle the terrible sacrifice justice and freedom demand...


A little note of History:

Historically speaking, it should be noted that the idea of a "Palestinian" homeland is a flawed idea. In the first place, the word Palestine is a derivative Latin reference to the Philistines, an ethnic Greek group that God, using King David and the Israelites, kicked out of Israel. The crusaders used the Latin word Palestina or Palestine to denote the Holy Land, and the British brought back the English word after World War I. Thus, Palestine is not an Arab or Muslim name at all! Moreover, anyone who lives in the area, whether Arab, Jew, Christian, or even atheist or Buddhist, rightfully can be called a "Palestinian."

In 1923, the British took part of Palestine, re-named it Trans-Jordan or Jordan, and gave it to the Arabs. In 1947, the United Nations gave part of the remaining Palestine to the Jews, who re-titled it Israel, and part of the land to the Arabs, but the Arab Muslims rejected the offer because they wanted all of Palestine. The Arabs, including Jordan and other Arab or Muslim states, waged war on the Jews in 1948 and 1967 and lost both times. Even though it lost in 1948, Jordan retained control of part of the U.N.-mandated Arab territory until 1967.

Of course, all the land in the Middle East does not belong to Arabs, Jews, Christians, or any other non-divine person. It actually belongs to God!